Inspired by this thread.
Obviously, the people who committed the atrocity named in the linked article don’t speak for all Christians, and certainly not for me. I’ve always believed that demon possession and speaking in tongues and the like are possible, but not everyday occurances.
So I guess the question I bring before the Teeming Millions is this: Are all people who believe in this sort of thing evil ignorant fundies?
I think you’ll fing the phrase was complete whackos.
As for evil ignorant fundies, I couldn’t speak of their evil intent nor their fundamentalism.
Of course not, we’re just fundie wackos! 
I believe stuff like this is possible, but more often than not it can be explained medically. Was the kid in the OP that you linked to infested with a demon? It’s possible, but I think it’s a tad more likely that there was a problem with his brain. Are people who speak in tongues (I don’t - for reasons mentioned in the thread Ashtar linked to) actually receiving divine transmissions from the Big Guy? Again, it’s certainly possible, but it’s more likely in my opinion that they’re experiencing some kind of cognitave disconnect fueled by extreme emotion.
That isn’t to say that I think these people are intentionally trying to mislead; they are likely quite sincere in their beliefs. I just personally think they’re misguided for the most part.
I’d just say that they are too credulous. There is no such thing as demonic possession and speaking in tongues is just gibberish uttered during an ecstatic fit.
I don’t see demon possession as any more unlikely than any of the other supernatural occurances in the bible. I personally think they’re all fairy tales.
But, to believe in demon possession today, when we’ve known about mental illness for such a long time, is not just wrong but dangerously wrong. It can result in people not getting the treatment they need, and the tragic occurences in the linked BBQ pit thread.
It’s certainly ignorant.
I don’t think they’re evil, just idiots. There is no possibility of either demons or demonic possession.
Can I add, from a personal POV, that it is not nasty, or, blinkered, or, backward, oh no.
I sense a little sarcasm, Unwashed. Care to elaborate?
The only benefit an exorcism might have, from my point of view, might be wishful thinking? That a person THINKS he’s possessed, and starts acting that way, so that when a priest comes in and “banishes the demon”, he starts feeling better.
Of course, how many priests would you find willing to DO an exorcism nowadays? Not many, I’d bet.
[aside]
I saw a “real” exorcism on TV once. It was conducted my people who considered themselves to be fundamentalist Christians, yet they used the old Roman Catholic ceremony. Apparently demons only understand Latin.
[/aside]
So, basically what I’m getting is that it’s ignorant to believe in anything supernatural. Or am I overgeneralizing?
Lord Ashtar, to some Dopers it is.
I have always preferred “preternatural,” leaving the possibility that we may someday understand it.
No, you’re right, it is ignorant to believe in anything supernatural. I mean, you can pray to spirits, cast horoscopes, or consult the Tarot, if that makes you happy, but there is zero evidence that any of those activities have any effect on the external world or that any supernatural entities exist. No Yahweh/Allah, no Papa Legba, no Mithras, no gods, devils, elves, sprites, pixies, apsaras, or fairies.
Hey! Some of us fairies do exist. 
I prefer præternatural, but then, I’m a sucker for digraphs.
As to the OP, it is interesting that if you were to ask the same question about a supernatural god, that (I imagine) the overwhelming majority would not categorise such a believer as a complete whacko.
In fact, in polite society, it is generally rude to do so:
“You’re a Christian you say? Wow, what’s it like over there in Complete Whackodom?”
It seems that some “mainstream” religious beliefs are somehow a culturally acceptable delusion (that is, of course, to my mind).
Is this because there are a greater numbers of believers in a supernatural god than in demonic possession? I think it is, turns out that whackoness is a democratic issue! Who’d have thought it?
There’s a difference between believing in an abstract, transcendent truth and believing that right now, right there, some kid has a little red devil inside him. It is ignorant and irrational to posit supernatural explanations for phenomena which have p[erfectly natural explanations. It is irresponsible to treat sick children with voodoo instead of medicine.
Would it be any less rational to blame goblins instead of demons? How about mind-controlling, intelligent rocks in the Sirius constellation? Why demons? What shred of evidence is there in all of human history that demons exist?
I’m sorry but if anyone is seriously going to argue for the existence of demons I am going to mock them.
It’s simply an explanation for the unknown. Back in the day people had no idea what lightening was, so they figured “god was angry” or something. I’d assume the same with your demonic possession, as it’s most likely some medical condition.
Thank goodness we know better these days.
I’m a Christian, and I think demonic possession is possible, but not likely. You’ll notice that in the Gospels and Acts, all Jesus or a disciple/apostle had to say was “Demon, come out!”. None of this mess with long prayer services and groooaaaanings and drama and the like. And of course I think that mess with the autistic kid is horrible and wrong.
Speaking in tongues–personally I don’t practice it or hold with it, and neither does my church. I think my church’s official position is that we don’t do it, but won’t dispute with others that do unless they’re claiming it is a requirement for those who are saved.
Er… I’m sure you meant to say that there is no reasonable possibility, or that it is highly unlikely, so much so that the likelihood is not worth consideration.
Because, you know, it is possible.
Just highly, highly unlikely.
Nope. It’s impossible by the pure definition of the word. There is no conceivable way that a non-material, invisible, intelligent entity can coexist with the laws of physics as we know them. There is no conceivable physical mechanism by which intelligence can exist without materiality, therefore it is impossible for demons, spirits, etc. to exist.
That’s really not as bold of an assertion as it may seem like. From a purely scientific perspective, it’s not just a question of not having supporting evidence for such things, it’s that their existence would violate the laws of physics which is by definition impossible.