Demonology
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Demonology is the study of
Prevalence of demons
According to some societies, all the affairs of the universe are supposed to be under the control of spirits, each ruling a certain "element" or even object, and themselves in subjection to a greater spirit.[4] For example, the Inuit are said to believe in spirits of the sea, earth and sky, the winds, the clouds, and everything in nature. Every cove of the seashore, every point, every island and prominent rock has its guardian spirit.[1] All are potentially of the malignant type, to be propitiated by an appeal to knowledge of the supernatural.[5] Traditional Korean belief posits countless demons inhabit the natural world; they fill household objects and are present in all locations. By the thousands they accompany travellers, seeking them out from their places in the elements.[1]
Greek philosophers such as
Characterization of spirits
Not all spirits across all cultures are considered malevolent. In Central Africa, the Mpongwe believe in local spirits, just as the Inuit do; but they are regarded as inoffensive in the main. Passers-by must make some nominal offering as they near the spirits' residence. The occasional mischievous act, such as the throwing down of a tree on a passer-by, is believed by the natives to be perpetuated by the class of spirits known as Ombuiri.[1][8]
Many spirits, especially those regarding natural processes, are often considered neutral or benevolent; ancient European peasant fears of the
Types
Demons are generally classified as spirits which are believed to enter into relations with the human race. As such the term includes:
- angels in the Christian tradition that fell from grace,[3]
- malevolent familiars,[11]
- such as receive a ancestor worship),[3]
- revenants.[12]
Excluded are souls conceived as inhabiting another world. Yet just as gods are not necessarily spiritual, demons may also be regarded as corporeal;
Ancient Mesopotamian religion
The
Abrahamic religions
Judaism
Judaism does not have a demonology or any set of doctrines about demons.[19] Use of the name "Lucifer" stems from Isaiah 14:3–20, a passage which does speak of the defeat of a particular Babylonian King, to whom it gives a title which refers to what in English is called the Day Star or Morning Star (in Latin, lucifer, meaning "light-bearer", from the words lucem ferre).[20]
There is more than one instance in Jewish medieval myth and lore where demons are said to have come to be, as seen by the Grigori angels, of Lilith leaving Adam, of demons such as vampires, unrest spirits in Jewish folklore such as the dybbuk.[21][22]
Christianity
Christian demonology is the study of
incorporated from other beliefs.Some scholars[
The first tradition — the Adamic tradition — ties demons to the fall of man caused by the serpent who beguiled Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. Thus, the Adamic story traces the source of evil to Satan's transgression and the fall of man, a trend reflected in the Books of Adam and Eve which explains the reason for Satan's demotion by his refusal to worship and submit to God.[23]
The other tradition — the early Enochic tradition — ties demons to the fall of angels in the antediluvian period.[23] This tradition bases its understanding of the origin of demons on the story of the fallen Watchers led by Azazel.[23] Scholars[who?] believe these two enigmatic figures—Azazel and Satan—exercised formative influence on early Jewish demonology. While in the beginning of their conceptual journeys Azazel and Satan are posited as representatives of two distinctive and often rival trends tied to the distinctive etiologies of corruption, in later Jewish and Christian demonological lore both antagonists are able to enter each other's respective stories in new conceptual capacities. In these later traditions Satanael is often depicted as the leader of the fallen angels while his conceptual rival Azazel is portrayed as a seducer of Adam and Eve.[23] While historical Judaism never recognized any set of doctrines about demons,[19] scholars[who?] believe its post-exilic concepts of eschatology, angelology, and demonology were influenced by Zoroastrianism.[24][25] Some, however, believe these concepts were received as part of the Kabbalistic tradition.[26] While many people believe today Lucifer and Satan are different names for the same being, not all scholars subscribe to this view.[20]
A number of authors throughout Christian history have written about demons for a variety of purposes. Theologians like
In modern times, some demonological texts have been written by Christians, usually in a similar vein of Thomas Aquinas, explaining their effects in the world and how faith may lessen or eliminate damage by them.
Not all Christians believe that demons exist in the literal sense. Some believe that the New Testament's exorcism language was originally part of curing ceremonies for what we now recognize as epilepsy, mental illness, etc.[37]
Islam
Islam has no doctrinal hierarchy of demonology. Even though some Muslim scholars tried to classify jinn and demons, there is no established classification and terms for jinn may overlap or be used interchangeably. Naming the jinn also depends on cultural influences. Julius Wellhausen states, that Islamic demonology is also zoology.[38] Many demonic or demon-like entities are not purely spiritual, but also physical in nature and related to animals. One prominent classification is made by al-Jahiz:[39][40]
- Angel: A creature made of light.
