# 1 out of 70 people believe they've been possessed by Satan? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 17, 2004, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-out-of-70-people-believe-theyve-been-possessed-by-satan/260295 "2004-08-17T20:48:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![clayton\_e](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c57346/32.png) [@clayton\_e](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clayton_e)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2004, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-out-of-70-people-believe-theyve-been-possessed-by-satan/260295/21 "2004-08-18T14:45:05Z")
Someone I used to know (he would shave every hair off his body from time to time, though that really isn’t relevent) was convinced he was the antichrist, though he often talked about how much he loved Jesus 😕 (though that part only came out when he’d had a lot of alcohol). Some people are just… Messed up. (watch, he’ll end up with an army in the next few years) ---
**Author:** ![John\_Kentzel-Griffin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ccd318/32.png) [@John\_Kentzel-Griffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Kentzel-Griffin)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2004, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-out-of-70-people-believe-theyve-been-possessed-by-satan/260295/22 "2004-08-18T15:09:36Z")
What about the other 69? Are they possessed by lesser demons? Frankly, I’m disappointed in Satan. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Slant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c57346/32.png) [@Mr.Slant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Slant)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2004, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-out-of-70-people-believe-theyve-been-possessed-by-satan/260295/23 "2004-08-18T15:27:04Z")
Hmmmmm… 6 Billion Humans… Humans Live 75 Years… 1 in 70 Humans posessed… then you’ll have 1142 demonic possessions per yer. A little over 3.1 per day. I guess Satan is big-time into the possession business. I gotta’ assume being a Dark Lord puts a lot of demands on you, so he’s making a serious commitment to the possession business. ---
**Author:** ![Scarf-Ace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Scarf-Ace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarf-Ace)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2004, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-out-of-70-people-believe-theyve-been-possessed-by-satan/260295/24 "2004-08-18T15:44:23Z")
Satan is the divisive mind - 70 out of 70 people are possessed by it. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2004, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-out-of-70-people-believe-theyve-been-possessed-by-satan/260295/25 "2004-08-18T15:50:56Z")
> [@Jonathan Woodall](#): > > Hmmmmm… 6 Billion Humans… Humans Live 75 Years… 1 in 70 Humans posessed… then you’ll have 1142 demonic possessions per yer. A little over 3.1 per day. > I guess Satan is big-time into the possession business. I gotta’ assume being a Dark Lord puts a lot of demands on you, so he’s making a serious commitment to the possession business. You’re assuming that, at the end of the day, he stops possessing someone and starts possessing somebody else… what if, at any given time, 1/70th of the world population is possessed? ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2004, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-out-of-70-people-believe-theyve-been-possessed-by-satan/260295/26 "2004-08-18T15:53:35Z")
Just another case of people pointing the finger and not wanting to take responsability for thier own stupid actions. Can’t blame the government, can’t blame your neighbors, can’t blame your parents, can’t blame society, well then “The Devil made me do it!” ---
**Author:** ![Greenback](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/2bfe46/32.png) [@Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greenback)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2004, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-out-of-70-people-believe-theyve-been-possessed-by-satan/260295/27 "2004-08-18T16:18:38Z")
> [@Boyo Jim](#): > > One of the stated claims on [this site](http://www.religioustolerance.org/sch_vio6.htm) is that:. That is a little outdated. The storage capacity of those systems has increased right along with CPU power and HD capacity. The latest ones can house legions of spirits. It can hold more if you use a zip program to compress them. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![noname](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/58f4c7/32.png) [@noname](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/noname)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2004, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-out-of-70-people-believe-theyve-been-possessed-by-satan/260295/28 "2004-08-18T17:06:19Z")
Hmmmm…1:70 you say? Looks like the Evil Lord’s army will be massively outnumbered in the Armageddon. What are the odds riding on it? Anyone? ---
**Author:** ![paperbackwriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/53a042/32.png) [@paperbackwriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/paperbackwriter)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2004, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-out-of-70-people-believe-theyve-been-possessed-by-satan/260295/29 "2004-08-18T17:34:57Z")
> [@Greenback](#): > > That is a little outdated. The storage capacity of those systems has increased right along with CPU power and HD capacity. The latest ones can house legions of spirits. It can hold more if you use a zip program to compress them. > > :rolleyes: Better be careful with that. Although the most popular compression algorithms, such as LZW and RLE, are considered lossless for most normal data, the peculiar data types used by non-corporeal spirits are unpredictably modified [(Merrin & Karras, 1973)](http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0070047/). Therefore, the spirits cannot be reliably de-compressed with tools like Winzip. The situation is even worse for JPEG and other algorithms. The only reliable solution is to use the SSSCA method [(Srengler & Stantz, 1984)](http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0087332/). ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2004, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-out-of-70-people-believe-theyve-been-possessed-by-satan/260295/30 "2004-08-18T19:05:37Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#): > > There is no way that this is even close to being true. The most common reason for someone to believe that they are truly possessed by Satan is because of schizophrenia. All forms of schizophrenia only occur in about 1% of the population and only a small subset of those believe that they are possessed by Satan. > . I remember having read interviews of french catholic exorcists, and at least one of them (IIRC there are two exorcists for the whole country) stated that the wide majority of people who believed they were possessed didn’t have major mental issues (and he didn’t mean that the others were actually possessed : I can’t remember the exact numbers, now but it seems to me that one only met less than a handful of people he believed were really possessed, and the other none at all). So, I assume that many non schizophrenic people believe they’re possessed. There are a lot of people who believe that the devil is lurking around, ready to jump on unsepecting victims, so they could very well report minor weird phenomenons, mere disturbing feelings or unusual behaviors as a case of demonic possession. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2004, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-out-of-70-people-believe-theyve-been-possessed-by-satan/260295/31 "2004-08-18T19:12:01Z")
