What does demon possession mean to you?

[The Reverend Bob]

In what respect do you see memes as having similar behavior to ancient descriptions of demons?

They control the thoughts and behavior of the host for one

 

[The Reverend Bob]

Wouldn't the idea of a demon be a meme? If it is a meme, does that make it an independent entity? Aren't demons supposed to be independent entities?

Is the idea of memes a meme?

 

[Dan From Smithville]

In order for a demon to be an entity is for it to have a host. Augustine thought they had no being of their own and owed any being they had on living parasitically off a human host

What are they without a host? Are they no longer entities?

 

[Dan From Smithville]

They control the thoughts and behavior of the host for one

Do memes control the behavior of people? I hear and see ideas all the time and most of them I ignore. Some of them I laugh at. Some of them I think about. I am not aware of them taking control of me. Perhaps that is what makes them so insidious. They control without the knowledge of the host or any evidence they exist.

How do you tell a demon possession from control by memes from random weird behavior from mental illness? Those four could be indistinguishable, so how can one be determined as correct over the others?

 

[Dan From Smithville]

Is the idea of memes a meme?

If memes are ideas and the idea of a meme is an idea, then the idea of a meme would logically be a meme. But what about demons being independent entities and if requiring a host, what are they before they find a host.

Speaking of inhabiting a host, there is this really attractive blonde I know that I am having the devil of a time trying to convince her to be my host. I think the experience is a heck of an idea.

 

[The Reverend Bob]

What are they without a host? Are they no longer entities?

No host, no being, no demon. They absolutely need a host in order to exist

 

[Dan From Smithville]

No host, no being, no demon. They absolutely need a host in order to exist

So what does it manifest from? Demons could be all around us. We could be miles deep in them. What are they before they are demons?

 

[Dan From Smithville]

No host, no being, no demon. They absolutely need a host in order to exist

If a person possessed by a demon, dies while possessed, then that demon ceases to exist? How is that known?

 

[Dan From Smithville]

No host, no being, no demon. They absolutely need a host in order to exist

Are demons, like memes, manifested by an original host? If that original host manifests them, are they really in possession of that body or are they the product of that body?

Could they be destroyed by forgetting about them?

 

[The Reverend Bob]

If a person possessed by a demon, dies while possessed, then that demon ceases to exist? How is that known?

No, they don't possess people bodily and they possess more than one person at time because they are highly contagious. Think of them as being like a virus but a mind virus

 

[Shadow Wolf]

I have been searching the scientific literature and not one paper to be found that is proclaiming verification of the existence of telepathy, psychics, demons, possession, esp, Bigfoot, fairies, Dracula, Nessie, telekinesis, astral projection, clairvoyance, remote whatever or honesty and compassion in Donald Trump.

You won't. Between a lack of positive results and flawed methodologies, the hunt for proof has turned many believers into skeptics.

 

[Dan From Smithville]

No, they don't possess people bodily and they possess more than one person at time because they are highly contagious. Think of them as being like a virus but a mind virus

You lost me. Are you talking about memes? If it is memes, then you are saying they have multiple origins in more than one person? I suppose some could, but all of them?

 

[Dan From Smithville]

You won't. Between a lack of positive results and flawed methodologies, the hunt for proof has turned many believers into skeptics.

I know. It was important to look as evidence that rational sources in science were reviewed. The only sources that claim these things exist are not what I would consider reliable and are just repeating claims and not providing serious evidence or test results.

 

[The Reverend Bob]

So what does it manifest from? Demons could be all around us. We could be miles deep in them. What are they before they are demons?

They are ideas, concepts and beliefs before they become demonic

 

[Dan From Smithville]

You won't. Between a lack of positive results and flawed methodologies, the hunt for proof has turned many believers into skeptics.

Reminds me of the stories I have heard about James Hutton, who set out to establish the flood of Genesis and ended up following the evidence instead.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

Who got possessed by a demon

No one.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

Yup, rumor and fear are prefect vehicles by which demons can transmit their infection from host to host. Happens all the time.

We have zero compelling evidence of this.

 

[Dan From Smithville]

They are ideas, concepts and beliefs before they become demonic

An interesting hypothesis. How have you established that demons are memes? How do you know that demons are not entities prior to manifesting in a host? I am still unclear about how memes control people.

 

[The Reverend Bob]

An interesting hypothesis. How have you established that demons are memes? How do you know that demons are not entities prior to manifesting in a host? I am still unclear about how memes control people.

They control people the same way culture controls people. They are memes, in fact they are highly evolved and highly contagious memeplexes, they are clusters of memetic and psychological information. I described what they are in post #135

 

[The Reverend Bob]

We have zero compelling evidence of this.

Fear isn't contagious?