Editing Demon (section)

{{Short description|Evil supernatural being or mythical creature}}
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{{Other uses}}
{{Distinguish|Daimon}}
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{{Redirect-multi|2|Evil spirit|Evil spirits|the film|Evil Spirit (film){{!}}''Evil Spirit'' (film)|the album|Evil Spirits (album){{!}}''Evil Spirits'' (album)}}
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[[File:PazuzuDemonAssyria1stMil 2.jpg|thumb|upright|Bronze statue of the [[Assyro-Babylonian]] demon king [[Pazuzu]], {{Circa|800–700 BCE}}, [[Louvre]]]]

A '''demon''' is a malevolent [[supernatural]] entity.<ref>Martin, Dale Basil. "When Did Angels Become Demons?" ''Journal of Biblical Literature'', vol. 129, no. 4, 2010, pp. 657–58. {{doi|10.2307/25765960}}. Accessed 5 January 2025.</ref> Historically, belief in demons, or stories about demons, occurs in [[folklore]], [[mythology]], [[religion]], [[occultism]], and [[literature]]; these beliefs are reflected in [[Media (communication)|media]] including 
[[fiction]], [[comics]], [[film]], [[television series|television]], and [[video games]]. Belief in demons probably goes back to the [[Paleolithic|Paleolithic age]], stemming from humanity's fear of the unknown, the strange and the horrific.<ref name="dictionary">{{harvnb|Brandon|1970}}.</ref> In [[Religions of the ancient Near East|ancient Near Eastern religions]] and in the [[Abrahamic religions]], including [[History of Judaism|early Judaism]]{{sfn|Angelini|2021}} and ancient-medieval [[Christian demonology]], a demon is considered a harmful spiritual entity that may cause [[Spirit possession|demonic possession]], calling for an [[exorcism]]. Large portions of [[Jewish demonology]], a key influence on [[Christianity]] and [[Islam]], originated from a later form of [[Zoroastrianism]], and was transferred to Judaism during the [[Achaemenid Empire|Persian era]].{{sfnm|1a1=Boyce |1y=1987 |2a1=Duchesne-Guillemin |2y=1988}}

Demons may or may not be considered to be devils: minions of [[the Devil]].<ref name="dictionary" /> In many traditions, demons are independent operators, with different demons causing different types of evils (destructive natural phenomena, specific diseases, etc.) in general, while devils appear more often as demons within a [[Theology|theologial framework]]; demons opposing the Divine principle.<ref>Erdağı, D. Evil in Turkish Muslim horror film: the demonic in “Semum”. SN Soc Sci 4, 27 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s43545-024-00832-w</ref> As lesser [[Spirit (supernatural entity)|spirits]] doing the Devil's work, they have additional duties— causing humans to have [[sinful]] thoughts and tempting humans to commit sinful actions.{{sfn|Nixey|2018|loc=Chapter 2, "The Battleground of Demons"}}

The original [[Ancient Greek language|Ancient Greek]] word ''{{Lang|grc-latn|[[daimōn]]}}'' ({{lang|grc|δαίμων}}) did not carry negative connotations, as it denotes a spirit or divine power.<ref name="Liddell & Scott">{{harvnb|Liddell|Scott|n.d.}}</ref> The Greek conception of a ''{{Lang|grc-latn|daimōn}}'' notably appears in the philosophical works of [[Plato]], where it describes the divine inspiration of [[Socrates]]. In Christianity, morally ambivalent ''{{Lang|grc-latn|daimōn}}'' were replaced by demons, forces of evil only striving for corruption.{{sfn|Rees|2012|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=w-eKDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA81 81]}} Such demons are not the Greek intermediary spirits, but hostile entities, already known in Iranian beliefs.{{sfn|Brown|1970|p=28}} In [[Western esotericism]] and [[Renaissance magic]], which grew out of an amalgamation of [[Greco-Roman magic]], Jewish [[Aggadah]], and Christian demonology, a demon is believed to be a spiritual entity that may be [[Conjuration (summoning)|conjured]] and controlled.

Belief in demons remains an important part of many modern religions and [[occult]] traditions. Demons are still feared largely due to their alleged power to possess living creatures.<ref> {{cite book |first= Hans| last= Van Eyghen| title= The Epistemology of Spirit Beliefs | publisher= Routledge | date= 14 April 2023| isbn= 9781003281139 | url = https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/oa-mono/10.4324/9781003281139/epistemology-spirit-beliefs-hans-van-eyghen | series = Routledge Studies in the Philosophy of Religion  | doi= 10.4324/9781003281139}}</ref> In contemporary [[Western esotericism|Western esoteric]] traditions, demons may be used as metaphors for inner psychological processes ("inner demons").