Benutzer:Vollkornschnitte/Dämonologie
Dämonologie (von Griechisch δαίμων, daimōn, "Dämon"; und -λογία, -logie) ist die systematische Wissenschaft von Dämonen oder dem Glauben an Dämonen. [1] Da sie auf Exegese basiert, ist die Dämonologie ein orthodoxes Fach der Theologie.[2] Die Dämonologie beschäftigt sich mit übernatürlichen Wesen, die keine Götter sind.[3] Sie beschäftigt sich sowohl mit gutartigen Wesen, die gar nicht oder nur in begrenztem Maße angebetet werden, so dass sie im Rang unterhalb von Göttern stehen, als auch mit bösartigen Wesen aller Art. Es ist bemerkenswert, dass während die ursprüngliche Bedeutung des Wortes "Dämon" seit der Zeit von Homer ein gutartiges Wesen war; [4] das Wort im heutigen Sprachgebrauch mit einer negativen Bedeutung belegt ist.
Unterschiedliche religiöse Ausprägungen
[Bearbeiten | Quelltext bearbeiten]Zoroastrische Dämonologie
[Bearbeiten | Quelltext bearbeiten]In der Zoroastrischen Tradition wird der Gott Ahura Mazda, als die Gewalt des Guten "Amesha Spenta" oder Amschaspand, letztendlich im kosmischen Kampf gegen die Gewalt des Bösen, bekannt als "Angra Mainyu" oder Ahriman, siegen. [5]
Jüdische Dämonologie
[Bearbeiten | Quelltext bearbeiten]While historical Judaism never "officially" recognized a rigid set of doctrines about demons,[6] many scholars believe that its post-exilic concepts of eschatology, angelology, and demonology were influenced by Zoroastrianism.[7][8] Some, however, believe that these concepts were received as part of the Kabbalistic tradition[9] passed down from Adam, Noah, and the Hebrew patriarchs.[10] See Sefer Yetzirah.
The Talmud declares that there are 7,405,926 demons, divided in 72 companies.[11] Indeed, some commentators hold that Satan was a prosecutor for God in early Judaism, and a somewhat minor angel at that.[12] While most people believe that Lucifer and Satan are different names for the same being, not all scholars subscribe to this view.[13]
There is more than one instance where demons are said to have come to be, as seen by the sins of the Watchers and the Grigori, of Lilith leaving Adam, of demons such as vampires, the demon-locusts from the Book of Revelation, impure spirits in Jewish folklore such as the dybbuk, and of wicked humans that have become demons as well.[14][15]
Christliche Dämonologie
[Bearbeiten | Quelltext bearbeiten]In Christianity, a demon is traditionally an evil spirit, not human in origin, and bent towards the destruction of mankind using every guile imaginable.
Certain denominations believe that a demon can get access simply by acknowledging or accepting its presence. Acceptance often means committing sin; eg. demons gradually gain control of the eyes when the eyes sin by looking at things vile, gain control of the tongue when it is used for slander or blasphemy, and can make it slip, etc, and this can spread to other parts of the body, regardless of whether the sinner calls himself Christian or not. This is called possession. In more extreme cases, the demon gains an actual entrance into the bodily frame, leading to disastrous results, often hideous and antagonistic. There are examples of such in the Gospels.
However, religious demonology practitioners such as Dave Considine and Ed and Lorraine Warren state that a demon can usually only enter into your life if you open a "door" via a Ouija board, a black magic ritual, or if you reside in a location where a demon has gained access through a "portal." They also say that a demon will often take the form of a child, or a child ghost, to trick a family member into taking it into the home.
They say that a Ouija board itself is not dangerous, but that merely using it to attempt contact with the dead constitutes an invitation to enter. They say that spirits contacted with this method are very rarely human (let alone deceased family members or loved ones), capable of reading your memories to fake their identity, and generally willing to lie about anything you ask them.
Some Christians believe that symptoms of demon possession include voices in one's mind or a horror of mind, especially when there are no signs of insanity or mental damage/unhealthiness, a stubbornness of mind- holding fast to a particular belief and refusing to listen to reason, a split personality as if two separate personalities share the same body. However, most practicing demonologists assert the importance of a medical and psychiatric evaluation before assuming that the person in question may be possessed by a demon. Schizophrenia, for example, can exhibit many symptoms commonly attributed to possession. Demonologists also often make a distinction between "demonic" and "diabolical," with devils perceived as being much more dangerous -- the "officers," perhaps, while demons would be the equivalent of enlisted soldiers.
