When a Indo-Iranian Avestan and Vedic traditions and as well more branches of Indo-European mythologies show, a notion of demon has existed for numerous centuries.

A Greek conception of a daemon, δαίμων, appears in the works of Plato and many more ancient authors, however forswearing a evil connotations which are then apparent in the Septuagint translation of the Hebrew Bible and in the Greek originals of the New Testament. A medieval and neo-medieval conception of a "demon" within Western culture (view a Mediaeval grimoire, the Ars Goetia) derives from a ambient popular culture recently (Roman) Antiquity. A Hellenistic "Demon" finally come to include numerous Semitic & Touching Eastern gods every bit evaluated by Christianity.

Greco-Graeco-roman construct of daemons that passed into Christian culture come discussed in the entry daemon.

Around occasionally present-contemporary cultures, demons come however despised around popular superstition, largely due to their power to 'possess' humans, & it is an crucial conception inside numbers of modern religions & occultist traditions.

In the contemporary American mysterious tradition (mayhap epitomized per act of Aleister Crowley) a demon, like Choronzon, the "Demon of the Abyss", occurs as utile metaphor for sure inner psychological processes, though a select few might besides regard it as an objectively really phenomenon.

Etymology
A idea of demons is very old, & a word "demon" seems to own ancient origins: a Proto-Indo-European word *deivos was originally an adjective meaning "celestial". It has retained this meaning inside numerous Indo-European languages and cultures (Daeva, Deus, theo-).

Demons in ancient Persia
In a period of the instance of Zarathustra the same word (Div) received a notion of demon in the Iranian tradition. Inside Zoroastrianism and the Avesta, the ahuras come supreme, when a daevas come diabolical. This has been forwarded as an argument of the religious split between early Indo-Aryans and Iranians. A Avesta (dated to about 1500 BPE) has recorded super ancient Iranian beliefs, including many demons & their attributes. the few one demons come as well detected within Indian literature, due peradventure to a most common Indo-Iranian heritage. Around Zoroastrianism, several aspects of a globe come explained per battle between a ahuras & the daevas, which is characterized per conflict between weak & darkness. Ahura mazda is a weak. A few of the further significant demons of ancient Persia are mentioned below by using their Middle-Persian pronunciations:

Astwihad: the demon of demise. Az: a demon of greed. Bushasp: a demon of sloth. Druj: demon of the lie, falsehood. Xeshm: demon of Fury/Wrath. Indar: Title of the demon. (Sanskrit: Indra) Nasa: demon of putrefaction. Spozgar: demon of electrical storm. Tishn: demon of thirst.

Demons in the Hebrew Bible
Demons every bit described in the Tanakh are not a equivalent when "demons" usually known inside popular or even Christian culture.

A demons mentioned in the Hebrew Bible are of two classes, a ''se'irim & a shedim. A se'irim ("hairy beings"), to which a few Israelites sacrificed in the open fields, are satyr-like animals, described when saltation in the woods (Isaiah 13. Xxi, xxxiv. Xiv), & which are then monovular sustaining a jinn. (However compare a totally European woodwose.) Possibly to the equivalent class belongs Azazel, the goat-such as demon of the woods (Leviticus sixteen. 10ff), probably a chief of the se'irim, & Lilith (Isaiah xxxiv. Xiv). Even "the roes and hinds of the field", by which Shulamit conjures a girl of Jerusalem to bring her back to her lover (Canticles two. Sevener, leash. Cinque), come faunlike spirits similar to the se'irim'', though of a harmless nature and severity.

A "stones of the field" (Job v. Twenty-three), by using which a righteous come said to become within league, seem to become field-demons of the equivalent nature and severity. A woods when a at home of demons wwhen repute a place whence such diseases as leprosy issued, and just in case of hansen's disease one of a birds placed apart to become offered as an propitiatory sacrifice was freed, that it can carry a disease back to the godforsaken (Leviticus 14. Sevener, 52).

A evil spirit that troubled Saul (I Samuel 16. Fourteen et seq.) will keep close at hand originally been a demon, though the later on Masoretic text suggests the spirit was sent by God.

None one demons, nevertheless, has actually the place in the models of Biblical theology; these are God alone world health organization sends pestilence & dying. That a shedim are "not gods" (Deuteronomy xxxii. Seventeen) can reflect reforms in the Deuteronomist's circle; there is no supernatural power beyond God (Deuteronomy iv. 35.) inside fully-developed Judaism.

