21
votes
Accepted
To what extent does mainstream Christian doctrine teach that knowing a spirit's name gives you power over it?
Actually, this is more Kabbalah than Christianity and has further roots in the occult and other non-Christian mysticism and folklore (Rumpelstiltskin comes to mind, which is a decidedly non-Christian ...
11
votes
Are Catholic priests expert in exorcism?
Not all Catholic priests are specially trained in the sort of exorcism depicted in the film (although a particular form of exorcism is contained in the rite of baptism). Major and specific exorcism is ...
10
votes
Was casting out of demons done in the Old Testament by any Prophets or was it started in the New Testament?
There are no explicit references to exorcism in the OT. However, in a possible foreshadowing of Christ, David caused an evil spirit to depart from Saul multiple times by playing the harp (1 Sam 16, 18,...
9
votes
Origin of the idea that "demons" and "fallen angels" are the same thing?
As close as I can understand these Scriptures they apply to the fallen Angels:
Revelation 12:7 through 9 NKJV And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the ...
9
votes
Accepted
Ephesians 2:2, which one comes first in the Calvinist view?
From Calvin's commentary on Ephesians 2:2 :
We may now draw from it also this inference, that ungodly men have no excuse in being driven by Satan to commit all sorts of crimes. Whence comes it that ...
8
votes
To what extent does mainstream Christian doctrine teach that knowing a spirit's name gives you power over it?
I’ll try to answer the question from a Catholic perspective and, additionally, provide some supplementary information about what has been mentioned in the comments.
The general answer to the question ...
8
votes
Dinosaurs offspring of demons?
The first step in looking for a respected theologian who can propose this view is to define how we know a theologian is respected, and I suggest a minimum requirement is that he or she is a theologian ...
8
votes
Accepted
Why is the sin of the fallen angels unforgivable? (Catholic catechism)
Satan and all the fallen angels (demons) are completely consumed with evil and chose to do evil with all their intellect and sin against God, thus repentance is no longer possible for them.
...
7
votes
What is the Biblical basis for the concept that demons have an odor?
It appears that there is no explicit reference in the bible to point to anything that suggests that demons have any odor.
However, I really wanted to make sense of this (strange for me) phenomenon, so ...
7
votes
Are Catholic priests expert in exorcism?
Along with the great answer by Andrew Leach, I would like to point out that a priest or a bishop are valid ministers to perform a exorcisms.
Are all Catholic priests trained to perform exorcism?
...
7
votes
Accepted
Who said that the mere sight of devils was one of the greatest torments of hell?
The most obvious reference I see comes from St. Catherine of Siena, one of the Doctors of the Catholic Church.
St. Catherine wrote a work known as the Dialogue, representing a discussion between a ...
6
votes
Why didn't Jesus want the demon possessed people to tell who he was?
Demons can say pretty much whatever they want, lying or telling the truth as it suits them.
Jesus had already been accused of consorting with demons by such groups as the Sanhedrin (for example, in ...
6
votes
Was casting out of demons done in the Old Testament by any Prophets or was it started in the New Testament?
I don't think there is any other reference to casting out out of demons other than what's stated above about David. BUT Jesus said this in Matthew 12:27 NLT
And if I am empowered by Satan, what ...
6
votes
Accepted
How are people who were not approved by Jesus (Matthew 7:21-23) still able to expel demons?
tl;dr
It is possible that they are not casting out the demons but that the demons participate by leaving on their own accord, in order to provide credence to the preacher.
Exorcism exists also in ...
6
votes
Accepted
What is the difference between Demon and Devil?
From the perspective of the Greek New Testament, demon could be said to represent δαίμων (daimōn, from which the corresponding English word is derived) and devil could be said to represent διάβολος (...
6
votes
Accepted
Can demons manifest in bodily form in the physical, just like angels do in the Bible?
Can demons manifest in bodily form in the physical(?), just like angels do in the Bible?
Catholicism accepts the possibility that Satan and the Demons may appear to men, just like the Holy Angels.
...
6
votes
Should Christians have a conscience about pagan or idolatrous nomenclature?
Christians have felt uncomfortable about nomenclature before.
George Fox, the founder of the Quaker movement (which today is a very different thing to the way in which George Fox lived and worshipped) ...
6
votes
Should Christians have a conscience about pagan or idolatrous nomenclature?
How should Christian coders relate to software that can be seen as inadvertently demonic (as opposed to intentionally demonic, e.g. "Diablo"), and obedience to God and not defiling oneself ...
5
votes
Accepted
What is the understanding of "an evil spirit from the LORD tormented him"?
Different translations describe the spirit in different ways:
NIV, KJV, NASB, ISV - Evil
ESV - Harmful
NLT - Tormenting
YLT - Spirit of Sadness
However all these translations agree that this Spirit ...
5
votes
To what extent does mainstream Christian doctrine teach that knowing a spirit's name gives you power over it?
Taking a slightly different tack (and not wanting to detract at all from fredsbend's excellent and informative answer), the short answer is a definite No.
Any authority over evil spirits that a ...
5
votes
What are all the different species of intelligent beings that God has created?
The Four Living Creatures in Revelation are also described in Ezekiel 10, when he has a vision of the Cherubim - which are either heavenly beings and/or angels depending on who you ask:
And every ...
5
votes
Origin of the idea that "demons" and "fallen angels" are the same thing?
A bit late here, but just wanted to add that the concept that fallen angels are demons (leaving beside the evidence in the New testament, which is not altogether satisfactory), is far older than ...
5
votes
Accepted
What are demons according to the Catholic Church?
According to the Catholic Church, demons are simply fallen angels: i.e., angels who have sinned gravely against God and are now living the eternal consequences of their separation from Him.
Angels
...
5
votes
Why does church tradition teach that one third of the angels fell with Lucifer when no verse supports that
@BYE points in the right direction. Some of the prophecies in Revelation look backwards to events that occurred before John lived, because the contest between Satan and God goes back to the beginning ...
5
votes
Accepted
Do spirits need bodies to manifest?
As a lifelong Protestant whom most people accept as being 'evangelical' I would say the following :
There are many examples and this is but one [Acts 8:27-29, KJV] :
Behold, a man of Ethiopia, an ...
4
votes
Accepted
Can people come back from Heaven or Hell?
The short answer is no. There are many reports of people "seeing" Heaven or Hell and coming back, but as for entering, there is no return. That being said, Heaven and Hell are spiritual states (at ...
4
votes
What is the scriptural evidence for Satan "taking hold" of Christians' minds or implanting/whispering thoughts?
I love Acts 5 (verse 3):
Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your
heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself
some of the money you received ...
4
votes
Why does God use an army of Angels to fight against evil when he could do it himself?
God graciously allows the Angels to fight the battles with the Devil and his demons. God is omniscient and already knows who will be successful in every battle between The Arch Angel Michael and Satan ...
4
votes
Origin of the idea that "demons" and "fallen angels" are the same thing?
The Book of Watchers, in the aprocryphal 1 Enoch*, is the earliest specific, pre-Christian reference to the fallen angels, at least in the Septuagint version.
Annette Yoshiko Reed says in an ...
4
votes
Does the Southern Baptist Convention consider other religions evil, demonic, and satanic?
According to the SBC's FAQ, the best place to look for SBC views on various issues is in their resolutions:
The Southern Baptist Convention makes official statements regarding specific issues by ...
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