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Real Demons
Demons
Demons are as ancient as time itself and are probably the most feared
type of entity on earth. With deep roots In religion, folklore, and mythology
a demon is a supernatural force that is generally described as a
malevolent spirit.
In Christianity demons are generally believed to be fallen angels, formerly
of God. The Greek form, translates "devil" in the King James version of
the New Testament. Demons are spoken of as spiritual beings (Matt. 8:
16; 10:1; 12:43-45) at enmity with God, and as having a certain power
over man (James 2:19; Rev. 16:14). They recognize Jesus Christ as the
Son of God (Matt. 8:20; Luke 4:41). They belong to the number of those
angels that "kept not their first estate," "unclean spirits," "fallen angels,"
the angels of the devil (Matt. 25:41; Rev. 12:7-9). They are the
"principalities and powers" against which we must "wrestle" (Eph. 6:12).
The word demon(s) does not appear in the King James Bible, which
uses the word "devils" instead. The New King James Bible uses the word
"demon(s)" in 72 verses. Web Bible Encyclopedia
A demon is believed by some to be a force that can be conjured and
controlled. Demons are also believed to have the ability to possess or
inhabit the body of humans, requiring an exorcism to remove it. A demon
or real demons are portrayed differently in different cultures. Some
believe demons to be actual physical beings that can take the form of
anything, including small children. Others consider the real demons as
more of a spiritual force of evil battling for one's soul. Demons have been
feared and written about in almost every culture in one form or another for
as long as history has been recorded. The two most commonly referred
to types of demons are the incubus and succubus.
Incubus Demons
The Incubus is believed to be a demon that takes the form of a male that
preys upon women while they sleep. The Incubus demon is believed to
seek out women in order to father children. Merlin the magician was said
to have been fathered by an Incubus demon. "Relations" with an Incubus
demon is believed in mythology to cause sickness or even death.
Succubus Demons
The Succubus demon is the female counterpart to an Incubus. They are
believed to prey on men in their sleep, seducing them through their
dreams. The succubus is said to feed off of the energy drained from the
male victims. Mythology states that a man targeted by a Succubus is often
drained to the point of exhaustion or death.
Demonic possession
Demonic possession is a common belief involving demons. Possession
involves the act of a demon inhabiting the body of a mortal, living thing.
Because Demons are believed by many to be fallen angels and the
opposite of all that is good or holy, a priest is usually called upon to
perform the ceremony. Skeptics have blamed pre existing mental
conditions for reported cases of possession, as opposed to real
demons. Some cases have baffled everyone. People who are said
to be possessed have been reported speaking in foreign languages, of
which they had never even been exposed to. They often become terribly ill
while their faces and bodies will sometimes appear to change.
Possessed individuals have been known to speak in reverse and injure
themselves and others. Other more dramatic and supernatural things
have been reported as well. Many people do not realize that the catholic
church conducts an exorcism almost daily. What once was only a handful
of priests allowed by the church to perform exorcisms had grown to over
350 as of 2007. This is particularly interesting , as the catholic church is
known for it's skepticism of such events and is careful to consider such
things as real demons or possessions.
Cases of demonic possession have been the inspiration for many
Hollywood films. The most famous being "The Exorcist" starring Linda
Blair. This was an extremely controversial movie in it's time and still is
today.
More About Ancient Demons
The presence of demon mythology sprouted with the first major civilizations and for thousands of years, stories of demons have been shared and written in texts. Oddly enough in their most early use, such as with the Greeks or very ancient Chinese culture, demons did not have a negative connotation. They used to be on equal footing as spirits, felt to simply be a different form. Regardless, the demon has been a long standing and integrated part of religion, legend and folklore in many different parts of the worlds. While the purposes and descriptions of demons are not consistent along different lines, there are some basic principles behind more modern mythology. The most basic aspect of a demon is its supernatural, non-human background and, for the most part, evil background.
Ancient fears of demons revolved around their believed ability to posses the body and mind of an innocent person. Some cultures also believed that the demon could be the product of dark magic and be controlled to do one's evil bidding. It is said the older a demon is the more evil and more powerful it is. In early Christian culture, many literary demons were said to be angels that have fallen from grace, which is the explanation for one of the most famous of all demons; the devil. Classic representations of demons have horns, wings, soulless eyes and vicious demeanors. Many tales tell of demons being cunning shapeshifters, tempters and exploiters of human beings exist. This is not always the case however; demons can come in many different forms and of varying abilities.
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