Demons and exorcism=There's someone in my head but it's not me !

[Anatta]

Kia Ora,

I just browsed  a thread in which demons  and exorcism  was brought up [excuse the pun]...

Well this got me thinking[ that is something in me latched on and started the thinking process  ]... No doubt there are members here whose families[it's possible even some members too] believe in all the demons and exorcism stuff...

I've read about cases where families have forced another family member to undergo such treatment and the out comes haven't been the best for the poor sod forced to have one ...A few years back someone die during one here in NZ...There have also been case in the US involving gay and trans-people, whose families believed they were possessed...

Personally I'm quite skeptical when it comes to things like this, however this is not to say that demons and exorcism are not  real for others...After all the mind has an amazing ability to conjure up things and make them appear real ....

So just keeping it simple, do any of you actually believe the body can be  possessed by evil spirits/demons ?

Have you ever had such an experience ? [There's someone in my head-but it's not me experience !]

And if so who or what causes them to enter the body  as uninvited guests?

Metta Zenda

[Princess of Hearts]

There was a little girl whose mother and boyfriend abused her physically and eventually starved her to death because they thought that she was possessed by an evil spirit.   They were of course tried, convicted and given long prison sentences.

Zenda have a look at this short video by the Rev Don Lewis regarding possession.

[tekla]

Perfect title, as the Pink Floyd verse is from a song called Brain Damage and is about people in a lunatic asylum.  Which is pretty much where this stuff belongs.  You're veering dangerously close to the truth there, even if by accident.


Fun Fact: Brain Damage was the original title for the record, DSofM was chosen later.

[Medusa]

I believe that body and soul is separated and demons and other strange beings exist
I have no direct experience, but I know people (lot of them college educated) who see things which are far beyond common accepted and I have no reason to not believe them

[Anatta]

Perfect title, as the Pink Floyd verse is from a song called Brain Damage and is about people in a lunatic asylum.  Which is pretty much where this stuff belongs.  You're veering dangerously close to the truth there, even if by accident.


Fun Fact: Brain Damage was the original title for the record, DSofM was chosen later.

Kia Ora Tekla,

Pink Floyd popped into my head just as I was about to add the title

There was a little girl whose mother and boyfriend abused her physically and eventually starved her to death because they thought that she was possessed by an evil spirit.   They were of course tried, convicted and given long prison sentences.

Zenda have a look at this short video by the Rev Don Lewis regarding possession.

Kia Ora Princess,

Thanks...That was an interesting take on possession...Mind you when I first read "Rev" I thought OMG [excuse the pun] this is going to be another nutjob talking about the devil and demons etc...But no I was pleasantly surprised-but still not convinced...Thanks...

Metta Zenda  

[Princess of Hearts]

My understanding on possession is that nothing can enter your body or mind.  However, that is not to say that occasionally a dark or very dark aspect of your own mind might not be in the ascendant.   But note that this dark 'entity' comes from your own mind and is most definitely not an external agency.   People who have felt or sensed a dark presence within themselves may be right to fear the consequences if this sliver of the mind gets temporary control of the mind's steering wheel.   It is understandable that people want to explain away their inner darkness as a sign of possession because we don't like to think of ourselves as having a potential dark side, it is far easier to explain this in terms of something external.    However, one way to ensure that you don't accidentally give birth to a very dark side of yourself and unconsciously let it grow and develop is to always be in touch which your passions and feelings.   Some people think that it is always wrong to be angry with someone.  That self-denial is always good and ennobling.  if you give free rein to your feelings etc then you in large part vent the energy that would have in time grown monstrous and powerful had you suppressed the energy, forgotten about it and left it to fester and grow into a huge multi-headed snake.

[Anatta]

Kia Ora,

It could be argued that people whose minds lead them to believe in such things, could possibly be suffering from one of many "Mental Awareness Disorders" [or MAD for short] 

[Just thought I'd get this in before Tekla stole all the glory  ]

But on a more serious note..Whose to say what's real and not real.......

Metta Zenda

[Princess of Hearts]

I believe that body and soul is separated and demons and other strange beings exist
I have no direct experience, but I know people (lot of them college educated) who see things which are far beyond common accepted and I have no reason to not believe them

I watch a lot of ghost and haunting videos on YouTube and what really, really annoys me is that sooner or later on these American videos someone starts going on about 'demons'.   Many of the Americans on these videos seem to believe that all things supernatural are satanic at root, and ghosts are really demons in disguise.    British ghost and haunting videos in sharp contrast never see ghosts as demons, they are always taken at face value.  Also British views on the supernatural isn't any where near as Christian.

A few years ago I was dismayed to read in an joint British and American survey about church attendance in those two countries.   Around 60% of Americans stated that they had been to church once in the last month, while 40+% said that they had been 2-3 times in the last month.   Here in GB 14% said that they had been to church once in the last four weeks and only 6% said that they had attended church 2-3 times in that same time period.

I am pleased to report that Britain is a post-Christian society.

[Annah]

Exorcism - a topic not even the Roman Catholic Church (RCC) will willingly put their hands on. In terms of the RCC, there are only a handful of priests who are properly trained in this issue and for good reason. Because 9 times out of 10 the person is not possessed but has some form of a mental disorder.

The following is simply my own opinion based on education in theology, being a priest and other things:

Do I believe Possession exists? Yes
Do I think it's as prevalent as some or some movies or tv shows make it out to be? No.