These are conceivable, nonetheless, that, when at the late stage in the development of Judaism the idols were regarded as demons, and so a Canaanite deities were, either inside disparagement, or even when powers seducing men to idolatry, known as shedim per sacred writers (Deuteronomy xxxii. Xvii; Ps. cv. 37); all the sir thomwhen more and so as the latter ascribed a certain reality to the idols (Exodus. dozen. Twelve; Isaiah nineteen. Ace, 24. Xxi.)

Influences from Chaldean mythology
Within Chaldean mythology the vii evil divinity were referred to as "shedu", meaning storm-demons. It were represented within bull form; & because these prodigious bulls representing evil demons were, by a peculiar law of direct contrast, utilized besides when hard genii of royal palaces and a rather, the title "shed" assumed likewise the meaning of a propitious genius inside Babylonian magic literature (view Delitzsch, Assyrisches Handwörterbuch. pp. Sixty, 253, 261, 646; Jensen, Assyr.-Babyl. Mythen und Epen, 1900, p. 453; Sayce, l.c. pp. 441, 450, 463; Lenormant, l.c. pp. 48-51).

It was from either Chaldea that a title "shedu" come to a Israelites, and then a sacred writers applied the word as a dylogism to the Canaanite god in the ii passages quoted. However it too spoke of "the destroyer" (Exodus dozen. Xxiii) as the demon whose malignant result upon a houses of a Israelites was to become warded off per blood of a paschal sacrifice sprinkled upon the header & the door-doorjamb (a corresponding ethnic amulet is mentioned around Isaiah lvii. Viii). Inside II Samuel two dozen; Xvi & II Chronicles 21. Fifteen a pestilence-treating demon is known as "the destroying angel" (compare "the angel of the Lord" inside II Kings 19. 35; Isaiah xxxvii. 36), because, although it is demons, these "evil messengers" (Psalms 78. 49; The. V. "evil angels") launder simply a bidding of God; it is a professionals of His divine wrath.

There are indications that popular Hebrew mythology ascribed to a demons a certain independence, the malevolent character of their have, because it is believed to are forth river, non from either either the heavenly abode of God, however from the nether globe (compare Isaiah xxxviii. Xi by using Job 14. Thirteen; Psalms 16. Decade, xlix. Xvi, cxxxix. Octet).

In Jewish rabbinic literature
Rabbinical demonology has three classes of, demons, though it is scarcely dissociable of these from either an additional. There were a shedim, a mazziḳim ("harmers"), & a ruḥwithin ("evil spirits"). Besides these there were lilin ("night spirits"), ṭelane ("shade", or even "evening spirits"), ṭiharire ("midday spirits"), & ẓafrire ("morning spirits"), also when a "demons that bring famine" & "such as cause storm and earthquake" (Targ. Yer. to Deuteronomy xxxii. Two dozen & Cost vi. Two dozen; Targ. to Cant. leash. Octad, iv. Hexad; Eccl. two. Quint; Ps. xci. V, Vi.)

In the main, Hebrew demons were workers of harm. To a babies were ascribed a various diseases, particularly like affect a brain & the inner area. Hence there was the fear of "Shabriri" (lit. "dazzling glare"), a demin of sightlessness, world health organization rests on exposed h2o when asleep & strikes victims by having cecity world health organization swallow of it (Pesachim 112a; Avodah Zarah 12b); as well mentioned were a spirit of catalepsy & a spirit of headache, a demon of epilepsy, & a spirit of nightmare,

These demons were supposed to enter a person & drive a disease when overwhelming or even "seizing" a victim (hence "seizure").. To guide such diseases it was necessary to draw out a evil demons by certain conjuration & talismanic performances, where a Essenes excelled. Josephus, who speaks of demons when "spirits of the wicked which enter into men that are alive and kill them", however which may be caused out by the certain root (Bellum Judaeorum septet. Vi, § Triplet), found such a performance when in contact with the Emperor Vespasian ("Antiquities" 8. Ii, § Phoebe), & ascribed its origin to King Solomon.

The King and Queen of Demons
Around the few rabbinical sources, a demons were believed to exist as under a dominion of a king or even main, either Asmodai (Targ. to Eccl. we. Baker's dozen; Pes. 110a; Yer. Shek. 49b) or even, in the older Haggadah, Samael ("the angel of death"), world health organization kills by his fatal poison, & is known as "head of the devils". On occasion the demon is known as "satan": "Stand not in the way of an ox when coming from the pasture, for Satan dances between his horns" (Pes. 112b; compare B. Ḳ. 21a).

