From: kilroy@gboro.glassboro.edu (Mercenary)
Subject: Fighting People Instead Of Demons (was Urgent Prayer Request)
Organization: Rowan College of New Jersey
Date: Sat, 12 Dec 1992 15:32:51 GMT


Danny Somebody wrote:

>  My wife's little brother is in major need of protection from God.  He is
> 11 years old and has a demonic boy at school chanting spells over him,
> threatening his life, and much more!  He is scared to death.  His mother
> has been teaching him how to war in the spirit.  Of course at 11 years old
> I know how he must feel.

My first inclination is that Wesley is chanting spells because he knows it
upsets your wife's brother -- not because he believes any of it.  Even if he
does believe it, he is probably no more able to summon a demon than I am able
to cure my nearsightedness.  But this article will proceed as if Wesley is
really cursing the 11-year-old, really means it, and demons really answer (at
least once in a while).


I feel a wee bit sleazy about what I'm going to write, because it discusses
using tools that I'm not always comfortable using -- I much prefer reasoning
to attacks on emotions.

However, an 11-year-old is probably not up to the kind of reasoning needed to
defend himself against a person who is cursing him -- but he probably can make
use of some other tools.  So I'll give some quick examples for how to use
them, and people closer to the situation will have to decide whether they
should be used.  Personally, I am divided over the question and I'm glad I
don't have to make the decision.  (Although I would appreciate some
intelligent commentary if anybody has some to offer.)


The two tools that the 11-year-old has which he might find useful are ridicule
and peer pressure.  Someone who cavorts with demons and who calls up curses
has the same human weaknesses as anyone else.  Christians -- and not just
young ones -- often have trouble talking about their faith in the face of
massive ridicule by a group of peers.  Non-Christians are not immune to this.
Christians are subject to doubting their faith when what they ask for is not
granted; non-Christians are not immune to this.  The same things than can
undermine a Christian's faith can undermine almost anybody else.

By careful use of peer pressure and ridicule, the 11-year-old can hit Wesley
at some weak points -- eventually putting pressure on Wesley to at least shut
up, if not give up on demonic warfare completely.


I envision a scenario rather like this:

    Wesley:  Threatens some appearance of a demon.

    11-year-old (patronisingly): "Oooh, and such a _pretty_ demon he is.
	Did you make him yourself in art class?"
    or
	(looks to Wesley's left) "Gee, he's _scary_, what a big, powerful
	demon he is!" (hesitates, looks to Wesley's right), "Ooops, he's
	over here.  I mean -- yeah, he _is_ scary." (hesitates again,
	looks back to the first spot), "Err, uhhh, well, wherever he is
	I'm _sure_ he's a scary demon."  (pats Wesley on the shoulder
	condescendingly)
    or
	(to others in the class) "We better be careful, or Wesley's going
	to have his demon turn us into toads!" (to Wesley) "Hey, Wes ol' boy,
	what kind of toads?  Or didn't your demon take biology?" (to class)
	"I think ol' Wesley has a demon who flunked out of demon school!
	A stupid demon for a stupid kid!"  <hysterical laughter>
    or
	(looks to Wesley's left) "You call that a demon?!  That's not a demon!
	Maybe you should go take your little demon and scare some kindergarten
	kids for a while.  Then, when you get a _real_, grown-up demon, you
	come back and see me."
    or
	... the possibilites are endless.  Once the class as a whole gets
	going, the curses should stop in a short while.


I don't much like recommending the use of ridicule, because it *is* cruel.  I
also consider it childish.  But an 11-year-old is still a child; and sometimes
the truth is cruel.  Wesley apparently believes that he can make the demons do
what he wants -- the sooner he learns that the demons are not his slaves, but
that it's the other way around, the better off he'll be.

If Wesley really does have some demons following him around (instead of just
talking about demons to scare the other kid(s)), I suspect that they'll be
delighted to see Wesley suffering, and won't do a thing to help him out.
Coming to the aid of your friend is a kind of loyalty, and whatever else they
may be demons are short on most virtues.



[ Today only, we have three quotes for the price of one! ]


Darren F Provine / kilroy@gboro.glassboro.edu

"The best way to drive out the devil, if he will not yield to texts of
 Scripture, is to jeer and flout him, for he cannot bear scorn." -- Luther

"The devil ... the prowde spirite ... cannot endure to be mocked."
                                                         -- Thomas More

Glendower: "I can call spirits from the vasty deep."
Hotspur:   "Why, so can I, or so can any man;
            But will they come when you do call for them?"
                     -- William Shakespeare, Henry IV, Part 1, III.i, 53-55
	(this scene has several exhanges between Hotspur and Glendower
	 which your wife's little brother might find instructive)
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU