Do You Believe in Demons?
Do you believe in demons?
I mean seriously, not just as an excuse for doing something really stupid, like coming home at 4 a.m. with liquor on your breath, missing one shoe and saying, “The devil made me do it.”
I mean demons, out here among us, sent by the “chief demon,” the devil, to influence us.
I suspect many of us pick and choose such beliefs, like going to a Chinese restaurant. One from column A, two from column B. Heaven, sounds good. Hell, no thanks.
Our culture tends to treat these concepts lightly. “Angels” are currently selling Philadelphia cream cheese in a television commercial.
The March 19 issue of the New Yorker magazine portrayed both concepts in two cartoons. In one, a six-inch tall angel/conscience whispers advice into a man’s right ear while the same size devil implores into the other ear.
The other cartoon shows a man and woman standing in a fiery hell, a devil behind them, and the woman says to the man, “You’re never going to be happy if your only definition of success is heaven.”
Rev. Michael P. Orsi, after more than 30 years in the priesthood, no longer doubts the existence of demons and evil spirits.
Many of you know, or know of, Fr. Orsi. He spent some 20 years in this county. His assignments included St. Paul’s in Stone Harbor, St. Ann’s in Wildwood, where he also was an administrator and teacher at Wildwood Catholic, and Our Lady Star of the Sea in Cape May.
Fr. Orsi, incidentally, once remarked of Stone Harbor, “I have tasted heaven.”
A brilliant man, he is currently chaplain and research fellow in law and religion at Ave Maria School of Law in Ann Arbor, Mich. He has a PhD in education from Fordham University and is the author of four books.
In an essay in the February issue of the Homiletic & Pastoral Review, Fr. Orsi says he once doubted demonology and evil spirits. But “now with more than 30 years of priestly experience under my belt...I no longer doubt the reality of malevolent spirits.”
He notes numerous stories in the gospels of Jesus’ “encounter with demons” and points out that “St. Paul...continually refers to the demonic forces present in the world and the damage they cause.”
With references to the words of St. Thomas Aquinas and St. Augustine and to writings by psychiatrists and the like, Fr. Orsi warns of demons that can take control of people, especially the lonely, the alienated, the unloved.
These subordinates of the devil are not easily recognized, says Fr. Orsi. They can take any shape or form. Is it possible that I was briefly under the influence of a demon more than 30 years ago when my actions resulted in great unhappiness for myself and my loved ones?
What about you? Do you believe in demons and the devil, or is it all silly? Do you have stories to share? Click on “comments” and share your beliefs and feelings. You need not identify yourself.
(A new blog subject will appear here Saturday morning, April 7.)
posted by Joe Zelnik @ 11:03 AM
24 Comments
24 Comments:
Joe very interesting! Good luck with the blog!
Thanks Rick!
Yep...this will be interesting.
I, too, wish you well.
As far as evil is concerned, I don't see it...and with all that I have done for inclusion for many years, I would think it would be knocking on my door on a daily basis.
In fact, on more than one occasion during my most vulnerable moments...alone, in the dark of night, lying in bed...believe it or not, I have challenged it to appear.
Thus far, it has not, but, when it does, I will give you an exclusive.
There is NOTHING like Joe Zelnik in the morning. Good luck with this ... I'll be watching and reading, and it's not the devil making me do it.
I have never experienced demons but have heard enough others tell of their harrowing experiencing to know that they are alive and well.
Interesting topic! I think they are out there...I just haven't had any experience with them, thankfully.
Oh we're here allright !
I was in Dublin for St. Patty's day and learned to e-mail fast! So many people, so many strangers from Yugoslavia and Bratislava, so many demons masquerading as angels, so many little devilish urchins, with angelic light shining through. No where in any country today--with the exception perhaps of Israel--is it so difficult to tell the true lover of peace and brotherhood from the diabolic tempter. Even President Bush can shut Gerry Adams out of the White House, and a holier Herald Reader can blast yet another horrible Kennedy for stretching a hand out to sinners such as Castro and Chavez. A poem I wrote tells how brilliant the light is around Lucifer today. It's too long for your blog but I'll send it to you.
So glad to hear the brain and typing fingers are still flying. Love, EleanorZito@Yahoo.com
joe,
not sure if i'm a believer or not (probably not).
i've certainly done some stupid things in my life, particularly during times when i've been lonely or vulnerable, but all those bad decisions were mine not beelzebub's.
at least i think so.
h
I guess demonic intervention is as good an explanation as any for things that otherwise defy an explanation. For instance, when you hear of a particularly heinous crime - something really off the 'despicable' charts. My husband's immediate reaction will usually be - 'they oughta HANG that guy/gal!' Whereas mine is more like - 'Wow, there's something WAY, WAY wrong with that person. That's not an example of a good guy gone bad - that's just inhuman.'
And if it's not human, then what exactly is it???
Looking forward to reading more, and best of luck! Kate
Until the Democrats took control of both Houses of Congress and began to try to destroy the American public's resolve to support our troops fighting in Iraq, I had always doubted the existence of "malevolent spirits". Now, I believe that Fr. Orsi is probably correct.
Kate,
In my view, it is fear; it is passion; it is illness; it is ignorance; it is greed; it is ego, selfishness, chemical imbalance...all these things and more. It is flawed humanity...and not demons.
