Does Religion Really Protect You?

Ok I've been reading a few posts and websites about ghosts, evil spirits, demons etc, and most of the replies seem to consist of pray to whatever religion you believe in to stop hauntings and the like, and I was wondering how much does religion actually play a part in protection or is it just the will behind praying that stops the occourences from happening.

Just to simplify: is it God or whatever deity you believe in protecting you, or is it your own will power repelling the negitive spirits?

This was just a random thought I had and just wanted to know what everyone else thought.

Cheers

Firstly, I want to ask you Anubis:
Are you being plagued/haunted by ghosts, demons et al, and want to find a way to stop the negativity surrounding you? (just courious is all)

I personally don't have a magic wand, charm or anything to 'un-plague' anyone.

If you've been inundated with numerous replies to: 'pray to a higher positive source', I myself have found comfort, council and reasurrance with this.
'
However, the old axioms: 'charity begins at home', the Lord helps those who helps themselves', can also mean to say that positive changes start with ONESELF.

BE the change you want to see.

It's a discipline like anthing else in this world. We need to practice, practice, practice. It becomes 2nd nature after a while.

Also remember that we are all not alone (no matter what we think or feel) in this world.

Don't be too proud to ask for help from the Devine.

It has been my faith within my actions that has got me thus far.

Anubis,
yes it does. Yes it can, and yes it will.

BUT, you have to have faith - faith in yourself, faith in your beliefs, faith in your abilities, and above all faith in God.

Then you can move any spirits / troublesome ghosts / strange entities right out of your life. If its a house, and you live in the South of the UK and need help, i'll come do it for you for free - All you supply is the tea.

heres why I say it. I moved into a house, and wanted it blessed by a priest. he did it and the problems continued. I thought aboput it for a while, prayed about it some more, and in a dream I was shown just what needed to be done.

Suffice to say that the spirit got asked to leave - didn't want to. Got three chances, and on the fourth got the slap down laid on it. I know, people may mock, but I live in a now ghost free house.

Should the question be, Does Religion Protect you?

How about, Does the Religion comfort you?

I'm not a firm believer in Religion or Paranormal, however I do believe that when a person is in need that they will turn to religion. If a person was in the middle of a paranormal episode, they would search for help or comfort.

Religion would provide this.

Thanks for asking Duckster but no i'm spirit free atleast to the best of my knowledge. I was just wondering if it was god/religion or just the will to be protected that stopped hauntings and possesions etc. it just struck me that if you had the will to stop something maby that would be enough, maby divine intervention never happened it was just your will was so strong that that whatever was plagueing you stopped because of that, if you see where i'm comming from.

God gave me what i needed, and when it got to a stage that i needed more help, he stepped right in to do the job.

No more hassels, no more problems. I got the message, He got me.

I see what your saying Anubis, and now you have me thinking...hmmm

I wonder if I can simplify it by saying: Human thought vs. Divine intervention?

Logically, it can only be the following:
1. We control our circumstances with our own thoughts/ No God involved
2. We control our circumstances with our own thoughts/ WITH God involved
3. God controls ALL circumstances

Anubis, I for one firmly believe that God, and faith in God, does indeed play a huge part. I have seen too much to believe otherwise. I know that people have different opinions, but this is as clear to me as the sky is blue. There are somethings that are out of our league.

Originally posted by Anubis53536
Just to simplify: is it God or whatever deity you believe in protecting you, or is it your own will power repelling the negitive spirits?

Great question. Short answer: belief is powerful, both ways. Belief in yourself and belief in the deities you request help from.

Thus, it can work either way. You can protect yourself confidently using your own energies, or by a powerbase such as a deity.

If you prayed, it's likely to be the second one, but some of the first can come into play too. If you didn't pray and you just used a protection technique, it's going to be mostly the first one.

Originally posted by Anubis53536
Ok I've been reading a few posts and websites about ghosts, evil spirits, demons etc, and most of the replies seem to consist of pray to whatever religion you believe in to stop hauntings and the like, and I was wondering how much does religion actually play a part in protection or is it just the will behind praying that stops the occourences from happening.

