LeAnne Miller

Do demons really exist ?

August 25, 2006 |  6 comments
Image Credit: sxc.hu "In England, where the Old Ways were more harshly stamped out than in other parts of the British Isles, most of the faery and pagan lore (tales and oral stories put into words on paper in some type of written form) was forced into hiding among faery tales and Mother Goose rhymes. (from pages 27-28 of A Witch's guide to Faery folk by Edain McCoy) And the following is from Merlin: the shooting script; which belongs to Hallmark Productions. 119. Int. Mab's Sanctuary-Day. Mab sits brooding on her throne, whilst Frik, looking like an ancient scholar, writes in a large book.

MAB// What are you doing?
FRIK// Writing fairy stories...So you'll be remembered.
MAB// I don't need to be remembered, Frik, I won't be forgotten.
FRIK// (sounding doubtful) Hmmmmm..... (p. 92)

" From England comes several unique faery protection charms. One of the most well-known protections is also an ancient one, and that is to discover a faery's (or demon spirit's) true name. Recall the German tale of Rumplestiltskin, the baneful faery who wished to take the son of a queen whom he had helped; or of the English, Tom-Tit-Tot, who cheated a miller's daughter. When the heroines of these stories discovered the true names of their tormentors, the earth opened up and swallowed the faeries. The belief that knowing someone's true name will give you power over them goes deep in Pagan history. Additionally, as another form of protection, if one fears he or she is being pursued by a fairy, or ANY ill-meaning Spirit, one should cross over running water. The water acts like a grounding element and diffuses the baneful power. (Like a vacumn hose strongly sucking up water from out of a fish tank).

This concept is annually illustrated by tv shows and films around and on Halloween, in the Wash- ington Irving tale: The Legend of Sleepy Hollow." (McCoy, p. 64) And if a faery you don't want around and does not live with you makes an appearance, you can sometimes get it to leave by chanting this common nurs- ery rhyme---which is actually an ancient spell of faery banishment; Ladybug, Ladybug Fly away home. Your house is on fire and your children have gone. McCoy goes on in the introductory chapters of her book that: " One way to explore the subtle world of faeries and learn more about them is by reading faery tales which feature them. Some of these include: Rumpelstiltskin, Sleeping Beauty, The Three Billy Goats Gruff. Much Pagan lore, especially concerning gods, goddesses, and Nature Spirits-- and even malevolent demonic spirits, is also hidden among these old tales and legends (McCoy:p 53). A perfect example of showing differences between Nature Spirits (for example-Elves) as helpers (to humans) and the Master Demon, Satan (as chaos oppressor)--and major Adversary of the Nature Spirits, is clearly (and most cleverly) illustrated and viewed through the animated film version of Cinderella (as produced by Walter Disney) from the original fairy tale. Especially when reading Edain McCoy's description of Elves, in her work, A Witch's guide to Fairy Folk. McCoy describes the following: Elves can spin cloth and make shoes and are known for aiding deserving humans in need. They have few enemies, the most noted being CATS. Occasionally, elves appear in nursery rhymes and fairy tales disguised...... as mice.

In Disney's version of Cinderella, she is constantly and consistently degraded, overworked (to exhaustion), and always promised something by her malevolent (and jealous) step-mother; yet Cinderella is used and abused by her step mother and step sisters (who can Only ever be described as yapping harpies), all the verbal promises offered to Cinderella are always recanted and used as a means to an end by her so called-family- to pull the proverbial rug out from beneath her. And The mother and sisters show no sort of remorse (or true compassionate humanity) which can be viewed as Disney showing they are ( or even worse) as nothing but baneful, vain, monsters. So, to go back the Edain McCoy's description of the symbolisms for the elves in fairy tales, it is clear for one to see that all of the kind and helpful mice are distinctly aiding the good hearted and genteel Cinderella all throughout the story. At the same time, however, Disney depicts the step- mother as having a cat companion. Under general audi- ence thought, most people would think, " Oh, she has a pet cat. That makes her an okay person...." But wait! When the cat is first introduced, what name does Disney give him? The Big, Lazy, Black, rebellious cat is called Lucifer. So, not only is the cat (figuratively) shown as the Adversary of the 'elvin' mice helpers of Cindrella; he is labeled distinctly as the Master Adversary of the entire Human Race. As well, Disney cleverly used the cat, Lucifer, in a more subtle (yet still insiduous) context within the film. By naming the cat Lucifer, Disney shows he means the cat to be a figure of chaos and rebellion, on and towards the 'helper' mice. Though also, in Disney's act of naming the cat after the Adversarial Angel, Lucifer--who rebelled against God--and was cast out of Heaven to be thrown down to the Earth, Disney also shows the black cat as a 'familiar' spirit who is companion and evil cohort to the step-mother of Cinderella. This appearance of cat, Lucifer as companion/cohort to the step-mother clearly depicts the puritanical image that any woman who was compan- ioned by a cat, dog, frog, ( or other strrange and unfamiliar animal), was instantly viewed as being a witch--and therefore-- "in league with the Devil, Lucifer."

