Demonic possession is the supposed control over a human form by a demon. Descriptions of demonic possessions often include erased memories or personalities, convulsions, “fits” and fainting as if one were dying.[1] Unlike in channeling or other forms of possession, the subject has no control over the possessing entity and so it will persist until forced to leave the victim, usually through a form of exorcism. Other descriptions include access to hidden knowledge (gnosis) and foreign languages (glossolalia), drastic changes in vocal intonation and facial structure, sudden appearance of injury (scratches, bite marks) or lesions, and superhuman strength.
Many cultures and religions contain some concept of demonic possession, but the details vary considerably. The Roma people believe that demons can also possess animals, plants, deceased persons or inanimate objects.
The oldest references to demonic possession are from the Sumerians, who believed that all diseases of the body and mind were caused by “sickness demons” called gidim or gid-dim.[2] The priests who practiced exorcisms in these nations were called ashipu (sorcerer) as opposed to an asu (physician) who applied bandages and salves.[3] Many cuneiform tablets contain prayers to certain gods asking for protection from demons, while others ask the gods to expel the demons that have invaded their bodies.
Shamanic cultures also believe in demon possession and shamans perform exorcisms too; in these cultures often diseases are attributed to the presence of a vengeful spirit or (loosely termed) demon in the body of the patient. These spirits are more often the spectres of animals or people wronged by the bearer, the exorcism rites usually consisting of respectful offerings or sacrificial offerings.
The Malleus Maleficarum speaks about some exorcisms that can be done in different cases. Depending on the severity of the alleged possession, solutions range from prayers of deliverance to the Solemn Rite of Exorcism as practiced by the Catholic Church. The Malelficarum was used extensively during the Spanish Inquisition in its hunt for heretics and witches, despite its author being denounced by the Inquisition in 1490.
Notable cases
- Aix-en-Provence possessions
- Johann Blumhardt
- Clara Germana Cele
- Antoine Gay
- Loudun possessions
- Louviers possessions
- George Lukins
- Robbie Mannheim
- Anneliese Michel
- Michael Taylor (Ossett)
Demon Possession and Alien Abduction:
Similarities of an Enigma,
by R.G. Teets, copyright 1996, Headline Books, Inc. (TerraAlta@aol.com)
I cannot unequivocally state that so-called demons or extraterrestrials are, in fact, objectively real. But as I continue to research subjects seemingly connected with the UFO phenomenon, it is apparent from a great number of percipients I’ve interviewed (and collateral research, as well) that the net effects of many, but certainly not all, of these interactions be they with non-human intelligences or with other states of mind (i.e. consciousness and all of its various aberrations) appear to demonstrate many similarities between the UFO abduction experience and demonic/spirit possession.
This is not to eliminate other possibilities (for a more thorough understanding of those possibilities, one may begin by reading the Matrix of UFO Beliefs, a briefing paper by Dick Farley), but for the purposes of this discussion, I will concentrate on this single aspect of the phenomenon.
While also not attempting to present a conclusive epistemological examination (and clearly I am not suggesting this to be anything but perhaps a glimpse of part of an interesting phenomenon that contains many more elements than those addressed here), I can identify the following similarities between alien abduction and spirit possession.
HOW THEY OPERATE
I. Examine the fear factor: most people would find it equally abhorrent to either be abducted from their bedrooms by aliens and to have various traumatizing experiments/molestations perpetrated against them, or to be possessed by a demon or discarnate, in either case to be powerless to stop the intrusive activities. It is observable, at least from having interviewed many percipients, and having read the UFO literature, that many percipients would rather admit to alien interference than to consider demon possession, the former offering some modicum of contact, perhaps with higher intelligence (in the extreme, perhaps, as Harvard psychiatrist John Mack, M.D. and a long list of others opine, contact with messengers of God), while the latter denotes unclean, morally corrupting contact (and perhaps even cooperation) with the ultimate evil force in the universe.
