Demons in the house (from yardsales to even digital purchases)

cognisonance

Consider the popular JW myth: Be careful what you bring home from a yard sale, it might have come from someone who has ties with witchcraft, magic, satan, etc. Said item thus would be an instrument the demons can use to get into your home and harass you. So be careful of that teacup, tennis racket, or shirt you just purchased!

I've heard this many times, among my family and friends in the group. According to the myth, such can cause people to have nightmares, to hear voices, and perhaps have other weird things happen. Recently, I've heard this myth linked to one buying or bringing any book, movie, game, toy, music, etc. into one’s house that would be inappropriate for Christians. Not just spiritistic items (or items that came from spiritistic people), but even entertainment that features say violence or sex.

In short, I don’t really think demons exist. I am an agnostic atheist. Thus, I’m more than skeptical of religious, spiritual, metaphysical, and supernatural claims. I believe the “heebie jeebies” one experiences from nightmares, for example, can be chalked up to materialistic and naturalistic causes (same for all other situations).

I recently experienced a situation where this myth has caused me a bit of trouble. For the sake of anonymity, the following situation is made up and has been changed from the situation I’m experiencing, but nonetheless has similarities:

Suppose you have your elderly JW father living with you, an “unbeliever.” You are taking care of him as he can’t live on his own anymore. As your father you respect him and enjoy having a good relationship with him. When you were younger your relationship with him was damaged by lies and dishonesty on your part. This relationship has since been repaired. Now you yourself value honesty and have resolved not to lie or to deceive others.

Now your dad has a couple bad dreams recently and asks you if you have brought anything in the house that could be bringing the demons into the home. As an atheist you don’t believe this can even happen, so you reassure your Dad by simply answering No. A few days later while taking an afternoon nap, he awakens from a terrifying nightmare. Feeling more afraid, and knowing you don’t believe the way he does, he asked you a pointed question that he thinks might be likely to be true. He asks, “did you download or stream a bad movie that has violence, sex, or magic in it?” You don’t reply because you did download such a movie before he asked you the first time. This nonresponse causes him to assume you are pleading the fifth.

He feels betrayed and deceived. He begins to panic thinking demons are indeed in the house. He then goes outside and sits on the porch for the rest of the afternoon and evening so as to not be in a house under the influence of the demons. Despite his age, his mind is still sharp. It’s his religious beliefs as a JW that makes him feel such action is necessary.

You can image what might happen next. It would be easy to see him demand you not watch such movies in your own home and to destroy any you do have.

What would be some ways to handle this situation? You want him to stay with you so you can take care of him. You also don’t think your entertainment is any of his business, it’s not like you are having him watch the movies with you.

out4good3

This is an old bullshit trick JW's use to force their conscious upon others. I've seen this played out many times from the person who starts a study then wants to throw out everything in the house that has a questionable spiritual reference even if the said item don't belong to them, to the JW who visits someone else's home and then get all bent out of shape because they don't want to watch a certain program and expect everyone else to toe the line.

VM44

His belief in the supersititions is causing the bad dreams. No fictitious demons need be involved.

Or there could be a medical condition that has developed. Perhaps a checkup is warranted?

finally awake

I am not at all sympathetic to such superstitous nonsense. However, you have to live with your father and you have a vested interest in keeping things peaceful. I really don't think I could tiptoe around the JW crazy on a long term basis. Perhaps you could tell him you installed a demon blocker on the computer.

out4good3

It would seem that a impromptu visit to an old catholic run rest home for the aged and infirmed would be in order. Or perhaps a shepherding visit where the brothers will hem and haw about how they are not equipped to and there should be no expectation of the soceity take care of their old and infirmed and that this should be left up to the relatives, preferably a non-JW one who'd been shunned for a long time so as not to let the JW one miss any field service.

cognisonance

out4good: From what I can tell, this isn't just a tactic to impose one's conscious on another. He rely believes this happens. In the past he threw out items he bought at a yardsale becuase he had a bad dream the following night.

VM44: Agreed, but how do you reason with someone that "no fititious demons need be involved?" As regards medical condition, every thing checks out okay, so that can't be a factor.

FinallyAwake: The problem with the "demon blocker" answer is that it would be lying. I would have been better off, just saying, no I didn't watch, buy, or download a movie like what you are asking about. I respect my father, I don't want to lie to him.

ldrnomo

What medications is he taking?

Have any of his medications changed recently?

cognisonance

What medications is he taking? Have any of his medications changed recently?

No changes in medications. The ones he is taking wouldn't cause that type of side effects. He has had these fears all his life, back to when he was a kid. While he was growing up, some relatives were into the occult and he would talk about how erie and creepy it was to spend time over those family members' homes. So the JW myth was one he could easily embrace.

Just trust me, this isn't a medical/health problem. It's a long-term ingrained superstitous fear coupled with JW conscientious avoidance of anything that is implied to be satanic by the Watchtower.

blondie

I found this is a regional thing with individuals on the edge promoting it for attention and control. I was going d2d one Saturday with the CO and there were garage sales on that street. He went back and put his bag in the car and put some tracts in his pocket and started shopping, talking briefly to the people. He bought a few things and a couple for other people (a suit, a toy). When we got back I brought up the demonized thing and he laughed and laughed. Blondie, he said, all types of people touch the new products we buy. Reasoning this way would mean we could only buy new things made by other jws....

cognisonance

Blondie: All types of people touch the new products we buy. Reasoning this way would mean we could only buy new things made by other jws....

I like that. Certainly helps with buying innocent items at garage sales, ebay, etc. But what about buying, recording, watching digital content (think downloading to computer, game system, streaming via netfix, DVR, etc). The item need not be about magic or occult. It can simply have violence or sex in it. What about these situations, where the demonized myth morphs to include them?

What it boils down to is: You are letting this house become demonized because you allow yourself to be entertained by things the Watchtower says are the products of Satan. Those things thus are letting the demons in and harass me. If you loved me you wouldn't allow this type of entertainment in our house. Don't you want to protect me?

What do I say to that?

Demons in the house (from yardsales to even digital purchases)

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