The Difference Between Ghost and Demons
02-08-2010, 11:11 PM
A common issue for paranormal investigators is learning the difference between demonic activity and a conventional haunting by human spirits. Many Christians believe the best solution to this is the discerning of spirits, a gift of the spirit given to believers (similar to what parapsychologists call clairvoyance). Most people though do not have this gift and require more conventional means of recognizing the difference. This is especially important, since most priests will require more concrete information then some oneâs impressions.
Recognizing the difference can be done in several ways. The first requires an understanding of the mindset of demonic spirits. Where ghosts are most often driven for a desire for attention, or to resolve some issue from their life demons are driven by specific motivations and personality traits. Of the demonic mindset three emotions drive everything they do: fear, hatred, and pride. In terms of hatred it is in particular their hatred of God and by extension mankind. Their hatred of God will inevitably turn up in a house where demons are present. The most subtle of these is by acting in threes. Three knocks on the door, three drops of blood, and the third in any set of activity is usually the worst. Doing this is a way of insulting God both his triune nature in Christian tradition and the significance 3 is given in many other religions. Most of all this will center around 3 am. Often the first activity in a case will occur at 3 am, and in turn the worst activity of a case is most often at 3 am. The reason comes from the death of Jesus on the cross, which in ancient Christian tradition occurred at 3 pm, reversing things is another mark of the demonic a mockery of the natural order. As activity escalates the hatred of God will become even more apparent: destruction of religious objects, written and spoken blasphemies of the vilest nature and other attempts to profane anything associated with the divine are common place.
Often people wonder, understandably, why demons would act in such overt ways. Given that demons want to possess human bodies and want to remain in this world it seems odd they would reveal themselves and thus risk an exorcist being called in. This is true to a point, demons usually try to disguise their nature when they first enter a case but in the end they will always reveal themselves and the reason is pretty straightforward, pride. As referenced in previous articles Satan and his angels fell after an attempt to assume the throne of God. They felt they deserved the worship due to God and that they were important enough to take his place. Even after being soundly defeated and cast out they have never fully shaken that arrogance. They see themselves as better then God and certainly better than any mere human. Often during an exorcism of a person a demon will brag about how the exorcist cannot cast them out and they wonât leave until the victim is dead, the line from The Exorcist âtill she lies stinking and rotting in the earthâ is extremely accurate to the mentality of demons. They canât help themselves they have to prove their superiority to God and to mankind so in the end they always tip their hand. This also relates to their hatred of the human race. According to Genesis humans were made in the image of God (Genesis 1:26), something that the bible never says about angels. In fact according to the Bible humans will sit in judgment over the angels (1 Corinthians 6:3) making clear that God holds humanity in higher regard then even the holy angels.
The last major motivation for demons is fear. They fear God, they fear exorcists, they fear each other and most of all they fear returning to Hell. Their fear of God and all things related to him is something that in particular can be used to reveal their presence. For example a classic test of possession is to hide a cross behind the victims head without their being aware of it. A person with a demon inside of them will inevitably recognize the presence of the cross and react to it, itâs important to warn would be exorcists that this reaction is almost always violent and it's unwise to conduct this test unless the investigator knows what they are doing and is ready for a possible physical assault be someone substantially stronger than they are. Their fear of Hell comes through in the many statements given to exorcists. The rite of exorcism causes intense pain to a demonic spirit but they will often struggle against that pain to avoid being cast out. In fact, part of their reason for coming to earth is to escape the torments they experience in Hell.
Aside from understanding their driving emotions itâs important to understand their goals in the physical world. They come to earth to kill and destroy (John 10:10). Everything they do is with the intention of destroying their victimâs life, and if possible finally bringing about that personâs death. Most of the time demonic activity progresses through five stages: encroachment, infestation, oppression or obsession, possession, and death. While not every case passes through all of these stages, indeed its extremely rare full possession will occur let alone death, most cases will move through these stages until a priest intervenes or the person dies.
Encroachment, also called invitation, is exactly what it sounds like. The demon finds a way into the physical world. Most of the time this occurs because the person in question invites it in either through direct means (invitation) or by attracting it by their deeds (attraction). Invitation is either a direct invitation for a demonic spirit to enter a personâs life, through rituals of black magic and Satanism, or indirectly through dabbling in the dark side of the occult. Of the indirect method Ouija boards are without question the biggest offenders. These boards, originally created as a tool for mediums (according to the original US patent) not as a game, account for somewhere between 70 and 90 percent of the cases most demonologists encounter. Itâs also important to realize intent is not as important here as it is in most forms of magic. A person reciting a ritual for the conjuring of demons is running a risk whether they are sincerely seeking a demonic entity or simply participating in a parlor game. Whatâs really insidious about this is that just because an invitation is made does not mean it will be immediately accepted. Making an invitation is like opening a door. A demon might step through that door the same day, the next week or 20 years down the road. It might not even enter that personâs life simply using the given invitation to enter the physical world and reside in that place waiting for an appropriate target. Attraction on the other hand is less direct but often results in worse cases. Simply put negative people draw negative spirits. Rapists, murderers, and necrophiliacs (to name a few) are often targets of demonic activity as are the places that these things take place. In the case detailed in the book âIn a Dark Placeâ, which was the loose inspiration for the movie The Haunting in Connecticutâ the mortuary had been targeted by demons after someone who was working their engaged in necrophilia. Sadly, as the âIna Dark Placeâ case demonstrates sometimes encroachment will occur years before the family that is victimized moves in giving the demonic access to the life of an innocent third party. Aside from invitation and attraction there are other ways that the demonic enters peopleâs lives, curses are another possible cause for example, these are by far the most common means of entry.
