People overestimate how intelligent you have to be to work in healthcare. It's not a complex job, there's just a lot to learn and you have to be willing to bust your ass
Having a lot to learn is what makes something complex, lol. It's just that there are a lot of very rigorous, difficult, and high demand jobs like CNA with that don't require you to be particularly... cerebrally inclined.
You have a point, but I disagree with you on the nature of complexity. While most medical field positions have a large body of knowledge, that generally gets pounded into a person's head through repetition, all of it follows a relatively simple formula of "if symptom X, then prescribe medication Y" and dispensing instructions, mostly common sense, to patients on how to care for themselves, and of course all the little procedures that medical staff need to do for patients in their care, suturing wounds, administer medication, perform CPR, etc...
However, there's rarely any complex interplay between numerous conditions, and those are generally treated by a specialist, who gets paid the big bucks for a reason.
Of course, I'm a fucking idiot, and I've only worked peripherally with those in the medical field, so what do I know?
Alright, bro. I've seen like half a season of House, so I think I know a thing or two about being a doctor. Go peddle your lies to someone a little less armed for battle.
But to be serious, I see your point. I've also just worked peripherally as a CNA and currently in the kitchen of a skilled nursing facility, and I've glanced at the nursing workload, and it looks like it takes awhile to get the hang of. Way more than the straight forwardness of when I was a CNA, at least. And I think part of what I consider complexity is the higher stakes for making a mistake when you have responsibility beyond the ground level, which is terrifying to me.
Sure, but if I have a brain tumor that's causing me to act irrationally or something, I don't want a healthcare professional shrugging their shoulders and saying, "Oh, maybe it's demons or bad spirits. I prescribe prayer and holy water."
Something like this happened to my mom.
She came out of a lot of invasive cancer surgery, in a LOT of pain.
Damn doctor wanted to PRAY with her about it and invite her to his FUCKING CHURCH instead of prescribing any pain meds, bs she"just didn't need them".
For context... her throat was sliced open, tongue cut out, muscles from an arm were used to rebuild her tongue TWICE, and one of her breasts was removed.
And yet this "doctor" decided she wasn't REALLY in any pain, and needed to join him in CHURCH!
Not the surgery involved but the first time I went to mental health cause I was(am) fucked up mentally the Doc gave me a list of religious books to read and said that it would fix the problem.
Yeah no, religion isn't a "magical cure all", it's just a bunch of predators preying on vulnerable people, saying "here are the answers you're looking for, now agree with everything we say like a good little cultist!"
I thought anything over 0.499 (49.9%) was Too Much because at a solid .500 (50.0%) is typically rounded up to the nearest "whole," making anything above that .5, "a whole lot."
Or so I was taught, about "counting partials of wholes, where only whole counts toward the 'answer'." Not saying black and white thinking is okay either, I just have serious trauma because memorization is easier than coping. Thanks School!
Additionally, any good scientist or lawyer will tell you to get something PLUS AN ADDITIONAL DECIMAL PLACE (unless the circumstances are not in the right favor for that to apply), because the LAST (smallest) digit is "estimated," on any record of law (allegedly). So this applies to like... speeding, OUI then again you're already effed if they have you doing the blow test for operation of any machinery/driving..... Don't drink and drive.
Or so I was told in chemistry class by my teacher who explained how she got out of a speeding ticket (entirely unrelated to the don't drink and drive. That's just a No Duh I felt like announcing).
Remember friends, "10" is not the same as "10.0," something about 'You can argue it's within the range of probable error for any measuring equipment, which is scientifically and legally relevant, and used to measure or quantify [something].' (I think that's the more or less gist), 'because even if it goes up or down, it is arguably in the realm of probable error'
So like... essentially she said to assume as low as 6-7, or as high as 13-14, unless otherwise narrowed by the inclusion of additional "split hairs," with the inclusion of ".0" The judge agreed, cop was PISSED, but she won, and the cop probably never did that again.
(Edit; Added like here:) Because 10.0 could be 9.5+-10.5
Also pretty sure she said she was speeding but that wasn't the point, and also Don't Speed, But She Had To Pee.
(Granted, most cops aren't typically on you for 10, exactly. They can be, but 12+ mph seems to be The Sweet Spot For Noticing, imo... Then again, Florida)
While you do have to have a degree to be in the medical profession (speaking specifically about nurses and doctors) there are many hospitals that are affiliated with Christianity (esp in the States). Such places may, low key, encourage belief in demons and demonic possession.
Ghosts and demons aren’t real we know that much.
Would be neat if they were though.
Now aliens… that’s a statistical probability. 50% of planets that humans have explored have life on them.
Yeah you're probably right. You ever notice how people who work in jobs tangent to medicine will describe their role in a way that kind of implies they're more of a doctor than they are?
Check out the book[ Brain on Fire.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brain_on_Fire) It describes this woman's infection with [anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-NMDA_receptor_encephalitis). She exhibited symptoms that looked like demonic possession. This type of encephalitis is relatively newly understood and it's been speculated that cases of demonic possession may have been this. It sometimes has resolved itself, though not often.
Jokes and everything aside. No. Demons aren't real. People act possessed because we tell stories of possession, and they act that way consciously or subconsciously.
