HISTORY OF SATAN


SATAN

 -Part 1: Overview; Satan in the Bible; current beliefs.
 -Part 2: The development of the concept of Satan over the past 2,600 years.

DEMONS

(a.k.a. The Devil, Beelzebub, Lucifer, 
Mephistopheles, Prince of Darkness, 
Accursed Dragon, Foul Spirit, Satanic 
Power,Ê Master of Deceit, etc.)



Part 1: Overview; Bible passages; Current beliefs

Overview of Satan
Bible Passages Related to Satan
Attributes of Satan
Current Beliefs about Satan:
by the general population
by liberal Christians
by conservative Christians
by Roman CatholicsOther related essays
References


Overview of Satan:

There is no consensus in North America about the nature of Satan - whether he is: 
a living personality, or 
is simply a concept or principle of evil. 
People hold very different beliefs about the devil: 
Most conservative Christian churches teach beliefs that are grounded in the 1st century CE - that Satan is a profoundly evil, fallen angel who is totally dedicated to the destruction of everyone's lives. He is a supernatural being who "walketh about, seeking whom he may devour," and is aided by countless demons. He and his demons are all pervasive. They engage in world-wide "spiritual warfare," and are a continual threat to all. They can dwell within people, as in demon possession.
Liberal Christian churches tend to view Satan as a principle or concept of evil, without any physical existence or personality. They acknowledge that Jesus and his disciples believed in the presence of a living entity called Satan. They realize that the gospel writers wrote of exorcisms which drove indwelling demons from within people. But they attribute these beliefs to the pre-scientific level of knowledge at the time.
Archeologists and anthropologists and other researchers have traced the development of the concept of Satan from its origin inÊ the Zoroastrian religion, via the ancient Babylonian Empire, to ancient Judaism, and finally into Christianity.


Bible Passages Related to Satan:

There are many passages in the Bible that are often associated with Satan. Some examples are: 
the serpent who tempted Eve in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:4 & Genesis 3:14)
Satan (1 Chronicles 21:1)
the adversary playing the role of prosecuting attorney in a heavenly court with God and the angels (Job 1:6 & Zechariah 3:1-2 & 1 Peter 5:8)
as the devil (from the Greek "diabolos" which means "slanderer"), the temper of Jesus (Matthew 4:1-3, Luke 4:2)
the prince of the demons, Beelzebub (Matthew 12:24, Mark 3:22, Luke 11:15)
unclean spirit (Matthew 12:43)
the evil one (Matthew 13:19 & 1 John 2:13)
the author of all evil (Luke 10:19)
a murderer and the father of lies (John 8:44)
the prince of this world (John 12:31 & 14:30 & 16:11)
a demon able to enter into a human body (John 13:27)
god of this world (2 Corinthians 4:4)
Belial (2 Corinthians 6:15)
prince of the powers of the air, the spirit that now works in the sons of disobedience (Ephesians 2:2)
power of darkness (Colossians 1:13)
an adversary, like a roaring lion who walks about seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8)
the angel of the abyss, named Abaddon in Hebrew, Apollyon in Greek (Revelations 9:11)
a great red dragon (Revelations 12:3 & 12:9 & 20:2)
the accuser of our brethren who accuses Christians before God day and night (Revelations 12:10)
the dragon, the old serpent (Revelations 20:2)
In addition, there are three passages that are considered by some Christians as descriptions of Satan. They are often quoted in isolation as references to the devil: 
2 Kings 1:2-4 contains a reference to Baal-zebub. This passage describes how King Ahaziah of Samaria had an accident. He fell through a latticed window in his roof-chamber and injured himself. He decided to send messengers to Ekron, a nearby Phoenician city to inquire of their god Baal-zebub whether he would recover from the accident. Baal was the principal god of the Phoenicians; his name might have meant "Master of the Heavenly House." The ancient Israelites followed Baal's name with "zebul" which means "dung;" this produced the insulting term "Baal-zebul" which was later corrupted to "Baal-zebub." "Baal-zebub" was simply a religiously intolerant, insulting term for "Baal," the main deity of a neighboring tribe. The name had no connection to Satan. (Conservative Christians would disagree with this assessment; to many of them, all gods and goddesses other than Jehovah are in fact demons.) By the time of Jesus' ministry, the related name "Beelzebul" had apparently become a nickname for Satan. It remains so today.
Isaiah 14:12-24 is interpreted by some as referring to Satan by the name "helel" in Hebrew. This is often translated as "Lucifer" or "Morning Star." The passage describes how he had fallen from heaven, was thrown to earth, expressed a desire to sit "on the mountains where the Gods assemble", wished to be like God, and had attacked many cities, leaving them in ruins. At first glance, this looks like a description of some of the activities of Satan. However, verse 4 clearly states that the passage refers to the King of Babylon, not to Satan. Isaiah was simply showing "sarcastic contempt for the mighty Babylonian monarch that had recently fallen, vanished as does [the morning star] Venus from the daytime sky." 5
Ezekiel 28:13-17 is similar. It describes an individual as full of wisdom and flawless in beauty, dwelling in an Eden. But "iniquity came to light" in him, and "lawlessness filled his heart." God flung him to the ground. Again, this sounds a bit like Satan. But verse 11 links the passage to the King of Tyre. Note that verse 19 describes how God killed the king and reduced him to ashes so that he "will be no more." Satan is recording in subsequent passages of the Bible as being very much alive and kicking.


Attributes of Satan:

Descriptions of the powers, activity and personality of Satan and are scattered throughout the Bible: 
He is a created being, a former Archangel, and thus is inferior to God. Among other limitations, he can be only in one place at one time; he has limits to his knowledge and power.
Satan cannot perform any acts unless God approves (Job1:6 to 2:10). 
He is a trickster and an unreliable source of information.ÊJohn 8:44 speaks of him as a liar, the father of all lies.
He is the ruler of the earth (John 12:31, Ephesians 6:12 and 2 Corinthians 4:4)
He leads a personal army of demons (Matthew 12:24)
He can adopt a spirit form, reside inside a person and influence their thoughts and behavior:
Ephesians 2:2 describes him as a spirit who works within "the children of disobedience."
John 13:2 describes how Satan "put into" Judas Iscariot's mind the decision to betray Jesus.
Acts 5:3 describes how Satan filled Ananias' heart with the decision to lie to the Holy Ghost about the proceeds of a real estate saleHis existence places humans in extreme peril.. 1 Peter 5:8 describes him as a dangerous entity, a roaring lion, who roams all over the earth "seeking whom he may devour."
Satan is described as having a personal army of demonsÊ (from "daimon" meaning "intelligent" in Greek) to assist him. 


Popular Beliefs:

In 1995, about 58% of American adults believed that Satan is "not a living being but is a symbol of evil."1 More detailed data, collected in 1991, is listed below. 2 Only among born again Christians did a majority believe in Satan as a living being. A large percentage of Christians ignore the teachings of their churches:
Group	Satan is only a symbol of evil	Satan is a living being
Average of American Adults	60%	35%
65 years and older	49%	38%
Born again	43%	52%
Not born again	68%	25%
Evangelical Christians	47%	49%
Roman Catholics	69%	26%
Mainline Protestants	65%	27%

(N = 1005; 95% confidence limits within 4%, a random sampling of Americans 18 years or older.)

An identical survey in 1997-MAY suggests that the traditional belief of Satan as a living being might possibly be slipping: 3
Group	Satan is only a symbol of evil	Satan is a living being
Average of American Adults	62%	30%

(N = 1007; 95% confidence limits within 4%, a random sampling of Americans 18 years or older.)

