Heartsong wrote:Can you define what you mean by demon?
Yep. I mean demon.
Azoth, neither I nor any of the other moderators are interested in splitting hairs with you... . And what I mean is, demons as they are both commonly and classically understood, the definition that most people are going to understand and interpret as demonic...
Also, I see several posts talking about demons, and they are not being deleted. One I responded to was someone worried about a demonic attack, and I personally think this should be allowed, and it apparently is.
Another question? What about Satanism?
We have never turned away anyone due to their spiritual path, although if a Satanist comes here, I'm personally not sure why, since their practices are more firmly rooted in the Judeo-Christian religion than Paganism (although yes, some of them do practice witchcraft). We've had Satanists join before and they never stick around long. To be completely and utterly blunt, it's usually because they can't stand the more abundant "fluffy" members we have here, nor that we're pretty upfront with our preference for that sort of magical practice.
I appreciate the time you took for your thought out reply. I wish you would just come out and say what you mean by the word demon, because the modern definition as "evil spirit" comes from Christianity, as the etymology clearly shows. I am assuming you mean evil spirit.
For example here is the top definition on urbandictionary.com. I refer to this site because it gives more "commonly understood definitions" than sometimes the dictionaries do:
"
Demon
A demon is the result of a fallen Angel. At the start of time, 1/3 of the Heavens rebelled against Arch Angel Michael. This front was led by the Angel of Light - Lucifer and his armies were governed by Be'elzebuth.
The war wasnt a sucess for the third of angels rebelling and they were cast down to a region known as Hell. Once in Hell, the Fallen Angels became known as Demons.
Demons have the power to control human minds, an ironic power all considering their war was started due to the fact they were jealous God loved Humans more than his first creation - Angels.
Lucifer was an Angel, however turned into a Demon when sent to Hell "
I personally do not believe fallen angels are evil spirits. They are angels which chose to come to earth and incarnate in physical forms, therefore "fallen."
The modern dictionaries define demon as evil spirit. I understand that "usage dictates definition."
I and my Selves also have no interest in "splitting hairs," and I don't think I was/am.
Urban Dictionary: splitting hairs
www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?...splitting+hairs
Urban Dictionary
Top Definition. splitting hairs. To argue about an inconsequential and trivial aspect of an issue.
Maybe you feel I was arguing? I don't think I am because arguing is trying to convince someone of your point of view. I have no point of view that I am trying to convince anyone of. I just wanted to know what Starwitch meant by the word.
You see, I grew up in a very extreme Christian home, and I was taught that ghosts were demons impersonating the dead, and the heathen gods were demons impersonating gods, and there were demons would entice us to do witchcraft, which I think most of here practice! Now, I don't believe gods are demons, nor ghosts, nor do I believe evil spirits entice us to do witchcraft!
Thanks for clarifying about people wanting help, because I have a lot of experience with what I thought were evil spirits, but they were just my imagination, and also sentient evil spirits, which have caused myself and other nightmares. I have been tortured for years with night terrors as a child by evil spirits. Sometimes, they were figments of my imagination, and sometimes they were literally evil spirits. I would pray to Jesus to make the night terrors stop, and would invoke his name in lucid nightmares, yet that didn't help.
I finally became so angry after thousands night terrors like the stuff the most disgusting horror movies are made of, I fought back in the lucid nightmare, and slayed thousands of them. That's when the night terrors began to end.
On Satanism, I do identify and label myself a Satanist. I also call myself a Christian, a Buddhist, a pagan, a warlock, a Khaos Mage, a Khaos Monk, a Pastafarian, Essene, and Discordian Pope.
I don't see Satan as an evil spirit, or god or lord of evil. I see Satan as Pan, the Greek god of Nature, demonized by the Catholic Church.
If you look at "The Seven Deadly Sins" they are all based on natural impulses that all living moving creatures share. I think The Church wanted to demonize Nature, so we feel guilty all the time, for such things as hunger, and having a sex drive. That makes us easier to control. Also guilt drives people back to church which means more money for the church. Also, it makes us afraid of Nature, and want to hide ourselves in these big cities, which also makes it easier to control the populace.
I have no interest in "working with" summoning, or communicating with evil spirits, or any god or lord of evil. I have a very specific definition
I personally define evil as harm. Harming other humans, harming animals, harming trees, harming the earth, harming disembodied spirits, I believe is "sin." I think it is immoral to kill anything. As Jesus said in the Essene texts, "He who kills, kills his brother."
I like woo-woo fluffiness, and appreciate it. I have been in some Discordian, Chaos Magic, and Satanist forums and social networking groups, and I left most of them, because for some reason they think it's cool to act obnoxious, post disgusting pictures, and are cynical and rude bordering on psychopathic. So, I understand why you don't want to attract that kind of negative energy.
I have no interest in this. I was on another pagan site for two days, and I left because I was constantly insulted in chat for asking questions or making very benign PG jokes. One of the users said she is a racist, and others joined in and said they are racist also. I tried to ignore the first one, and I couldn't because she is a moderator! She said she's been on the site since 2007, and she has a close relationship with the owner. I was horrified. I left without a word.
This is the only site I have found on the internet like it, and I hope to have lots of interesting discussions here because my wife and I feel very isolated in Honolulu in our belief systems. (She identifies as a witch.)
I had to literally search for hours to find a site that is a positive-minded pagan/witchcraft forum.
I had no intention to offend or sound argumentative. If I did, I apologize. We can't hear tone of voice on the internet. I think if we were talking in person, you would've realized by my body language and tone of voice I wasn't trying to argue.
Thanks everyone for taking the time to reply.