In the four Gospels, there are more accounts of demonic encounters than anywhere else in Scripture. Sometimes the symptoms of “demonization” included medical conditions (blindness, muteness, epileptic seizures, etc.), sometimes madness and mental derangement (Mk. 5:1-20), sometimes impassioned resistance to the preaching of the Gospel. But the one thing you can’t do is to read the Gospels without confronting the reality of the demonic.
So why don’t contemporary Western Christians experience a similar degree of demonic activity? I specify Western because believers in the global South and animistic cultures DO report significantly more demonic encounters than Western Christians. So why don’t we confront and wrestle against demons like Jesus and the apostles did? The possible answers seem rather limited:
- Demonic activity was especially prevalent when the Son of God walked the earth and has since subsided.
- Demons DON’T exist; they were medical conditions wrongly viewed as spiritual conditions, which are now treated with medicine or therapy.
- Demons DO exists, but their activity is interpreted as something else.
Perhaps there are more possibilities. But these seem to be the most obvious.
In his classic The Screwtape Letters, C.S. Lewis opened with this:
“There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. One is to disbelieve in their existence. The other is to believe, and to feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them. They themselves are equally pleased by both errors and hail a materialist or a magician with the same delight.”
Lewis speaks to what I believe is a big reason why Western believers do not experience, or interpret an experience as, demonic phenomenon. We “disbelieve in their [demons’] existence.” Of course, this is not meant to suggest that all sickness, mental illness, or unbelief has demonic roots. My question is, Why, when confronted with sickness, mental illness, or unbelief, do we instinctively reject demonization as a possible cause?
However, George uses the incident as a springboard to discuss the “demythologizing [and] deconstructing” of biblical texts which speak to demons. In A Tale of Two Demons, he juxtaposes the Catholic Church’s belief in the need for a Rite of Exorcism against “progressive Catholics and evangelicals” who, for all practical purposes, want to see the end of exorcisms:
The downplaying of the miraculous, the supernatural, and a fortiori the demonic has long been a staple in mainline Protestant culture and takes its toll among some progressive Catholics and evangelicals as well. Perhaps this is why Pope Francis devoted the second chapter of his book, Heaven and Earth, to “The Devil” and warned against the ultra-modernist idea “that everything can be traced to a purely human plan.”
…Why do so many southern Christians take with utter seriousness spiritual things that seem to most of us as outmoded leftovers from a redundant worldview? Is it that we have allowed our hearts to become hardened to the spiritual realities all around us?
So while some are debating whether Pope Francis performed a genuine exorcism, others are denying there’s even a need for them.
I’m not one of those who sees demons behind every bush. I don’t think all, maybe even most, mental illness is demonic. If someone you love suffers epileptic seizures, take them to the doctor. I just wonder why, when confronted with sickness, mental illness, or unbelief, do we instinctively reject demonization as a possible cause? Have we “become hardened to the spiritual realities all around us?”
If so, Screwtape would be proud.
I’ve been reading Luke in the amplified. There are people with demons, and there are people with mental illness, and Jesus heals them all. I think, though, in America, we’ve lost the ability to tell the difference.
There are some illnesses that make me wonder, though, like lycanthropy. It sounds really …. evil, not like a proper illness. But it goes case by case, the way Jesus handled it. And there was the one demon the disciples couldn’t cast out, and Jesus said that kind was only cast out by prayer and fasting.
I think to be safe, as Christians we should cover a sick person in all aspects–the physical and spiritual. Since we no longer can identify it in this culture.
I agree with Kessie a sick person should be covered in all aspects. I was born in a country where the worldview is different and people really believe and have seen the demonic. I myself have experienced it by going into the world of the occult. But, I believe many in the church are afraid of this topic. I have been asked to help with demonic problems in churches before and have had pastors or leaders tell me, “We will support you in prayer but we don’t want to get involved. Can’t afford the spiritual warfare that comes with this right now.” Sad.
In our culture – I think the disbelief starts with the idea that there is no “evil”.
i find it interesting that we choose to believe demonic activity is limited to what we want it to be – very small, and not close to ‘me’. i once read of one who did not believe in satan and prayed to satan that if he were real to reveal himself – twas a very bad choice, indeed.
when married to my first husband, there were times when he was so evil that, when i looked in his eyes, he was not there – it was satan … satan, demon(s) … not him. and not God. when our babies were born i had begun praying over them daily that God would protect them from all evil; i had no idea that meant God would need to protect them from their own dad, but He did need to, and He did.
i am a firm believer in the raging war in the spiritual realms. i pray the armor of God over our home and family all the time. when my girls have nightmares, i pray that God would remove evil from them, and i have prayed, in the Name of Jesus, that demons flee.
my late mentor told me there is a continuous battle raging over each of our heads for our hearts. satan is relentless, but God is moreso.
when i was in therapy with a christian, biblical counselor, and we talked about/worked thru the evil of my then-husband, he told me that peers of his found themselves casting out demons as they counseled their clients. he also refused to celebrate halloween because of all he had seen in his professional career.
probably about 12 years ago a young friend went on a mission trip to LA where their leader had them go to a park during the day, walk around, praying, casting out demons. she told me that when dark came, people who regularly came to that park began showing up. they would walk into the park, and those on mission actually heard them say, “Let’s leave; we have no power here.”