Once a demon has gotten a foot hold in the physical world infestation begins. Infestation is the stage that most resembles a human spirit haunting but in the end the differences will always become apparent. Aside from the differences already discussed demons seek to terrorize their victims. When a ghost scares the person seeing it will usually stop whatever activity itâs causing, after all a ghost wants attention not fear. Demons thrive on fear and draw strength from it. Further fear is the first step to the destruction they are actively seeking. Often they can use that fear to inspire other even darker emotions of hatred, and anger which will further their purposes. Drug abuse, mental and physical abuse of spouse and children, and an overall break down of healthy relationships are all common to houses with demonic activity.
Throughout infestation the demon is seeking a specific target. A vulnerable person that it can single out for torment. Once they have fond an appropriate target, usually someone who spends a lot of time in the house or someone with emotional problems who will be an easier target, the activity will begin to focus on that person. Often for example that one person will experience things while other members of the family see nothing fostering the belief the person in question is crazy. Over time the demon will start to influence its chosen target and at this point oppression/obsession begins. The starting point is often an offered deal: do what the demon wants and it will leave you alone. If itâs done its job properly the victim in question is scared, confused and separated from their family and friends. The psychology involved is in fact very similar to that found in abusive relationships. The victim is so tired and terrified theyâll do anything to make it stop or if theyâre far gone enough they wonât care anymore and will just agree with what the demon wants. This stage is also the one most often confused with true possession. The person eventually becomes so far under the influence of the demon that they start to act like a different person and speak in ways alien to their normal behavior. The difference between possession and oppression comes in two forms. First an oppressed person still has control they have just been pushed to the point they are accepting what the demon wants. Second a truly possessed person must give consent.
The point when the demon enters a personâs body and actually assumes control over that personâs behavior is once that person consents to allow this to happen. This can either be as simple as saying yes when the demon demands entrance into the body or as complex as the person willingly giving their soul over to Satan. In either case the person is no longer in full control of their body. This is in some ways the most subtle and the most dramatic stage of activity. Itâs subtle because now that its main goal is accomplished the demon starts to ease back and pick the times it manifests more carefully. Yet when it chooses to act things are clearly preternatural. Objects will fly about the room without being touched, the victim will speak in languages they have never been taught (often classical languages like Latin or ancient Hebrew), they will have knowledge of secret and hidden things (even the future to varying degrees of accuracy), and they will exhibit strength far beyond human capacity. Once things get this severe there are only two possible outcomes. Either a formal exorcism is preformed and the demon is forced out, or things progress to the final stage.
On November 13, 1974 around 3:15 AM Ronald âButchâ Defeo Jr. took a .35 caliber marlin rifle and murdered his entire family. No evidence suggests that any member of the family, including the mother and father who lay side by side in bed, woke up at the sound of the shots nor did any neighbor hear the sound, despite a neighbor being awake and only 30 feet away facing the house from his kitchen. At trial Butch testified that black hands handed him the rifle and a dark figure followed him through the house. This is the final goal of demonic activity. They want to kill as many people as they can or failing that force the victim to commit suicide or get them committed to a psychiatric hospital. While itâs relatively rare the demon will succeed in getting the person to commit murder multiple examples do exist throughout the history of demonology. In particular an often over looked, but no less real, link does exist between a number of vicious serial killers and an interest in Satanism and black magic (see serial killer Giles De Rais and the Matamoros cult killings for examples.
In short it is possible to recognize the demonic without relying on psychic or spiritual abilities. Primarily it comes down to recognizing patterns of activity. Itâs especially important to remember that to consider something legitimately preternatural there has to activity that cannot be scientifically explained. If a person claims to hear voices that no one else can hear they certainly should consult a qualified psychiatrist before looking for an exorcism. Even when there is legitimate activity in a house itâs important not to leap to the conclusion whatâs occurring is demonic. Indeed the best thing a person who suspects a demon is present in their house is to first eliminate medical, psychological and natural explanations for the phenomenon and then contact an experienced demonologist who will be able to document the phenomenon and make a more accurate determination. Likewise ghost hunters are generally better off referring suspected cases of demonic activity to groups that have direct experience in the subject.
