[ash92:)]

Just out of interest are there any Christians on TSR that don't believe in the existence of such things?

I knew that the Quran mentions jinn, but was surprised to find that the Bible does too.

Just wanting to learn more about the Christian views on the subject.




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[AmyJ]

(Original post by ash92:))
Just out of interest are there any Christians on TSR that don't believe in the existence of such things?

I knew that the Quran mentions jinn, but was surprised to find that the Bible does too.

Just wanting to learn more about the Christian views on the subject.




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I don't know any Christian who genuinely believes in demons/evil spirits - it's superstitious nonsense. The whole idea of demon-possession was just an ancient attempt to explain the unknown - most of those behavioural symptoms would be easily recognisable today as epilepsy, or personality disorders, depression, schizophrenia etc.

[ash92:)]

(Original post by AmyJ)
I don't know any Christian who genuinely believes in demons/evil spirits - it's superstitious nonsense. The whole idea of demon-possession was just an ancient attempt to explain the unknown - most of those behavioural symptoms would be easily recognisable today as epilepsy, or personality disorders, depression, schizophrenia etc.

Hi. If you don't mind me asking, are you a Christian?
If so, do you not follow the word of the Bible?
Erm..many people do have that opinion. But a majority opinion is not necessarily the truth, would you not agree?


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[ash92:)]

Also, amongst the symptoms normally spoken of are an increase in physical strength. I don't thing that schizophrenia could quite explain that. It's to do with abnormal dopamine rather than adrenaline.


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[Swanbow]

The Old and New Testaments talk of Angels and Demons and all that, but Christians in general don't believe in Jinns as they are described in the Quran.

[Pride]

(Original post by AmyJ)
I don't know any Christian who genuinely believes in demons/evil spirits - it's superstitious nonsense. The whole idea of demon-possession was just an ancient attempt to explain the unknown - most of those behavioural symptoms would be easily recognisable today as epilepsy, or personality disorders, depression, schizophrenia etc.

Jesus forced out evil spirits. He also sent people to go and send out evil spirits in his name. So many Christians do believe in them actually...

I think tbh, although most illnesses can be explained biologically, and I reckon that's brilliant, especially as I hope to be a doctor in the future. I encourage study of illness.

However, the idea is that all illness is not of God. All illness is a corruption of the body, which God made. The human body was pure originally. Then, after temptation and the fall of man to sin, sin entered the world and entered people. Therefore we are all born in it. Some way or another, we fall ill, because of 'evil spirits' if you like. Things that are here because of sin done right at the beginning of human life, and sin that continued to be committed with every other human born after the first 2.

well that's the biblical idea.

I think what's clear is that it isn't as clear cut as 'this is a lung cancer spirit, and this is what has caused cancer of the lung in this person'. No. The spirit world and how it affects us physically is too complicated for us to understand, so you get people who just say it's the cancer spirit.

[lucaf]

it is quite amusing how as the populace became more educated and medical science improved, reports of evil spirits all but disappeared

[ash92:)]

Thanks for contributing to the thread guys.

But is not denying Angels against one of the main beliefs of Christianity?

I see what you mean. But that would be attributing all illness to spirits. But I think the consensus for most religious people is that this is not the case. But rather illness due to jinn, etc is rare but nonetheless still existent.


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[Cephalus]

Im Christian. And I do believe in these things. The Bible makes it clear that such beings exist.

[ash92:)]

(Original post by lucaf)
it is quite amusing how as the populace became more educated and medical science improved, reports of evil spirits all but disappeared

Lol true. But that's like people going from one explanation to another, rather than accepting the possibility of both.


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[ash92:)]

(Original post by Cephalus)
Im Christian. And I do believe in these things. The Bible makes it clear that such beings exist.

As does the Quran (- which also mentions that the Prophet Sulaiman (Solomon) had power over them from God)


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[AmyJ]

(Original post by ash92:))
Hi. If you don't mind me asking, are you a Christian?
If so, do you not follow the word of the Bible?
Erm..many people do have that opinion. But a majority opinion is not necessarily the truth, would you not agree?

