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The Encyclopedia Of Demons And Demonology PDF

321 Pages·2009·8.44 MB·English
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THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF Demons and Demonology S S Also by Rosemary Ellen Guiley The Encyclopedia of Angels, Second Edition The Encyclopedia of Ghosts and Spirits, Third Edition The Encyclopedia of Magic and Alchemy The Encyclopedia of Saints The Encyclopedia of Vampires, Werewolves, and Other Monsters The Encyclopedia of Witches, Witchcraft and Wicca, Third Edition THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF Demons and Demonology Rosemary Ellen Guiley FOREWORD BY JOHN ZAFFIS S S The Encyclopedia of Demons and Demonology Copyright © 2009 by Visionary Living, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage or retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the publisher. For information contact: Facts On File, Inc. An imprint of Infobase Publishing, Inc. 132 West 31st Street New York NY 10001 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Guiley, Rosemary. The encyclopedia of demons and demonology / Rosemary Ellen Guiley ; foreword by John Zaffi s. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN-13: 978-0-8160-7314-6 (hardcover : alk. paper) ISBN-10: 0-8160-7314-7 (hardcover : alk. paper) 1. Demonology—Encyclopedias. I. Title. BF1503.G85 2009 133.4'203—dc22 2008052488 Facts On File books are available at special discounts when purchased in bulk quantities for businesses, associations, institutions, or sales promotions. Please call our Special Sales Department in New York at (212) 967-8800 or (800) 322-8755. You can fi nd Facts On File on the World Wide Web at http://www.factsonfi le.com Text design by Cathy Rincon Cover design by Takeshi Takahashi Printed in the United States of America VB Hermitage 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 This book is printed on acid-free paper and contains 30 percent postconsumer recycled content. For John Zaffi s S xviii+302-Demonology.indd vi 7/8/09 1:09:37 PM FOREWORD ix ACKNOWLEDGMENTS xi INTRODUCTION xiii ENTRIES A–Z 1 BIBLIOGRAPHY 280 INDEX 284 S CONTENTS S xviii+302-Demonology.indd viii 7/8/09 1:09:37 PM ix I have spent more than 30 years dealing with the shadow side of the paranormal, including negative hauntings and demonic cases. I never actually intended to become so deeply involved, but as most of us in this fi eld are, I was drawn in and called to it. The fi rst sign of calling came in my teens. I was about 15 years old when I awoke one night and saw my fi rst ap- parition, my deceased grandfather standing at the foot of my bed. Actually, I did not know him; he had died when I was three years old. But my mother verifi ed my descrip- tion of him. Perhaps you could say my calling was “in the blood,” as my mother was a twin, and twins have been known to be more psychically sensitive than the average person. Plus, I was related by blood to one of the most prominent investigators of the demonic: Ed Warren, my mother’s twin brother and my uncle. Ed and his wife, Lorraine Warren, a clairvoyant, became household names in the paranormal and were in media headlines on some of the most famous modern cases on record. Ed has passed on now, and Lorraine still works in the fi eld. As a kid I was always fascinated by the work Ed and Lorraine did in the paranormal. I wanted to be part of it too. But Ed was a stickler for the proper education. He refused to allow me to go along on cases before I turned 18, and he spent a lot of time transmitting his knowledge to me. I was impatient back then, but Ed, in his wisdom, knew what he was doing. Dealing with the paranormal, especially the dark side, is not child’s play and requires grounding, education, and discernment. I had to have a base in all of those in order to be properly prepared. I learned a great deal from my uncle and aunt and eventually went out on my own. I have been privileged to work with some of the best names in the fi eld, both lay- persons, like me, and clergy. I have worked on more than 7,000 cases: Many of them have had natural explanations (that is, not paranormal or demonic), and many others have been resolved with intervention. A few of them have been full-blown demonic infestations and possessions. I do not perform exorcisms—that is a role for clergy—but I have assisted at dozens of these rites. One of the demonic cases brought me face to face with genuine evil: a reptile-like entity that manifested in an infested home, a former funeral parlor in Southington, Connecticut, and came at me down a staircase. The in- tensity of the evil was astonishing. I had never before ex- perienced anything like it, and I have to admit, I was so shaken that it was several days before I could return to the case. I know from my own experience on this case and others that evil is real, the demonic exists, and dark forces are at work in the world. As Rosemary Ellen Guiley states in her introduction to this book, the demonic—always fascinating—has ac- quired a media glamour that has encouraged people to want to become involved as “demonologists.” Many of them jump in not properly prepared, not having much understanding of what they are dealing with or the rami- fi cations and consequences of this kind of work. The work is never easy, and there is the constant danger of S FOREWORD S x The Encyclopedia of Demons and Demonology repercussions. The forces of evil know who you are and will try to prevent you from interfering in their activi- ties. You, your home, your family, and your friends all become targets. I mentioned earlier the importance of education, how Ed did his best to make sure I was armed with informa- tion, knowledge, and insight in addition to experience. If I had had a book