Demons are a popular choice for horror movies. But how much of what you see and hear about demons is real, and how much is just Hollywood?
Are demons real? To a religious believer, demons are very much real entities. However, science tends to discredit the idea of demons being any more real than bigfoot or leprechauns. Still, there are some things that even science admits it can’t explain.
In this article, we’ll discuss what a demon is, whether they’re real. We’ll also take a look at possessions and exorcisms.
What Are Demons?
The term demon is generally associated with Christianity. But almost every culture and religion has its own variation of a demon. Which is a supernatural and usually evil being.
Each belief system has its own ideas about what a demon is and how they came in to being. In Christianity, they’re considered to be fallen angels. In other belief systems, they might just be creatures who have always been evil.
But no matter what culture you’re talking about, the general theme is almost always that demonic entities are bad and that you never want to meet them face to face!
In Voodoo, the equivalent of demons may be the Loa. Learn more in my article — “Voodoo Loa. The Beliefs, Magic, Gods, and Spirits of Haiti”
Were Demons Always Bad?
The origin of the word demon isn’t believed to have the negative associations that we give it today. The ancient Greek word daimon referred to a spirit or divine power that gave people inspiration and new ideas. If you had the idea for an invention or a new piece of music that seemingly came out of nowhere, you were said to have been possessed by a daimon.
Some Gods of other religions were also originally seen as benevolent, but were “demonized” by Jews and Christians in the area when they were conquered. For example, Baal is believed to be one of the kings of Hell according to some Christian writings. However, Baal was originally a Canaanite deity that people saw as a helpful God, mostly associated with fertility and storms.
When Israelites conquered areas in the time of the Bible, they literally “demonized” the local gods, and made them into demons in their canon. This was believed to be used as a form of propaganda people to get the local people to convert to Judaism or Christianity.
In more recent New Age beliefs, demons are seen as something more internal and personal. If you have trouble quitting smoking, losing weight, or other things holding you back, it’s believed these “demons” are nothing more than part of your ego or subconscious in some cases.
Are Demons Real?
Demons certainly make for scary stories and a good reason to tell kids to stay away from Ouija boards and other occult items. But how real are they?
Here’s what we know according to the Bible:
Matthew 12:24 tells us that Satan (also known as Belzebuub or the Devil) was the original angel to make himself into a demon. The Bible refers to him as the ruler of all demons.
2 Peter 2:4 tells us that demons are the result of angels that have sinned, or rebelled against God.
1 Peter 5:8 says “Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour”. That would indicate that demons aren’t just creatures that are banished to Hell forever, but beings that currently walk upon the Earth and have the ability to influence humans.
Of course, this all assumes that you are religious. Science currently doesn’t acknowledge the existence of any supernatural entities. Whether that be gods, demons, bigfoot, or anything else.
So from a purely scientific and academic perspective, most experts would say that demons aren’t real. Of course, it’s a matter of personal faith, and you may have your own experiences or beliefs that say otherwise.
Learn more about the devil and demons in my other article — Do Satanists Worship The Devil?
What Powers Are Demons Claimed To Have?
If you’re comparing demons to other evil creatures of mythology and folklore, you’ll be hard-pressed to find another creature more deceptive or powerful.
Demons are said to have just about any power you can think of.
Some common things demons are claimed to be able to do include:
- Causing disease and pestilence
- Spread lies about God, and cause doubt in the minds of believers
- Possess animals and unbelievers (in most cases, demons aren’t said to be able to possess devout Christians)
- Causing physical infirmities like muteness or blindness
- Appear and disappear at will
- Appear in people’s dreams
- Drive people to suicide
- Plus more!
Don’t mix up demons and psychic vampires! Not sure what a psychic vampire is? Read about them in my article here — What Are Psychic Vampires?
Is Demonic Possession Real?
Some people say that you can invite demonic possession to happen to yourself from using occult things like Ouija boards, pendulums, tarot cards, or participating in séances.
During the 1980s, a period known as the Satanic Panic began to sweep the US. Everything from Dungeons & Dragons to heavy metal was believed to cause teens to begin worshipping Satan or be at risk of getting possessed.
Some more fringe groups seem to push this idea for every new trend that comes around. In the 90s, some people pushed that reading Harry Potter could lead to kids becoming involved with demons. And even cartoons like Pokemon have been blamed for the same thing.
In most cases this is nothing more than fear-mongering.
In modern times, doctors have a reasonable explanation for most of the behaviors that had been associated with demonic possession in the past. For example, a number of mental illnesses such as schizophrenia or multiple personality disorder may have looked like a person was being possessed by a demon in the past. But now we know these are actual conditions that can be treated by psychologists and psychiatrists using medication and therapy.
Are Exorcisms Real?
Surprisingly, the number of exorcisms being performed each year is actually going up. Despite more scientific insight into mental illnesses and other problems that may have previously been misclassified as a demonic possession. And it’s causing people to get hurt.
People who may simply be mentally ill may be forcefully tied down and put through an exorcism for hours at a time by a priest. This can be a very grueling and traumatic ordeal. Especially for someone who may already be suffering from delusions or hallucinations and have trouble knowing what’s real or what isn’t. They might even start to believe they actually are possessed themselves!
In the past, people who were believed to be possessed by demons were sometimes burned alive, much like witches. Luckily this is pretty much unheard of in first world countries nowadays. But exorcisms are still going on in churches and people’s homes around the world to this day.
In almost all cases, an exorcism does more harm than good. And it should only be considered after rigorous amounts of testing by professional doctors for mental illness or other issues that may be the real cause. But if you’re a person of faith, an exorcism might be your last resort after all other options have been exhausted.
Conclusion
In the minds of Christians and people of many other faiths around the world, demons or similar evil entities are very much real.
According to science, which doesn’t believe in anything supernatural, demons are just as make-believe as the tooth fairy.
What side do you fall on? Personally I’m a bit skeptical that demons exist and haven’t seen any evidence to prove it personally. Although I also wouldn’t go out of my way to test that theory!
No matter what you believe, if you believe you or someone else is possessed, it’s always better to consult a psychologist or other medical professional first. Putting someone who is simply mentally ill through an exorcism is traumatic and scary, and could be considered a form of abuse. So it should only be done as an absolute last resort, and with the person’s full consent.