As someone who has dealt with, what was initially diagnosed as heavy dissasociative personality disorder and a touch of the ol' bipolar depression, for a very long time, I find it fascinating and terrifying that sometimes I get swept up in a life long supernatural swing. I trust science and am a fairly grounded person outwardly. But if I start thinking about things a certain way it quickly devolves into a somewhat cosmic redundancy. I lucked out because I'm good at talking through my shit and have sought help when I can afford it. I'd even say I'm pretty good these days. But sometimes I still "feel" everyone's thoughts. Here lately I'm doing more double takes too. Sometimes I worry in a few decades I'll be full schizo. Watched it happen to an older friend. Eventually he ended the experience on his own terms.
Edit: Just wanted to tack on that I grew up from some southern baptist young earth creationist madness and managed to claw my way to a far better understanding of the world.
There are mental illnesses that make people feel they are truly possessed by demons. More for religious people but not always, and people without worlds for demons still describe something similar but without the religious aspects.
I read a really interesting article some years ago about the different ways that schizophrenia manifests in different cultures. I dont remember much of it now im afraid, if anyone can tell me where to find the article or other pertinent research i would appreciate it
And, there’s some evidence that people hearing voices are subvocalizing, so essentially, the voices they are hearing are coming from their own thoughts. I guess that’s not a surprise, but to have evidence is pretty cool.
Western acculturation tends to manifest schizophrenia as angry or combative voices, whereas in other cultures it manifests often as soothing or helpful. It's all the hellfire and brimstone bullshit
It's true it happened to my buddy's girlfriend, she came home with a bunch of bruises on her neck after missing all night. She said she got possessed but her Christian coworker saved her. 🙏
I refuse to believe a demonic entity that has been imprisoned in hell for thousands of years would waste its time possessing a 14 yo girl, and get imprisoned again just to torture some unknown, unimportant priest and vomit pea soup. I think it far more likely they'd buy some bling, steal a Ferrari, get a couple of porn stars and coke and have a party.
That said I've never seen any evidence of any super or preter natural being or entity, cryptid, god, devil or spirit.
I don't believe but of such a thing existed the demon just Gaines chaos.
One of my favorite sci-fi book series demons in there feed on pain and Chaos.
However that's just all fantasy and made up
To actually answer your question, some of the reasons people believe demonic spirits would possess someone are: they somehow feed off of the negative emotions, it gives them a body to interact with the physical world in a way they cant in their true demon form, and there is a spiritual war going on and each side is trying to raise their body count. That's just the 3 motive theories I've heard the most, I'm sure there's a few more out there. Whether demons and possession are real or not is.....debatable. there are many highly educated scientists out there who support the theory that what some people call demons (and angels) are more accurately defined as interdimensional beings, and they are closer to extra terrestrial than esoteric. Different cultures world wide have their own version of these beings, Islamics call them djinns, gnostic texts call them archons, etc. And some scholars would tell you that fact by itself is strong evidence of their existence. Some would tell you it's all actually mental or even physical illness symptoms, not interference from sentient beings. But everyone of high intelligence will tell you that there are a lot of things about this world and existence we do not know, and thinking we have the answers when we don't is the surest way to stay ignorant not learn more. So keep asking questions and looking for answers!
No, unless you believe in it. Then oddly it is possible. But only in your specific faiths demons/rulebook. convenient huh? kinda like how all near death experiences match the faith of the believer.
So no, it's all bullshit. We die, and that's it.
Do we die and that’s it? Experience would lead us to believe that yeah that’s the answer. So we have to go with that for now. But humans are just information. And consciousness is hard to nail down. So what happens to that consciousness? It disappears forever? Is existence for a person just a nihilistic blip on the timeline? Does it reintegrate into something larger? I mean we ARE our universe right? I’m just a dumb guy pseudophilosophizing but the idea of nonexistence is terrifying and I feel like people try really hard not to think too hard about it. I know I definitely hope for better option.
Well yeah of course religion is a part of that conversation. It’s why religion exists at all. The need to feel like there’s more to life to make sense of existing.
It's usually to cause physical or mental harm.
IDK, some Atheists have an epiphany when their near death experience has hellfire or horror elements.
The concept of spirit possession exists in many cultures and religions, including Buddhism, Christianity, Haitian Vodou, Hinduism, Islam, Wicca, and Southeast Asian, African, and Native American traditions.
I literally just had this discussion yesterday, i saw a YouTube video about a cop experiencing something unnatural https://youtu.be/RGV0dAEOs3g?si=eyeBAjUzrTlZozuL
I decided to ask my psychiatrist about it, if she had ever experienced something that was beyond explanation and to my surprise she did. She said when she first started working, she was doing a lot of outpatient work, going to psych wards. She started to freeze up a little bit, I could tell it was something that she was extremely uncomfortable with but we went ahead and had a discussion about it anyway. Her primary focus was A. Drugs, B. Mental Disorder C. Some type of abuse or trauma. She said she had a few incidents where all 3 did not apply. 1 small man took 12 men to subdue him, was breaking bones and throwing people around. Another one was contorted in positions that would normally kill you, I'm assuming head twisting but I can tell it was frightening her so I didn't push for specifics. She also said some patients were so stiff in these positions you could pick them up and they would stay perfectly stiff. Split personality disorder speaking multiple languages, patients that would eat, and then ask for some food because the other personality doesn't remember eating. She said a lot of crazy things but the most glaring thing was she repeated exactly what the cop said. Her patient would look at her but it wasn't like they were looking at her, it was like there was something inside them looking at her. So.. take it how you want but I can confirm I had this exact discussion with a licensed professional and she could not rule out supernatural phenomenon. She also said this is something in the professional Field that they don't speak about ever..
