Mindchild you wrote,
"I’m not so much fishing for Biblical answers as I am trying to understand why some people believe this story."
People like to believe stories. Recall the thread about oujia boards? It was split about 50/50. Demonized versus hokum
Do you believe in God/Bible? If so, then probably you are more willing to accept the events it says took place. If not, well...
There are not many examples in the bible of "demon power" but one I was always fascinated by was when Moses first went to Pharaoh. Moses made his petition then to show he had Gods backing threw his staff down and it became a snake. What did Pharaoh do? He was unimpressed. Why? Because his priests did the same thing! How?
What did those priests know that we dont? Would it be credible to argue that IF that story was true then there are still some "priests" today that could do similar?
Signs and portents/miracles are one of the more dicey things in the Bible. Not just on the 'evil' end. I often wonder about Jesus. Say he came to the earth today. Lets say you saw him cure someone of paralysis. Or more incredibly raised someone from the dead? In person. What would you do? Would you believe it? Would you think this man had "power" and become his follower? It seems almost incomprehensible. I think he'd be dead in a week. Such events are unsettling to the human mind.
And now with CNN, the Internet, camcorders and every kook, charlatan, and would be Svengali following him around would that add to his credibility or detract from it? It would be a circus.
As far as demons go. If I recall correctly it was in Daniel that he saw 10,000 X 10,000 angels before the throne (100 million). Revelation mentions that Satan took 1/3 with him. So if you accept the literal reading some where around 30+ million at least.
Now as to whether demons influence nations/people, again if you believe they exist why not? I would guess that not all angels who rebelled at the flood took on bodies to have sex. But those that did and then could not ever materlize bodies again would be seeking to exert sexual influence on people. How they would do that I dont know.
Anyone who says it's not possible is kidding themselves. Look at how effective advertising is. "Have a nice day" "Fly the Friendly Skies" "Got milk?" The money spent for Super Bowl commercials. Why?
It subtle, insidious, and result oriented. How much more so spirit "advertising"?