The Encyclopedia Of Demons And Demonology

possession 201
Dangers of Demonic Possession
Severely possessed people are in danger of dying (see
MICHEL, ANNELIESE). According to the church, if they
die before their demons are expelled, they are not necessarily
condemned to hell. If they die in a state of grace,
they will go to heaven. Once a victim is dead, the demons
depart.
Those present at an exorcism—the exorcists, assistants,
and witnesses—are in danger of suffering possession
from departing demons, who may seize an opportunity
to occupy a new host. At the very least, the demon,
speaking through the victim, may hurl their secret fears
and vices in their faces. Exorcists and demonologists also
can suffer mishaps, such as strange accidents, while they
are working on cases. Good health and a virtuous life are
important defenses in dealing with possession cases.
Nonetheless, some untrained paranormal investigators,
attracted by the danger, have involved themselves
in the field, thus opening themselves and their families
to unpleasant problems. Exorcists stress that amateurs
should not meddle in possession.
Possession of Animals
In the Catholic tradition, animals have the potential to
become possessed, but reported cases are not common.
The best biblical example is that of Jesus driving demons
out of a man and into a herd of swine, which then commit
suicide by drowning themselves in the sea (Mark 5:1–13).
Animals that become possessed by demons act strangely
and may exhibit self-destructive behavior, such as running
in front of vehicles. If a possessed animal dies or is
sacrificed, the demon departs.
Possession by Djinn
According to Islam, there are two principal causes of possession
by DJINN, and both are forbidden by Allah. The
djinn can possess a person out of lewdness, desire, love,
capriciousness, trickster horseplay, and whim. It will
attack the weak, vulnerable, and insane; “under Satan’s
touch” describes madness. Sometimes possession of this
sort is permitted by the victim, but it is still forbidden.
Without permission, the possession becomes a grave offense
of oppression, and the djinn must be rebuked and
informed that it has broken the laws of Allah.
In the second case, djinn may possess a person out of
revenge, if they feel they have been wronged or injured.
Humans may inadvertently urinate on them, pour water
on them, or kill them, causing the djinn to react by punishing
the humans. In that case, the djinn should be informed
that the harm was accidental, and the djinn are not permitted
to occupy the person’s home, property, or body.
In possession, djinn can make people speak in unintelligible
languages, have supernormal strength, and run
unnaturally fast. The djinn will rain blows upon people
and make them have fits.
Minor djinn called ZAR possess women and cause sickness,
marital discord, and rebelliousness.
Other Demonic Possession outside of Christianity
Beliefs in the ability of negative, interfering spirits to
possess people are universal. Views on possessing demons
and their purposes vary, as do remedies against
them. In Hinduism, possession permeates every facet of
daily life. The victim is most often a woman, who attributes
her personal problems—menstrual pain, barrenness,
the death of children, miscarriage, abuse by
husbands or fathers, the husband’s infidelities—to the
intervention of evil spirits. Exorcism techniques include
blowing cow-dung smoke, pressing rock salt between the
fingers, burning pig excreta, beating the victim herself
or pulling her hair, using copper coins as an offering,
reciting prayers or mantras, and offering gifts of candy
or other presents.
In Japanese tradition, fox fairies cause similar negative
conditions (see HULI JING; KITSUNE). The spirits communicate
their requirements for departure, usually offerings
of special foods.
Elsewhere, negative spirits and even mischievous deities
are held responsible for all bad things that happen.
Sometimes, the possessed victims gain social status by
becoming possessed, which entitles them to privileges,
attention, and gifts.
Possession by the Holy Ghost
Voluntary possession by the divine presence is accepted
in traditions of Christianity. The word enthusiastic originally
meant being filled with the Holy Ghost or Holy
Spirit, or the supreme state of oneness with God.
After the Crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus, on the
first day of Pentecost (the date seven weeks after Passover,
in the Jewish calendar), the apostles became possessed
with the Holy Ghost. Acts describes how flames appeared
above their heads and they spoke in tongues previously
unknown to them. Speaking in unknown tongues, called
glossolalia, and other ecstatic communion with God characterized
early Christian worship but by the Middle Ages
had come to signify the work of the Devil instead.
In modern Christianity, the Pentecostal movement
has revived interest in ecstatic religious practices. The
movement began on January 1, 1901, when a group of
worshippers at Bethel College, Topeka, Kansas, reportedly
received the Holy Spirit. Members of Pentecostal
churches may speak in tongues, engage in long prayer revivals,
perform faith healing, and even roll and writhe on
the floor as the spirit fills them.
Such voluntary and temporary possessions are a “religious
altered state of consciousness.” Their phenomena
are similar to cases of demonic possession, in which the
possessed person exhibits rigidity of limbs, speaking in
foreign languages or tongues, dilation of pupils, visions,
insomnia, fasting, self-infliction of pain, sensations of a
burning death, and catatonia. These states of consciousness
can have 40-day cycles, imitating the 40-day withdrawal
of Jesus into the desert.