It’s a question that generates heated debate or derisive laughter. Once upon a time, belief in demons was commonplace. In every culture, our ancestors believed that demons were responsible for all the ills in the world. In our more “enlightened” society, we attribute events and actions that would once have been considered demonic to
psychiatric disorders or just plain random occurrences.

And yet, there are millions of rational, intelligent people who believe in the reality of demons. For some, it’s a matter of religious faith - if one believes in the ultimate Good, then one must also accept the existence of the ultimate Evil. By extension, if one believes in angels, one must also believe in demons.

What are demons?
One of the problems with deciding whether or not demons exist is the number of explanations of what demons are. In the Judeo-Christian tradition, demons are fallen angels who sided with Satan in the battle between Good and Evil. Some Biblical texts ascribe demonic status to the deities, both minor and major, of other faiths of the time.
In other mythologies and cultures, demons may be minor deities, evil spirits, or souls of the dead who were evil during life.

What do demons do?
In nearly every culture, demons have one purpose and one goal – to corrupt people and lead them astray. The most direct and most drastic way of doing this is by actually entering into a person and possessing them. While most modern scientists reject demonic possession in favor of believing in schizophrenia and other mental disorders, there are also those who believe that they have encountered cases of demonic possession firsthand. There are a number of reports of demonic possession throughout history, and many evangelical sects firmly believe that demons can and do possess human beings in order to corrupt them and indulge in bodily pleasures through them.

How do you get rid of a demon?
The most common way of ridding a home or person of a demon is to exorcise it. Exorcism rituals range from the extremely simple to complex rituals that may take days to complete.