[Ohio]

Originally Posted by zeek

There are numerous possibilities. I don't claim that I KNOW there are no such things as demons. However, I understand there is very little positive evidence for them. Other possibilities include that the writer may have believed that is what happened or the story was created to make a point. The story may have been passed along as oral history for years before it was written. The demoniac may have believed he was demon possessed and consequently spoke out that way..you know, like multiple personality disordered people do in the movies. Perhaps that's the way Jesus, a man of his times, saw the situation.

I would still classify exorcism as a healing. Healers often do even so called faith healers today. Any way the significant take away for me is that Jesus had the compassion and power to heal.

Zeek, your post makes numerous gross assumptions ...

• People had no real clue they were possessed by demons
• The man Jesus Himself had no way to know if people were actually possessed by demons
• All sorts of other possibilities exist
• The Bible record is not sufficient proof
• The writers of the Bible were probably mistaken or just fabricated the story for emphasis
• Oral tradition might have embellished the account
• Multiple personalities are only Hollywood movies

This is just too much speculation for me to believe. I think I'll stick to the Bible. As Peter has told us, "we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ."