Why doesn't possession happen?

[SeventhValley]

Remember what Christ said to Thomas, in John 20:29:

Jesus said to him, "Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed."

For one thing, I'd consider less demonic possession a GOOD thing. For another, it sounds like you're expecting God to jump through hoops for you, like a circus animal act?

Why should I believe if I do not see? Just because someone said so?

 

[SeventhValley]

This actually has been helpful from Mountain of Silence.

Logismoi - OrthodoxWiki

Just because you have a thought dose not mean you have to entertain it.

 

[Wryetui]

You have to understand that the Evil one will never touch you if God doesn't allow it. The movies and the stories always show him as the enemy of God, but that's not true. Satan is a poor tolerated creature, and he will always do what God the Almighty will let him do. If God would have wanted you to get possesed by Satan He would have let him posses you, so you can become a believer after living that experience, but maybe God didn't want you to become a believer living THAT particular and unpleasant experience, and He is waiting for you to go through another path to end up in His arms

 

[SeventhValley]

You have to understand that the Evil one will never touch you if God doesn't allow it. The movies and the stories always show him as the enemy of God, but that's not true. Satan is a poor tolerated creature, and he will always do what God the Almighty will let him do. If God would have wanted you to get possesed by Satan He would have let him posses you, so you can become a believer after living that experience, but maybe God didn't want you to become a believer living THAT particular and unpleasant experience, and He is waiting for you to go through another path to end up in His arms

Hopefully that is the case

 

[billvelek]

You have to understand that the Evil one will never touch you if God doesn't allow it. The movies and the stories always show him as the enemy of God, but that's not true. Satan is a poor tolerated creature, ... SNIP

WOW! I'm nearly speechless. You claim "that the Evil one" ... (presumably you mean Satan) ... is not "the enemy of God" ... but rather that he is just "a poor tolerated creature". Ohh, ... should we take pity on the poor unfortunate creature?! Once again ... WOW!! Where did you ever get that notion? Can you cite any scripture to back it up?

What would a King call a traitor who not only personally rebelled against the King, but also led one-third of the Kingdom to also rebel against the King, ... and has ever since continued, even to this day, to attempt to persuade and tempt others who would follow the King to rebel against the King instead? I'm pretty sure that the King would call him an enemy, despite that the King might temporarily 'tolerate' His enemy (as might also be said of nations, such as the U.S. 'tolerating' North Korea, etc.). But aside from my speculation based on logic and common sense, the main thing is the reasonable interpretation of the words of Jesus Christ, our Savior, in scripture -- Luke 10:18-19 (note that v.18 is added for context, that Christ had been speaking about Satan):

18 Jesus said, “I have observed Satan fall like lightning from the sky.
19 Behold, I have given you the power ‘to tread upon serpents’ and scorpions and upon the full force of the enemy and nothing will harm you. [Bold emphasis added by me.]​

I'm sure that 'Satan' and 'the enemy' are one and the same. And of course Jesus told the parable about the weeds among the wheat in Matthew 13:24-30 (the relevant verses being 24 & 25):

24 He proposed another parable to them. “The kingdom of heaven may be likened to a man who sowed good seed in his field.
25 While everyone was asleep his enemy came and sowed weeds all through the wheat, and then went off. [Bold emphasis added by me.]​

Personally, I can't conceive of Satan as anything other than the enemy; he is clearly the enemy of God, and he is also my enemy because he is attempting to lead me to eternal damnation. He should be your enemy, too, and no good will come from your apparent inclination to empathize with him.

Your brother in Christ,

Bill Velek

 

[Wryetui]

I am sorry, but you understood me in a wrong way. Of course Satan is the enemy of humankind and of God, but not in the "powery" way. You see, the movies and books always show Satan as the enemy of God in the sense of a battle between them, in the way that they don't know who will win, but that's not true. God has all the power we can imagine and it is without any doubt bigger than that of Satan, so Satan cannot face God in any way, anything Satan does is always under God's will, God commands Him, as we see in Job or as we see in all the depictions of our Lord Jesus Christ commanding the devils to get out.

