Demons – From Hell and Beyond

Devil spawn, stinking and festering creatures of brimstone origin, held at bay by the rules of faith and spirituality.  God toes the line, face-to-face with evil incarnate and all the while we sit in blissful ignorance, right smack in the middle of the ethereal battlefield.

The world behind the world, a thin veil of perception keeps the horrible visions of demonic torture and angelic war, rules of engagement drawn out by the words of the prophets and laid before us, the innocent bystanders, in the form of the holy bible.

Seems a little dramatic, and while I don’t agree with the Heaven and Hell mythology, many, if not most, people do.  The vast majority of public opinion holds that demons are the minions of Satan, and that we are the prize in an ongoing battle between good and evil.  Popular culture has painted a picture on the silver screen and in books that is contrary to the written history of the world.

Films like Constantine, Stigmata and End of Days have all glorified the notion that evil is an entity, hiding in shadow and smoke, waiting for an opportunity to exploit in the absence of the good shepherd.  Relatively modern literature has done the same; it has taken the religiously biased mindset of the public and manipulated consensus to make their story more appealing to those who seek excitement and trills in tempting danger.

I wish to present a new theory, a new consensus, to be taken up by the public and held in the light of reason to explain the entities we commonly refer to as the biblical dogs of hell…the Demon.

The idea of demons is not a new one, not by a long shot.  From the time of the great Philosopher ‘Homer’, the term was used to describe superhuman non-god entities that, until the biblical condemnation of the term, were considered to be benevolent. Interstitial and unrelated to our reality, they were believed to be a lower ranking of the beings known to them as The Gods.

It’s interesting to note that all major cultures on earth have, deep in the folk lore of their history, an entity or several entities that are represented by the Demon.  From each culture, there is now a direct link between demons, which are not reducible to humanity, and at least a part of human suffering on earth.

Before we get to what they are, lets examine who they are.  While technically, the term relates to beings or entities that are believed to enter into relations with humans, through a number of various means at their disposal.  This list would include angels, the souls of the passed (including ghosts, genii, familiars and revenants), as well as mythical creatures such as vampires, Incubi, Succubi and many, many more.  There is nearly as much misinformation on Demonic lore as there are Demons to classify.

For a reasonably comprehensive listing of theological Demons, Visit this Wikipedia page.

One thing is becoming relatively clear however, and that is that demonic interaction with humans is increasing in frequency, duration, intensity and effect.  Some see this as the result of our modern culture’s overall rejection of religious dogma and faith.  Other’s are beginning to see connections between humanity and the demonic shadows we encounter that go well beyond the boundaries of religion.

It has been suggested that demonic relations cannot be initiated by the demonic unless a ‘door’ is opened for contact between our realities.  In some areas of the world it seems that not only was a door opened, but it was propped open and forgotten.

The new theory I wish to present is related to the connection between Demons and humanity, and the specifically non-religious nature of Demonology.

In spite of the glamour of Hollywood, the reality of demons is widespread, dangerous and overwrought with amateur paranormalists undertaking to rid their “clients” of demonic activity.  But what if the agenda of the demon is not what you think, what if their motives and reasoning are not rooted in a perpetual battle of good and evil for humanity?

I suggest that very idea, that demons (fitting into that definition only insofar as they are not of human origin) are an invading force of intelligent and malevolent entities from an alternate reality, possibly an alternate dimension of reality.  The torment suffered by those who encounter demons first hand, resembles the suffering often inflicted on insects and small animals by emotionally disturbed children, it resembles a preoccupation with amusement, control and anger, and often has only the single purpose of causing suffering.

This all seems less like the collateral damage of a war between Heaven and Hell and far more like the pass-time of overpowered and under-stimulated beings whose connection to this world is fleeting and one dimensional; more like a game or a way to amuse and find shelter from an eternity of boredom.  In short, Demons seem more to me like inter-dimensional bullies with too much time on their hands, and in my experience, the only way to stop a bully, is to stand up and refuse to take their abuse any longer.

In any event, the power a Demon can hold over you, is ultimately in your control. You can choose to accept their dominance and be tortured as long as they find amusement in it, or you can slam that so-called door in their face and refuse to take part in their juvenile fraternity games.

I don’t have all the answers, I hope I never do.  What I do have is the curiosity and reason to see things for what they are, and not for what I’m told to believe.