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Even with your modern way of thinking I would like to point out that satan has the capacity to harm human beings
posted by
adventurer02
on May 23, 2016 at 4:02 AM
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Re: FineYoungSinger - your last comment is fuel for another post.
I would have to disagree with your final analysis, only because there have been reported instances of people whose family or friends didn't believe and tried every avenue to no avail until they were face to face with the exorcism and saw the results, and I would bet that even a few that witnessed still thought it was a bunch of hocus-pocus. The unknown is tough to swallow.
Would I say that demonic posession is a real phenomenon? Even after my own study of the subject, I'm still on the fence about some of it, even though I'm willing to accept that it's a possibility.
A friend of mine--a psychologist--has told me some fairly insane stories about excommunicated-priests-turned-exorcists living in the western states that told her some pretty wacky tales about microchips implanted in the backs of people's heads that cause some ring to appear around the iris of one of the eyes, and that they're all these possessed people living normal lives waiting for a command from their leader, whomever that might be (?????). I don't know what's scarier, the fact that someone is out there spreading this particular story around, or the fact that an educated professional believes it so whole-heartedly as she does.
Dispite my own doubts about the subject, I tend, of course, to accept the teachings of my church far easier than I do these other stories, because I know that this Fr. Gabriele has a strict protocol to follow---those that work on their own, like that "exorcist" with the sci-fi-classic, don't.
Anyway, another thought-provoking discussion...as usual.
posted by
FineYoungSinger
on February 21, 2008 at 6:13 AM
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Kabu - say no more - I know what you mean - I remember the story
posted by
gomedome
on February 20, 2008 at 6:37 PM
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Oh just something that happened to me one time. but as I said telling
can get a person blocked. So many souls have such deep fears and suspicions.
posted by
Kabu
on February 20, 2008 at 6:08 PM
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strat - I stopped short of making a list of alternate words
. . . but that's a good one.
posted by
gomedome
on February 20, 2008 at 2:35 PM
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FineYoungSinger - your last comment is fuel for another post.
But to encapsulate my thinking. A belief in the reality of demonic possession is a train of thought separate from and almost irrelevant to a belief in God. When it is considered that the notion of demonic possession is found in the traditions of only a handful of religions and by all measures has become obscure in the modern era; to read of a small group of men who have experienced what you suggest is very real to them, fosters in my mind a few questions. The first and most obvious is: why is it only those who believe these things to be real who have these types of experiences? From here, it doesn't take much in the way of research to realize that amongst so called demonic possession victims and those who occupy themselves exorcising their demons, that a belief in such things is not only the common denominator. . . . it is the cause.
posted by
gomedome
on February 20, 2008 at 2:34 PM
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"Yikes" would be another word I might employ...
posted by
strat
on February 20, 2008 at 1:46 PM
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Re: FineYoungSinger - "interesting" is one word that could be used I guess
Of course, I don't expect you to believe any of this stuff. If the mere existence of God is in question, the contents of the excerpt will appear to be nonsense. I don't necessarily feel that any of the subject matter dealt with here is nonsense, because a, what this man has experienced was very real to him, and b, I believe that God, angels, satan and demons all exist. Whether or not you choose to beileve it is exactly that---your choice. Thanks for the link. It was a good read in my book.
posted by
FineYoungSinger
on February 20, 2008 at 12:26 PM
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FineYoungSinger - "interesting" is one word that could be used I guess
I can think of a few other words.
HERE is the link if anyone else wants to read it.
posted by
gomedome
on February 20, 2008 at 12:18 PM
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I read the excerpt of Fr. Gabriele's book that was linked to this article.
It was pretty interesting.
posted by
FineYoungSinger
on February 20, 2008 at 12:10 PM
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sam444 - it's not just a coincedence that the declining number of demonic
possessions occurring have a direct corellation with modern education.
posted by
gomedome
on February 20, 2008 at 11:27 AM
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I applaud you for this discussion. I am glad the religion I am associated with doesn't have a thing to do with this type of exercise, for lack of a better word. sam
posted by
sam444
on February 20, 2008 at 10:42 AM
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right you are
posted by
Xeno-x
on February 20, 2008 at 10:19 AM
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Kabu - I've posted about this subject before but not from this perspective
It may well be true that females are allowed to perform exorcisms in some smaller religions that I am not aware of. However, all of the major religions that still have this type of thing on the books, all have male only clergy. These would include: Catholics, Buddhists, Toaists and some sects amongst the Muslims (exorcism is not a universal belief in Islam). It is also banned, or at the very least not acknowledged as credible, in many other religions such as Sikhism. . . . so what is it that you know differently?
posted by
gomedome
on February 20, 2008 at 9:35 AM
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I commented here on this subject once before. I didn't know only males can
be called upon. I know differently. I was blocked by several blogits for saying too much last time you shared this stuff.
posted by
Kabu
on February 20, 2008 at 9:21 AM
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