A queen of demons is Lilith, pictured with wings & yearn artesian hair, & known as a "mother of Ahriman" (B. B. 73b; 'Er. 100b; Nid. 24b). "When Adam, doing penance for his sin, separated from Eve for 130 years, he, by impure desire, caused the earth to be filled with demons, or shedim, lilin, and evil spirits" (Gen. R. xx.; 'Er. 18b.)

Though a belief withwithin demons was greatly encouraged & enlarged in Babylonia under the influence of Parsee notions, demonology never became an essential feature of Jewish theology. A reality of demons was never questioned per Talmudists and late rabbis; most accepted their being as a fact. Nor did virtually all of the mediaeval thinkers wonder their reality. Lone positivist rather Maimonides and Abraham ibn Ezra, clearly denied their existence. Their point of learn from at length became a mainstream Jewish understanding. In the New Testament and Christianity
"Demon" has the total of meanings, completely related to the idethe of the spirit that inhabited the place, or even that accompanied a individual. Whether such the daemon was benevolent or even malevolent, a Greek word intended something different from either a late mediaeval notions of 'demon', & scholars debate a period where 1st century usage by Jews and Christians in its original Greek feel became transformed to the in the future mediaeval sense.

In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus casts out several demons, or even evil spirits, from either people world health organization come afflicted by using various complaint (like epilectic seizures). A mental imagery is very clear: Jesus is far superior to a power of demons on top a individual beings that it inhabit, & He is breathe to absolutely free! these person sportsmen by commanding & casting retired the demons, by binding the two, & forbidding the babies to go to. These cases occur throughout a gospel accounts, & come associated by using miraculous healing, & come consequently a portion of the "good news", along using a announcement that "the kingdom of God is at hand".

By way of counterpoint, within Luke's account the class action of Judaistic exorcists try to cast retired a super mighty spirit, however fail using calamitous results. Nevertheless Jesus Himself never fails to vanquish a demon, disregardless how else right (watch the account of the demon-possessed human at Gerasim), & potentially defeats Satan in the woods (look at Matthew).

There is a description in the Book of Revelation 12:7-17 of a battle between God's army & Satan's followers, & their subsequent expulsion from either Heaven to globe to persecute man — although this event is related when existence foretold & ingesting place later. Around Luke 10:18 it is mentioned that the power granted by Jesus to control demons processed Satan "fall like lightning from heaven."

Augustine of Hippo's reading of Plotinus, in The City of God (ch.11) is ambiguous every bit to whether daemons got get 'demonized' per early 5th century:

Whenever Augustine intended 'demons' in the late, mediaeval feel, the passage would savor of a rhetorical casuistry that is non characteristic of him.

A coeval Roman Catholic Church without ambiguity teaches that angels & demons come really home beings, non upright emblematic hardware. the Catholic Church has a cadre of officially sanctioned exorcists which perform several exorcisms each year. A exorcists of the Catholic Church teach that demons attack man hard-hitting however that afflicted souls may exist as profits healed & protected either per formal rite of dispossession, authorized to be performed simply by bishops & people it designate, or even even by prayers of saving which any Christian could offer for themselves or others [http://www.fathercorapi.com/articledet.asp?articleID=1928275639]

Withinside contemporary religion, a skeptical observer might judge how else closely a belief in demons parallels the degree of authoritarianism of the sect in wonder. But then, logistician & believers use deftly found that in which God truly is, a single might legitimately require to buy each truth & authority likewise when his enemies, a fallen angels.

In Christian myth and legend
Build on a couple of information to daemons in a Future Testament, especially the laputan poetry of the Apocalypse of John, Christian writers of apocrypha from the Second century forwards created the supplementary complicated tapestry of beliefs all about "demons" that was largely independent of Christian scripture.

Based on data from Christian mythology, when God created angels, he offered them a equivalent guide he was to offer humanity: watch, or even exist as cast apart from either him. A few angels chose does'nt to watch God, instead finding a path of evil. Which are actually non a fallen angels, but come a pre-individual take a breath called demons. A fallen angels come a carrier of angels world health organization later rebelled against God, headed by Lucifer (who became called Satan fallowing his rebellion against God). & late a 200 angels referred to as a Grigori, led by Semyazza, Azazel and other angelical chiefs, a select few of whom became a demons that were conjured by King Solomon and imprisoned in the brass vessel, the Goetia demons, descended to Earth and cohabited with a daugthers of men.

