Demons

[Amethystic]

Well, I won't rule it out, but I've yet to see/hear of a demon with a constant, tangible form, like a werewolf, or a possessed undead body like a vampire. Well, maybe the Puerto Rican chupacabra, but I don't know too much about that. I know that there are people who practice vampirism, and (though I can't verify this) this one person said they had a neighbor who was prone to lycanthropic manifestations. So who knows? Reality is often stranger than fiction.

Oh, and adding to the ghost thing, there are also problems when people try to 'contact' the ghosts, assuming they're human souls trapped here on earth. I can't remember the exact technology, but ghost hunters have this particular piece of equipment that catches certain sound waves, which actually produces the sound of a whispering voice. So basically, they're asking these spirits questions, and they're getting audible answers. It's very creepy.

And the Screwtape Letters is fascinating. I love FotF's audio dramatization. Though, as I said before, it's not really the book to go to if you want to dish out the dirt on demons--C.S. Lewis was into popular theology, not spiritual warfare.

[The Top Crusader]

EVPs. But very, very rarely does it sound anything like they say it sounds, when they analyze them.

The Bible makes very brief mention of superpowered beings which we have no reason to believe no longer walk the earth (it seemed they were wiped out in the flood but they were back again by the time the Israelites were traveling in the wilderness)--which could also account for many weird urban legend type creatures.

[Amethystic]

Yeah, I suppose. But the recordings I heard were reasonably distinguishable. Either way, it's not something I'd fool around with.

Like in Many Waters! (Well, not quite.) But yeah, that could quite possibly be the case. I also think that many alien encounters can be contributed to demons, because of their often invasive nature.

[The Top Crusader]

As well as hallucinogenic drugs.

[Amethystic]

That too.

[Termite]

And the same goes for demonic oppression. Can demons oppress? Sure! But they have to have a logical reason to do so--I'm not sure why a demon would for instance create a scare that only brings the victim closer to God. Also: Sleep Paralysis. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleep_paralysis I would not be surprised if that was the basis for quite a few demonic encounters, when it is just a natural weird sleep thing.

Demons don't need any logical reason to opress and possess people. The nature of the Devil is to destroy people's souls. "The Thief comes to steal, to kill, and to destroy," John 10:10. Doesn't say he'll only come when it's 'logical', just that he comes. The Devil doesn't care who you are or what the situation is- his demons will opress. Logic for them isn't anything more than keeping people from the Kingdom.

Hmm.... I wonder, was this directed to me? If so then let me tell you this, Top: it wasn't some sleeping paralysis. I was fully aware and fully functional. Perhaps with some people it could be the case, but not with me. I had a demonic visitation that lasted three hours, not "seconds or minutes". The other morning my sister and I both heard the demons, as I believe they were. =P We were not both hallucinating at the same time.

[LJ Gibbs]

Demons will often go after the people of God. Especially when we are getting closer to God and living as we should. I've had several occasions in the past year; especially in this past year when I felt and received a clear and confirmed by the church calling into ministry. 5 times I have been awakened in the middle of the night and "something" has been on my chest trying to pull the air out of me. I was jumped by someone when attending the bible college last fall and he wasn't able to touch me.

If you are living in the center of God's will for you. Then you become a very dangerous thing to Lucifer. When a Christian is being messed with as many of you guys have been. Its a good indicator that your growing in your relationship with Christ and should know that even if the "demon,spirit" is there for 3 seconds, 3 hours, or 3 days. Jesus holds the keys to death and hell and that creep Satan can only go as far as God will allow. And in the end All things will bring glory to God!

[SoccerLOTR]

Wow, some creepy dreams/experiences here

Oh, and in response to Top's comment about ghosts: they can be more than mischievous. Things escalate over time... sometimes fatally.

(Okay, I know that sounded over-dramatic, but I'm not kidding.)

Oh, definitely... I just mean "mischievous" in the sense that their actions aren't part of an overall master plan of Lucifer to alter the course of prophecy.

Actually...who says they aren't part of a plan? Even the "friendly ghost" experiences can damage the Christian faith--if satan can get people believing in the existence of ghosts and spirits and get their attention off of God, hasn't he succeeded?

Yeah, I suppose. But the recordings I heard were reasonably distinguishable. Either way, it's not something I'd fool around with.

Like in Many Waters! (Well, not quite.) But yeah, that could quite possibly be the case. I also think that many alien encounters can be contributed to demons, because of their often invasive nature.

Agreed...I stumbled across this website a while ago talking about aliens and the like and the "encounters" that people have and how they could be more supernatural than real "aliens". It makes sense.

[Josef1004]

Demons will often go after the people of God. Especially when we are getting closer to God and living as we should. I've had several occasions in the past year; especially in this past year when I felt and received a clear and confirmed by the church calling into ministry. 5 times I have been awakened in the middle of the night and "something" has been on my chest trying to pull the air out of me. I was jumped by someone when attending the bible college last fall and he wasn't able to touch me.

If you are living in the center of God's will for you. Then you become a very dangerous thing to Lucifer. When a Christian is being messed with as many of you guys have been. Its a good indicator that your growing in your relationship with Christ and should know that even if the "demon,spirit" is there for 3 seconds, 3 hours, or 3 days. Jesus holds the keys to death and hell and that creep Satan can only go as far as God will allow. And in the end All things will bring glory to God!

Good observations. Yes, remember that Satan is a created being and as such he is finite. He cannot replica the omnipresence of our LORD. So, he goes personally only to major event sites in the scheme of the world. He went to tempt Christ and he went to lead Judas Iscariot to betray the Lord. And in the Old Testament, he may have done things like speak to Nimrod and vex Job. I can't really think of many Bible accounts of Satan personally going to someone or doing something like that.
But for little everyday believers it won't be Satan himself spending time trying to get to us. He will send his lackeys, which are like little pixies next to him.

[The Top Crusader]

And the same goes for demonic oppression. Can demons oppress? Sure! But they have to have a logical reason to do so--I'm not sure why a demon would for instance create a scare that only brings the victim closer to God. Also: Sleep Paralysis. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleep_paralysis I would not be surprised if that was the basis for quite a few demonic encounters, when it is just a natural weird sleep thing.

Demons don't need any logical reason to opress and possess people. The nature of the Devil is to destroy people's souls. "The Thief comes to steal, to kill, and to destroy," John 10:10. Doesn't say he'll only come when it's 'logical', just that he comes. The Devil doesn't care who you are or what the situation is- his demons will opress. Logic for them isn't anything more than keeping people from the Kingdom.

Hmm.... I wonder, was this directed to me? If so then let me tell you this, Top: it wasn't some sleeping paralysis. I was fully aware and fully functional. Perhaps with some people it could be the case, but not with me. I had a demonic visitation that lasted three hours, not "seconds or minutes". The other morning my sister and I both heard the demons, as I believe they were. =P We were not both hallucinating at the same time.

If it were directed at you, I would have quoted you. Clearly sleep paralysis is a quicker phenomenon. I only bring it up because some people DO think its a demonic attack when its just a funny brain trick.

Wow, some creepy dreams/experiences here

Oh, and in response to Top's comment about ghosts: they can be more than mischievous. Things escalate over time... sometimes fatally.

(Okay, I know that sounded over-dramatic, but I'm not kidding.)

Oh, definitely... I just mean "mischievous" in the sense that their actions aren't part of an overall master plan of Lucifer to alter the course of prophecy.

Actually...who says they aren't part of a plan? Even the "friendly ghost" experiences can damage the Christian faith--if satan can get people believing in the existence of ghosts and spirits and get their attention off of God, hasn't he succeeded?

Eh, I just think that is giving their organizational skills too much credit. They aren't as smart as God, after all. It's also important to remember unclean spirits and fallen angels aren't entirely the same thing.

While I can't explain other people's encounters, my experience has been demons fear Christians and will fight back when confronted but aren't generally physically on the offensive simply because they know they can't win. Especially on "Christian" turf. For instance, one friend was having problems with demonic activity but once he became a Christian and we prayed throughout the house and even used some oil for good measure, almost daily attacks completely stopped.

[Amethystic]

Not as smart as God, but some of them are still quite smart. And what's the difference? As far as I know there's only one species of demon, and I haven't seen anything to suggest otherwise.

Eh... they fear effective Christians, perhaps, but a lot of the church is in spiritual bondage. But that sounds like the right way to deal with a scenario like that. That, and check to see if there are any demonic objects in the house that give the spirits a right to be there. (My family has problems with demons hitching rides on objects as menial as Disney McDonald's toys. Needless to say, we won't be watching that particular movie.)

[Termite]

If it were directed at you, I would have quoted you. Clearly sleep paralysis is a quicker phenomenon. I only bring it up because some people DO think its a demonic attack when its just a funny brain trick.

I wondered. Other people have done this so I figured I'd just clear it up if so.

Amy- which movie was it?

[Amethystic]

It was a toy for Brother Bear. My sister also fell violently ill once when we had a copy of Mulan in the house.

[Josef1004]

It was a toy for Brother Bear. My sister also fell violently ill once when we had a copy of Mulan in the house.

After that, therefore because of that?

[Amethystic]

It was a toy for Brother Bear. My sister also fell violently ill once when we had a copy of Mulan in the house.

After that, therefore because of that?

What?

[ric]

It was a toy for Brother Bear. My sister also fell violently ill once when we had a copy of Mulan in the house.

Wow...um...okay...

[Steve]

Personaly, I think that you're over thinking the demons on McD's toys. I don't doubt that it could happen, but it sounds more like superstition to me...

[Amethystic]

Sorry, but I disagree. I've seen what I've seen, and there's no doubt in my mind that there was a demonic attachment.

[Josef1004]

So did you burn it?

[The Top Crusader]

I would boycott your local McDonald's then, over Disney. I don't think a random plastic bear would be mass produced with demonic attachment... if this happened I'd suspect it was specifically attached to that individual one.