Liberating the word demon

[Ðanisty]

I just noticed the "Demonizing the word liberal" thread and it made me think.

We should liberate the word demon. I'm tired of people using the term demonization all the time as if it doesn't affect anyone in particular...as if nobody could be offended.

American Heritage Dictionary
dai·mon
also de·mon or dae·mon
n. Greek Mytholog.

1. An inferior deity, such as a deified hero.
2. An attendant spirit; a genius.

This is the American Heritage definition, emphasis is mine. How does a hero or a genius come to mean something evil? Does anyone else have any thoughts or pet peeves in this matter?

 

[IanAlmighty]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't Demon come from Daemon, and doesn't Daemon mean protector?? I forget where I heard that...

 

[Ðanisty]

Well, according to the definition I posted, it does mean hero and a hero could certainly be seen as a protector...slightly different translation, I suppose. An attendant spirit could also be seen as a protector.

 

[Azakel]

The word Daemon or Daimon does (like what Ðanisty said) come from Greek Myth. It is a being that is between Human and the God( like what Angel are in all). They can be both "Good" or "Evil" ether way. The word Demon does come from this later one. It was use be the Early Catholic Church use it to mean anything evil that wasn't of God. This is in no way meant to be an attack, I love you all.

 

[MaddLlama]

Wasn't there some fantasy book that had animal spirit protectors called "deamons" for every person? I think it was called The Golden Compass

 

[Azakel]

Wasn't there some fantasy book that had animal spirit protectors called "deamons" for every person? I think it was called The Golden Compass

Yes there is and in December it's going to be a movie.
And I love your Avatar.

 

[Darkness]

The word Daemon or Daimon does (like what Ðanisty said) come from Greek Myth. It is a being that is between Human and the God( like what Angel are in all). They can be both "Good" or "Evil" ether way. The word Demon does come from this later one. It was use be the Early Catholic Church use it to mean anything evil that wasn't of God. This is in no way meant to be an attack, I love you all.

I concur. Christianity was what turned the word demon into "an evil spirit." It is a little simplistic, anyway, to believe that all demons are evil. That is of course if they didn't need to feed on human suffering or something along those lines, but then again why would fallen angels need to feast on humans. *Hugs Son_of_Amaterasu*

 

[angellous_evangellous]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't Demon come from Daemon, and doesn't Daemon mean protector?? I forget where I heard that...

You're right. In the Greek, it is diamonion, transliterated deamon. It has a wide range of meanings, and I'm not sure precisely how it came to mean "demon" in the evil, satanic kind of way.

They can be either good, evil, or both in Greco-Roman contexts. Socrates, for example, is said to have a daemon who served as a muse for his wonderings. There was also a monument to a daemon in an arena in the Greek East so chariots would avoid a spot where a daemon caused horses to trip.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

How does a hero or a genius come to mean something evil? Does anyone else have any thoughts or pet peeves in this matter?

Good question.

 

[RevOxley_501]

ithink this is why some people user the term spirit or devil


i dont care for the term demon myself


but others "get it"

sumtimes u gotta talk down to kounntry folks

 

[McBell]

demon 1387, from L. dæmon "spirit," from Gk. daimon (gen. daimonos) "lesser god, guiding spirit, tutelary deity," (sometimes including souls of the dead), used (with daimonion) in Christian Gk. translations and Vulgate for "god of the heathen" and "unclean spirit." Jewish authors earlier had employed the Gk. word in this sense, using it to render shedim "lords, idols" in the Septuagint, and Matt. viii.31 has daimones, translated as deofol in O.E., feend or deuil in M.E. The original mythological sense is sometimes written dæmon for purposes of distinction. The Demon of Socrates (1387) was a daimonion, a "divine principle or inward oracle." His accusers, and later the Church Fathers, however, represented this otherwise. The Demon Star (1895) is Beta Persei (in Ar. Algol "the Demon") so called because it visibly varies in brightness every three days. Fem. form demoness first attested 1638. Demonic is from 1662; demonize is from 1821.