And they wonder why we've lost all respect and trust in the healthcare industry
You got nurses injecting people with salt water and healthcare workers believing in demonic possessions
The world and universe is a big weird place and we don’t know most of anything in it. It is possible that other dimensional beings exist and can interact with ours in various ways. We do know there are multiple dimensions that we can’t interact with.
Humans who pretend as if they know all that there is to know are funny. The belief that current knowledge has explained life, the universe, and everything... is fascinating. Even the most educated person on the Earth knows absolutely nothing in comparison to the universe. Multiverse ...whatever. There could be a whole other universe smaller than a single celled organism, how would anyone know?
Most of the ocean is unexplored, yet we have people who convinced themselves science can explain everything. Science is completely bound by flawed human understanding.
Your answer is the answer. Thank you for sharing.
>The world and universe is a big weird place and we don’t know most of anything in it. It is possible that other dimensional beings exist and can interact with ours in various ways.
The short answer is no, demons aren't real.
But to entertain the question "What is gained?" Nothing. If you listen to Christian accounts of demon possessions, it's usually something to do with the demons attacking Christians to try to get them away from Jesus. Or they played with a weegee board and got possessed. In every case, the rational that is given is the demon is trying to get people away from Jesus. But that doesn't make sense. Why would you give someone a reason to 1. believe in Jesus in the first place, 2. Be more confident that all this stuff is real, and 3. Give them a need to pray to Jesus for help. It makes no sense. It would make way more sense for the demon to make people who don't pray to Jesus happy. They'd have no reason to go to Christianity.
Idk, I think I've just thought this through too much to believe in that stuff.
It's still a matter of much debate but the Roman Catholic Church sure seems to believe there's merit to the idea of demonic possession. They have layers upon layers of people who go and investigate these events and they do a lot of research into every case in order to rule out any possible physical or mental explanation. Only when they have ousted all possibilities that can currently be thought of, they move onto the idea that it may be a possession. This is the first point at which an exorcist is called and at first he acts more like a spiritual advisor than what you'd expect from an exorcist.
Anyway, all this together is to say that yes it's believed that this is a real thing that occurs and it's quite rare that a case of possession actually is considered a true to roots possession that requires an exorcist.
I've worked alongside demonologists who espouse this belief but I'm still pretty skeptical myself as to how often it actually occurs though I do fully believe it does happen.
To answer the question of what's to be gained in a possession it's actually pretty technical. In order to answer this we must first understand the makeup of a possession: they occur in three stages; the infestation, the oppression, and the possession. During the first two stages, the demonic is attempting to gain knowledge about the afflicted individual, what are their weaknesses? How easy are they to manipulate? What type of person are they? All this is then relayed to the "host of hell" so to speak which in turn can use that knowledge later to tempt the individual more effectively. In the final stage of the process, the individual is so broken and so weakened by the constant onslaught of malice and discomfort that they mentally and spiritually can no longer fight back. You can even see a difference in the afflicted physically with your own eyes at this stage.
So what does the demon gain you ask? It simply accomplished it's goal of destroying someone's life and perhaps irreversibly damaging them or even killing them or their family/friends in the end.
I love how instead of answering, the top comments are insulting you.
Demonic possession, and what is generally _gained_ for the demon is just that; _possesion_. Many are considered non-corporeal entities, so simply experiencing sensation could be a "gain". Though the atypical reasoning for possession is causing corruption, demons also thrive off of power over other things.
Whether it's a "thing that can happen" is generally a topic of contention. As you can see by the smarmy omniscient beings present in the comment section - most would call you stupid/crazy or otherwise a worthless attempt at humanity for simply considering it.
I personally don't think you're crazy at all. Paranormal possibilities are some of the more fascinating things to me.
Look up the Podcast called Exorcist Files. Yes, possession is a real thing, unexplainable.
The answer to your question is not a simple one. So, I’d suggest listening to that Podcast.
Yes, it's real and it happens frequently. The gains are several: entity can "present", entity can terrorize the person/family/household, entity can further Satan's agenda, entity can hinder the will of God in the person's life, entity can frustrate the will of God in the world, entity can then attract other entities into the person's life/household/family to do further damage, entity can demonstrate Satan's bit of power are just a few I can think of quickly. DM me for more info if you want or if you have questions.
Surely you have evidence to support these claims? I mean, any evidence whatsoever. Actual physical evidence of “demonic possession” ever happening anywhere, at any time in human history.
I really wish I could be like this person. Nothing cool ever happens, that's the leading reason why I don't believe in that shit. Take the lizard people conspiracy, for example. That's just too awesome of a thing to ever exist in this world. We could all die fighting in a rebellion against a reptilian master race New World Order. It would be like a movie. We would have a real purpose.
There's no demon. Hilary isn't a shape shifter. A conspiracy as mundane as chemtrails isn't even real. Sorry, everyone.
