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For other uses, see Demon (disambiguation).
"Fiend" redirects here. For other uses, see Fiend (disambiguation).
St. Anthony plagued by demons, as imagined by Martin Schongauer, in the 1480s.
St. Anthony plagued by demons, as imagined by Martin Schongauer, in the 1480s. Saint Anthony the Great (c 251–356 also known as Anthony the Abbot, Anthony of Egypt, Anthony of the Desert, Anthony the Anchorite, Martin Schongauer (c 1448 &ndash February 2, 1491) was a German Engraver and painter.

In religion, folklore, and mythology a demon (or daemon, dæmon, daimon from Greek: δαίμων [ðaïmon]) is a supernatural being that has generally been described as a malevolent spirit, and in Christian terms it is generally understood as a fallen angel, formerly of God. A religion is a set of Tenets and practices often centered upon specific Supernatural and moral claims about Reality, the Cosmos History The concept of folklore developed as part of the 19th century ideology of Romantic nationalism, leading to the reshaping of oral traditions to serve modern ideological The word mythology (from the Greek grc μυθολογία mythología, meaning "a story-telling a legendary lore" Greek (el ελληνική γλώσσα or simply el ελληνικά — "Hellenic" is an Indo-European language, spoken today by 15-22 million people mainly The term supernatural or supranatural ( Latin: super, supra "above" + natura "nature" pertains to entities events The English word " spirit " comes from the Latin " spiritus " (breath A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth In most Christian traditions a fallen angel is an Angel that has been Exiled or banished from Heaven. God is the principal or sole Deity in Religions and other belief systems that worship one deity. A demon is frequently depicted as a force that may be conjured and insecurely controlled. The word conjuration (from Latin 'conjure' 'conjurare' to swear together can be interpreted in several different ways as an Invocation or Evocation (the latter The "good" demon in recent use is largely a literary device (e. g. , Maxwell's demon), though references to good demons can be found in Hesiod and Shakespeare. Maxwell's demon was an 1867 Thought experiment by the Scottish Physicist James Clerk Maxwell, meant to raise questions about the possibility Hesiod ( Greek: Hesiodos) was an early Greek Poet and Rhapsode, who presumably lived around 700 BCE William Shakespeare ( baptised [1] In common language, to "demonize" a person means to characterize or portray them as evil, or as the source of evil.

Contents

History

The Greek conception of a daemon (< δαίμων daimōn) appears in the works of Plato and many other ancient authors, but without the evil connotations which are apparent in the Septuagint translation of the Hebrew Bible and in the Greek originals of the New Testament. Greek (el ελληνική γλώσσα or simply el ελληνικά — "Hellenic" is an Indo-European language, spoken today by 15-22 million people mainly The words daemon, dæmon, are Latinized spellings of the Greek δαίμων ( daimôn) used purposely today to distinguish the daemons Biography Early life Birth and family Plato was born in Athens Greece The Septuagint (ˈsɛptuədʒɪnt or simply " LXX " is the Koine Greek version of the Hebrew Bible, translated in stages between the The term Hebrew Bible is a generic reference to those books of the Bible originally written in Biblical Hebrew (and the related Biblical Aramaic The medieval and neo-medieval conception of a "demon" in Western civilization (see the Medieval grimoire called the Ars Goetia) derives seamlessly from the ambient popular culture of Late (Roman) Antiquity. A grimoire (grɪˈmwɑr is a textbook of magic. Books of this genre typically giving instructions for invoking Angels or Demons performing The Lesser Key of Solomon or Clavicula Salomonis (the Clavis Salomonis, or Key of Solomon is an earlier book on the Greco-Roman concepts of daemons that passed into Christian culture are discussed in the entry daemon, though it should be duly noted that the term referred only to a spiritual force, not a malevolent supernatural being. The words daemon, dæmon, are Latinized spellings of the Greek δαίμων ( daimôn) used purposely today to distinguish the daemons The Hellenistic "daemon" eventually came to include many Semitic and Near Eastern gods as evaluated by Christianity.

The supposed existence of demons is an important concept in many modern religions and occultist traditions. In some present-day cultures, demons are still feared in popular superstition, largely due to their alleged power to possess living creatures. Superstition ( Latin superstitio, literally "standing over" derived perhaps from standing in awe used in Latin as a unreasonable or excessive belief Demonic possession is often the term used to describe the control over a human form by Satan himself or one of his assigned advocates

In the contemporary Western occultist tradition (perhaps epitomized by the work of Aleister Crowley), a demon, such as Choronzon, the "Demon of the Abyss", is a useful metaphor for certain inner psychological processes, though some may also regard it as an objectively real phenomenon. Aleister Crowley, born Edward Alexander Crowley (ˈkroʊli (12 October 1875 – 1 December 1947 was a British Occultist Writer, mountaineer Choronzon (also known as 'Coronzon' or '333' is a Demon or Devil that originated in writing with the 16th century Occultists Edward Kelley Aleister Crowley also contacted the abyssmal demon Kokomo through the use of a Ouija board and had nightly conversations. A ouija board (correctly pronounced "wee-jah" /wiʤə/ although often pronounced "wee-gee" /wiʤi/ and commonly known as a 'Spirit Board') is any flat board Crowley often said his "pet demon" Kokomo threatened death upon mockery and destroying the board. A pet is an Animal kept for companionship and enjoyment or a househeld animal as opposed to Livestock, Laboratory animals Working animals Death is the termination of the biological functions that define living Organisms It refers both to a specific Crowley died shortly after burning his ouija board in an attempt to become possessed by demons.