War in Heaven
Based on data from popular tradition, a fall of Satan is portrayed inside Ezekiel 28:12-19 and Isaiah 14:12-14— although both passages explicitly refer to earthly kings, does'nt to Satan or even any hellish take a breath. Christian mythology build on late Jewish traditions that Satan & his carrier stated war using God, however that God's army, commanded per archangel Michael, defeated the rebels. Their kill was never inside wonder, since God is naturally omnipotent, but Michael was given a honor of triumph in a natural choose; so the rise of Christian veneration of the archangel Michael, beginning at Monte Gargano in 493, reflects the to the full incorporation of demons into Christianity. God so cast his enemies from either Heaven to the abyss, into the freshly created prison known as Hell (allusions to such a pit come processed in the Book of Revelation, as pits of sulfur & fire) in which completely his enemies should exist as sentenced to an eternal being of hurt & misery. This hurt is non wholly physical; for their crimes, these angels, today known as demons, would be deprived of the sight of God (2 Thessalonians 1:9), this being a worst imaginable penalty.

An indefinite period down the road, while God created the earth and humans, Satan and a more demons were allowed to tempt homo or even cause the babies to sin by other means. A foremost instance Satan did this was in the earthly paradise or even Garden of Eden to tempt Eve, who after drew her married man Adam into her crime. Upon their failure, when a share of a penalization, a permission granted to Satan & his demons to tempt a foremost human being out of their Author might currently previous until the prevent of this globe for tons population.

Demonologies
At various days around Christian history, tries develop been mass produced to classify these beings based on data from various projected demonic hierarchies.

Based on data from virtually all Christian demonology demons will be forever punished & never reconciled sustaining God. More theories require the Universal reconciliation, in which Satan, a fallen angels, & a mortals of the dead that were condemned to Hell come reconciled by having God. This ism is in todays world typically associated by having a Unification Church. Origen, Jerome and Gregory of Nyssa also mentioned this possibility before it was usually accepted that a fallen state is eternal.

Within contemporary Christianity, demons are usually considered to exist as angels who fell from either grace by rebelling against God. Notwithstanding, this watch, championed by Origen, Augustine and John Chrysostom, arose during a 6th century. Before that instance, a primary sin of fallen angels was considered to become that of coupling sustaining person women, produce to a race of half-human giants called the Nephilim.

There are however others world health organization say that a sin of the angels was pride & disobedience. It seems quite certain that these were a sins that stimulated Satan's downfall (Ezek. Xxviii). Whenever this become trueness watch so i am to know a words, "estate" or even "principality" in Deuteronomy 32:8 & Jude Half a dozen ("And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.") when indicating that instead of existence satisfied using a dignity when for 100% assigned to a babies under the Boy of God, it aspired higher.

In pre-Islamic Arab culture

Pre-Islamic mythology doesn't discriminate between gods & demons. A jinn come considered when divinities of inferior rank, using numerous person attributes: it eat, digest, & procreate their form, another time around conjunction with man beings; where latter outbreak a offspring shares a natures of each parents. A jinn smell & lick items, & have a liking for remnants of food. Within eating it utilise a left hand. Commonly it haunt waste & deserted wharehouses, especially a coppice in which uncivilized animals gather. Burial ground & soil site come likewise special abodes. Inside appearing to human demons consider every now & again the forms of animals and every now and again people of men; however it universally use the select few carnal characteristic, like a paw in situ of a hand (Darimi, "Kitab al-Sunnah", ii. 213). Nonconcentric movements of the dust-whirlwind ("zawabi'") come taken to exist as the seeable signs of a battle between deuce kin of jinn.

Under a influence of Jewish & Christian demonology around post-Islamic days, a just brute directly identified using a jinn come snakes & more objectionable creeping items. After Muhammad was on his way to Tabuk, these are said that a swarm of jinn, assuming the form of serpents, approached him & stood however for an extended spell.

