Demon(s), page 3

Well we could change course and try to focus on the concept of demons, who or what they are and their history. It would make for much more interesting discussion than this hate being vomited all over the place.

I'll start by saying that demons or malevolent spirits can be found in almost every religion and culture. They are known by many names from Oni, Asuras, Daeva, and I would argue Unseelie Faerie. They share many of the same features from culture to culture, such as possession. There are exorcists not only in Christianity but also in Shintoism, Islam, and others. Demons have been with us since we first got here. Some believe they are the spirits of creatures that lived on earth before we did, others think they are the spirits of hybrid human-celestial offspring. In Jewish legend Adam had a first wife named Lilith. She refused to be equal to Adam and was expelled from the Garden of Eden. After leaving the garden she was found either by fallen angels, specificaly Samael, or something else. She mated with them and produced the Lilim, demonic entities that are like vampires or are they vampires?

Another example of demons in Jewish legend are the spirits of the giants.
When the Sons of G-d mated with the daughters of men in Genesis they produced the Nephilim. When the Nephilim died in the flood some of their spirits remained on earth.

This makes an interesting point often overlooked by Christians. Demons are hybrids spirits, offspring of humans and celestials. Most Christians I have met have a hard time separating fallen angels and demons. Fallen angels are described like demigods or godlike in power. This is far beyond the lowly demon that posesses people, haunts places, and generally scares people.

In Islam demons are called Jinn. They are a race older than man. They lived on earth before us. When Allah created Adam he instructed the Jinn to respect Adam. Iblis a very powerful Jinni refused and other Jinn followed Iblis in his contempt for Adam. Iblis would become known as Al Shaitan. the Satan. Not all Jinn are evil though. It is said a number of Jinn are Muslims.

In Zoroasterianism demons are called Daeva, which may be where the word Devil comes from. The Daeva are the servants of the dark lord Ahriman who is like Satan. Daeva spread lies, disease, and suffering. The Jewish demon Asmodeus/Ashmedai may be traced back to one of the Daeva. Oddly the Daeva are also what the Hindus call their gods.

In Hinduism demons are known as Asuras, which sounds alot like the name for Zoroastrian gods, Ahuras. Asuras are like a pantheon of demongods. A number of Hindus believe the monotheist faiths actually follow these demongods. A number of those in the montheist faiths think the same of the Hindus though. I personally think that neither they or the faiths of Abraham follow demons. Yet I do believe demons can try to corrupt people and faiths.

This concept of demonic corruption can be found in the above faiths as well as Buddhism, Shintoism, and even pre Christian Greco-Roman beliefs.
This brings me to the word Demon. The word Demon comes from a Greek word, Daemon, a type of personal spirit. To them there were diffrent kinds of Daemons. Cacodaemons, which were evil, and Agathodaemons which were good. In Rome the Daemons were compared to what the Romans called a Genius or Genii. Which of course is related to the Islamic term Jinni and Jinn.

This is just a skip across the surface of demonlogy. There's still quite abit occult lore, Goetia, Kabalah, Enochian,etc. I didn't even touch. Lamia and Lilith. The Giants of Greco-Roman, Norse, and Celtic myth which tie in with other faiths. After studying for a while you'll begin to notice universal patterns among every faith and myth.

Comments? Thoughts? Debate?