[jordyn]

I'm not intending this as a film thread, however movies like Rosemary's Baby, The Exorcist, and so many others are derived from "actual" stories. The origins of these movies are inspired from traditional stories born of original witchcraft.

http://hauntedhamilton.com/gotw_hullhouse.html
http://www.jerseyhistory.org/legend_jerseydevil.html

Stories of devil children are really nothing new but can lead to so many discussions, what is the possibility of devils and females? I  imagine it'd be a type of nephilim. However would one of them children actually be allowed to exist in a material world, physically it'd be tough because they wouldn't fit in, not many parents wouldn't be equipped to deal with them, they'd have too much power to exist without being destroyed, a variety of religious groups on bothsides would be out to destroy or utilize the child, (spiritual and physical). I know there are a lot of other reasons, it would not be a possibility, but the stories have been around since witchcraft was old school. (demonic)

Even fantastic fictional stories have inspired fact based movies. One of my personal favorite Nathanial Hawthorne. His stories have inspired movies, one aspect is their history. They were inspired by his ancestory which included an important witch prosecuter in Salem. The Scarlet letter was an okay movie, but nothing can beat his style of storytelling. Salem itself has inspired many movies from it's history. The Crucible is derived from a factual situation, has a plausible theory(bread tainted by ergot rot) and it's told derived from a puritanical idea of demonology.(witchcraft)

Exorcisms and possessions are my personal favorites and I do believe in this possibility. We already have so many of these threads, some are already inspired by movies so no need for examples(unless you have a favorite), but since christianity there's been this form of witchcraft, it's always been supernaturally evil.

Modern media has turned it into entertainment, people no longer recognize it's roots and some even deny this source, however I do like a good spooky ghost story.

Even non western religions have their out to destroy humanity spirits. They may not specifically pertain to our western religion and have a bit more superstitions to prevent assault but the same universal idea is there. People who entertain these forces invite them in to play with our soul and sanity, what is it about our nature that leaves us in such a predictament?

What other stories or ideas do you have as a warning to our soul and humanity, seeming to have always been tempted by demonic destruction?

[grimweird]

Err, sorry, maybe I'm particularly dense today, maybe the hangover from last nights vodka binge still hasn't worn off... But I'm not quite sure what exactly you're saying. I understand that it's about witchcraft right? And demonic children? Are you asking what causes people to sort of be drawn to these things? Sorry, but I really don't quite get it...

[jordyn]

Just what it is that keeps these stories going, surely something's inspired them but with nothing but stories for a basis, they persist and now they've become little more than ghost stories to make a buck.

However once upon a time they were very real, very influential and caused a lot of misery and pain, so many people seem to forget what their origins are.

I'm struggling for topics and being the only two people that seem to make a practical effort i tried to encompass a variety of topics in one to try and stimulate more conversation or debate.

I was half expecting a contemporary witch to get on here and deny that any of it's demonic, maybe stories of what people experienced themselves or even stories they've heard that make them stop and consider that it's always been something evil to our natures and just because they're the equivelant of a fairy tale at this point, they still effect our psyche.

It's easy to say "none of it's real" but if it's not then why do our minds continue to develop it into what it's become and why are some people afflicted and others are immune?

[grimweird]

Well, if you were hoping that more folks would take part in discussions on this board, then it looks like your plan may not have been as successful as you'd have hoped? Not surprising really, this board really isn't active at all, sorry to say. Most of the peeps here are just lurkers. Not sure why though, one would think the supernatural would be one of the more interesting topics on this rock we live on.

As to your post... I really couldn't say. I mean, sure, such myths and beliefs are pretty much ingrained in our psyche. The natural reaction of most people would be to feel fear. This documentary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XxCcTYew33M (if you can get your hands on it) may be insightful.

Fear IIRC is merely an evolutionary development to keep us alive in the face of danger. It's been honed as a "sixth sense" if you like, something which tells us not to walk into that perpetually mist shrouded forest at night, or that climbing down that rocky cliff in the rain is a spectacularly bad idea or not to listen to the fool who says "Let's split up" or "Hey Jordyn, you check the basement while I look around upstairs" in almost all horror movies. These are things which we take for granted, but is indeed present in our psyche and for better or worse it does work to some extent.