Source:
paranormalspy.com/tag/demons
Recognizing the difference can be done in several ways. The first requires an understanding of the mindset of demonic spirits. Where ghosts are most often driven for a desire for attention, or to resolve some issue from their life demons are driven by specific motivations and personality traits. Of the demonic mindset three emotions drive everything they do: fear, hatred, and pride. In terms of hatred it is in particular their hatred of God and by extension mankind. Their hatred of God will inevitably turn up in a house where demons are present. The most subtle of these is by acting in threes. Three knocks on the door, three drops of blood, and the third in any set of activity is usually the worst. Doing this is a way of insulting God both his triune nature in Christian tradition and the significance 3 is given in many other religions. Most of all this will center around 3 am. Often the first activity in a case will occur at 3 am, and in turn the worst activity of a case is most often at 3 am. The reason comes from the death of Jesus on the cross, which in ancient Christian tradition occurred at 3 pm, reversing things is another mark of the demonic a mockery of the natural order. As activity escalates the hatred of God will become even more apparent: destruction of religious objects, written and spoken blasphemies of the vilest nature and other attempts to profane anything associated with the divine are common place.
Often people wonder, understandably, why demons would act in such overt ways. Given that demons want to possess human bodies and want to remain in this world it seems odd they would reveal themselves and thus risk an exorcist being called in. This is true to a point, demons usually try to disguise their nature when they first enter a case but in the end they will always reveal themselves and the reason is pretty straightforward, pride. As referenced in previous articles Satan and his angels fell after an attempt to assume the throne of God. They felt they deserved the worship due to God and that they were important enough to take his place. Even after being soundly defeated and cast out they have never fully shaken that arrogance. They see themselves as better then God and certainly better than any mere human. Often during an exorcism of a person a demon will brag about how the exorcist cannot cast them out and they wonât leave until the victim is dead, the line from The Exorcist âtill she lies stinking and rotting in the earthâ is extremely accurate to the mentality of demons. They canât help themselves they have to prove their superiority to God and to mankind so in the end they always tip their hand. This also relates to their hatred of the human race. According to Genesis humans were made in the image of God (Genesis 1:26), something that the bible never says about angels. In fact according to the Bible humans will sit in judgment over the angels (1 Corinthians 6:3) making clear that God holds humanity in higher regard then even the holy angels.
The last major motivation for demons is fear. They fear God, they fear exorcists, they fear each other and most of all they fear returning to Hell. Their fear of God and all things related to him is something that in particular can be used to reveal their presence. For example a classic test of possession is to hide a cross behind the victims head without their being aware of it. A person with a demon inside of them will inevitably recognize the presence of the cross and react to it, itâs important to warn would be exorcists that this reaction is almost always violent and it's unwise to conduct this test unless the investigator knows what they are doing and is ready for a possible physical assault be someone substantially stronger than they are. Their fear of Hell comes through in the many statements given to exorcists. The rite of exorcism causes intense pain to a demonic spirit but they will often struggle against that pain to avoid being cast out. In fact, part of their reason for coming to earth is to escape the torments they experience in Hell.
Aside from understanding their driving emotions itâs important to understand their goals in the physical world. They come to earth to kill and destroy (John 10:10). Everything they do is with the intention of destroying their victimâs life, and if possible finally bringing about that personâs death. Most of the time demonic activity progresses through five stages: encroachment, infestation, oppression or obsession, possession, and death. While not every case passes through all of these stages, indeed its extremely rare full possession will occur let alone death, most cases will move through these stages until a priest intervenes or the person dies.
Encroachment, also called invitation, is exactly what it sounds like. The demon finds a way into the physical world. Most of the time this occurs because the person in question invites it in either through direct means (invitation) or by attracting it by their deeds (attraction). Invitation is either a direct invitation for a demonic spirit to enter a personâs life, through rituals of black magic and Satanism, or indirectly through dabbling in the dark side of the occult. Of the indirect method Ouija boards are without question the biggest offenders. These boards, originally created as a tool for mediums (according to the original US patent) not as a game, account for somewhere between 70 and 90 percent of the cases most demonologists encounter. Itâs also important to realize intent is not as important here as it is in most forms of magic. A person reciting a ritual for the conjuring of demons is running a risk whether they are sincerely seeking a demonic entity or simply participating in a parlor game. Whatâs really insidious about this is that just because an invitation is made does not mean it will be immediately accepted. Making an invitation is like opening a door. A demon might step through that door the same day, the next week or 20 years down the road. It might not even enter that personâs life simply using the given invitation to enter the physical world and reside in that place waiting for an appropriate target. Attraction on the other hand is less direct but often results in worse cases. Simply put negative people draw negative spirits. Rapists, murderers, and necrophiliacs (to name a few) are often targets of demonic activity as are the places that these things take place. In the case detailed in the book âIn a Dark Placeâ, which was the loose inspiration for the movie The Haunting in Connecticutâ the mortuary had been targeted by demons after someone who was working their engaged in necrophilia. Sadly, as the âIna Dark Placeâ case demonstrates sometimes encroachment will occur years before the family that is victimized moves in giving the demonic access to the life of an innocent third party. Aside from invitation and attraction there are other ways that the demonic enters peopleâs lives, curses are another possible cause for example, these are by far the most common means of entry.