- Amir: a jinni, who lives among humans
- Shaitan: a malicious and rebellious jinn
- Marid: a stronger type of jinn, trying to steal information from heaven
- Ifrit: the most powerful type of jinn
The German
- Jinn or Jann: ordinary jinn, a class apart from other jinn types, but also used as a collective to refer to invisible beings in general
- Shaitan: Malevolent jinni, who causes illness and madness
- Ifrit: delimitation to ordinary jinn remains unclear. Can be either a powerful cunning Jinn or a strong Shaitan. Ifrits are generally bad.
- Marid: a haughty and powerful Shaitan or very malevolent Ifrit.
- Bu'Bu: a jinn that frightens children.
- Si'lah: a female demon who seduces men.
- Amir: spirits dwelling in houses.
- Ghul: generally evil, lives in the desert.
- Qarînah: name for a specific demon or doppelgänger, a type of spirit that follows every human.
- Hatif: a mysterious phenomenon, which can only be heard but never seen.
The Ghul and the Si'lah often challenge orientalists to tell them apart, because both are
Additionally the
Ahmad al-Buni relates four Ifrits to archdemons, diametric opposites to the four archangels of Islam. They have their own Shayātīn (plural of "Shaytan") under command and are subordinate to Iblis, who is thought to be the leader of Shayātīn.[44]
Buddhism
Traditionally,
The followers of Mara were also called mara, the devils, and are frequently cited as a cause of disease or representations of mental obstructions.[47] The mara became fully assimilated into the Chinese worldview, and were called mo.
The idea of the imminent decline and collapse of the Buddhist religion amid a "great cacophony of demonic influences" was already a significant component of Buddhism when it reached China in the first century A.D., according to Michel Strickmann.[47] Demonic forces had attained enormous power in the world. For some writers of the time, this state of affairs had been ordained to serve the higher purpose of effecting a "preliminary cleansing" that would purge and purify humanity in preparation for an ultimate, messianic renewal.[47]
Medieval Chinese Buddhist demonology was heavily influenced by Indian Buddhism. Indian demonology is also fully and systematically described in written sources, though during Buddhism's centuries of direct influence in China, "Chinese demonology was whipped into respectable shape," with a number of Indian demons finding permanent niches even in
Chinese Buddhism also influenced Taoism with beliefs of hell and the Taoists eventually came up with their own demonology lore which in turn created folk beliefs about spirits in hell which was a combination of beliefs from the two religions. However, the demons in hell are viewed differently than Abrahamic faiths who instead of being pure evil are more of guards of hell although they are still viewed as malicious beings. They are ruled over by Yama which came from Buddhism's Hindu influences but certain scriptures and beliefs also state that there are 18 different Yamas in hell which have an army of demons and undead at their side.
Also, the
Hinduism
Vedic Scriptures include a range of spirits (Vetalas, Rakshasas, Bhutas and Pishachas) that might be classified as demons. These spirits are souls of beings that have committed certain specific sins. As a purging punishment, they are condemned to roam without a physical form for a length of time, until a rebirth. Beings that died with unfulfilled desires or anger are also said to "linger" until such issues are resolved. Hindu text Atharvaveda gives an account of nature and habitats of such spirits including how to persuade/control them. There are occult traditions in Hinduism that seek to control such spirits to do their bidding. Hindu text Garuda Purana details other kinds of punishments and judgments given out in Hell; this also given an account of how the spirit travels to nether worlds.
Zoroastrianism
In the
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e f public domain: Thomas, Northcote W. (1911). "Demonology n". In Chisholm, Hugh (ed.). Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 8 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 5–8. One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the
- ^ "Demon" Archived 2007-10-16 at the Wayback Machine from Funk & Wagnalls New Encyclopedia, © 2006 World Almanac Education Group, retrieved from history.com
- ^ ISBN 0-8028-2491-9
- ISBN 0-02-372175-8
- ^ Rink, Henry (1875), "Chapter IV: Religion" of Tales and Traditions of the Eskimo, London, 1875, at sacred-texts.com
- ^ Cumont, Franz (1911), The Oriental Religions in Roman Paganism, Chapter VI: "Persia", p. 267 at Internet Sacred Text Archive.
- ^ Augustine, The City of God, Book 8, Chapters 24-25, at the Christian Classics Ethereal Library. Archived 2006-10-04 at the Wayback Machine.
