Interpretations and Reflections on Contemporary Demonism (I)

The expressions of fantasy and desire discussed in this entry, as manifested through societal perceptions of sexuality, spirituality, and death, become the starting point for the anthropological conception of the demonic, discussed in more detail in Chapter 1, but as we will see later - E. Thacker's demontology, discussed in the chapter above, which operates as a journey to nowhere, turns these anthropological demons into hauntological ghosts of demons, hovering in our midst and reincarnating as cultural footnotes of society, rudimentarily manifesting themselves even in the new social structures shaped by modernity. Lust, death and sexuality often become fetishised fantasies closely linked to religions, and in the end it becomes clear that these physiological needs, the experiences of identity, determine society's fears, cultures and desires.

Sexuality

When discussing desire and fantasies, it is useful to start with sexuality, which, as defined by the European Institute for Gender Equality, is one of the fundamental aspects of human existence, expressed in fantasies, beliefs, values and actions, and is influenced by the interaction of biological, psychological, social, economic, political, cultural, ethical, legal, historical, religious and spiritual factors (118). The complexity of this construct, therefore, does indeed reveal a broad spectrum of personality, despite the fact that when the word 'sexuality' is heard, a large part of society is still uncomfortable, and the common perception of sexuality is often confined within the framework of sexual desire.

Even though sexuality has a history going back millennia and is an integral part of not only human beings, but life in general, it seems that attitudes towards sexuality are still associated with the forbidden fruit. As society becomes more liberal, the subject of sexuality seems to be receding, and some individuals in Western society who are interested in the forbidden fruit seem to be afraid of being lynched in public as being effeminate, not conforming and not fitting into the stereotypes of society. This topic is therefore one of the most shadowy, like a demonised ignorance and fear of being misunderstood. However, no matter how much society tries to force sexuality into the proverbial bed, it is worth discussing the different contexts in which this confrontation is inevitable and one of the most fundamental to the existence of societies. Culturally speaking, asexual communities do not exist, primarily for physiological and ultimately psychological reasons, but attitudes towards sexuality vary from one community to another. In the Western cultural tradition, it is common to believe in monogamous relationships, but there are still societies that believe in polygamy, and their perception of sexuality is generally different from that of the West. Nevertheless, let us consider what the Western perception is, how it has evolved, what the near future of the history of sexuality might be, and why is it that the history of religion has become the focus when it comes to sexuality?

In some religious communities, sexual fantasies were once likened to demonic possession, and exorcism imagery, even in modern media, is rarely without sexual fantasies. So religion and sexuality have always gone hand in hand, trying to draw boundaries, rules, but never, never has any religion left the subject behind.

Historian Valdemaras Klumbys stresses that sexuality should not be understood only as sexual practices. It is a much broader concept, encompassing family and gender roles (119). The sexual revolution that took off in the 1970s continues to this day, but while we often hear that perceptions of gender and family have changed significantly, the truth is far more disappointing. Perceptions of the family, of having children, have not changed radically. When we survey the women around us, it turns out that most of them give birth 'out of necessity', 'because their husbands wanted them', 'so that they won't be lonely in old age'. This attitude seems to be completely incompatible with the emancipation of women and, more generally, with the modern world, where the egotistical decision to 'make a man for oneself', who will then provide for or give one's ego satisfaction, seems to oblige the unborn child to become a tool for the satisfaction of the wishes of others, or, finally, to free the woman who gives birth of the responsibility of her own future existence. The question is, what is the infinite darkness that lies hidden in these seemingly innocent social situations and cultural fissures? We keep hearing about a liberalising society, but a closer look reveals that society is only tolerant as long as it does not affect them personally. If, in Victorian times, it was assumed that a frigid woman was a virtuous woman, that sexual intercourse was only for the prolongation of the family, and that only men could be unfaithful, it is easy to get confused about what era we are really living in when you take away the whole technological and modern environment. While there are many podcasts on the internet that talk about family stereotypes, especially as they relate to women, in one TED talk, poet and essayist Christen Reighter tells her personal experience, as if voicing the voices of thousands of women all over the world, that we all have the right to not want to have children, not to want to get married, not to want to have a stereotyped life. Reighter points out that the statement of not wanting children is often reacted to as a kind of state that will pass, as if not wanting children is an immaturity, a lack of understanding, and that every conversation of this kind, which begins with a polite inquiry about offspring, eventually turns into outright aggression directed at the person who is responding to the question, as if a person who does not want children is abandoning all possible values, is being selfish, and is acting irresponsibly towards the rest of the community (120). The truth is that the facts show a much different reality. According to scientists, having children is one of the most unsustainable decisions a person can make. The environmental damage caused by even one child is enormous - 58.6 tonnes of carbon every year. Currently, as many as half a million children in the United States alone do not have a caring family, and the world is so overpopulated that it is estimated that humanity's surplus is about 2.5 births per woman (121).