Some scholars[2] believe that large portions of the demonology (see Asmodai) of Judaism, a key influence on Christianity and Islam, originated in Zoroastrianism, and were transferred to Judaism during the Persian era. Demonology (from Greek grc δαίμων daimōn, "demon" and grc -λογία -logia) is the systematic study of Asmodai or Asmodeus (see below for other variations is a Demon mostly known from the deuterocanonical Book of Tobit. Judaism (from the Greek Ioudaïsmos, derived from the Hebrew יהודה Yehudah, " Judah " in Hebrew יַהֲדוּת Yahedut Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. Zoroastrianism (ˌzɔroʊˈæstriəˌnɪzəm is the religion and philosophy based on the teachings

Etymology

The idea of demons is as old as religion itself, and the word demon seems to have ancient origins. The Merriam-Webster dictionary gives the etymology of the word as Greek daimon, probably from the verb daiesthai meaning "to divide, distribute. " The Proto-Indo-European root *deiwos for god, originally an adjective meaning "celestial" or "bright, shining" has retained this meaning in many related Indo-European languages and cultures (Sanskrit deva, Latin deus, German Tiw, Welsh [Duw],]), but also provided another other common word for demon in Avestan daeva. Deva (देव in Devanagari script pronounced as /'d̪evə/ is the Sanskrit word for "god Deity " Daeva ( daēuua, daāua, daēva) is the Avestan language term for a particular sort of supernatural entity with disagreeable characteristics

In modern Greek, the word daimon(Greek: δαίμων) has the same meaning as the modern English demon. Greek (el ελληνική γλώσσα or simply el ελληνικά — "Hellenic" is an Indo-European language, spoken today by 15-22 million people mainly Greek (el ελληνική γλώσσα or simply el ελληνικά — "Hellenic" is an Indo-European language, spoken today by 15-22 million people mainly English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States But in Ancient Greek, δαίμων meant "spirit" or "higher self", much like the Latin genius. The Ancient Greek language is the historical stage in the development of the Hellenic language family spanning the Archaic (c Higher Self is a term associated with multiple belief systems and with eternal conscious and intelligent Being. Latin ( lingua Latīna, laˈtiːna is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. In Roman mythology, every man had a genius and every woman a juno ( Juno was also the name of the queen of the gods This should not, however, be confused with the word genie, which is a false friend or false cognate of genius. GEnie (General Electric Network for Information Exchange was an online service False friends (or faux amis) are pairs of Words in two Languages or Dialects (or letters in two alphabets that look and/or sound similar but differ False cognates are pairs of words in the same or different Languages that are similar in form and meaning but have different roots. In Roman mythology, every man had a genius and every woman a juno ( Juno was also the name of the queen of the gods

Psychical history

Psychologist Wilhelm Wundt remarks that "among the activities attributed by myths all over the world to demons, the harmful predominate, so that in popular belief bad demons are clearly older than good ones. Wilhelm Maximilian Wundt ( August 16 1832 - August 31 1920) was a German medical doctor psychologist physiologist and professor "[3] Sigmund Freud develops on this idea and claims that the concept of demons was derived from the important relation of the living to the dead: "The fact that demons are always regarded as the spirits of those who have died recently shows better than anything the influence of mourning on the origin of the belief in demons. Sigmund Freud (ˈziːkmʊnt ˈfʁɔʏt born Sigismund Shlomo Freud (May 6 1856 &ndash September 23 1939 was an Austrian Psychiatrist who founded "

Hebrew Bible

Demons as described in the Tanakh are the same as "demons" commonly known in popular or Christian culture. See also Old testament, Septuagint, Targum, Peshitta The Tanakh (תַּנַ"ךְ (taˈnax or; also Tenakh or Tenak is

Those in the Hebrew Bible are of two classes, the se'irim and the shedim. The term Hebrew Bible is a generic reference to those books of the Bible originally written in Biblical Hebrew (and the related Biblical Aramaic The se'irim ("hairy beings"), to which some Israelites offered sacrifices in the open fields, are satyr-like creatures, described as dancing in the wilderness (Isaiah 13:21, 34:14), and which are identical with the jinn, such as Dantalion, the 71st spirit of Solomon. See also History of ancient Israel and Judah According to the Bible, the Israelites were the dominant group living in the Land of Israel. In Greek mythology, satyrs (Σάτυροι Satyroi) are a troop of male companions of Pan and Dionysus – " Satyresses quot GEnie (General Electric Network for Information Exchange was an online service In Demonology, Dantalion (or Dantalian) is a powerful Great Duke of Hell, with thirty-six legions of Demons under his command a Jinn (But compare the completely European woodwose. The Woodwose ( Old English: wuduwasa) or Wildman of the Woods is a mythological figure that appears in the artwork and literature of medieval Europe ) Possibly to the same class belongs Azazel, the goat-like demons of the wilderness (Leviticus 16:10ff), probably the chief of the se'irim, and Lilith (Isaiah 34:14 - where the KJV Bible translates the Hebrew word 'lilith' as "screech owl"). Azazel ( Aramaic: רמשנאל Hebrew: עזאזל Aze'ezel Arabic: عزازل Azazil) is an enigmatic name from the Hebrew scriptures Lilith (Hebrew he לילית is a mythological female Mesopotamian Storm Demon associated with Wind and was thought to be a bearer Possibly "the roes and hinds of the field", by which Shulamit conjures the daughters of Jerusalem to bring her back to her lover (Canticles 2:7, 3:5), are faunlike spirits similar to the se'irim, though of a harmless nature. In Roman mythology, fauns are place-spirits ( genii) of untamed woodland

The evil spirit that troubled Saul (I Samuel 16:14 et seq. Saul (שאול המלך (or Sha'ul) ( Arabic: طالوت,Tālūt ( (reigned 1047 - 1007 BCE is identified in the Books of Samuel, 1 Chronicles ) may have been a demon, though the Masoretic text suggests the spirit was sent by God. The Masoretic Text ( MT) is the Hebrew text of the Jewish Bible ( Tanakh)

Some benevolent shedim were used in kabbalistic ceremonies (as with the golem of Rabbi Yehuda Loevy), and malevolent shedim (mazikin, from the root meaning to damage) are often responsible in instances of possession. Instances of idol worship were often the result of a shed inhabiting an otherwise worthless statue; the shed would pretend to be a God with the power to send pestilence, although such events were not actually under his control.

Influences from Chaldean mythology

In Chaldean mythology the seven evil deities were known as shedu, meaning storm-demons. Chaldea (from Greek grc Χαλδαία Chaldaia; Akkadian akk māt Kaldu Hebrew כשדים Kaśdim, "the Chaldees" of the The Sumerian word lama, which is rendered in Akkadian as lamassu, refers to a beneficient protective female deity They were represented in winged bull form, derived from the colossal bulls used as protective genii of royal palaces, the name "shed" assumed also the meaning of a propitious genius in Babylonian magic literature. Appearances of the Bull (also known as Taurus) in Mythology and worship are widespread in the ancient world Babylon was a City-state of ancient Mesopotamia, the remains of which can be found in present-day Al Hillah, Babil Province, Iraq [4]

It was from Chaldea that the name "shedu" came to the Israelites, and so the writers of the Tanach applied the word as a dylogism to the Canaanite deities in the two passages quoted. But they also spoke of "the destroyer" (Exodus xii. 23) as a demon whose malignant effect upon the houses of the Israelites was to be warded off by the blood of the paschal sacrifice sprinkled upon the lintel and the door-post (a corresponding pagan talisman is mentioned in Isaiah lvii. 8). In II Samuel xxiv; 16 and II Chronicles xxi. 15 the pestilence-dealing demon is called "the destroying angel" (compare "the angel of the Lord" in II Kings xix. 35; Isaiah xxxvii. 36), because, although they are demons, these "evil messengers" (Psalms lxxviii. 49; A. V. "evil angels") do only the bidding of God; they are the agents of His divine wrath.

