Demonic or Not?

Jody Winston

June 4, 2006

Sermon

Grace and peace are gifts for you from God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.1
In 1995, the French philosopher and non-practicing Jew, Jacques Derrida wrote
a book titled The Gift of Death. Structurally, this book is a discussion between
Derrida, several other modern philosophers, and the Scriptures that asks two in-
tertwined questions based upon the book’s title: “Is the gift of death demonic?”
and “Is the giver of death demonic?” Starting with Jan Patocka and ending with
Søren Kierkegaard, Derrida constantly argues in the book that both the gift of
death and the giver of death are infinitely good.2
One of the key concepts that Derrida discusses when answering these two
questions and the idea that we will look at in more detail today is the question of
1
Romans 1:7, 1 Corinthians 1:3, 2 Corinthians 1:2, Galatians 1:3, Ephesians 1:2, Philippians
1:2, 2 Thessalonians 1:2, Philemon 1:3
2
Jacques Derrida, The Gift of Death, (Chicago, IL: The University of Chicago Press, 1995),
p. 3.

1
the demonic and its inverse. In other words, how does one identify the forces of
evil and its opposite the Spirit of God?
Before we go any further, we must address one basic reality: that unfortu-
nately most of us no longer think that the demonic exists. We want to banish these
faceless forces to the realm of children’s stories. We want to believe that the form-
less powers that at the same time live nowhere and everywhere exist only in fairy
tales.3 Sadly, this is exactly what the demons want us to do. They want us to forget
them, so that they may do their work unimpeded.
Derrida tells us that the demonic does exist among each of us today, reminding
us of them and their powers by describing the attributes of the demonic. According
to Derrida, the demonic does not have clear boundaries between the human, the
animal, and the divine.4 Additionally, for Derrida the demonic has a love affair
with initiation rituals and the unknown.5 Finally, any thing or any message that
either destroys or calls for the suspension of reason is a demonic force.6
The effects of the demonic can be clearly seen in our everyday lives. For exam-
ple, our economy in the United States often uses technology to obtain the items
that we need. In many cases, this reliance on technology degrades humans into
things and thus by definition is demonic.7 This transition occurs when we reduce
humans from persons with roles that need to be fulfilled into roles that need to be
3
The descriptions of demons as faceless forms and the attributes that they live everywhere and
nowhere at the same time are from Arthur C. McGill; Lindell Sawyers and Ray T. Woods, editors,
Suffering: A Test of Theological Method, (Philadelphia, PA: The Geneva Press, 1968), p. 41.
4
Derrida, The Gift of Death, p. 2.
5
Ibid.
6
Ibid.
7
Ibid., p. 35-36.

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filled by interchangeable people.8 Unfortunately, it is not hard to think of compa-
nies that hold this view about their employees. Another example of the demonic
can be found in what is commonly known as “dead end jobs.” A key attribute of
this type of work is boredom, which is brought on by the mindless repetition that
is required of the worker. Once again, this kind of employment is demonic because
the work requires that a human no longer think. It would not be difficult to name
many jobs in the service industry which utilize the demonic forces to dehumanize
workers. The demonic can also be found outside of the workplace. Recall that the
demonic loves the darkness that is wrapped in the unknown. Anytime we try to
deceive others, we invoke the power of the demons. This action could be as sim-
ple as hiding our beliefs from others, or as complex as the fraud at Enron. Other
examples include discrimination and intolerance. Discrimination is demonic be-
cause it relies on the fear of the unknown. Intolerance of others, another demonic
force, also resides in the darkness of ignorance.
In stark contrast, the characteristics of God’s Spirit stand in diametric oppo-
sition to all of the demonic attributes. First, instead of the demonic tendency that
confuses the boundaries between humanity and others, God wants humans to be
truly human. As we heard in today’s Gospel reading, the Holy Spirit is a spirit
of truth. God’s message of truth, brought to us by the Spirit, is basically simple.
Just be a human: nothing more or nothing less. This action requires us to let the
rest of creation live as God intended, and for us not to want to become a “god.”
Next, unlike the anonymous powers that love what is hidden in darkness, God
8
Derrida, The Gift of Death, p. 35.

