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 | Conservative Christians generally believe in the inerrancy of the Bible. The Christian Scriptures have many dozens of references to demons. The passages seem obviously intended by the authors to be interpreted literally. Jesus, his disciples/apostles, and the general public of 1st century CE Palestine are reported as believing in the existence of demonic spirits and in the possibility of demon possession of an individual. Exorcism formed a large part of Jesus' ministry on earth. Bible literalists have no option but to believe in demonic possession; otherwise, they would have to accept that Jesus was deluded, or the gospels are inaccurate. Neither of these options is a possibility for a conservative Christians whose foundational beliefs are in the deity of Jesus, the inerrancy of the Bible and God's inspiration of the Bible's authors. |
| Liberal Christians have long abandoned belief in demons. They consider Bible passages about demons to be of little value - much like the verses that condoned and regulated human slavery, required the execution of non-virgin brides, and other practices considered immoral by today's religious and secular standards. These passages from the Christian Scriptures are simply reflecting the pre-scientific view of the biblical authors living in Palestine in the 1st and 2nd century CE. |
Topics covered in this section:
| Introduction: Worldwide beliefs; Bible
concepts of demons. |
| Beliefs about demons: By the general
public, by religious liberals, by religious conservatives. Is belief
in demons rational? |
| What the Bible says about demons |
Related essays on this web site:
| What the Bible says about exorcism |
| Exorcism and Demonic Possession |
| Satan: Overview; what the Bible says about Satan; 2,600 year history |
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Copyright
© 1999 to 2006 by Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance
Originally published on 1999-JAN-27.
Last update: 2006-AUG-30
Author: B.A. Robinson
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