like The Encyclopedia of Demons and De- monology when I was getting started, I guarantee you that it would have been well thumbed in a hurry. Rosemary Ellen Guiley has gained a well-earned reputation in the paranormal for her thorough research and investigation. I have all of her encyclopedias, refer to them frequently, and recommend them to others. I welcome the addition of this one to my set, and I can tell you that it will be one of my most valuable resources. I met Rosemary several years ago at a conference in New Jersey hosted by L’Aura Hladik, founder of the New Jersey Ghost Hunters Society. I was already quite familiar with her work. We became good friends and colleagues, assisting each other in our work in whatever ways pos- sible and collaborating on projects. We sometimes have different viewpoints, which add dimension to the overall picture. Beyond paranormal investigation, there is a need for the average person to become more informed about the demonic. As a whole we are undereducated on the topic. Many of us get our ideas from Hollywood, maybe com- bined with a few religious teachings. Rosemary points out that many people ignore the topic altogether, hop- ing that the demonic will just “go away.” I assure you, the forces of evil have no intention of disappearing. In fact, we in the fi eld are seeing an increase in intensity and frequency of activity. That is why education is so important. The Encyclopedia of Demons and Demonology covers an amazing amount of material and from differ- ent perspectives. That is one of the many things I ap- preciate so much about Rosemary’s work: She looks at everything from different angles. Whether you are seri- ous about paranormal investigation or are a casual reader intrigued by a fascinating subject, this book will broaden your knowledge. Everyone who picks up this book will learn something new. —John Zaffi s I am deeply indebted to John Zaffi s and Adam Blai, who have shared their knowledge and expertise on demons and demonology with me. I am also indebted to Philip J. Imbrogno, for sharing his expertise on djinn. Thanks also go to the very talented Richard Cook and Scott Brents for creating some original artwork in this book and especially for putting faces on some most unusual demons. S ACKNOWLEDGMENTS S xi xviii+302-Demonology.indd xii 7/8/09 1:09:37 PM xiii Dealing with evil has occupied center stage in human af- fairs since our earliest times. Destruction, chaos, decay, and the ultimate darkness of death have often overshad- owed the presence of goodness and light. Human beings have dealt with evil in three principal ways: by meeting it head on in battle, by warding it off before it strikes, and by trying to avoid it altogether through denial. The how and why of evil have been debated and dis- cussed for centuries in religion, folklore, philosophy, art, literature, and pop culture, all of which attempt to explain why bad things happen, especially to good people. When evil strikes the wicked, we see it as the deserved conse- quence of evildoing. When evil strikes the righteous, we look for satisfactory explanations, often in vain. Everyone feels the touch of evil at some point in life, regardless of his or her moral striving. In myth, religion, and folklore the forces of both good and evil are personifi ed. In the pantheons of deities there are gods and goddesses of benevolence and malevolence, and though some are mostly evil, they are seldom com- pletely evil. Their job is to tear things down via disaster, ruination, disease, illness, and death. They are an essen- tial part of the eternal cycle of life, death, and rebirth. Hu- man beings, understandably, seek to avoid these torments as much as possible. Monotheism creates a sharper polarization between good and evil. The one Creator is all-good but permits evil to exist under the direction of an archfi end. We con- sole ourselves with the explanation that evil serves to test and demonstrate our moral fi ber and spiritual worthi- ness. Our fate in the afterlife—eternal heaven or eternal hell—hangs in the balance. In Christianity, Satan, the Devil, is the thoroughly evil counterpart to the all-good God. Concepts of the Devil developed over centuries, evolving from the neutral ad- versary, satan, of Hebrew lore, and the once-good angel Lucifer, who chose pride and fell from grace. Every army needs a wholly evil enemy, and Satan obliges Christianity in that sense. Demons, the lower agents of evil, have many guises and operate under many names and with many purposes. In the pagan view, they are a part of the natural order, entities of moral ambivalence who mostly deceive and in- terfere. In the Christian view, they are evil—fallen angels who, as Lucifer did, chose pride over obedience to God and were cast out of heaven. They are doomed to eternal hell and serve the Devil, making unending assaults on human beings in an attempt to subvert souls to the Devil’s domain. Outside monotheism, demons have a long history of interfering in the affairs of the physical world and the lives of people, though not always with the goal of subverting souls. They act as tricksters and create annoying distur- bances. More seriously, they cause illnesses, insanity, di- sasters, and bad luck. Some hold long-standing grudges against humanity. The djinn of Arabian lore, for example, say they were the original inhabitants of Earth and were evicted by God in favor of humans. They want their home- land returned, and some of them carry out guerrilla war- fare and terrorism against humans to that end. S INTRODUCTION S xiv The Encyclopedia of Demons and Demonology Whatever the guises, names, and agendas, demonic forces are constantly at play in the world. Thanks to the exaggerations of fi lm and fi ction, many Christians think, for example, that demonic