3
loves the light. After God’s Spirit had descended upon the crowd assembled in
Jerusalem with a sound like the wind and with an appearance similar to fire, Peter
publicly identified the Holy Spirit and one of the Spirit’s roles. Finally, Peter’s
speech makes it clear that the Holy Spirit neither possesses us nor forces us to do
God’s will. This attribute of the Holy Spirit is unlike either the ancient Greek gods
and other demonic forces, who must control their followers.9 Thus, it is obvious
that the Holy Spirit is not a demonic force.
In one of the most infamous passages of the Bible, Jesus says that whomever
speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.10 The reason for this harsh
warning is that Jesus does not want us to reject the Spirit, because when we spurn
the Spirit we will die from “lack of breath.” This understanding comes from the
second creation story in Genesis where we hear that God breathes “the breath
of life” into us.11 An equally good, if not better, translation of this Hebrew phrase
would be that God breaths divine inspiration or the Spirit into us. When we decline
the Spirit, not only are we refusing to breath but we are also keeping God out of
our lives. God allows us to reject the Holy Spirit because God does not force
God’s self on us. If God did, then God would be nothing but another demon who
wants to control us. But God is not a demon, so God allows us to choose if we
want God’s Spirit in our lives. Of course, if we continue to hold our breath we
will die. This is exactly what Jesus told us would happen. But all that we need to
9
Cicero, Plutarch, and Apuleius write that ecstatic speech happens when a god directly possess
an individual. Luke Timothy Johnson; S.J. Daniel J. Harrington, editor, The Acts of the Apostles,
Volume 5, Sacra Pagina, (Collegeville, MN: The Liturgical Press, 1992), p. 42.
10
Matthew 12:31-32.
11
Genesis 2:7.

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do to receive forgiveness is to let the Spirit come rushing backing in with our next
breath.
There is good news found throughout this story. First of all, God’s Spirit is not
a force that wishes to us to be something that we are not. Instead, the Spirit comes
directly to each of us, only desiring that we be truly human. Secondly, the Holy
Spirit does not lurk in some “dark shadow” somewhere. God’s Spirit is out in the
world for all to see. This visibility allows us see what we are getting into. Finally,
the Spirit is responsible. Unlike the demonic that calls us to give up our ability to
reason, the Holy Spirit comes to all of us and asks us to think about what we are
getting ourselves into. In each of these points, the amazing fact is that God accepts
every one of us just as we are.
Derrida’s book provides us with one reliable way to identify both the demonic,
and its opposite, which is found in the Holy Spirit. The real question that remains
unanswered is, “What will we do with this information?” We only have two real
choices. On the one hand, by doing nothing we can let others be kept in the dark
about their situation. On their own, they will not be able to visualize the demonic
powers that have control over them, nor will they be able to see the power that
the Holy Spirit could have in their lives. On the other hand, we can do the exact
opposite and by using the Holy Spirit’s power, shine light on the demonic and its
mirror image. God’s bright light will let the world see the demonic for what it
really is, a force that wants to destroy us. This light can also be turned back on
God to see what God truly is, a power that wants to love us.
Because Derrida has provided us with a method of seeing what is hiding in the

5
shadows, we know that no demon would have ever given us a book like The Gift
of Death. We must take this gift from God and use it to shine God’s light on the
demons, so that they can be revealed for what they are.
“The peace of God, which passeth all understanding, keep your hearts and
minds through Christ Jesus.”12

References

Derrida, Jacques, The Gift of Death, (Chicago, IL: The University of Chicago
Press, 1995), Translated by David Wills.

Johnson, Luke Timothy; Daniel J. Harrington, S.J., editor, The Acts of the Apos-
tles, Volume 5, Sacra Pagina, (Collegeville, MN: The Liturgical Press,
1992).

McGill, Arthur C.; Sawyers, Lindell and Woods, Ray T., editors, Suffering: A Test
of Theological Method, (Philadelphia, PA: The Geneva Press, 1968).

12
Philippians 4:7.