We believe that only the Irish believe in a living Satan at levels approaching Americans. Belief in Satan is much lower in other Christian countries. We have not been able to uncover precise worldwide data on this topic.
Time Magazine for 1993-DEC-27 featured a story on angels. An opinion poll revealed that: 
69% believe in the existence of angels
55% believe that angels are "higher spiritual beings created by God with special powers to act as his agents on earth".
49% believe in the existence of fallen "angels or devils." They were presumably referring to demons.
46% believe that they have a personal guardian angel 4
A number of beliefs about Satan are prevalent in popular culture and reinforced by movies, children's books, the media, etc. There is little or no Biblical foundation for these beliefs. They are largely superstitious remnants from the late Middle Ages and Renaissance: 
Satan is a rather humorous character with a tail, dressed in a red suit, smelling of brimstone (sulfur) and carrying a pitchfork.
His prime activity appears to be to roam all over the earth, trying to persuade individuals to sign a contract which sells their soul to him in exchange for special powers or wealth.
Satan does not seem to be particularly intelligent, because he is easily tricked by humans.
He is a type of warden who has administrative responsibilities over Hell, where some individuals go after death to be tortured for all eternity. (Revelation 20:10 contradicts this. It states clearly that Satan himself will be held captive in Hell. He will be thrown into the "lake of fire and brimstone" where he will be "tormented day and night for ever and ever.")


Liberal Christian Beliefs:

According to one Baptist source: "Religious liberals do not believe in the literal reality and actual personality of Satan...The devil or Satan is not at all a real person, but only an impersonal evil force present and operating in the world." 6 The same source estimates that 75% of American clergypersons hold this belief. 
Many liberal religious faith groups believe that Satan and demons do not exist as living entities. Jesus, his disciples and the general public during the time of Christ's ministry clearly believed in Satan and armies of demons. However,. they lived in a pre-scientific age. People in 1st century Palestine used the concept of demonic possession to account for mental illness, bad weather, lightning, thunder, unfortunate accidents, dreams of nocturnal seduction, etc. These beliefs continued through the Middle Ages in to the Renaissance. However, medical, mental and physical sciences have provided better and simpler explanations to phenomena once believed to be caused by demons. Today, with the exception of Fundamentalist and other Evangelical Christians, very few mental health professionals attribute mental illness to indwelling demons.
Most would regard the concepts of Satan, demons, spiritual warfare, demon possession etc as being totally divorced from reality, a left-over belief from a pre-scientific era. The liberal position might be summed up by a quotation from the writings of G. MessandŽ:

"We live under the sign of a nonexistent deity cobbled together twenty-six centuries ago by power-hungry Iranian priests. We live under the sign of Satan. Is this our destiny - are we to let an imaginary monster devour us forever?" 11


Conservative Christian Beliefs:

Most conservative denominations teach that the Old and New Testaments are inerrant. That is, the writings were composed by individuals who were inspired by God. They view the Bible is completely free of error, as originally written. Since they believe that the Bible is without error, then they are forced to conclude from the many references to Satan that he must exist. If they deny the existence of Satan and his demons as real, living entities, then they have to also deny the inerrancy of the Bible. The latter is such a foundational belief, that it cannot be abandoned.
Conservative Christian beliefs appear to dominate the Internet. A search phrase "exist satan" on the AltaVista Êsearch engine showed that all of the first 12 articles were written from a conservative Christian perspective. According to the same Baptist source cited above:Ê "Any system of religious belief that denies the literal reality and actual personality of Satan is radically unChristian and unBiblical in nature and clearly under the dominion of the very devil whom it denies." 6 Many Fundamentalist and other Evangelical denominations teach that Satan: 
Is as a real, living entity. 
Is described in many locations of Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, with the same powers, abilities and personality throughout.
Was once archangel. ("archos" means "chief", and "angelos" means "messenger" in Greek). 
Was "Lucifer, the first and most glorious creator of God."7 
Staged a revolt in heaven with the help of some renegade angels
Is now exiled from heaven with his followers
Roams across the earth doing evil. 
Is supported by countless demons. Although the origin of these demons is not clearly defined in the Bible, most conservative Christians believe that demons are the fallen angels who were exiled from heaven with Satan.
Is either the leader of. or a major influence on, all non-Judeo-Christian religions. One Fundamentalist writer believes that "The great ethnic faiths of India, China and Japan major in demonism, as well as the animistic religions of Africa, South America and some Islands." 7Ê Some look upon Buddhism, Hinduism, Sikhism, Native American spirituality, etc as forms of Satanism. The gods and goddesses of other religions are often seen as demons under the control of Satan.
Harvest Ministries has an excellent, clearly written essay on Satan, as seen from an Evangelical Christian perspective. 10
The conservative Christian position is well represented by a quotation from the writings of Richard Lee and Ed. Hindson: 12

"Today people are experimenting with astrology, witchcraft, Ouija boards, divination, channeling, Tarot cards, fortune-tellers, mediums, crystals and shamans. Mankind has come to the final conclusion of disbelief in God and has turned to belief in the very opposite! Satan has cleverly convinced the modern mind that he is not to be taken seriously until all other spiritual options are exhausted. Then, when empty souls turn to him in desperation, he can take them over completely and totally.
C.S. Lewis wrote in 'The Screwtape Letters,' 'There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. One is to disbelieve in their existence. The other is to believe, and to feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them. they themselves are equally pleased by both errors.'" 13


Roman Catholic Beliefs:

The Roman Catholic Church has long held conservative Christian beliefs concerning the nature of Satan. He has been referred to as the Accursed Dragon, Evil One, Foul Spirit, Master of Deceit, Prince of Darkness, Satanic Power, etc. 14 Satan and his demons had been held responsible for demonic possession in which a demon or Satan himself dwells within a person and controls their activity. The church has taken the first steps towards overhauling its vision of Satan to more closely match the liberal concept. Satan is no longer a seen as a living entity attacking and attempting to posses people from outside. Rather, most cases of possession are seen as caused by a force "lurking within all individuals." 
However, the church is not revising "scriptural references to the Devil or suggesting that people cease believing in the Evil One" at this time. So, believe in Satan continues, even though his involvement in mental illness and demonic possession is being downgraded.


Related essays:

Satan essay, Part 2: The development of the concept of Satan over the past 2,600 years.
Demons
Demon possession and Exorcisms 


References:


1.	G. Barna, "The Index of Leading Spiritual Indicators," Word Publishing, Dallas TX (1996), Page 22.
2.	George Barna, "What Americans Believe.", Regal Books, Ventura CA (1991), Page 206
3.	Gustav Niebuhr, "Poll Indicates Diminished Role of Devil", N.Y. Times News Service, 1997-MAY-10, at: http://www.anomalous-images.com/news/news042.html 
4.	J. F. Cogan, "Handbook about Demon Possession For Human Service Workers" at http://www.gelservices.com/hs.html 
5.	Charles Panati, "Sacred Origins of Profound Things," Penguin, New York NY (1996), Pages 363 to 379.
6.	"Does Satan Really Exist?," Our Baptist Heritage, 1993-MAR/APR. Text published at: http://www.worldmissions.org/Clipper/Doctrine/DoesSatanExist.htm 
7.	M.F. Unger, "Demons in the World Today," Tyndale House, Wheaton, IL, (1971), Page 8
8.	Eric Villanueva, "Territorial Spirits and Spiritual Warfare: A Biblical Perspective," Christian Research Journal, 1992-Summer, Page 38 at: http://www.iclnet.org/pub/resources/text/cri/cri-jrnl/crj0111a.txt 
9.	Brent Grimsley & Elliot Miller, "Can A Christian Be 'Demonized'?," Christian Research Journal, 1993-Summer, Page 16, at: http://www.iclnet.org/pub/resources/text/cri/cri-jrnl/crj0158a.txt 
10.	Greg Laurie, "Foundations for Living: Who is the Devil?" at: http://www.harvest.org/tools/ffl/devil1.html and http://www.harvest.org/tools/ffl/devil2.html 
11.	G. MessandŽ, "The History of the Devil", Newleaf, London, England, (1996), Page 328 
12.	R. Lee & Ed. Hindson, "Angels of Deceit," Harvest House, Eugene, OR, (1993), Page 118
13.	C.S. Lewis, "The Screwtape Letters," MacMillan, New York, NY, (1961), Page 3
14.	Richard Owen, "Satan gets a facelift," The Australian, 1999-JAN-26 at: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/world/4214671.htm 




