Exorcisms

[judgesmails]

I saw an ad for new movie about an exorcism. Now I don't believe in god, the devil, demons, or spirits. But this movie looked pretty scary. Now I realize this ad is just about a movie, but I do have an aunt who is a Catholic nun and she has been a part of these things - for real.

Anyway, I am sure the people "performing" the exorcism believe that their subject is "posessed" by something mean and nasty. But what is really wrong with these people? And why are they presumably "cured" by an exorcism?

Are they just nuts and are somehow comforted by all the attention?

That would be my best guess. It's probably a form of munchausin syndrome. I know I'm probably not spelling that correctly. I don't know if that qualifies as nuts but maybe just semi-nuts. If you don't know what that is, it's where people fake illnesses to get attention and feel loved. Sometimes people do this "by proxy" by doing something like smothering their kids a little so that they'll have a breathing interuption and then rush them to the ER or call an ambulence and then all their relatives coo over them and their sick baby.

Imagine if you are a Christian who is starved for attention, you could just start acting possessed so that your circle of family and friends would shower you with attention and concern or love and if you get your relgious leader involved, you've hit the attention motherlode.

I love your question though as I've always found the exorcism situation fascinating. I hope others who may have more insight chime in. I know some will claim that this is just actual demonic possession. I don't believe that but I would love to hear from a psychologist or someone like that.

[jakethebake]

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I do have an aunt who is a Catholic nun and she has been a part of these things - for real.

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The Catholic Church actually still performs exorcisms? How often does this lunacy go on? [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

[BluffTHIS!]

They go on extremely rarely and without publicity, and only after psychiatric examinations have determined it is not only a case of mental illness.

From the Catechism of the Catholic Church:

"1673 When the Church asks publicly and authoritatively in the name of Jesus Christ that a person or object be protected against the power of the Evil One and withdrawn from his dominion, it is called exorcism. Jesus performed exorcisms and from him the Church has received the power and office of exorcizing. In a simple form, exorcism is performed at the celebration of Baptism. the solemn exorcism, called "a major exorcism," can be performed only by a priest and with the permission of the bishop. the priest must proceed with prudence, strictly observing the rules established by the Church. Exorcism is directed at the expulsion of demons or to the liberation from demonic possession through the spiritual authority which Jesus entrusted to his Church. Illness, especially psychological illness, is a very different matter; treating this is the concern of medical science. Therefore, before an exorcism is performed, it is important to ascertain that one is dealing with the presence of the Evil One, and not an illness."

Naturally if you do not believe in God, in Christianity, and in the possiblility of miraculous/supernatural interventions by God, then you won't believe this either.

[judgesmails]

That is why I posted this, I am hoping to hear from a psychologist or medical professional. Maybe I should have put it in the psychology forum?

[judgesmails]

I am not sure how often. My aunt is almost 90 and has been a nun for about 65 years. She has been part of two and knows of a few others. The last I remember her telling me about was in the mid 1980s. I try to tune her out most of the time.

That's a good idea. If you do, put a shout out to psychologists in your initial message so that they know you want their thoughts chimed in. I think that Dr. Al Schoonmaker the poker author often hangs out there.