where is the demon epidemic?

[Cogitoergosum]

When jesus went into any town he drove out legions of demons and unclean spirits
Heck just from mary magdalene he drove out 7 demons.
Where are those demons today? how come we don't find people possessed today in our modern society? did we make a demon vaccine and eradicated them like small pox? Every now and then u hear about exorcism in this or that church,do demons not take hold of people who don't believe in them? Only devout believers?

[Confused]

Hi Vladd44

Can't you see the flaw in that kind of logic. These are obviously demons. Remember their names are legion. Bipolar, scizophrenia, seizures, tourettes are just some of their many names.

These demons are a brilliant idea! They explain anything and everything.

Schizophrenia is due to dopaminergic excess in basal ganglia of the brain, does that mean demons are made of dopamine?

Since we can control bipolar disorder with lithium and other drugs does that mean demons are organic?

(furrowed brow i'm guessing u were being sarcastic)

We assume that is the cause of Schizophrenia. But we don't really know. PET scans may well disagree. For as many schizophrenics that have excess dopamine in the basal ganglia, there are probably close to as many who don't . You and I both know medicine is a guessing game and there is no such thing as the textbook case for an illness. It is what makes treating acute diseases in critical care so challenging for me. But in reality, medicine doesn't even know why most antipsychotic medications work. That is why there isn't one antipsychotic that works on every schizophrenic and why lithium doesn't control every bipolar disorder patient.

Demons arent' organic. Living things are organic. Demons are illusions.

[Cogitoergosum]

We assume that is the cause of Schizophrenia. But we don't really know. PET scans may well disagree. For as many schizophrenics that have excess dopamine in the basal ganglia, there are probably close to as many who don't . You and I both know medicine is a guessing game and there is no such thing as the textbook case for an illness. It is what makes treating acute diseases in critical care so challenging for me. But in reality, medicine doesn't even know why most antipsychotic medications work. That is why there isn't one antipsychotic that works on every schizophrenic and why lithium doesn't control every bipolar disorder patient.

U r right not every case of a particular disease fit the textbook u read but most do.
the evidence for dopamine excess being at least one of the causes of schizophrenia is strong. If u have parkinson (lack dopamine) and are given too much dopaminergic meds u hallucinate and become psychotic. Genetic diversity between individuals also might play a role why some meds work in some people and not in others, but that is besides the point...
My point by this thread, that in ancient times and up to the 18th century, diseases where thought to be due to demons and bad humor...

[Confused]

We assume that is the cause of Schizophrenia. But we don't really know. PET scans may well disagree. For as many schizophrenics that have excess dopamine in the basal ganglia, there are probably close to as many who don't . You and I both know medicine is a guessing game and there is no such thing as the textbook case for an illness. It is what makes treating acute diseases in critical care so challenging for me. But in reality, medicine doesn't even know why most antipsychotic medications work. That is why there isn't one antipsychotic that works on every schizophrenic and why lithium doesn't control every bipolar disorder patient.

U r right not every case of a particular disease fit the textbook u read but most do.
the evidence for dopamine excess being at least one of the causes of schizophrenia is strong. If u have parkinson (lack dopamine) and are given too much dopaminergic meds u hallucinate and become psychotic. Genetic diversity between individuals also might play a role why some meds work in some people and not in others, but that is besides the point...
My point by this thread, that in ancient times and up to the 18th century, diseases where thought to be due to demons and bad humor...

True. In that case, I can't tell you where the demons have gone except to say that if they don't exist now, then logic tells me they likely never existed since nothing has changed that would lead to the erradication of the "demons". Perhaps mankind isn't sinning as much as they did in the OT and NT so demons have less of an influence. Though if this is true, then McCulloch, TPP, Furrowed Brow, etc.... should all be possessed by demons since they denounce the existence of God. In short, I think demons are another of mans creations to use as an excuse to not hold man accountable for their actions.

[Greatest I Am]

Demons are false notions. You and I and all other in this church have demons.
Jesus did not drive any physical demons from anyone, just the mental ones.
You and I have seen many demons in this church and it becomes our duty to drive them out. If we could see all the pages within this data bank you would see that our white body is reather brown with the filth of the false notion that we harbour.

Let's try to delete this filth and progress that much faster gnosis.

There is only one of us so far that has admitted to gnosis, me, but I know thatn there are others. Show yourselves.

Regards

DL

[Cogitoergosum]

What on earth r u talking about?

[Anti-guy]

If anyone thinks people are less sinful than they used to be they must be joking/kidding themselves. Back then a lot of things were done out of ignorance, today, people KNOW they are being stupid but reason that they get better benefits from it.

A lot of cases of insanity are used to excuse a persons lack of moral reasoning, and sometimes medication is abused or makes things much worse . Doctors think drugs will solve everything.

It's called demonic influence. Humans are easy to manipulate, I [unfortunately] can do it on accident and I'm a mere weak human.

People hide their true agendas, dishonest, un-carring, controlling, un-trustworthy, fake, hypocrites, un-justful, hateful, irrational beyond belief. All this is greater than it has ever been before.