Most Christian traditions also state that for protection against demon possession, faith in God is needed, an alert watchfulness, a guarding of one's own mind (i.e. analyzing one's thoughts and actions often) and an aggressive, often spoken refusal of all evil spirits and all things of evil spirits over every aspect of one's being, or over specific aspects of one's being (where possession is suspected or known to be manifest) in the Name of Jesus, and done in cooperation with God. Prayer against the evil spirit or spirits, prayer to shed light on what action(s) was done, or word(s) said that allowed them ground for possession so that this too can be refused are also often necessary.
Demonic infestation or demonic encounters have been claimed by many notable people throughout history, such as James Gall, Dr J.L. Nevius, Sir Robert Anderson, and Pastor Ernst Lohmann. Christians also believe the same evil spirits existed in the time of Jesus that exist today in everyday society. These traditions are generally not common in the modern Roman Catholic Church, nor in most other Christian denominations. Demons and demonic possession are generally considered to be a Medieval belief.
In Christian demonology, the only reliable way to rid oneself of a demon is through an exorcism, which is typically performed by a Catholic priest. Sometimes a blessing of the home can remove or deter the presence, as long as this blessing is properly performed. There are several levels of exorcism, the "lightest" of which is baptism. A Catholic priest can perform a "minor" exorcism in the home, but a "major" exorcism requires the consent of the local bishop.
This process requires a medical and psychiatric evaluation of every family member by licensed professionals, and the gathering of tape recorded and photographic evidence. It can take weeks or even months before a major exorcism may be approved. In the mean time, the family is usually instructed to ignore the perceived presence and to pray regularly, as it is believed that responding to it with fear or anger makes it stronger.
According to Christian demonology, sometimes more than one demon can be present within the home, but only one family member is really targeted for possession. The demon(s) will make an effort to divide family members against each other and cultivate an oppressive atmosphere. According to demonologists like Dave Considine, you cannot solve the problem by moving to a new home, because demons haunt a person, rather than haunting a home, unlike a ghost. Furthermore, numerous exorcisms may be required before the home and family are "cleansed," and the family will probably need psychological therapy for some time afterward.
According to protestant exorcist and author Pastor G. P. Haggart, demons dwell or hide in vacant areas such as abandoned buildings, tombs, graveyards and the wilderness. There they feed off the sinful residue of man's carnal knowledge (Galatians 5:16-24).
Many may claim to be "religious demonologists" -- i.e., capable of evaluating a family for approval of a Catholic exorcism or other method of removal -- but there is only a small handful of them operating in North America, and all do so with the certified approval of the Catholic church. Certification requires extensive knowledge of Catholicism and Latin, as well as years of mentoring. Since demons and demonic possession are largely perceived as a mix of quaint superstition and urban legend, the role of the exorcist and the Christian demonologist has waned dramatically in the wake of the Age of Enlightenment.
Okkulte Dämonologie
[Bearbeiten | Quelltext bearbeiten]Practitioners of ceremonial magic sometimes attempt to constrain and command demons to do their bidding, using methods such as the Goetia and The Book of Abramelin. The demons are often those mentioned in Christian demonology. These practitioners do not necessarily worship demons, but seek to deploy them to obtain their goals. Other followers of the occult do worship demons, and some refer to their religion as "demonolatry."[16] Demonolators consider methods such as the Goetia very disrespectful towards the demons, and possibly dangerous for the operator. They instead use forms of prayer, magic, and ritual which petition the demons, asking for their aid rather than commanding them.
Demonolators are not identical to practitioners of Theistic Satanism. They worship other demons (such as Belial and Leviathan) either alongside, or instead of Satan. Some demonolators say that their form of demonolatry is a tradition, often familial, that is not related to the modern religious and philosophical movements collectively referred to as Satanism.[17] Not all of the occultists who worship demons use the word "demonolator" to describe themselves, nor do all belong to the specific group mentioned above.
