Demonization
Demonization or demonisation is the reinterpretation of
Religion
Religions, even those that are radically monotheistic, do not necessarily deny the existence of other gods or spiritual beings. On the contrary, they claim other
, and other religions have similar histories. Demonization is not limited to focusing on other religions but can also be directed inward to condemn various schools of thought or movements.From a secular viewpoint, demonization can be used to denigrate an opposed individual or group, making adherents to one's own religion or viewpoint less inclined to do business with them (and possibly convert) and more inclined to fight against them. If foreigners are evil and corrupted by demonic influence, then any means of self-defense is easily portrayed as legitimate. The portrayal of almost all pagans in the Middle East as
The view of early Judaism treating foreign deities as devils and later Judaism treating them as nonexistent is not universal. Psalms 96:5, for example, is alternately translated as, "For all the Gods of the gentiles are nothing," "For all the Gods of the gentiles are devils" (
Analogs to demonization exist outside monotheistic religions, as well.
Political conflicts
Demonization is sometimes used against what are arguably political opponents rather than religious ones. The Knights Templar were destroyed by accusations that they worshipped Baphomet from King Philip the Fair. Baphomet, often thought to be Beelzebub, may have been used because of the likeness of this horned deity with the Christian images of Satan.[10][11]
Modern usage
In colloquial usage, the term "demonization" is used metaphorically to refer to propaganda or moral panic directed against any individual or group, for the purpose of defamation, character assassination and/or dehumanization.
See also
- Black propaganda
- Dehumanization
- Delegitimization
- Demonizing the enemy
- Idealization and devaluation
- Scapegoating
Notes and references
- ^ The reverse is found in Buddhist texts which similarly caricature Hindu sacred figures. According to Alf Hiltebeitel and other scholars, some of the stories in Buddha-related Jataka tales found in Pali texts seem slanderous distortions of Hindu legends, but these may reflect the ancient local traditions and the complexities of early interaction between the two Indian religions.[9]
- ^ "Ye shall destroy their altars, and break in pieces their pillars, and ye shall cut down their groves, and the graven images of their gods ye shall burn with fire." Exodus 34:13
- ^ "And they utterly destroyed all that was in the city, both man and woman, young and old, and ox, and sheep, and ass, with the edge of the sword." Joshua 6:21
- ^ Bratcher, Dennis (2006). "Demons in the Old Testament". www.crivoice.org. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
- ^ a b "The Greek Septuagint translated into English", Psalm 95:5, translated by Sir Lancelot Charles Lee Brenton, 1851.
- ^ "The Edict of Expulsion of the Jews - 1492 Spain". www.sephardicstudies.org. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
- ^ Cambridge University Hindu Cultural Society Archived 3 February 2008 at the Wayback Machine
- ISBN 978-81-208-3269-5.
- ISBN 978-0-8160-7564-5.
- ISBN 978-0-7914-0250-4.
- ^ " Pentacles and Pentagrams", Religious Tolerance, Retrieved 6 May 2007
- ^ Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 3 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 363.