It is interesting to note, however, that for subtly depicting the step-mother as witch, cat as the Devil, elves as mice, and even giving Cinderella a 'fairy godmother,' it could be presumed that for Disney, the mysterious and unexplained permeated his entire life; even from his family's historical, ancestors who lived (and died) during the infamous Salem witch trials of the 1600's. This intriguing part of the Disney family legacy can perhaps be significant in understanding Disney's creative bent in depicting creatures and magical beings in a number of film projects he gave approval for production on. The discovery is that the Disney family ancestors go back in history to the early 1600's (at least) to the infamous Judge of Salem, Mass; the Rev- erand, George Burroughs. Reverend/Judge George Burroughs was among those accused, By the Putnam family, of being in league with the Devil and practiced witchcraft; Burroughs was labeled and persecuted with public hanging on Gallows Hill, in 1692. (Biography Magazine, Page 49, 2004). So, it seems strange (and mysteriously unexplain able) that after eons and eons up to this present day, that Walter Disney would be a major public icon and philanthropist in his life time; and that his legacy to the world is known as: "The Magic Kingdom." Even today, such tv shows as Charmed, Smallville, Buffy the vampire slayer, and Supernatural have tip-toed into the world of fairy tales (and urban legends) and have focused on the very real idea that Spirits and demonic entities utilize the medium of such tales to reach out and connect with humans who grant them tentative belief (even if it's to perform an urban legend mythic ritual in jest as a practical joke). The concept of demons using fairy tales to gain strength from human victims is especially emphasized in the Buffy: the vampire slayer episode entitled: "Gingerbread." (season 3, episode 11).

The following is from a 'dry transcript' of the episode--archived at http://www.twiztv.com and absolutely no misuse nor infringement is intended. It is only offered as an example of support to this article.

Cut to Willow's room. She's lying on her bed idly toying with her teddy bear. She hears her laptop beep. She goes over to her desk and brings the laptop back to the bed. Cut to the Library....

OZ: Alright, we're linked. If anybody's Id'd the kids, she'll pull it up and feed it here.

Cut to Willow's room. She's surfing the web, looking for any leads. Cut back to Library Oz does his part on his end and brings up the pages as Willow finds them. Giles reads the text from the screen. GILES: Oh, Two children found dead. Mysterious mark.. ... No. No. These children were found near Omaha in 1949.
XANDER: Yeah, they ain't ours. Keep going. Before Oz can move on, the added image (to the newspaper article) loads from the 'net.
BUFFY: Wait!

Cut to Willow's room. She sees the same image load on her screen and looks at it in surprise. WILLOW: Those are..... Cut to Library BUFFY: the same kids.

GILES: Fifty years ago. Oz loads up the next page.
OZ: 1899. Utah...Two Children...Rural Community torn apart by suspicion.
GILES: (Confused) A hundred years ago? How is this possible?
OZ: There's no mention of who they were.
BUFFY: They've never been seen alive, just dead. A lot. The next page loads. This one is dated 1649 and has a hand drawing of the two children. an instant message pops up with a note from Willow.
OZ: Ah. There were more articles. Every fifty years. All the same.
GILES: (intrigued) From as far back as 1649. Can I see that?

Oz surrenders his place to Giles He types a bit then reads the German and translates.

GILES: Written by a cleric from a village near the Black Forest. He... found the bodies him self. Two children...Greta Strauss, age six. (He types more)... Hans Strauss, eight.
XANDER: So they have names. That's new. (more later)// (irrelavant scene ommitted))

Cut to the Library. Giles paces while Oz keeps look ing for more information on the web.
GILES: Uh, wait, wait a minute. Uh, Uh, there is a fringe theory held by a few folklorists that some regional stories have actual, um, very literal antecedents.
BUFFY: And in some language that's English?
OZ: Fairy tales are real?
BUFFY: Hans and Gre....(her mind clicks) Hansel and Gretal?
XANDER: Wait. Hansel and Gretal? Breadcrumbs, ovens, gingerbread house?
GILES: Of Course! Well, it makes sense now.
BUFFY: Yeah, it's all falling into place. Of course that place is nowhere near this place.
GILES: (sits on the table top) Some demons thrive by fostering hatred and, and, uhm, persecution amongst the mortal animals. not by destroying men, but by watching men destroy each other. Now, they feed us our darkest fear and turn peaceful communities into vigilantes. BUFFY: Hansel and Gretal run home to tell every one about the mean old witch.
GILES: And then she and probably dozens of others are persecuted by a righteous mob. It's happened all throughout history. It happened in Salem, not, surprisingly.
XANDER: Whoa, Whoa, Whoa. I'm still spinning on this whole 'fairy tales are real' thing.

