In the Web forum Religion-N-Spirituality there was an entry under the heading Do You Recall In The Bible Where Jesus Was Casting Out Unclean Spirits?, and I responded like this:
Gregory Greene says:
May 31, 2009 at 11:58 am
Jesus had a way of going along with the culture and beliefs of his time. If we’re to believe the Bible–and this whole discussion is useless if we don’t give it any credence–Jesus had the ability to heal the sick. I’ve come to think that he preferred to use the terminology that his contemporaries understood over talking down to them with his, presumably, omniscient knowledge of what was really going on. We have a prime example of this in John 9:3 where Jesus simply says that neither the man born blind nor his parents had sinned, rather than trying to teach the people that shit happens and that it has nothing to do with anybody’s sinning.
Likewise, I’ve come to think, the driving out of demons was a matter of healing those with mental problems. Even physical illness, such as hypoglycemia, can cause irrational behavior, but in those days, if I’m not entirely mistaken, mental problems weren’t seen as illness but were always ascribed to demons. Jesus may have chosen to save time and energy by using the existing terminology rather than trying to introduce medical knowledge that humanity wasn’t going to be ready for until 1,900 years later. Neither would the Gospel authors have had any knowledge of the true ways he human mind can go wrong, and would have composed their accounts from the assumption that demons must have been involved.
The reason I think the above is plausible is precisely the way the clergy has persisted in scaring us with demons for those 1,900 years and counting, and keeps drawing on our gullibility even today when all the knowledge about personality disorders, temperament, and mental illness is available, in an evident effort to make themselves and their rituals indispensable. Clergy, unfortunately, have to make a living on our need for spiritual security, and no true demon-chaser would therefore admit the possibility that my reasoning above could be correct.
If you’re interested in a more detailed analysis of mind control, read my free e-book Walkabout: The History of a Brief Century.
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8 comments:
Hi ya Robert!
I couldn't agree more with you. Yes, I also think Christ had to relate to the people of the time and these "demons" he cast out were mental problems within the person. But I also believe the converse is true, BTW.
In the grand scheme of biblical thought one might also acknowledge that this great battle between good and evil has to have a "mythical base"; that is, a mental construct on which to operate so we humans can relate. This makes sense because it's how we humans actually communicate - every word and image is symbolic of something and is key to our understanding of it.
What is different about the Judeo-Christian "way" when compared to others is that it's "mythical base" is TRUTH. While it's completely plausible that a person has mental problems and not demon possession it's also plausible that a person could be demon possessed.
The belief in an all-powerful cosmic God implies that one believes in spiritual beings from "another world", therefore demons (fallen angels) become a REAL possibility.
So, I believe BOTH can occur; in the time of Christ and today!
For entertainment purposes I enjoy watching those shows on space aliens and the little grey guys. It's quite amusing to me!
It's a conundrum in a because I know and believe that life outside our solar system is quite possible; in fact, I believe it's so. I wouldn't believe in God otherwise. But, I don't believe in "little grey guys" or flying saucers! : ) However, with an all-powerful God it's possible to have such beings! : )
Thanks, Tiger! In fact, your example of the little gray or green men also puts across the idea of myth as a cultural construct. Open a book, watch a movie, listen to a speaker, whatever: you have to begin by agreeing to relate to a myth, or the whole thing doesn't make sense, nor can it be enjoyed.
Good grief--I think I just made the medical discovery of the century. Autism must be an utter inability to relate to myth; therefore, utter disinterest in what people have to say or otherwise communicate. It follows from my suggestion above: if you don't accept the myth, you can't enjoy or relate to the statement or story.
Yes, and what lots of tunnel-vision Christians always forget is that God is omnipotent. He could have created anything anywhere. We'd be told only on a need-to-know basis, if at all. Yet the Fundamentalist conviction is that the KJV provides every bit of knowledge the fundie needs, and don't anybody tell me anything else.
Tiger, I wonder if I could ask you for a huge favor? Since you read my manuscript, could you write a review of it? I'm hoping to find a publisher one day, and reviews will be most helpful. So far I've only got reviews from a few patient friends and I know they tried to be kind. An independent one would be very valuable.
The place to write a review would be at Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001D7K19Y
Thanks--even if you can't do it--I really value your frankness!
Robert
therefore demons (fallen angels) become a REAL possibility.
So, I believe BOTH can occur; in the time of Christ and today!
Well, I think I can confirm that. At least I know that gremlins exist and something of how they operate.
In 1963 and 1964, when I was preparing my thesis, consisting of designing, building, and testing Finland's first modem, I worked as a field engineer on one of the early computers, an RCA 301. We worked three shifts like the operators, on site at the largest wholesaler of the country, and most of the time there was nothing to do, so I had the time to work on the thesis. Then when the computer acted up, we had to fix it ASAP; downtime was expensive for the client. Sometimes there was a definitive fault and they were soon found; we exchanged a faulty circuit board or component, and off they went again.
But then there were the intermittent faults. The machine would play tricks on the operators, but when we turned up, it would work just fine. I'm sure you've seen this happen: it's still an almost daily thing with some appliance or with my wife's computer--as soon as an engineer comes near the thing, it runs like an angel.
