Post by swampiewolfess on Feb 6, 2008 9:10:27 GMT -5
Definition of possession
This direct assault covers what the Bible refers to as "demon possession," the outright control of human personality by the power of a wicked spirit. It also extends to such activities as soothsaying, occultism, spiritism (or spiritualism), and related black magic arts such as astrology, fortune telling, …
Demon possession is defined by the a human who has become inhabited or "taken over" by a demon and who cannot, consequently, exercise his own will - Mark, Chapter 5, ver. 12.
First, the Bible itself is very careful to distinguish between mental illness and demon possession. The writers of the Scriptures were certainly aware of this distinction. One of them, Luke, was a physician himself and was certainly acquainted with the distinctions between diseases and mental illnesses, as well as demon possession. In Matthew 4:24 a careful distinction is made between those who were afflicted by diseases, those who were demon possessed, and those who were lunatic or mentally ill. Luke refers to the same thing in Luke 4:40-41.
It should be noticed that ancients also had a sort of faith in the prophetic words spoken by those whom they believed to be possessed by demons, and this was sometimes a component of ancient oracles. Later, exorcists of the Church have tried to improve its knowledge of demons and theology by asking precise questions to the (demons that occupied) possessed.
