Evil Spirits/Entities

[George-ananda]

Do evil spirits or other evil entities exist in your religion or belief structure?

Do your religion or belief structure incorporate some sort of ritual or practice such as chalking the door? If so, what does that ritual or practice consist of and how does it work?

I do believe evil is ultimately ignorance acting out. It can exist with beings on the physical and super-physical planes.

Yes, I believe there are things you can do to protect yourself should beyond the physical evil be encountered. Fortunately I have never had such problems and can’t tell you all the specifics.

 

[GoodbyeDave]

If there are good spirits, why not evil ones? Just because it doesn't have a body doesn't mean it has to be friendly. "Evil" is probably the wrong word: polar bears aren't evil, but it's not a good idea to get too close to one.

In ancient times, Greek houses would have an image of Hermes or Hecate at the door to invoke their protection on the household. I have an image of Hecate on my altar and pray to her daily, which is much the same thing.

 

[ajay0]

Is there a practice or ritual in Hinduism that would prevent such a possession or inhabitation?

I never had any direct experience with the above said evil entities. But I have read some information which may be useful.

Paramahamsa Yogananda states that it is the mentally weak and fearful that is often taken over by possessions. The obvious antidote to such possessions, as per Yogananda, is mental strength and courage or fearlesness.

Imo, I think it is those who have been conditioned with hellfire and fear of devil or demonic beings who manifest signs of mental weakness and fear that actually facilitates so-called possession as stated, or neurosis or psychosis in practical terms.

The so-called evil spirits are charecterised by lower state of vibrations and hence those with a higher rate of vibration is considered to be immune to them.

Meditation, a virtuous and positive mindset, mental strength and courage, love and compassion characterize higher state of vibrations.

There is a great post by poster Buddhist in this regard which explains this from a dharmic pov...

Ghosts of Japanese Tsunami Victims Trying to Get to Destroyed Homes

 

[Jollybear]

Because my OP had to do with what practices or rituals your belief structure or religion has.

The "chalking the door" was merely an example. I wasn't looking for anyone's knowledge of the practice itself. That was another thread.

Gotcha......well, in the one enecdote the spirit was ordered out in christ name. That was a part of defeating the demon.

But, anyway, just how is my post "appreciated"?

As fare as i can tell, some other peoples responses did not dive into the chalk thing either.

If you want a fit and tidy response, then, hey, i wont respond to other threads if you dont want me too.

 

[SalixIncendium]

Gotcha......well, in the one enecdote the spirit was ordered out in christ name. That was a part of defeating the demon.

Is this a regular practice or ritual in your tradition?

But, anyway, just how is my post "appreciated"?

For its anecdotal value.

As fare as i can tell, some other peoples responses did not dive into the chalk thing either.

Correct. Because it was offered as an example. The “diving in” would have been on topic for the other thread that is discussing it.

If you want a fit and tidy response, then, hey, i wont respond to other threads if you dont want me too.

If you don’t do “fit and tidy,” that’s fine. But “on topic” is preferred. That said, it’s your choice to participate...or not. My feeling won’t be affected either way.

 

[Jollybear]

Is this a regular practice or ritual in your tradition?

Not in mine, no. In the persons anectotal experience, yes. When i say its not my practice, im not saying i dont believe the practice. I believe it. I just dont do it. Then again, i havent come accross demon possesed people.

For its anecdotal value.

Sorry if i feel doubt on that, given the sigh.

Correct. Because it was offered as an example. The “diving in” would have been on topic for the other thread that is discussing it.

Ok, well, in the one anecdote i gave, it touched on a practice example of ordering out the spirit in Christ name.

If you don’t do “fit and tidy,” that’s fine. But “on topic” is preferred.

As fare as i can tell, i was just as much on topic as others. Yet you want to single me out. I feel something else is going on here with that. Why dont you be straight up with me what thats really all about?

That said, it’s your choice to participate...or not. My feeling won’t be affected either way.

Im sure it wont be affected. Nore mine. Ill let it go and move on.

 

[SalixIncendium]

Not in mine, no. In the persons anectotal experience, yes. When i say its not my practice, im not saying i dont believe the practice. I believe it. I just dont do it. Then again, i havent come accross demon possesed people.

Fair enough.

Sorry if i feel doubt on that, given the sigh.

You don’t know me, so I understand the inclination.

As fare as i can tell, i was just as much on topic as others. Yet you want to single me out. I feel something else is going on here with that. Why dont you be straight up with me what thats really all about?

Others addressed the questions in the OP. You did not. It’s that simple. Really.

 

[Jollybear]

Fair enough.



You don’t know me, so I understand the inclination.

True, i dont. But, i usually pay more attention to peoples actions then there words. In my methodology, the action reveals the truth.

Others addressed the questions in the OP. You did not. It’s that simple. Really.

Its not that simple. Everyones posts answered it just as much as mine had. Perhaps you misunderstood how my post answered. Or, mayby i misunderstood your post.

But, i feel theres something else going on. Cant put my finger on it though.

 

[SalixIncendium]

True, i dont. But, i usually pay more attention to peoples actions then there words. In my methodology, the action reveals the truth.