In the Christian church, possession is believed to be done by a demon under the commands of Lucifer.
In pagan circles, you f**ked up a ritual on purpose or through ignorance and a maligned spirit is using you. Or you willed it to use you for stronger magic.
Other faiths contribute it to evil spirits but not specifically demons of a wider agenda (like the Christian Church believes) although there are some exceptions.

When it comes to exorcism in the Christian church there are only a few denominations of faith who will even bother with it (they do not perform a ritual but they say by getting right with God may expel it). With the ones that recognizes exorcism there are guidelines:

1. The person must see a qualified Psychologist and Psychiatrist before the notion of exorcism can be taken seriously
2. If the person clears from any type of mental ailment, a second opinion is usually required.
3. After the second opinion and the subject is not mentally insane in any sort then the Priest would do the ritual.
4. It is to be believed that a demon does not permanently leave the person after the first exorcism. The ritual usually takes months or even years.
5. The priest is liable if the person dies so if it appears that the person is choking then you stop the ritual and do it later (countless of occurrences have shown that the person is "choked" if the entity feels like it is about to be forced to leave).
6. It is usually a good idea to get the name of the demon because it is believed that the Priest can have power over a demon if its nae is used.

Since I practice witchcraft but also believe in many aspects of Christianity, this is my belief:

1. It is not a demon in a Christian sense but an evil spirit from the nether (which can easily be interpreted as a demon since a demon can be defined as an evil spirit).
2. It usually takes a lot of crap to get an evil spirit to join with you. An evil spirit just doesn't float around looking for a victim to inhabit. 9 times out of 10 the victim had dabbled in somethng she or he had no business dabbling in. About 95% of all exorcisms I researched for Seminary is usually a result of the victim doing something "unwise" such as using a spirit board without casting a circle, inviting a spirit into them for fame or fortune (it happens), a suicidal person who literally asks a spirit to screw with their family and so forth and so on.
3. An evil spirit is way different than a ghost and a ghost is not a demon in disguise.  It takes a tremendous amount of energy to inhabit someone unwillingly. A TREMENDOUS amount of energy.  A ghost of a departed person has nowhere enough of the energy it takes to possess anyone....they can barely push a ball on the floor...this is why mediums offer to join their energies with that of a spirit so that the spirit can inhabit a medium and thats only for a very short time.

However, with all of this said I would wager about 97% of all people claiming to be possessed are just mentally ill.

[Anatta]

Exorcism - a topic not even the Roman Catholic Church (RCC) will willingly put their hands on. In terms of the RCC, there are only a handful of priests who are properly trained in this issue and for good reason. Because 9 times out of 10 the person is not possessed but has some form of a mental disorder.

The following is simply my own opinion based on education in theology, being a priest and other things:

Do I believe Possession exists? Yes
Do I think it's as prevalent as some or some movies or tv shows make it out to be? No.

In the Christian church, possession is believed to be done by a demon under the commands of Lucifer.
In pagan circles, you f**ked up a ritual on purpose or through ignorance and a maligned spirit is using you. Or you willed it to use you for stronger magic.
Other faiths contribute it to evil spirits but not specifically demons of a wider agenda (like the Christian Church believes) although there are some exceptions.

When it comes to exorcism in the Christian church there are only a few denominations of faith who will even bother with it (they do not perform a ritual but they say by getting right with God may expel it). With the ones that recognizes exorcism there are guidelines:

1. The person must see a qualified Psychologist and Psychiatrist before the notion of exorcism can be taken seriously
2. If the person clears from any type of mental ailment, a second opinion is usually required.
3. After the second opinion and the subject is not mentally insane in any sort then the Priest would do the ritual.
4. It is to be believed that a demon does not permanently leave the person after the first exorcism. The ritual usually takes months or even years.
5. The priest is liable if the person dies so if it appears that the person is choking then you stop the ritual and do it later (countless of occurrences have shown that the person is "choked" if the entity feels like it is about to be forced to leave).
6. It is usually a good idea to get the name of the demon because it is believed that the Priest can have power over a demon if its nae is used.

Since I practice witchcraft but also believe in many aspects of Christianity, this is my belief:

1. It is not a demon in a Christian sense but an evil spirit from the nether (which can easily be interpreted as a demon since a demon can be defined as an evil spirit).
2. It usually takes a lot of crap to get an evil spirit to join with you. An evil spirit just doesn't float around looking for a victim to inhabit. 9 times out of 10 the victim had dabbled in somethng she or he had no business dabbling in. About 95% of all exorcisms I researched for Seminary is usually a result of the victim doing something "unwise" such as using a spirit board without casting a circle, inviting a spirit into them for fame or fortune (it happens), a suicidal person who literally asks a spirit to screw with their family and so forth and so on.
3. An evil spirit is way different than a ghost and a ghost is not a demon in disguise.  It takes a tremendous amount of energy to inhabit someone unwillingly. A TREMENDOUS amount of energy.  A ghost of a departed person has nowhere enough of the energy it takes to possess anyone....they can barely push a ball on the floor...this is why mediums offer to join their energies with that of a spirit so that the spirit can inhabit a medium and thats only for a very short time.

However, with all of this said I would wager about 97% of all people claiming to be possessed are just mentally ill.

Kia Ora Annah,

I would say more like 100% are M.A.D

Metta Zenda