Demonophobia, or the fear of demons, is a phobia often rooted in religious beliefs.
Some religious denominations believe that demons are real, powerful entities that can possess humans, causing them to behave in unthinkable ways.
Other sects believe that possession is unlikely or even impossible, but believe that demons can wreak havoc in other ways. Still, others believe that the spirits capable of possessing us are helpful and beneficent, and ritualized spirit possession is part of regular religious practice.
Not all demonophobia is rooted in religious issues, but if you have this fear, it may be worthwhile to examine both your current belief system and the one in which you were raised.
Some people develop a fear of demons while going through a crisis of faith or a major change in religious traditions. Events that cause you to re-examine your childhood can also lead you to question changes you have made as an adult, including changes in religious beliefs.
It is many’s fair belief that demons can either possess actual humans, animals, or even non-living things like furniture and other household possessions.
Christianity is one form of religion that believes in demonic forces, and have at many times tried to combat it through methods like exorcism, banishing or burning the possessed things.
Well, while you might have probably witnessed it or heard it in the news, there is a fresh case of demonophobia in the tabloids.
A Namibian national paper, The Namibian, reported atop this week that an AFM couple from Oshakati, in the Oshana Region dumped their black household goods, including leather sofas, convicted that they were demonic.
Among the items the couple dumped were sofas, a kitchen cupboard, a flat-screen TV set, cooking utensils, bedroom sheets, and two plastic chairs.
The husband (39) is a senior official at the finance ministry at Oshakati, while the wife (28) is unemployed. Although The Namibian knows the couple’s identity, the police asked that they should not be named.
The couple also said that the items, especially the sofas, have the number 666, which in most manuscripts and popular culture is widely recognised as the “number of the Beast”.
“All black items in our house are demonic,” the man told the tabloid at the Ongwediva dumping site.
However, it was established that the police stopped the couple from burning the items.
The husband said he bought the couches for N$17 000, the TV set for N$6 000 and the cupboard for N$3 000, while the bedding sheet was worth N$200.
The couple broke the TV screen.
“It does not help to cleanse ourselves and pass on the demons to other people,” stated the man.
The wife said every time she slept on the sofas, she saw evil things. She added that they are yet to remove the stove and one more kitchen cupboard from their house, both of which are black.
The couple told The Namibian that they gave their lives to Jesus in 2010 and had been attending sermons at the AFM Rock of Salvation Church at Oshakati East.
This month, the man explained, they joined another church, where they attend sermons at the Okaandje village.
He said the Apostolic Faith Mission church did not tell them that his black items in the house were possessed.
“God revealed to me in my dream that I should throw them away. This has nothing to do with my pastor. The couches also have signs of 666, which the Word says is a demonic sign,” he said.
The man said the Namibian reporter could not see the number 666 because she had not been delivered. However, 666666 was engraved on a wooden panel of the sofas.
The man advised the reporter to change her hairstyle, and not to wear pants or any black clothes because God does not allow it.
“Why did you change yourself? You should cut out that bushy hair and cut off your natural hair if you are unable to maintain it, instead of changing yourself,” he said.
Head of police at Oshana regional, Ottilie Kashuupulwa, however said they were keeping the items should the couple changed their minds.
She said the Ongwediva Town Council informed the police after a security guard on duty at the dumping site on Sunday night informed the police that items in good condition had been dumped at the site.
Kashuupulwa warned members of the public against falling prey to fake churches and getting rid of their valuable goods which cost them money.
“The police will not stop people from going to church and seeking the word of God. But, they should know that this time it is property before you know it, it will be people that they will be getting rid of, and claiming they have demons,” she warned.
The couple was escorted home by the police, and it was explained to them that the items would be kept safe lest they change their minds about dumping them.
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