Usually jinn come peaceable & swell discarded toward men. Numerous the pre-Islamic poet was believed to use at times been inspired by dependable jinn; & Muhammad himself was accused by his antagonist of getting been inspired by jinn ("majnun"). However there are too evil jinn, world health organization contrive to injure men. Among which are actually specially blazing a iii female demons known as "Ghul" (corresponding to the Talmudical), "Si'lat", & "'Aluḳ" or even "'Aulaḳ", & a little joe male demons "Afrit", "Azbab", "Aziab", & "Ezb". Ghul is especially harmful to up to date-born kids, & sequentially to keep her away their heads come rubbed by using a gum of an acacia.

In Islam

Islam recognized the existence of all the ethnic demons, dependable & evil, protestant just against their being considered gods. Islam divides a evil demons into 5 metal money: "jann", "jinn", "shaidans", "afrits", and "marids".

Muhammad oft refers in the Koran to the shaidans, of whom Iblis is the chief. Iblis, probably the variant of the title "Diabolos" = Satan, is said to own been deprived of authority on top a brute & spirit kingdoms, & sentenced to dying, after he refused, at a creation of Adam, to prostrate himself prior to him (Koran, heptad. Thirteen). A shaidans come them of Iblis, & come to die whenever their father dies; whereas a others, though it can survive several centuries, must die prior to him. a popular belief says that Iblis & more evil demons come to go man, though it might die prior to a general resurrection; the last to die existence Azrael, the angel of dying.

Tradition attributes to Muhammad the statement that each human has an angel & a demon appointed to attend him. A previous guides him toward goodness, spell a latter leads him to evil ("Mishkat", i personally. ch. Leash). A shaidans, existence a enemies of Allah, strive to disturb worshipers. Muhammad, these are said, prefaced his prayers by using "O God! In Thee I am seeking for a refuge from the attacks of the shaidan and his witchcraft".

Among a evil jinn come distinguished a 5 sons of Iblis. It was sequentially to keep a two away that a faithful were commanded the cleaning & fumigations which are then unendurable to the shaidans, world health organization delight inside dirt & filth. A pronouncing of the "takbir" formula ("Allah akbar" =Allah is very nifty) is too the means of camping the babies away. Muhammad, these are said, pronounced it within his travels when a appearance of the region changed, lest it can become enchanted. Around late days talisman were invented to which were ascribed a virtue of protecting their bearers from either a attacks of demons.

the cat plays a section within Islamic demonology. the demon assuming the form of a cat is said to keep around presented himself to Muhammad when he was praying (Darimi, l.c. deuce. 449). Occasionally demons assumed a form of cats (Mas'udi, "Muruj al-Dhahab", iii. 321). When to the dependable jinn, there are a few among the children world health organization profess Islam, & Muhammad held that several of the babies got listened to his sermons (Koran, sura lxxii.).

In Hinduism

There are triad sort of beings, a devas (gods), the manushyas (man beings) & a asuras (demons). A asuras sleep in Patala above Naraka (Hell), one of the trine Lokas (worlds, dimensions of existence). A Patala loka lives beneath Bhu(r)loka (which includes Earth where humans survive). A asuras come typically horrible animals. Puranas describe many cosmic battles between asuras & devas for domination. Ironically, numbers of one tries come temporarily successful due to blessing granted by gods happy at a asuras getting meditated in their title. More types of demoniac beings come rakshasas, yakshas, etc.

[http://www.veda.harekrsna.cz/planetarium/index.htm Tour of Vedic universe]

Demons in other cultures and religions

Demons come detected inside numbers of religions, and several cultures use at times developed the rich mythology of demons. A learn of demons is known as demonology, while a worship of demons is referred to as demonolatry.

Inside Buddhism the word demon can refer to sentient being in either Hell realm or Asura realm depending on the tradition.

Within Japanese folklore, demons (Yokai), are not necessarily evil or anthropomorphous, however range from either a evil oni to the mischievous kitsune.

Demons in Hellenistic Neopaganism
Inside modern Hellenistic Neopaganism (particularly in self-described Hellenistic sects in the United States), a demon can be a kind of items.

For instance Titan gods imprisoned inside Tartarus are considered demons. Often associated by owning demons inside Hellenistic Neopagan sects come Furies, Cyclops, Hecatonchires, and Wraiths. More suspire from either Hellenistic mythology could besides become associated sustaining demons & demonology.

In art and literature
Several classic books & plays feature demons, like a Divine Comedy, Paradise Lost and Faust.

Anton Rubinstein's lushly chromatic opera The Demon (1875), based on a verse form "The Demon" by Lermontov, was delayed in its production because a censor bonded to the Mariinsky Theatre felt that the libretto was profane [http://www.opera.lv/demons/default_E.htm].