devil O.E. deofol "evil spirit," from L.L. diabolus, from Gk. diabolos "accuser, slanderer" (scriptural loan-translation of Heb. satan), from diaballein "to slander, attack," lit. "throw across," from dia- "across, through" + ballein "to throw." Jerome re-introduced Satan in L. bibles, and Eng. translators have used both in different measures. In Vulgate, as in Gk., diabolus and dæmon (see demon) were distinct, but they have merged in Eng. and other Gmc. languages. Playful use for "clever rogue" is from 1601. Meaning "sand spout, dust storm" is from 1835. Devilry is from 1375; deviltry (1788) is a corrupt formation from it. Devilled "grilled with hot condiments" is from 1800. The Tasmanian devil so called since at least 1829, from its propensity for killing young lambs (other voracious fish or animals have also been named devil). Phrase a devil way (c.1290) was originally an emphatic form of away, but taken by late 14c. as an expression of irritation. Devil's advocate (1760) is L. advocatus diaboli, one whose job it is to urge against the canonization of a candidate for sainthood. Devil-may-care is attested from 1837 (but suggested in other forms by 1793). Devil's books "playing cards" is from 1729, but the cited quote says they've been called that "time out of mind" (the four of clubs is the devil's bedposts); devil's coach-horse is from 1840, the large rove-beetle, which is defiant when disturbed. "Talk of the Devil, and he's presently at your elbow" [1666].

 

[eudaimonia]

We should liberate the word demon.

I'm afraid the word has already been too demonized in Christian culture.

The war of words had been won by the Christians too long ago to reverse, I fear. If it makes you feel any better, the word has been "liberated" among us.

How does a hero or a genius come to mean something evil? Does anyone else have any thoughts or pet peeves in this matter?

Oh, I'd bet that Christians wanted to replace everyone's daimon with their Jesus Christ, and so they had to "demonize" the personal daimon, or Christianize it (as they did Christmas) by turning it into the watered-down "guardian angel".

Anyway, this is an issue near and dear to my heart, considering that the word daimon is tucked inside the name of my philosophical path, Eudaimonism. Fortunately, most people miss it, although one Christian at CF thought I was a demon worshipper. I had to explain to him that Eudaimonism doesn't have anything to do with belief in literal demons, and that eudaimonia in Greek really means something like "happiness", "success", or "flourishing".

While I didn't get into the subject, I could have mentioned that the daimon to us could be taken to refer to a person's "genius" (perhaps a more culturally acceptable term), by which we would mean a person's talents or potentials. Also, the daimon can be thought of as the source of the feeling that one's life is on the "right track", in which case one feels a sense of purpose and meaningfulness in life, or on the "wrong track", in which case one may feel conflicted, apathetic, or suffering.

Regardless, I don't see much point in trying to liberate the word demon or daimon from people who don't know any better. The most hope is with the educated, who may run into the word in their philosophy or psychology books.

OTOH, perhaps the word daimon could be replaced with genius. This battle looks more promising.


eudaimonia,

Mark

 

[daemonikus]

well for my first post, this seems rather appropriate considering my screen name is 'daemonikus'. personally i've always been about interpretation. the name has a few meanings for me. it could be seen as a truly demonic or satanic part of my personality. it could be seen as the protector (which i employ at times considering i have a young daughter as well as a girlfriend who enjoys that side of me). it could be an immediate representation (considering the initial impact of the word in our culture) of my likely soon to be revealed, aggressive personality type. anyway you slice it. it has different meanings for different people. depending on your vocabulary, cultural or religious education, etc. good to be here though.

infernal hails to all.

 

[The Great Architect]

How does a hero or a genius come to mean something evil? Does anyone else have any thoughts or pet peeves in this matter?

It is because people naturally fear what is powerful, especially if they themselves do not possess the power. Heroes and geniuses are powerful, so it's natural for others to try and strip them of their power -- discredit them and bring them down.

 

[Willamena]

This is the American Heritage definition, emphasis is mine. How does a hero or a genius come to mean something evil? Does anyone else have any thoughts or pet peeves in this matter?

Don't know how the 'hero' is [insert synonym for 'demonized' here] but the 'genius' is easy --it's root is the Arabic djinn or divine 'genie'.

God has Power/the Word. "Men have words but no power, while the djinn have power but no words. That is why the djinn wait close to men, so that when men speak, the djinn can attach themselves to the words and empower them for their own purposes."

This can be a good or bad thing, depending on what you say --so, like the warning about Santa Claus, one had better watch what one says.

 

[eudaimonia]

'genius' is easy --it's root is the Arabic djinn or divine 'genie'.

Are you sure about this? My references tell me of a Latin language origin.

Online Etymology Dictionary:
1390, from L. genius "guardian deity or spirit which watches over each person from birth; spirit, incarnation, wit, talent," from root of gignere "beget, produce" (see kin), from PIE base *gen- "produce." Meaning "person of natural intelligence or talent" first recorded 1649.

Merriam-Webster Online:
Etymology: Latin, tutelary spirit, natural inclinations, from gignere to beget


I'm not saying that you are necessary mistaken, but I'd love a reference that supports the djinn connection.


eudaimonia,

Mark

 

[Willamena]

I'm not saying that you are necessary mistaken, but I'd love a reference that supports the djinn connection.

Sorry I missed this. I'll look up the reference when I get home. It got a mention in the book The Moment of Astrology: Origins in Divination by Geoffrey Cornelius.

 

[McBell]

Are you sure about this? My references tell me of a Latin language origin.

Online Etymology Dictionary:
1390, from L. genius "guardian deity or spirit which watches over each person from birth; spirit, incarnation, wit, talent," from root of gignere "beget, produce" (see kin), from PIE base *gen- "produce." Meaning "person of natural intelligence or talent" first recorded 1649.

Merriam-Webster Online:
Etymology: Latin, tutelary spirit, natural inclinations, from gignere to beget


I'm not saying that you are necessary mistaken, but I'd love a reference that supports the djinn connection.


eudaimonia,

Mark

Genie is the usual English translation of the Arabic term jinni, but it is not an Anglicized form of the Arabic word, as is commonly thought. The English word comes from French génie, which meant a spirit of any kind, which in turn came from Latin genius, which meant a sort of tutelary or guardian spirit thought to be assigned to each person at birth (see genius). But this has nothing to do with the jinn of Islam, as this might suggest. The Latin word predates the Arabic word jinni, and the two terms have not been shown to be related. The first recorded use of the word in English was in 1655 as geny, with the Latin meaning. The French translators of The Book of One Thousand and One Nights later used the word génie as a translation of jinni because it was similar to the Arabic word both in sound and in meaning; this meaning was also picked up in English and has since become dominant. The plural, according to Sir Richard Francis Burton, is Jan.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genie

 

[eudaimonia]

Genie is the usual English translation of the Arabic term jinni, but it is not an Anglicized form of the Arabic word, as is commonly thought. The English word comes from French génie, which meant a spirit of any kind, which in turn came from Latin genius, which meant a sort of tutelary or guardian spirit thought to be assigned to each person at birth (see genius).http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genie

For everyone else, Mestemia's quote is only a snippet from the wikipedia article. The rest of the paragraph comes down flatly in favor of the idea that the "genius" and "djinni" have completely different origins.

Not that it matters much, but I like to know these things.


eudaimonia,

Mark

 

[Darkwater]

Samuel Johnston was rather tardy in performing his remit 300 years ago & Oxford has never bothered to correct this,preferring to borrow from so called*classical* labels.

The word DAIMONN comes from a *dam in* as in *dam in time*,this and many words forgotten from our language when it was *streamlined* cause a lot of problems in peoples understanding,leading to bad English.Their are scores of such words,my speciality in identifying.