I’m from an old-fashioned Pentecostal background, Mike. I was privy to an awful lot of demonic activity when I was a kid. In one little church back then, it took more than five large men to hold down this smaller person so they could receive prayer.
My grandfather could actually see demons, too; and things that were medical wrong with people, though he only had a sixth grade education. He also once encountered a warlock, who attempted to challenge him. Most people probably wouldn’t believe me, but it’s true.
It’s probably another reason why I grew to have such a fascination with monsters then…and now.
Yay for true Pentecostals. This is real and true. Thanks for being brave enough to share it, T. W.
Thanks, Nicole.
Yeah, Pentecostals have a bad rep for various reasons. However, demon battling is one of a Pentecostal’s strong points…at least from what I’ve witnessed in my forty years. I’ve personally seen too many things not to believe. I’ve seen what’s most effective, and what isn’t, and nothing can alter what I’ve experienced and know to be true.
*Medically, I meant.
I have a Pentecostal background, too, and experienced similar things. In the church circles I’ve been in – tending to be small and rural – the reality of demons is a given, and always considered as a possibility when praying for someone in poor mental or physical health. I have thought that the Pentecostal/Charismatic emphasis on the Holy Spirit (baptism in, gifts of, speaking in tongues etc.) really makes a distinction between church groups. One of the gifts is the “discerning of spirits,” which seems to be necessary to tell whether something is a natural, physical problem or demon-induced. Without the help of the Holy Spirit we flounder in the dark as the quote from C.S. Lewis indicates – missing the demons that are there, or wildly seeing them everywhere. Might be more awareness of the demonic among believers than one realizes – just not always “safe” to talk about it.
Very well said, Margaret. The Holy Spirit is the absolute necessary – and often missing – component/person in the modern western church.
Thanks, Nicole.
I wonder if it is just another cessation vs. non-cessation argument. If miraculous gifting truly went out the window at the end of the apostolic age, then it seems the ability to cast out demons would have been lost as well. Obviously there are divergent belief about miraculous gifting depending on your denomination or seminary affiliation. Just a thought.
Lisa, it’s a legit point. A couple of responses:
One, why would God remove the ability to cast out demons without removing the existence of demons? Did the existence or proliferation of demons change after the apostolic age? If it did, the remaining NT does not appear to corroborate, as we are told to resist the devil, put on the armor of God against principalities and powers, be discerning, etc. So I think if one holds to a cessationist POV, they must also believe that a.) demonic activity has ceased or subsided or b.) we approach it differently now (medicine, prayer, therapy rather than exorcism).
Two, perhaps a cessationist point-of-view is actually materialism in disguise as theology.
The modern era we live in is mechanical, robotic, technologically advanced (well, in lots of places), so the supernatural has become grouped in with fantasy. I’m sure Mr. Scratch loves that.
As much as I enjoy technology for work, creativity, and fun, maybe “the machine” has taken the demon’s place–it has become the possessor of people. People have become obsessed with technology to such a degree it’s often insanely comical. For instance, you’re walking in a mall and ten people reach for their cell phones after being alerted to the most recent theme songs, laughs, bizarre noises, and every beep, chirp, and whistle one can image. Unfortunately, it’d be hard to live without it. I mean, even the new TVs are practically computers, so there’s really no escaping.
Anyway…yeah, why do demons even need to possess these days. They just sit back and nudge a little here, a little there, until you’re on the wrong track.
I still believe it happens, though. We see it on the news at random, every time something severely bad occurs. In those cases–especially those–there must be some kind of outside, demonic influence.
Fact is, we live in a fallen world. I don’t think it is always a matter of whether a demon has caused a sickness or whatever. Whether a natural cause can be identified or not, a demon will use it to pull us down. God will use it to strengthen us. We walk either by the flesh or Spirit, making ourselves open to either influence.
The Western problem isn’t that we don’t believe in the demonic as much as we think it is either spiritual or not based on whatever criteria. We think with a secular mindset. So we don’t understand that yes, it is always demonic. It is the fallen condition. Doesn’t necessarily mean demons are running around with hypos shooting everyone up with viruses. It does mean they will take advantage of any chance to move us where they want us to go, and control us.
Note: Exorcisms are not all like the demoniac, or the boy with seizures. Not everyone wearing 666 on their forehead and hand are totally controlled by demons. But enough they still need casting out. Traditionally, everyone received an exorcism before baptism, for example. Still do in the Orthodox Church.