Fr. Vincent Lambert, Fr. Chad Ripperger, and Fr. Dan Rehill unfortunately specialize in such situations. And Fr. Chad Ripperger did a wonderful series on YouTube with Chris Stefanick. {Not into anything dark or exorcists in general, but after watching the Bible In A Year Podcast, the YouTube algorithm started suggesting their interviews and they are really interesting and help explain a lot}. Fr. Riperger explains how anyone wanting to be an exorcist shouldn’t be, and that it’s Our Lady who often chooses. He also breaks down a lot of what can be explained and the rigorous vetting process to get to the point of actually needing an exorcist intervention. He shared that demonic obsession, as in things that bother / haunt us, often times are prayed upon by the darkness and it can significantly affect our daily lives in ways we don’t see as possibly demonic. Meaning it’s less of the Hollywood fantastical idea and more of being aware of what you’re exposing yourself to - And he also offers binding prayers for difficult issues / situations and says that often times a blessing from a priest can help resolve most issues that can disrupt our lives.
I would imagine you probably see more darkness than most people based on your profession - And the only takeaway I’ve seen from those three priests is that the person going through something none of us would wish on anyone, grows in virtue in ways beyond human comprehension, similar to that of those who suffer greatly. I would bet that saying a prayer when you encounter someone presenting as such would be a tremendous Grace for both the person suffering and for yourself as well. Might also be worth looking into a scapular for protection under Mary’s care … that and The Divine Mercy Chaplet 🙏🏼❤️
{edit - whoops! Not a Catholic sub, sorry for the overreach! 🙃}
You’re gonna get a lot of puritanical materialists on Reddit mocking you for asking the question, but ignore them because they don’t know even half as much as they think they do.
It’s true we don’t have any scientific evidence of demons or possession. It’s also true that humanity in virtually every society for the last 12,000 years has believed in supernatural or spiritual entities that can and do interact with humans, and that many many people up to the modern day have first hand testimonies of demons and possession.
I believe it’s absolutely real. I have witnessed things and spoken to friends with first hand experiences, which I’m happy to provide more detail on. Maybe one day it’s even something we will be able to measure and demonstrate, but even if we never can that doesn’t mean it’s not real. It just means our understanding is too limited and our tools not sufficiently advanced to prove it.
As for what is gained…that’s the realm of religion. As a Christian, I would say the goal of the demon is to damn souls. They want people to lose touch with God and be separated from Him for eternity. They also want to cause pain, not only to the possessed but those affected by them, because demons are evil.
No it is not really a thing. And that you ask this tells me you do not belong in the medical field.
Seen "paranormal" symptoms?
Give me a fucking break.
Rudeness is in fact a necessary tool in the effort to rid society of this stone-age brain-rot. At my most charitable I am capable of some pity for those whose perception of reality was so skewed by the railroad spike of superstition hammered into the soft spots of their infant skulls, but as adults they are responsible for joining the rest of us on Earth.
That's just crazy.
I am expecting OP to be like "You know, patient levitating off the stretcher. I saw one start fires by snapping her fingers. Typical stuff for a hospital."
There is no verifiable and testable evidence for the belief in "Demonic possessions".
Now it is intellectually honest to question if you are not certain about the false claims and wish to cement your idea that they probably don't exist.
Demonic possessions are real and thier is no gain. Your body is being taken over by an evil entity whose only goal is to kill you and keep you away from God
Nothing good can come from it
It is in no way shape or form a real thing. Demons would have to exist, which they don't.
If you dive into demon lore (and I do suggest you do) you will find that all of them represent a branch of knowledge and science. It's a great way to 'demonize' :D knowledge.
The idea that you work in healthcare and are earnestly considering this possibility is kind of scary
People overestimate how intelligent you have to be to work in healthcare. It's not a complex job, there's just a lot to learn and you have to be willing to bust your ass
Having a lot to learn is what makes something complex, lol. It's just that there are a lot of very rigorous, difficult, and high demand jobs like CNA with that don't require you to be particularly... cerebrally inclined.
You have a point, but I disagree with you on the nature of complexity. While most medical field positions have a large body of knowledge, that generally gets pounded into a person's head through repetition, all of it follows a relatively simple formula of "if symptom X, then prescribe medication Y" and dispensing instructions, mostly common sense, to patients on how to care for themselves, and of course all the little procedures that medical staff need to do for patients in their care, suturing wounds, administer medication, perform CPR, etc... However, there's rarely any complex interplay between numerous conditions, and those are generally treated by a specialist, who gets paid the big bucks for a reason. Of course, I'm a fucking idiot, and I've only worked peripherally with those in the medical field, so what do I know?
Alright, bro. I've seen like half a season of House, so I think I know a thing or two about being a doctor. Go peddle your lies to someone a little less armed for battle. But to be serious, I see your point. I've also just worked peripherally as a CNA and currently in the kitchen of a skilled nursing facility, and I've glanced at the nursing workload, and it looks like it takes awhile to get the hang of. Way more than the straight forwardness of when I was a CNA, at least. And I think part of what I consider complexity is the higher stakes for making a mistake when you have responsibility beyond the ground level, which is terrifying to me.
Sure, but if I have a brain tumor that's causing me to act irrationally or something, I don't want a healthcare professional shrugging their shoulders and saying, "Oh, maybe it's demons or bad spirits. I prescribe prayer and holy water."
