In my wanderings around the web, I recently stumbled on a page about the possibility of people being possessed by demons. In many primitive societies this idea is used to explain various psychological disorders which cause abnormal behavior. But the concept is also a part of modern Christian belief, at least in some denominations.
According to the article, the Christian idea of possession stems from the biblical accounts of the ministry of Jesus. In fact the gospels describe a number of exorcisms which he performed, in each case by simply commanding an evil spirit to to leave the possessed person’s body. His ability to expel demons in this way is depicted as just another aspect of his miraculous healing powers.
Of course many of today’s Christians don’t believe in the existence of demons, so they must look for other ways to explain the gospel accounts of encounters between Jesus and possessed individuals.
Other articles on this website cover such subjects as lost gospels, speaking in tongues, stigmata, the Devil, and the location of hell. You can find the site at Unsolved Mysteries of the Bible. Some of the articles also include reproductions of well-known works of art.
