WHAT IS SLEEP PARALYSIS -- The Christian Explanation

Sleep Paralysis and its cause is wildly contested by those who experience it as well as those who research it. Many believe it is a spiritual attack, others sticking entirely with the scientific findings on the reactions of the body. This post takes a look at one belief, the christian spiritual one.

THE SPIRITUAL EXPLANATION

Now this one has the potential to be a little long-winded. According to Wiki, the estimated number of religions in the world right now sits at a healthy 4,200. Don't worry, I won't be covering them all, we would be here all day. I will be looking at Christianity and its connections to SP and what it believes to be the reason or cause.

Although various religions differ wildly in many areas there is a common thread that binds them all and that is their belief in positive and negative influences (I won't say good and evil as some do not use those labels) upon their spiritual followers.

Some of these religions view instances of SP as a positive thing but they are few and far between with the majority believing that these attacks are indeed that...attacks on the person's soul or spirit. The question is, can the practitioner of these religious beliefs control the attacks or stop them from happening altogether using the authority of their religion?

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C H R I S T I A N I T Y

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Christianity is a blanket term for many sub-religions that include but are not limited:

• Catholicism (est. 1.285 billion),

• Protestantism (est. 920 million. 1.2.1 Anglicanism – 85 million),

• Eastern Orthodox Church (est. 270 million),

• Oriental Orthodoxy (est. 86 million),

• Restorationism and Nontrinitarianism (est. 35 million),

• Independent Catholicism (est. 18 million),

• Minor branches (est. 1 million).

Source: wikipedia.org/Christian_denominations

According to The Spiritual Research Foundation, only 10% of cases happen when an experiencer is falling asleep or coming out of sleep. In 90% cases, it happens in sleep, hence the affected person is not aware of it or is only semi-aware of it. Many believe that upon waking and finding your body affected by SP that it only takes the experiencer to think of Jesus and to say in some way "In the name of Jesus I command you to leave" then when this is done they will once again be able to move and the "entity" that was affecting them would be gone. Though those who believe this also believe that this only works for devout Christians for only the devout can command the word of God (I guess by that thought the rest of us are screwed).

Most who believe in the spiritual explanation also believe that SP is caused by demons, the fallen ones who were banished to earth along with Lucifer. They believe that these demons come to us at our most vulnerable time to take advantage of us in a weakened state and at a time when we are unaware of our surroundings.

Some link claims of SP to attacks from incubus and succubus demons, and terms like Shadow People merely cultural interpretations of the same thing.

#SleepParalysis #SP #Religion #Belief