Talk of "Evil Spirits" in the Bible

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In the Bible, there are a lot of verses that talk about spirits and “expelling spirits” out of people, In a lot of cases we see Jesus doing it.

We as Catholics believe in exorcism and possession (although rare). However, I know a group of people that share a lot of beliefs with JWs and other very fundamentalist protestant Christian denominations. They take these verses and see them in a very literal manner. They interpret them in a way that applies to today’s day to day life, concluding that, for example, the people that suffer from alcoholism, obsession (OCD), or the people who are in prison for murder or other hard crimes, are under influence from an evil spirit.

This seems to me extremely irrational and a clear example of using “faith without reason”. However, I lack the theological arguments to comment on the matter.

How would you address such claim?

I’m looking for an answer that goes beyond simply explaining the figurative language of the Bible (Yes, this group also believes everything in the Holy Book is HISTORICALLY ACCURATE, for example they think Noah’s Ark was an actual historical event instead of a story that teaches us something about God) So yes I’m sure this topic can easily be addressed under the same logic (maybe?) But I am looking for answers that go the extra mile.

Maybe looking at the Greek words used in these passages that talk about Jesus expelling spirits there is something that can be said about the literal context of these verses? or maybe you could take me on a “time travel” lesson to show me how historically, in the past people believed everything was caused by evil spirits (maybe the same thing was going on in the Bible, Jesus was curing someone’s disease and to them it was Him casting a “spirit” out, instead of a medical miracle).

Can you help me out?

PS: Thanks for everything C.A.F! We’ll miss you on the internet!
 
Gabster said:
beliefs with JWs and other very fundamentalist protestant Christian denominations
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Just to clarify that JWs are not a Christian denomination. They believe that Jesus and the Archangel Michael are one and the same therefore they are not Christian.
 
You should ask them if they believe the Eucharist is Jesus’s actual body if that is the case…
 
Dan_Defender said:
Just to clarify that JWs are not a Christian denomination. They believe that Jesus and the Archangel Michael are one and the same therefore they are not Christian.
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Yes you are correct JW do believe the Archangel Michael are .
As each denomination has differences.
How do you understand genesis 18
Genesis 18

King James Version

18 And the Lord appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day;

2 And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground,

Most Christians believe what they are taught in some commentaries.
As Paul sain 1 cor2

My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words,

but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power,

5 so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power.([
 
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Gabster said:
Yes, this group also believes everything in the Holy Book is HISTORICALLY ACCURATE , for example they think Noah’s Ark was an actual historical event instead of a story that teaches us something about God
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Do you not? The problem with saying somethings are false and others are not is that it leads into a dangerous place that can put us against the church dogma. I’m going to say something that is going to cause some heads to explode but one should believe God more than science. Science is of this world and the things that God does sometimes cannot be rationalized with the human brain. For example science tells us that two people cannot be the origin of the human race (Adam and Eve) so even if you say well maybe there were more just outside the garden of Eden that would mean that the church’s teaching of original sin is flawed and not true. The enemies of God are of the world and as such they will use their knowledge and hatred of God to destroy his people. Be careful and God bless you
 
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I am Catholic and I believe that humans are tempted by the world, the flesh, and the devil. (evil spirits).

The evil spirits are the fallen angels, and they are allowed to tempt us. (They are on a leash, so to speak). When we resist the temptation with the grace of God we grow stronger spiritually.

Due to our fallen nature we also are tempted by the world and the flesh.

Thanks be to the Lord, with prayer and the sacraments we can grow spiritually.
 
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