The you leave a great deal to assumption.

But, i feel theres something else going on. Cant put my finger on it though.

Okie dokie. Let me know when you figure it out. I'd be interested in knowing what it is as well.

 

[Jollybear]

The you leave a great deal to assumption.

I think when we pay attention to peoples actions, very little is left to assumption. Action speaks louder then words.

Okie dokie. Let me know when you figure it out. I'd be interested in knowing what it is as well.

It wont be figured out. For me to know, you gotta open up about what it really is about in you singling me out, because it dont add up or make sense.

Recap. Heres the part without the 3 anecdotes

"I think evil spirits exists. But, i think how it all works is the evil spirit gets stronger the more we feed it. We feed it by fearing it and by fighting its temptations.

In rare cases an evil spirit is so strong that it takes "posession" of the person. This comes with spectacular menefestations. These are rare."

Then one anecdote showed a practice that dealt with the evil spirit.

I dont know why this dont answer any less then other peoples answers?

Which leads me to think something odd is going on with YOU singling me out.

 

[SalixIncendium]

I think when we pay attention to peoples actions, very little is left to assumption. Action speaks louder then words.

On an internet forum that depends almost exclusively on words to communicate? Really?

It wont be figured out. For me to know, you gotta open up about what it really is about in you singling me out, because it dont add up or make sense.

I'm about as open as they come. I make it a point to be impeccable with my word. If you are reading something into what I write that isn't there, that's on you.

Recap. Heres the part without the 3 anecdotes

"I think evil spirits exists. But, i think how it all works is the evil spirit gets stronger the more we feed it. We feed it by fearing it and by fighting its temptations.

In rare cases an evil spirit is so strong that it takes "posession" of the person. This comes with spectacular menefestations. These are rare."

Which question(s) in the OP did these address? I can see how "I think evil spirits exists [sic]." can be a response to "Do evil spirits or other evil entities exist in your religion or belief structure?"

Then there were two more questions in the OP. Of the words above, help me to understand what portion, if any addresses...

"Do your religion or belief structure incorporate some sort of ritual or practice such as chalking the door? If so, what does that ritual or practice consist of and how does it work?"

What question was the anecdote offered in response to?

 

[InChrist]

Do evil spirits or other evil entities exist in your religion or belief structure?

Yes

Do your religion or belief structure incorporate some sort of ritual or practice such as chalking the door? If so, what does that ritual or practice consist of and how does it work?

No

 

[Jollybear]

On an internet forum that depends almost exclusively on words to communicate? Really?

Point taken. But, actions even seep on forums.

I'm about as open as they come. I make it a point to be impeccable with my word. If you are reading something into what I write that isn't there, that's on you.

Perhaps im mistaken. Thats very possible.

Which question(s) in the OP did these address? I can see how "I think evil spirits exists [sic]." can be a response to "Do evil spirits or other evil entities exist in your religion or belief structure?"

Then there were two more questions in the OP. Of the words above, help me to understand what portion, if any addresses...

"Do your religion or belief structure incorporate some sort of ritual or practice such as chalking the door? If so, what does that ritual or practice consist of and how does it work?"

What question was the anecdote offered in response to?

The second anecdote of the misionary and the crew did the "practice" of calling on Jesus to deliver the man who had a demon. Which in this case, the practice did not work.

The third anecdote, encorporated the SAME practice, calling on Jesus and ordering the demon to come out. In this case, it did work.

This answered the question. It answered it just as much as any other poster.

Now, you may not agree with those practices, but, thats another ballgame in itself.

 

[Ancient Soul]

I think evil spirits exists. But, i think how it all works is the evil spirit gets stronger the more we feed it. We feed it by fearing it and by fighting its temptations.

In rare cases an evil spirit is so strong that it takes "posession" of the person. This comes with spectacular menefestations. These are rare.

I knew 3 people who told me they saw demon posession.

One guy told me he saw a little girl chained up. She grabed his friend when he came close and she threw him accross the room.

Another guy (misionary) told me him and his crew went to this guys house. The guy was crawling on the cealing like a spider. The guy kept screeming in a monstrous voice "we are not comming out!"

Him and the crew tried to call on Jesus to cast it out, but it was not working.

The misionary told me he got his laptop out in order to type out every detail he was witnessing.

Then he said the room felt very oppressive mentally. Then he heard a voice say "delete that! My power is more then the power of evil!" He said after he deleted it, the oppression off his mind lifted.

After that, they left, they could not help the man.

The other guy told me he knew a pastor who went to this house. A child was talking in a monstrous voice, blaspheming God excessively. The pastor had a side kick with him. The pastor told the side kick "make sure your heart is right with God, because when this demon comes out, its gonna want to jump in somewhere else."

Interestingly, after he ordered the demon to come out, it did jump in his side kick. It picked him off the floor and pinned him to the wall.

These 2 testimonies i got direct from others. The third, was a second hand.

People like to make such stories up for the sole purpose of getting attention. And those like priests love to tell similar tall tales because it makes people believe in their religion all the more.

 

[Jollybear]

People like to make such stories up for the sole purpose of getting attention. And those like priests love to tell similar tall tales because it makes people believe in their religion all the more.

