Demonic possession in Bible times.....humm

LyinEyes

Back in Jesus day there were so many people , according to the Bible who were possesed by demons. Now it is understood that many of these people who were "demon possessed" were really suffering from illnesses, physical or mental. I wonder how many people in all religions today claim to be demon possessed? I wonder what the JW's think about these cases in Jesus day,,,,,do they think it was demons or physical/mental problems? Why were there so many demon possessions in Biblical times and not as much in our day? I am really curious as to what any of you may have experienced or heard of from other religions.

As far as I can remember the WT didn't refute that these cases were anything other than what the Bible says they were demonic possessions.

Does anyone know what the WT's stand on this is? Do they think there could be another explaination to this or just take it for what the Bible says?

peacefulpete

I remember that they wrote an unusually rational article (late 80'searly 90's?)on demons and how no doubt many of the experiences attributed to demons IN MODERN TIMES are instead attributable to mental defect or hysteria. This seemed to be part of a general movement toward greater acceptance, though with caveats, of psychology. I can not imagine their opening the can of worms you suggest. If they even hinted that some of the demon stories in the Bible may in fact be explained as mental or physical illness (epilepsy) the effect would be devastating to their literalist position. The real issues are not whether the stories were written in a unscientific age and honestly misinterpreted as supernatural but IMO the issue is whether the authors intended the stories to be read as literature or as history.

FairMind

I have a friend (inactive for years) who has an interesting viewpoint on demon possession. The following are his comments to me:

"We just don't seem to really believe that God's Spirit will (not can) be

available to us today in regard to our physical/mental health. God will help

us, but only in spiritual matters; anything physical even with attendant

emotional/mental problems, is not available to us through His Spirit. For

those things we have to turn to Humans---God doesn't do it. Yet, these bad

emotional/mental problems certainly affect our spiritual lives. Depressed

people find it hard to believe that God cares!!

The other neglected part of this is Demonic activity. People in Jesus's

day were afflicted with problems caused by demons, physical and mental

problems that affected their spiritual lives. In Mark's account Jesus

encounters the affects of the Demons many times.

And the people so afflicted were not evil people who had been dabbling

in the Black Arts. They were innocent, everyday people who had been attacked

by these Evil Beings and were suffering. What I am saying is this: I am

convinced that, while some of the illnesses are just human imperfection,

much of what is happening today is from a demonic source. Yes, it can even

happen to Christians. We know we are under constant attack by that "roaring

Lion" and his army. Of course, all doctors will see are the resulting

physical/mental symptoms which can be countered by potent drugs. Even the

Demons can't override Vallium or other powerful drugs. But this is a

Spiritual problem, and to be cured requires the Spirit of God."

heathen

I would think that where the bible says a certain man or woman was demon posessed that the WTBTS believes they were . Today I think the bible says the whole world is in the power of the wicked one . Personally I do believe that some people are demon posessed but that there are different levels of posessions . Some people are violent others can just appear normal for the most part but are often being used to spread falsehood or attack the seed of God . I think an extreme case of demonic posession would be like a jeffery daumer case . I just can't see a logical explanation for that fellow at all .

frankiespeakin

Lyin,

I would think PP got it right. They are well writen storys, they are not true,, and also what people concidered demon posession back then was some other illnesses that can be given a better discription today that don't include demon posession.

frankiespeakin

There is one account where this boy is deaf and when a crackling fire is burning the boy trys to throw himself into the fire.

To me that seems like a form of epilesy where the flickering light of the fire sets off convusions in his brain waves paterns and he move closer to the fire while trashing in a grand mall siezers. Such actions in those ancient times would look like the work of demons.

tetrapod.sapien

not to mention the possibility that magical thinking over the course of many years, may be the cause of mental illness in some people.

it's a double whammy. religion makes the person sick in the head, and then the person has to be healed by religion.

greendawn

I think there were cases of real demonic possession and cases where the illness was due to mundane reasons such as brain defects causing epilepsy and schizophrenia. But in those days they were too ignorant to distinguish the two.

DannyHaszard

It's an issue that stumbled me for 30+ years Jesus expelled the man with the legion yet there is no blatant examples of such cases today.

The Gospel narratives read like it was the script for the 'dawn of the dead' demonized zombies everywhere.

People with organic mental disorders have audio/visual hallucinations cause by short circuits in the brain software.PET scans have mapped theses brain areas.

I once had an episode of full blow audio/visual hallucinations detoxing from alcohol.I was seeing s**t that wasn't there!

So what gives today with no demon possession?

Rabbit

Demon possession -- LIVES !

Or so my JW, X-wife says.You see...I got caught with a Playboy magazine. I also have epilepsy. And I had gone to several garage sales, too.

That is a perfect recipe for demon possession, ya' know. But, fear not fellow apostates...when we separated she got custody of the little demon.

LyinEyes, I never got a satisfactory answer from the Elders about that either. They always looked at me a little funny when I said, "That demon possession sounds a lot like a grand mal seizure."

Elders face-------->

Elders thinking about my face ?-------->

Rabbit

Demonic possession in Bible times.....humm

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