Fear is an emotion which manifests in varying degrees depending on the individual. All of us feel it I guess, it's just that some feel it more than others and some can control themselves better while experiencing it. The circumstances of one's upbringing and environment will also dictate what provokes this response. A man brought up in a tribal village in Borneo would feel less fear of venturing into the murky depths of a tropical rainforest than say, a woman brought up on a farm in Kansas. Try comparing someone who completely believes in the supernatural and a person who fully believes in science.

Belief is a very strong force, one which regrettably has not been as well researched as it should by the scientific community. Typically being disregarded as "silly superstition" by some "enlightened" people within this group who traditionally has seen such thoughts as an anathema to be disproved and rejected at all cost. Personally, while I'm as inclined to scientific study as the next person, I do believe there are things which has not yet been fully or indeed even satisfactorily explained by science.

Demons for example are typically explained as hoaxes or mental illness. However in the part of the world where I live, most of the people here believe in their existence. We have too many instances where phenomenon related to these entities have occurred to really disbelieve them. Having said that, I do realise that in the more developed countries, such happenings are becoming more rare or at least more prone to a scientific explanation. Personally I believe that hubris and close-mindedness are bad things to have.

I believe that (in Gandalf's words) "There are older and fouler things than Orcs in the deep places of the world"

[jordyn]

I just miss talking about witchcraft, i have no desire to go back to it, however the inkling is there. It's like roman Catholicism, once it gets into your system you get hooked, like a bad, illicit drug.

I miss all the wicked, evil and frightening things i used to wield, it was fun being the dark spooky girl that caused misery and nightmares...currently while my spirituality is healthier my boredom has a desire to get out the cards, light the candles, find the times and summon something to just see what havoc it could create. It's funny when you seem most powerless in your life is when the urge gets stronger, when things are going well they don't seem to be so dominate.

I guess that's how they get you, wait for your weak moments and pounce!

Do it as a human despite the msiery or do it through non human things...it's not always an easy choice, especially when they make it so damn fun.

[grimweird]

Sorry, can't help you there. I'm no practitioner of witchcraft, just a joe average trying to get by in the world these days.

I do have a somewhat chequered past though and I did stuff to folks which I regret to this day. So I can sort of relate to what you're saying, the urge to feel the rush I felt  when I was "on the job" and to live the "luxurious" life I used to live with my "friends" comes every now and again, but after recognising it for what it really is... I can control it much better these days.

I've done some time for it, and I guess after many years of thinking about what I'd done. I'm sort of a changed man because of it. There's a price to pay for happiness achieved through the suffering of others. The money received by depriving others of their happiness, humanity and their lives somehow or other doesn't stay with you or last long. Money is just a tool for daily life, it is NOT a means to happiness, which is what we're all really after.

I found that by depriving others of their happiness, I became more and more miserable myself. The booze and the drugs I thought were helping me back then were just f**cking me up more and more. But I just couldn't stop living the life, I knew what was happening and that it was all coming a dead end. It's not that I didn't know the consequences or the misery I felt, or the meaningless, wicked life I had chosen... I simply didn't WANT to change.

The demons, the real ones which will really destroy us, they're not out there, they're all inside us.

[jordyn]

Sorry, can't help you there. I'm no practitioner of witchcraft, just a joe average trying to get by in the world these days.

I do have a somewhat chequered past though and I did stuff to folks which I regret to this day. So I can sort of relate to what you're saying, the urge to feel the rush I felt  when I was "on the job" and to live the "luxurious" life I used to live with my "friends" comes every now and again, but after recognising it for what it really is... I can control it much better these days.

I've done some time for it, and I guess after many years of thinking about what I'd done. I'm sort of a changed man because of it. There's a price to pay for happiness achieved through the suffering of others. The money received by depriving others of their happiness, humanity and their lives somehow or other doesn't stay with you or last long. Money is just a tool for daily life, it is NOT a means to happiness, which is what we're all really after.

I found that by depriving others of their happiness, I became more and more miserable myself. The booze and the drugs I thought were helping me back then were just f**cking me up more and more. But I just couldn't stop living the life, I knew what was happening and that it was all coming a dead end. It's not that I didn't know the consequences or the misery I felt, or the meaningless, wicked life I had chosen... I simply didn't WANT to change.

The demons, the real ones which will really destroy us, they're not out there, they're all inside us.

Yeah, going down the psychological road of "demons" alcoholism would be my family demon, fortunately my sister and i have never crossed that point...my brother did and every member on my father's side were avid drinkers. Being aware of that issue helped me keep it under control...i like enjoying my drinking and natural remedies, they don't control me though, it wouldn't be any fun if you need it.