 

[buzuxi02]

It does seem that hollywood and books and comics have influenced our perception on how demons act. When Christ healed Mary Magdalene of 7 demons, it did not mean she would foam at the mouth and turn her head 180 degrees.

Even of the 2 traditions pertaining to Mary Magdalene shows that her posession had absolutely no "scary" attributes. In the more popular tradition of her being a former prostitite means she had a high libido. In an eastern tradition the 7 demons signified the 7 deadly sins in which she successfully struggled against but unable to completely subdue the thoughts.
Or just taking the scriptural account at face value, she was a wealthy woman afflicted by an illness that rendered her unfit for marriage.

By no means did the ancient christians limit demon possession to an evil supernatural control of the body.

 

[ArmyMatt]

It does seem that hollywood and books and comics have influenced our perception on how demons act. When Christ healed Mary Magdalene of 7 demons, it did not mean she would foam at the mouth and turn her head 180 degrees.

Even of the 2 traditions pertaining to Mary Magdalene shows that her posession had absolutely no "scary" attributes. In the more popular tradition of her being a former prostitite means she had a high libido. In an eastern tradition the 7 demons signified the 7 deadly sins in which she successfully struggled against but unable to completely subdue the thoughts.
Or just taking the scriptural account at face value, she was a wealthy woman afflicted by an illness that rendered her unfit for marriage.

By no means did the ancient christians limit demon possession to an evil supernatural control of the body.

that's a good point. they usually are much more subtle than our pop culture tries to have us think. someone hiding hate in their heart is just as, if not more, under the influence of the demons than someone who can puke green goo and crawl up a sheer wall like Spider-Man.

 

[SeventhValley]

that's a good point. they usually are much more subtle than our pop culture tries to have us think. someone hiding hate in their heart is just as, if not more, under the influence of the demons than someone who can puke green goo and crawl up a sheer wall like Spider-Man.

Yea... But if that is the case should not the average preist be able to cure all mental illnesses in a 100 mile radius?

Granted things like alcoholism can be overcome with faith in a higher power but usually any higher power will do(although most people cured of it that I know are Evangelical die to local customs).

I realize the only answer I can get is pray which I still do. But lately the more I pray the more I hate God and humans. Seems that every being is at war with all against all.

God with our free will. Demons against God and man. Man against everyone.

 

[ArmyMatt]

Yea... But if that is the case should not the average preist be able to cure all mental illnesses in a 100 mile radius?

only God knows that. it could be that someone is so inclined to sin, that being demon possessed is the only thing that will make them repent.

I realize the only answer I can get is pray which I still do. But lately the more I pray the more I hate God and humans. Seems that every being is at war with all against all.

God with our free will. Demons against God and man. Man against everyone.

I don't follow

 

[SeventhValley]

only God knows that. it could be that someone is so inclined to sin, that being demon possessed is the only thing that will make them repent.



I don't follow

Sorry let me restate.

From a Christian point of view even evil is used for good by God.

From a realist/materialist view nature is a war of all against all.

Either way you get the same amount of suffering and death.

I still find it hard without including annihilation or universal reconciliation to love God. Humans I hate because ultimately I could die tommorow and only close loved ones would miss me, the rest would tread over my corpse to get ahead.

So God is good Maximos says you gain understanding the holier you get. I wonder if that is the case or if Christians just look the other way when God dose something to cause suffering.

 

[prodromos]

I still find it hard without including annihilation or universal reconciliation to love God. Humans I hate because ultimately I could die tommorow and only close loved ones would miss me, the rest would tread over my corpse to get ahead.

I think you should deepen your relationship with the Saints of the Church, especially Panagia, if this is a concern for you.

 

[ArmyMatt]

I still find it hard without including annihilation or universal reconciliation to love God.

so what does God do with those who refuse their love? can He override their will? if so, He is not love because love does not force itself on anyone. love is always free. can He just wipe someone out? if so, He is not love because love does not destroy.