• Welcome to Religious Forums, a friendly forum to discuss all religions in a friendly surrounding.

    Your voice is missing! You will need to register to get access to the following site features:
    • Reply to discussions and create your own threads.
    • Our modern chat room. No add-ons or extensions required, just login and start chatting!
    • Access to private conversations with other members.

    We hope to see you as a part of our community soon!

Unclean Spirits...I'd like your thoughts.

dawny0826

Mother Heathen
I don't normally start a lot of threads but I just feel like discussing...:eek:

I want to know what you think about unclean spirits.

When you read scripture such as the scripture below...what's your personal interpretation of what you're reading?

And I'm not only interested in your intepretation...I'd like to know if you believe what you're reading here?

An Unclean Spirit Returns (NKJV) Matthew 12:43-45

"When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest and finds none. Then he says "I will return to my house from which I came. And when he comes, he finds it empty, swept and put in order. Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first. so, shall it also be with this wicked generation."
 

Lost Soul

Member
Good luck with that one. That is why I don't know if I can ever be a Christian, the bible is full of that kind of talk.
 

jeffrey

†ßig Dog†
To me, it means if you open your heart, get rid of the hate, but do not fill the void with love, the hate will come back stronger. And not the love like how you feel about your mate. But love for your family or friends.... or even your enemies. ;)
 

Steve

Active Member
To me it means what it says although im not sure what "dry places" means in the spirit world sense or if it is refering physical earth - either way i have seen people having demons/evil spirits cast from them so know that this is type of thing is a reality. Also there are plenty of people who have no problem admiting/talking about there spirit guides etc or even those in the occult/satanists (among others)that will freely admit they are demonized etc.
 

Terrywoodenpic

Oldest Heretic
jeffrey said:
To me, it means if you open your heart, get rid of the hate, but do not fill the void with love, the hate will come back stronger. And not the love like how you feel about your mate. But love for your family or friends.... or even your enemies. ;)
That is a very good interpretation, not heard it before.
Was it an origional thought or based on something else?

Terry_________________
Blessed are those who bring peace, they shall be children of God
 

jeffrey

†ßig Dog†
Terrywoodenpic said:
That is a very good interpretation, not heard it before.
Was it an origional thought or based on something else?

Terry_________________
Blessed are those who bring peace, they shall be children of God
Original. :D
 

James the Persian

Dreptcredincios Crestin
jeffrey said:
Original. :D
Maybe, but it sounds Orthodox. As with much of the Bible, verses like that can be read on more than one level. I don't doubt that part of meaning is the literal one to do with casting out demons, but I also have no doubt that your idea with respect to casting out anger (though I'd broaden it to passions in general) is also part of the meaning and a perfectly valid interpretation. It actually sounds like the sorts of things you see written in the advice of the Desert Fathers to the more junior monastics. Just cleaning out the badness isn't enough, the void where the passion was needs to be replaced by love and prayer, and continuing self-vigilance. Are you sure you've never read the Philokalia?

James
 

ChrisP

Veteran Member
Oh I thought this was about Tequila *slowly backs out without making eye contact and eases the door shut*
 

michel

Administrator Emeritus
Staff member
I found an entire sermon on the web, just on this, but also a much shorter explanation:-

http://www.brow.on.ca/Books/Matthew/Matthew12.html
12:43-45 Matthew concludes this section about the judgment on the Jerusalem religious establishment in that generation with Jesus' words about the danger of legalism. There is a terrible outcome for people who clean up their lives like the Pharisees but fail to fill their hearts with the power of the Spirit.

So, in other words, conversion by 'looking good to outsiders' wont work unless you accept the holy spirit within you; being 'in Christ' can't be half-hearted.
;)
 

jeffrey

†ßig Dog†
JamesThePersian said:
Maybe, but it sounds Orthodox. As with much of the Bible, verses like that can be read on more than one level. I don't doubt that part of meaning is the literal one to do with casting out demons, but I also have no doubt that your idea with respect to casting out anger (though I'd broaden it to passions in general) is also part of the meaning and a perfectly valid interpretation. It actually sounds like the sorts of things you see written in the advice of the Desert Fathers to the more junior monastics. Just cleaning out the badness isn't enough, the void where the passion was needs to be replaced by love and prayer, and continuing self-vigilance. Are you sure you've never read the Philokalia?

James
Positive. I can't even pronounce it, let alone read it. :eek:
 

James the Persian

Dreptcredincios Crestin
jeffrey said:
Positive. I can't even pronounce it, let alone read it. :eek:
Well, I can help with the first bit, it's fill-oh-kal-EE-ah. I was basically being flippant, though, as it's not something that we're often recommended to read (it's pretty difficult and much of it is aimed at monastics rather than lay people), but it's basically just a collection of the writings of various Fathers and other saints. I can distinctly recall reading similar ideas to your post in the bits I've read, though.

James
 

may

Well-Known Member
dawny0826 said:
I don't normally start a lot of threads but I just feel like discussing...:eek:

I want to know what you think about unclean spirits.

When you read scripture such as the scripture below...what's your personal interpretation of what you're reading?

And I'm not only interested in your intepretation...I'd like to know if you believe what you're reading here?

An Unclean Spirit Returns (NKJV) Matthew 12:43-45

"When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest and finds none. Then he says "I will return to my house from which I came. And when he comes, he finds it empty, swept and put in order. Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first. so, shall it also be with this wicked generation."

When an unclean spirit comes out of a man, it passes through parched places in search of a resting-place, and finds none. Then it says, ‘I will go back to my house out of which I moved’; and on arriving it finds it unoccupied but swept clean and adorned. Then it goes its way and takes along with it seven different spirits more wicked than itself, and, after getting inside, they dwell there; and the final circumstances of that man become worse than the first. That is how it will be also with this wicked generation................. The demons who are very active are out to influence people, they are out to find a resting place with humans.... if we let them..... and if we do , it will not go well for us when Jehovah brings judgement on this wicked generation

Oppose the Devil," James said, "and he will flee from you. Draw close to God, and he will draw close to you." (Jas. 4:7, 8) we need to fill our minds with godly things then there will be no house for satans thoughts

 

Halcyon

Lord of the Badgers
dawny0826 said:
An Unclean Spirit Returns (NKJV) Matthew 12:43-45

"When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest and finds none. Then he says "I will return to my house from which I came. And when he comes, he finds it empty, swept and put in order. Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first. so, shall it also be with this wicked generation."
If i were to just read that straight from the bible, i'd assume it was talking about psycological disorders. And when a religious leader purges a "demon" or unclean spirit from a person, it doesn't work because the problem is entirely psycological. Afterwords the victim develops even more problems as a result of a lack of proper mental therapy.

However, when looked form an allegorical perspective, Mich's reply makes a lot of sense.
 

wmam

Active Member
may said:

When an unclean spirit comes out of a man, it passes through parched places in search of a resting-place, and finds none. Then it says, ‘I will go back to my house out of which I moved’; and on arriving it finds it unoccupied but swept clean and adorned. Then it goes its way and takes along with it seven different spirits more wicked than itself, and, after getting inside, they dwell there; and the final circumstances of that man become worse than the first. That is how it will be also with this wicked generation................. The demons who are very active are out to influence people, they are out to find a resting place with humans.... if we let them..... and if we do , it will not go well for us when Jehovah brings judgement on this wicked generation

Oppose the Devil," James said, "and he will flee from you. Draw close to God, and he will draw close to you." (Jas. 4:7, 8) we need to fill our minds with godly things then there will be no house for satans thoughts

Bingo............ Iagree.
 
Top