I surely am the empiricist.

Different realm, different tools.

Our Father in Heaven, the salvation of Christ, the in-dwelling Holy Spirit are what we have. The Bible is our guide.

That's it.

From there we take the walk; by Faith.

That's all there is.

.

No disputing the need for different tools. I'm asking what those tools are. Obviously the tool is not the Bible since we are talking difference in demon population since the rise of post-modernism and the Bible was written a long time ago. So what exactly is the tool that's allowing you to count the demon population. I know it's not an empirical tool, I just want to know what non-empirical tool it is. What if someone claims that the demon population has diminished since the rise of post-modernism? Lots of Christian theologians think the rise of post-modernism is a good thing since it gives cultural space for Christianity. This must imply a victory in spiritual warfare and body count of the enemies. How would you resolve such a disagreement? Do you expect people to believe such numerical claims simply on authority?

__________________
1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

Bald assertion does not inform.

Faithful people argue that faith, does.

Can you elaborate on the distinction? I'm unable to detect a difference. Or, can anyone elaborate on it? What's the difference between the bald assertion that there are more demons now than there used to be and the faithful claim that there are more demons now than there used to be?

__________________
1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

Forget the subject, spirit world.

Somebody who makes a bald assertion presents a statement that has no supporting evidence. That's what the adjective, "bald" means in this case.

In contrast, a faithful person will have an experiential basis for his argument. You or I may or may not share that experience. But it is not "bald."

That's exactly the question I've been asking sjh repeatedly with no answer. What experience justifies the claim that there are more demons now than before. He hasn't referred to any experiences in regard to that claim, hence my view that it's bald.

__________________
1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

Ah. I understand. My fault for missing your point. Maybe he has as well?

The question was asked earlier 'Why do Demons only go after Christians?' Well, I once asked a traveling Preacher that same question many years ago. He shot back with, "It's because they are the ones the Demons want to possess."

It was almost as if he had been asked that question before.

Glad I could clear that up for you!

OR, the demons already have you unbelievers.

It's like being a drunkard most of your life -- you wouldn't recognize sobriety.

Or vice-versa.

I admit sometimes it's hard to tell who is the demon-possessor and who is the possessed.

But I have this secret bone of the left ankle of St Allen the Lame. It can tell demonic possessions from 100ft. Maybe 150 ft on Sunday.

The whole 'postmodernism is demonic' thing in my opinion is an attempt to keep people from reading/thinking/understanding the cultural underpinnings of our society, particularly children and young adults. Everything outside the Bible and the writings of conservative religious thinkers is thought to poison the mind and be extremely dangerous. It's a method of fear in thought control, not unlike the fear of damnation mentioned a few days ago. It's a fairly successful method, as long as the objects of control maintain total abstinence in regards to post-modern thought. It's weaknesses become patently evident once they they violate the taboo and start reading post-modern literature.

__________________
1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

Two worlds, flesh and Spirit. One is experienced with our senses and one with our spirit.

We know about the the world of our senses already. Christians learn about their spirit though their Faith.

Faith is an enigma to flesh and our mind. The Bible teaches Christians how to live and function with Faith.

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The following responses are based upon the Bible -

1. Demons are spiritual pathogens that affect everyone.

2. They may be bound in Christ's name.

3. Some believers have the Spiritual gift of discernment. We see this with Paul in the book of Acts when he recognizes that the girl in Phillipi had a spirit of divination.

4. The realm of spirit is populated by the Holy Spirit, Angels, Satan, fallen-angels and un-clean spirits.

5. It is un-clear if fallen-angels are the same or different than un-clean spirits. Ghosts may also inhabit the spirit realm.

6. Non-believers who seek connection to the spirit realm only connect with the followers of Satan.

7. Only born-again, Spirit-filled believers can possibly correctly discern spiritual activities.


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The following is based upon reports of missionaries to Africa, South America, parts of Asia, etc. who engage in Spiritual warfare and have the gift of discerning un-clean spirits.

1. Demonic activity is more prevalent in areas that have had little or no prior Christian activity.

2. As Christian activity increases demonic activity decreases

3. The inverse holds as well.

4. Christians are every bit as likely to encounter un-clean spirits as non-believers. However, non-believers have no innate shielding so un-clean spirits may access them at will and do not need to employ more aggressive tactics. Believers, depending on their level of Faith, present a greater challenge for demons and therefore may both experience more and be more aware of demonic activity.

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More information may be found by googling -

missionary report on demonic activity

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Is it any surprise that missionaries to pre-literate societies which typically believe in a universe populated with many different non-physical beings would find people talking about these non-physical beings? Furthermore, is it any surprise that as modern western cultural practices are adopted that belief in these non-physical beings diminish?

Do you know someone with the ability to discern these spirits and was taking counts in pre-post-modern society and post-modern society? What was the numerical increase?

__________________
1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

I'll bet most of those questions could be answered by querying missionaries of today or reading what missionaries wrote in days of yore. In either case, non-spiritual people will find them incomprehensible and illogical.

But illogicality and incomprehensibility do not necessarily prove falsity of the proposition.

Has anyone suggested that? Seems like sjh has had ample opportunity to convince the skeptic about the existence and behavior of demons. Mostly, all I've seen so far is 'faith', Paul said so, and missionaries said so. All appeals to authority. There's the additional part of 'some people have the gift of discernment' but it is a disguised appeal to authority since people have to accept the authority of the discerner. I've known people who claim to have that gift. Generally they seem to take pleasure in scaring the **** out of gullible people who then worry whether they are going to get possessed or not.

__________________
1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

That's one way to look at it.

I guess I don't see it as you do. Essentially, I'm okay with people believing any damn-fool thing they want to believe and for whatever reason they choose. Unless they encroach on me and mine. So far I have had no serious problem with any religionist anywhere except the late Osama Bin Laden. My beef with him evaporated recently.