"Demonic Influences" and "Spiritual Warfare" are the Right's Thing


It's hard to believe how often "demonic influences" and "spiritual warfare" are mentioned in the Christian press these days. Of course, it's always been there to one degree or another. The late Pope Francis said "Satan exists." It's scary to think of the myth there are invisible beings and forces causing certain events are thought to be real by people who might be able to harm the innocent. To me, anyone entrusted with providing information and ideas to the public should help guide TO the truth, not away from it.

There are so many examples of myths that took over people's minds in history and resulted in many deaths. One of the most famous was witchcraft. Salem, MA is the city that holds the title as the witch city in the U.S. Several years ago I visited Salem and read the excellent museum explaining the phenomenon.

Witch hunting took place in Europe and came here with Europeans. In Salem, it was a social and economic system. While there were a few men fingered as witches, it was mostly single women. When something went wrong in the community an individual who was thought to hold spiritual powers was identifies. This was good for the community leaders of the day, showing they were trying to protect voters. It was also good for enterprises who went into the homes of the unfortunate women, gathered possessions and sold them, keeping the money.

Belief in "demons" and "spiritual warfare" are simply freedom of speech and religion so long as our laws put limits of prosecution of the "demons." What is uneasy to me right now is the movement of those in power, Trump and his supporters, to demonize various individuals and groups and use government to pursue them. Political enemies and religious enemies are not quite on the same team. But they are moving closer together and that is frightening.  


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