attacks occur in the form of hideous beings assaulting people, possessing them, and making green slime run down walls and stairs. While such events do happen, they are relatively rare among all the ways the demonic forces operate. Evil is insidious, a Trojan horse that destroys from within, degrading peo- ple’s thoughts, intentions, and will to lead the righteous life. Evil often operates through people, in the murder, mayhem, oppression, and violence people wreak on one another. Several years ago, in my introduction to my Encyclope- dia of Angels, I affi rmed my belief in angels. I also believe in demons. One does not exist without the other. I have had personal experience of both. In my years of research- ing the paranormal, I have been puzzled by people who adamantly insist that demons do not exist. They readily believe in angels and other representatives of the forces of light and good, but they deny malevolent beings. They would rather not know anything about the demonic in or- der not to “dignify” it. Some of them naively think that if they do not believe in demons, they will not be bothered by them. “See no evil” means to them “avoiding all evil.” Ignorance is their protection. Ignorance, however, is no protection. Ignorance breeds fear, and fear is evil’s greatest weapon. One of the things I have found to be true in my paranormal research, investi- gation, and personal experience is that what you fear will fi nd you. Demons are the front lines of evil. Denying their existence only makes human beings easier targets. Consequently, it is important to be informed about demons and evil. One conquers an enemy by knowing it inside and out. To know evil does not mean to embrace it, champion it, or glorify it. Information shines a powerful light, and it is im- portant that we shine that light into the darkness. My purpose in writing this encyclopedia is to provide one of those lights. The content is not intended to validate any particular religious view. Rather, I have explored numerous avenues of thought on the demonic. There is much diversity but also some common threads and themes. Some common themes, for example, concern the origins and fate of evil. The world in its original state was pristine, perfect, and good. The forces of evil entered the world, often through the actions of humans. Since then, the forces of evil have been having their day, wreaking havoc. At some point, good will vanquish evil, and perfection will be restored. Meanwhile, there are many ways to counter evil, to minimize its impact in the world. The lore about demons is rich and varied, and the stories of human dealings with demons are colorful and mesmerizing. All of my encyclopedias emphasize the Western tradition, with the inclusion of some cross- cultural entries for comparison. In this volume, I have included entries on many individual demons, including the heavyweights of hell; types and classes of demons; demonized pagan deities; examples of demonic and spirit possessions and exorcisms; expressions of the demonic in folklore, literature, and fi lm; and personalities who have infl uenced our views on the demonic. The early church fathers of Christianity tackled the questions of the origins of evil, the existence of the Devil, and the operations of demons, but “demonology” as a study of the demonic did not gel until about the 15th century. By then, the Inquisition, established by the Ro- man Catholic Church to suppress heresy, was gathering momentum. For the next several centuries, religious and nonsecular authorities on demons wrote with great con- viction on the diabolical and the relationship between witchcraft and demons. Thousands of people were ac- cused of witchcraft, which automatically meant being in league with the Devil in order to harm people and destroy everything good. There was little or no evidence to sup- port the claims, but public fears of the demonic were eas- ily warped to believe in wild nights of demonic orgies and blasphemous activities. Some of these ideas linger today, as adherents to Wicca well know. One demonic activity that fascinates people most is possession. Beliefs about possession are universal and an- cient, such as possession by the zar of Middle Eastern lore and the kitsune of Japanese lore, who demand attention and gifts. Everywhere in the ancient world, possessing demons caused illness and insanity. Jesus gained atten- tion for his ability to heal these conditions by expelling the demons. The evolution of the Devil in Christianity narrowed the focus on possession; it became the instrument of the Devil’s subversion of souls, turning people away from God and the church. The Catholic Church developed for- mal rites of exorcism to combat this evil. The Protestant Reformation in the early 1500s was followed in Europe by a period in which Catholics and Protestants used possession as one of their battlegrounds on which to demonstrate religious superiority and sway the faithful. Some of the most famous possession cases on record concerned the alleged possession of nuns—such as at Loudun and Louviers, France—who put on displays of writhing, contorting, shouting obscenities, and other outrageous behavior, all for huge audiences. The exor- cisms were more like circus acts than religious proceed- ings. Sexual repression, revenge, and outright fraud were part of many of these cases, though there were some gen- uine possessions. Genuine demonic possession, from a Christian per- spective, still exists today. It is rare relative to other forms of demonic interference; however, both religious and lay authorities on the subject say it is on the increase. In the fi eld of lay paranormal investigation, media attention on the demonic has prompted individuals to call themselves

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