Saturday Watchdog: Are Demons Possessing ‘Disclosure Day’?

No, devil spirits or demons are not hanging out in the lobby of your local movie theater, grabbing some popcorn and scoping out which viewers of Steven Spielberg’s new film, Disclosure Day, are Christians so they can make sure their faith is “shaken” after watching the movie.

Apparently, it’s not a very good movie — in fact, a lot of reviews I’ve seen say it’s just dumb and not very entertaining — but that doesn’t mean it’s somehow inhabited by demons that travel with it to movie theaters.

Every few years a new film releases and Christians warn that “demons are attached to it” and will jump out of the screen on folks. But before we accept that kind of claim, it’s worth asking a simple question: Is that how Scripture describes demonic activity?

In the Bible, demons target people, not objects. They influence hearts, tempt minds, and oppose God’s work — but we never see them “inhabiting” scrolls, songs, artwork, or cultural artifacts. Paul confronted idols in Corinth, yet he didn’t warn believers that demons were hiding inside the statues. Instead, he emphasized the danger of participating in idolatry, not the objects themselves.

Jesus and the apostles cast demons out of individuals, not items. The spiritual battle is real, but Scripture consistently places the battleground in the human heart, not in movie reels or sound waves.

Because, sure, the god of this world, Satan, inspires art of all kinds, but it’s unbiblical to claim that demons “possess” celluloid or digital content.

So when someone claims a film carries demons waiting to attack Christians, we should pause. Fear-based superstition isn’t the same as biblical discernment. The real question isn’t “Is this movie possessed?” but “Does this content shape my mind and affections toward Christ or away from Him?”

That’s the kind of spiritual vigilance the Bible actually teaches.