Okay, as a Christian I was always exposed to people's stories of casting demons out of someone or of having had a demon cast out of them. Well, okay, not always, but it was a common occurence.
I also went through a "deliverance" session once for my pornography addiction (which, many years later, turned out to be due to my body self-medicating its hormonal imbalance). Anyway, during this deliverance session I was told that sometimes demons can manifest themselves (though that was not my case *whew*). I was taken through a pile of ritual and "visualization" exercises and whatever else. Okay, enough about that...
Anyway, the question is, WHERE does much of Christianity get it's doctrine and methodology regarding and/or dealing with demons?
I mean, when you actually read the Bible there is VERY little to do with demons and/or casting out demons. Certainly not enough, in my mind, to come up with the hundreds and hundreds of books and philosophies dealing with the subject in Christian circles.
Demonology
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Post #11
Realistically there is no good doctrine and methodologies when it comes to casting out of demons. Having spent several years in Charismatic churches, I learnt that it was mainly a lot of nonsense. I came across many people who had the so-called gift of discernment and laid their hands on people and said "come out this spirit" and "come out that spirit". The people they prayed for would be thrashing about and screaming, but even when the spirit finally came out (if indeed it really did), it would be back again the next day.
I saw a whole church tear apart because of a possessed woman in the church. The so-called demon would manifest itself during the worship. This happened when I was about 16 years old. It was pretty freaky stuff. I left home around that time, but I can still remember my mother writing a letter to me telling me the church leaders had officially announced that God had set the woman free. But when I saw her next she told me the demon was back in the woman again.
My experiences taught me there was one of three possibiliies.
1) Either people were not really getting to the demon that was causing all the problems (they were dealing with the small fry, not the real trouble maker).
2) The people just didn't have the faith or the authority to cast out demons
3) Or there were no demons to begin with.
I believe now it's number three.
It's psychological. You will yourself to be set free. You want the demon cast out of you. You feel some discomfort in your limbs, so you twist them to relieve it. You are so determined to rid yourself of the beast inside you, you start to scream in an effort to get rid of it. You thrash about a bit. You no doubt believe that creature is on the verge of manifesting and coming out. The name of Jesus is supposed to terrify a demon, so sub-consciously your mind reacts to hearing it. That, with the hypnotising effect of the music (if there is music) and the stirring words of the speaker at the front (if in church) or the person praying for you can help create the effect of demon possession.
It's like when you're standing up the front of the church, the music is playing and your feeling stirred emotionally and someone comes and lays hands on you and pray, you think you should be getting knocked over by the Holy Spirit. So you will it upon yourself and next thing you know, you're on the floor thinking you've just been hit by the HS.
I saw a whole church tear apart because of a possessed woman in the church. The so-called demon would manifest itself during the worship. This happened when I was about 16 years old. It was pretty freaky stuff. I left home around that time, but I can still remember my mother writing a letter to me telling me the church leaders had officially announced that God had set the woman free. But when I saw her next she told me the demon was back in the woman again.
My experiences taught me there was one of three possibiliies.
1) Either people were not really getting to the demon that was causing all the problems (they were dealing with the small fry, not the real trouble maker).
2) The people just didn't have the faith or the authority to cast out demons
3) Or there were no demons to begin with.
I believe now it's number three.
It's psychological. You will yourself to be set free. You want the demon cast out of you. You feel some discomfort in your limbs, so you twist them to relieve it. You are so determined to rid yourself of the beast inside you, you start to scream in an effort to get rid of it. You thrash about a bit. You no doubt believe that creature is on the verge of manifesting and coming out. The name of Jesus is supposed to terrify a demon, so sub-consciously your mind reacts to hearing it. That, with the hypnotising effect of the music (if there is music) and the stirring words of the speaker at the front (if in church) or the person praying for you can help create the effect of demon possession.
It's like when you're standing up the front of the church, the music is playing and your feeling stirred emotionally and someone comes and lays hands on you and pray, you think you should be getting knocked over by the Holy Spirit. So you will it upon yourself and next thing you know, you're on the floor thinking you've just been hit by the HS.
