Can demons read our mind or plant thoughts?

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As an adult, can you “read” the mind of or “plant ideas” into the minds of innocent yet precocious children?
 
Yes, No, Maybe.

Can you be influenced by thoughts that you must combat and temptations that may not have originated in your brain?
Yes

Can the “devil make you do it?”

NO

Can the devil know what we’re thinking?

Maybe, but why’s that a big deal? God can, too, and we must TRUST that God will aid us.
 
No, demons cannot read our minds. Only God knows our innermost thoughts and heart. However, the devil and his minions are VERY intelligent creatures and can guess what are thoughts are by our previous actions, by our personality and attitude, and by our outward countenance.

Yes, they can plant thoughts and images in our mind- these are temptations. The demons aren’t the only source of temptations- our bodies and the world are another source. Temptations lead to sin when we give in with our will to them.
 
At the very least, demons are in an excellent position to deduce what’s on our minds. They see us when other people can’t, any time they wish. They overhear our conversations, see our physical responses, and are no doubt skilled at reading our expressions. They know exactly what we’re reading, watching on TV, looking at on the internet.
 
Demons unfortunately have the benefit of eternity and it is why they are so successful at influencing negative behaviors.

From having been a child myself and from having watched children, I know that within two days time of being given a pair of scissors that a child will first cut paper and then disappear alone to either cut their own hair or the bangs off the other child they’re with.

As we adults know, people filled with evil desires are very patient opportunists.
 
Havard said:
At the very least, demons are in an excellent position to deduce what’s on our minds. They see us when other people can’t, any time they wish. They overhear our conversations, see our physical responses, and are no doubt skilled at reading our expressions. They know exactly what we’re reading, watching on TV, looking at on the internet.
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This is along the lines of what I was taught. The devil and his minions are always watching us. They know us, our weakness and foibles. Like a best friend would know if you are susceptible to death by chocolate cake or shots of tequila.

So it might seem like the devil is reading your mind. He is really exploiting your fears and weaknesses.
 
I’ve heard somewhere they cannot do either. But if you know someone well, you can tell what they’re thinkin and feeling. And demons are extremely intelligent. They can plant suggestions, which seem powerful because the source is invisible. Demons lose power when we lose fear. Never fear them. THEY fear Our Lord (and Our Lady).
 
Satan can certainly plant thoughts and excite desires in people! People can also worship Satan, where they are driven by by evil thoughts and vice. Never underestimate the powers of Satan and his fallen cohort of fallen angels!
 
Never overestimate the fallen angels, either. They are creatures only. We have all sorts of weapons against them, not to mention the Trinity and all His angels and saints, and all the many gifts of the Church.

St. Justin Martyr certainly seemed to believe that demons couldn’t read thoughts, because there was a thing in one of his works (I think maybe Dialogue with Trypho) about why Satan didn’t understand that Jesus was God incarnate until late in the game, and theorized that some pagan god myths were linked to the few hints of messianic prophecy that the demons managed to understand, as a sort of copycat to fool people into thinking this was the Messiah. Aeh, I don’t remember very well, could have been St. Augustine or somebody instead… Anyway, it was a funny take on the demons’ unsuccessful campaign.
 
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