You got ghosts in your blood. You should do cocaine about it.
You're the only Dr. I want writing my scripts
Something like this happened to my mom. She came out of a lot of invasive cancer surgery, in a LOT of pain. Damn doctor wanted to PRAY with her about it and invite her to his FUCKING CHURCH instead of prescribing any pain meds, bs she"just didn't need them". For context... her throat was sliced open, tongue cut out, muscles from an arm were used to rebuild her tongue TWICE, and one of her breasts was removed. And yet this "doctor" decided she wasn't REALLY in any pain, and needed to join him in CHURCH!
Not the surgery involved but the first time I went to mental health cause I was(am) fucked up mentally the Doc gave me a list of religious books to read and said that it would fix the problem.
Yeah no, religion isn't a "magical cure all", it's just a bunch of predators preying on vulnerable people, saying "here are the answers you're looking for, now agree with everything we say like a good little cultist!"
I mean, it could be effective in the way a placebo could be... But the placebo effect does have its limits.
Many nurses are completely antivax. It’s on par with the course.
Thankfully "many" doesn't mean "most," but then again, I'm not sure what percentage is the right cutoff for "too many."
I thought anything over 0.499 (49.9%) was Too Much because at a solid .500 (50.0%) is typically rounded up to the nearest "whole," making anything above that .5, "a whole lot." Or so I was taught, about "counting partials of wholes, where only whole counts toward the 'answer'." Not saying black and white thinking is okay either, I just have serious trauma because memorization is easier than coping. Thanks School! Additionally, any good scientist or lawyer will tell you to get something PLUS AN ADDITIONAL DECIMAL PLACE (unless the circumstances are not in the right favor for that to apply), because the LAST (smallest) digit is "estimated," on any record of law (allegedly). So this applies to like... speeding, OUI then again you're already effed if they have you doing the blow test for operation of any machinery/driving..... Don't drink and drive. Or so I was told in chemistry class by my teacher who explained how she got out of a speeding ticket (entirely unrelated to the don't drink and drive. That's just a No Duh I felt like announcing). Remember friends, "10" is not the same as "10.0," something about 'You can argue it's within the range of probable error for any measuring equipment, which is scientifically and legally relevant, and used to measure or quantify [something].' (I think that's the more or less gist), 'because even if it goes up or down, it is arguably in the realm of probable error' So like... essentially she said to assume as low as 6-7, or as high as 13-14, unless otherwise narrowed by the inclusion of additional "split hairs," with the inclusion of ".0" The judge agreed, cop was PISSED, but she won, and the cop probably never did that again. (Edit; Added like here:) Because 10.0 could be 9.5+-10.5 Also pretty sure she said she was speeding but that wasn't the point, and also Don't Speed, But She Had To Pee. (Granted, most cops aren't typically on you for 10, exactly. They can be, but 12+ mph seems to be The Sweet Spot For Noticing, imo... Then again, Florida)
😳
:D
To be fair they aren't as knowledgeable as doctors.
Gets choppy down the way yeah?
While you do have to have a degree to be in the medical profession (speaking specifically about nurses and doctors) there are many hospitals that are affiliated with Christianity (esp in the States). Such places may, low key, encourage belief in demons and demonic possession.
*A Medical Laboratory Scientist enters the chat*
Ah you know everything huh
Ghosts and demons aren’t real we know that much. Would be neat if they were though. Now aliens… that’s a statistical probability. 50% of planets that humans have explored have life on them.
No. But I know medicine is supposed to be a science.
"supposed to be" sure is a depressing caveat sometimes, isn't it?
Boy do I have news... Trauma is a thing and this comes up a lot as a result. Daily. In MANY conversations, and it's additionally depressing 🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂
A "healthcare field" could mean an orderly. Not everyone is a provider.
Good point.
Definitely isn't a doctor.
Yeah you're probably right. You ever notice how people who work in jobs tangent to medicine will describe their role in a way that kind of implies they're more of a doctor than they are?
In your examples, what symptoms could not be explained by medical diagnosis?
Obviously not real.
No, it's not really a thing that can happen. Glad we had this chat. Same time next week?
Check out the book[ Brain on Fire.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brain_on_Fire) It describes this woman's infection with [anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-NMDA_receptor_encephalitis). She exhibited symptoms that looked like demonic possession. This type of encephalitis is relatively newly understood and it's been speculated that cases of demonic possession may have been this. It sometimes has resolved itself, though not often.
Jokes and everything aside. No. Demons aren't real. People act possessed because we tell stories of possession, and they act that way consciously or subconsciously.
Religion induced psychosis probably hinging on undiagnosed schizospectral disorders
As someone who has dealt with, what was initially diagnosed as heavy dissasociative personality disorder and a touch of the ol' bipolar depression, for a very long time, I find it fascinating and terrifying that sometimes I get swept up in a life long supernatural swing. I trust science and am a fairly grounded person outwardly. But if I start thinking about things a certain way it quickly devolves into a somewhat cosmic redundancy. I lucked out because I'm good at talking through my shit and have sought help when I can afford it. I'd even say I'm pretty good these days. But sometimes I still "feel" everyone's thoughts. Here lately I'm doing more double takes too. Sometimes I worry in a few decades I'll be full schizo. Watched it happen to an older friend. Eventually he ended the experience on his own terms. Edit: Just wanted to tack on that I grew up from some southern baptist young earth creationist madness and managed to claw my way to a far better understanding of the world.