Part 2: The Development of the Concept of Satan:

Before 300 BC in Ancient Israel
Before 300 BCE in Ancient Iran
Between 300 BCE and 100 CE
In the early Christian church
Middle Ages to the Renaissance
Present day


Development of the Concept of Satan prior to 300 BCE in Ancient Israel:

Traditionally, Christians have believed that the Pentateuch [the first 5 books of the Hebrew Scriptures or Old Testament] were written by Moses under the inspiration of God circa 1450 BCE during the nation's exodus from Egypt. The book of Daniel was seen as having been written by Daniel in the 6th century CE, etc. Conservative Christians still believe this today, largely because the Bible mentions the identity of its authors in many locations, and conservatives believe the Bible to be inerrant. However, analysis of the Bible as a historical document since the late 19th century has convinced essentially all non-Evangelical Old Testament scholars that most of the Pentateuch is made up of a mixture of writings and editings by three individuals or groups: in 950 BCE by "J", 750 BCE for "E" and 539 BCE for "P". Deuteronomy was written in the 7th century BCE, and Daniel was written in the 2nd century BCE. In the following material, we will assume that the liberal interpretation is correct.
Among those books of the Hebrew Scriptures written before 300 BCE, the term "satan" (root word "s'tn") appears often. The word is derived from the original Hebrew verb "satan" which means "to oppose." The Septuagint translation of the Hebrew Scriptures into Greek was widely used in the early Christian church. They translated "satan" as "diaboloc" from which we derive our English term "devil" and "diabolic."
The word is used to refer to: 
Any person acting as an accuser or enemy. For example:
1 Samuel 29:4: The Philistines were distrustful of David, fearing that he would be a satan. (translated "adversary" or "someone who will turn against us").
2 Samuel 19:22: Shime-i apologizes to King David. The King rejects the apology, saying that they should not be a satan to each other (translated "adversary" or "opponent").
1 Kings 5:4: King Solomon is talking to Hiram, the King of Tyre. He says that now that there is neither satan nor bad luck to stop him, he can build the Temple. (translated as "adversary", "enemy", or "one who opposes").
1 Kings 11:14: God raised up Hadad the Edomite as a satan against Solomon. (translated as "adversary," or "opponent"). a divine messenger sent by God as an adversary:
Numbers 22:22 & 32: God appears in a dream, telling Balaam to go with the princes of Moab to meet Balak. But when Balaam sets out the next morning on his donkey, God is angry with him for some reason, and sent an angel/messenger to kill him. The donkey saw the angel and took evasive actions. The angel was invisible to Balaam, who beat the animal. The donkey asked Balaam why he had beat her three times. Balaam, who doesn't seem to realize that a talking donkey is an unusual occurrence, replies. The angel then appears and explains that he has come as a satan to kill him. (translated as "one who opposes, "withstand," "adversary")a member of God's inner council; a type of chief prosecutor of Heaven:
1 Chronicles 21:1: Satan, "a supernatural evil emissary," acting on God's behalf, has influenced David to hold a census. The census is taken, and God is angry for an unknown reason. Perhaps God does not want humans to be aware of the strength of the army. God then offers David his choice of one of three punishments: a 3 year famine, 3 months of fleeing before his enemies' armies, or a plague throughout Israel. David selects the plague and God killedÊ 70,000 men (and presumably a similar number of women and many tens of thousands of children). In 2 Samuel 24, the identical event is described. However, this time, the text states that God influenced David to hold the census. Even though God had incited David to enumerate the men of Israel and Judah, he was still angry that it was done and punished the Israelites with a plague. The writings in 2 Samuel are believed to be the original account; 1 Chronicles came later. It is believed that when Samuel was finally edited (circa 560 BCE), the editors thought that all supernatural actions (good and bad) came from God. When Chronicles was written over a century later, (circa 400 BCE) the author viewed God as operating indirectly through his helpers.
Job 1 and 2: Satan is described as one of the members of the court of heaven. God mentions that he is impressed at the behavior of Job, a blameless man who has lived an upright life. Satan attributes Job's commendable behavior to his good fortune and says that Job would soon curse God if he had a string of really bad luck. God decides to conduct an experiment with Job; he instructs Satan to destroy all that Job has: kill his animals, murder his employees, and murder his innocent children. But, even after these disasters, Job still does not curse God. So God instructs Satan to up the ante by returning to earth and destroying Job's health. Here, Satan is portrayed as a servant of God whose task itÊ is to dutifully carry out evil deeds at God's instruction.
Zechariah 3:1-7: Satan is again portrayed as a member of God's council. Here he objects to the selection of Joshua as the high priest.
There are no passages within the older parts of the Hebrew Scriptures where Satan is portrayed as an evil devil - the arch enemy of God and of mankind. At most, he is described as a henchman who carries out God's evil instructions. There is no dualism here between two powerful supernatural entities: an all-good God and an all-evil Satan. God is portrayed as performing, directly and indirectly, both kind and evil deeds. When: 
plagues are to be sent or 
a great genocidal flood is created to kill off almost all of humanity, except for Noah and his family, or 
Onan was killed because he practiced an elementary form of birth control, in violation of a cultural tradition, or
Sodom and Gomorrah was destroyed because its residents were abusive to the needy and to strangers, or
Lot's wife is turned into a pillar of salt because she looked the wrong way, 
it is God who does it. In essence, the ancient writers of the early Hebrew Scriptures looked upon Jehovah as performing both good and evil deeds. A good indication of this is found in: 
Isaiah 45:6-7:

"...I am the LORD and there is none else. I form the light and create darkness. I make peace an create evil. I the LORD do all these things." (KJV)
or in Job 9:22-23:

"...[God] destroys both the blameless and the wicked. When a scourge brings sudden death, he mocks the despair of the innocent." (i.e. laughs at the suffering of the victim)
or in Lamentations 3:37-38:

"Who has commanded and it came to pass, unless the Lord has ordained it? Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that good and evil come?"


