Is demon possession real or do you think the people are just mentally disturbed?

[Cicero]

Is it real or fake?

[Mortal Coil]

Why do you say "suddenly?"

I mean, the mental healthcare system sucks. A person can go into the ER and say that they are hearing voices, that they are going to kill themselves and don't feel safe. They will then be turned away because, well, nothing's "wrong" with them. But then, if they go to the parking lot and down a few bottles of pills, then return, suddenly they're important. The system doesn't work to prevent things, and often people can go crazy, be mentally ill for a very long time, and scream for help... but no one hears them.

So no, I don't think that it's demon possession. I think it's really, really bad healthcare.

[TheBigUnit]

All I have to say just like hypnosis, you have to believe to make it work

[Cicero]

Why do you say "suddenly?"

I mean, the mental healthcare system sucks. A person can go into the ER and say that they are hearing voices, that they are going to kill themselves and don't feel safe. They will then be turned away because, well, nothing's "wrong" with them. But then, if they go to the parking lot and down a few bottles of pills, then return, suddenly they're important. The system doesn't work to prevent things, and often people can go crazy, be mentally ill for a very long time, and scream for help... but no one hears them.

So no, I don't think that it's demon possession. I think it's really, really bad healthcare.

So a bad healthcare system cause demon possession. You just talked about drugs in your post. I never mentioned drugs.

[Gigablue]

There isn't any evidence that it is real, and it seems more likely that demon possession cases are just the product of mental illness. I won't believe in it until some good evidence appears.

[Cicero]

There isn't any evidence that it is real, and it seems more likely that demon possession cases are just the product of mental illness. I won't believe in it until some good evidence appears.

That will never happen. It's like believing in God or an afterlife. It takes faith

[Jess]

I don't believe in demon possession - I don't believe it's real. And really, to me, it sounds ridiculous. It's mental illness, not possession.

[Cicero]

I don't believe in demon possession - I don't believe it's real. And really, to me, it sounds ridiculous. It's mental illness, not possession.

You shouldn't say it like its a fact, that's rather closed minded.

[workingatperfect]

I think it's mental illness or drug induced psychosis, something along those lines. I don't believe in demon possession unless it's their metaphorical inner "demons."

[Lost in the Echo]

You shouldn't say it like its a fact, that's rather closed minded.

Yeah, I agree. There is more evidence proving demon possessions exist, than there is disproving it.

A lot of paranormal documentaries show very convincing evidence, that shit like this is real.

I really don't understand how someone can't believe in the paranormal, with all the convincing evidence out there.

[Magical]

You shouldn't say it like its a fact, that's rather closed minded.

Please don't hurt me for this D:

Open-mindedness by Qualia Soup (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T69TOuqaqXI)

From about 3:05 to 3:25 is the important part, as well as 4:15 to 4:40. 5:45 to 6:15 is also nice. Just watch the whole thing :D.

That will never happen. It's like believing in God or an afterlife. It takes faith

Oh right. So it has no proof, and he's supposed to just believe it. Right.

[Cicero]

Please don't hurt me for this D:

Open-mindedness by Qualia Soup (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T69TOuqaqXI)

From about 3:05 to 3:25 is the important part, as well as 4:15 to 4:40. 5:45 to 6:15 is also nice. Just watch the whole thing :D.



Oh right. So it has no proof, and he's supposed to just believe it. Right.

Never said that he should just believe. Just said it takes faith

[Korashk]

Yeah, I agree. There is more evidence proving demon possessions exist, than there is disproving it.

A lot of paranormal documentaries show very convincing evidence, that shit like this is real.

I really don't understand how someone can't believe in the paranormal, with all the convincing evidence out there.
Because contrary to what you seem to think there is absolutely no evidence at all, let alone convincing evidence, for anything paranormal; let alone demon possession. If you think there is some, then your standards for evidence are lacking or you jump to conclusions.

[Lost in the Echo]

Because contrary to what you seem to think there is absolutely no evidence at all, let alone convincing evidence, for anything paranormal; let alone demon possession. If you think there is some, then your standards for evidence are lacking or you jump to conclusions.

This is why I hate debating the paranormal on here.
Everyone always says the same shit, "there is no evidence".
Now that's bullshit, try watching a paranormal documentary, or spending a night at Alcatraz.

[Dunce]

I'm not saying demon possession doesn't exist. I don't know where I stand on things like that. However, I do believe in being mentally disturbed. I've been there. I have been mentally disturbed and I would be absolutely shocked and offended at people if they thought I was possessed. Don't get a priest in to talk Latin to me, bring me to the doctor. Actually help me.
When my Dad's friend was younger he knew a girl about his age who was blind and deaf, and because he lived in the Irish countryside the healthcare was awful and everyone was religious and supersticious. No one actually understood that she was blind and deaf. They didn't understand why her eyes wouldn't focus on something in front of her or why she didn't respond to speech. Obviously she didn't learn how to talk and she just made noises and groaned, she was driven mad by not understanding the world around her. They all said she was possessed. Every single one of them. Exorcisms were carried out. The local priest even said that she would be damned to hell for acting how she did. It wasn't until later they found out the truth.
This can be applied to nowadays. Mental illnesses get diagnosed all the time, but there are still things doctors don't understand. Maybe the person experiencing them can't articulate it and they seem normal, or maybe they're just not taken seriously. People then continue to go crazy from neglect.
So yeah, I think demon possession is an old fashioned way of viewing mental illness. But who knows, some people may be being possessed. My friend swears there's something in her room at night, she forgets hours of her life and her parents say she carries out weird acts when she can remember nothing at all. But apart from that, she's fine.