Just to simplify: is it God or whatever deity you believe in protecting you, or is it your own will power repelling the negitive spirits?

This was just a random thought I had and just wanted to know what everyone else thought.

Cheers

Hi Anubis/
I would not say Religion.
What is Religion?
A system of beliefs.
If the whole congregation of beliefs comes from the Apostles down to what we know, then the teachings are correct, as they were handed down from Christ to His Apostles....this I think is important when seeking knowledge of the True Church(gathering of people).....Also,for those that are against such, this is not new, but of which was instituted by God from the Old Testament and followed up to today, in which the True Church will always stand.....(also written in the New Testament)
I believe Faith plays a big part in dealing with 'Unseen forces',the more you believe, the more you can be attacked by unseen forces.
Why?
Because unseen forces/demons know that you 'Fear' them, and that is how they get to you.God said to fear only Him, because He has the authority to judge and no one else.
QUOTE///"our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms."(Eph 6:12).

Demons or whatever they are, know this, and will use all that is within their power (to a certain degree)to attack their victim.
You can have a priest come and bless the house and yourself, but it is what you want to happen ....and unfortunately, we all fall(faith) in many ways but we are told we are to get up again and again......never lose Hope and Faith and Love toward one another.
This is a Life long process,just because a priest blesses the house or yourself, it does not mean that the incident wont re-occur,in fact, sometimes the attacks(these attacks, can be of various forms) can be more so, to 'weaken the victim', so that one may give up hope.
Here is one example of having faith....The woman that was bleeding ......''Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace." read (Luke 8:47-48 )

In the New Testament.....Unseen forces are presnt everywhere....
quote///
"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour" (I Peter 5:8).
Meaning that demons will keep on keeping on attacking till their time is up.
Also,
''the devil has been loosed for a time (Apoc. 20:7),..For a time meaning that which is now, up until the end of the world.......

helen

Good post!

In my opinion I think that no religion has it exactly right yet, despite identifying myself as a Gnostic Christian. I believe that your faith in any higher power exposes you, in your belief in Alpha to the Omega.

It does not make sense that nearly every religion from tribal to well rooted monotheism has some version of an exorcism. My belief is that whatever you believe in opens you up to the negative side of "The Kingdom (what most episodes of demonic influence refer to themselves as.") Belief in the spiritual opens you up both to the un-ending love and possibilities of the positive spiritual realm, however it also reveals yourself to the opposite. Alpha and Omega.

One more important thing I forgot to mention Anubis, is that 'Unseen forces' cannot do anything without your free will.
Messing with all sorts of the occult, can actually make one more succeptable to being attacked.....
One cannot let Demons or whatever evil to take over completely and think that one has no choice in the matter, other then to give in to what is presented to them...there is always a choice.
eg/
Allowing evil or fear to give you the impression that all is lost and nothing can be done......
Again, it is up to yourself to what you want to happen...you always have a choice in the matter, remember that!
I say this, because many movies today seem too far fetched in dealing with 'demons and evil', giving the wrong immpressions of what really needs to be done,and some people will believe what is in front of them, and having no previous knowledge, can confuse and only add to the problem istead of solving it.
Movies may have some truth,like books, but not all is what it seems!
Movies can be knowledgable to a certain extent, but not all knowledge of one's own thinking is truth.
Truth can be mixed with untruth and that becomes dangerous ........depending of-course, what knowledge it is you seek, or one seeks.

hmmm,
hope that makes sense?

helen

I have gathered so far, from everyone who has replied to Anubis' question:

"IS IT GOD OR WHATEVER DEITY YOU BELIEVE IN, PROTECTING YOU, OR IS IT YOUR OWN WILL POWER REPELLING THE NEGATIVE SPIRITS"?

According to my statements and everyone elses (correct me if I'm wrong)...

'FAITH' plays a major role.

So...what ONE BELIEVES is the deciding factor.

What do you think Anubis?