Development of the Concept of Satan prior to 300 BCE in Ancient Iran:

Historians have traced the foundations for the concept of Satan to the Indo-European invasion circa 2000 BCE. This migration of what are now called the Kurgan people, emigrated from what is now India into the Near East, Middle East and Europe. They were polytheists, and worshiped at least one Mother Goddess and one male God. Their religious beliefs were based on the Hindu sacred writings of the Vedas. Those who settled in western Europe became the Celtic people with their religion of Druidism and perhaps what is now called Wicca. Those Kurgans who settled in the Middle East developed religious belief along different lines. They developed the twin concepts of salvation and damnation after death. Upon dying, they believed that soul of the deceased must pass over a narrow bridge on horseback. It was called the "Bridge of the Petitioner." Rashu, a god, judged each soul and decides who is sufficiently righteous to cross the bridge and who will fall into a type of Hell with "flames and terrible smells." 1 Once salvation and Heaven, (and damnation and Hell) were created, then the stage was set for the next logical concept: that of a Devil.
Zoroaster (a.k.a. Zarathrustra, Zarthosht) is believed by some to have lived circa 628 to 551 BCE. (Other estimates run from 600 to 6,000 BCE) He was a Persian prophet in what is now Iran. Like Jesus, he was recorded as having been tempted by Satan; he performed many miracles and healings and was considered a supernatural being by his followers. He introduced a major spiritual reform and created what is generally regarded as the first established monotheistic religion in the world. He rejected the worship of the established trinity of Varuna, Mithra and Indra. The new religion, to be called Zoroastrianism, involved the worship of a single male god, Ahura Mazda, the "sovereign, lawmaker, supreme judge, master of day and night, the center of nature and inventor of moral law." He created the heavens and the earth. In short, he had all of the attributes attributed to Jehovah by the ancient Israelites, but with a different name. Zoroaster also recognized Ahura Mazda's twin brother: Angra Manyu, (a.k.a. Ahriman) the God of Evil. The only things that he created were snakes, demons, and all of the world's evil. 2 The old gods of the previous polytheistic religion became the demons of the new faith. Thus, Ahriman became the first Devil that the world has seen, and his assistants became the first cohort of demons under the control of a all-evil deity.
Zoroaster taught that Ahura Mazda and Ahriman would continually battle each other until the God of Evil is finally defeated. At this time, the dead will be resurrected, a Last Judgement will divide all the people that have ever lived into two groups; the bad go to Hell for all eternity; the good go to Paradise. As author Gerald. MessandŽ so eloquently wrote: "The framework of the three monotheisms [Judaism, Christianity, Islam] had been erected. The Devil's birth certificate was filled out by an Iranian prophet."


Development of the Concept of Satan, 300 BCE to 100 CE:

The Scofield reference Bible closes the Hebrew Scriptures with the book of Malachi, 397 BCE. It opens the Christian Scriptures with Matthew's gospel in 37 CE. This is a gap of over 4 centuries. This interval has traditionally been called the "intertestamental period." But modern Bible scholarship has found that reality is not quite that neat: 
The Book of Daniel seems to have been written circa 165 BCE, in the middle of the intertestamental period. It recounts events 4 centuries earlier and is written as if Daniel was the author.
The Book of Esther was apparently written in the 1st or 2nd century BCE
The Gospel of Mark was the first gospel. Most Old Testament scholars date it to about 70 CE. Matthew came along later, circa 80 CE.
Many Jewish writings have been preserved from that era. Some were collected and form the Apocrypha (Greek word meaning "hidden."). These books appear in the Septuagint (a Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures) and in the Vulgate (early Latin translation of the Bible). They are found in Roman Catholic Bibles and some Protestant Bibles. Conservative Protestants do not accept the Apocrypha as inerrant or inspired by God. 
During the last three centuries before Christ's birth, the portrayal of Satan underwent a major change. The Zoroastrian / Persian dualism concept appeared in Jewish writing: God was now looked upon as wholly good; Satan as profoundly evil. History was seen as a battle between them. No longer was Satan simply God's prosecuting attorney, helper, or lackey. Satan, and his demons, were now humanity's greatest enemies.
Author G. MessandŽ 1 theorizes that from the middle of the 5th century BCE until 53 BC and later, the Jews were on particularly good terms with the Persians. From the latter's religion, Zoroastrianism, the Jews picked up a number of concepts: the immortality of the soul, angels, and Satan. Of the 3 main divisions of Judaism (Essenes, Pharisees, Saducees) in the 1st century BCE, the Essenes seems to have focused the most on Satan.
Jesus and his disciples accepted the common belief of the 1st century CE that mental illness and some physical ailments were caused by indwelling demons. "Unclean spirits" are mentioned 7 times in Mark, once in Matthew, 3 times in Luke and once in Revelations. A "dumb spirit" and a "deaf spirit" are each mentioned once in Mark. Luke talks about a "spirit of infirmity" in his gospel, and, a "spirit of divination" & an "evil spirit" in Acts. The concept of "violent possession" appears for the first time in Scripture. Demons are believed to posses individuals and cause them to mutilate themselves, to collapse, to foam at the mouth, to thrash around on the ground. Demons are seen as the cause of many physical disabilities, including blindness, spinal deformities, inability to speak. Satan figures prominently throughout the Christian Scriptures: Jesus is tempted by Satan (Matthew 4:1-3, Luke 4:2). The Pharisees accused Jesus of casting out demons in the name of "Beelzebub, the prince of the demons." (Matthew 12:24)
In the writings of Paul and the other apostles, the character and range of activities of Satan and his demons is further developed. God and Satan are seen as the two most powerful forces in the universe. The duality between an all-good God and all-evil Satan is firmly established. Examples are: 
2 Corinthians 11:12-14: Satan is seen to be responsible for false teaching by "false apostles, deceitful workers."
2 Corinthians 12:7: Satan has given Paul a "thorn in the flesh" to trouble him.
1Thessalonians 2:17-18: Satan hindered Paul's travels
I Timothy 1:19-20: Hymenaeus and Alexander have fallen away from the faith and blasphemed. Paul had excommunicated them and "delivered them unto Satan." Here, he is expressing the belief found also in 1 Corinthians 5:5 that once a believer is excommunicated, he will be no longer protected by God. Satan will torment him and perhaps purify him.
The author of Revelations develops the concept of a great battle between Satan and God at the end of the world as we know it: 
Revelation 2:8-9: Satan is portrayed as the power behind the Roman Empire's persecution of the Christians. The author apparently condemns ex-Christians who pretend that they are Jewish in order to avoid the persecution. They are referred to as the "Synagogue of Satan."
Revelation 2:7-9: This passage is similar to Revelation 2:8-9.
Revelation 12:9: Satan, viewed as the great dragon, and his fallen angels were cast down to earth.
Revelation 20:2-3: Satan is bound and sealed into an abyss for 1000 years, so that he could no longer deceive the nations.
Revelation 20:7-8: Satan is released after 1000 years, deceives the nations, and gathers them together for war. He loses.


Development of the Concept of Satan, in the Early Christian Church:

Much of the attention of the early church was spent in trying to firm up theological beliefs on the exact nature of God, Jesus, Satan, salvation, Heaven, Hell, etc. The early church writers debated: 
whether Satan's fall occurred before the creation of the world,Ê while Adam and Eve were in Eden, or after the fall.
the precise cause of Satan's rebellion.
whether angels lusted after human women, and whether this lust was the cause or a result of their fall.
whether or not Satan, his demons and unsaved humans would all be eventually saved.
Clement of Alexander (circa 150-213 CE) was the first major Christian writer to claim that the gods of other religions were demons: "The verdict of the prophets is that the gods of all the nations are images of demons." 3 This teaching contradicted the general belief in the Roman Empire that the gods of all religions and nations were universal, and differed only in their names and certain minor characteristics.


