Exorcisms

[jazzactivist]

Hi all! Have you noticed that there seem to be quite a few series and films on TV lately about ghosts, demons and exorcisms? These range from Apparitions about a Catholic priest / religious detective character who carries out exorcisms and seems to contain a lot of reference material that is lost on non-Catholics, to Demons which is fun but like a low budget version of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. There was also a film on over Christmas based on a true court case about a young woman who received both medical treatment and religious exorcism treament for a severe personality problem, and subsequently died. As you know by now, I am not religious so don't believe in things like demons and spirits, but I am interested in the arguments and portrayals that are put forward about them. However, some people do believe in possession, and the Catholic church still does carries out exorcisms. What are your views on this - real or a joke, medieval nonsense or something in it?

[keepersdaughter]

Hi Jazz, i think there so much that is unexplainable that we just do not understand.
Throughout history all civilizations seem to have some record of ghosts or the afterlife.
Animals seem to sense things that humans don't pick up on or maybe have lost their 'sense' of.

The house I grew up in was not exactly spooky but there werre many unexplainable things. They say children are more tuned in to picking these kind of things up. The house and gardens were in the forest, built on land where once seven wells were apparently. One well remained above ground (filled in with concrete), another just rubble above ground where a straggly circle of Michelmas Daisies grew. Beside the house was a dark horseride - rarely used, but the rumour was it was once an old cartpath where bodies of people who had died during the plague were taken to
be burned. Creepy or what?. I never actually saw anything, but more 'felt' things. It was an unhappy house.

I've been thinking a lot about religion and spirtuality in the past few years. Hard to
put in to words, but I think of life as energy. Maybe spirits or whatever they are called is energy that hasn't moved moved on or dissipated. Does that make any sense?.

[Rustic Pumpkin]

I grew up in a haunted house. To me it was perfectly normal, and houses without a presence were not normal! There were at least four spirits there, including one cat, and all took some form of physical appearance. So, yes, I do believe in these things in the same way that I believe the essence of accumulated energy affects the feeling or atmosphere of a place. The accumulated energy is why some places can feel 'spooky' or uneasy, and other places, especially churches and ancient monasteries (for example) that have accumulated positive spiritual energy feel 'good' and uplifting places to be.

As to exorcisms, as I am not Catholic and have no experience of such things (other than Hollywood portrayals, the authenticity of which is questionable) I don't feel qualified to comment. I do think that there is a reason as to why we are seeing so many programmes of the nature you describe presented through various media such as television and movie theatre, and even novels. I believe that we are 'tuning in' through our collective subconscious to the astrological and astronomical changes that are occurring in the Universe right now and which are affecting us all whether we like it or acknowlege it or not. This is why we are currently seeing such a surge of 'paranormal' viewing on the television and at the movies.

[dragonfly]

I don't believe in ghosts and spirits. I agree there are a lot of things going on that can't be explained yet but probably will be one day. If someone believes they have ghosts then they will probably believe an exorcism will get rid of them so it is a good thing (whether it is real or not). I think some people use more of their brain than others so can tune in to feelings that some people give off like an aura.

I am fascinated with old ruins particularly abbey's and churches and would love to meet someone from the past, ghost or not.

[bonnie]

I certainly do believe in exorcisms. Many years ago our catholic priest performed an exorcism on a man who lived in a high rise flat at the end of our road. First of all he had to go into the flat and see if he could sence a presence, he then had to get permission from the vatican to preform the exorcism.
nobody was supposed to know about what he had done and the man in the flat swore he would never tell.
After the exorcism was done he then sold the story to the News of the world.
Father breen had a head full of black hair when he entered the flat but when he next did mass his hair was snow white and many years later told the congregation that day he saw the devil himself.
He never preformed another exorcism again.
Now one can say what a load of balony, but father breen was a very respected priest up until he died and hand on heart i believed him.
So in my opinion yes the devil does exist even though a lot of people dont believe he does. and yes i do believe in spirits.
One more thing why is it those who dont believe say OH GOD when they hurt themselves.

[eleanor2]

i dont believe in ghosts of dead people.but do believe in evil spirits.i do believe they mess wit peoples minds by spiritual appenings.i dont think we has humans can understand the spiritual world.i do believe some people seek to dabble with this spiritual world.

[jazzactivist]

I say that I don't believe in spirits, but I have experienced a strange phenomenon in our previous house. Occasionally there would be a smell of pipe tobacco and/or strong cheap aftershave. This would be there for a few minutes and then go. Various people experienced it at different times and in different rooms. It wasn't frightening, just peculiar and with no obvious explanation. The worst for me was once when I was sitting at the computer and the smell appeared right in front of me as if it was coming from the computer, which would mean that the 'ghost' was sitting on my lap - eek! The new owner of our old house has also asked the neighbours if they have ever experienced anything odd in their house... I would like to think that there is a multi levelled cosmos of 'life' that we don't yet know about, as it seems to me that we can't be the only ones around. I can't find it in myself to believe in demons or the devil, though, as to me that seems like a construct to get people to believe in a good God, and I can't see that there could ever be such a strong opposite polarity. Can any priest perform an exorcism, or only certain ones? Do they all learn it, or is the 'method' sent out from the Vatican along with the permission? I only have Hollywood knowledge of all of this too, so do find it a bit intriguing, especially the need for secrecy.

[eleanor2]

i dont really know much about exorcisms jazz except off t.v too.i would imagine it took a lot of guts and faith to attempt to dabble with the spirit world.it wouldnt be a proffession you went into to earn a wage.it would have to be something you believe in strongly and a desire to help people who feel afflicted.

[bonnie]

Thats very true Eleanor, a priest has to have special permission, not just any priest can take it upon himself to do this. I am going to ask through the family when this happened with Father Breen as i'm sure it was in the late 70's or early 80's.

[Crocus]

Google (Wikipedia) has this on exorcism:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exorcism