Writer: ContextBig3011
Subject: Question About Demons
Link: Reddit / r/occult
Subject: Question About Demons
In my view of the world and everything beyond it I do believe in good and evil as a necessary separation that we can make here on earth to be able to willingly decide for the good and for the light which will bring us to a better place and help us fulfill our purpose of realization. So demons are evil beings no? Made to seduce you to do things that sound as if you would benefit from them but in the end will only distract you from your main purpose. What I get and believe is true is that by working with demons you might definitely get a lot of things in return. Money or success in other fields. But isn’t what you pay with for these things a much more valuable possession? Don’t all actions in that regard lead to the same exact task that we were given anyway? So how come so many people work with demons and aren’t afraid of them twisting their mind?
LITERATOMORPH
Demons are not ‘evil’as there is no evil in my worldview. They are helpful spirits that ask for little in return.Treat them with respect and they will be friendly in return.
YURI GOR
It’s because so many people do not care about your view of the world.
BARGADIEL
To me, evil is subjugating your will on someone who does not or can not consent. My only exceptions to this are situations where it’s necessary, like apprehension of a criminal, self-defense, or something like administering emergency medical assistance. So to me, what we call “demons” are not evil. Many of them are just former gods from different now-extinct religions in the middle east. Maybe you can use them to do things many would define as evil, but you could do so with anything. Shouldn’t tempt you any more or less than the cake in the fridge.
TAN ZEPHYR
Demons are not evil beings, no. they are higher beings, like any other deities. they are here to benefit humanity and help us. the reason that a lot of people think they are evil is because in abrahamic religions, a lot of what demons would try to help and teach humanity was seen as ‘forbidden’. all knowledge is basically forbidden in abrahamic religions, thinking for yourself or doing better for yourself is something abrahamic religions discourages greatly. When people give demons offerings, they are giving small sacrifices in exchange for asking the help of the demons or whatever other deities they are working with. however, this doesnt always have to be physical offerings. a good offering to give them for money, for instance, is to redo your resume and dedicating a certain amount of time each day to job searching. not only is this an offering for them, but its showing them that you really are dedicated to the hard work it will take to get that money. Again, the abrahamic religions (from my expereince) teach that if you just pray enough, things will magically fall into your lap for free. this is not how actual magic works, magic and asking help from deities requires time and effort on the persons part. especially with the infernal divine, begging them to solve all your issues, bring you wealth and success, but putting in no effort yourself will result in them laughing at you and not assisting at all. when we put in effort and show that we’re willing to put in the hard work necessary to acheive the goals we’re asking for their help with, the deities are much more likely to want to help us, because they see that we want those things too.
MOSCOW RAMADA
How do you know demons are evil beings? Because if they are not, none of the rest of that follows.
AVAILABLE AD3316
That is just your view, though.
GENERAL MUFFINMAN
Certain Eastern esoteric traditions do not necessarily have a binary dualistic view of “demons” etymology, translations and semantics aside.
UNCOILING CHAOS
I don’t know what kind of background you come from, but yours sounds like a very Christian-influenced worldview. A few questions: who is this “our” you refer to, what is this “higher purpose” of “ours,” and what’s to say that demons can’t help “us” to achieve it? Their methods may not always be nice, and they may be treacherous at times, but from my understanding, it’s not as simple as them deliberately misleading for the sake of it, or to drag you to eternal damnation when you die, as it is to teach some harsh lessons that you may nonetheless need to learn the hard way. In that regard, I have to ask: are drill sergeants evil? Are senseis evil? Obviously that’s a case by case, and some might do things that can be considered immoral or unethical, but generally speaking, their job is to prepare you for arduous tasks. And at least demons don’t have any pretenses of being loving or caring for the salvation of all while their actions suggest the opposite.
CAPTAIN CAMELTOE
Yes, my drill sergeant was evil.
HUNGRYGHOS T
Before answering your question tell me this, did it ever occur to you that what others taught you about demons or the concept of good and evil is probably not how things are? When it comes to the occult, one thing to never forget is that nothing is as it seems.
POLYMATHUS 777
Demons work for God, summoning angels inevitably makes demons work for you as well. We humans are spirits as well, demons will always be near us, and learning to use them instead of being fearful of them is more efficient to have the life you want.
CAPTAIN CAMELTOE
Can anyone give a personal anecdote of obtaining a benefit from a ‘demon’? Genuinely curious.
FIATLUX666
My perspective is more that demons are “lower on the food chain” than us — My metaphor uses size scale, but it’s just a metaphor — Angels or dieties could be compared to biomes or even planets: larger than us, more complex, unlikely to radically shift trajectory, but through supplication and understanding their nature, possibly able to be brought to bear on a situation that we are experiencing. Demons, in this metaphor, are more like bacteria or virii: not inherently good or bad, but important to keep where they belong (intestinal flora are not helpful in one’s eyes, for example). With understanding of their nature, they may easily be brought to bear on a situation, but careful control is critical. Think of a mycologist, or even a brewer: their job is to propagate, to feed, their tiny servants. In exchange, the fruit of the mushroom becomes food, the sugar becomes ale. If, however, an undesirable strain is introduced and becomes successful, it can be unproductive, uncomfortable, or even dangerous. I don’t believe that demons are “bad” any more than I believe the bugs in our guts are bad. I believe they occupy important roles in creation. My practice is just much more focused on bringing myself into harmony with the macro.
OK MIDNIGHT6380
Well my definition of demons would knockout 90% of what folks consider as one. To me most of the “demons” are misinterpreted spirits, egregores and non-Abrahamic deities (side-eyeing the Goetia). The ones I have encountered absolutely despise us and want nothing to do with us. They’re definitely evil and you will have no doubt because everything in your mind, body and soul will tell you to run should you be so unlucky to encounter one.
LOW REFERENCE5853
Why do you side eye the goetia?
You right. Demons are beings of corruption and evil. They have to be this way. It serves a greater purpose. Good and evil. Both serve a greater purpose
ANXIOUS DRAGONFLY5161
Yes they are indeed corruption and evil — I do not think that evil objectively exists, evil is more or less opposition to God, and demons seek to invert, subvert and make people do things contrary to the will of God. That’s why they seem to be beings that are easy to deal with, and that ask you for little in exchange for what you are asking, because what they actually want is your soul, they want you to be opposed to God and lose your salvation. They will offer you the world and its pleasures, but that is nothing in exchange for your immortal soul. The reason that they are allowed to exist is that if there are no difficulties in this life also there will be no growth, also to separate the easily tricked by demons from the ones that endure to the end.
MACROSS137
You’ve come up with a definition and concept of demons that makes sense to you, that’s fine. But you absolutely cannot assume that other people who talk about working with demons are conceptualizing them in the same way, or working with the same spiritual forces on the back end that you imagine them to be. “Daemon” has a meaning in Orphic and other theologies that does not really agree with a cosmology based on moral good/evil dichotomies. Despite its prevalence in most cultures, you will run into misunderstandings if you assume your own view to be the default, especially in occult spaces.