- ^ Hamill Nassau, Robert (1904). "Chapter V: Spiritual Beings in Africa - Their Classes and Functions,". Fetichism in West Africa. Charles Scribner's Sons – via Internet Sacred Text Archive.
- ^ Frazer, Sir James George (1922). "The Golden Bough: A Study of Magic and Religion". The Corn-Mother in Many Lands. The University of Adelaide Library. Archived from the original on 2007-03-03.
- ^ Greem, Eda (c. 1909), Borneo: The Land of River and Palm at the Project Canterbury website
- ^ Demon, entry in the Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper, hosted at dictionary.com
- ^ Ghost, entry in The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition, Copyright © 2000, Houghton Mifflin Company, hosted at dictionary.com
- ISBN 0-399-51889-4
- ^ a b c Black & Green 1992, p. 180.
- ^ a b Black & Green 1992, p. 85.
- ^ a b Black & Green 1992, pp. 85–86.
- ^ a b c Black & Green 1992, p. 86.
- ^ cf. line 295 in "Inanna's descent into the nether world"
- ^ ISBN 0-8050-6270-X
- ^ ISBN 9780029070505
- ^ Demonology at jewishencyclopedia.com
- ^ Josephus, Flavius, Wars of The Jews, Book VII, Chapter VI.
- ^ a b c d A. Orlov, Dark Mirrors: Azazel and Satanael in Early Jewish Demonology (Albany, SUNY, 2011) 6.
- ^ Zoroastrianism, NET Bible Study Dictionary
- ^ Jahanian, Daryoush, M.D., "The Zoroastrian-Biblical Connections", at Meta Religion.
- ^ Franck, Adolphe (1843), translated by Sossnitz, I. (1926), The Kabbalah, or, The Religious Philosophy of the Hebrews, Part Two, Chapter IV, "Continuation of The Analysis of The Zohar: The Kabbalists' View of The World", p. 184 at Internet Sacred Text Archive.
- ^ Thomas Aquinas's Summa Theologica, Question 114, hosted on New Advent
- ^ Malleus Maleficarum, hosted on the Internet Sacred Text Archive
- ^ Lesser Key of Solomon, The Conjuration To Call Forth Any of the Aforesaid Spirits, hosted on Internet Sacred Text Archive
- ^ Arthur Edward Waite, Book of Ceremonial Magic, page 64 and page 106
- ^ a b "Waite, page 64". Sacred-texts.com. Retrieved 2010-05-13.
- ISBN 978-0-521-27551-4. Retrieved 2023-02-17.
- ISBN 978-0-521-43777-6. Retrieved 2023-02-17.
- ISBN 978-0-300-11192-7. Retrieved 2023-02-17.
- ^ Jessie Penn-Lewis, War on the Saints on Google Books, introductory chapter
- ^ "The Broken Cross - by Jack T. Chick". Chick.com. Retrieved 2009-10-08.
- ^ "The Devil, Satan And Demons". Realdevil.info. Retrieved 2010-05-13.
- ISBN 978-3-110-33168-4page 114 (German)
- ISBN 978-3-110-33168-4page 63 (German)
- ISBN 9789004161214, 1960-2007
- ISBN 978-3-110-33168-4page 67 (German)
- ISBN 9780815650706page 140
- ISBN 978-0-857-73063-3
- ISBN 978-0-857-73063-3page 86-87
- ^ Boeree, Dr. C. George (2000), Chapter: "Buddhist Cosmology", An Introduction to Buddhism, Shippensburg University
- ^ "Demon" and "Mara" in the Glossary of Buddhist Terms at kadampa.org
- ^ ISBN 0-8047-3449-6
- ^ "Who are the Zoroastrians", at tenets.zoroastrianism.com
Bibliography
- ISBN 0-8276-0797-0.)
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link - Black, Jeremy; Green, Anthony (1992), Gods, Demons and Symbols of Ancient Mesopotamia: An Illustrated Dictionary, Austin: University of Texas Press, ISBN 0714117056
- Langton, Edward (2014). Essentials of Demonology (1st 1949 ed.). Wipf & Stock. ISBN 978-1498205061.
- Rémy, Nicholas (1974). Demonolatry. University Books.
External links
- Media related to Demonology at Wikimedia Commons
- Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. VII (9th ed.). 1878. pp. 60–64. .
- Demonology by James I: plain text version of King James' important work on Demonology.