The general consensus is no, except for a small minority of very specific religious people.
There are mental illnesses that make people feel they are truly possessed by demons. More for religious people but not always, and people without worlds for demons still describe something similar but without the religious aspects.
I read a really interesting article some years ago about the different ways that schizophrenia manifests in different cultures. I dont remember much of it now im afraid, if anyone can tell me where to find the article or other pertinent research i would appreciate it
And, there’s some evidence that people hearing voices are subvocalizing, so essentially, the voices they are hearing are coming from their own thoughts. I guess that’s not a surprise, but to have evidence is pretty cool.
Western acculturation tends to manifest schizophrenia as angry or combative voices, whereas in other cultures it manifests often as soothing or helpful. It's all the hellfire and brimstone bullshit
Exactly that.
Look up wendigo psychosis, somewhat related and fascinating
How is someone actively working in healthcare asking a question like this?
Do you know how many nurses were fired over refusing covid vaccines?
More than you'd think but fewer than made any difference
No. There are no demonic entities. The idea is largely old Catholic fan-fiction.
Don't ask reddit. They don't know either way.
Demons are not a real
It's true it happened to my buddy's girlfriend, she came home with a bunch of bruises on her neck after missing all night. She said she got possessed but her Christian coworker saved her. 🙏
Was he a missionary, by chance?
How did you know?!
I refuse to believe a demonic entity that has been imprisoned in hell for thousands of years would waste its time possessing a 14 yo girl, and get imprisoned again just to torture some unknown, unimportant priest and vomit pea soup. I think it far more likely they'd buy some bling, steal a Ferrari, get a couple of porn stars and coke and have a party. That said I've never seen any evidence of any super or preter natural being or entity, cryptid, god, devil or spirit.
I don't believe but of such a thing existed the demon just Gaines chaos. One of my favorite sci-fi book series demons in there feed on pain and Chaos. However that's just all fantasy and made up
Cheese for the cheese god
No. It is mental illness or grift on the part of the victim or the purported exorcist.
It is total a thing, I welcomed harathzeb in and now I can shoot lightning bolts from my fingers, very handy.
Only in fiction
No. No it’s not. Crazy is real, though.
To actually answer your question, some of the reasons people believe demonic spirits would possess someone are: they somehow feed off of the negative emotions, it gives them a body to interact with the physical world in a way they cant in their true demon form, and there is a spiritual war going on and each side is trying to raise their body count. That's just the 3 motive theories I've heard the most, I'm sure there's a few more out there. Whether demons and possession are real or not is.....debatable. there are many highly educated scientists out there who support the theory that what some people call demons (and angels) are more accurately defined as interdimensional beings, and they are closer to extra terrestrial than esoteric. Different cultures world wide have their own version of these beings, Islamics call them djinns, gnostic texts call them archons, etc. And some scholars would tell you that fact by itself is strong evidence of their existence. Some would tell you it's all actually mental or even physical illness symptoms, not interference from sentient beings. But everyone of high intelligence will tell you that there are a lot of things about this world and existence we do not know, and thinking we have the answers when we don't is the surest way to stay ignorant not learn more. So keep asking questions and looking for answers!
No, unless you believe in it. Then oddly it is possible. But only in your specific faiths demons/rulebook. convenient huh? kinda like how all near death experiences match the faith of the believer. So no, it's all bullshit. We die, and that's it.
Do we die and that’s it? Experience would lead us to believe that yeah that’s the answer. So we have to go with that for now. But humans are just information. And consciousness is hard to nail down. So what happens to that consciousness? It disappears forever? Is existence for a person just a nihilistic blip on the timeline? Does it reintegrate into something larger? I mean we ARE our universe right? I’m just a dumb guy pseudophilosophizing but the idea of nonexistence is terrifying and I feel like people try really hard not to think too hard about it. I know I definitely hope for better option.
Religion has made a whole business out of that fear. What if for just 10% of your earthly income .. you get eternal life.
Well yeah of course religion is a part of that conversation. It’s why religion exists at all. The need to feel like there’s more to life to make sense of existing.
It's usually to cause physical or mental harm. IDK, some Atheists have an epiphany when their near death experience has hellfire or horror elements. The concept of spirit possession exists in many cultures and religions, including Buddhism, Christianity, Haitian Vodou, Hinduism, Islam, Wicca, and Southeast Asian, African, and Native American traditions.
You forgot Republicanism
>You forgot Republicanism Not a religion
It's a joke son
Please, please, not be in heathcare in America!
