Demon Possession

So, if I'm understanding you correctly, you are saying that all religious phenomena are metaphoric rather than literal; is that correct?

Microzeta, let us not forget that Luke, the writer of a Gospel and of the book of Acts was a physician - a noted physician. Dr Luke was witness of demon-possessed being freed from that state. I know you will say that medical science has improved and I would certainly agree with you, but a doctor then would have known the difference. Dr Luke also records that the demons cast out of a demoniac entered 2000 swine which ran over a cliff and were drowned. If demon possession could be explained away as epilepsy or some such thing, how come they were made completely well and never suffered the same thing again?

That's a good point and the Bible does talk about the angels with a lot of specificity. Thanks for the response.

Jesus may or may not have had the knowledge, we can not possibly know. But even if he did, how many others of that time would have understood all the science? It would have been easier to describe it as they understood, unlike now where people do have more of an undestanding so if Jesus turned up now, he would explain it more accurately as we know more about it.

But Jesus would have had that knowledge and he called it possession. Of course he could have been just using terminology they would understand and healing the people. Thanks for your response.

That's one of the things that leans me in that direction. As well as the fact that Jesus talked about demon possession in such a way that sounds like it's the real thing. I guess I'm less iffy on that than I am on whether it still happens today.

When we talk with missionaries working in many countries we are left with no doubts as to demon possession today. I have spoken with missionaries working in Egypt, Sth American countries and Asian countries who have given accounts of events which cannot be explained other ways. Some people have admitted to being demon possessed and they worship the devil.

Goodness, that must have been disturbing! Thanks for your comment.

i always put stories to strange things that happen.i would say that happened bcuz maybe you were on the verge of dying and the wanted you but god wanted you also so you lived...thats just me though.i always try to put good stories to scary things that happen.i gueess thats how i get by.

Sonnet's comments remind me of an episode of the Simpsons when crazy things were going on and Homer fell through a portal behind the couch and fell into the Third Dimension... At one point, Homer was throttling Bart and screaming "In this house we follow the laws of thermodynamics!" Not that Homer would have had any clue about it - he just accepted what he understood to be reality. How is it that people say that they "don't believe in" something when they've actually experienced it? If I say that "I don't believe in Memphis" does that instantly reduce the USA's population by a million or so? And I haven't even been there, so surely I'm entitled to "not believe" in it? Same for people who say they "don't believe in" the devil or whatever. No doubt the devil will be amused - works to his advantage, actually. How does one defend themselves from an enemy that they don't even acknowledge exists? Guess who has the advantage? The acid test as to what someone is willing to "believe in" will come when their basis for continued existence in this material realm finally expires - and that seems to happen for most people, soner or later. Trouble is, by then it's too late to mitigate the situation or prepare oneself, "psychologically" or otherwise. Peter Pan's "clap if you believe" doesn't cut it in the real world. Bottom line is, we know NOTHING. Even popular notions about history is mostly a bunch of hogwash, speculation and outright propaganda. SO it really seems peculair to me for people to say that they "don't believe in" something when they've actually had the benefit of personal experience which demonstrates quite the opposite to them, and yet will conduct themselves throughout their lives as though they DO know what they DON'T, rather than admitting ignorance and treading with caution and humility during such a transitory passage through time and space. Not that there's anything wrong with that - yet. But I'd take a guess that there will be, in retrospect, at some future point in time (or outside of it, as the case most probably will be).

I've often thought the same thing. That if you reject evil that it can't take you over. But we do all have evil in us, so at what point does it become possible? Thanks for the reply.

Sure I do, but I try to read it with an open mind and without preconceptions. Human writers were inspired, but they also had their own perceptions in their minds. The Bible itself says this. And even if I accept that people were demon possessed then, that wouldn't necessarily answer the question of whether it still happens today.

hello raijin...i answered one of your questions the other day....anyways i think thats a really great way to think and describe things.everytime something bad happens in my life i oppen my eyes and see things and i call on god.maybe thats his way of making me come to him.

Hmm. I wonder why several students from the same school would have that happen.