Development of the Concept of Satan, from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance:

In the development of religions, the gods of the old religion often became the demons of the new faith. This was seen above when Zoroastrianism was founded. It was seen again in the Middle Ages when many of the attributes of the Greek God Pan were adsorbed by Satan: "goat-hoofs, horns and unremitting lust; sometimes also a goat head and an attendant throng of satyrs," who became demons. 4 Pan was the horned God of the Greeks, and is also seen as the horned consort of the Goddess among the Wiccans. Later, he was given additional attributes: "a long serpentine tail with a heart-shaped tip, long claw-like fingernails, the leathery wings of bats, and a trident." 5
Saint Augustine (354-430 CE) invented a new type of demon - a kind of sexual tormentor. Incubi were male fallen angels who sexually attacked women at night time and brought them immense sexual pleasure. Succubae were female fallen angels who coupled with men during their sleep. Their existence was confirmed by Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274). Aquinas also believed that the devil is the cause of sin, and "was probably the very highest angel who, through pride, fell immediately after creation, seducing those who followed him to become his subjects." 6
The Roman church's Fourth Lateran Council of 1215 determined that: "The devil and the demons were also created by God; at the moment of their creation, they were not evil; they became so through their own sins, and ever since they have busied themselves with the temptation of men."
The church taught that pastimes and spirituality outside of orthodox Christianity are a form of Satan worship. This included astrology, ceremonial magick, divination, pagan and rituals of other religions, etc. 7 Once other religious faiths are considered as forms of Satan worship, then the worse excesses of religious intolerance and genocide can follow. The church exterminated the Cathars as devil worshipers in the 13th Century, and killed off the Knights Templar in the 14th century. Other non-conforming religious groups were similarly targeted and wiped out.
Religious dualism, originating with the Zoroastrians, and filtered through Judaism, reached its logical conclusion in Christianity. If God has innumerable angels as messengers, and a visible church of believers, it was reasoned that Satan must have demons as helpers and an invisible assembly of Satan worshipers. And so, the church imagined the existence of an entire network of people who had sold their soul to Satan, worshiped him, and dedicated their life to harming and killing other people. With the exception of some mentally ill individuals, no such network existed.
In the 14th century, Nicholas Eymerich, a Dominican, wrote a tract called "Directorium Inquisitorum", or the "Handbook of the Inquisitors." He described three forms of Devil worship: 
Latria: praising Satan and flagellating oneself
Dulia: "combining the names of demons with those of the blessed"
"curious practices, including the use of the magic circle and other necromancies such as love potions, magical philters and talismans." 8
Near the end of the 15th century, two Dominicans by the name of Henry Kraemer and Jacques Sprenger wrote a book: "Malleus Maleficorum" or "Witches' Hammer." It became the legal reference book of the Witch burning times. The book was inspired by a combination of hatred of women, fear of sexuality and religious superstition. Hundreds of thousands of innocent people were accused of Satan worship, tortured until they confessed, and burned at the stake. The Inquisitors prosecuted this activity with the greatest thoroughness; they feared that if even one Satanist were left alive, the church would be in danger. Their rationale for the torture/murder of heretics was very simple: their victims were destined for eternal torment in Hell because of their beliefs. By torturing them until they recanted their faith and accepted Christianity, they had a chance to attain heaven. And then, of course, the church burned them alive so that they could not revert to their original heresy. A few hours or days of pain on earth was a great bargain if it avoided eternal torture in Hell. For 3 centuries, western Europe was caught in an orgy of demonic superstition. The last European heretic was burned alive at the stake in 1792.
From the church's hatred of women and fear of human sexuality came the belief that every newborn was possessed by an indwelling demon. The church regularly exorcised babies at the time of baptism with the following ritual:

"I exorcise you unclean spirit in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Come out and leave this servant of God [infant's name]. Accursed and damned spirit, hear the command of God himself,Ê he who walked upon the sea and extended his right hand to Peter as he was sinking. Therefore, accursed devil, acknowledge your condemnation...and depart from this servant of God [infant's name]...Never dare, accursed devil, to violate the sign of the holy cross which we place upon his/her forehead. Through Christ our Lord."
When the Church of England split from Roman Catholicism, they abandoned the baptism-exorcism ritual. The Protestant churches also rejected it, at the time of the Reformation. The Protestant churches continued to torture and kill religious heretics. Their main difference was that they used a less horrible method of execution: they hung their victims instead of burning them alive.
The church taught that Satan can appear as an angel of light. Thus the Inquisition could charge a person with Satan worship if they claimed to have had an angelic vision. Joan of Arc was so charged, as an "invoker of demons," and burned at the stake. She was later recognized as a saint.


The Development of the Concept of Satan in the Present Day:

The Witch-Heretic burning times came to a halt, late in the 18th century. The rationale of the Inquisition still matched church belief - that by forcing heretics to recant their faith, they might avoid eternal torture in Hell. But people simply grew to understand that whatever demonic-inspired religious activity there was in western Europe in the 15th to the 18th century, it was mostly within the church itself, and not in any supposed Satan worshipers. The church suffered a major loss of credibility.
In the 19th century, some theologians began to question the existence of Satan. They concluded that: "Jesus and is disciples drew their demonology from the common life of the period rather than from Scripture, so that the concept of Satan is not a permanent element in Christian doctrine." 
In 1972, the Catholic church abandoned the office of Exorcist. Any priest can now approach his bishop for permission to cast out demons. In 1999, they reduced the role of Satan as a living entity during exorcisms. The church now views demon possession as being primarily caused by a force "lurking within all individuals," not a living entity attacking from outside. 11 With the rise in the public's faith in the mental health professions, exorcisms have become quite infrequent. They still continue at some level, because accidental deaths during amateur Christian exorcisms by both Protestants and Roman Catholics are reported at the rate of about one a year in North America. 
Belief in the existence of Satan as a living entity remains active in the Roman Catholic church. "Although Satan remained the tempter, faith and prayer would deliver us from evil, and through a constant awareness and charity, and the seeking after justice and individual holiness one can defeat the devil." 9 Satan is also regarded as an all-evil devil by Fundamentalist and other Evangelical Christians. Many of the latter see the Christian believer as permanently engaged in "Spiritual Warfare," fighting off continual attacks by Satan and his demons, who seek to dominate, manipulate, tempt and control.
Two socially destructive movements related to belief in Satanism started in the 1980's: 
Allegations of Satanic Ritual Abuse: (SRA) This involved a return to the beliefs of the Middle Ages: the conviction that Satanists were secretly organized on a local, county, state/province, national and international level. They were kidnapping or otherwise obtaining tens of thousands of infants and children for human sacrifice each year in North America. The initial trigger for this civil panic was the publishing of a book, "Michelle Remembers" which alleged to be a documentary account of a young girl's abuse at the hands of Satanists. The book has since been investigated by three groups and found to be a fraud. But other similar books followed, and a whole SRA industry grew up during the 1980's, reached a peak in the early 1990's and is now in decline. The complete absence of hard evidence of any criminal activity has led to credibility problems. There are many indicators that SRA does not exist, or exists at an extremely low level. The main driving force behind the SRA panic was the belief in the accuracy of recovered memories which has since subsided.
Allegations of Ritual Abuse in Day Care Centers: This involved the belief that children in some day care centers were being sexually abused; some within a ritual setting. There was a parallel belief that children were being kidnapped by adults and abused in a home setting. The first case was in Bakersfield CA; the second in Manhattan Beach CA (McMartin Preschool). Dozens of other cases arose throughout North America. The driving force behind these cases appears to be the accidental implantation of false memories by police officers, social workers and child psychologists. It was not realized at the time how easy it is for an investigator to implant memories in young children, simply by asking repeated and/or direct questions. Hundreds of innocent adults were found guilty of crimes that probably never happened, and were given long jail sentences. Many of these cases have since been reviewed and overturned.
Religious Satanists do exist. But they generally do not recognize the existence of, nor worship the Christian devil. Most recognize Satan as a pre-Christian pagan force, and have a code of behavior that promotes "indulgence... vital existence... undefiled wisdom... kindness to those who deserve it... vengeance.. responsibility to the responsible... physical, mental or emotional gratification."10 And there is no credible evidence that adult religious Satanists engage in significant criminal activity. Some teenage and youth "dabblers" into Satanism do engage in graffiti and minor vandalism, but they have little or no connection with religious Satanists.
Wiccans and other Neopagans are often confused with devil worshipers. There total about 250,000 in the United States. They follow a nature based religion, not unlike Native American spirituality. Neopagans worship a God and a Goddess, but do not recognize the existence of an all-evil deity such as the Christian devil.
A great deal of religious intolerance is generated by a key belief of some Fundamentalist and other Evangelical denominations - that the gods and goddesses of non-Christian religions are in fact demonic entities. It is difficult for a believer to accept the legitimacy of Buddhism, Hinduism, Neopaganism and hundreds of other religions, if he/she believes that the deities of those religions are demons controlled by Satan. This is particularly true if the believer has sensed what they believe to be Satanic oppression in their own lives. Also, misunderstandings occur when North American society has two very different definitions of Satanism: 
Conservative Christian definition: any non-Judeo-Christian religion, from Buddhism to Hinduism to Zoroastrianism. There are about 3 billion Satanists in the world.
Conventional definition: a specific religion which worships the Christian devil, Satan. There are a few tens of thousands of Satanists in the world.