[Gigablue]

This is why I hate debating the paranormal on here.
Everyone always says the same shit, "there is no evidence".
Now that's bullshit, try watching a paranormal documentary, or spending a night at Alcatraz.

That's not evidence. Those documentaries are designed to appeal to emotion and to be as convincing as possible. You have no way of knowing if they are filming what's really there, or if they just fake it.

The night at Alcatraz would be scary, but not because its haunted, just because it would be dark and there would be weird noises. That proves nothing.

[Abyssal Echo]

Honestly, I fully believe in demon possession because I don't think a normal sane person could suddenly become something so evil and disturbed.

According to the Bible Demon possession is very real. so yeah I believe.

[MrDaniel2K13]

I definitely Demon Possession isn't true.

[Jess]

You shouldn't say it like its a fact, that's rather closed minded.

I wasn't saying it like it's a fact. I was stating my opinion. -_-

[Magus]

Many people who had those demonic possession ended up having diagnosed as Schizophrenic. People clinging to ancient beliefs and myths ending up feeding their hysteria and delusions, thereby harming themselves and others.

http://freethinker.co.uk/2012/11/21/more-jinn-and-tonics-for-british-muslims/

[Mortal Coil]

So a bad healthcare system cause demon possession. You just talked about drugs in your post. I never mentioned drugs.

The only mention of drugs I had in my post was to explain how the healthcare system doesn't do anything until after something has happened, in this case a drug overdose. I meant it as a reference to a suicide attempt. What I'm saying is that, demon possession is not real; it's just that nobody realizes the person is crazy until it's too late.

[Human]

Well I don't believe in demons, so either mentally disturbed or just faking it

[Korashk]

This is why I hate debating the paranormal on here.
Everyone always says the same shit, "there is no evidence".
Now that's bullshit, try watching a paranormal documentary, or spending a night at Alcatraz.
Virtually every piece of "evidence" ever put forth to prove something paranormal has been examined and determined to be caused by something normal. I challenge you to put forth something you think is evidence of the paranormal that I can't prove isn't or reasonably explain away.

[Lost in the Echo]

Virtually every piece of "evidence" ever put forth to prove something paranormal has been examined and determined to be caused by something normal. I challenge you to put forth something you think is evidence of the paranormal that I can't prove isn't or reasonably explain away.

Search around the internet. You'll find convincing evidence.
The paranormal documentaries i've seen have shown very convincing evidence, and have turned skeptics into believers.
Search around the internet, and you'll find convincing evidence.

[Korashk]

Search around the internet. You'll find convincing evidence.
The paranormal documentaries i've seen have shown very convincing evidence, and have turned skeptics into believers.
Search around the internet, and you'll find convincing evidence.
So you can't provide any then? Is that what you're getting at?

[FreeFall]

I like to dabble in the paranormal, occults, supernatural and such. So while I'm not sure about demons in the typical sense, evil creatures and fallen angels, especially since not all are evil but rather good, like Buer, I think bouts of a person feeling a whole lot of hatred and pain all at once in a sudden burst may happen and result in them sort of losing their control. I don't rule out picking up other people's feelings/emotions, and it sucks when your own emotions clash with the ones' seeping into you. You have to adjust yourself to get in a stable mood.

Honestly though, I agree with it being a mental condition. Back when people would shout "twas the work of demons!" whenever something bad would happen, like a crop wilting, they didn't know about mental illnesses to the extent that we do nor did they really know about the fungi and bacteria they could ingest from plants that created hallucinations and fits. When they had such limited knowledge, a person having a sudden seizure could easily be seen as being possessed. A person with schizophrenia or a multiple personality disorder too.

[ImCoolBeans]

Why do you say "suddenly?"

I mean, the mental healthcare system sucks. A person can go into the ER and say that they are hearing voices, that they are going to kill themselves and don't feel safe. They will then be turned away because, well, nothing's "wrong" with them. But then, if they go to the parking lot and down a few bottles of pills, then return, suddenly they're important. The system doesn't work to prevent things, and often people can go crazy, be mentally ill for a very long time, and scream for help... but no one hears them.

So no, I don't think that it's demon possession. I think it's really, really bad healthcare.

This.

In most cases, the warning signs had been written on the walls loooooong before the person's big incident that got them some attention. In most cases of severe psychosis the person is depressed/has other mental illnesses and a lot of times drugs are also involved in the mix.

I don't think that demon possession is real -- I think that those people who are thought to be possessed are unfortunately going through a lot of mental disturbance.

[Magus]

Search around the internet. You'll find convincing evidence.
The paranormal documentaries i've seen have shown very convincing evidence, and have turned skeptics into believers.
Search around the internet, and you'll find convincing evidence.

Please stop trolling, mate. No one will take you seriously like this.

[Horizon]

Since I've never had a personal experience with supposed Demon possession, I can't really say if it's real or not. But it is honestly more likely that someone has gone bonkers. I mean, look back in the day when they had come up with the concept of a demon, and people being possessed was a day in age that they weren't capable of diagnosing mental illnesses. Both of those time periods, are around the same time.

[Jimmy Page]

Demonic possession doesn't really make sense to me,I may be wrong,I may be right,who knows?

[Lost in the Echo]

Please stop trolling, mate. No one will take you seriously like this.

How am I trolling? I'm trolling because i'm posting my opinions and beliefs on something?

[TigerBoy]

Is there any recorded case of an atheist suffering demonic possession I wonder?

In the absence of any convincing evidence I believe that the concept of demons is a result of emotional responses to the alarming behaviours and symptoms of some mental (and physical) illnesses, which can be very disturbing and frightening to be involved with. The fact that we have learned to understand and treat these conditions without resorting to exorcisms suggests that the complexity of the mind is sufficient to explain such cases without resorting to the paranormal.