In Jesus' Name!

As an agnostic person who does not believe in the traditional pastoral account of the Bible I have one rather large inhibition about my views of religion, Christianity especially.

That inhibition is highlighted with the personal accounts brought forth by average everyday people that claim to have encountered demon possessions, alien abductions and/or possessions of people not related to a religion at all. I believe these accounts are one in the same or very related. I don't know how of course and can not prove it, but this is my feeling.

Although some may be of fiction origin for attention purposes or what not, many have very realistic details and should not be dismissed so easily. Unless this is some psychological trickery attained by humans of the near past (which does not hold water, because there are many accounts of demon possesions going back even thousands of years, specifically in the Bible...remember, I said I do not belive in the pastoral account of the Bible. I do, however, believe in the historical account) there is something going on with this phenomena.

The religious aspect of all of this is where the word "Jesus" (amongst others) comes in. By many accounts after a possession takes place the demon can be cast out of the host by using the name "Jesus Christ." I do not understand why or how this is possible. First, the name "Jesus" is not even the proper name within the New Testament and Christ was used by more than one man in early ages. Also, there are other accounts where the name of a certain God/ savior of a people (specifically in East Asia and Africa) are allowed to be used to cast out a demon. Why is this so? What is it about these religious names that are able to have power over a 'dark' force such as a demon. I don't know of any of these names being used on "alien" encounters, but they may be out there. I have not done a great deal of research on that end.

Anyway, if anybody wishes to provide a secular answer for this oddity I will love to hear your response!

No, Jesus was probably called Jeshua.
But, God understands that we only know him by "Jesus", now, so he allows us to call on that name as well.
It's His power of the Holy Spirit that works for His name sake.
I've seen many miracles done in His name.
Fake and real.

The most important thing (more than casting out demons in His name)

Luk 10:20 Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.

reply to post by abelievingskeptic

By many accounts after a possession takes place the demon can be cast out of the host by using the name "Jesus Christ."

I think that a demon might just let someone go because they have already made their point.
I have witnessed only one possession and it only lasted about six or seven seconds, but it was long enough, in this case.
For some reason beyond me, I have a sister who is involved in Native American religion.
When her daughter was having problems with an annoying spirit, she took her to an all-night Indian ritual to be cleansed of the evil spirit.
It might have to do with the forces of evil verses the forces of good.
Jesus would be an example of a force for good.

But, God understands that we only know him by "Jesus", now, so he allows us to call on that name as well.

How is it that you know what God understands? Im sorry I find that statement very arrogant.

I've seen many miracles done in His name.

Care to share any of these miracles?

Fake and real.

This reminds me when about that b.s. tv evangelical crap. Sad when peoples beliefs are expoloited. Does anyone else see the irony in the witnessing of a "fake" miracle?..lol..thats just funny.

They are a twisted up bunch! "Jesus" gives all glory and honor to our father in heaven. Those that call upon "Jesus's name" for new cars and better jobs and self centered arogant egotisims get exactly what will get.

The confusion lies in unclear texts. Jesus said such things as "cast them out in my name". This statement was that the father gave powers unto jesus and thus jesus was passing that along.

-(I'll just be glad when the confusion of mind clears up for all)

[edit on 13-7-2008 by Incarnated]

reply to post by jmdewey60


I would have to agree with your overall assesment. I don't know though if it is a good vs. evil thing the way humans perceive evil, but it seems some spirits respect the name of Jesus Christ. Thanks for your input!

About the 7 second possession. How do you know it was a possession? Sometimes seizures appear to be "demonic" when it is more of a neurological issue. It may have been a possession, but how do you know exactly?


Is there any secular opinions?

reply to post by Incarnated

I'll just be glad when the confusion of mind clears up for all

What confusion are you referring to? Sorry, I don't follow...

reply to post by abelievingskeptic


I know God, because I got saved BY Him.
In 1993, I found out Jesus is real.
We have His Word to guide us. I'm NOT arrogant.


Fake miracles are done mostly by wolves in sheep's clothing.
Such as false prophesy, look it up.
I have personally prayed for a woman's hand who had burns at my old church and she said it quit hurting.
I have three children, who I have prayed for and didn't have any Tylenol for their fever and they got better.
I've prayed for food,clothes and work and got them.
Mostly, I've prayed for understanding and wisdom and God freely gives it when anyone needs it.

reply to post by abelievingskeptic



Confusion about god, brotherhood, rightiousness and such true things that seem like idealisims due to the unchecked and rampid lusts of the self willed ego.

well, if the persons pretending to be possessed because they want attention or because they feel it's expected of them, (ie. behaving as if they are possessed while knowing they're not) they hear jesus' name and they know how they're expected to react.

if it's a manifestation of a psychological problem (ie. believing themselves to be possessed while not actually possessed) then the trigger of jesus' name should be equally as powerful as the delusion they are under. to develop this delusion they probably had to believe, on some level, in the demon/jesus stuff in the first place.

of course, if they are actually possessed then god is god is god, it doesn't matter which word you use to name god, it only matters that the person that is possessed understands that you are reffering to god.

when you think about it, if a demon wants to control the persons body, it has to use that persons brain to do so. when the demon hears the name jesus, it would stand to reason that the demon would know who is being referred to. so god is god, weather you call god jimmy or jake or gigglejumper, so long as the possessed person knows god by the same name.

reply to post by abelievingskeptic

It may have been a possession, but how do you know exactly?

Another story involving indians.vids.myspace.com...
I can give you a part of this story that I pieced together from several things I have written down. This is the actual event, there is a longer part that ties this into the spirit that is described in the video, linked to, above.

We ended up one night in a camp area where some people we knew, were staying. They had brought up a truck load of logs to burn in a big fire pit. For some reason, they all ran off to a neighboring camping area and left us alone at the fire. Tim was standing in front of this huge fire that had been burning all day and all night. I was standing further away and felt at peace to be just standing there and enjoying everything. Just out of nowhere an invisible hand grabbed him right below his neck and threw him into the middle of this pile of burning embers. I saw Tim put out one arm to stop himself. His hand went right down through it and he ended up with his face right up against the embers. Suddenly that hand brought him up from being sprawled out in a horizontal position, straight backwards and flung him out with such force that he hit the ground about 15 ft. away from the fire pit and kept rolling for another thirty feet down the hill. I ran down to him, expecting to find him all burnt up. I grabbed his arm and looked at it and not even a hair on him was singed. He did not say a word. And he has never told the story to any one, as far as I know.

It is not to clear in my story but he some how was grabbed on the top part of his back, between his shoulders. I could tell that was how it happened because his body kind of folded at that point. He was not just pushed. He was like carried forward from where he was standing. He was not close enough to the fire to just fall into it. This was a very big and hot fire and you would not stand that close. Like I said earlier, I was standing even further from it, and to one side of him, then it started.

You make good points...

but I think you may not realise who exactly is calling the demon out. It would be the exorcist. They use different techniques I believe. I know they have used Jesus Christ as one of those names. People believe in Jesus Christ as God. Maybe, just the fact that people believe Jesus Christ is God is powerful enough to dispell whatever force that may have control of the body.

It would be funny though, to see some exorcist casting out a demon in the name of...the pink panther?... I dont know, but I dont think it works that way.

I'm NOT arrogant.

Maybe not, but you were the one that said you know what God understands? were you not?

Fake miracles are done mostly by wolves in sheep's clothing.
Such as false prophesy, look it up.

dont need to..all anyone has to do is turn to the tbn network on their boob tube

I have personally prayed for a woman's hand who had burns at my old church and she said it quit hurting.
I have three children, who I have prayed for and didn't have any Tylenol for their fever and they got better.
I've prayed for food,clothes and work and got them.

yes, Im sure God answered these trivial requests, but denied the starving orphan in Africa dying of AIDS...sure.

Mostly, I've prayed for understanding and wisdom and God freely gives it when anyone needs it.

you may need to ask for a little more wisdom, in my opinion only, of course

reply to post by abelievingskeptic


Look, you're the one that made this thread.
Maybe you should spend more time asking God why, instead of us "retarded" folk.

[edit on 13-7-2008 by Clearskies]

reply to post by jmdewey60


wow..That is an amazing story! I am a little confused though..this was the story you were referring to a few posts up, where he was possessed for 7 seconds?

The story sounds more like an interaction than a possession. A very strange one at that. And again, I believe they are somewhat related. When I get a chance I will check out the vid.

Thanks!

reply to post by Clearskies

Look, you're the one that made this thread.
Maybe you should spend more time asking God why, instead of us "retarded" folk.

Wow. This is why it is impossible to have any real discussion with someone like you. You actually remind me much of my mother.

When and please point out where I called you "retarded?" This is just like when you said I had tattoos on my face. Utter fantasy. Like I said before, I feel sorry for you and your dillusions.

Do you even read what you write? Or read what I write? I mean why even post if what you are going to say makes no sense?

I have no problem with you, but I think you need to think a little more before you post something. I am no perfect ATS member but for crying out loud, what you say makes no sense...

reply to post by abelievingskeptic


Where did I say you had tattoos on your face?
A link would help.
I believe the way you wrote it made it seem that way.
????

[edit on 13-7-2008 by Clearskies]

reply to post by abelievingskeptic

sounds more like an interaction than a possession

That was how it sounds, the way I wrote this out, a while back.
I wrote it to illustrate what a demon or spirit being can do to someone.
This story happed in like 1981 and that was what it looked like to me.
Thinking about it, now, I think it could also fit a possession.
Like I said, it would have been over in a matter of seconds so I did not have time to be able to study what was going on, exactly.
Also he was no help, like in the story he never said anything.
What could anyone say, anyway?
I told this story to someone I knew from work, ten years ago, and she looked at me kind of funny and asked me, in a slow, soft voice if he was on Peyote.
I asked her how in the world she could know that and she just walked away.