Demons and Demonic Forces Make Regular Visits to the U.S.



How many times during each Presidential election cycle does someone say the other side is the real demon or contains demonic forces? When someone takes this seriously enough to write down its history it's worth taking a look. Today, I'm sure one can find places on the web discussing the demonic influences on both Trump and Harris. These days it is quite fringe but "demonic influences" have had an ebb and flow and they could come back big.

It is believed that in 1849 "spiritualism" was practiced by 11 million people in the U.S. There were large halls filled with practitioners as well as small groups around Ouija Boards. Talking to ghosts and seances were in. 

When women's suffrage came along it uprooted traditional gender roles. What better explanation than the presence of demons. 

Abolition also upset the social structure, whites on top, blacks on the bottom. As with women's suffrage disturbing the social structure God had orders has to be the work of demons. Abraham Lincoln's civil war was thought be many Southerns as the work of demons in Lincoln. He had participated is some kind of seance and this fueled speculation.

By the 1920's demonic forces had largely gone out of style. Yet they popped up for while in the 1960's and are referred to by right wing preachers. Even the Pope has insisted, "Satan" is real. 

When I was a controversial mayor I heard through the grapevine some thought I was the real Satan. Fortunately no one decided to "remove Satan."

Today this is regarded as fringe stuff but one never knows, it could return in a big way again.     

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