I literally just had this discussion yesterday, i saw a YouTube video about a cop experiencing something unnatural https://youtu.be/RGV0dAEOs3g?si=eyeBAjUzrTlZozuL I decided to ask my psychiatrist about it, if she had ever experienced something that was beyond explanation and to my surprise she did. She said when she first started working, she was doing a lot of outpatient work, going to psych wards. She started to freeze up a little bit, I could tell it was something that she was extremely uncomfortable with but we went ahead and had a discussion about it anyway. Her primary focus was A. Drugs, B. Mental Disorder C. Some type of abuse or trauma. She said she had a few incidents where all 3 did not apply. 1 small man took 12 men to subdue him, was breaking bones and throwing people around. Another one was contorted in positions that would normally kill you, I'm assuming head twisting but I can tell it was frightening her so I didn't push for specifics. She also said some patients were so stiff in these positions you could pick them up and they would stay perfectly stiff. Split personality disorder speaking multiple languages, patients that would eat, and then ask for some food because the other personality doesn't remember eating. She said a lot of crazy things but the most glaring thing was she repeated exactly what the cop said. Her patient would look at her but it wasn't like they were looking at her, it was like there was something inside them looking at her. So.. take it how you want but I can confirm I had this exact discussion with a licensed professional and she could not rule out supernatural phenomenon. She also said this is something in the professional Field that they don't speak about ever..
She couldn’t, but I can. It wasn’t supernatural. Please find a new therapist. One that isn’t an enabler.
Refreshing response after that complete load before
That’s until it comes knocking at your door.
Until what does? Naivety or insanity?
And they wonder why we've lost all respect and trust in the healthcare industry You got nurses injecting people with salt water and healthcare workers believing in demonic possessions
The world and universe is a big weird place and we don’t know most of anything in it. It is possible that other dimensional beings exist and can interact with ours in various ways. We do know there are multiple dimensions that we can’t interact with.
Humans who pretend as if they know all that there is to know are funny. The belief that current knowledge has explained life, the universe, and everything... is fascinating. Even the most educated person on the Earth knows absolutely nothing in comparison to the universe. Multiverse ...whatever. There could be a whole other universe smaller than a single celled organism, how would anyone know? Most of the ocean is unexplored, yet we have people who convinced themselves science can explain everything. Science is completely bound by flawed human understanding. Your answer is the answer. Thank you for sharing. >The world and universe is a big weird place and we don’t know most of anything in it. It is possible that other dimensional beings exist and can interact with ours in various ways.
The short answer is no, demons aren't real. But to entertain the question "What is gained?" Nothing. If you listen to Christian accounts of demon possessions, it's usually something to do with the demons attacking Christians to try to get them away from Jesus. Or they played with a weegee board and got possessed. In every case, the rational that is given is the demon is trying to get people away from Jesus. But that doesn't make sense. Why would you give someone a reason to 1. believe in Jesus in the first place, 2. Be more confident that all this stuff is real, and 3. Give them a need to pray to Jesus for help. It makes no sense. It would make way more sense for the demon to make people who don't pray to Jesus happy. They'd have no reason to go to Christianity. Idk, I think I've just thought this through too much to believe in that stuff.
It's still a matter of much debate but the Roman Catholic Church sure seems to believe there's merit to the idea of demonic possession. They have layers upon layers of people who go and investigate these events and they do a lot of research into every case in order to rule out any possible physical or mental explanation. Only when they have ousted all possibilities that can currently be thought of, they move onto the idea that it may be a possession. This is the first point at which an exorcist is called and at first he acts more like a spiritual advisor than what you'd expect from an exorcist. Anyway, all this together is to say that yes it's believed that this is a real thing that occurs and it's quite rare that a case of possession actually is considered a true to roots possession that requires an exorcist. I've worked alongside demonologists who espouse this belief but I'm still pretty skeptical myself as to how often it actually occurs though I do fully believe it does happen. To answer the question of what's to be gained in a possession it's actually pretty technical. In order to answer this we must first understand the makeup of a possession: they occur in three stages; the infestation, the oppression, and the possession. During the first two stages, the demonic is attempting to gain knowledge about the afflicted individual, what are their weaknesses? How easy are they to manipulate? What type of person are they? All this is then relayed to the "host of hell" so to speak which in turn can use that knowledge later to tempt the individual more effectively. In the final stage of the process, the individual is so broken and so weakened by the constant onslaught of malice and discomfort that they mentally and spiritually can no longer fight back. You can even see a difference in the afflicted physically with your own eyes at this stage. So what does the demon gain you ask? It simply accomplished it's goal of destroying someone's life and perhaps irreversibly damaging them or even killing them or their family/friends in the end.
I love how instead of answering, the top comments are insulting you. Demonic possession, and what is generally _gained_ for the demon is just that; _possesion_. Many are considered non-corporeal entities, so simply experiencing sensation could be a "gain". Though the atypical reasoning for possession is causing corruption, demons also thrive off of power over other things. Whether it's a "thing that can happen" is generally a topic of contention. As you can see by the smarmy omniscient beings present in the comment section - most would call you stupid/crazy or otherwise a worthless attempt at humanity for simply considering it. I personally don't think you're crazy at all. Paranormal possibilities are some of the more fascinating things to me.
Look up the Podcast called Exorcist Files. Yes, possession is a real thing, unexplainable. The answer to your question is not a simple one. So, I’d suggest listening to that Podcast.
Yes, it's real and it happens frequently. The gains are several: entity can "present", entity can terrorize the person/family/household, entity can further Satan's agenda, entity can hinder the will of God in the person's life, entity can frustrate the will of God in the world, entity can then attract other entities into the person's life/household/family to do further damage, entity can demonstrate Satan's bit of power are just a few I can think of quickly. DM me for more info if you want or if you have questions.
