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Date:      Wed, 28 Feb 2001 11:02:03 +0200
From:      Neil Blakey-Milner <nbm@mithrandr.moria.org>
To:        Power JeSsIe! <jessie@power-jessie.net>
Cc:        questions@FreeBSD.ORG
Subject:   Re: bsd logo
Message-ID:  <20010228110202.A84177@rapier.smartspace.co.za>
In-Reply-To: <NEBBJJKPMLNMNBFHAAFIOEKDCDAA.jessie@power-jessie.net>; from jessie@power-jessie.net on Wed, Feb 28, 2001 at 03:09:28PM -0800
References:  <00ca01c0a20d$862637a0$6100000a@vladsempire.net> <NEBBJJKPMLNMNBFHAAFIOEKDCDAA.jessie@power-jessie.net>

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On Wed 2001-02-28 (15:09), Power JeSsIe! wrote:
> but if daemon doesn't mean a demon,
> why is it that the logo is like that?
> a little red fellow with horns,tail and  a fork...

There was a process of "demonisation" occuring when (possibly before,
but definitely during) other cultures were introduced to Christianity.
Their previous gods, angel-analogues, and so forth were deemed to be
evil forces pretending to be good, or whatever.

Webster's definition:

  Demon \De"mon\, n. [F. d['e]mon, L. daemon a spirit, an evil
     spirit, fr. Gr. ? a divinity; of uncertain origin.]
     1. (Gr. Antiq.) A spirit, or immaterial being, holding a
        middle place between men and deities in pagan mythology.

The imagery can be linked at least to stylised Eastern art from pre-"BC"
(CE, now, isn't it?), and to pre-Christianity Europe (satyrs, and so
forth).

Neil
-- 
Neil Blakey-Milner
nbm@mithrandr.moria.org

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