Great discussion Alex and Miguel.
I consider myself something of a neo gnostic. I see the mythology as a symbolic reflection of the psyche as I do other myths. Gnosticism turns much of christianity on it's head completley and symbolically speaking makes much more sense to me. I just wanted to share my perspectives as it relates to several points that were raised in the discussion.
I's start with the old alchemical concept of as above so below. That our inner world is a reflection of extended consciousness or beyond that cosmic consciousness. A fractal continuity so to speak. To take a page from Jung, we have our individual subconsciousness our individual consciousness and beyond that the collective (un)conscious with the ego the "i" that is the separation or the blockage between what we perceive as the individual and the larger collective consciousness.
Within ourselves we have the shadow the potential for evil, I see this as the lower consciousnes, the egoic materialistic demiurge along with the higher spiritual sun, the higher self or the god like aspect. The Gods exist within us and in this model so to speak also outside of us depending on the perspective of the separating ego. (Demiurge).
Symbolically the psyche is well represented by the symbol of baphomet which coincidentally enough using the Hebrew atbash cipher translates to Sophia the gnostic goddess of wisdom. So in this symbol we have both the light and the darkness, male and female, the horned donkey or goat headed god and the higher spiritual flame, the ignorant and the enlightenment. As above so below.
These motiff's are reflected in many myths and esoteric symbolism. Demiurge like gods are in many cultures from the biblical Yaweh, to Zuess, Odin etc... A creator god born of a higher god ultimately the Monad the one that flowed back upon itself causing self reflection and resulting individualization.
When we dream we create alters, our minds also individualize and separate into different personalities that seem distinct from ourselves and have personalities onto themselves. We see it also in the case of disassociative identity disorder where the mind splits into multiple personalities. The idealism folks, (I am one) consider this to be how the cosmic consciousness fragments into individual consciousness, yet the many are still the one.
Just as the Monad folded back on itself. In Dreams we do the same. As with evil, a nightmare, a demon, monster or predator is actually an alter your subconscious has created. Parts of your own shadow becoming manifest.
I suggest the individualization that we all experience in our dreams and even in mental conditions can occur at the level of the collective unconsciousness as well. These could be malevolent or benevolent entities or archetypes if you like seemingly independent to us depending if you perceive from one side of the separating "I" or Ego.
I believe this is symbolically reflected in the Gnostic myth of Sophia and her fall from the pleroma giving birth to the Demiurge. This abomination (Yaweh) was manifested from the goddess of wisdom through her intense desires. A accidental creation of hers, an alter. How we may manifest our own demons from our own shadow.
This is where I get a little out there with this if you don't think I already am that is.
This may also be happening with schizophrenia., even poltergeist and hauntings and other so called super natural phenomena.
Entities may come in a variety of manifestations. The simplest being the thought form. Single minded simplistic entities born of strong negative emotions, fear, anger, jealousy. They perpetuate themselves by inducing these states in human beings. This being there food basically. We could also call them lower archonic parasites.
The next level was mentioned in the show, Egregores. Born in the collective unconscious, so they can be cultural or religiously derived. More intelligent, mistaken for angels, Demons or even Gods. They can be secondary infections to a particular environment. Eg A haunting. Being more creative it can create more ways of feeding itself, through the environment and can use multiple people. When it becomes stronger it may manifest into a poltergeist effect.
I could go on but this is a long enough rant. I hope the continuity in idea is apparent. I needed lot's of words to try and convey a difficult concept. It is just my way of seeing things as I have had a few encounters I have struggled to rationalize, so I have given it a lot of thought and reflection and have a deep interest in the occult and mythology.