Does saying the devil's name invoke his presensce?

  • Thread starter Thread starter ceedre
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
C

ceedre

Guest
Hey all,
I was talking to one of my friends today and I noticed in our conversation she said “you-know-who” when referring to the devil. When I questioned her about this she said that saying the devil’s name can invoke his presence. She also said that since the devil is evil, his name is akin to a curse word and should not be used for this reason as well.
Did anyone else ever hear of this? Is this a Catholic view?

Pax Christi!
 
ceedre said:
Hey all,
I was talking to one of my friends today and I noticed in our conversation she said “you-know-who” when referring to the devil. When I questioned her about this she said that saying the devil’s name can invoke his presence. She also said that since the devil is evil, his name is akin to a curse word and should not be used for this reason as well.
Did anyone else ever hear of this? Is this a Catholic view?

Pax Christi!
Click to expand...
I heard similar story before.

If one truly invokes Satan, then he is opening a door for Satan to come to him. However, saying or not saying, devils are in this world waiting to “engulf” us. Calling their names is nothing; our evil actions, thoughts, and desires are the proof of their working among us. Do we really need to call their names?

On another note, the Bible mentions Satan and Devils and we must read the Bible. 😉
 
I dont think that the name of Satan is some “magical” formula for invoking the beast…unless of course one intends to invoke it by using its name - but then the invocation is the disposition of the heart using the name with the intention of invoking it.
 
It sounds slightly superstitious, like placing your hands on the mirror and saying Candyman 3 times or something silly like that.
 
Jesus addressed Satan in the desert. It doesn’t mean the mention of the name will “invoke” him. Matthew 4:10
Then Jesus saith to him: "Begone, Satan: for it is written, The Lord thy God shalt thou adore, and him only shalt thou serve."Paul also names the devil without invoking him. **Acts 13:9-10
**Then Saul, otherwise Paul, filled with the Holy Ghost, looking upon him, said: “O full of all guile, and of all deceit, child of the devil, enemy of all justice, thou ceasest not to pervert the right ways of the Lord.” And this was a moment in which Paul was filled with the Spirit to boot!
 
I don’t know if it does. The devil will always be near us to lead us away from Christ regardless if you say his name or not. I try to avoid using it (unless quoting scripture) just because I don’t want to give him any credit for anything. I know each of the demon’s have their own particular name, but again, I am not an exorsist, so there’s no need for me to address them.
 
St_Gabriel said:
I don’t know if it does. The devil will always be near us to lead us away from Christ regardless if you say his name or not. I try to avoid using it (unless quoting scripture) just because I don’t want to give him any credit for anything. I know each of the demon’s have their own particular name, but again, I am not an exorsist, so there’s no need for me to address them.
Click to expand...
Interesting question. I am going to guess that I don’t think it does.

If saying his name invoked his presense I am pretty sure the church would make sure we all people knew not to say his name.

Saying a good angels name such as Arch Angel Michael doesn’t invoke his presense and since Satin is also an angel with similar powers (although he uses them for evil) I would guess that the same goes for him. I believe when it comes to Demons what invokes their presense are evil acts and evil intent and evil words. (They can’t read your mind but they can hear what you speak.) On the flip side if you are extra good you can also invoke their presense because we are at war with them and you are causing them problems. I also believe sin would be more likely to invoke their presense then saying their names.

However I also believe you should always listen to your heart and soul and if saying the name makes you uncomfortable then don’t say it.

Does that help at all?
 
I have certainly encountered this belief, and heard a number of old stories to the effect that mentioning his name somehow calls his attention to you. At one time stories about the devil often seemed to be presented in late night radio dramas. I think that it is a simplistic belief, but if I knew I was around a person like that I would avoid mentioning the devil’s name for their comfort.
 
The Priest at my parish won’t mention his name, but calls him the “ole boy”. Tim
 
I want to add that angels and demons are pure spirits. Their communication is their will and likewise our spiritual communication is our will. I think someone told me once that St. John or something said that our will is the voice of our soul …It’s kind of cool if you think about it because the voice of your soul can’t lie. You can’t cheat your own will at least I don’t know how you would but I digress…

If your intent or will is to teach someone about the bible and you mention “Satin” you aren’t communicating with him in spirit because your will is communicating teaching and bible. You would be communicating holiness but In this case Satin wouldn’t be called to you…so to speak.

Now spirits can understand our words but I don’t think they have the same pull as your will.

