Why can the devil possess our body but not our soul?

[WannabeSaint]

It is often said that the devil or any other evil spirit can possess our body but not our soul. I have a few questions on this:

1. What would it even mean to have one’s soul possessed by the devil? (Since we are a composite of body and soul)
2. Why is the body susceptible to demonic possession but the soul isnt? (Since the devil can put thoughts in our head)
3. Side question Could an angel possess a body part? For example, someone running from a tribe of soldiers breaks their leg , the angel possesses the leg to keep the leg running in order to escape the soldiers.

 

[christismylord]

• What would it even mean to have one’s soul possessed by the devil? (Since we are a composite of body and soul)
• Why is the body susceptible to demonic possession but the soul isnt? (Since the devil can put thoughts in our head)

As I see it, we are one soul, comprised of body and spirit. To have one’s whole soul possessed by the devil would be to be completely possessed both physically (body) and spiritually (spirit.)

For believers who possess the Holy Spirit within them, joined to our spirits, I do not think the devil could coexist with the Holy Spirit.

(Matthew 12:43-45) “When an impure spirit comes out of a person, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. 44 Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean and put in order. 45 Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that person is worse than the first. That is how it will be with this wicked generation.”

The fact that the house is unoccupied in the parable leads us to believe this symbolizes the absence of the Holy Spirit. If the house was occupied, there is no room for demons. (Also because the people were healed of many things by Jesus but didn’t believe, they will end up worse off than when they were afflicted but had not yet turned away the Son of God.)

 

[MtnDwellar]

The devil can possess material things whether animate or inanimate. It’s not possible for a spirit to possess something immaterial.

 

[TheLittleLady]

We are beings of body and soul, if someone is not in friendship with God and opens themselves up to possession, it can happen. It is very rare, however, possession is of the entire person.

 

[Zaccheus]

Side question Could an angel possess a body part? For example, someone running from a tribe of soldiers breaks their leg , the angel possesses the leg to keep the leg running in order to escape the soldiers.

I do not believe an angel would practice possession in any case. An angel might help someone elude pursuit by not by that method. The angel might pick up and carry the fleeing person.

 

[SPBlitz]

What would it even mean to have one’s soul possessed by the devil? (Since we are a composite of body and soul)

I think it’s because the main component of the soul is in the Will. And the thing is once Satan takes over your will it’s no longer your will is it? it’s his. To me it seems intrinsically impossible for your will to both simultaneously be yours and someone else’s.

Your body by contrast is controlled by your Will, but not inherently so. Therefore it seems possible that someone else like the devil could temporarily take control of your body just like someone can take control of the steering wheel of the car you’re driving and thus be considered the driver.

 

[ColoradoCatholic]

Opinion, not an official answer (just using some logic and theology)

The Devil cannot possess the soul because our soul is rational (we have free will). If God allowed our free will to become suddenly obstructed especially by an eternally damned evil spirit, it doesn’t seem to me that the evil spirit would ever allow us to make the choice to escape from sin. Our free will allows even a possessed person to choose to go to confession or ask a priest for help, or ask one of their friends to ask for help for them.

To me it seems that our body is able to be possessed because it is fallen. Adam and Eve (at least I don’t think) wouldn’t have died had they not sinned. The result of our sin caused our bodies to be intrinsically broken, this is why we need to have baptism to be born anew through Christ. This is why Christ had to make his sacrifice. Since he had no sin he broke the curse of sin for all humanity, and we join Christ in his victory through our baptism (This is why Christ had to be baptized too even if he didn’t have sin…it forms the link). Confession is necessary because we still have a fallen sense of morality, etc.

All of this is foreshadowed at his first miracle, by the way, at the Wedding of Cana.

Catholics - let me know if anyone disagrees or if my Catholic Theology is flawed.

 

[Theban]

It is often said that the devil or any other evil spirit can possess our body but not our soul.

Keep in mind that the context of this is usually as a response to a common misconception that the Devil can drag your soul to hell if you die while possessed. If someone is worried about that, they can be reassured that the soul isn’t affected by the possession.

What would it even mean to have one’s soul possessed by the devil?

If our soul could somehow be controlled by something else, then that would mean the Devil could literally change who we are as people as if it were by the flick of a switch. Since he only has power over the body he has to try and manipulate us to sin by working on our emotions and senses, but if he had direct access to the soul we would be defenseless against him.

Why is the body susceptible to demonic possession but the soul isnt?

The why of it becomes speculation, but the true answer (if not the full answer) is that it is that way because God made it that way. God doesn’t allow anyone to force anyone else to sin, and that includes the Devil. God allows a demon to force its will on a persons body in rare cases, to cause a greater good from it, but they are never allowed to directly affect someones soul.

As for putting thoughts in our head, I’m not well-read on this point. Fr. Ripperger suggests that the reason they can do this is because they are smart enough to recognize and replicate brain waves, but I think that’s mostly speculation. Regardless of the how, we can be sure that demons cannot directly affect our soul, and whatever they do they do to the body.

Could an angel possess a body part?

It would be morally impossible for an angel to possess anything, because of the nature of possession. The way an angel would help someone, if we go by the examples in the Bible, is by interacting with them from the outside. So it wouldn’t possess the leg of the soldier, but either carry him to safety or hiding him, or any other thing like that.

 

[WannabeSaint]

It would be morally impossible for an angel to possess anything, because of the nature of possession

Why would it be morally impossible? What’s the difference between carrying him and animating his leg to function properly?

Both require an angel physically assisting the person.

 

[Theban]

Because the dignity of the body is violated in a possession. It is inherently an abuse of nature, and while demons are sometimes allowed to make this intrusive act for the same reasons we are sometimes allowed to hurt others, it is always a sin on their part, and not only because the act usually also causes suffering.