Originally posted by Anubis53536
Ok I've been reading a few posts and websites about ghosts, evil spirits, demons etc, and most of the replies seem to consist of pray to whatever religion you believe in to stop hauntings and the like, and I was wondering how much does religion actually play a part in protection or is it just the will behind praying that stops the occourences from happening.

A good question. In all cultures that believe in demons and protective deities, the religoius beliefs and the way they practice it offers them protection when they are bothered by these things. If you are a firm believer in the Flying Spaghetti Monster, then that religion's beliefs will probably help you from being plaged by the Sauce Monster.

If you are a Christian, you can't successfully invoke Horus against evil crocodiles. But ancient Egyptians certainly did!

HOWEVER... I should point out that atheists (and agnositcs) aren't plagued by these ghosts/demones/etc. Nor are skeptics. Non-belief in a deity doesn't keep people from seeing the occasional ghost or odd phenomina... they just don't react to it the way many very religious people do.

All throughout the Bible, you find times when God gave up on people.
For those he gave up on, he won't help get rid of any spirit plaguing them.
Mere belief isn't enough, either, since "even the deamons believe."

In this light, I think all 3 choices happen.

Sometimes God stops it before you even cry out in fear. Sometimes God prevents it from happening before you even get entangled.

Sometimes, because of how much you rejected him, he's going to let you suffer until you are willing to bend to his will....more like "Someone is going to control your life, no matter what you want. It;'s either ME or the Deamons." Basically left on your own to deal with it.

Sometimes, you both play a part. The "you gotta believe" clause.

Thanks for the posts everyone, theres been some really useful info put up in this thread. But it does make you wonder how much we mistake our own power for god's, and vice versa.

It does make you wonder. I don't know, I think having faith in a God or God, helps you. Because:
1. You Don't feel lonely in the situations or multiple crisises.
2. You feel more comforted.
3. It allows your mind to figure how to go ahead in your life.
4. It helps one stay more self-assured, by feeling they are still accepted by something bigger than themsleves.

Now, I do think there is a God. But I don't know to believe outside of respect, reverence, and pray to God. But I don't believe in blindly following doctrine either. I think it goes both ways in more ways than some people like to think.

Originally posted by SteveR

Originally posted by Anubis53536
Just to simplify: is it God or whatever deity you believe in protecting you, or is it your own will power repelling the negitive spirits?

Great question. Short answer: belief is powerful, both ways. Belief in yourself and belief in the deities you request help from.

Thus, it can work either way. You can protect yourself confidently using your own energies, or by a powerbase such as a deity.

I believe that as well. But I just don't know what to think, just try to stay together, and move on, and along.

Originally posted by Byrd

Originally posted by Anubis53536
Ok I've been reading a few posts and websites about ghosts, evil spirits, demons etc, and most of the replies seem to consist of pray to whatever religion you believe in to stop hauntings and the like, and I was wondering how much does religion actually play a part in protection or is it just the will behind praying that stops the occourences from happening.

A good question. In all cultures that believe in demons and protective deities, the religoius beliefs and the way they practice it offers them protection when they are bothered by these things. If you are a firm believer in the Flying Spaghetti Monster, then that religion's beliefs will probably help you from being plaged by the Sauce Monster.

If you are a Christian, you can't successfully invoke Horus against evil crocodiles. But ancient Egyptians certainly did!

HOWEVER... I should point out that atheists (and agnositcs) aren't plagued by these ghosts/demones/etc. Nor are skeptics. Non-belief in a deity doesn't keep people from seeing the occasional ghost or odd phenomina... they just don't react to it the way many very religious people do.

This sounds harsh Byrd and I do not intend it so but, Atheists are already lost, why wuld "they" waste the effort? I'll repeat that I am not a bible beater, but I feel that faith in something, (in so far as I view that no religion has got it exactly right yet) is the key. Take from it what you will.

it depends upon your intentions, i promise you this.

so sure am i, i not only wager my life, but i wager my entire existance upon this statement:

it depends upon your intentions.

if one does a good deed because one feared the consequences if one did not do the good deed, were their intentions still good?