Demonology in Religion Research Paper Example

This research paper will be discussing the origins, descriptions, and relationships of demonology within different religions such as Christianity, Islam, and Mesopotamian mythology. A global phenomenon of versions of demonic and satanic entities in various religions is the identification of supernatural forces or personification of evil. The concept and term ‘devil’ originated from the Zoroastrian concept of ‘daevas’ which came from the Greek word ‘daibolos’, meaning the spirit or power of evil, which was previously derived from the Jewish concept of Satan. This concept and words can be used for minor demonic spirits as the word ‘devil’ refers to a general concept of various demons which take on multiple forms in the religions of the world. 

Demonology within Christianity consists of the idea that all demonic creatures are or were fallen angels; the personification of evil and nemesis of good. As implied in the Bible, Satan rebelled against God resulting in his banishment from heaven, becoming a fallen angel thus creating sin and the start of all evil. This is shown in the book of Isaiah which states “How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations.” After this other angles rebelled along with him creating his army of demons. The religion assumes that the term ‘demon’ refers to a being as evil or unclean spirit. The myth that equated fallen angels with demons emerged in the second and third centuries C.E. In Christianity ‘demon’ is generalized to refer to any malevolent superhuman or supernatural beings. By this definition, all sorts of beings from the Hebrew Bible, ancient Judaism, and the ancient Near East such as evil angels, various "disease demons," Lilith, impure "spirits," and many more become grouped as ‘demonic beings’. Satan plays a massive role in Christianity demonology, as being one of the most popular global religions he has had many different names in various cultures: Prince of Darkness, Lord of the Flies, the Antichrist, Father of Lies, Moloch, Lucifer, Satan, and Mephistopheles, to name a few. Along with various physical illustrations including horns and hooved feet. Within the Bible, there is relatively little implication of life within the demon realm, however, according to La Vey, A., 1969. The satanic bible, there is The Hierarchy Of Hell, starting with Lucifer/Satan: Emperor Of Hell And Demon Of Pride/Prince Of Hell And Demon Of Witchcraft, Leviathan: Prince Of Hell And Demon Of Heresy And Envy, Beelzebub: Chief Of Staff And Demon Of False Gods, Asmodeus: King Of Demons And Demon Of Lust And Wickedness, Adramelech: Great Minister Of Beelzebub's Order Of The Fly, Baal-Berith: Chief Secretary Of Hell And Demon Of Blasphemy, and so on. 

Demonology within Islam has a slight resemblance to Christianity in terms that The Devil was created by God ordering all his angels to bow down in obedience before Adam. Iblīs is the personal name of the Devil; counterpart of Satan in Christianity, as well as being referred to as Aduw Allāh ( “Enemy of God”), al-Aduw (“Enemy”), or, when he is portrayed as a tempter, al-Shayṭān (“Demon”). Yet, Iblīs disobeyed, declaring he was of higher power than a human as he was created from fire, unlike Adam who came from clay. Like Christianity, God banished Iblīs from heaven for his display of disobedience and pride. Demons within the Quran are referred to as ‘Djinn’. Due to demonic entities in Islam existing in Mesopotamian mythology before the creation of the religion the Djinn is a cluster of different beings that fall under the same label such as; Ifrit, Shaitan, and Marid. Due to this, there is not a described hierarchy within the Quran. The djinn was the “nymphs and satyrs” of the desert, representing nature and wild; the realm which was unsubdued and hostile to humanity. An example within the Quran of A djinn was Pazuzu; a wind demon who struck fear into Sumerian cities over 6,000 years ago. According to Ajaib al-Makhluqat wa Gharaib al-Mawjudat, Zakariyya al-Qazwini (1203-1283), Djinn were depicted as a human-animal hybrid, with the head of a lion or dog, horns, a beard, bird wings, and a scorpion’s tail. Along with Djinn/demons, there are other forms of demons such as al-Ghul (the ghoul), one of the most common alongside the djinn. According to “The ‘Book of Surprises’ (Kitab al-bulhan) of the Bodleian Library” this demonic creature has been reported as having an “unnatural and terrifying appearance”, with a vile creature with deformities; a humanoid form merged with that of a beast, a beak, body of a camel. As well as being a shapeshifter that can take the forms of men and other animals. These demons are categorized by elements such as the si’lah which is a variant of the ghul; being a water demon or water spirit that inhabits the rivers, and streams of Mesopotamia. 

Unlike later monotheistic religions such as Christianity and Islam, Mesopotamian mythology and polytheistic had no systematic theological tractate on the deities' nature. Analysis of ancient legends, myths, images, and ritual texts exhibit that most gods and goddesses were conceived in human terms. Demons were identified with natural phenomena, for example, winds, thunderstorms, or as seen in The Epic of Gilgamesh - floods. In addition, they also viewed deadly illnesses and diseases as supernatural attacks or damnation from the gods. Demons in Mesopotamian mythology and polytheistic religions mainly include the angry ghosts of the dead or spirits associated with the elements. Lamastu-demons were correlated with the death of newborn babies and gala-demons were able to enter humans’ dreams, they were repulsive creatures, with the head of a lion, ears of a donkey, and straggly hair and “her hands are a net, her grip means death” according to the inscribed spells. Another famous Mesopotamian demon is Humbaba from The Epic of Gilgamesh. According to The Epic, his “mouth is fire; his roar the floodwater” with “a human-bodied figure with lion's claws for hands, a monstrous face, long hair and whisk- ers”(Black & Green, Gods, Demons, and Symbols of Ancient Mesopotamia: An Illustrated Dictionary. Gods, Demons, and Symbols of Ancient Mesopotamia: An Illustrated Dictionary. 1992). In the first and second millennia, BC clay tablets illustrate his death by Gilgamesh, along with designs of his face on clay plaques which were hung on walls in Old Babylonian Period as well as on the entrance to the Old Babylonian Period temple at Tell al-Rimah as magical incantations. Humbaba is thought to be a form of the Elamite god Humban, however, he was raised by Utu. His role was the guardian where the gods resided - the Cedar Forest, by the desire of the god Enlil; a guardian figure in a legend from Hellenistic north Syria.

Christianity, Islam, and Mesopotamian mythology while different all share one common factor regarding the relationships between demons and humans; all have accounts of sexual intercourse occurrences. The earliest report of demonic intercourse was in Christian traditions from the Book of Genesis; stating that before the flood “the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves” (Genesis 6:2-4), resulting in a race of giants. This phenomenon was just as common in Islam as Djinn participating in sexual acts with human beings, regardless of reproducing asexually. Islamic lore speaks about the children that are born from wedlock between humans and djinn. In Mesopotamian people had rituals and amulets created to prevent demons from molesting humans, as succubus are commonly found; Lilin-demon in female form or supernatural entity that appears in dreams to seduce men, normally through sexual activity.

Overall, Demons are prevalent in a variety of forms in Christianity, Islam, and Mesopotamian mythology. Christian and Islamic demonology relate closer to each other compared to Mesopotamian due to them both being monotheistic religions and their concept of demonic beings are conceived as celestial or atmospheric entities. Yet, both Islam and Mesopotamian mythology share similar backgrounds when it comes to human society and the world of the ‘demons’, as both relate to sickness and health, divination, and many psychic and intellectual experiences.

Kreeft, P. (1995). Angels and demons: What do we really know about them? Ignatius Press.

Taggart, E. L. (2001). Angels surround us: The truth about angels and fallen angels. Christian Focus. 

Islamic supernatural beings was called Ajaib al-Makhluqat wa Gharaib al-Mawjudat, or Marvels of Things and Miraculous Aspects of Things Existing. It’s author was Zakariyya al-Qazwini (1203-1283) 

“The ‘Book of Surprises’ (Kitab al-bulhan) of the Bodleian Library.” 

E.W. Lane’s Arabic-English Lexicon (essentially a compilation based on medieval Arab dictionaries) 

Black, Jeremy, and Anthony Green. Gods, Demons, and Symbols of Ancient Mesopotamia: An Illustrated Dictionary. London: British Museum Press, 1992.

Hanegraaff, W. J., Kripal, J. J., Berthold, D., & Hanegraaff, W. J. (2011). Hidden intercourse: Eros and sexuality in the history of Western Esotericism. Fordham University Press.