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Demonology
Demonology is the study of demons within religious belief and myth. Depending on context, it can refer to studies within theology, religious doctrine, or occultism. In many faiths, it concerns the study of a hierarchy of demons. Demons may be nonhuman separable souls, or discarnate spirits which have never inhabited a body. A sharp distinction is often drawn between these two classes, notably by the Melanesians, several African groups, and others. The Islamic jinn, for example, are not reducible to modified human souls. At the same time these classes are frequently conceived as producing identical results, e.g. diseases.van der Toorn, Becking, van der Horst (1999), ''Dictionary of Deities and Demons in The Bible'', Second Extensively Revised Edition, Entry: Demon, pp. 235-240, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, Prevalence of demons According to some religions, all the affairs of the universe are supposed to be under the control of spirits, each ruling a certain " elemen ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Demon
A demon is a malevolent supernatural entity. Historically, belief in demons, or stories about demons, occurs in folklore, mythology, religion, occultism, and literature; these beliefs are reflected in Media (communication), media including fiction, comics, film, television series, television, and video games. Belief in demons probably goes back to the Paleolithic, Paleolithic age, stemming from humanity's fear of the unknown, the strange and the horrific.. In Religions of the ancient Near East, ancient Near Eastern religions and in the Abrahamic religions, including History of Judaism, early Judaism and ancient-medieval Christian demonology, a demon is considered a harmful spiritual entity that may cause Spirit possession, demonic possession, calling for an exorcism. Large portions of Jewish demonology, a key influence on Christianity and Islam, originated from a later form of Zoroastrianism, and was transferred to Judaism during the Achaemenid Empire, Persian era. Demons may ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Classification Of Demons
There have been various attempts at the classification of demons within the contexts of classical mythology, demonology, occultism, and Renaissance magic. These classifications may be for purposes of traditional medicine, exorcisms, ceremonial magic, Witch-hunts in Early Modern Europe, witch-hunts, Didacticism, lessons in morality, folklore, religious ritual, or combinations thereof. Classifications might be according to astrology, astrological connections, elemental forms, noble titles, or parallels to Hierarchy of angels, the angelic hierarchy; or by association with particular sins, diseases, and other calamities; or by what angel or saint opposes them. Many of the authors of such classifications identified as Christian, though Christian authors are not the only ones who have written on the subject. Classification by domain The Testament of Solomon The ''Testament of Solomon'' is a pseudepigraphy, pseudepigraphical work, purportedly written by King Solomon, in which the aut ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Fallen Angel
Fallen angels are angels who were expelled from Heaven. The literal term "fallen angel" does not appear in any Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic religious texts, but is used to describe angels cast out of heaven. Such angels are often described as corrupting humanity by teaching forbidden knowledge or by tempting them into sin. Common motifs for their expulsion are lust, pride, envy, or an attempt to usurp divinity. The earliest appearance of the concept of fallen angels may be found in Canaanite religion, Canaanite beliefs about the ''bənē hāʾĔlōhīm'' ("sons of God"), expelled from the Pantheon (religion), divine court. ''Hêlêl ben Šāḥar'' is thrown down from heaven for claiming equality with ''ʻElyōn''. Such stories were later collected in the Old Testament and appear in Pseudepigrapha, pseudepigraphic Apocalyptic literature, Jewish literature. The concept of fallen angels derives from the assumption that the "sons of God" () mentioned in Primeval history, Genesi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Nachtmahr (Abildgaard)
Nachtmahr is the solo project of Thomas Rainer (also known for his other projects: L'Âme Immortelle and the now defunct Siechtum). Nachtmahr's musical style is best characterized as Electronic Body Music. History In September 2007, Nachtmahr had its first release, "Kunst ist Krieg (i.e., Art Is War)". The album's song "BoomBoomBoom", quickly became popular in industrial clubs around the world. In 2008 Nachtmahr released its first full-length album entitled "Feuer frei". Like "Kunst Ist Krieg", it quickly gained popularity in industrial clubs. The single "Katharsis" joined "BoomBoomBoom" as a worldwide club hit, and helped the album stay in the top 10 of the German Deutsche Alternative Charts (DAC) for more than 6 weeks. The German magazine Orkus called "Feuer frei" was “the new standard for the electro industrial genre”. However, the album did fall under criticism for being too repetitive. While reviewers agreed it was a great album for the dancefloor, some felt it did lit ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cult (religious Practice)
Cult is the care (Latin: '' cultus'') owed to deities and their temples, shrines, or churches; cult is embodied in ritual and ceremony. Its presence or former presence is made concrete in temples, shrines and churches, and cult images, including votive offerings at votive sites. Etymology Cicero defined '' religio'' as ''cultus deorum'', "the cultivation of the gods". The "cultivation" necessary to maintain a specific deity was that god's ''cultus'', "cult", and required "the knowledge of giving the gods their due" ''(scientia colendorum deorum)''. The noun ''cultus'' originates from the past participle of the verb ''colo, colere, colui, cultus'', "to tend, take care of, cultivate", originally meaning "to dwell in, inhabit" and thus "to tend, cultivate land ''(ager)''; to practice agriculture", an activity fundamental to Roman identity even when Rome as a political center had become fully urbanized. ''Cultus'' is often translated as "cult" without the negative connotations ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Familiar Spirit
In European folklore of the Middle Ages, medieval and early modern periods, familiars (strictly familiar spirits, as "familiar" also meant just "close friend" or companion, and may be seen in the scientific name for dog, ''Canis familiaris'') were believed to be supernatural entities, Parallel universes in fiction, interdimensional beings, or spiritual guardians that would protect or assist witches and cunning folk in their practice of Magic (supernatural), magic, divination, and spiritual insight. According to records of the time, those alleging to have had contact with familiar spirits reported that they could manifest as numerous forms, usually as an animal, but sometimes as a human or humanoid figure, and were described as "clearly defined, three-dimensional... forms, vivid with colour and animated with movement and sound", as opposed to descriptions of ghosts with their "smoky, undefined form[s]". When they served witches, they were often thought to be Evil, malevolent, but ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Genie
GEnie (General Electric Network for Information Exchange) was an online service provider, online service created by a General Electric business, GEIS (now GXS Inc., GXS), that ran from 1985 through the end of 1999. In 1994, GEnie claimed around 350,000 users. Peak simultaneous usage was around 10,000 users. It was one of the pioneering services in the field, though eventually replaced by the World Wide Web and graphics-based services, most notably AOL. Early history GEnie was founded by Bill Louden on October 1, 1985 and was launched as an ASCII text-based service by GE's Information Services division in October 1985, and received attention as the first serious commercial competition to CompuServe. Louden was originally CompuServe's product manager for Computing, Community (forums), Games, eCommerce, and email product lines. Louden purchased DECWAR source code and had ''MegaWars'' developed, one of the earliest multi-player online games (or MMOG), in 1985. The service was ru ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Christianity
Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion, which states that Jesus in Christianity, Jesus is the Son of God (Christianity), Son of God and Resurrection of Jesus, rose from the dead after his Crucifixion of Jesus, crucifixion, whose coming as the Messiah#Christianity, messiah (Christ (title), Christ) was Old Testament messianic prophecies quoted in the New Testament, prophesied in the Old Testament and chronicled in the New Testament. It is the Major religious groups, world's largest and most widespread religion with over 2.3 billion followers, comprising around 28.8% of the world population. Its adherents, known as Christians, are estimated to make up a majority of the population in Christianity by country, 157 countries and territories. Christianity remains Christian culture, culturally diverse in its Western Christianity, Western and Eastern Christianity, Eastern branches, and doctrinally diverse concerning Justification (theology), justification and the natur ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Angel
An angel is a spiritual (without a physical body), heavenly, or supernatural being, usually humanoid with bird-like wings, often depicted as a messenger or intermediary between God (the transcendent) and humanity (the profane) in various traditions like the Abrahamic religions. Other roles include protectors and guides for humans, such as guardian angels and servants of God. In Western belief-systems the term is often used to distinguish benevolent from malevolent intermediary beings. Emphasizing the distance between God and mankind, revelation-based belief-systems require angels to bridge the gap between the earthly and the transcendent realm. Angels play a lesser role in monistic belief-systems, since the gap is non-existent. However, angelic beings might be conceived as aid to achieve a proper relationship with the divine. Abrahamic religions describe angelic hierarchies, which vary by religion and sect. Some angels have specific names (such as Gabriel or Mich ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dayak People
The Dayak (; older spelling: Dajak) or Dyak or Dayuh are the native groups of Borneo. It is a loose term for over 200 riverine and hill-dwelling ethnic groups, located principally in the central and southern interior of Borneo, each with its own dialect, customs, laws, territory, and culture, although common distinguishing traits are readily identifiable. The Dayak were animist (Kaharingan and Folk Hindus) in belief; however, since the 19th century there has been mass conversion to Christianity and to Islam. Etymology It is commonly assumed that the name originates from the Bruneian and Melanau word for "interior people", without any reference to an exact ethnic group. Particularly, it derives from a related Kenyah word for "upstream" (compare with ethnonym Lun ''Dayeh''). The term was adopted by Dutch and German authors as an umbrella term for any non-Muslim natives of Borneo. Thus, historically, the difference between Dayak and non-Dayak natives could be understood as a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pantheon (gods)
A pantheon is the particular set of all gods of any individual polytheistic religion, mythology, or tradition. Etymology The word, ''pantheon'', derives from Greek πάνθεον ''pantheon'', literally "(a temple) of all gods", "of or common to all gods" from πᾶν ''pan-'' "all" and θεός ''theos'' "god". Examples Some well-known historical polytheistic pantheons include the Sumerian gods and the Egyptian gods, and the classical-attested pantheon which includes the ancient Greek religion and Roman religion. Post-classical polytheistic religions include Norse Æsir and Vanir, the Yoruba Orisha, the Aztec gods, and many others. Interpretations A pantheon of gods is a common element of polytheistic societies. A society's pantheon can be considered an aspiring self-reflection of that society: In the modern vernacular, most historical polytheistic religions are referred to as "mythology". Evolution of pantheons Scholars such as Jaan Puhvel, J. P. Mallory, an ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Vegetation Deity
A vegetation deity is a nature deity whose disappearance and reappearance, or Life-death-rebirth deity, life, death and rebirth, embodies the growth cycle of plants. In nature worship, the deity can be a god or goddess with the ability to Regeneration (biology), regenerate itself. A vegetation deity is often a List of fertility deities, fertility deity. The deity typically undergoes dismemberment (see ''sparagmos''), scattering, and reintegration, as narrated in a myth or reenacted by a religious ritual. The cyclical pattern is given theological significance on themes such as immortality, resurrection, and reincarnation. Vegetation myths have structuralism, structural resemblances to certain creation myths in which parts of a wikt:primordial, primordial being's body generate aspects of the cosmology, cosmos, such as the Norse mythology, Norse myth of Ymir. In mythography of the 19th and early 20th century, as for example in ''The Golden Bough'' of J.G. Frazer, the figure is relate ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
