Coming back to church, worried about occult and sinful past

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My advice, having known someone similar to you many years back, is to throw it all away … it is dangerous to keep that kind of stuff around … replace the devil picture with a beautiful picture of Jesus as the Divine Mercy … may God bless you and I will keep you in my prayers.
 
do_justly_love_mercy said:
I was guessing that this was satire, but maybe not. It would seem absolutely tragic to burn copies of the works of the likes of Nietzsche, Freud, and the emperor Julian or to destroy illustrations to the works of Goethe and Milton.
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It’s not like it’s the last copy of a book in wide circulation or last cheap reproduction of an illustration that the world will ever have.

If it makes a person feel better to burn stuff, it’s their stuff, they paid for it, they’re allowed to burn it. Or just toss it in the garbage with the coffee grounds and food wrappers. Alternatively, if it is a general work of art or literature that isn’t inherently demonic but just has bad associations for the individual, the person could throw it in the Goodwill bin, and let them choose whether to resell it or scrap it.
 
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Beloved brother.

Yes, evil spirits do exist, demons do exist.
Throw out everything that resembles evil or darkness. Photos, statues, movies, all.
Listen, we are all called to holiness and purity and the Catholic faith. It is a long and tough road, but we must always persevere.

Christ said, if we are to follow Him, we need to deny ourselves, take up our crosses and follow Him.
Please, I beg of you, be that pictures, music, movies or any object that has any connection or resembles evil, take it away. For example, do you think our beloved Father would want His children to have photos of demons in their bedroom?

There is so much art that is pure, good, holy. You can choose, a religious image(image of Jesus, Mary or saint, or small statues) or non-religious art.

Demons are real, Satan is real. But, remember, God is also real, Christ is real, Mary is real, and the Angels are real. God is stronger than Satan, and Christ is the One who holds Victory over evil!

Brother, let us all persevere in holiness, purity, love, faith and hope. Pray, read the scriptures. Glorify and thank God through all your work.
Never be afraid of demons, but rather fear the Lord, that is a healthy fear, not a negative one. And while holding the fear and reverence of the Lord, love Him and serve Him as much as you can, and love others as yourselves.

Don’t worry. God is with us, and He is our Father. If we draw near to Him, He will draw near to us. If we remain in Him through faith, love and obedience, He will remain in us.

Peace! Do not be afraid, because Jesus Christ is Lord!
 
Yes, giving it away sounds like a good idea. There will be college students on a tight budget who’d appreciate a cheap or free copy of Freud or whatever.

And of course, it’s individual choice, but I do worry that people invest inanimate objects with so much power. A few weeks ago somebody was wondering whether she had to destroy a 500 lb statue of the Buddha in her backyard. Not so long ago somebody was aghast that there’s a statue of the Buddha in the Vatican Museums. Someone else was talking about burning a Masonic book. There are numerous threads by school and college students (or parents) asking whether it is acceptable for Catholics to read certain books (Paradise Lost, for example, or various “modern” philosophers, i.e. Descartes onward).

The way I see it, there’s nothing wrong with educating oneself about atheism, paganism, the occult, Buddhism, Freemasonry, etc. In fact, it is valuable to do so. We are not supposed to insulate ourselves from the world, we are supposed to engage with it. It is as if for some people the Second Vatican Council never happened and the Index is still in force.
 
If a person wants to destroy something because “it’s cursed”, then that’s the time to tell them that curses are not real.

However, bad associations are real and can be upsetting to people even outside of the religious context. People who have had a bad relationship usually don’t want stuff around the house that reminds them of the bad time they had with their ex; they’ll sell the stuff, give it away, toss it, or even burn it if they’re upset enough. It’s the same with things that lead you into sin. A Buddha statue doesn’t lead me into sin so I can appreciate it as just a Buddha statue. Somebody else who has a bad past with idolatry or Buddhism or the occult might find that Buddha statue much more disturbing, much more of a temptation. It’s easier sometimes to say “it’s demonic” than to just say “I personally have a problem with it.”
 
The problem here isn’t that these pieces are considered demonic by itself and they are not demonic but these items were offered to demons according to what OP wrote and then it becomes problematic.
Those items become infested and they should be destroyed. Or “freed up” and sold but it’s easier to destroy them and as Tis_Bearself said those are not last pieces in world so…
 
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Yes, that does make sense. I can understand someone having an emotional connection with something. I’m just not wholly sold on the idea that inanimate objects, books, etc. can be objectively possessed by evil forces.
 
do_justly_love_mercy said:
I’m just not wholly sold on the idea that inanimate objects, books, etc. can be objectively possessed by evil forces.
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That’s because they generally aren’t. Even if somehow this occurred, the object could be exorcised and blessed by a trained priest and that would be the end of it.

I think it’s safe to presume that just as cases of human possession are rare, cases of an object harboring a demon are also rare. Priests advise people to get rid of their occult stuff because it presents an occasion of sin, not because the material item is cursed.
 
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KingDavid said:
3 - in college, got involved in fornication, weed, porn, astrology and lots of antichristian philosophy as well (Nietzsche, Sartre, Camus, Freud, Cioran, Emperor Julian The Apostate etc)
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Well Nietzsche was certainly a struggling soul, but I personally would not call him evil. He is worth studying. Maybe he helped bring you back to Christianity in a weird way…just sayin.
 