Another important aspect of the sexual stereotypes is the stigmatisation of abortion, which is also met with controversy by the majority of the public, with the accumulation of cells in a woman's body being equated with life, even though it has been proven by science that an accumulation of cells, or otherwise a foetus, in a woman's body up to the 20th week of life, cannot be called a baby, because it would not survive without support, not even with extra help. Nor can a collection of cells feel anything like pain until the 24th week, because there are no brain connections. And while for many, the image of Mary with the baby Jesus is still the absolute ideal of a woman, for which scientific evidence is ignored, and the concept of sexuality is limited to a basic package put together by Christianity, often without even realising that these societal stereotypes, the cultural rudiments of sexuality, even in the mouths of even the least religious people, come from a collective unconscious or learning. So while one part of society is wrestling with its own demons and shadows, the other half is trying to comfort them. And if, at first glance, we do not find classical deities in secular religions, let us look again.

As with any new beginning, it takes time to form and permeate our holistic understanding of the world. Once, when Christianity was just a small sect, the Crusades made a significant contribution to changing the trajectory of history and making it one of the most influential communities in the world. The Crusades, under the full authority of the Pope, with the military campaigns of the knights of Western Europe in the 11th and 16th centuries, captured the hearts of the non-Christians in the blood clans. Why, when it comes to the link between sexuality and religion in general, we have to start with the Crusades, the answer is quite elementary: in the culture of the time, the knights who were at the epicentre of the Crusades were like pop stars - parallels can be drawn with the most famous actors or musicians of today. A large part of society wanted to be like them, wanted to be with them. So the Knights' Marches, right from the start, were like carrying the Olympic flame without losing. So we can say that the flag of Christianity began nowhere else but on the table of pop culture, and that is why we should look for the beginnings of modern, secular religions right here - on the most visible pop culture stages, from instragram, Tik Tok to the catwalks of fashion.

But still, the question is, who are the fearless, muscular knights of our time and what banner do they carry? In truth, not much has changed since the 11th century, at least in terms of demons and fantasies, virtue and vice, and what pop culture serves us today.

Whereas pop culture was once filled with a divine, religious element, and art was based in religious strongholds and built communities and culture around itself, today, much freer religious forms are emerging that reject the theistic promise of the duality of suffering and salvation. It seems that, as society becomes more liberal, the new sexuality is becoming one of the most topical issues, eventually turning into a secular religion that enables change in the political, economic and other circles of capitalist society. Sexual practices and attitudes seem to become a weapon to defend personal positions. It is no coincidence that this topic is also gaining ground against the backdrop of popular culture, which reflects the attitudes and desires of society. In an interview with The Guardian, fashion design professor Andrew Groves said, "The re-emergence of fetish fashion against the backdrop of the Covid pandemic is partly a reaction to the closure. In recent years we have all had a strange, BDSM-like relationship with the government, which controls our bodies, forces us to wear masks and tells us what we can kiss or touch. The sudden return to fashion of fetish wear can be interpreted as a desire to change the relationship, to regain control and to show who is really in charge." In other words, the search for identity becomes crucial for us. The same identity, but a changed identity, that our ancestors sought when they knelt on the sacred pavement.

CONTINUE BDSM as a secular spiritual experience

118 Seksualumas. Europos lyčių lygybės institutas, 2016 [ 2022. 04.03]. Prieiga per internetą: https://eige.europa.eu/lt/thesaurus/terms/1379

119 Seksualumo karai ir revoliucijos XX a. Lietuvoje. Bernardinai.lt . 2019 [2021.11.12]. Prieiga per internetą: https://www.bernardinai.lt/2019-10-25-seksualumo-karai-ir-revoliucijos-xx-a-lietuvoje/ 107

120 I don't want children -- stop telling me I'll change my mind. TED talks. 2016 [2021.11.20]. Prieiga per internetą: https://www.ted.com/talks/christen_reighter_i_don_t_want_children_stop_telling_me_i_ll_change_my_mind?language=en

121 They’re Waiting Longer, but U.S. Women Today More Likely to Have Children Than a Decade Ago. Pew Research Center. 2018 [2021.11.20]. Prieiga per internetą: https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2018/01/18/theyre-waiting-longer-but-u-s-women-today-more-likely-to-have-children-than-a-decade-ago/