Who & what are the demons ?

You're all over the place again - confused by simple-minded, copycat preachings. What we like to do is usually good for us and not necessarily selfish at all. From what I'm reading about you, you need to get out and do more of what you enjoy doing that is good for you, not less. Helping others is also good for us and isn't at all spiritual - it's a basic human instinct. Both things are totally natural, understandable and thoroughly earthbound.
You're not doing yourself any good buying into this drivel.

Ah, it appears that whoever taught you about Yetzer Hara and Yetzer Hatov simply misrepresented them or you simply misunderstood what was taught.They are totally unrelated to any demons or demonic forces or outside forces. Nor are your examples related. It is only the outcome that determines whether something is Yetzer Hara and Yetzer Hatov. In the first example if the boy desires the girl and the girls desires the boy and they become lovers then it is Yetzer Hatov, Now if the boy desires the girl but the girl thinks the boy is a bupkes and yet he forces himself on her then it is Yetzer Hara unless of course the girl is a shlimizel in which case it is just normal.It is not God or Demons that are involved in Yetzer Hara or Yetzer Hatov, no warfare, no fight and actually no firm list of what is Yetzer Hara or Yetzer Hatov. Any differences between them often are subtle and shifting and totally internal to the individuals and the situation and dependent on outcomes.

Is that truly how you think? Are your base instincts the most dominant in your life? Pleasure is not bad.Everything in moderation, even moderation.

I don't think altruism is our "spiritual nature". Anything we call a "spiritual nature" is just an offshoot of our "carnal nature". Altruism evolved because it's good for the group and what's good for the group is good for the individual. There can be conflict between what's good for me now and what's good for the group in the long run but it's silly to call that "spiritual warfare" or to bring "demons" into it.

If your logic is correct, it would necessarily follow that everyone would have evidence and the entire world would see the obvious truth. Yet scripture tells us that a minority will believe and a majority will scoff. And you clarify: I would argue that you refuse to allow any belief to color your conclusions---which may be a wise approach yet in many cases...including yours...leads to atheism.Getting back to demons, however...I have seen enough subjective experiences to tentatively conclude they are real.

And where is the problem with that? Yawn.Why are demons only able to effect folk that believe in demons?Why has there never been a case of a demon ever effecting an atheist or anyone who does not believe in demons?

As you may have mentioned before, anything that we ascribe supernatural elements to is not provable. Demons never affect unbelievers because demons are never ascribed as the cause. The cause is usually described as multiple personality disorder and/or schizophrenia. I'm not sure if you can state that there as never been a case...only that no case has been objectively proven. Which of course is true.I am not claiming demons are a fact---only because I cannot show it objectively. You would probably assert that I prefer it to be true so that I have an excuse
other than human responsibility.

Based on your belief---nothing. You always encourage folks to throw God away or in this case, a supernatural manifestation.Perhaps you are right. The world would be a better place if all religious folks simply threw God away and approached life logically, reasonably and rationally.After all, IF GOD exists, GOD exists regardless of our beliefs, feelings, and conclusions.As for Demons, you may encourage us to fuggedaboudit.

Surely you're not mediaeval enough to diagnose schizophrenia as demon posession? That's just silly. And bloody dangerous.

I agree. Doctors have degrees for a reason.

quote:

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At least six factors differentiate schizophrenia from demonic possession as described in the Bible.

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These factors can be helpful when trying to determine if an individual is possessed or has an NBD. These have helped me better understand my brother’s illness.

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1. Attraction to vs. Aversion to Religion. Demons want nothing to do with Christ. Conversely, people with NBD are often devoutly religious.

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2. Irrational Speech vs. Rational Speech. In New Testament accounts involving demons, the demons spoke in a rational manner. Untreated people with schizophrenia will often speak in nonsense and jump rapidly between unrelated topics.

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3. Ordinary Learning vs. Supernatural Knowledge Demons in the New Testament would speak through people to convey knowledge that otherwise could not have been known to the possessed individuals. Those with NBD have no such ability to know facts which they have not acquired by normal learning.

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4. Normal vs. Occultic Phenomena. There is an aspect to demon activity that is just plain spooky (ex.: poltergeists, levitation’s, trances, telepathy). These have an impact on others in the room not just the possessed. With schizophrenia, the effect of the disorder is only on the disordered, not others.

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5. The claim to be possessed Authors who have clinical experience both with demon possession and mental illness, believe those who claim to be possessed are very likely not possessed. Demons wish to be secretive and do not voluntarily claim to be present.

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6. Effects of Therapy. If prayer solves the problem, then it was probably not schizophrenia. If medicine helps alleviate the problem, it was not demon possession.

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Chew on that nuttiness for awhile!

Yes, that's what evidence means. Chapter and verse? What do you mean by "yet"? You sound as if atheism was a bad thing. How can you draw good conclusions from subjective data?

Demons do affect atheists. Then they stop being atheists. Happens a lot. But as Phat said, atheists do often succeed in rationalizing them away.

As more and more people grow away from Christianity, why is the occurrence of demon possession also declining? Shouldn't it be going up?

Evidence please.

We know. Every fundamentalist used to be an atheist.