Why do Christians believe in the Resurrection of Jesus but not alien abductions?

[Disciple]

Hey Rhythm, just curious, how do you figure the belief in demons is backsliding into paganism when the bible mentions them all through it?

Where do you think those narratives came from?  -and perhaps you should take another look, because they aren't "all through it" -at all-.  

Even Christ in the NT refers to them them by name in some places. Sure, there are a lot of pagan spiritual systems where the adherents work directly with demonic energy but I don't see how they can have any ownership to the concept. Would like to hear your perspective on it.

The word and concept itself is of greek origin.  Originally it didn't mean anything intrinsically negative, just spirits.  They could be good, bad, indifferent (just like people).  These are the demons to which "paul" was referring, for example, when he asked how people could be right with the lord while they worked with demons.  He wasn't thinking of the demons you're thinking of...which is a subsequent conflation of fallen angels and evil spirits with demons arising out of another wave of syncretism (the same that granted christians their traditional view of hell).   He was speaking directly about people who, for example, made an offering to "the spirits of this or that tree" as a safeguard against a hunting accident.  

So you tell me, how christian is it to believe in dryads and jotunn, by another name?

Ok, I see what you're saying there. Im sure you know, but the original new testament was written in Greek for the most part. Demon is the word we use for them nowadays with the original coming from greek, but they've had several different monikers throughout the ages. In fact, in modern times a lot of people call them aliens, before that, they were called gods aka Osiris, Shiva, Apollo etc. Also, in the old testament there were several instances of people that were working with demons that weren't your stereotypical claws and fangs variety. King Solomon, has it attributed to him that he catalogued, worked with and captured 72 high level "demons".  There is a book called the Lesser Key of Solomon or Goetia. Suspposedly, he trapped them in a barrel or vessel with his "magical ring" and inscribed kabbalistic  symbols on it and when the inscription was rubbed off it by the Babylonians, it released them. Kind of reminds you of the genie in the lamp legends. Its the same mystical system practiced in the high levels of freemasonry and the Catholic church today. And to answer your question, I feel it is indeed very Christian to believe in that stuff. The old testament also mentions giants in genesis 6. There is also a book found in the dead sea scrolls called the book of giants. The Hebrews recorded in the book of Jeremiah that they were like "grasshoppers" in the sight of their enemies they were to eliminate. Its because they weren't human.  Thanks for your reply.