There are indications that popular Hebrew mythology ascribed to the demons a certain independence, a malevolent character of their own, because they are believed to come forth, not from the heavenly abode of God, but from the nether world (compare Isaiah xxxviii. 11 with Job xiv. 13; Psalms xvi. 10, xlix. 16, cxxxix. 8).

Hebrew demons were workers of harm. To them were ascribed the various diseases, particularly such as affect the brain and the inner parts. Hence there was a fear of "Shabriri" (lit. "dazzling glare"), the demon of blindness, who rests on uncovered water at night and strikes those with blindness who drink of it;[5] also mentioned were the spirit of catalepsy and the spirit of headache, the demon of epilepsy, and the spirit of nightmare.

These demons were supposed to enter the body and cause the disease while overwhelming or "seizing" the victim (hence "seizure"). To cure such diseases it was necessary to draw out the evil demons by certain incantations and talismanic performances, in which the Essenes excelled. The Essenes were strictly speaking a Jewish religious group that flourished from the 2nd century BC to the 1st century AD Josephus, who speaks of demons as "spirits of the wicked which enter into men that are alive and kill them", but which can be driven out by a certain root,[6] witnessed such a performance in the presence of the Emperor Vespasian,[7] and ascribed its origin to King Solomon. Josephus (AD 37 – c 100 also known as Yosef Ben Matityahu (Joseph son of Matthias and after he became a Roman citizen, as Titus Flavius Josephus King Solomon ( Ge'ez: ስለሞን Arabic: ar سليمان, Sulayman, all from the Triliteral root S-L-M, "peace"

King and Queen of Demons

In some rabbinic sources, the demons were believed to be under the dominion of a king or chief, either Asmodai (Targ. Asmodai or Asmodeus (see below for other variations is a Demon mostly known from the deuterocanonical Book of Tobit. to Eccl. i. 13; Pes. 110a; Yer. Shek. 49b) or, in the older Haggadah, Samael ("the angel of death"), who kills by his deadly poison, and is called "chief of the devils". The Haggadah (הגדה is a Jewish religious text that sets out the order of the Passover Seder. Samael (סמאל (also Sammael) is an important Archangel in Talmudic and post-Talmudic lore as well as Christian tradition and demonology a figure who Occasionally a demon is called "satan": "Stand not in the way of an ox when coming from the pasture, for Satan dances between his horns" (Pes. Satan, ( Standard Hebrew Satan'el, English accuser) is a term that originates from the Abrahamic faiths, being traditionally 112b; compare B. Ḳ. 21a).

According to some texts, the queen of demons is Lilith, pictured with wings and long flowing hair, and called the "mother of Ahriman" (B. Lilith (Hebrew he לילית is a mythological female Mesopotamian Storm Demon associated with Wind and was thought to be a bearer "Ahriman" redirects here For other uses see Ahriman (disambiguation. B. 73b; 'Er. 100b; Nid. 24b). "When Adam, doing penance for his sin, separated from Eve for 130 years, he, by impure desire, caused the earth to be filled with demons, or shedim, lilin, and evil spirits" (Gen. R. xx. ; 'Er. 18b. )

Demonology never became an essential feature of Jewish theology. The reality of demons was never questioned by the Talmudists and late rabbis; most accepted their existence as a fact. The Talmud ( Hebrew: he תַּלְמוּד is a record of Rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, customs and history Nor did most of the medieval thinkers question their reality. Only rationalists like Maimonides and Abraham ibn Ezra, clearly denied their existence. Moses Maimonides ( March 30 1135 – December 13 1204) also known as the Rambam, was a Rabbi, Physician, and Abraham ben Meir ibn Ezra ( Hebrew: אברהם אבן עזרא or ראב"ע, also known as Abenezra) (1092 or 1093–1167 was one of the Their point of view eventually became the mainstream Jewish understanding.

Jewish rabbinic literature

Rabbinical demonology has three classes of, demons, though they are scarcely separable one from another. Rabbi (pronunciation, although in English usually) in Judaism, means a religious ‘teacher’ or more literally ‘my great one’ when addressing any master There were the shedim, the mazziḳim ("harmers"), and the ruḥin ("evil spirits"). Besides these there were lilin ("night spirits"), ṭelane ("shade", or "evening spirits"), ṭiharire ("midday spirits"), and ẓafrire ("morning spirits"), as well as the "demons that bring famine" and "such as cause storm and earthquake" (Targ. Yer. to Deuteronomy xxxii. 24 and Numbers vi. 24; Targ. to Cant. iii. 8, iv. 6; Eccl. ii. 5; Ps. xci. 5, 6. )[8]

New Testament and Christianity

"Demon" has a number of meanings, all related to the idea of a spirit that inhabited a place, or that accompanied a person. Whether such a daemon was benevolent or malevolent, the Greek word meant something different from the later medieval notions of 'demon', and scholars debate the time in which first century usage by Jews and Christians in its original Greek sense became transformed to the later medieval sense. PLEASE TAKE NOTE************ Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings It should be noted that some denominations asserting Christian faith also include, exclusively or otherwise, fallen angels as de facto demons; this definition also covers the "sons of God" described in Genesis who abandoned their posts in heaven to mate with human women on Earth before the Deluge (Genesis 6:2, 4, also see Nephilim). In most Christian traditions a fallen angel is an Angel that has been Exiled or banished from Heaven. Nephilim are beings who appear in the Hebrew Bible, specifically in the Book of Genesis, and are also mentioned in other Biblical texts and in some non-

In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus casts out many demons, or evil spirits, from those who are afflicted with various ailments. Content Authorship The gospel itself is anonymous but as early as Papias in the early 2nd century a text was attributed to Mark, a cousin Jesus is far superior to the power of demons over the beings that they inhabit, and he is able to free these victims by commanding and casting out the demons, by binding them, and forbidding them to return. Jesus also apparently lends this power to some of his disciples, who rejoice at their new found ability to cast out all demons. [9]