In C. S. Lewis's The Screwtape Letters a senior demon in Hell's hierarchy writes a series of letters to his subordinate trainee, Wormwood, offering advice in the techniques of temptation of humans. Though fancied, it offers the plausible coeval Christian viewpoint of the relationship of man & demons.

Demons use permeated a culture of tykes's cartoons & anime; they are utilized inside comic books as right antagonist in the horror, fantasy and superhero stories. There are the handful of demons world health organization fight permanently for their have reasons rather DC Comics' The Demon and Marvel Comics' Ghost Rider. By counterpoint, Hellboy is a demon raised by humans & has vowed to protect the two, owing there is no allegiance to Hell.

Demons besides produce appearances inside Japanese anime like a anime Inuyasha, where a title character is half demon (youkai) & half homo. In that series, besides when more popular anime, a demons handle a entire range of expert & evil, typically by owning a equivalent character with each effective & evil traits. In the anime Naruto, the title character has the super mighty & by all odds evil demon sealed within him. Notwithstanding a character himself international relations and security network't in any way evil naturally, possibly after a demon's powers leak through the seal. In that story, in case a independent character died, a demon would die by owning him.

Inside Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy, dæmons are the physical incarnation of the human's soul. Although it bear just about there is no resemblance to 'Christian' demons, a word is pronounced a equivalent.

A works of J.R.R. Tolkien feature demon-like beings called Balrogs, terrible spirits of flame with humanoid bodies and (depending on who you ask) wings, one of which is encountered in the Lord of the Rings as well as his writings about the First Age of Middle-earth.

Cenobites are demons which feature in the works of Clive Barker, such as a novel The Hellbound Heart on which the film Hellraiser is based.

In the novel Good Omens, by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett, demons are described when in essence angels working for the different employer. A demon Anthony Crowley is said not to own Fallen such when 'sauntered mistily downwardly.'

Inside recent days, Fr. Gabriele Amorth, chief exorcist at a Vatican, has published 2 books in his lives by owning Satan & demons entitled An Exorcist Tells His Story, & An Exorcist: Extra Stories published by Ignatius Click. Dr. Ed Murphy has written the comprehensive tome on the subject entitled A Vade mecum for Spiritual Warfare. Demons feature centrally within Rick Harrison's Catholic novel of the prevent days entitled [http://home.earthlink.net/~mbirds2004/part1.html Matthew 10:26].

In science
Man of science from time to time invent suppositional take the breath sustaining favorite abilities when section of a thought experiment. These "demons" develop abilities that come about unlimited, however it is however subject to the physical laws being theorized about. Watch Maxwell's demon, Laplace's demon.

In games

It has been asserted that demons communicate by having man through the utilize of the Ouija board. This occurs as minority viewpoint on the subject, though these population assert that infernal possession is possible in that way. A usual explanation is that a Ouija board's users move a back's planchette by owning their hands (consciously or even unconsciously) & lone pop up to exist as communicating with spirits. A consequent possession is strictly psychosomatic.

the earliest connection of a word by owning games is that the British call for a form of solitaire "Demon", from at least a nineteenth century. the choice of this word comes from either a observance of a streaming video player by others. Erst, adults about universally bet in cards. When the streaming video streaming video player is turned from either interaction by owning others & is forced to move cards about while forgoing feeling, a player is metaphorically considered possessed by a demon.

Several fantasy-themed role-playing, computer and video games feature demons as enemies, though two or three (such as Diablo, Dungeons & Dragons, Megami Tensei, Devil May Cry, or ''Devil May Cry 3: Dante's Awakening, Doom) allow player characters to summon or control demons, or, in Devil May Cry'''s and some of the latter Megami Tensei games' case, the main character is in fact a demon or part demon. More games, such as Demon: the Fallen or In Nomine feature demons even other conspicuously, allowing infernal streaming video player characters. Such games come typically said to draw youngsters into a occult, although this as well occurs as minority viewpoint. Understand demons in Dungeons & Dragons for further information on this topic.

Occasionally recent Japanese computer game feature demons stylised as a race of beings world health organization are non necessarily irredeemably evil. Disgaea: Hour of Darkness, in particular, is remarkable for with the immature demon king when its independent character. This trend is likewise seeable inside manga such as Sand Land and InuYasha.