Wow, this is such a great community! Thank you all for your thoughtful and friendly replies!
1Lord1Faith said:
This happened to me one time. Nothing to do with demons. Bats are almost like mice in that they are good at finding their way inside, but unlike mice they are not really intending to.
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Thank God! I thought it could be like some apparition. Glad it’s just the normal rabbies-covid-carrying bats!

As regards the occult stuff, I’ve considered all that you have said and I’m going to BURN IT DOWN!!! hahahaha

To the 🔥🔥 Inquisition Fire 🔥 🔥 go:
  1. satanic paintings
  2. astrology books
  3. aries sun sign incense holder
  4. Immanuel Kant’s “Critique of Pure Reason”
Now, the statuette of David cost me like U$200,00 and I love to have my bodybuilding physique goals staring at me right in my living room. It keeps me motivated. And I also like how the story of King David mirrors in some ways this situation: state of grace → terrible sins → fall from grace → reconnect with the Lord and turn against sins → redemption.

So if possible I’d like to keep this object, along with some three other nice decorative items (because they were my mother’s and it reminds me of her). Again, if someone understands how this “object deliverance” works - or even if it works at all - it would be great hahah!

I’ve also been praying a lot. My connection with God and the Virgin Mary is doing wonders to my heart and soul and everything looks brighter and beautiful! The feeling is really like coming back home. I just wish I had done this sooner, but I guess it was worth for the learning experience. Now I can warn others about this!

And look how ironic what I’ve found today in the “Prologue in Heaven” of Faust I (where I took the mephistophelean painting from):

THE LORD
Enough! 'tis granted thee! Divert
This mortal spirit from his primal source;
Him, canst thou seize, thy power exert
And lead him on thy downward course,
Then stand abash’d, when thou perforce must own,
A good man in his darkest aberration,
Of the right path is conscious still.
 
Great. My best advice would be a priest blessing the items explaining the situation.

If you have any redemtorists near you, they are allowed to give a papal blessing with their mission cross.
We have some blessed and exercised salt and holy water!
Happy you are praying and things are brighter.
I agree situations like yours, and mine, puts you in a unique position to share what you know and earn others. I have even thought of going back to festivals to share the good news, but I wont go that far. The glittery camp of the enemy would be too tempting. God bless !!!
 
With these good things you are doing (praying, reading christian literature) please as soon as possible find catholic priest and tell him everything you wrote here on CAF, ask him for help and also tell him that you aren’t baptised.
There is no other way to come into Church except to really come, and that is to be properly catechised and baptised.
I don’t know where you are and are you in lock down because of covid19 but if churches are open and you can go out, go to church and talk to priest ASAP!
You are in my prayers!
 
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Just keep the David. Say a prayer to Jesus or Mary every time you look at it, like “Thank you Jesus” or a Hail Mary. Throw a little holy water on it to help get rid of any unpleasant association.

Michelangelo’s art has decorated many a church, and when Catholic groups go to Italy on church pilgrimages, they usually make a stop at the sculpture of David. Our group did, anyway.
 
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Inbonum said:
I don’t know where you are and are you in lock down because of covid19 but if churches are open and you can go out, go to church and talk to priest ASAP!
You are in my prayers!
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Thank you brother! No churches open, but first thing I’ll do once they are is solve this whole thing…
Tis_Bearself said:
Just keep the David. Say a prayer to Jesus or Mary every time you look at it, like “Thank you Jesus” or a Hail Mary. Throw a little holy water on it to help get rid of any unpleasant association.
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That’s a good idea, thank you!
 
Our Lord will forgive with a contrite confession. Do not worry. Regarding the items, they can introduce influences that we may not want. It’s like having a poster of a pin up girl. Isn’t it more likely that ideations may occur due to it? There’s no need to be puritanical, nor to imagine these items hold no influence. If still in doubt, ask your parish priest.
 
It is finished.

Just got the time to write about it.

Last sunday (I thought sunday would be a fitting day for this), I spent the whole afternoon searching for a good place to burn that stuff. I walked along the seashore for hours and hours, praying and repenting all the way. The day was very cloudy and dark.

After a long time I found a safe place to start my little inquisition fire. But then it began raining like crazy! I was completely soaked (there’s my baptism right there hahah)… I walked toward a small cliff by the seashore and said “Oh, my Lord! Please cease this rain, I’ve got a past to burn.” And the rain stopped completely a couple of minutes later. Then I descended by the cliff to a secluded little rocky beach.

The waves were crashing hard on the rocks next to me. I lit up my candle and prayed. Then a bird came by and landed next to me. When it was all mostly burning or already in ashes, I grabbed the aries incense burner (don’t really know how to describe this object, but it looked like a small golden medal or something like that). I climbed on a couple of stones and balanced myself as the waves kept crashing one after the other. “In the name of The Father, The Son and of The Holy Spirit” I said. And as I threw the incense burner far into the sea I finished “Amen!”

As I did this, I looked back and the skies were opening up. The sun shone its glorious golden rays on the whole scene. Everything looked “sharper” and more beautiful. It felt like a movie! But miles away, next to the sun, stood even more gloriously still the huge statue of Christ The Redeemer (I live in Rio de Janeiro). I said “Thank you, Lord!” and went home.
 
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