It would take long sessions of interviewing the operators, hanging around the console, and doing plain detective work to find out where the fault lay, because it never occurred long enough to be identified when you were there. In the end, we found them, too, but it was frustrating.
If I had had the smarts to keep notes of these occurrences, I'd have statistical proof of the existence of gremlins. This disappearance of symptoms when the engineer was present occurred much too often to be mere chance. My take on how it happens is that whenever the machine has an intermittent fault, like a cold solder joint, a dirty contact, or a failing transistor, the psychokinetic power of a gremlin is enough to use the fault as a switch. On when it causes the maximum irritation to the operators, off when the engineer comes so he doesn't find it just yet. Honk if this sounds familiar!
In the human brain, a low blood glucose level can act as a similar switch. I know people with hypoglycemia; if they skip meals, especially breakfast, they can become irrational, as the higher levels of the brain run low on fuel, leaving only the fight-or-flight reactions and that kind of basic survival skills in the lower regions. The behavior pattern is violent, accusative, lying, entrapping, fault-finding, and blame-seeking, typically completely uncharacteristic of the person. After the episode passes, no recollection of it remains, or the episode is seen as having happened to someone else.
This sort of behavior is characteristic of the Accuser and his agents, however. I think that, like with failing equipment, they may have the ability to manipulate a brain that's defenseless because of the hypoglycemic episode. In serious mental disease, there are more permanent states of similar defenselessness, and the demonic influence is more lasting.
I've also seen a case of hypoglycemia being mistaken for possession, with well-meaning charismatic Christians trying to exorcise the person, using physical restraining and other violence that resulted in a permanent knee injury. I'd like to see some kind of code of ethics among exorcists to he effect that all medical avenues have to be exhausted before you take on a case, and even after that, you don't jump on the patient.
Best,
Robert
Oh yes, I completely understand about the computer "gremlins". I spent my working life as an Engineering Technologist - my specialty was Segmental Bridges and CADD. Sometimes it took days or weeks to diagnose a problem.
Your mention of how health affects behavior is quite interesting and takes me on a personal remembrance.
I have genetic heart problems (my dad died at the young age of 54). My diet has been good throughout my life and I've had very good cardio-vascular health. I am ex-military (6 years) and used to run marathons and swim for an hour and a half each day. I have no blockages - all my problems are with valves, the actual heart muscle, and electro-chemical signals.
I knew something was amiss when I crashed my gyrocopter (yes, I used to fly also). Luckily, I was only 10 feet off the ground! I lost consciousness while taking off.
It took over 2 years for the cardiologists to get my medications at the correct levels. At that time I was still working 90 + hours a week trying to finish bridge plans on time and keep the CADD system up and running. When friends began to come to me and ask me if I was "off my medications", I knew something wasn't right! : ) I was irritable, angry - I barked at people, didn't take stress well, etc. - just as you described.
All that was caused by physical problems with the heart. I can't but imagine a person with mental problems. They would go even more "bonkers"!
I don’t work those schedules anymore. In fact I’m semi-retired and work a part-time job to get me out of the house.
You mentioned the Christian “fundies”. One of the worst bits of “news” we’ve had recently, here in America, is a story about a “Christian” couple not allowing their leukemia diagnosed son to receive treatment. No where does the Bible suggest that medical help should not be given and taken gladly and thankfully. This kind of teaching is false, I believe. Luckily, the parents came to their senses and the boy is now receiving treatment and is expected to make a full recovery.
BTW, I’ll be glad to go on Amazon and leave a comment!
Regards,
Tiger
Thanks, Tiger! Just one more thing on the health issue: Last week there was a piece of local news to the effect that Finnish researchers had found that violent alcoholics have lower blood sugar levels than non-violent alcoholics and the general population. There are plenty of alcoholics here to research, I'll have you know. Much like my theory about hypoglycemics: lower the blood glucose level enough, and the devil takes over.
Take care,
Robert
Dear Mr. Briefcase:
I have not read your BLOG articles-yet-but I am up to chapter 10 of your fascinationg anthropological science fiction dystopia "Walkabout". The noble ideals and high diciton make this book a mental workout. I love your phrases: "Macdomination" and "Cocacolaisation" on page 12, and "public amnesia induced by information overload and incessant entertainment". Your protagonist is a brilliantly human Everyman, fighting technological pessimism.
The parallels to the Book of Revelation are subtle and artsy.
Perhaps there is a typo on page 9 with "The average family would have had to use its entire income just to buy the food they were use to EATING" not "eat?".
It will take me longer to understand you and Mr. Tiger discussing your BLOG. You are both incredible intellects!
Dear Lady Hawk,
Thanks for the kind words! That sentence, indeed, has a typo in it. I do that when I work on sentences, tweaking them for conciseness and expressiveness, and then I forget to read them through in the end.
I'll correct it and next when I upload the file it'll be right. Thanks so much for letting me know!
Robert
Jesus speaks to where we are in language we can understand. The simplest words can contain profound truth, thus the parables. The Holy Spirit infuses the Word, opening to the deep things of God.
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