By way of contrast, in the book of Acts a group of Judaistic exorcists known as the sons of Sceva try to cast out a very powerful spirit without believing in or knowing Jesus, but fail with disastrous consequences. The Acts of the Apostles is a book of the Bible, which now stands fifth in the New Testament. However Jesus himself never fails to vanquish a demon, no matter how powerful (see the account of the demon-possessed man at Gerasim), and even defeats Satan in the wilderness (see Gospel of Matthew). Satan, ( Standard Hebrew Satan'el, English accuser) is a term that originates from the Abrahamic faiths, being traditionally The Gospel of Matthew (Gk Κατά Ματθαίον Ευαγγέλιον is one of the four Canonical gospels in the New Testament and is a Synoptic gospel

There is a description in the Book of Revelation 12:7-17 of a battle between God's army and Satan's followers, and their subsequent expulsion from Heaven to earth to persecute humans — although this event is related as being foretold and taking place in the future. The Book of Revelation, also called Revelation to John, Apocalypse of John ( pronounced, from the Ἀποκάλυψις Ἰωάννου In Luke 10:18 it is mentioned that a power granted by Jesus to control demons made Satan "fall like lightning from heaven. The Gospel of Luke (Gk Κατά Λουκάν Ευαγγέλιον) is a synoptic Gospel, and is the third and longest of the four canonical Gospels of the "

Augustine of Hippo's reading of Plotinus, in The City of God (ch. Plotinus ( Greek:) (ca AD 204–270 was a major philosopher of the ancient world who is widely considered the founder of Neoplatonism (along with his 11) is ambiguous as to whether daemons had become 'demonized' by the early 5th century:

"He [Plotinus] also states that the blessed are called in Greek eudaimones, because they are good souls, that is to say, good demons, confirming his opinion that the souls of men are demons. [10]

The contemporary Roman Catholic Church unequivocally teaches that angels and demons are real personal beings, not just symbolic devices. The Catholic Church has a cadre of officially sanctioned exorcists which perform many exorcisms each year. Exorcism (from Late Latin exorcismus, from Greek exorkizein - to adjure is the practice of evicting Demons or other evil The exorcists of the Catholic Church teach that demons attack humans continually but that afflicted persons can be effectively healed and protected either by the formal rite of exorcism, authorized to be performed only by bishops and those they designate, or by prayers of deliverance which any Christian can offer for themselves or others. [11]

Christianity

Building upon the few references to daemons in the New Testament, especially the visionary poetry of the Apocalypse of John, Christian writers of apocrypha from the 2nd century onwards created a more complicated tapestry of beliefs about "demons" that was largely independent of Christian scripture. The Book of Revelation, also called Revelation to John, Apocalypse of John ( pronounced, from the Ἀποκάλυψις Ἰωάννου A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth

War in Heaven

According to the Bible, the fall of the Adversary is portrayed in Isaiah 14:12-14 and Ezekiel 28:12-19. Isaiah (; Greek:, Ēsaiās; Arabic: اشعیاء, Ash-ee-yaa; "Salvation of/is YHWH " is According to religious texts Ezekiel ((יְחֶזְקֵאל Yehezkel, jəx However, the connection between Isaiah 14:12-14 and the fall is mostly based on mistranslation and tradition. Isaiah (; Greek:, Ēsaiās; Arabic: اشعیاء, Ash-ee-yaa; "Salvation of/is YHWH " is The King James Version (KJV), popular among most Christian sects, reads:

"How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! [how] art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High" (Isaiah 14:12:-14). Isaiah (; Greek:, Ēsaiās; Arabic: اشعیاء, Ash-ee-yaa; "Salvation of/is YHWH " is

The word "Lucifer" was inspired by the Latin Vulgate, a translation that the authors of the KJV adhered to in several occasions to elucidate Christian traditions (see KJV, "The Project"). The Vulgate is an early Fifth Century version of the Bible in Latin, and largely the result of the labours of Jerome, who was commissioned by Lucifer is a Latin word meaning "light-bearer" (from lux, lucis, "light", and ferre, "to bear, bring"), a Roman astrological term for the "Morning Star", the planet Venus. The word Lucifer was the direct translation of the Septuagint Greek heosphoros, ("dawn-bearer"); (cf. Greek phosphoros, "light-bearer") and the Hebrew Helel, ("Bright one"). The word does not specifically refer to Satan. To the contrary, in context, Isaiah 14:12-14 actually refers to one of the popular honorific titles of a Babylonian king (see Isaiah 14:4 for context); however, later interpretations of the text, and the influence of embellishments in works such as Dante's The Divine Comedy and Milton's Paradise Lost, led to the common idea in Christian mythology and folklore that Lucifer was a poetic appellation of Satan (see Lucifer for more information). Isaiah (; Greek:, Ēsaiās; Arabic: اشعیاء, Ash-ee-yaa; "Salvation of/is YHWH " is Lucifer is a name frequently given to Satan in Christian belief

Ezekiel 28:12-19, in context, refers to the King of Tyrus (see Ezekiel 28:2 for context). According to religious texts Ezekiel ((יְחֶזְקֵאל Yehezkel, jəx According to religious texts Ezekiel ((יְחֶזְקֵאל Yehezkel, jəx The passage, however, is popularly attributed as a reference to, or allegory of, Satan, and even by some commentators, an allegory of the fall of Adam.

The Christian teachings of [source missing] built upon later Jewish traditions that the Adversary and the Adversary's host declared war with God, but that God's army, commanded by the archangel Michael, defeated the rebels. Michael (מִיכָאֵל Micha'el or Mîkhā'ēl; Μιχαήλ Mikhaíl; Michael or Míchaël; ميخائيل Mikhā'īl) is an Their defeat was never in question, since God is by nature omnipotent, but Michael was given the honour of victory in the natural order; thus the rise of Christian veneration of the archangel Michael, beginning at Monte Gargano in 493, reflects the full incorporation of demons into Christianity. Omnipotence ( Omni Potens: "all Power " is unlimited power The Sanctuary of Monte Sant'Angelo sul Gargano, sometimes called simply Monte Gargano, is the oldest shrine in Western Europe dedicated to the archangel Michael

According to tradition, God then cast God's enemies from Heaven to the abyss, into a newly created prison called Hell, where all God's enemies should be sentenced to an eternal existence of pain and misery. Heaven may refer to the physical heavens the sky or the seemingly endless expanse of the Universe beyond Hell, according to many Religious beliefs, is a location in the Afterlife, which may be described as a place of suffering This pain is not all physical; for their crimes, these angels, now called demons, would be deprived of the sight of God, this being the worst possible punishment.

