While living in Thailand, I asked a Thai Buddhist about the origin of the peculiar corners on the roofs, the familiar tail-like structures. She told me, "When the Lord Buddah was dying, he was visited by the divine serpent who had given him his religion. He expressed gratitude to the divine serpent for all the help he had given, for his great success. He asked the serpent what he could do to express his gratitude. The serpent responded with 'Put the image of my tail on every housetop,' which is what Buddah did."

I have personally seen multiple cases of demonization, some of these in the states. SOne doesn't need to be a charismatic to recognize this. With the ascendency of New Age phenomena it is becoming common in the mainstream of American society. It's only the evangelicals and Reformed who deny these things; secular American society is increasingly recognizing these phenomena. Certainly there are charismatic excesses but that doesn't negate the scriptural worldview which includes demons or the experience of those who deal with them in a rational manner. Clergy who relegate demonic phenomena to superstition cannot help their parishioners who struggle with the phenomena.

If anyone is interested in the subject, PM me. I'm willing to write more in that context than in open forum.

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Mary Vanderkooi
Kale Heywott Church (KHC)
Soddo, Ethiopia