Demonic Possession and Exorcism teachings from Christianity
Throughout the history, Christianity taught how Satan was known as a fallen angel who walks among the world bringing or causing harm to many human beings. The evil acts from demons are controlled by Satan himself. The Christian scriptures talks about the beliefs that when a demon takes possession of a victim, they begin to act strangely and not themselves.There is a part about Jesus's association with his ministry healing power for exorcism in the Gospels and Acts
The Christian Scriptures beliefs:
* Demon possession is not related to sin that a person may have performed.
* Both humans and animals can be possessed, sometimes by many demons.
* Demon cause physical effects in possessed people
* The Gods worshiped by non-Christians are either Satan or one of his demons.
The Christian Scriptures beliefs:
* Demon possession is not related to sin that a person may have performed.
* Both humans and animals can be possessed, sometimes by many demons.
* Demon cause physical effects in possessed people
* The Gods worshiped by non-Christians are either Satan or one of his demons.
Roman Catholics and Conservative ProtestantsThe Roman Catholic's churches believes there is a demon within a newborn because of the contact with its mother's birth canal. Shortly afterwards when a newborn is conceived he/she is given a ritual to be baptized. The following is the ritual:
"I exorcise you unclean spirit in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Come out and leave this servant of God [infant's name]. Accursed and damned spirit, hear the command of God himself, he who walked upon the sea and extended his right hand to Peter as he was sinking. Therefore, accursed devil, acknowledge your condemnation... and depart from this servant of God [infant's name]...Never dare, accursed devil, to violate the sign of the holy cross which we place upon his/her forehead. Through Christ our Lord." |
If a person were to be accused or suspected of being possessed the church takes immediate action to exorcise the demon out. The Church canon's laws said that an exorcism is to be performed by, "the bishop, after two careful investigations, based on positive indications that possession is in fact present."
An exorcism ritual involves with "prayers, the blessing and sprinkling of holy water, the laying of hands on the possessed and making the sign of the cross, appeals to Christ, the Holy Spirit and the saints of the church." After that the person's freedom is asked by God from the demon taking possession. The next step is where the priest/exorcist commands the devil to release the person. The last words for the ritual are "Therefore, go back Satan".
There are two methods taught by the church of how a demon can take control over a person.
1. Obsession - The demon fills his/her victim with evil thoughts.
2. Possession - The demon takes physical control of his/her victim.
Demons come from the underworld and suffer from their evil deeds that they did. They are not allowed inside anyone’s house unless invited.
Conservative Protestants share the same beliefs with many other Christians. Just like the Roman Catholics, there are believers about the passage of demons from the New Testament about their power and activities of evil. Another belief is that Satan and his followers roam the earth just to torment and ruin many people's lives.
Judaism
The belief of Satan controlling the demons started to occur within Judaism was in the first century CE.
It is said from the Jewish folklore that for a human being possessed by a spirit or demons is a phenomenon moment. The spirit that causes the possession is called a “dybbuk”. Dybbuk is a lost soul that attaches itself to a living person and may take control of the person’s behavior to do what it wants to accomplish. Dybbuk goes all the way back to ancient scriptures. For example, in the Old Testament of the Bible, the book of Samuel, it said that there was a bad spirit that attached itself to King Saul. And the prophet Elijah being possessed and trying to convince the King to go to war.
A dybbuk can take control of anyone if there soul and body are not connected fully due to depressing moments or anything that lets the person down.
Being possessed by a dybbuk can be a good and bad thing. A bad possession will be when the spirit takes control and the victim will be speaking of things they would not know. For example, stating what is occurring across the street or what a person had dream the night before. A good possession known as “sod ha’ibbur “ (mystery impregnation) is with the help of a spirit’s guidance. A spirit may take possession because they are in need of help.
It is said from the Jewish folklore that for a human being possessed by a spirit or demons is a phenomenon moment. The spirit that causes the possession is called a “dybbuk”. Dybbuk is a lost soul that attaches itself to a living person and may take control of the person’s behavior to do what it wants to accomplish. Dybbuk goes all the way back to ancient scriptures. For example, in the Old Testament of the Bible, the book of Samuel, it said that there was a bad spirit that attached itself to King Saul. And the prophet Elijah being possessed and trying to convince the King to go to war.
A dybbuk can take control of anyone if there soul and body are not connected fully due to depressing moments or anything that lets the person down.
Being possessed by a dybbuk can be a good and bad thing. A bad possession will be when the spirit takes control and the victim will be speaking of things they would not know. For example, stating what is occurring across the street or what a person had dream the night before. A good possession known as “sod ha’ibbur “ (mystery impregnation) is with the help of a spirit’s guidance. A spirit may take possession because they are in need of help.
Demonic Possession beliefs in Shamanism
Many shamanic cultures believe that evil spirits causes humans to have diseases or become seriously illness because of the evil spirit’s possession toward the human being.