Why can't I be as nice as I want to be?

[Tuberski]

Ya think?



ACK!

[Ben Kenobi]

I need you to go find the largest grapefruit you can find, and get two of them. You need to eat one and shove the other one up your ass. Don't remove the other one from your ass until 3 days after you've eaten the other grapefruit.

Then you will be cured.

Had enough or would you care to continue ranting?

[Alexander's Horse]

oh come on - there is no such thing as demonic possession.

I'm a practicing catholic, a veritable pillar *cough* of the church, and I think its all hooey!

[Ben Kenobi]

I'm a practicing catholic, a veritable pillar *cough* of the church, and I think its all hooey!

Really. I would think most Catholics would support such a position over a Protestant like myself.

What makes you think demon possession false?

[Cruddy]

Well, tell me, informed Asher.

Maybe I should just quit trying to help people who are so fkved in the head they think it's cool to pretend to be fvked in the head.

[Asher]

Originally posted by obiwan18
Had enough or would you care to continue ranting?

At least my post was helpful.

[Ben Kenobi]

I'm sure your mood brightened.

[Asher]

I think you are both possessed!

*runs to fetch Garlic*

[Alexander's Horse]

Originally posted by obiwan18

What makes you think demon possession false?

Advances in science. People described as possessed in the bible were what we would call mentally ill today.

Look, everybody has voices in their mind - its part of the way the mind works. The problem for some people is because of an illness, be it genetic or chemical or as a result of an injury, they lose the ability to manage their internal voices. This is one definition of mental illness. It can manifest as "demonic" voices but that is a symptom of illness, nothing more.

[Tuberski]

Originally posted by Cruddy
Well, tell me, informed Asher.

Maybe I should just quit trying to help people who are so fkved in the head they think it's cool to pretend to be fvked in the head.

You should quit trying, ot better yet pretend you have helped him.

ACK!

[Ben Kenobi]

I think you are both possessed!

*runs to fetch Garlic*

Actually, I rather like garlic.

AH:

It can manifest as "demonic" voices but that is a symptom of illness, nothing more.

Agreed, most cases will seem explained by science and can be cured, but I think that there are still some that cannot. Jesus also talks about demon possession in the Gospels.

I don't know very much about demon possession, so I thought Catholics since they perform exorcisms would naturally know more about the criteria, and what to do with demon possession.

[Cruddy]

Originally posted by obiwan18

I don't know very much about demon possession, so I thought Catholics since they perform exorcisms would naturally know more about the criteria, and what to do with demon possession.

It depends on the national culture really.

Demonic possession and exorcism is still practised in Italy for sure... but it's a lot rarer in other parts of the world.

India often has demonic possession cases - but as these aren't handled by Exorcists they are beyond the scope of my answer.

Ask most Catholic priests in the UK for an exorcism and he'll tell you he needs a psychiatric report first - not to say some who've been on missionary duty overseas are a little more open minded on the subject.

Whether it is "real" or not to science is irrelevent. It's real enough to the sufferer.

[Alexander's Horse]

Originally posted by obiwan18


AH:

Agreed, most cases will seem explained by science and can be cured, but I think that there are still some that cannot. Jesus also talks about demon possession in the Gospels.

Jesus was a person of his time. Mental illness in those times was often called demonic possession. I think only 1 gospel emphasises those healings.

I don't know very much about demon possession, so I thought Catholics since they perform exorcisms would naturally know more about the criteria, and what to do with demon possession.

"Exorcism" needs to be demystified. Its really just a blessing. I've been present at what might be termed exorcisms, of people and places. Priests will do it if they think it will help but you will go a long way to find a priest who will actually say definitely someone is "possessed" rather than "ill". The blessing can however help to give people peace of mind and that is the main reason this form of blessing is done I think. Its not like Hollywood.