This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App

I am a Christian. I consider the Bible to contain the essence of God's truth and His communication with humanity (personified in Jesus) - but the scripture itself was assembled over centuries by fallible human men who inserted their own interpretations into it based on their cultural and historical position. The Bible is a complex set of texts - prose, verse, letters, psalms, prophecy, symbolic narratives - and by the definition of its compilation, parts of it have to be rationally considered as a product of their time. The panic surrounding 'demon-possession' is exactly that, and it didn't end in the ancient period - thoughts of spirits and witches persisted in the common consciousness until well into the 18th century, and in some communities it is still taken very seriously. That doesn't make it true. Science has long ago explained the mechanics behind any given case of "demon possession".

(Original post by ash92:))
Also, amongst the symptoms normally spoken of are an increase in physical strength. I don't thing that schizophrenia could quite explain that. It's to do with abnormal dopamine rather than adrenaline.
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Abnormal dopamine activity is often linked to ADHD, various forms of psychosis and schizophrenia as well social anxiety, hypersexuality etc etc. Any one of those would be considered as evidence of "demon possession" even 200 years ago.

[A7d8i6l]

Do you believe in the devil aka lucifer!


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[ZeeAli]

(Original post by ash92:))
Just out of interest are there any Christians on TSR that don't believe in the existence of such things?

I knew that the Quran mentions jinn, but was surprised to find that the Bible does too.

Just wanting to learn more about the Christian views on the subject.




This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App

i spoke to three of my christian neighbours and they all believed in them! i was so surprised! they told me stories of their supernatural experiences i was soo taken aback i didnt expect them to believe me when i told them that i believed in ghosts

[Miraclefish]

(Original post by Pride)
Jesus forced out evil spirits. He also sent people to go and send out evil spirits in his name. So many Christians do believe in them actually...

I think tbh, although most illnesses can be explained biologically, and I reckon that's brilliant, especially as I hope to be a doctor in the future. I encourage study of illness.

However, the idea is that all illness is not of God. All illness is a corruption of the body, which God made. The human body was pure originally. Then, after temptation and the fall of man to sin, sin entered the world and entered people. Therefore we are all born in it. Some way or another, we fall ill, because of 'evil spirits' if you like. Things that are here because of sin done right at the beginning of human life, and sin that continued to be committed with every other human born after the first 2.

well that's the biblical idea.

I think what's clear is that it isn't as clear cut as 'this is a lung cancer spirit, and this is what has caused cancer of the lung in this person'. No. The spirit world and how it affects us physically is too complicated for us to understand, so you get people who just say it's the cancer spirit.

So would that follow that viruses, bacteria, aging, disease and parasites are the physical manifestation of sin?

I find it odd to think that a benevolent and reasonable creator would make parasitic organisms which, in order to live and breed, have to cause intense suffering, pain and death to their hosts.

[AmyJ]

(Original post by Pride)
Jesus forced out evil spirits. He also sent people to go and send out evil spirits in his name. So many Christians do believe in them actually...

...If you accept that the "evil spirits" Jesus cleansed people of were of the cunning, diabolical and corporeal variety, ensnaring naive humanity at will. I don't. That is story-book simplicity with cartoon villains. Jesus cleansed people of their sin - he asked them to have faith, that faith should overpower their own sin natures. Nothing is more sinful than humanity at our most base and primitive; we were never perfect vessels into which "evil" things came. "Casting out devils" is metaphorical language for the struggle between Faith and Sin; a struggle that only Jesus could perfectly accomplish.

[AmyJ]

(Original post by Cephalus)
Im Christian. And I do believe in these things. The Bible makes it clear that such beings exist.

If you read it with your brain switched off, sure.

[Cephalus]

(Original post by AmyJ)
If you read it with your brain switched off, sure.

Yeah have you read the Bible?

[AmyJ]

(Original post by Cephalus)
Yeah have you read the Bible?

What, all of it? No. I've read the first five books of the Old Testament, poems from the Book of Psalms, the Book of Job, the 4 Gospels, 2 or 3 of Paul's letters and some of Revelation. Have you read the whole thing?

[Cephalus]

(Original post by AmyJ)
What, all of it? No. I've read the first five books of the Old Testament, poems from the Book of Psalms, the Book of Job, the 4 Gospels, 2 or 3 of Paul's letters and some of Revelation. Have you read the whole thing?

Yes

And if you read Deuteronomy, you will find the passages referring to evil spirits etc.