Exorcism
From RationalWiki
| B U L L "If you are in possession of this revolutionary secret of science, why not prove it and be hailed as the new Newton? Of course, we know the answer. You can't do it. You are a fake." |
This topic is a pseudoscience, and is not accepted by the scientific community as a valid discipline.
Although it may use scientific terminology, it does not use scientific methodology.
Remember: just because it sounds right doesn't mean it's actually right.
Exorcism is the practice of purging Demons, evil ghosts, dark influences, malevolent spirits, lost souls, and/or Satan out of a possessed person's body and/or soul, a haunted house, a cursed object, etc. It usually involves invoking God, Jesus, angels, saints, doing funny dances, pouring holy water or dangerous substances on the patient, praying, sacrifices and amulets, fasting either by the clergy or by the patient, among other things. It is generally performed by a member of the clergy or other holy dudes.
The existence (albeit rare) of demonic possession and exorcisms is officially recognized by the Catholic Church,[1] though it is not exclusive to Christianity. It is present in Christianity, Islam, Hinduism among other religions.
The Catholic Church has a body of exorcists that follow tightly regulated rules, most of which are kept secret from all but a very few church members. Many Protestant fundamentalist churches are less regulated in their use of exorcism, leading to violent and occasionally deadly attempts to exorcise unwilling and/or uncomprehending victims.
The Vatican website has this to say on Exorcism:[2]
| “ | 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authoritatively in the name of Jesus Christ that a person or object be protected against the power of the Evil One and withdrawn from his dominion, it is called exorcism.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. | ” |
In evangelical Protestantism, exorcism is often practiced as part of a broader spiritual warfare agenda. In an even more ludicrous variety, exorcisms are performed at long distance over the telephone by Bob Larson or over the television by name it and claim it preachers ("laaay your hands on teh television set")
It is believed that many people on Conservapedia are in need of a exorcism, but there is not hard data to back it up. (Of course, this never stopped Conservapedia before).
[edit] External links
- 12/29/07 news item: the Pope orders Catholic bishops to ramp up exorcism efforts to combat the worldwide rise of Satanism. Update: This was immediately followed by an official denial in Cwnews.com. So who to believe here - the Daily Phail or the Catholic World
PropagandaNews? Questions, questions...
[edit] See also
- ↑ Catechism of the Catholic Church, §1673
- ↑ Vatican on Exorcism