Ê

Related essays:

Satan essay, Part 1: Overview; Satan in the Bible; current beliefs.
Demons
Demon possession and exorcisms
Satanic ritual abuse


References:


1.	G. MessandŽ, "The History of the Devil", Newleaf, London, England, (1996) 
2.	A.S. Mercatante, "Good and Evil in Myth & Legend," Barnes & Noble, New York, NY, (1978) 
3.	Saint Clement, "Exorcism to the Greeks," quoted in G. MessandŽ, op. cit. (Page 262)
4.	B.G. Walker, "The Woman's Encyclopedia of Myths and Secrets," Harper & Row, San Francisco, CA, (1983), Page 765 to 766.
5.	Charles Panati, "Sacred Origins of Profound Things," Penguin, New York NY (1996), Page 374
6.	S.B. Ferguson et al, "New Dictionary of Theology," InterVaristy Press, Downers Grove, IL, (1988), Page 196 to 198.
7.	B.G. Walker, op. cit., Page 895 to 896
8.	G. MessandŽ, op. cit., Page 279
9.	R.C. Broderick, Ed., "The Catholic Encyclopedia", Thomas Nelson, Nashville, TN, (1987), Page 542.
10.	A.S. LaVey, "The Satanic Bible," Avon, New York, NY, (1969), Page 25. This book outlines the beliefs of the Church of Satan, which is probably the largest Satanic group in North America.
11.	Richard Owen, "Satan gets a facelift," The Australian, 1999-JAN-26 at: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/world/4214671.htm 



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	ÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊ 

DEMONS



(a.k.a. Diabolical spirits, Evil spirits, 
Unclean spirits, Devils, etc.)

Both liberal and conservative Christian beliefs


Topics covered in this essay:

Overview
A brief survey of demons worldwide
Attributes of demons
Liberal Christian Interpretations:
Demons in the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament)
Demons in the Christian Scriptures (New Testament)Current beliefs of the general public
Liberal Christian beliefs
Conservative Christian beliefs
Is a belief in demons rational?
Related essays
References


Overview:

The word "Demon" comes from the Greek word "daimon" which means "intelligent." According to passages in the Christian Scriptures (New Testament),Ê Satan is has a personal army of demonsÊto assist him in attacking humans and accomplishing evil tasks. The Gospels and the book of Acts describe many exorcisms where Jesus and his disciples release people from demonic possession. The Bible implies thatÊ demons are the same fallen angels that once joined Satan in a heavenly revolt. By the 1st century CE in Palestine, many mental disorders were believed to be caused by indwelling demons. Other demons were responsible for bad weather, accidents, etc. 
Conservative Christians generally believe in the inerrancy of the Bible. The Christian Scriptures have many dozens of references to demons which are obviously intended to be interpreted literally. Jesus and his disciples/apostles are reported as believing in the existence of demonic spirits and demon possession. Exorcism formed a large part of Jesus' ministry on earth. Bible literalists have no option but to believe in demonic possession; otherwise, they would have to accept that Jesus was deluded, or the gospels are inaccurate. Liberal Christians have long abandoned belief in demons. They consider Bible passages about demons to be of little value - much like the verses that condoned and regulated human slavery.


A Brief survey of Demons worldwide:

Many religions in different parts of the world have believed in demons. Some examples are: 1
In Central America, the Mayans exorcised indwelling demons through use of some rather gruesome mortification rituals - e.g. piercing the tongue of a possessed person with a needle-studded cord.
In North America, the Sioux believed in Iya, a spirit being who sometimes took the form of a hurricane and who "devours or maims people and animals."
In Australia, Aboriginals believe in evil demons who eat human beings; one even eats his fellow demons.
In Japan, the Shinto religion teaches that there are many good and bad Kami (Gods). These are minor land-based and not celestial deities. The evil ones bear some resemblance to demons as seen in Judeo-Christianity, but play a minor role in the world.
In India, the Tamils believe in the Peys, "hirsute demons who suck the blood of the dead at night."
In Europe, the Serbs feared Psezpolnica, the "Woman of Midday." She materialized during harvest and either drove humans mad or chopped off their heads, arms or legs.
But it is in 1st century Palestine that the Jews and early Christian movements fully developed the concept of an all-evil spiritual entity, surrounded by hordes of demons at his beck and call. 


Attributes of demons:

As recorded in the Christian Scriptures, demons: 
Take the form of the gods and goddesses who are worshipped by believers of other faiths.
Corinthians 10:20-21: "...the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils." (devils are normally translated as demons in other Bible versions)Can reside inside a person, can generate mental illness and influence the individual's behavior. Jesus is described as expelling demons many times during his ministry (e.g. Matthew 15:22 and 15:28; Luke 4:33-35; listed below). Jesus empowered his disciples to also expel demons (Matthew 10:1; listed below). 
Are also capable of dwelling within animals: 
Mark 5:7-13: "Now there was there nigh unto the mountains a great herd of swine feeding. And all the devils besought him, saying, Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them. And forthwith Jesus gave them leave. And the unclean spirits went out, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea, (they were about two thousand;) and were choked in the sea."Recognize the existence of God, and fear him.
James 2:19: "Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble."Recognized that Jesus is the "Holy One of God," and "Son of God." 
Luke 4:41: "and devils also came out of many, crying out, and saying, Thou art Christ the Son of God. And he rebuking them suffered them not to speak: for they knew that he was Christ."
Mark 1:24: "...what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God."Will influence some Christians to abandon their faith and teach lies:
1 Timothy 4:1: "...in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils"Are in a state of war with Christian believers:
Ephesians 6:12: "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, [human beings] but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places."Will persuade people to sin:
Acts 5:3: "But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost..."


Demons in the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament):

Satan comes from aÊ Hebrew verb "satan" (root word "s'tn") which means "to oppose." The term was used to refer to any person who acted as an enemy or an accuser. English versions of the Bible often translate satan as adversary, opponent, etc. Satan is also used in the Hebrew Scriptures to refer to a celestial being: either as a type of a district attorney in a heavenly court, or as a messenger/trouble shooter of God. Satan is not described as an all-evil supernatural being who opposes God and roams the earth with hordes of demons, seeking to destroy humans. He is rather depicted as a servant of God. When major destruction of life is to be accomplished, as in great plagues, the Noahic flood, or destruction of cities, God Himself is described as the perpetrator.
The King James Version of the Bible often used the term "devils" in the Hebrew Scriptures, which some readers assume are Satan's demons. Other translations use "heathen gods," "idols," etc. In reality, they simply refer to the Gods worshipped by Pagan tribes (or the idols that represented those Gods). Indwelling, evil spirits also appear in the Hebrew Scriptures. But they were not dispatched by Satan; they were sent by God to torment people: 
During the last three centuries before Christ's birth, when the books of Daniel and Esther were written, the Jewish portrayal of Satan underwent a major change. Dualistic concepts were borrowed fromÊ Zoroastrian / Persian religion: God was now looked upon as wholly good; Satan as profoundly evil. History was seen as a battle between the two them. No longer was Satan simply God's prosecuting attorney, helper, or lackey. Satan, and his demons, were now humanity's and God's greatest enemies. Other imported concepts include the immortality of the soul, angels, and bodily resurrection. Of the 3 main divisions of Judaism (Essenes, Pharisees, Saducees) in 1st century BCE Palestine, the Essene belief seems to have focused the most on Satan.