To say "I believe in demons" would expose me as a Christian...not sure about what category I fall into yet, Atheist or Christian, I'll say "no, I don't believe in demons". But, anything you choose to write about Joe, I'll read. Thank you for all the years of "thought provoking and entertaining" columns! T, the calm one.
Well it is interesting that we are having this discussion -----Jesus believed in demons and cast them out many times--I am a believer ---they also beliveded in Him and trembled.Talk to someone from Africa and they will tellyou hair-raising stories about Demons.God Bless you Joe in your new role! I have loved to laugh with your columnes and then to wrestle with the facts you brought out
Hey, Joe. Good topic. I never thought demons existed but they do. When actions are more than just we flawed humans, and you see horrible events take place, I think now that these are the results of inhumans - possibly demons - the manifestation of evil.
anonymous
Joe,
Great topic.
I am a Christian. I don't walk around thumping a bible and preaching to others. I try to do good deads in my daily life. I do not attend church regularly but I thank God for my blessings and pray for those that are less fortunate.
I believe that demons are very real and walk among us today.
I believe that there is no other way to describe the atrocities that we, as a human race, commit against our fellow man.
We watch as newscasters report on gruesome crimes commited against our children, the elderly, and sometimes even entire cultures. Many times these crimes are unimaginable to our senses.
We also watch as the people who we are closest to inflict terrible emotional or psychological damage to us leaving us synical and untrusting. At the same time we are reminded that we have also betrayed those that we care about most at some time in our lives.
As Ed has stated we are a flawed society and there are many factors that lead us to make terrible choices. But the truly horrific acts that take place in our society today could never be commited by most people. I believe that these acts are commited and/or orchastrated by demons, there can be no other explanation.
This is just what I believe, if I'm wrong and there are not any demons than our society is in much worse shape than I thought.
Satan's second greatest success is convincing people that he does not exist. His greatest success is convincing people that God does not exist.
Perhaps the Dark Side isn't bothering Ed -- isn't answering his invitations to appear -- because it isn't necessary. Ed's already on their side. We can't see a change (from dark to light and light to dark) when no change has taken place.
I'm not sure about demons, but I do believe in angels. My daughter when younger (about 3) often claimed she saw a "fairy" in various places.
demons absolutely exist. they exist in all types of people and in all occupations.wouldn't you say that the major news organization's film crews covering the war,filming the enemy and not divulging their locations to our troops could be characterized as demonic? how about attorneys who file law suits and win large settlements for their clients. if they were fair and just, they would not seek excessive rewards and be happy with a modest pay.Yes there are demons all around. but you cannot be swayed by them if you are not afraid of them. keep up the good work joe!
One need only research history--and not very thoroughly--to realize that something encourages evil. The Holocaust, the Inquisition, Saddam Hussein, the subjects of Capote's "In Cold Blood"... the individuals that gleefully participate in such perversions have to be possessed by more than tendencies, or inclinations, or spur-of-the-moment impulses. If that's not demonic, I don't know what isd.
Wow. It looks, so far, like the vote is 12 believe in demons, two say "probably," and one says no. I still lean "yes" but I am thrilled at the quality of all your remarks. I only had to delete one inappropriate comment. Thanks for participating. My new topic will be posted by early Saturday. It is really weird, but stay with me; I'm still learning.
i know they are here. i actually had one for a room mate. i am not kidding around. after i lived with them for a few months they showed me something i will never be free of. they were taking the form of men. they were real demons man. i was in terror from what they showed me. the land of the damned, and all the dead souls they had captured. i don't know what happened, but i think they tried to take my soul. now i see things in those who act like humans. in the eyes, and smiles, and i know when they are coming. when they showed me i cried out to god to save me, and he struck one down, and they ran from the lord. i have seen many scary things since that day, they know when i know what they are. i am not crazy. i hold two degrees. one in pshyc, and the other in politics. i currently am studying law. its like my whole thinking pattern was changed on that day.so when that guy who made the other post on here, " o yeah, we're here," i know that he is really telling us he is real. i just want to know what to do with this that has been given to me. do we kill them, or can we kill them?
I always believed demons existed because the Bible says so, and God is not a man that HE should lie. But, I had never seen a demon until I was 24 or 25. That was the first time and Jesus appeared before me and HE didn't say anything, but I knew what I was supposed to do, to take authority over them in the name of Jesus. And I have seen them on occasion since then and I'm now 29. Each time I take authority over them and rubuke them in the name of Jesus. And I sing praises to the Lord. And that makes them tremble. I know this all sounds crazy, and I am not crazy, this is all new to me (seeing demons). One time an angel of the Lord appeared when all this was going on, and he said "Praise the Lord". And you know what?! I sang praises to the Lord and they fled! So, from expieriance and from what the Bible says, they tremble at the name of Jesus and especially if you are praising the Lord. I know this sounds made up to some people, I may have thought that myself, but I know it's real, and I don't mean real to me, I mean this is real. God is real, Jesus is real, Angels, demons and the devil are all real. I know you don't know me from the next person on the street, so if you don't want to take my word for it then, grab your Bible, brush the dust off of it, crack it open, and read.
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