Are there any former dubs who were petrified by the demons? (page 2)

blondie

I didn't have to worry about the biblical demons. I had a visible demon in my house growing up, my abusive father. It's amazing how the demon stories people told seemed tame in comparison the the flesh and blood realities at home.

Blondie

Ingenuous

Was there a Christian or bibilical based explanation that helped you to get over these phobias?

I'm likely making myself a target for derision with this post.

It's trite, but the saying, "If you pray, why worry? If you worry, why pray?" comes to mind. It occured to me early in my efforts to leave the Org (and deal with fears that the demons would take advantage of my "spiritual weakness," as demonstrated by my doubting attitude) that it was a flagrant display of my lack of faith if I prayed for spiritual protection from a spiritual threat and was still afraid.

I also thought about what I was taught about demons in the Org, that one has to provide an "opening" of some sort for them and, without such, there was no reason to fear them. I remembered how 99% of the "demon" stories I heard involved JWs as targets and started thinking about obssessive fear and preoccupation with demons just being another form of spiritism.

All completely subjective and unscientific and likely seen as hokum by many, but it worked for me. Fortunately, I need far fewer instances of mental gymnastics to keep from lapsing into that phobia now. Sorry, no scriptures.

Joel Wideman

I used to be tormented by nightmares about demons, starting - not surprisingly - around the time I began having doubts. It was so bad that I couldn't sleep, and to this day I still have insomnia, though those nightmares are long gone.
Finding out that my mother's "demon problems" were due to mental illness was a real eye opener.

M.J.

I've started to crack a few demon jokes around the house, like my car "has demons" cause I can't figure out why it won't run right. "must be demons."

Putting the subject in a ridiculous, lighthearted frame like that might bring out the silliness of it in other contexts.

I'm afraid that the very "conditional status" nature of the dubs will always have them second-guessing whether or not they are innoculated from the "biblical" demons though.

I think one way to put things in perspective is to witness that the more someone is fanatical/controlled/superstitous, the more they are afraid of demons. "Oh, no, I'm not like THOSE people..."

Will Power

I think my mac has a demon cause I can only make a post stick 5% of the time.
and log on only 2%
helps contribute to my "low profile" too!

As for demons scaring dubs - boy, I've never seen such a paranoid bunch.
I was told by a grown woman that you can't clink glasses because you'll wake them up!
and since our back shed had graffiti in it there must've been some unspeakable goings on.
and
once a bedroom door closed all by itself!

freeekin scary I tell ya!

wp

Ticker

If anyone in our house starting fighting, had questions about "the truth", didn't want to go to a meeting or out in service, was caught kissing a boy, bascially ANYTHING deemed wrong or sinful, my mother would start to quiz everyone about what they had brought into the house. Everything used or given to us by someone else was immediately thrown in the garbage as it 'clearly was demonized'.

I got JW neighbours like this. Everytime they get scared they have a big bonfire, personally I think they fabricate their own fears and build on them due to self induced JW indoctrinated paranoia. I think everyone makes their own demons and some just go a step farther with it. Im sure they have better things to do then possese or torture a JW.

Ticker

blondie

Do some atheists believe in demons although they do not believe in a higher power?

AlmostAtheist

Do some atheists believe in demons although they do not believe in a higher power?

Like "apostates", "atheists" aren't a cohesive group. So I can only speak for me.

I have never seen a demon/ghost/spirit, and I don't know of anyone that was ever killed or injured by one. On that basis, I don't have any fear of them whatsoever. I was in a graveyard at midnight the other day (truly) and there wasn't the slightest concern.

On the other hand, I think it's beyond reasonable to conclude that every single paranormal experience described by people is a hoax or a mistake. Many are, but all? Maybe, but I don't think it's highly likely. 60/40 against.

So while I don't "believe" in what are usually thought of as spirits, I don't "not believe" in them either.

I don't think dead people live on, because if they did I think they'd do a better job of contacting their surviving loved ones. No way to know of course, but if anybody contacts anybody, you'd think it would happen more than it does and the visits would be more meaningful.

Dave of the "I don't know" class

M.J.

Hmm, on the other hand, I'm a believer in God who doesn't really believe in demons, if that makes any sense. I'd like to, cause it talks about them in the Bible, but I just don't. Oh man am I gonna get what's coming to me... Edited: Well, what do you know? The Christadelphians agree with me: http://www.christadelphia.org/books/keystudy17.htm

The word "devil" has been used as a translation for two entirely different Greek words: diamonion and diabolos. The first word should be translated "demons." It was applied to those diseases (mainly mental disorders) which Jesus miraculously "cast out" of afflicted persons. An example occurs in John 7:19-20. Jesus asked the Jews: "Why go ye about to kill me?" They answered: "Thou hast a devil (diamonion), who goeth about to kill thee?" The Jews' reply, "Thou hast a devil!" is equivalent to the modern expression: "You are mad!"
In speaking of "demons" in that way, the New Testament was merely using the vernacular of the times by which mental disorders were described. The Grecian theory was that demons were the cause of madness, epileptic disorders, and obstructions of the senses. To be "possessed of a demon" was the way in which these illnesses were then described; and to "cast out a demon" was to say that the person was cured.

Are there any former dubs who were petrified by the demons?

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