An indefinite time later (some biblical scholars believe that the angels fell sometime after the creation of living things), when God created the earth and life, the Adversary and the other demons were allowed to tempt humans or induce them to sin by other means. EARTH was a short-lived Japanese vocal trio which released 6 singles and 1 album between 2000 and 2001 Life is a state that distinguishes Organisms from non-living objects such as non-life and dead organisms being manifested by growth through Metabolism Sin is a term used mainly in a religious context to describe an act that violates a moral Rule, or the state of having committed such a violation The first time the Adversary did this was as a serpent in the earthly paradise called the "Garden of Eden" to tempt Eve, who became deceived by Satan's evil trickery. Not to be confused with Eden Gardens.The Garden of Eden ( Hebrew "pleasure" גַּן עֵדֶן Arabic: جنات عدن, Adam (אָדָם ʼĀḏām, "dust man mankind" آدم; Ge'ez: አዳ and Eve (חַוָּה Ḥawwā, "living Eve then gave Adam some of the forbidden fruit and both of their eyes were opened to the knowledge of good and evil.

Demonologies

At various times in Christian history, attempts have been made to classify these beings according to various proposed demonic hierarchies. In early Christian Theology, Satan or The Devil was seen as chief of all other Demons But soon this changed and Hell was divided in

According to most Christian demonology demons will be eternally punished and never reconciled with God. Christian demonology is the study of Demons from a Christian point of view Other theories postulate a Universal reconciliation, in which Satan, the fallen angels, and the souls of the dead that were condemned to Hell are reconciled with God. Universal reconciliation, also called universal salvation or sometimes simply universalism, is the Christian doctrine or belief that all will receive Salvation This doctrine is today often associated with the Unification Church. The Unification Church is a New religious movement founded by Korean religious leader Sun Myung Moon. Origen, Jerome and Gregory of Nyssa also mentioned this possibility. Origen ( Greek: Ōrigénēs, or Origen Adamantius, ca 185–ca Jerome (c 347 – September 30, 420) ( Latin: Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus; Εὐσέβιος Σωφρόνιος Ἱερώνυμος Gregory of Nyssa ( Greek: Άγιος Γρηγόριος Νύσσης Latin: Gregorius Nyssenus; Arabic: غريغوريوس النيصي

In contemporary Christianity, demons are generally considered to be angels who fell from grace by rebelling against God. Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings An angel is a Spiritual Supernatural being found in many Religions Although the nature of angels and the tasks given to them vary from tradition to tradition God is the principal or sole Deity in Religions and other belief systems that worship one deity. Some contest that this view, championed by Origen, Augustine and John Chrysostom, arose during the 6th century. Origen ( Greek: Ōrigénēs, or Origen Adamantius, ca 185–ca This article refers to the Christian saint For other uses of the name see Chrysostomos. The 6th century is the period from 501 to 600 in accordance with the Julian calendar in the Christian / Common Era. Another theory that may have preceded or co-existed with the hypothesis of fallen angels was that demons were ostracized from Heaven for the primary sin of mating with mortal women, giving rise to a race of half-human giants known as the Nephilim. Nephilim are beings who appear in the Hebrew Bible, specifically in the Book of Genesis, and are also mentioned in other Biblical texts and in some non- That theory is accepted by some contemporary Christian sects.

There are still others who say that the sin of the angels was pride and disobedience. It seems quite certain that these were the sins that caused Satan's downfall (Ezek. 28). If this be the true view then we are to understand the words, "estate" or "principality" in Deuteronomy 32:8 and Jude 6 ("And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. ") as indicating that instead of being satisfied with the dignity once for all assigned to them under the Son of God, they aspired higher.

Hinduism

Hindu mythology include numerous varieties of anthropomorphic beings that might be classified as demons, including Rakshasas (belligerent, shapechanging terrestrial demons), Asuras (demigods), Vetalas (bat-like spirits), and Pishachas (cannibalistic demons). A rakshasa ( Sanskrit: राक्षसः rākṣasaḥ; alternately rakshas, Malay: raksasa, Bengali: rakshosh In Hinduism In Hinduism, the Asura ( Sanskrit: असुर are a group of power-seeking deities sometimes referred to as Demons or sinful A vetala, or baital is a Vampire -like being from Hindu mythology. Pishachas are flesh eating Demons according to Hindu mythology.

Asuras

Originally, the word Asura in the earliest hymns of the Rig Veda (the holy book of the Indo-Aryans) meant any supernatural spirit—good or bad. The Rigveda ( Sanskrit sa ऋग्वेद ṛgveda, a compound of ṛc "praise verse" and veda "knowledge" Hence even some of the devas (demigods), especially Varuna, have the epithet of Asura. In Vedic religion, Varuna or Waruna ( Devanagari:वरुण IAST: varuṇa) is a god of the Sky, of Rain and In fact, since the /s/ of the Indic linguistic branch is cognate with the /h/ of the Early Iranian languages, the word Asura, representing a category of celestial beings, became the word Ahura (Mazda), the Supreme God of the monotheistic Zoroastrians. Zoroastrianism (ˌzɔroʊˈæstriəˌnɪzəm is the religion and philosophy based on the teachings But very soon, among the Indo-Aryans, Asura came to exclusively mean any of a race of anthropomorphic but hideous demons. All words such as Asura, Daitya (lit. , sons of the demon-mother "Diti"), Rakshasa (lit. from "harm to be guarded against") are translated into English as demon. These demons are inherently evil and are in a constant battle against the demigods. Hence in Hindu iconography, the gods / demigods are shown to carry weapons to kill the asuras. Unlike Christianity, the demons are not the cause of the evil and unhappiness in present mankind (which occurs on the account of ignorance from recognizing one's true self). In later Puranic mythology, exceptions do occur in the demonic race to produce god-fearing Asuras like Prahalada. Also, many Asuras are said to have been granted boons from one of the members of the Hindu trinity, viz. SSC RF "Troitsk Institute of Innovative and Termonuclear Research" or TRINITY for shprt Троицкий Институт инновационных и термоядерных , Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva when the latter had been appeased from penances. Brahma is the Hindu god ( deva) of creation and one of the Trimurti, the others being Vishnu and Shiva. For other meanings see Vishnu (disambiguation. Vishnu ( IAST viṣṇu Devanagari विष्णु (honorific Shiva:(pronunciation; Sanskrit: शिव Śiva, lit "Auspicious one" One of the Trimurtis Shiva is the supreme God in the Shaiva All Asuras, unlike the devas, are said to be mortals (though they vehemently wish to become immortal). Many people metaphorically interpret these demons as manifestations of the ignoble passions in human mind.

