CHRISTIANS DEMONOLOGY

In Christianity, a demon is traditionally an evil spirit, not human in origin, and bent towards the destruction of mankind using every guile imaginable. Certain denominations believe that a demon can get access simply by acknowledging or accepting its presence. Acceptance often means committing sin; eg. demons gradually gain control of the eyes when the eyes sin by looking at things vile, gain control of the tongue when it is used for slander or blasphemy, and can make it slip, etc, and this can spread to other parts of the body, regardless of whether the sinner calls himself Christian or not. This is called possession. In more extreme cases, the demon gains an actual entrance into the bodily frame, leading to disastrous results, often hideous and antagonistic. There are examples of such in the Gospels.

However, religious demonology practitioners such as Dave Considine and Ed and Lorraine Warren state that a demon can usually only enter into your life if you open a “door” via a Ouija board a black magic ritual, or if you reside in a location where a demon has gained access through a “portal.” They also say that a demon will often take the form of a child, or a child ghost, to trick a family member into taking it into the home. They say that a Ouija board itself is not dangerous, but that merely using it to attempt contact with the dead constitutes an invitation to enter.

They say that spirits contacted with this method are very rarely human (let alone deceased family members or loved ones), capable of reading your memories to fake their identity, and generally willing to lie about anything you ask them. Some Christians believe that symptoms of demon possession include voices in one’s mind or a horror of mind, especially when there are no signs of insanity or mental damage/unhealthiness, a stubbornness of mind- holding fast to a particular belief and refusing to listen to reason, a split personality as if two separate personalities share the same body. However, most practicing demonologists assert the importance of a medical and psychiatric evaluation before assuming that the person in question may be possessed by a demon. Schizophrenia for example, can exhibit many symptoms commonly attributed to possession. Demonologists also often make a distinction between “demonic” and “diabolical,” with devils perceived as being much more dangerous — the “officers,” perhaps, while demons would be the equivalent of enlisted soldiers. Most Christian traditions also state that for protection against demon possession, faith in God is needed, an alert watchfulness, a guarding of one’s own mind (i.e. analyzing one’s thoughts and actions often) and an aggressive, often spoken refusal of all evil spirits and all things of evil spirits over every aspect of one’s being, or over specific aspects of one’s being (where possession is suspected or known to be manifest) in the Name of Jesus, and done in cooperation with God. Prayer against the evil spirit or spirits, prayer to shed light on what action(s) was done, or word(s) said that allowed them ground for possession so that this too can be refused are also often necessary. Demonic infestation or demonic encounters have been claimed by many notable people throughout history, such as James Gall, Dr J.L. Nevius, Sir Robert Anderson, and Pastor Ernst Lohmann. Christians also believe the same evil spirits existed in the time of Jesus that exist today in everyday society. These traditions are generally not common in the modern Roman Catholic Church, or in most other Christian denominations.

Demons and demonic possession are generally considered to be a Medieval belief. In Christian demonology, the only reliable way to rid oneself of a demon is through an exorcism which is typically performed by a Catholic priest. Sometimes a blessing of the home can remove or deter the presence, as long as this blessing is properly performed. There are several levels of exorcism, the “lightest” of which is baptism. A Catholic priest can perform a “minor” exorcism in the home, but a “major” exorcism requires the consent of the local bishop. This process requires a medical and psychiatric evaluation of every family member by licensed professionals, and the gathering of tape recorded and photographic evidence. It can take weeks or even months before a major exorcism may be approved. In the mean time, the family is usually instructed to ignore the perceived presence and to pray regularly, as it is believed that responding to it with fear or anger makes it stronger. According to Christian demonology, sometimes more than one demon can be present within the home, but only one family member is really targeted for possession. The demon(s) will make an effort to divide family members against each other and cultivate an oppressive atmosphere.

According to demonologists like Dave Considine, you cannot solve the problem by moving to a new home, because demons haunt a person, rather than haunting a home, unlike a ghost. Furthermore, numerous exorcisms may be required before the home and family are “cleansed,” and the family will probably need psychological therapy for some time afterward. According to protestant exorcist and author Pastor G. P. Haggart, demons dwell or hide in vacant areas such as abandoned buildings, tombs, graveyards and the wilderness. There they feed off the sinful residue of man’s carnal knowledge (Galatians 5:16-24).Many may claim to be “religious demonologists” — i.e., capable of evaluating a family for approval of a Catholic exorcism or other method of removal — but there is only a small handful of them operating in North America, and all do so with the certified approval of the Catholic church. Certification requires extensive knowledge of Catholicism and Latin as well as years of mentoring. Since demons and demonic possession are largely perceived as a mix of quaint superstition and urban legend, the role of the exorcist and the Christian demonologist has waned dramatically in the wake of the Age of Enlightenment