I believe that you would have to will communication with him along with your voice in order for that to be true.
 
I don’t know about getting his attention by using his name without intending to, but I’ll relate what we were told many moons ago in parochial school. I recently shared this with my son during difficult moments he was having. If you are really struggling with something in your life, or even more to the point, struggling in the moment with a temptation, say “Be gone Satan!” Recognize the evil that lurks and let him know you will not tolerate him or his influence. My son said it helped.
 
GodsPrincess said:
It sounds slightly superstitious, like placing your hands on the mirror and saying Candyman 3 times or something silly like that.
Click to expand...
It would have to take, at the very least, a will and heart to bring this about. In ordinary conversation and even in our prayers we mention “devil.” But this is nothing more than acknowledging we have an enemy who is out to destroy our eternal souls.
 
ceedre said:
Hey all,
I was talking to one of my friends today and I noticed in our conversation she said “you-know-who” when referring to the devil. When I questioned her about this she said that saying the devil’s name can invoke his presence. She also said that since the devil is evil, his name is akin to a curse word and should not be used for this reason as well.
Did anyone else ever hear of this? Is this a Catholic view?

Pax Christi!
Click to expand...
To me, it sounds like the folks in the Harry Potter books who were afraid to use the name “Voldemort,” and called him “You-Know-Who.”🙂
 
Matthew Chapter 15
Click to expand...
**: 18 But the things which proceed out of the mouth, come forth from the heart, and those things defile a man. 19 For from the heart come forth evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false testimonies, blasphemies. 20 These are the things that defile a man.

Pretty clear that defilement/evilwrongfulness etc. is seated in the heart and then comes forth as defilement/evil/wrongfulness of thought, word or deed; hence using the name of Satan has no power of itself per se. But I think in this thread there is a consensus of opinion and agreement that of itself the name of Satan has no power at all.

Blessings all and God’s Peace…Barb 🙂 *
 
BarbaraTherese said:
Pretty clear that defilement/evilwrongfulness etc. is seated in the heart and then comes forth as defilement/evil/wrongfulness of thought, word or deed; hence using the name of Satan has no power of itself per se. But I think in this thread there is a consensus of opinion and agreement that of itself the name of Satan has no power at all.

Blessings all and God’s Peace…Barb 🙂 ***
Click to expand...
Well put.
 
sjegts said:
I don’t know about getting his attention by using his name without intending to, but I’ll relate what we were told many moons ago in parochial school. I recently shared this with my son during difficult moments he was having. If you are really struggling with something in your life, or even more to the point, struggling in the moment with a temptation, say “Be gone Satan!” Recognize the evil that lurks and let him know you will not tolerate him or his influence. My son said it helped.
Click to expand...
I do this, too, but I always add “in the Name of Jesus”–“Get thee behind me, Satan, in the Name of Jesus”, because I have no power to dismiss the devil on my own, only Jesus does. Just a little “quirk” of mine.
 
CB_Catholic said:
I do this, too, but I always add “in the Name of Jesus”–“Get thee behind me, Satan, in the Name of Jesus”, because I have no power to dismiss the devil on my own, only Jesus does. Just a little “quirk” of mine.
Click to expand...
I think that your right technically. I read some books on exorcism and they always mention how careful you have to be about casting out the devil on your own authority. I don’t know if we open ourselves up to the same dangers as in an exorcism but it’s probably good to be careful and use the name of Jesus.

Just my 2-cents. Wait it’s probably more like 5-cents due to inflation.
 
Ok, I can see there is consensus on the first part of my question.

What about the second?

Are the words “The devil” and “Satan” akin to other bad words (even worse, really), since the devil is absolute evil?
 
ceedre said:
Ok, I can see there is consensus on the first part of my question.

What about the second?

Are the words “The devil” and “Satan” akin to other bad words (even worse, really), since the devil is absolute evil?
Click to expand...
Bad words, swear words, I think are a part of each culture and of themselves have no power at all at any time; however using swear words to swear is probably crude and worse depending on what is said…I think the context and intention would dictate. The devil is indeed absolute evil and evil incarnate, this would not mean however that the expressions “the devil” and “Satan” are per se worse than any other swear words and only blasphemy would be the worst. However, I dont think (unsure) that “the devil” and “Satan” are used as swear words - swear words seem to have a cultural ‘mystique’ built around them which dictates the nature society attributes to them and their degree of offending.

Blessings and God’s Peace…Barb:)
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top