Demonology: Difference between revisions

[[Image:Nachtmahr (Abildgaard).jpg|thumb|right|250px|"Nightmare", 1800, by Nikolaj Abraham Abildgaard]]

According to some societies, all the affairs of life are supposed to be under the control of spirits, each ruling a certain "element" or even object, and themselves in subjection to a greater spirit.<ref>Ludwig, Theodore M., ''The Sacred Paths: Understanding the Religions of the World'', Second Edition, pp. 48-51, © 1989 Prentice-Hall, Inc., ISBN 0-02-372175-8</ref> For example, the Inuit are said to believe in spirits of the sea, earth and sky, the winds, the clouds and everything in nature. Every cove of the seashore, every point, every island and prominent rock has its guardian spirit. All are potentially of the malignant type, to be propitiated by an appeal to knowledge of the supernatural.<ref>Rink, Henry (1875), [http://www.sacred-texts.com/nam/inu/tte/tte1-4.htm "Chapter IV: Religion"] of ''Tales and Traditions of the Eskimo'', London, 1875, at [http://www.sacred-texts.com/index.htm sacred-texts.com]</ref>  Traditional Korean belief posits that countless demons inhabit the natural world; they fill household objects and are present in all locations.  By the thousands they accompany travelers, seeking them out from their places in the elements.<ref name="E1911">[http://encyclopedia.jrank.org/DEM_DIO/DEMONOLOGY_L1alwv_demon_genius_.html Demonology] at the Online Encyclopedia, Originally appearing in Volume V08, Page 10 of the ''1911 Encyclopedia Britannica''</ref>

In ancient Babylon, demonology had an influence on even the most mundane elements of life, from petty annoyances to the emotions of love and hatred.  The numerous demonic spirits were given charge over various parts of the human body, one for the head, one for the neck, and so on.

Greek philosophers such as Porphyry, who claimed influence from Platonism,<ref>Cumont, Franz (1911), [http://www.sacred-texts.com/cla/orrp/orrp19.htm ''The Oriental Religions in Roman Paganism''], Chapter VI: Persia, p. 267 at [http://www.sacred-texts.com sacred-texts.com]</ref> and the fathers of the Christian Church, held that the world was pervaded with spirits,<ref name="E1911" /> the latter of whom advanced the belief that demons received the worship directed at pagan gods.<ref>Augustine, [http://ccel.org/fathers/NPNF1-02/c1.8.htm ''The City of God''], Book 8, Chapter 24, at the [http://ccel.org/ Christian Classics Etherial Library]</ref>

Many religions and cultures believe, or once believed, that what is now known as [[Sleep Paralysis|sleep paralysis]], was a form of physical contact with demons.