Can there be Possession without the Devil?
@moonlitmagikchild (22181)
United States
November 17, 2008 11:15pm CST
ok this is NOT to start an argument on what religion is correct but with a lot of religions and beliefs believing in possession but some may think its spirits (ghosts) demons or animals and NOT the devil confuses me.. can there be demons with out the devil?? i mean i always was raised they had to go together (i was raised christian) and if there is neither of those then what is possessing people?? ghosts??
this is all based on possession being real of course..
i have a hard time picturing animals possessing people (but thats just me) i could see ghosts doing it but not long term.. but i would think if there were demons causing the possession then there would have to be a devil.. but i dont believe in the devil so i dont make any sense to myself lol..
i do think a lot of the so called possessions are really just health or mental problems that are not being treated and back in the day were unknown so they just blamed it on possession.. but like most things there have been cases that cant be ruled out by that and are left in the gray area..
2 people like this
10 responses
@iZoran (111)
• Serbia And Montenegro
18 Nov 08
Yes it's interesting that you made the comparison between posession and mental health. In real terms, have you actually seen a posessed person? The Bible is full of them but is sorely lacking manic depressants, which tends to put it into perspective.
3 people like this
@liquorice (3887)
•
18 Nov 08
Good point. I'm sure that manic depression and other mental conditions aren't such new diseases that they didn't exist in biblical times. That wouldn't make sense.
2 people like this
@moonlitmagikchild (22181)
• United States
19 Nov 08
my dad did exorcisms but i think a majority of those cases were either mental or wanting attention.. but im not convinced it cant happen for real..
@pheonixstar1982 (2307)
• United States
18 Nov 08
I am like you and believe most possession is caused by mental health issues, however i do think there is the rare occasion that i think it could be possible. An interesting question is why is it you only hear of evil possessions and not a good possession?? Is that like not possible. And we already discussed the satan/demon. I just don't understand why everyone thinks they have to go together and why they can't be separate.
2 people like this
@pheonixstar1982 (2307)
• United States
18 Nov 08
But isn't that usually through mediums and what not. Not just random possessions like you hear with demon possession
3 people like this
@liquorice (3887)
•
18 Nov 08
Yes, you're right. Like when someone commits a horrible crime, people will sometimes say that the person's evil or has been possessed. But when somebody does a really good deed, nobody ever says "ah, must've been possessed by a really lovely ghost" 
2 people like this
@pheonixstar1982 (2307)
• United States
18 Nov 08
I think its because no one really wants to believe people are capable of some horrible crimes, so they right it off as possession or something. But when someone does a great act of kindness, oh thats just the natural flow of things. Yeah makes sense to be let me tell ya. People are capable of great good and great evil, but most people don't want to realize that side of themselves and say they must be possessed.
1 person likes this
@moonlitmagikchild (22181)
• United States
19 Nov 08
you mean like live people? i hadnt thought about that.. yeah i believe that can happen too
@rowantree (1186)
• United States
19 Nov 08
Just my own thoughts and beliefs here...
I don't believe that a person can be possessed, either by a devil (that I do not believe in) or by a ghost or animal. I simply do not believe it.
I believe that when other people see strange behavior by someone, it is due to a brain abnormality, not a possession.
I feel the term 'possession' is outdated. It was used to describe someone who wasn't behaving normally or socially acceptable. Now we know that the person suffers from a brain tumor or a disease.
It reminds me of Victorian times when someone would say they were ill with the vapors! LOL
1 person likes this
@moonlitmagikchild (22181)
• United States
19 Nov 08
i feel bad when thinking about how many people probably were terrorized by people trying to un-possess them when they really were having seizures or something..
@goldeneagle (6745)
• United States
18 Nov 08
demons can possess people. The Bible tells of this, and it is still possible today.
2 people like this
@liquorice (3887)
•
18 Nov 08
I agree, I think that a lot of mental problems used to be blamed on possession, and, sadly they probably still are for some people and in some parts of the world. I'm not sure that I believe at all in the idea of somebody being possessed, but I think that people who do believe in it think that people can be possessed by spirits (or ghosts) good or bad.
I think that it's only Christians who believe in the devil. And maybe they believe that the devil is the force behind any possession, whether it's good or bad spirits that are involved, or perhaps they just believe that any possession is evil? I'm not sure. I've never heard in the idea of animals possessing people, but it's an interesting idea.
2 people like this
@moonlitmagikchild (22181)
• United States
19 Nov 08
i got the animal theory from like native americans that would try to either get possessed or thought that after they killed certain animals they possessed their powers or something.. i never really understood it but i didnt believe it enough to want to understand lol..
i guess bad spirits i just figure are haunting places but not possessing people which it could do both.. i guess i figure if a spirit possesses some one i think its because they have a message from beyond where as the possessed people usually just seem tormented with no reasoning.. but eh what do i know?
@moonlitmagikchild (22181)
• United States
20 Nov 08
ive heard of it both ways.. i have heard that people are born with them and then i have heard of people that are hunters killing animals and getting their powers or something possessing them.. i dont believe in either honestly lol
@Bluepatch (2476)
• Trinidad And Tobago
18 Nov 08
You can be possessed by a spirit that is not actually the devil himself.
You can also be mentally ill and bahave as if you are possessed.
I guess there are experts who can decipher the difference and there are also a lot of people who try to capitalize on all this and create religions and cults mainly for profit or hate purposes.
Basically you just need to pray to God and follow Him and you will be okay and don't bother with all the end results of evil which these really are.
1 person likes this
@moonlitmagikchild (22181)
• United States
19 Nov 08
yeah there is one guy and i cant think of his name but all he does is tour around and un-possess people for a living and charges people to help him a couple of thousand dollars.. i was like you have GOT to be kidding me!!
@mariposaman (2959)
• Canada
18 Nov 08
Christianity is such a confusing religion. It claims to have only one god but there are all these supernatural beings running around which are essentially lesser gods like in other religions. There is the good god, God, the bad god, Devil, lesser good gods, Angels, lesser bad gods, demons, a half man half god, Jesus Christ, men becoming gods, Saints, and men becoming lesser gods, souls that go to heaven.
The Devil as I understand it was supposed to have been an angel in heaven and challenged the good god, God, for power and the good god, God, cast the Devil out of Heaven and took his pals, the other lesser bad gods, with him. Obviously Heaven is not very democratic as God is a dictator and rules Heaven all by himself. The fallen bad angels seem to be the ones that can possess people.
@moonlitmagikchild (22181)
• United States
19 Nov 08
yeah its very confusing because i grew up with all the christian outlook and my dad even did exorcisms but im not christian now but so prone to the way they thought it was its like umkay what DO i believe NOW?!?! i am so used to when people are possessed its by demons yet i dont believe in the devil so im not sure how i could believe in demons lol.. i do think a lot of its mental illness or ghosts/spirits..
@nicelook26 (20)
• Philippines
19 Nov 08
yes. It depends on the faith you have. If you believe in miracles and apparitions, its possible to have possesion without a devil.
1 person likes this