Demons in the Christian Scriptures (New Testament):

The Septuagint translation of the Hebrew Scriptures into Greek was widely used in the early Christian church. They translated the Hebrew word "satan" into the Greek word "diaboloc," from which we derive our English term "devil" and "diabolic." By this time,Ê the concept of an all-evil Satanic supernatural being and his army of demons had been well developed.Ê Satan was visualized as a spiritual being who had fewer powers than God. For example, he could only be in one place at one time. Thus, in order for him to be an effective worker of worldwide evil, he needed countless helpers. Satan and his demons (also known as evil spirits, devils, unclean spirits) are portrayed as forming a secret, invisible army of subversion and possession, totally dedicated to the tormenting of humans. 
Jesus, his disciples and the other inhabitants of 1st century Palestine lived in a pre-scientific age. What we now call physics, astronomy, psychology and other sciences were essentially undeveloped. Lacking a scientific understanding of natural happenings, they looked for supernatural causes. TheyÊ believed that an person could be possessed by one or more demons, and exhibit strange behavior. Demonic possession and demonic activity accounted for various forms of mental illness and disorders, bad weather, lightning, thunder, unfortunate accidents, dreams of nocturnal seduction, etc.
Reflecting these early 1st century beliefs, a main thrust of Jesus' ministryÊ is described in the gospels as the healing of mental and physical problems. The Gospels, the book of Acts, Revelation. and writings of Paul are saturated with:
Dozens of descriptions of illnesses and disorders attributed to demon possession.
A number of references that relate to the final destiny of Satan and his demons. They are to be thrust into Hell, described asÊ a lake of fire. In these passages, Satan's angels apparently refer to his demonic followers:Other references to demons - largely masquerading as Pagan Gods


Current beliefs of the general public:

1st century pre-scientific beliefs continued through the Middle Ages in to the Renaissance. Medical, mental and physical sciences have since provided better and simpler explanations to phenomena once believed to be caused by demons. Today, with the exception of Fundamentalist and other Evangelical Christians, very few mental health professionals attribute mental illness to indwelling demons. 
Surveys have revealed that only about 1 in 3 adults regards Satan as a living being. Belief is high only among born again adults and Evangelical Christians: 2 The number of people who believe in demons is probably similar. 

Group	Satan is only a 
symbol of evil	Satan is a 
living being
Average of American Adults	60%	35%
65 years and older	49%	38%
Born again	43%	52%
Not born again	68%	25%
Evangelical Christians	47%	49%
Roman Catholics	69%	26%
Mainline Protestants	65%	27%

(N = 1005; 95% confidence limits within 4%, a random sampling of Americans 18 years or older.)

An identical survey in 1997-MAY suggests that the traditional belief of Satan as a living being might possibly be slipping: 4
Group	Satan is only a 
symbol of evil	Satan is a living being
Average of American Adults	62%	30%

(N = 1007; 95% confidence limits within 4%, a random sampling of Americans 18 years or older.)

We believe that only the Irish believe in a living Satan at levels approaching that in the U.S. Belief in Satan is much lower in other Christian countries. We have not been able to uncover precise worldwide data on this topic.
Time Magazine for 1993-DEC-27 featured a story on angels. An opinion poll revealed that: 
69% believe in the existence of angels
55% believe that angels are "higher spiritual beings created by God with special powers to act as his agents on earth".
49% believe in the existence of fallen "angels or devils." This poorly worded question presumably referred to demons.
46% believe that they have a personal guardian angel 4


Liberal Christian Beliefs:

According to one Baptist source: "Religious liberals do not believe in the literal reality and actual personality of Satan...The devil or Satan is not at all a real person, but only an impersonal evil force present and operating in the world." 6 The same source estimates that 75% of American clergy hold this belief. 
Many liberal faith groups view Jesus, his disciples and the general public during the time of Christ's ministry as being ill informed, having deriving their beliefs about demons from their pre-scientific culture. Many suspect that people's faith in Jesus' healing powers were so great than many of them were cured. We see the same phenomenon today in Christian healing crusades.Ê Some believe that the gospel accounts of healings are not of real events, but were fictional accounts, added to increase Jesus' credibility among Christians.
Most would regard the concepts of Satan, demons, spiritual warfare, demon possession etc. as being totally divorced from reality, a left-over belief from ancient times that cannot be supported with today's knowledge. The liberal position might be summed up by a quotation from the writings of G. MessandŽ:

"We live under the sign of a nonexistent deity cobbled together twenty-six centuries ago by power-hungry Iranian priests. We live under the sign of Satan. Is this our destiny - are we to let an imaginary monster devour us forever?" 1


Conservative Christian Beliefs:

Most conservative denominations teach that the Old and New Testaments are inerrant. That is, the writings were composed by authors who were inspired by God. They view the Bible is completely free of error, as originally written. The Bible is infallible. It contains dozens of references to Satan and his demons as living entities. Bible literalists can only conclude that both must exist. Inerrancy is such a foundational belief, that it cannot be abandoned.
Conservative Christian beliefs appear to dominate the Internet. A search phrase "exist satan" on the AltaVista Êsearch engine showed that all of the first 12 articles were written from a conservative Christian perspective. According to a Baptist source: "Any system of religious belief that denies the literal reality and actual personality of Satan is radically unChristian and unBiblical in nature and clearly under the dominion of the very devil whom it denies." 7 This opinion probably extends to beliefs in demons as well. 
Many Fundamentalist and other Evangelical denominations teach that Satan is supported by countless demons. Although the origin of these demons is not clearly defined in the Bible, most conservative Christians believe that demons are the fallen angels who were exiled from heaven with Satan.
Many teach that Satan and his demons are either the leaders of,Ê or a major influence on, all non-Judeo-Christian religions. One Fundamentalist writer believes that "The great ethnic faiths of India, China and Japan major in demonism, as well as the animistic religions of Africa, South America and some Islands." 8 Some look upon Buddhism, Hinduism, Sikhism, Native American spirituality, etc. as forms of Satanism. The Gods and Goddesses of other religions are often viewed as demons under the control of Satan.
Some conservative Christians believe that demons: 
Are spirit beings, without a material body. 
Are invisible.
Have individual personalities
Are sometimes "territorial spirits:" in charge of oppression over specific "geographical areas, as well as national, ethnic or tribal, religious, and even generational groups. According to this view it is necessary for Christians to identify these spirits and expel them." 8 That is, there are demons associated with each of the non-Christian religions and with many of the "cults" (new religious groups whose theological beliefs differ from traditional Christianity). There are demons who are attached to specific families who indwell each newborn. Other demons are attached to different countries, regions, or ethnic groups.
Specialize in oppressing individuals in specific behaviors. e.g. some propose a "demon of homosexuality," demonic spirits "of sexual abuse...a specific demon of adultery" or a demonic spirit of alcohol." 8 
Act as spirit guide during Shamanism and New Age channeling, as the driving energy behind Ouiji boards, Tarot cards, Runes, crystal gazing, etc., and as the communicating spirits in seances.
Have male (incubus) and female (succubus) forms who attack and sexually molest their victims - often at night.
Are one cause of mental illness. They can enter and possess a person's body and control it in many ways: 
they can give the body great strength; 
they can simulate physical disabilities and sicknesses, like blindness, deafness; 
they can speak through the vocal chords of the person that they posses, often in a language unknown to the individual
they can cause the person to become mentally unstable and even suicidal.
they can drive a person to sinful behavior, such as adultery, lying, idolatry, etc.
they can cause a religious leader to preach falsehoodsCan be sometimes driven from a possessed person by a ritual of exorcism
Most conservative Christian faith groups believe that a "born-again" believer cannot be possessed by a demon. The rationale most often given is that when a person is "saved", they are filled with Holy Spirit. Thus, there is no room for Satan or a demon to enter their body. 9 Essentially all believe that a saved individual can be influenced, tempted, and/or harassed by Satan or a demon. Thus the Christian must be continuously on guard. James 4:77 promises that if one resists Satan, he will flee. Satan is not to be feared by the born again Christian, because Christ will protect him/her. "...greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world" (1 John 4:4).
Harvest Ministries has an excellent, clearly written essay on Satan, as seen from an Evangelical Christian perspective. 11
The conservative Christian position is well represented by a quotation from the writings of Richard Lee and Ed. Hindson: 12

