The source of the supernatural - A question that is not easy to answer

One thing that never stops my mind ticking over is the source of the experiences that people have.

 

Some people see dead relatives. Others see strange creatures that cannot be captured despite incredible amounts of effort. Some people see creatures that looked like they escaped from the pit of hell. Others meet benevolent aliens, others malevolent aliens, others reptilians, etc etc etc.

 

A lot of evangelical Christians claim that all of the above is demonic..

 

When I read the Bible, my understanding is that satan is a:

 

- Tempter of humans.

- A deciever of nations.

- An accuser of the human race before God.

- A liar, the father of lies.

- A murderer, from the beginning of time.

- A bringer at times of sickness and natural disaster.

- The leader of an army of fallen angels.

- A being that seeks to take the glory only meant for God.

- Defeated being with no power in comparison to God.

 

I have written a lot on this subject and the influence I believe satan has on the world's affairs, media and culture. But that does not explain every supernatural occurence.

 

So what is going on when someone see's a dead relative days, weeks, months or years after the funeral and talks to them in their bedroom.

What about if that relative encourages someone to go to Church and believe in God?

Is that a demonic impersonation as is so often claimed. If so, what diabolical purpose could it serve sending them to Church.

 

Perhaps our doctrine on the afterlife and the spiritual realm is not as black and white as we would like it to be.

 

Peter Bolt who teaches New Testament Theology at Moore College Sydney makes the claim that in ancient times the spirits that people feared were the ghosts of the dead - not the fallen angels we (in his opinion) wrongly label the demonic realm. In fact Bolt claims that the word demon and unclean/restless human spirit are synonymous. The spirits of the dead they feared would be manipulated, called up or down, invoked and used by magicians and sorcerers, witchdoctors and priests against them - and the inscribed 'magic' tablets that controlled them via sacred writing were cast onto graves and into wells to be close to the underworld spirits. They also wrote 'magic' tablets with the power to abolish the curses which could be bought for a tidy sum by the person under spiritual assault!! These spirits of the dead also were believed to have had the power to possess the living and were known as 'unclean spirits' because they came out of the filthy miasma of the underworld.

 

Mr Bolt concludes through his research of the ancient world and of ancient languages that Demons are in fact the restless spirits of the dead.

 

So now all of a sudden we have the devil, fallen angels and the restless spirits of the dead prior to judgement day.

 

What about the black cats, hairy bipeds and other red eyed creatures that are reported along with sulpherous smells and a focused 'panic' they inflict on those they encounter.

They are at first written off as cryptids and the smells and sights as "physical attributes like eyeshine and poor hygiene". But that doesn't cut it when they start appearing in places like England, Ireland and other countries with no previous reports. Bigfoot in Cannock Chase in the UK!!! - Why suddenly appear now, so long after the ice age 'landbridges' that supposedly brought Sasquatch, Bigfoot, Yeti, Yowie, Yeren, Funu, Agogwe, Alma's, Orang Pendek and all the other "missing links" to their destinations. Folklore, fiction or something else less tangible than a real animal but able to manifest it's presence. Uncatchable, immeasurable and as elusive as vapour in the wind.   

 

Are they beings from an ancient world called into our existance by diabolical rituals in various forms of ancient priestcraft and pagan rite as hypothesised by Nick Redfern and others. When you visit the true tales section of 'About.Paranormal" every month you will be confronted by stories of unbelievable beings that visit our realm that defy description, capture and analysis. They seem as though they are the 'elementals' that have been encountered for millennia. Are they the true demons in the sense that Christians are trying to understand when confronting true supernatural evil.

 

I would never say "This is the truth on this subject" as the scriptures and the experiences both have to be interpreted - and there is no consensus. So this is also a theory because I don't know the answers with full clarity. But it would seem at least possible that there are distinct classes of beings that cohabit our world with us:

 

- The Father, Son, Holy Spirit and the Holy Angels.

- The devil and the fallen angels.

- The spirits of the restless dead.

- The invoked elementals, which may or may not be fallen angels, the spirits of the pre-flood hybrids, if that interpretation of scripture is correct.

 

Don't call me a heretic if you disagree with me, because this forum is meant to be about considering what exists with us and discussing it.

 

Some of the worlds most devout Christians and mainline theologians happen to support that view and I think it is worth putting it out there as possible scenarios.

 

Or we could just all be slightly mad and the skeptics are right, there is nothing but the material universe.

 

But that's not the experience of billions of people in the world, so l suggest we go with the weight of opinion across the globe - there is something out there. And sometimes it's in the basement and I don't want to do down there at night!!! :)

 

 

God bless you and may the light of Christ guide your path this week - Pastor Baz,