[WelshBoy]

It's called demonic influence. Humans are easy to manipulate, I [unfortunately] can do it on accident and I'm a mere weak human.

Do these demons physically and mentally control their hosts, or are they simply there as influencers of behaviour, tempting and suggesting the act of sin?

sometimes medication is abused or makes things much worse .

Very sorry to hear that, I also have a friend who suffered from life-crushing depression. He was given anti-depressants and had intensive psychotherapy. The drugs were never prescribed to heal him, merely to treat the symptoms, as is the case with a vast array of drugs and a number of diseases e.g pain relief in rheumatoid arthritis (currently uncurable). The psychotherapy on the other hand unearthed the social roots of his depression, and helped him to get at the root of his sadness.

No, it wasn't a demon. He was lonely.

Doctors think drugs will solve everything.

They don't, and that's why we have psychiatrists. I'm not suggesting that everyone is helped by this combination of drugs and psychiatry, but there is better evidence for physical and social causes for depression (and other mental disorders) than for demonic influences. I reason therefore, that demons are not the cause of mental disorders.

[Greatest I Am]

The levels of good and evil in the world is in ballance. At all times throughout history good and evil have done battle. Nothing has changed for 2000 years except that the churches of today do not do enough to fight for our souls.
The churches are too busy looking at their market share to concern themselves with souls. Fire and brimstone preachers and priests are a thing of the past, out of fashion. Aafraid to loose membership they now codle us when chasttisement should be the order of the day.
The churches and teachers should use modern language to express the meaning of Demons and Satan. They should realize that some people take language litarallly and are busy looking for some kind of physicl manifestation. Wrong thinking. Demons and Devils are false notions and ideas, sickness and soroes, all that ailes us.
At the time of the end, that is fast approching, God will attack these falshoods and whiten our souls anew.

Take comfort in the fact that the ballance of forces of good and evil will be adjusted soon by God Himself.

In a way we should all pray that the perception of evil in the world increases largely.
Not because we, in reality, want more evil, but rather evil must be the stimulus that prompts God to move His rump in returning to us.

Let us pray for Him to come quickly.

Regards
DL

[WelshBoy]

Greatest I Am,

With all due respect this is a forum for debating not a platform for preaching. I don't see what your most recent post contributes to the discussion. There is a subforum called Random Ramblings for those comments which don't belong in any debate.


Regards

Luke

[McCulloch]

As a reminder the question being debated is:

When Jesus went into any town he drove out legions of demons and unclean spirits.
Heck just from Mary Magdalene he drove out 7 demons.
Where are those demons today? How come we don't find people possessed today in our modern society? Did we make a demon vaccine and eradicated them like small pox? Every now and then u hear about exorcism in this or that church, do demons not take hold of people who don't believe in them? Only devout believers?

[mrow]Greatest I Am[mcol color=#E0E0E0]Response[row]The levels of good and evil in the world is in balance. At all times throughout history good and evil have done battle.[col color=#E0E0E0]How do you know that these levels are in balance? What is [i]good[/i] and what is [i]evil[/i]? How did you measure the levels? [row]Nothing has changed for 2000 years except that the churches of today do not do enough to fight for our souls.[col color=#E0E0E0]I should say that there have been a lot of changes in 2000 years. [row]The churches are too busy looking at their market share to concern themselves with souls. [col color=#E0E0E0]This seems odd. More market share, more souls available to the churches. I fail to see the problem with churches gaining market share. Churches in the USA where they must compete in a free-market kind of way have been much more successful than in the UK where there is an Established church.[row]Fire and brimstone preachers and priests are a thing of the past, out of fashion. [col color=#E0E0E0]I'll let the fire and brimstone preachers on the TV, the radio, in print and presumably in various fundamentalist pulpits know. Maybe the did not get the memo. [row]Afraid to loose membership they now coddle us when chastisement should be the order of the day.[col color=#E0E0E0]I suspect you meant [i]lose [/i]rather than [i]loose[/i]. Yes, it seems that [i]real [/i]Christians are masochists. Who was it that said that a good preacher comforts the afflicted and afflicts the comfortable? [row]The churches and teachers should use modern language to express the meaning of Demons and Satan. They should realize that some people take language litarally and are busy looking for some kind of physical manifestation. Wrong thinking. Demons and Devils are false notions and ideas, sickness and sorrowes, all that ails us.[col color=#E0E0E0]Sarcasm noted, you finally get around to addressing the issue for debate. Are you indicating that demons and devils are real beings? What evidence is there for such supernatural entities? [row]At the time of the end, that is fast approaching, God will attack these falsehoods and whiten our souls anew.[col color=#E0E0E0]Ooo, I can't wait! Would this be happening before some of those who are standing here will taste death? [row]Take comfort in the fact that the balance of forces of good and evil will be adjusted soon by God Himself. In a way we should all pray that the perception of evil in the world increases largely. Not because we, in reality, want more evil, but rather evil must be the stimulus that prompts God to move His rump in returning to us. Let us pray for Him to come quickly.[col color=#E0E0E0]What do [b]you [/b]mean by [i]soon[/i]? Are you complaining about God's inactivity?