From: jsm@ibis.dsto.gov.au (James Marcus)
Newsgroups: alt.atheism
Subject: Re: Demonic Christian Beliefs
Date: 30 Sep 92 19:30:16 GMT

bb099@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Adam Trent Phillips) writes:


> 
>parsons@cis.ksu.edu (Scott S Parish ) sez:
> 
> 
>|David.Rice@ofa123.fidonet.org writes:
>|
>|[...deletions...]
>|>Exactly my point---it is this irrational WRONG belief that
>				^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> This is one point I agree. I it is irrational.
>	
>|>causes so much pain and mental bondage.
>|>[...] 
>|
>|>You will find that people "demonically posessed" are very
>|>sick mentally, or sick emotionally, of very much in need
>|>of attention to keep the loneliness at bay.
>|
>|You need to get into contact with some missionaries who have
>|any time in the field, then you will see that you are the one 
>|who has a wrong belief about demonic possession.  However,
>|knowing the atheist mindset you'd find some way to write their
>|experience off.  But on the subject...Most people are severely 
>|crippled in their knowledge of the subject of possession, and I 
>|don't profess to be an expert.  There is a difference between 
>|possession and oppression by demons.  
>                              ^^^^^^
>	The problem with your position is that demons do not
>exist.                                                  ~~~
 ~~~~~

But demons DO exist.  Just because you haven't (or think that you
haven't) come across them or been influenced by them does not mean
that they don't exist.


> They are said to have no mass, take up no space and are
>not made of any kind of matter, though some say that they are
>made up of a kind of "energy", which is a yet unamed, unmeasureable
>energy with NO source. This seems like such a shakey ground to 
>base diagnosis of an ill person.

Some more research would provide a better description than the above.
Briefly, they exist in the spiritual realms, which can be reached by
certain types of meditation (esp. yoga - yes yoga!), seances, ouija,
and other OCCULT practices.  BUT BE WARNED, DO NOT BECOME INVOLVED IN
THESE THINGS.  THEY ARE EVIL, AND WILL NOT HELP YOU IN ANY POSITIVE WAY!


> 
> 
>|                                      The majority of people who
>|are under demonic attack are oppressed not possessed.  There are 
>|different levels of oppression ranging from doubt to depression 
>|to fear and anything else you can probably think of.  NO, not all 
>|or even most cases of emotional problems or mental illnesses are 
>|due to demons.  But demonic attacks can and due happen.
> 
>	I think it really the other way around. People who have problems
>or mental illness start to look for easy answers, IE:demons. But at least
>you don't seem to be blaming all mental illness on "demons".

I know people who do like to blame every bad thing on demon posession.
I also disagree with this line of thinking.  Although there are cases
(probably quite a lot) where possession is responsible, I'm sure that most
problems are due to something else.  However, that doesn't mean that
Jesus can not help the situation, regardless of its cause.


> 
> 
>-- 
>"Speak to me in many voices, make them all sound like one.
> Reveal to me the sacred mysteries. Reveal to me the unknown tounge."--B.O.C.
>A. Trent Phillips | alias: White Rook | bb099@cleveland.freenet.edu
>aa1439@freenet.lorain.oberlin.edu | NWROC Email: usr6418a@tso.uc.edu

Yours in Christ,
James.