THE EARLY CHURCH’S CONCEPT OF DEMONIC ACTIVITY

[nicerperson]

THE EARLY CHURCH’S CONCEPT OF DEMONIC ACTIVITY

with reference to: Ethelbert Stauffer, Die Theologie des Neuen Testaments

The primitive church enunciated three fundamental principles for distinguishing demonic activity the principle of self-glorification, of demonic opposition and of mendacity.

1. Self glorification – Superbia

The glory with which God has adorned his creation has become his temptation. Consequently, the freedom which God gave him works his ruin. The creature means to become something, something without God, something like God.

2. Demonic opposition – Indulging the sin nature

The first and most common form is by demonic opposition, which is "to be attacked from all sides" by ordinary temptations, described Father William. The opposition takes place for no reason, and it can even be physical opposition such as visible torments and sicknesses.

3. Mendacity – untruthfulness

Lying , dishonest, deceitful, false, dissembling, insincere, disingenuous, hypocritical, fraudulent, double-dealing, two-faced, two-timing, duplicitous, perjured.

Looking at these three principles, we can see them in all religions that seek to keep people from the gospel of Christ. I will apply these three principle to Muhammad and Islam.

With superbia, the worst of the deadly sins (all sins flow from this one) we can see many examples of Muhammad being the “praised one”, being included in the shahada (Islamic confession of faith) and the devotion given to Muhammad, even more so than to their “Allah”

For the second principle, we can see Muhammad indulging his appetite for sex, a young child bride and even being attracted to infants. He also “enjoyed” concubines and any woman who offered herself to the prophet. His heaven is a chicken and wine serving bordello.

With the third principle, we see much evidence of lying being sanctioned, treaties being broken, fantastical stories, abrogations. In Arabic, such mendacity is called taqiyya.

Conclusion

The man possessed of a demonic spirit betrays himself In his determination to play the leading part, and in forming some special group to achieve his ends.
I think these three principles of the early church can safely be applied to Muhammad and Islam.

[Peter]

2. Demonic opposition – Indulging the sin nature

The first and most common form is by demonic opposition, which is "to be attacked from all sides" by ordinary temptations, described Father William. The opposition takes place for no reason, and it can even be physical opposition such as visible torments and sicknesses.

Like perhaps sexual addiction and fornication:

    Narrated Qatada:
    Anas bin Malik said, "The Prophet used to visit all his wives in a round, during the day and night and they were eleven in number." I asked Anas, "Had the Prophet the strength for it?" Anas replied, "We used to say that the Prophet was given the strength of thirty (men)." And Sa'id said on the authority of Qatada that Anas had told him about nine wives only (not eleven). (Sahih al-Bukhari, Volume 1, Book 5, Number 268)

    Narrated Anas bin Malik:
    The Prophet used to visit all his wives in one night and he had nine wives at that time. (Sahih al-Bukhari, Volume 1, Book 5, Number 282; see also parallel hadiths in Vol. 7, Book 62, Numbers 6 and 142)

http://www.answering-islam.org/Muhammad/sex_superman.html

[Peter]

1. Self glorification – Superbia

The glory with which God has adorned his creation has become his temptation. Consequently, the freedom which God gave him works his ruin. The creature means to become something, something without God, something like God.

"O followers of Muhammad!"
http://www.islamchristianforum.com/index.php?topic=2656.0