... an ancient concept is with the semantic development of the words used to describe that concept. Originally, the Greek word daimon meant "divine being" (Luck 1985, 163). Early writers did not clearly distinguish between daimon ("divine being") and theos ("god"), which suggests that daimon, the word from which ... later influence Greek and Roman beliefs. The civilizations of Mesopotamia and Syria shaped the Western concept of demons and the Devil most directly (Luck 1985, 165). The demons of Mesopotamia were usually hostile spirits and lower than the gods in both dignity and power (Russell ...

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• Approx Pages: 11
• Grade Level: High School