Mike, great post.
Yes, we HAVE become hardened to the spiritual realities around us. In America, and in many other places, we have replaced faith in the one, true God with utter faith in science and technology. We put our trust (according to Reader’s Digest polling) in Hollywood celebrities and politicians.
Screwtape is not merely proud; he is capering with joy.
It isn’t just the fact that the world has gotten influenced by technology. The sadest thing is that I’ve seen through the years the resistance of leaders in the church not wanting to touch this subject. My husband and I once ministered to missionaries from the Philippines and gave them materials to help them with heavy demonic oppression where they were working in the Philippines. They told us that in their denomination their seminary experience did not prepare them for what they were facing. I myself have taken seminary classes where the topic of Satan was addressed in five minutes and other topics like good angels were covered in an hour. The seminary students there were told, “All you need is to concentrate on Jesus and don’t think about Satan. If you do that, you’ll be ok. Satan will leave you alone.”
I think demons are real, and people can be possessed by them, but like others said above, in this secular culture there is no need for possessiong because we are otherwise so distracted. Or the upside of secularism is that it might protect people from possession because the average person is not going to blatantly seek out the occult or practice the dangerous behaviors that can lead to possession. Instead we unknowingly dabble on the fringes of the occult daily, confusing darkness with light and vice versa because a secular culture provides no guidance for discerning the difference.
I’m hesitant to tell those who are “asleep” in this subtle deception that they are surrounded by demons. It seems as though it’s almost dangerous to tell a sleeping populace because if they awaken without the proper teaching and ongoing mentoring, they will potentially be led to even more dangerous places, if that makes any sense. I think gentle nudgings are probably a safer way to go, so that people come to understand spiritual warfare gradually, so as not to become either too scared or too enthralled.
I could be wrong, of course. But, as a concrete example, my husband jokingly mentioned the other day that a demon hops between our two boys, making one cry, and then the other, back and forth, etc. My five-year-old said, “What’s a demon?” As my husband struggled to explain, I shook my head at him, and he eventually left it at “We’ll explain later.” My son is easily frightened, so I’m very careful exposing himself to this stuff, whereas his cousin of the same age can take in similar information without becoming skiddish. I feel at this point it’s better for my son to live in ignorance than in fear, because I think the fear leads to stronger attack.
I agree with Jessica that diverse personalities act in different ways with information about the demonic. I think she’s right. We can scare little children that can’t handle it.
As to demonic oppression I think we are also lacking knowledge in that area in most churches. Many believe there’re people possessed that need deliverance yet it’s my experience that many need counseling and deliverance from oppression which is another matter and does not necessarily come through occult involvement but from many other open doors to the demonic. The topic is complex. Good books by Biblical Scholars deal well with it. “What Demons Can Do To Saints,” is one of them. The sad part again, is that the subject is not tackled and swept under the rug while so many need help and are afraid to speak of their oppression for fear of being placed in mental hospitals or judged as wicked sinful Christians.
From the parent of a child who was called to be a prayer warrior at the tender age of 8, I can tell you demonic harassment is real, unmerciful, and powerful when left unaddressed. The NT gives relevant information about confrontation, possible results of possession (in sickness, addictions, perversions, etc.), oppression, and harassment. Jesus gave forthright demonstrations of how to deal with possessions, and the apostles gave real examples of how to deal with harrassment. Just because we “sophisticated” westerners don’t recognize, acknowledge, or combat the enemy doesn’t mean he isn’t performing his usual assaults on humanity – and getting away with much of it. “Greater is He that is in you . . .”
Mike, I believe the key explanation missing from your list is:
4) Western Christians *experience* similar degrees of demonic activity as did other generations, but, due to a host of personal and cultural reasons, it’s occurance in various forms is now grossly under-reported.
Other commenters have already referenced this idea…but my two cents: Just as with victims of rape, marital abuse, and sexual harassment, victims of spiritual attack often have compelling reasons for maintaining silence.
For every “famous” incident, such as the case in St. Louis that formed the basis of the “Exorcist” story, there are untold numbers of unexplained events that are never written down, never shared.
When I began researching my novel, which deals with this theme, I had no idea.
I tend to lean toward the third possibility listed above; demons do exist, but are just not recognized in our Western culture. Like, Mike, I don’t see demons around every corner, but I believe to completely discount their existence is a mistake.
I’m not Catholic. I belong to the Methodist Church. However, I’ve always found it curious that most Protestants and Evangelicals treat Catholics with something close to disrespect until it comes to exorcism, or the percieved need for such a thing.
In closing, I am sure the demons would be delighted if exorcisms were done away with.
Christians in the West do encounter the Demonic quite often. It’s only those who are afraid to deal with the issue of the Demonic who think it’s some rare thing.