Islamische Dämonologie
[Bearbeiten | Quelltext bearbeiten]In Islam, the devil Iblis (Satan and/or Lucifer in Christianity) was a Jinn.[18] (humans are created from Earth, Angels from light, and jinn from fire). The jinn though, are not necessarily evil; they could be good doers or sinners just like humans. Since the jinn and humans are the only kinds of creation who have the will to choose, the followers of Iblis could be jinn or human. The angels, on the other hand, are sinless and only obey the will of God.[19] In the Qur'an, when God ordered those witnessing the creation of Adam to kneel before him (before Adam), Iblis refused to do so and was therefore damned for refusal to obey God's will.[20]
Dämonologie im Buddhismus und Hinduismus
[Bearbeiten | Quelltext bearbeiten]Einige Richtungen des Buddhismus bestätigen die Existenz einer Hölle[21] bevölkert von Dämonen, die Sünder quälen und Sterbliche zum Sündigen verführen oder die versuchen, ihre Erleuchtung zu vereiteln, mit einem Dämon namens Mara als Anführer.[22] Die meisten dieser Dämonen werden als Manifestationen von geistigen Blockaden verstanden.[23] Der Hinduismus enthält Überlieferungen von Kämpfen zwischen den Göttern und verschiedenen Widersachern, wie zum Beispiel den Kampf des "Königs der Götter" Indra und dem Asura (Dämon) Vritra.[24]
Siehe auch
[Bearbeiten | Quelltext bearbeiten]Einzelnachweise
[Bearbeiten | Quelltext bearbeiten]- ↑ "Demonology" at Dictionary.com Unabridged, (v 1.1) Random House, Inc., retrieved January 29 2007.
- ↑ Theology definition and kinds of Theology at biblia.com
- ↑ "Demon" from Funk & Wagnalls New Encyclopedia, © 2006 World Almanac Education Group, retrieved from history.com
- ↑ van der Toorn, Becking, van der Horst (1999), Dictionary of Deities and Demons in The Bible, Second Extensively Revised Edition, Entry: Demon, pp. 235-240, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, ISBN 0-8028-2491-9
- ↑ "Who are the Zoroastrians," at tenets.zoroastrianism.com
- ↑ Mack, Carol K., Mack, Dinah (1998), A Field Guide to Demons, Fairies, Fallen Angels and Other Subversive Spirits, p. XXXIII, New York: Henry Holt and Co., ISBN 0-8050-6270-X
- ↑ Zoroastrianism at net.bible.org
- ↑ Jahanian, Daryoush, M.D., "The Zoroastrian-Biblical Connections," at meta-religion.com
- ↑ Franck, Adolphe (1843), translated by Sossnitz, I. (1926), The Kabbalah, or, The Religious Philosophy of the Hebrews, Part Two, Chapter IV, "Continuation of The Analysis of The Zohar: The Kabbalists' View of The World," p. 184 at sacred-texts.com
- ↑ Mathers, S.L. McGregor (Translation from Latin - 1912), Kabbala Denudata: The Kabbala Unveiled, Introduction, at sacred-texts.com
- ↑ [1]
- ↑ "Satan: The OT View of Satan," at bibletexts.com
- ↑ Davidson, Gustav (1967), A Dictionary of Angels, Including The Fallen Angels, p. 176, Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 66-19757
- ↑ Demonology at jewishencyclopedia.com
- ↑ Josephus, Flavius, Wars of The Jews, Book VII, Chapter VI, Par. 3, at Early Jewish Writings
- ↑ OFS Demonolatry
- ↑ OFS Demonolatry
- ↑ Qur'an 18:50 And when We said to the angels, Bow yourselves to Adam'; so they bowed themselves, save Iblis; he was one of the jinn, and committed ungodliness against his Lord's command
- ↑ "Who is Satan?" at understanding-islam.com
- ↑ The Qur'an (Yusuf Ali, tr.): Sūra 38: Sād: Section 5 (65-88) at sacred-texts.com
- ↑ Boeree, Dr. C. George (2000), Chapter: "Buddhist Cosmology", An Introduction to Buddhism, Shippensburg University
- ↑ "Demon" and "Mara" in the Glossary of Buddhist Terms at kadampa.org
- ↑ Ibid.
- ↑ Vritra at the Encyclopedia Mythica
Literatur
[Bearbeiten | Quelltext bearbeiten]- Nicholas Rémy: Demonolatry. University Books, 1974.
Weblinks
[Bearbeiten | Quelltext bearbeiten]- Religious Demonology: Demonology from a Roman Catholic perspective, written by a member of the International Association of Exorcists.
- Demonology Full View Google Books often with PDF downloads
- Dictionary of the History of Ideas: Demonology
- Demonology Listing
- OFS Demonolatry