Is anyone out there terrified of demons/devils IRL?

[Aaron L]

If I ever ran into a demon, you're dang right I be scared poopless.

 

[Elf Witch]

I gre up being raised in a catholic home went to catholic school for a while and I was terrified of demons after the Exorcist came out I became very scared I was all of 15. I had this fear so bad that I would not sleep with the lights off. Though looking back on that I have to laugh because there is nothing that says lights keep devils away.

I had this fear until I was about 20 then I started questioning everything I had been taught and the fear went away. Looking back on it I think I used the fear of demons to hide from facing the troubling issues I had dealing with a very bad family life.

 

[Wombat]

I saw this poll conducted about two years ago asking about American attitudes regarding supernatural beings.

Do you believe in ghosts? 90% yes.

Do you believe in angels? 75% yes.

Do you believe in demons/devils? 15% yes.

I find this quizzical and interesting -- people are willing to believe in invisible agents of Good, but not invisible agents of Evil...

Wonder why that is?

 

[Elf Witch]

I saw this poll conducted about two years ago asking about American attitudes regarding supernatural beings.

Do you believe in ghosts? 90% yes.

Do you believe in angels? 75% yes.

Do you believe in demons/devils? 15% yes.

I find this quizzical and interesting -- people are willing to believe in invisible agents of Good, but not invisible agents of Evil...

Wonder why that is?

Because agents of evil are far more scary. Though I had a friend when I was growing up who was terrified at the thought of an angel looking out for her. She used to take an umbrella into the bathroom with her so the angel could not see her go.

 

[s/LaSH]

I find this quizzical and interesting -- people are willing to believe in invisible agents of Good, but not invisible agents of Evil...

Wonder why that is?

Possibly because there's plenty of religious text surrounding the good guys, but not so much supporting the evil ones. I'm no expert theologian, but from what I've heard there's doubt as to whether Hell, demons etc are really justifiable by the Bible (and as we're talking America here, Christianity is the biggest slice of the population so I'm justified making this blanket statement. This holds true even in the US of A, which I suspect might be the real source of this survey but now I'm getting bogged down in semantics so I'll shuddup).

There is an interesting bit of etymology for Satan, however. From what I've heard, it's from Shaitan, which I think was sort of a legal term for opposition in ancient Hebrew or something. I think it corresponds to 'prosecution' in the modern judicial system - someone whose task was to prove someone guilty. This is exemplified by the Book of Job - Satan asks God if Job's really up to snuff, and they go through the process to find out whether he is or not. Satan doesn't do anything evil, he just asks pointed questions to expose the possibility of evil.

Which is an interesting point of view, isn't it?

 

[Afrodyte]

I tend to be pragmatic about things like this. As an Animist, I don't really comprehend angels and demons the way most people familiar with the concepts do. I use these terms only loosely, and it's generally related only to how a particular entity interacts with people. Spirits that are usually benevolent become angels; typically malevolent ones become demons and devils. It's simply fewer syllables, and the idea gets across just the same.

As far as dealing with demons, I tend to take the practical approach. While I'm not the spiritual equivalent of a hypochondriac, I do believe that prevention is the best cure in most cases. I don't do things to court or invite that sort of thing into my life. I don't do Bloody Mary, use Ouija boards, or willingly disrespect the homes and resting places of spirits. I do have a coconut carved like a pirate's head that my niece game me, ugly as sin, that I place in my home to ward off demons and similar spirits. It's so ugly that I think it scares them away. I also have angels all throughout my house: angel sculptures, angel light switches, and an angel dangling from the rear view mirror in my car. A part of me recognizes them as conductors for a protective entity (what kind I have no idea), much like metal conducts electricity. Call it superstition if you want, and you can label me as irrational and muddle-headed too, but I do breathe easier knowing that I'm not getting in over my head with things I can't understand.

 

[Afrodyte]

There is an interesting bit of etymology for Satan, however. From what I've heard, it's from Shaitan, which I think was sort of a legal term for opposition in ancient Hebrew or something. I think it corresponds to 'prosecution' in the modern judicial system - someone whose task was to prove someone guilty. This is exemplified by the Book of Job - Satan asks God if Job's really up to snuff, and they go through the process to find out whether he is or not. Satan doesn't do anything evil, he just asks pointed questions to expose the possibility of evil.

Which is an interesting point of view, isn't it?

Have you checked out Malcolm Godwin's Angels: An Endangered Species? I think you'd be interested in that because it provides a scholarly approach to the very thing you mention here.

From my understanding, Satan meant, "Accuser" in the original language that it came from (not sure exactly which, but I doubt it's Hebrew). In thise sense, it seems that the Devil performs a vital function in the greater scheme of things. It's sort of like quality control or inspection to make sure everything is up to par. Unfortunately, over the years this very important aspect of Satan's nature was diluted. Satan, instead of being the cosmic meat inspector, became more like a spoiled child who tried to undermine the parents' efforts by ruining the fruits of their labor. Perhaps it is not surprising that I find people's fascination with the diabolical rather strange.

 

[Aeolius]

Loch Ness monster, ghosts, aliens, psychic vampires, Atlantis; yes. Demons? Well, as a polytheist, I do not find it difficult to believe that unknown forces attempt to exert their presence into our closed-minded niche of reality.

On a side note, I love B-rated horror flicks; "The Abominable Dr Phibes" being the pinnacle of all movies.

This morning, as I drove my son to 4th grade, I was helping him review his spelling words. One word was "scream". So, I simply said "Spell scream, as in AAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRGGGHHHHH!". He jumped out of his skin and we both laughed the rest of the way to school.

 

[Umbran]

I don't have an answer, and I don't respect dogmatism where it isn't warranted.

Do you recognize the inherent illogic in that statement? In order to not respect dogmatism where it isn't warranted, you must know when it isn't warranted. In order to know that, you implicitly must have an idea of 'how many people have to claim an experience for it to be a "sane" experience', which you say you don't have.

 

[WayneLigon]

I find this quizzical and interesting -- people are willing to believe in invisible agents of Good, but not invisible agents of Evil...Wonder why that is?

Possible answers:

1. Probably because very few people actually put any real thought into the question.

2. Having done poll work, I know that more people than you might suspect have the sneaking suspicion that their answers will be traced back to them, so they are more likely to give a 'correct' answer than an accurate one.

I don't know how the poll was constructed, so I can't speak as to the accuracy of the statements.

From what I remember, (and that might not be correct) the best polls should use multiple questions phrased in such a way as to catch people that are fishing for the 'correct' answer, or who give inconsistant answers (the best personality tests do this, when analysed correctly), and weed them out of the final totals.

3. People like to deny to themselves that bad things and bad people exist out in the real world. They are comforted by the idea that an angel might watch over them but not by the fact that a malevolent entity might also be in the wings waiting to willfully do them harm.