Thats a very infentile way of looking at it. Just brush of all anecdotal experiences which are by the millions as mere liers. People that make it up.

Well, sorry pal, it isnt going to work, because your talking to a guy whos had his own anecdotal experiences and im not a lier about them.

Care to try again?

 

[Ancient Soul]

Thats a very infentile way of looking at it. Just brush of all anecdotal experiences which are by the millions as mere liers. People that make it up.

Well, sorry pal, it isnt going to work, because your talking to a guy whos had his own anecdotal experiences and im not a lier about them.

Care to try again?

Sure, here we go again:

"People like to make such stories up for the sole purpose of getting attention. And those like priests love to tell similar tall tales because it makes people believe in their religion all the more."

I mean seriously, crawling on a CEILING???!!!

Causing a computer to freeze up???!!!

As to the little girl throwing someone across a room, drug addicts have been known to do that, no "demon possession" involved.

I think you need to stop watching all those spooky horror movies, they are distorting your grip on reality.

Now the topic as I understand it, is asking:

"Do evil spirits or other evil entities exist in your religion or belief structure?"

It asks nothing about some religious self-serving demon possession events someone hallucinated.

 

[Bird123]

Do evil spirits or other evil entities exist in your religion or belief structure?

Do your religion or belief structure incorporate some sort of ritual or practice such as chalking the door? If so, what does that ritual or practice consist of and how does it work?

Evil spirits or evil entities do not exist. As I see it, we are all children of God which makes us all very Special.

Bad choices must exist in order to teach us the entire spectrum of choices. On the road to Discovering the best choices many will choose the bad choice. What returns teaches all there are much better choices to choose from. This is all part of learning.

From what I see there are many sides. Those who are hurt by the bad choices learn the consequences of their prior choices maybe even from an earlier lifetime. There are those who volunteer to suffer through great adversity of others bad choices in order to Teach those making the bad choices. There are those who actually make the bad choice, traveling a bumpy road to wisdom. Finally, there are those who must watch. It is just a reminder of what the best answers really are.

As I see it, throughout the eternity of learning, everyone has made bad choices. To label anyone as Evil is just an exercise in Hate. Perhaps the best course would be to point out the best path to those choosing evil. There will come a time when they realize what returns from evil choices is not what one really wants.

 

[Jollybear]

Sure, here we go again:

I was hoping for something better, but all you did was vomit a repeat of infentile criticism.

"People like to make such stories up for the sole purpose of getting attention. And those like priests love to tell similar tall tales because it makes people believe in their religion all the more."

How do you know there all making it up? You must be magic being able to know minds like that, yes?

I mean seriously, crawling on a CEILING???!!!

Just because its spectacular and outside your experience does not mean the misionary that told me this lied to me.

Causing a computer to freeze up???!!!

Apparently you did not carefully read what i said. No, the computer did not feeze up. The misionary heard a voice that told him to delete what he was typing. Your showing clear signs to me that your only interested in bashing and mocking. Keep it moving man, keep it moving. Go elsewhere. Go talk to someone else, not me.

As to the little girl throwing someone across a room, drug addicts have been known to do that, no "demon possession" involved.

Lol, a little girl, about 5 years old is gonna pick a grown man up by the throut with one arm and throw him across the room? Boy, your claims are more MAGICAL then the darn anecdote for goodness sakes!

I think you need to stop watching all those spooky horror movies, they are distorting your grip on reality.

This is not a horrer movie. This was a testimony from a fellow associate i worked with at home depot whom i knew for about 3 years or so.

The other guy, the misionary, i met him at a large church. I happen to ask him his most dramatic experience he ever had in his trips. Thats when he told me that. He said that only happen one time he ever saw that. The one where the guy was crawling on the cealing.

 

[arthra]

Do evil spirits or other evil entities exist in your religion or belief structure?

"Evil spirits or other evil entities" are only symbolic in nature for Baha'is:

"As to the question of evil spirits, demons and monsters, any references made to them in the Holy Books have symbolic meaning. What is currently known among the public is but sheer superstition."

(From a Tablet of 'Abdu'l-Bahá: Spiritualism and psychic Phenomena, p. 3)

1732. Influence of Evil Spirits

"You have asked regarding the influence of evil spirits. Evil spirits are deprived of eternal life. How then can they exercise any influence? But as eternal life is ordained for holy spirits, therefore their influence exists in all the Divine worlds."

(From a Tablet of 'Abdu'l-Bahá to Mrs. Ella Goodall Cooper: Daily Lessons Received at 'Akká p. 78, 1979 ed.)
(Compilations, Lights of Guidance, p. 512)

 

[Marcion]

The negative and the positive exist within our own mind and there is a continual fight going on between the two.
You need discriminatory power in order to recognize what is negative and will lead you in an a-dharmic direction towards more bondage and what is positive or dharmic and will lead you towards liberation.

Externalizing negativity is done by exoteric religion and doesn't really help you in your spiritual progress. The demons are part of your own mind, they don't exist externally.
Other people may be seen as demons if they influence you to follow a-dharma, but that is only figurative speech.