*(all rights, characters, etc. belong to Joss Whedon & mutant Enemy Productions. No infringement of copy right is or was intended by use in this article.)

Another excellent example of fairy tales harbor ing hidden, evil spirits and demonic beings, is in the tv show, Charmed. This concept is prominantly the entire basis for the season five episode three, titled: Happily Ever After The episode centers around a wicked witch escaping from her own magic mirror to wreck havoc and chaos upon the Charmed Ones so they will destroy each other; which will satisfy her own jealous streak for wanting to be the most beautiful and powerful witch ever. There exists within this episode, a thematic motif of the evil witch trapped within her own magic mirror; however, this is a topic better suited for its own article. Another example of "fairy tale" demons can be found and viewed in the highly acclaimed, and talked about, Buffy: the Vampire Slayer episode 10 of season four; this is the episode titled: HUSH. With some select undertones of a Freddy Kruegar rhyme, Buffy has a 'dream vision' ( which Giles later in dicates as her 'prophethetic dreams'.) of a little girl holding an ornately, decorative wooden box, as she chants in an eerie, sing song manner. Can't even shout, Can't even cry. The Gentlemen are coming by. Looking in windows, knocking on doors. They need to take Seven, And they might take yours. Can't call to Mom, Can't say a word. You're gonna die screaming,.... But, You won't be heard. This rhyme acts as the only background and basic motivations for the actions of the Gentlemen in this episode. No one in the 'scoobie group' have any awareness or knowledge of who--or what--the Gentlemen are; So, during the entirety of the episode we, as the audience, are left not knowing who--or what the Gentlemen are either. Farther into the episode (after the Gentlemen have performed their spell to rob all people of their voices, there is a scene where Giles is shown a picture, which his female friend, Olivia has drawn, and the picture 'jogs his memory,' and Giles walks over to a small shelf of books and he grabs a book titled "Fairy Tales." In the next scene, Giles, Buffy, Anya, Xander, and Willow are huddled in a meeting in one of the university classrooms (with an over head projector and lap sized, dry-erase, message boards.) As Giles begins the meeting, he fiddles with a trans parancy until he has it arranged correctly. On it we see: "Who are the Gentlemen?" Giles then places a second transparancy down and we read (what he apparantly has confirmed), "They are Fairy Tale monsters." The meeting continues to the conclu sion that Giles relates that no forged weapons can kill them; only a human voice--screaming--can kill them. From this episode, much in depth and meticulous research was undertaken to determine if, in fact, there were any 'real' fairy tales which described the "Fairy Tale Monsters" as Giles stated (non verbally) in the episode. There were about two good leads towards confirmation of such fairy tale beings However, after reading the the tales, they were discarded as supporting evidence. However, with more 'thinking outside of the box' research, the following description was discov ered in Edain McCoy's book, A Witch's Guide to Fairy Folk (including a Dictionary of 230 different faeries). Under the entry LUNANTISIDHE (pronounced ' Loonan tee Shee') Appearance aand temperment: The Lunantisidhe are thin and wizened in appearance and look like small, bald, old, men. They have pointed ears and long teeth, and long arms and fingers which enable them to climb easily through the blackthorn trees which are their home. They are found in groups; but they are neither trooping, nor solitary. They are said to hate humans with a fervent passion. TIME MOST ACTIVE: At Night. WHERE TO FIND THEM: In Blackthron trees. HOW TO CONTACT: " CONTACT NOT ADVISED!!." (page 267).

In addition to McCoy's description, an even 'closer' reference to the Gentlemen, is found in The Encyclopedia of Ghosts and Spirits, edited by Rosemary Ellen Guiley. The following description can be found under the entry: SEVEN WHISTLERS: In English folklore, spirits that portend DEATH. (seeming to) Fly together like seven birds, (recall that the Gentlemen Floated or hovered slightly off of the ground--never letting their feet touch the earthen ground)--(This could be a metaphoric all udence to the idea that perhaps these Evil fairies are actually "above, or higher than this 'earthly plane' of existence?)"---they sing--or whistle--at night to signal that one or more deaths will take place (that specific night.) (Guiley, pp. 299-300). There is also a characteristic given the Gentle men, that one has to notice and realize, even if it is only on a subtle, subconscious level of under standing. This characteristic is prominent in the Buffy "Hush" episode, as the Gentlemen are shown floating through the town--past many houses, as well as floating past certain dorm rooms when they are traveling in the college dorm halls to select the specific room numbers for their vicitims. Plainly, the Gentlemen are acting in an intelligent, selective manner for choosing victims--for their specific, decisive, and evil purpose. This thought out, select ing, purposeful behaviors actually makes The Gentle men much more dangerous than simple "Fairy Tale Monsters;" These behaviors and actions truly desig nate The Gentlemen as Demons.