Evil spirits

On the account of the Hindu theory of reincarnation and transmigration of souls according to one's Karma, other kinds of demons can also be enlisted. Karma ( Sanskrit: कर्म, kárman - "act action performance" Pali: kamma) is the concept of "action" If a human does extremely horrible and sinful karmas in his life, his soul (Atman) will, upon his death, directly turn into an evil ghostly spirit, many kinds of which are recognized in the later Hindu texts. The Ātman ( IAST: Ātman Sanskrit: आत्मन्‍ is a philosophical term used within Hinduism and Vedanta to identify the Soul These demons could be Grimnex Vetalas, Pishachas, Bhūtas etc. A vetala, or baital is a Vampire -like being from Hindu mythology. Pishachas are flesh eating Demons according to Hindu mythology. Bhūta is a Sanskrit word that has several meanings true matter of fact reality (that which is or has been existing present being or being like anything [12]

Pre-Islamic Arab culture

Pre-Islamic mythology does not discriminate between gods and demons. This is a sub-article to Pre-Islamic Arabia Arabian mythology comprises the ancient Pre-Islamic beliefs of the Arabs Prior to the The jinn are considered as divinities of inferior rank, having many human attributes: they eat, drink, and procreate their kind, sometimes in conjunction with human beings. GEnie (General Electric Network for Information Exchange was an online service The jinn smell and lick things, and have a liking for remnants of food. In eating they use the left hand. Usually they haunt waste and deserted places, especially the thickets where wild beasts gather. Cemeteries and dirty places are also favorite abodes. When appearing to man, jinn sometimes assume the forms of beasts and sometimes those of men.

Generally, jinn are peaceable and well disposed toward men. Many a pre-Islamic poet was believed to have been inspired by good jinn, but there are also evil jinn, who contrive to injure men.

Islam

See also Islamic creationism

Islam recognizes the existence of the jinn. Islamic creationism is the belief that the Universe (including humanity) was directly created by God as explained in the Qur'an or For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. GEnie (General Electric Network for Information Exchange was an online service Jinns are not the "genies" of modern lore, and they are not all evil, as demons are described in Christianity, but as creatures that co-exist with humans.

In Islam the evil jinns are referred to as the shayātīn, or devils, and Iblis (Satan) is their chief. For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. Iblis was the first Jinn who disobeyed Allah. According to Islam, the jinn are made from the light of flame of fire (ناَر [nɛ:r] deviation of نور [nu:r] "light") (and mankind is made of clay). For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation.

According to the Qur'an, Iblis was once a pious servant of Allah, but when Allah created Adam from clay, Iblis became very jealous, and arrogant and disobeyed Allah. The Qur’an ( القرآن, literally "the recitation" also sometimes transliterated as Qur’ān, Koran, Alcoran See also Adam and Eve Adam ( Hebrew: אָדָם was according to a literal interpretation of Genesis, the first man created by

Adam was the first man, and man was the greatest creation of Allah. Iblis could not stand this, and refused to acknowledge a creature made of "dirt" (man). Allah condemned Iblis to be punished after death eternally in the hellfire. Hell, according to many Religious beliefs, is a location in the Afterlife, which may be described as a place of suffering Allah had created hell. Hell, according to many Religious beliefs, is a location in the Afterlife, which may be described as a place of suffering

Iblis asked Allah if he may live to the last day and have the ability to mislead mankind and jinns, Allah said that Iblis may only mislead those whom have forsaken Allah. Allah then turned Iblis's countenance into horridness and condemned him to only have powers of trickery.

Adam and Eve (Hawwa in Arabic) were both together misled by Iblis into eating the forbidden fruit, and consequently fell from the garden of Eden to Earth. See also Adam and Eve Adam ( Hebrew: אָדָם was according to a literal interpretation of Genesis, the first man created by In Genesis, Eve is the first woman the wife of Adam. God created her from Adam's rib as his helpmate Forbidden Fruit is an album by singer/pianist/songwriter Nina Simone (1933-2003 Not to be confused with Eden Gardens.The Garden of Eden ( Hebrew "pleasure" גַּן עֵדֶן Arabic: جنات عدن, EARTH was a short-lived Japanese vocal trio which released 6 singles and 1 album between 2000 and 2001

The word "genie" comes from the Arabic jinn. This is not surprising considering the story of `Alā' ad-Dīn, (anglicized as Aladdin), passed through Arabian merchants en route to Europe. Aladdin (an Anglicisation of the Arabic name (originally Syrian Alāʼ ad-Dīn, Arabic: علاء الدين literally "nobility of the faith"

New Age / Shamanism

Carlos Castaneda referred to demonic predators called “flyers” which have the appearance of frightening dark shadows and which vampirize human energy. Carlos Castaneda (December 25 1925 – April 27 1998 was a Peruvian born American author According to this view ancient humans were complete, with much greater energetic resources than effete, decadent, modern humans possess. At the time when agriculture was invented the flyers gave human beings their mind (constant internal dialogue of beliefs, ideas, social mores, expectations, and dreams of success or failure). By playing on this self-reflection, sucking the angry and worried energy it generates, the flyers began to farm human beings for energy, just as humans began farming animals. Modern humans are the hypnotized slaves of these flyers; and the pseudoconcerns of modern society are a flyer mechanism of mind control.

Science

Hypothetical Demons

In thought experiments scientists occasionally imagine entities with special abilities in order to pose tough intellectual challenges or to highlight apparent paradoxes. A thought experiment (from the German Gedankenexperiment) is a proposal for an Experiment that would test a Hypothesis or Theory Scientific skepticism or rational skepticism ( also spelled scepticism) sometimes referred to as skeptical inquiry, is a scientific or practical A paradox is a true statement or group of statements that leads to a Contradiction or a situation which defies intuition; or inversely Examples include:

See also: Epicurean paradox#Epicurus

Real Demons

M. Scott Peck, an American psychiatrist, wrote two books on the subject. In the Philosophy of religion and Theology, the problem of evil is the problem of reconciling the existence of Evil or Suffering in the world Morgan Scott Peck ( 22 May 1936 – 25 September 2005) was a US Psychiatrist and best-selling Author. [14] [15].

