Devotional Thoughts: Are Demons Real?

Was looking at Matthew 12:22, "Then a demon-possessed man, who was both blind and unable to talk, was brought to Jesus. He healed the man so that he could both speak and see."

Skeptics of the spiritual world view would discount demon-possessions as purely psychological phenomena.

This debate might be ignited in the popular culture with the upcoming release of the film, The Exorcism of Emily Rose.

The film is based on the real-life case of Anneliese Michel in Germany in the 1970s when a college-aged woman began to exhibit bizarre behavior and died while an exorcism was attempted by a Catholic priest. That priest and her parents were then put on trial for her death.

The film will follow the trail of the priest and the tale is told in flashbacks during court testimony.

In the "faith/science" tab of the movie web page, there are audio clips from the film where explanations of epilepsy, seizures and hallucinations are offered regarding Emily Rose.

Being trained in molecular biology, I do tend toward skepticism about claims of demon-possession. However, a couple of decades ago, M. Scott Peck a practicing psychologist and initially a skeptic began to explore the possibility. Because of this, I had to sit up and take notice. I have not read any of his books but friends have and I've read some of the reviews.

As a Christian, I have no personal experiences to relate about people who are demon-possessed. However, I have friends who have shared such stories.

What do I believe?

What would you believe if a friend told you such stories?

Why would my friends fabricate such stories? Friends don't lie as a matter of routine.

Also, my friends are remarkably level-headed people and not prone to flights of fancy.

When people tell fantastical stories, they are either lying (telling a fabrication with the intent to deceive), crazy (telling a fabrication and think it is real), confused (telling the story incorrectly), pulling your leg (telling a story to entertain you) or ... telling the truth?