To support this, one has only to refer to author, Neil T. Anderson and his book The Bondage Breaker. In the book, Anderson includes a list of characteristics and behaviors that one should go by in order to discern a demonic creature or being. This list covers the Following:

1. Demons can (and do) exist outside and/or inside humans. These Spirits may take territorial rights and associate with certain geographical locations. ( and what better " demonic neighborhood" is there than Sunnydale; A magical, mystical, location which includes a Hellmouth?)
2. They are able to travel at Will. Being Spiritual entities, demons are NOT subject to the barriers of the Natural World.
3. They are able to Communicate. Evil Spirits can/and do communicate; not only with each other, but also to humans through a human (such as a person called a channeler or medium. And also as vague anomolous 'voices in a person's mind'.) Demons also communicate to humans by means of questionable devices (Ouija boards, spirit boards, talking oracles, talking witchboards, etc. being the One Major comminucations Hell gate portal); Other forms of communication of demons to humans can include, but not be limited to: Automatic Drawing, Automatic Writing, unwanted thoughts and disembodied "voices", and even in perfectly healthy humans which have been medically mis-diagnosed as suffering from various dissociative disorders more commonly labeled as Multiple Personalities. (It is completely logical to take into consideration that a Demonic entity can (and does) present itself as an MPD's person al "alternate persona--or personality")
4. Each (demon) has a separate identity. We are dealing with "thinking" personalities as opposed to impersonal forces. That's why secular methods of research are NOT going to reveal their existence. Revelation alone is our authoritative source on the reality and personality of Evil Spirits.
5. They are able to remember and make plans! The fact that (demons) can leave a place, (or body), come back, remember their former state, and plan re entry with others, shows their ability to think, strategize and plan.
6. They are able to evaluate and make decisions! The fact that an Evil Spirit can select, and hone-in to its human target--and 'put in order' a target "home" within a person, clearly indi cates that it can evaluate (think of this as "Spiritual Stalking" of the Spirit towards its human victim) its intended victim. Demons gain access to our (human) lives through our points of weakness and vulnerability. (think of this as an adversarial demon of alcoholic poisoning entering the life (and body/mind) of any person who has a pre-dispostion towards possibly becoming a user or abuser of alcohol).
7. They are able to combine forces! In Luke 11, the one Spirit joined with a group of seven others, making the victim's last state worse than his first. In the case of the Gadarene demoniac, the number of demons united for Evil was "Legion" (Mark 5:9). Many people identify a number of different voices in their mind, describing them as a committe!
8. They vary in degrees of Wickedness. The first demon in Luke 11 brought back 'seven' other spirits "more evil than itself" (verse 26). Jesus indicated a difference in the wickedness of spirits when He said of one, "This kind cannot come out by anything but prayer" (Mark 9:29). The concept of variations in power and wickedness fits the hierarchy which Paul lists in Ephesians: 12. It is confirmed by actual case files, that some cases are much more difficult than others (Anderson; pp. 116-18). The concept of demons having varying attri butes and verying degrees of wickedness can also be clearly supported and viewed by watching any episode of the tv show, Charmed. In the cases of dealing with demons daily, the Charmed sister-witches nearly always emphasize needing to reference their family "Book of Shadows." In the reference tome of magick, it describes some lesser demons which can be destroyed by reciting a simple rhyme spell or chant, while stronger upper level demons may require making a 'vanquishing potion' (sometimes in companion with a vanquish chant; though the very strongest of demons can only be destroyed by the "Power of Three." ( the united powers of the three sisters.) So, to carefully consider all of the descrip tions of what classifies a Spirit as a Demon, Buffy's ' Seven Gentlemen' actually exhibit ALL eight characteristics of a demonic entity. So for all definitions, the Gentlemen were NOT simply " Fairy Tale Monsters" as Giles clearly (though non verbally) stated. The Gentlemen were, in all facts considered, demons. So, the next time you want to decide to tell the kids a bed time story, just remain aware of which 'fairy tale' you choose to share with the little ones. This advice is a good general guide for adults as well, as in their own special, unique attributes, all fairy tales do touch our lives in varying and many different ways. Though as long as awareness remains vigilant and the proper amount of reverent attention is taken into consideration when they are read, or told, and shared, there should be absolutely no reason at all why a person's life can't end....... (with all the Magic included)........ HAPPILY EVER AFTER. Comments (6)

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