Once a demon has gotten a foot hold in the physical world infestation begins. Infestation is the stage that most resembles a human spirit haunting but in the end the differences will always become apparent. Aside from the differences already discussed demons seek to terrorize their victims. When a ghost scares the person seeing it will usually stop whatever activity itâs causing, after all a ghost wants attention not fear. Demons thrive on fear and draw strength from it. Further fear is the first step to the destruction they are actively seeking. Often they can use that fear to inspire other even darker emotions of hatred, and anger which will further their purposes. Drug abuse, mental and physical abuse of spouse and children, and an overall break down of healthy relationships are all common to houses with demonic activity.
Throughout infestation the demon is seeking a specific target. A vulnerable person that it can single out for torment. Once they have fond an appropriate target, usually someone who spends a lot of time in the house or someone with emotional problems who will be an easier target, the activity will begin to focus on that person. Often for example that one person will experience things while other members of the family see nothing fostering the belief the person in question is crazy. Over time the demon will start to influence its chosen target and at this point oppression/obsession begins. The starting point is often an offered deal: do what the demon wants and it will leave you alone. If itâs done its job properly the victim in question is scared, confused and separated from their family and friends. The psychology involved is in fact very similar to that found in abusive relationships. The victim is so tired and terrified theyâll do anything to make it stop or if theyâre far gone enough they wonât care anymore and will just agree with what the demon wants. This stage is also the one most often confused with true possession. The person eventually becomes so far under the influence of the demon that they start to act like a different person and speak in ways alien to their normal behavior. The difference between possession and oppression comes in two forms. First an oppressed person still has control they have just been pushed to the point they are accepting what the demon wants. Second a truly possessed person must give consent.
The point when the demon enters a personâs body and actually assumes control over that personâs behavior is once that person consents to allow this to happen. This can either be as simple as saying yes when the demon demands entrance into the body or as complex as the person willingly giving their soul over to Satan. In either case the person is no longer in full control of their body. This is in some ways the most subtle and the most dramatic stage of activity. Itâs subtle because now that its main goal is accomplished the demon starts to ease back and pick the times it manifests more carefully. Yet when it chooses to act things are clearly preternatural. Objects will fly about the room without being touched, the victim will speak in languages they have never been taught (often classical languages like Latin or ancient Hebrew), they will have knowledge of secret and hidden things (even the future to varying degrees of accuracy), and they will exhibit strength far beyond human capacity. Once things get this severe there are only two possible outcomes. Either a formal exorcism is preformed and the demon is forced out, or things progress to the final stage.
On November 13, 1974 around 3:15 AM Ronald âButchâ Defeo Jr. took a .35 caliber marlin rifle and murdered his entire family. No evidence suggests that any member of the family, including the mother and father who lay side by side in bed, woke up at the sound of the shots nor did any neighbor hear the sound, despite a neighbor being awake and only 30 feet away facing the house from his kitchen. At trial Butch testified that black hands handed him the rifle and a dark figure followed him through the house. This is the final goal of demonic activity. They want to kill as many people as they can or failing that force the victim to commit suicide or get them committed to a psychiatric hospital. While itâs relatively rare the demon will succeed in getting the person to commit murder multiple examples do exist throughout the history of demonology. In particular an often over looked, but no less real, link does exist between a number of vicious serial killers and an interest in Satanism and black magic (see serial killer Giles De Rais and the Matamoros cult killings for examples.
In short it is possible to recognize the demonic without relying on psychic or spiritual abilities. Primarily it comes down to recognizing patterns of activity. Itâs especially important to remember that to consider something legitimately preternatural there has to activity that cannot be scientifically explained. If a person claims to hear voices that no one else can hear they certainly should consult a qualified psychiatrist before looking for an exorcism. Even when there is legitimate activity in a house itâs important not to leap to the conclusion whatâs occurring is demonic. Indeed the best thing a person who suspects a demon is present in their house is to first eliminate medical, psychological and natural explanations for the phenomenon and then contact an experienced demonologist who will be able to document the phenomenon and make a more accurate determination. Likewise ghost hunters are generally better off referring suspected cases of demonic activity to groups that have direct experience in the subject.
Source:
paranormalspy.com/tag/demons
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