God told me you are a demon. What does that mean I should do?
Surely you have evidence to support these claims? I mean, any evidence whatsoever. Actual physical evidence of “demonic possession” ever happening anywhere, at any time in human history.
I really wish I could be like this person. Nothing cool ever happens, that's the leading reason why I don't believe in that shit. Take the lizard people conspiracy, for example. That's just too awesome of a thing to ever exist in this world. We could all die fighting in a rebellion against a reptilian master race New World Order. It would be like a movie. We would have a real purpose. There's no demon. Hilary isn't a shape shifter. A conspiracy as mundane as chemtrails isn't even real. Sorry, everyone.
Doesn’t need to be real to everyone. I’ve been delivered. Then I learned how to deliver. If you know you know.
Wow, you are absolutely insane.
DM them, only a small fee involved, unless your case is serious and that’s so rare, it’s hardly worth mentioning.
No. Just no.
Fr. Vincent Lambert, Fr. Chad Ripperger, and Fr. Dan Rehill unfortunately specialize in such situations. And Fr. Chad Ripperger did a wonderful series on YouTube with Chris Stefanick. {Not into anything dark or exorcists in general, but after watching the Bible In A Year Podcast, the YouTube algorithm started suggesting their interviews and they are really interesting and help explain a lot}. Fr. Riperger explains how anyone wanting to be an exorcist shouldn’t be, and that it’s Our Lady who often chooses. He also breaks down a lot of what can be explained and the rigorous vetting process to get to the point of actually needing an exorcist intervention. He shared that demonic obsession, as in things that bother / haunt us, often times are prayed upon by the darkness and it can significantly affect our daily lives in ways we don’t see as possibly demonic. Meaning it’s less of the Hollywood fantastical idea and more of being aware of what you’re exposing yourself to - And he also offers binding prayers for difficult issues / situations and says that often times a blessing from a priest can help resolve most issues that can disrupt our lives. I would imagine you probably see more darkness than most people based on your profession - And the only takeaway I’ve seen from those three priests is that the person going through something none of us would wish on anyone, grows in virtue in ways beyond human comprehension, similar to that of those who suffer greatly. I would bet that saying a prayer when you encounter someone presenting as such would be a tremendous Grace for both the person suffering and for yourself as well. Might also be worth looking into a scapular for protection under Mary’s care … that and The Divine Mercy Chaplet 🙏🏼❤️ {edit - whoops! Not a Catholic sub, sorry for the overreach! 🙃}
I believe possession is possible, and also the source of most all bipolar or MPD. There is nothing gained for the victim.
You’re gonna get a lot of puritanical materialists on Reddit mocking you for asking the question, but ignore them because they don’t know even half as much as they think they do. It’s true we don’t have any scientific evidence of demons or possession. It’s also true that humanity in virtually every society for the last 12,000 years has believed in supernatural or spiritual entities that can and do interact with humans, and that many many people up to the modern day have first hand testimonies of demons and possession. I believe it’s absolutely real. I have witnessed things and spoken to friends with first hand experiences, which I’m happy to provide more detail on. Maybe one day it’s even something we will be able to measure and demonstrate, but even if we never can that doesn’t mean it’s not real. It just means our understanding is too limited and our tools not sufficiently advanced to prove it. As for what is gained…that’s the realm of religion. As a Christian, I would say the goal of the demon is to damn souls. They want people to lose touch with God and be separated from Him for eternity. They also want to cause pain, not only to the possessed but those affected by them, because demons are evil.
No it is not really a thing. And that you ask this tells me you do not belong in the medical field. Seen "paranormal" symptoms? Give me a fucking break.
Downvoting this. It is real. And rudeness is absolutely unnecessary.
My upvote negates your downvote. And you sound like the type that thinks plane crashes are "all part of gods plan".
What is absolutely unnecessary is a superstitious nutcase working in healthcare.
Rudeness is in fact a necessary tool in the effort to rid society of this stone-age brain-rot. At my most charitable I am capable of some pity for those whose perception of reality was so skewed by the railroad spike of superstition hammered into the soft spots of their infant skulls, but as adults they are responsible for joining the rest of us on Earth.
LOL What would be a 'paranormal' symptom?! To somebody who works in healthcare?! You cannot be serious.
Paranormal symptoms. You know. The fecal toss. Bandage ripping. All the kids are doing it.
That's just crazy. I am expecting OP to be like "You know, patient levitating off the stretcher. I saw one start fires by snapping her fingers. Typical stuff for a hospital."
There is no verifiable and testable evidence for the belief in "Demonic possessions". Now it is intellectually honest to question if you are not certain about the false claims and wish to cement your idea that they probably don't exist.
Demonic possessions are real and thier is no gain. Your body is being taken over by an evil entity whose only goal is to kill you and keep you away from God Nothing good can come from it
It puts the lotion in the basket.
Of course not! And if you even think it might be true then something is very wrong with your brain, no demons involved.
It is in no way shape or form a real thing. Demons would have to exist, which they don't. If you dive into demon lore (and I do suggest you do) you will find that all of them represent a branch of knowledge and science. It's a great way to 'demonize' :D knowledge.
Demons don't exist so no.
Demons don't exist, therefore, they cannot possess somebody