Peck describes in some detail several cases involving his patients. In People of the Lie: The Hope For Healing Human Evil he gives some identifying characteristics for evil persons whom he classifies as having a character disorder. In Glimpses of the Devil, A Psychiatrist's Personal Accounts of Possession, Exorcism, and Redemption Peck goes into significant detail describing how he became interested in exorcism in order to debunk the “myth” of possession by evil spirits – only to be convinced otherwise after encountering two cases which did not fit into any category known to psychology or psychiatry. Exorcism (from Late Latin exorcismus, from Greek exorkizein - to adjure is the practice of evicting Demons or other evil Demonic possession is often the term used to describe the control over a human form by Satan himself or one of his assigned advocates Psychology (from Greek grc ψῡχή psȳkhē, "breath life soul" and grc -λογία -logia) is an Academic and Psychiatry is a medical specialty which exists to study, prevent, and treat Mental disorders in Humans Psychiatric Peck came to the conclusion that possession was a rare phenomenon related to evil. Possessed people are not actually evil; they are doing battle with the forces of evil. [16] His observations on these cases are listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (IV) of the American Psychiatric Association. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders' ( DSM) is published by the American Psychiatric Association The American Psychiatric Association (APA is the main Professional organization of Psychiatrists and trainee psychiatrists in the United States, and the [17]

Although Peck’s earlier work was met with widespread popular acceptance, his work on the topics of evil and possession has generated significant debate and derision. Much was made of his association with (and admiration for) the controversial Malachi Martin, a Roman Catholic priest and a former Jesuit, despite the fact that Peck consistently called Martin a liar and manipulator. Rev Dr Malachi Brendan Martin PhD ( July 23, 1921 &ndash July 27, 1999) was a Roman Catholic Priest and a former A priest or priestess is a person having the authority or power to administer religious rites in particular rites of sacrifice to and propitiation of a deity or deities The Society of Jesus ( Latin: Societas Iesu, SJ and SI or SJ, SI) is a Catholic religious order [17] [18] Other criticisms leveled against Peck include misdiagnoses based upon a lack of knowledge regarding dissociative identity disorder (formerly known as multiple personality disorder), and a claim that he had transgressed the boundaries of professional ethics by attempting to persuade his patients into accepting Christianity. Dissociative Identity Disorder ( DID) as defined by the American Psychiatric Association 's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM Professional ethics concerns the moral issues that arise because of the specialist knowledge that professionals attain and how the use of this knowledge should be governed when providing [17]

Popular culture

French romance writer Jacques Cazotte (1719-1792) in The Devil in Love (Le Diable Amoureux, 1772) tells of a demon, or devil, who falls in love with an amateur human dabbler in the occult, and attempts, in the guise of a young woman, to win his affections. Jacques Cazotte ( October 17, 1719 &ndash September 25, 1792) was a French Author. The book served as inspiration for, and is referred to within, Spanish author Arturo Pérez-Reverte's novel The Club Dumas (El Club Dumas, 1993). Arturo Pérez-Reverte (November 25 1951 Cartagena Spain) is a Spanish Novelist and Journalist. Roman Polanski's 1999 adaptation of the novel, The Ninth Gate, stars Johnny Depp as rare book dealer Dean Corso. John

Demon by Mikhail Vrubel.
Demon by Mikhail Vrubel. Mikhail Aleksandrovich Vrubel ( Russian: Михаил Александрович Врубель; March 17, 1856 - April 14,

In Mikhail Lermontov's long poem Demon (1840), the Demon makes love to the virgin Tamara in a scenic setting of the Caucasus mountains. Mikhail Yuryevich Lermontov (Михаи́л Ю́рьевич Ле́рмонтов) ( –) a Russian Romantic Writer and Poet, sometimes A mountain is a Landform that extends above the surrounding Terrain in a limited area with a peak

Many classic books and plays feature demons, such as the Divine Comedy, Paradise Lost and Faust. The Divine Comedy Paradise Lost is an Epic poem in Blank verse by the 17th-century English poet John Milton. Faust or Faustus ( Latin for "auspicious" or "lucky" is the protagonist of a classic German Legend in which he makes

Anton Rubinstein's lushly chromatic opera The Demon (1875), based on the poem "The Demon" by Michail Lermontov, was delayed in its production because the censor attached to the Mariinsky Theatre felt that the libretto was sacrilegious. This article is about the 19th century Russian pianist and composer Opera is an art form in which Singers and Musicians perform a Dramatic work (called an opera which combines a text (called a Libretto The Mariinsky Theatre ( Мариинский театр, also spelled Maryinsky Theatre is a historic theatre of Opera and Ballet in [19]

In C. S. Lewis's The Screwtape Letters, Screwtape, a senior demon in Hell's hierarchy, writes a series of letters to his subordinate trainee, Wormwood, offering advice in the techniques of temptation of humans. Clive Staples Lewis (29 November 1898 – 22 November 1963 Screwtape redirects here For the musical project "Screwtape" see Drew McDowall. Though fictional, it offers a plausible contemporary Christian viewpoint of the relationship of humans and demons.

J.R.R. Tolkien sometimes referred to the Balrogs of his Legendarium as "Demons". This article deals with J R R Tolkien's Balrogs For other uses see Balrog (disambiguation. Morgoth, Sauron, and Thuringwethil could be called demons as well, since they are fallen spirits. The name The name Morgoth is Sindarin, one of Tolkien's invented languages and means "Black Enemy" Bauglir is also Sindarin meaning Sauron (ˈsaʊrɒn Quenya: /sawrɔn/ literal meaning "Abhorred") is the title character and the principal Antagonist of the Fantasy Thuringwethil ( Woman of the Secret Shadow) is a Fictional character in J

British author Tanith Lee establishes in her Flat Earth Cycle a demonic hierarchy of which Azhrarn, Prince of Demons, occupies the topmost level, and rules over the Eshva and Vazdru demon castes. Tanith Lee (born September 19, 1947) is a British Writer of Science fiction, horror and Fantasy.