"Today people are experimenting with astrology, witchcraft, Ouija boards, divination, channeling, Tarot cards, fortune-tellers, mediums, crystals and shamans. Mankind has come to the final conclusion of disbelief in God and has turned to belief in the very opposite! Satan has cleverly convinced the modern mind that he is not to be taken seriously until all other spiritual options are exhausted. Then, when empty souls turn to him in desperation, he can take them over completely and totally.
C.S. Lewis wrote in 'The Screwtape Letters,' 13 'There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. One is to disbelieve in their existence. The other is to believe, and to feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them. they themselves are equally pleased by both errors.'"
Another impressive conservative Christian resource is the web site End-Time Deliverance Center. 15 Their goal is "to teach the every day normal 'true worshiper' (John 4:23) (Christian) how to take authority over the devil and his demons, using the name of Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, thereby training an army of DELIVERANCE ministers to defeat the works of the enemy." Some samplings from their web site are:
Satan has assigned two specific demons to cause malfunctions in electronic equipment. They are named Boyce and Boice. One of their tasks is to prevent viewers from opening the Demonbuster web site or printing hard copies of their material. 
There are also lying, fear, temper, suicide demons who make people lie, be afraid, have a temper and want to kill themselves. 
They claim that Roman Catholics can only be fully delivered from demons if they first renounce all "promises made to, oaths taken and rituals performed in the Catholic system by me, my parents, my husband/wife and their ancestors on both sides of the family." 
Witchcraft is listed as a demon. They claim that the "leader of all witch covens are commanded to make human sacrifices." (This belief appears to have been altered recently, as they now believe that Wiccan leaders do not engage in human sacrifices.)
Other demons include pornography, blood transfusions, Valium, fantasy, bankruptcy, greed, oral sex, scorpions, divorce, four-leaf clovers, Rubik's cube, frogs and many dozens of others. Yoga, Halloween, country music, self-help programs, men's and women's lodges, World Council of Churches, psychiatry, Hippocratic oath, and all non-Christian religions are demon associated.
Karate or Judo caused the student to become demon possessed. 


Is a belief in demons rational?

It was certainly easier to believe in Satan and demons in the 1st century CE then it is today. Educated folks then believed that the world was flat, with a Heaven up in the sky and Hell under the earth. Satan and his demons were seen to possess the bodies of a few unfortunate people. Thunder, lightning and other weather disturbances were seen as the workings of the evil ones. But 2 millennia later, it is notÊ easy to maintain that ancient belief system. We no longer believe in a mythical cosmology; we no longer live in a pre-scientific culture. With the exception of the United States and Ireland, most Western Christians have almost abandoned their belief in Satan and his demonic army. 
We can now explain weather phenomenon; gods and spirits are no longer needed to move the sun, moon and stars each day. Mental illnesses have been found to have chemical and emotional origins. But, just because most of the activities of Satan and his demons have been explained away, one cannot logically conclude that these beings do not exist.
Philosophers have tried for millennia to prove the existence of God, without success. They have not been able to prove that God does not exist either. With the present stalemate, both belief in God and a disbelief in God are rational alternatives. So too are belief or disbelief in Satan and his helpers. It is not possible to prove or disprove the existence of a incorporeal being. 
Belief in Satan does solve one of the thorniest of philosophical problems: how an all-good God resides in a universe that contains so much evil. However, belief in Satan and demons has a downside:
It can generate fear and paranoia as believers feel helpless in the path of a supernatural being
It can motivate people to not accept responsibility for their actions. This is "the Devil made me do it" defense.
It can motivate a person to seek relief from mental or emotional problems through exorcism rather that from a mental health practitioner.


Related essays:

What the Bible says about 
demons
exorcismExorcism and Demonic Possession
Satan: overview; what the Bible says about Satan
Satan: 2,600 year history


References:


1.	G. MessandŽ, "The History of the Devil", Newell, London, England, (1996)
2.	G. Barn, "The Index of Leading Spiritual Indicators," Word Publishing, Dallas TX (1996), Page 22.
3.	George Barn, "What Americans Believe.", Regal Books, Ventura CA (1991), Page 206
4.	Gust Niebuhr, "Poll Indicates Diminished Role of Devil", N.Y. Times News Service, 1997-MAY-10, at: http://www.anomalous-images.com/news/news042.html 
5.	J. F. Cognac, "Handbook about Demon Possession For Human Service Workers" at http://www.gelservices.com/hs.html 
6.	Charles Pant, "Sacred Origins of Profound Things," Penguin, New York NY (1996), Pages 363 to 379.
7.	"Does Satan Really Exist?," Our Baptist Heritage, 1993-MAR/APR. Text published at: http://www.worldmissions.org/Clipper/Doctrine/DoesSatanExist.htm 
8.	M.F. Under, "Demons in the World Today," Tenderly House, Wheaten, IL, (1971), Page 8
9.	Eric Villanova, "Territorial Spirits and Spiritual Warfare: A Biblical Perspective," Christian Research Journal, 1992-Summer, Page 38 at: http://www.iclnet.org/pub/resources/text/cri/cri-jrnl/crj0111a.txt 
10.	Brent Grimily & Elliot Miller, "Can A Christian Be 'Demonized'?," Christian Research Journal, 1993-Summer, Page 16, at: http://www.iclnet.org/pub/resources/text/cri/cri-jrnl/crj0158a.txt 
11.	Greg Laurie, "Foundations for Living: Who is the Devil?" at: http://www.harvest.org/tools/ffl/devil1.html and http://www.harvest.org/tools/ffl/devil2.html 
12.	R. Lee & Ed. Hindson, "Angels of Deceit," Harvest House, Eugene, OR, (1993), Page 118
13.	C.S. Lewis, "The Screwtape Letters," Macmillan, New York, NY, (1961), Page 3
14.	Richard Owen, "Satan gets a facelift," The Australian, 1999-JAN-26 at: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/world/4214671.htm 
15.	The "End-Time Deliverance Center" maintains an extensive web site on demonic oppression at: http://demonbuster.com/ 


Notes:
Quotations are from the King James Version (KJV) of the Bible. We use it mainly to avoid copyright problems.
Essay was originally published on 1999-JAN-27
Last update: 1999-MAR-1
Author: B.A. Robinson