II. We can at least partially judge these entities by their affects on people.
III. Those who are abducted report never being the same again, as if their alien abductors were always nearby or, in some cases, within them (much like an infection or a possession state). Dr. William J. Baldwin, author of Spirit Releasement Therapy: A Technique Manual, assisted by his wife, Rev. Judith Baldwin, often refer to dark entities like this:
They are simply bacteria, no more, no less. They are another life form with a different purpose. What right do bacteria have to join our bodies? The Baldwins’ statement infers consciousness as inherent with these entities.
IV. Many modern researchers are now saying that abductees are finding their experiences more and more acceptable, even spiritually uplifting and transformational. Social worker John Carpenter, director of abduction research for the Mutual UFO Network (MUFON), has noted a more accepting attitude in Contactees/abductees. Dr. John Mack says many abductees come to love their alien captors. Author Whitley Strieber admits to his love and longing for the creatures (which had previously subjected him, without anesthetic, to medical-like experiments, including nasal and anal probes). In the case of spirit/demon possession, a large measure of the entities’ success in the host depends on the host’s cooperation. If the host finds power, profit or even love as a result of the visitors within (once they are recognized), then the host will naturally find the visitors presence more and more acceptable, often even transformational in the broadest sense, to the point of developing a love for and/or a dependency on them. (The Stockholm Syndrome, recognized in victims of terrorist-like captivity, is seemingly overlooked by these researchers.)
V. Often, the ETs and spirit entities present themselves to percipients in identical ways.
VI. There are many cases where percipients are unable to separate the identities of these entities as being one or the other, ET or demon, which suggests that the entities, at least some of them, may be one and the same. (Conversely, many percipients confuse entities’ identities with ETs and angels, as well.)
VII. In addition, both sets of entities are or seem capable of:
1. telepathic communication
2. hypnotic / altered state induction, regression, suggestion
3. hiding, both in the sense of successfully convincing the
host /percipient to deny their existence AND at convincing a
huge portion of the public that they don’t exist. Also, both are capable of hiding in the physical sense, as well, within the layered psyche and often within the physical or quantum or interstitial body of the host.
4. reprisal when discovered, often in equal measure to the level of emotional distress caused by the discovery
5. time travel
6. obtaining some measure of physical and mental control over their subjects for extended periods
7. cajoling, manipulating, or in some way forcing their subjects to perform acts against the subjects’ wills, including forced sexual intercourse (rape), violent crime, and suicide. The Solar Temple cult could be an extreme example of this concept: Leader Luc Jouret claimed contact with ETs, and said the only way to go to their planet was through the Glory of Fire, which resulted in the fiery deaths and in some cases murder of all cult members in 1994 and more recently.
8. physically moving their subjects from one location to another through various means, including a compromise of the percipient’s free will through mind control / manipulation
9. interacting with percipients/hosts at the soul level
10. establishing highly organized, hierarchic networks capable of interacting with and controlling to some degree vast numbers of minions and human beings simultaneously
11. according to Dr. Gregory Little, a psychologist and UFO researcher/author, these entities, at least the ones who do harm to human percipients, enter or manifest into the human perceptual levels from the lower frequencies of the electromagnetic spectrum (per his book, Grand Illusions)
12. interrupting the transitory journey of the soul after death. Examples can be found in the Bible, in the book Matrix II (per the Nexus Group), various works by Maurice Rawlings (To Hell and Back), et al.
13. claiming to represent the Light, i.e. a higher spiritual power, even though the literal translation of the name Lucifer can be Light Bearer.
14. Neither set of entities ever occupied human bodies of their own.
15. Either set of entities can or could have been abducted or possessed. Without going into great detail, it is convenient to think of the possibilities like this: Demons, or fallen angels, are said to have fallen from grace, even though they were originally created by God. In effect, they may have been influenced, even possessed and/or abducted, by Lucifer at the time of the Great Rebellion in Heaven. ETs (generically meant here to encompass UFO-related entities) are vulnerable to possession and abduction, as well.
16. Both sets or subsets of these entities may have volunteered to interact with humans in these ways.
17. Dr. Baldwin mentions the similarity of the little demons to stinging insects. Many UFO percipients report interactions with UFO occupants resembling insects.
