Skritt

[Neilos Tyrhanos.5427]

1 hour ago, Gibson.4036 said:

Sort of.

The original Greek word just meant a spirit, and doesn't have to be good or evil. But our English word, "Demon," comes from applying that Greek word for Christian use.

We can refer to Asura or Tengu (the originals, not GW2 races) as demons, but that's just a translation for the closest kind of being in western culture to beings from Hindu or Shinto respectively. They aren't demons, they're Asura and Tengu.

And yes, there are inherently evil spirits in many cultures. Even if they haven't chosen evil, I buy that as well, since spirits exits on a spiritual plane. They are living ideas or concepts. Their existence is their character.

 

 

Well, yeah, but even the Christian demons are just called that because of older terms being transliterated as 'demons' using a form of the Greek word. If transliteration is fine for the Christians, it's no less fine for the others. 

 

Even for Christian demons, though, the 'fallen angel' thing is just one interpretation. It's not unambiguously stated that's what all the demons are. Usually the Bible just assumes their existence and goes on without explanation.

Edited October 18, 2022 by Neilos Tyrhanos.5427

[draxynnic.3719]

8 hours ago, Gibson.4036 said:

Certainly not. That was just my way of saying the evil is what makes them Orcs.

Technically, yes, it was evil that made them orcs, but I don't think it's so closely bound that they'd stop being orcs if they somehow stopped being evil. And Tolkein's writings do suggest that this was a possibility, albeit a difficult one due to being dominated by Morgoth and his servants and successors, while those who weren't allied to evil tended to have kill-on-sight policies regarding them.