CH’AN DIGEST ARCHIVE – RHACS (Original Forum) I was once asked by a Christian priest how I would approach the pastoral care of a person
Tag: demons
Email: The ‘No’ Hypothesis (20.6.2020)
A genuine scientist is indifferent to religious belief. This probably explains why the Vatican keeps a fully funded scientific department in operation – staffed by suitably qualified priests. An objective fact is the only fact and I will explain why. I remember a group of devout Catholics claiming they saw the face of the Virgin Mary in a stain on a wall. This was a dark oblong stain made by water and mildew, etc, formed in the centre of a otherwise clean, whitewashed wall. So far so good. However, this group went further when challenged and provided photographic and video proof of their experience (which had the potential to change the world as we know it)! Could you imagine an image of the Virgin Mary appearing and talking to the faithful? When the evidence was tested, it revealed 15 minutes of a damp stain on a wall – and nothing else – and yet all the Catholics in attendance had convinced themselves that they were witnessing a miraculous event!
Email: Daemonika Americana (20.6.2020)
Dear Gillian I always find it interesting how Americans are individualistic, and highly aggressive (a set of behaviours premised upon fear). Of course, they are
Email: Exercising Exorcism (19.6.2020)
I do not think exorcisms are real, and so I do not think they can fail. However, I know that some people think exorcism are
Email: Say Hello to My Little Friend! (8.6.2020)
Dear Gillian Most modern Christian (theological) texts would appear to be ‘revisionist’ on this matter. In other words, daemons are presented as an anachronism from
Email: Evagrius the Buddhist (7.6.2020)
However, both also seem to be saying that daemons can be concrete physical beings that are ‘attracted’ to our location and given unnecessary strength and influence over us by the corrupt state of our minds (and deficient behaviour), as well as being entirely psychological-emotional structures that can be superimposed over (and upon) concrete reality, whilst avoiding the trap of an inverted ‘idealism’ (which suggests physical matter congeals into concrete reality simply by force of thought). I would say that monasticism solves this problem by permanently uprooting the essence (asava) of ignorance that gives rise to greed, hatred and deluson, This ‘stills’ and ‘purifies’ the mind in both systems, and removes the idea of inner daemons polluting the outer conditions of the external world. I also think this prevents the ‘attraction’ of daemons on the physical plane, which might be better described as ‘corrupt beings’. This would allow for your ‘things worse than daemons’ statement. The similarities between early Buddhism and early Christianity are far more astonishing than most realise.
SANGHA KOMMUNE (SSR) 