> [@noname](#): > > Looks like the Evil Lord’s army will be massively outnumbered in the Armageddon. Probably so, but they’ll be a helluva lot more effective at covert ops, because all the get-thee-behind-mes makes it easier for them to sneak around unnoticed. ---
**Author:** ![nonpolar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/3da27b/32.png) [@nonpolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nonpolar)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2004, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-out-of-70-people-believe-theyve-been-possessed-by-satan/260295/32 "2004-08-18T19:12:29Z")
Only in USA. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Kentzel-Griffin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ccd318/32.png) [@John\_Kentzel-Griffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Kentzel-Griffin)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2004, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-out-of-70-people-believe-theyve-been-possessed-by-satan/260295/33 "2004-08-18T19:18:24Z")
Yep, Satan can infect your home computer. See: [Sluggy Freelance](http://sluggy.com/daily.php?date=970826) This is good news for Mac users who have dreamed of running Win95, but thought it was not possible. If anyone wants to attempt this, I recomend having an Alanis Morrisette CD handy in case you change your mind. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2004, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-out-of-70-people-believe-theyve-been-possessed-by-satan/260295/34 "2004-08-18T19:19:19Z")
> [@clairobscur](#): > > So, I assume that many non schizophrenic people believe they’re possessed. There are a lot of people who believe that the devil is lurking around, ready to jump on unsepecting victims, so they could very well report minor weird phenomenons, mere disturbing feelings or unusual behaviors as a case of demonic possession. umm… from [dictionary.com](http://dictionary.com)… > [@Schizophrenia](#): > > Any of a group of psychotic disorders usually characterized by withdrawal from reality, **illogical patterns of thinking, delusions, and hallucinations,** and accompanied in varying degrees by other emotional, behavioral, or intellectual disturbances. ---
**Author:** ![photopat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e95f7d/32.png) [@photopat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/photopat)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2004, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-out-of-70-people-believe-theyve-been-possessed-by-satan/260295/35 "2004-08-18T19:27:33Z")
Once I was _re_possessed, but I got myself back when I caught up with the payments. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2004, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-out-of-70-people-believe-theyve-been-possessed-by-satan/260295/36 "2004-08-18T19:33:10Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > umm… from [dictionary.com](http://dictionary.com)… Right, but “illogical patterns of thinking, delusions, and hallucinations” is at least to some extent culturally based. If you live in a culture that thinks demonic possession is normal, than you’re not delusional for believing in it. ---
**Author:** ![Manduck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manduck/32/256_2.png) [@Manduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2004, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-out-of-70-people-believe-theyve-been-possessed-by-satan/260295/37 "2004-08-18T19:37:35Z")
> [@RandMcnally](#): > > My father’s church had a get-together type thing. The adults went to every child, praying for them. Once they got to me, they stopped, all of them gathered, and started saying stuff like, “Devil, let go of this child!” This went on for five minutes. So, according to them, I am possesed by Satan (or was). I know it’s fun to make your head spin all the way around, but it’s best not to do it in front of the adults. Just a little belated advice from Manduck. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2004, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-out-of-70-people-believe-theyve-been-possessed-by-satan/260295/38 "2004-08-18T19:39:01Z")
Boy, that list of countries I don’t want to move to just keeps getting longer and longer… ---
**Author:** ![Hooleehootoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/eada6e/32.png) [@Hooleehootoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hooleehootoo)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2004, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-out-of-70-people-believe-theyve-been-possessed-by-satan/260295/39 "2004-08-18T21:22:55Z")
> [@Boyo Jim](#): > > One of the stated claims on [this site](http://www.religioustolerance.org/sch_vio6.htm) is that:. I think Peaseboro’s book may be an urban legend. [No Peasboro in the telephone book](http://www.broadcast.net/pipermail/broadcast/2000-February/015771.html) ---
**Author:** ![RandMcnally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@RandMcnally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandMcnally)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2004, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-out-of-70-people-believe-theyve-been-possessed-by-satan/260295/40 "2004-08-18T22:24:14Z")
> [@Testy](#): > > Well damm, guy. Don’t leave us hanging. Did you get better? And what brought this on in the first place? I’ve been to some seriously fundy churches in my time but I’ve never seen anyone actually accuse a fellow member of being posessed by the devil. A very hardcore bunch there. 😛 > > Regards > > Testy Yeah, they were a weird bunch. They didn’t do that to anyone else but me. And I’ve known all the other kids there for a while, and I was the good one. I’m just glad no one accused me of being a witch, because they probaly would have burned me at the stake. What’s weird though is, I went to a Catholic Convention thing, and priests prayed over everyone. When they got to me, they said stuff like, “God works through you. You will be used as a tool of God.” So I’m sticking to being Catholic. Turning your head around is so cliched. I’d rather speak in latin in a deep voice. That’s just cool unto itself. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-out-of-70-people-believe-theyve-been-possessed-by-satan/260295.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-out-of-70-people-believe-theyve-been-possessed-by-satan/260295.md?page=3)