But Ma! Demons made me do it!

barefooter · 07-24-2003, 06:39 PM

I've noticed that people of certain denominations tend to label things as "demonic". For example, a poster in Books the other day posed the question, "Is Stephen King demonic?"

The problem is that it's used as an ambiguous adjective. Do they mean that Stephen King himself is demon-possessed, or the spawn of a demon, or just that his writing is demon inspired?

This ramble does have a point. Why must we blame things on demons? Humans are naturally depraved, twisted creatures. We can think of plenty of weird, or evil, things ourselves.

Yes, I believe in demons, but I also believe that we should address the fact that some churches tend to blame everything that is a little morbid, or just a tad weird, as demonic. Seeing demons everywhere is not healthy, and attributing man's natural inclination to do bad to them seems almost an escape route.

Eersh--don't you hate it when you lose your thought halfway through your post?

***BillSPrestonEsq*** · 07-24-2003, 07:14 PM

but barefooter, by the same token some things are demonic, though I would tend to use that phrase only if there is clearly no natural explanation, though I might also use it to refer to animism or direct occultic practices. (voodoo, spirit worship, etc.)

Mike Graham · 07-24-2003, 07:36 PM

Don't you know? If you are against ordaining women you are demonic.

Gotta love Tony Campolo.

psalm63adam · 07-24-2003, 07:39 PM

I do love Tony Campolo. At least he's unwavering in his beliefs about Christianity and society, as compared to myself who constantly wavers.

And the fact that he continues to keep only enough money for his wife and him to live on and gives away everything else makes him Mother Theresa-like in my book.

Travis · 07-24-2003, 07:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by parkway

I do love Tony Campolo. At least he's unwavering in his beliefs about Christianity and society, as compared to myself who constantly wavers.

I think it's better to waver and struggle with The Scriptures, trying to submit oneself unto them, than to stand firm on a foundation of iniquity and denial of Scripture as Campolo does.

Mike Graham · 07-24-2003, 07:48 PM

He has some decent stances. But, then again, that is only in their anti-fundamenalisticy.

Laura · 07-24-2003, 08:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Travis

I think it's better to waver and struggle with The Scriptures, trying to submit oneself unto them, than to stand firm on a foundation of iniquity and denial of Scripture as Campolo does.

I'm very much in agreement with Travis on that.

And about demons...as C.S. Lewis says, there are two equal wrongs that one can commit in dealing with that kind of stuff: to disbelieve in them completely, or to rely too heavily on them. Where the medium is, I don't know.

Thespia · 07-25-2003, 10:31 AM

Cool! It was me who posted that in books about Stephen King.

I wasn't being caddy...I really wondered because I've never read Stephen King and some people have told me that his books are demonic. So I seriously wanted to know.

Thespia · 07-25-2003, 10:38 AM

I think we label things as demonic NOT only because we think they are directly to be blamed on demons. Its more a word that means "of the devil...or relating to Satan or evil rather than good.". Thats what I mean by it. Since we don't know much of what goes on in the spirit world, we can't name exactly what things are. But if something is definitly evil...I call it demonic.

In the same vein...we could call something that is good "godly". Because every good and perfect thing comes from God. Could we say on the reverse that every evil thing comes from Satan?

Scott · 07-25-2003, 01:18 PM

Nothing comes from Satan.

Evil is simply a lack of good.

Saying that something isn't Godly would be more accurate than saying it was Satanly.

***BillSPrestonEsq*** · 07-25-2003, 04:24 PM

scott...

Scripture please?

You contradicted it so this I gotta see.

barefooter · 07-25-2003, 11:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thespia

I think we label things as demonic NOT only because we think they are directly to be blamed on demons. Its more a word that means "of the devil...or relating to Satan or evil rather than good.". Thats what I mean by it. Since we don't know much of what goes on in the spirit world, we can't name exactly what things are. But if something is definitly evil...I call it demonic.

Ah, so as I understand what you're saying, the differences in what we believe is a matter of semantics. You use "demonic" as a blanket label, whereas I use "screwed up".

Thespia · 07-26-2003, 12:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by barefooter

Ah, so as I understand what you're saying, the differences in what we believe is a matter of semantics. You use "demonic" as a blanket label, whereas I use "screwed up".

No. I'm screwed up, but I'm not demonic. There is a difference. Like, sacraficing children and eating them would be demonic. Not being able to pass College Algebra because of absences would be screwed up.

barefooter · 07-26-2003, 12:20 AM

I still think that we're looking at the same picture; I'm just standing three feet to the left and have a different perspective.

RJ1 · 07-26-2003, 01:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Travis

I think it's better to waver and struggle with The Scriptures, trying to submit oneself unto them, than to stand firm on a foundation of iniquity and denial of Scripture as Campolo does.

Amen. I try not to label things as demonic, unless they actually are (the occult,etc.) Demons do mess us up, but we can do a lot of bad things on our own. Stephen King is hardly demonic (in my own eyes).