My name is Legion, for we are many...

First Read Mark 5:1-16

The Healing of a Demon-possessed Man

They went across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes. When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an evil spirit came from the tombs to meet him. This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him any more, not even with a chain. For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him. Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones.

When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees in front of him. He shouted at the top of his voice, "What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? Swear to God that you won't torture me!" For Jesus had said to him, "Come out of this man, you evil spirit!"

Then Jesus asked him, "What is your name?"

"My name is Legion," he replied, "for we are many." And he begged Jesus again and again not to send them out of the area.

A large herd of pigs was feeding on the nearby hillside. The demons begged Jesus, "Send us among the pigs; allow us to go into them."



He gave them permission, and the evil spirits came out and went into the pigs. The herd, about two thousand in number, rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned.

Those tending the pigs ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, and the people went out to see what had happened. When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. Those who had seen it told the people what had happened to the demon-possessed man—and told about the pigs as well.

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How many of you have read that passage before? I heard a dramatized version of those verses… it was really scary to hear the demon possessed man. It gave me chills to see how those spirits recognized Jesus’ power over them.

My question is, has anyone here seen someone possessed? I have dealt with people having problems with evil spirits but I haven’t seen someone face to face who was possessed.

That is the original passage.

I've heard others, including one where the swine did not rush into the lake and instead lived among mankind as a reminder of Jesus power to banish evil spirits.

Personally, I don't believe in possession.

I've read this several times, and it's the basis for a lot of horror movies, but I've never known anyone possessed.
The Exorcist is supposed to be based on a true story, but Hollywood added so much, I don't know what the true story behind it is.

People whacked out on drugs and alchol may as well be domon possessed. They are not in their right mind and I believe that Satan takes control of their actions and thoughts, therefore they are demon possessed.
Just my thoughts.

I don't know anyone possessed, though I wouldn't say that this doesn't happen. There are so many things between heaven and earth...

About the text: Maybe we have to take into consideration, that back then the people didn't know too much about medicine. What I mean is that a tlo of these demon stories sound as if these people have epilepsy or something else. Maybe this could be kind of an explenation. Don't get me wrong, I'm not in doubt about the truth of the bible, but I think some of the texts are attempts to explain things that people didn't understand. And in some way an illness might be something like a demon...

LIWnut wrote:

People whacked out on drugs and alchol may as well be domon possessed. They are not in their right mind and I believe that Satan takes control of their actions and thoughts, therefore they are demon possessed.
Just my thoughts.

I wonder if that would stand up in court :think:

Noone is held accountable anymore?

RoseRed wrote:

LIWnut wrote:

People whacked out on drugs and alchol may as well be domon possessed. They are not in their right mind and I believe that Satan takes control of their actions and thoughts, therefore they are demon possessed.
Just my thoughts.

I wonder if that would stand up in court :think:

Noone is held accountable anymore?

I believe that because of Satan a lot of wickedness in the world exists today. Also the fact that we are imperfect human beings... if we let an evil thought enter into our heads and we keep thinking it and flourishing it, soon we will commit an evil act. No, we can't blame Satan for every single bad thing either and the reason is because each of us have a free will.

Yeah the thought of doing drugs enter in our heads, the thought of becoming an alcoholic or some other bad thing.... but we have the power to take control of our own actions... so I don't think it's right to say that I'm an alcoholic because I'm possessed as it would be like you not taking responsibility for your own actions.
It's like, symbolically speaking, say I would put everything that is considered evil into a box... then I would let it out into the air... all the evil things are up for grabs... it's up to you whether you are going to let yourself be influenced by it. Yeah I (representing Satan) am the one who put all the evil out there... but just like me, human beings can also make the choice to let it enter into your mind to the point of carrying out the evil act.

I do also believe in evil possession... when an evil spirit enters into your body and torments you in a way that is way past just being a drug addict... it just totally takes control of all of you. Sure there have been some people who have been told that they were possessed when in reality they had some forms of Schizophenia or Tourette's syndrome but I don't believe that all cases are like that. Why? Because there are people who have been healthy but started playing with satanic stuff and really getting into that there are times when a demon possess them. My cousin who is a healthy young woman was having trouble w/ hearing voices, having feelings that someone would touch her at night, seeing evil faces and this was because she and her friends had gotten involved w/ the ouija board. One time she and I were sleeping in the same room and she started getting uneasy and very scared, saying she was hearing voices and seeing things. So we read the bible for quite a while and prayed... which made her feel better.

And as for the origin of the movie The Exorcist... check out the story behind the movie:
(As far as the last paragraph in the article... it involves the catholic religion but of course every religion has it's good advices when it comes to staying away from evil in order not to become possessed by evil spirits).

The Story Behind The Exorcist Movie

*Again, this is just what I believe.