The earliest known connection of the word with games is that the British have called a form of solitaire "Demon", from at least the nineteenth century. Solitaire, also called patience, is any of a family of single-player Card games of a generally similar character but varying greatly in detail The 19th century of the Common Era began on January 1, 1801 and ended on December 31, 1900, according to the Gregorian calendar The selection of this word comes from the observance of a player by others. Formerly, adults nearly always bet on card games. As the player is turned from interaction with others and is forced to move cards around without feeling, the player is metaphorically considered possessed by a demon. "Demon" is called Canfield in the United States. Canfield is a Solitaire card game with a very low probability to win The United States of America —commonly referred to as the

It has been asserted by some religious groups, demonologists, and paranormal investigators that demons can communicate with humans through the use of a Ouija board and that demonic oppression and possession can result from its use. A ouija board (correctly pronounced "wee-jah" /wiʤə/ although often pronounced "wee-gee" /wiʤi/ and commonly known as a 'Spirit Board') is any flat board Skeptics assert that the Ouija board's users move the game's planchette with their hands (consciously or unconsciously) and only appear to be communicating with spirits and that any resulting possession is purely psychosomatic. A planchette is a triangular or heart-shaped board supported by castors which moves to spell out messages or answer questions Psychosomatic medicine is an interdisciplinary medical field studying psychosomatic illness, now more commonly referred to as psychophysiologic illness or disorder The original idea for the use of spirit boards was to contact spirits of dead humans and not evil spirits or demons. The English word " spirit " comes from the Latin " spiritus " (breath

Demons sometimes figure in horror films, such as the Dana Andrews vehicle, Night of the Demon, a. Dana Andrews ( January 1 1909 - December 17 1992) was an American film actor Night of the Demon is a 1957 British Horror film adaptation of M k. a. Curse of the Demon. A host of demons figure prominently in the "Night on Bald Mountain" segment of Fantasia. Fantasia is a 1940 Animated film produced by Walt Disney, and is the third film in the Walt Disney Animated Classics.

Tenacious D claim, in the song Tribute, to have been forced to play the best song in the world to save their souls from a shiny demon. This performance is shown in the 2006 movie The Pick of Destiny. The Pick of Destiny is a Soundtrack

See also

Notes

  1. ^ http://books.google.com/books?id=kdsOAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA409&lpg=PA409&dq=holy+demons+made+hesiod&source=web&ots=ddUSAdcNj6&sig=CBHwkS6DTVkgVFKf-aHf3_1hEKU ; Antony and Cleopatra Act II, Scene 3
  2. ^ Boyce, 1987; Black and Rowley, 1987; Duchesne-Guillemin, 1988. In Biblical tradition an archdemon is a spiritual entity prominent in the infernal hierarchy Demonology (from Greek grc δαίμων daimōn, "demon" and grc -λογία -logia) is the systematic study of There have been many attempts throughout the history of Christianity to classify Demons into categories A folk devil is a person or group of people who are portrayed in Folklore or the media as outsiders and Deviant, and who are blamed for Crimes An imp is a mythological being similar to a Fairy or Demon, frequently described in Folklore and Superstition. This is a list of demons, including both specific Demons (eg Satan) and types of demons (e Memnoch the Devil (1995 is the fifth novel in Anne Rice 's Vampire Chronicles series following The Tale of the Body Thief According to some Christian Theology, many Pagan deities are Demons So when names of demons are spoken one must consider that they were incorporated to Michael (מִיכָאֵל Micha'el or Mîkhā'ēl; Μιχαήλ Mikhaíl; Michael or Míchaël; ميخائيل Mikhā'īl) is an For other uses of the word see Satanism (disambiguation. Satanism can refer to a number of belief systems depending on the user and context For the NES game see Spiritual Warfare There are various opinions and definitions for Spiritual Warfare, however it can be summed Vampires are mythological or folkloric revenants who subsist by feeding on the blood of the living Antony and Cleopatra is a Tragedy by William Shakespeare. It was first printed in the First Folio of 1623
  3. ^ Freud (1950, 65), quoting Wundt (1906, 129).
  4. ^ See Delitzsch, Assyrisches Handwörterbuch. pp. 60, 253, 261, 646; Jensen, Assyr. -Babyl. Mythen und Epen, 1900, p. 453; Archibald Sayce, l. The Rev Archibald Henry Sayce ( 25 September 1846 - 4 February 1933) was a pioneer Assyriologist and linguist, who held c. pp. 441, 450, 463; Lenormant, l. François Lenormant ( Paris, January 17, 1837 &ndashParis December 9, 1883) was a French assyriologist and c. pp. 48-51.
  5. ^ Pesachim 112a; Avodah Zarah 12b
  6. ^ Bellum Judaeorum vii. 6, § 3
  7. ^ "Antiquities" viii. 2, § 5
  8. ^ Jewish Encyclopedia Demonology. Retrieved on 2007-05-03. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1491 - Kongo monarch Nkuwu Nzinga is baptised by Portuguese missionaries adopting the baptismal name of João
  9. ^ Luke 10:17
  10. ^ Augustine of Hippo, City of God, ch. 11: Of the Opinion of the Platonists, that the Souls of Men Become Demons When Disembodied.
  11. ^ [1]
  12. ^ VEDA - Vedas and Vedic Knowledge Online - Vedic Encyclopedia, Bhakti-yoga in vedas, Library
  13. ^ Important Arguments from Descartes' Meditations by David Banach Department of Philosophy, St. Anselm College (retrieved 8-24-2007)
  14. ^ People of the Lie: The Hope For Healing Human Evil by M. Scott Peck (Simon & Schuster, 1983)
  15. ^ Glimpses of the Devil: A Psychiatrist's Personal Accounts of Possession, Exorcism, and Redemption by M. Scott Peck (Free Press, January 19, 2005)
  16. ^ The exorcist, an interview with M. Scott Peck by Rebecca Traister published in Salon
  17. ^ a b c The devil you know, a commentary on Glimpses of the Devil by Richard Woods
  18. ^ The Patient Is the Exorcist, an interview with M. Scott Peck by Laura Sheahen
  19. ^ [2]

References

Further reading

External links

Dictionary

demon

-noun

  1. An evil spirit.
  2. A fallen angel or Satanic divinity; a false god.
  3. One's inner spirit or genius, a daimon.
  4. (Greek mythology) A spirit or lesser divinity between men and gods.
  5. A foible; a flaw in a person's character.
  6. Someone of remarkable or diabolical energy or ability.
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