demonisointia

Demonisointi is a Finnish term that describes the process of attributing demonic influence to a person, group, place, or phenomenon, as well as the related practices aimed at removing such influence. The word is formed with the root demon- (demon) and the verbal noun suffix -isointi, yielding a concept that can function as both a description of a belief or perception and as a label for ritual actions.

Etymologically, the term combines the concept of a demon with the Finnish suffix that denotes a process or activity. In Finnish discourse, demonisointi is used in religious contexts to refer to the belief that demonic forces can inhabit or control beings or spaces, and to the associated attempts to expel or counteract those forces. The scope can range from individual experiences described as possession to collective or societal phenomena framed as demonic influence.

In religious traditions, demonisointi may be linked to exorcism or deliverance rites. Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant communities have various practices and theological understandings of how demonic presence is identified and addressed. In folk belief and literature, demonisointi appears in possession narratives and in stories that depict moral danger or malevolent forces.

In secular contexts, demonisointi is often analyzed as a rhetorical or sociopolitical device: individuals or groups may be described as demonic to justify condemnation or exclusion. Scholarly discussions emphasize the distinction between metaphorical demonization and clinically or legally verifiable claims, and they warn of dehumanization and oversimplification in such portrayals. Overall, demonisointi covers both sacred ritual traditions and secular analyses of how societies imagine and respond to perceived evil.

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