C
codesmith
Guest
Hello all,
I understand that exorcism is a sacramental, not a sacrament. I hope I am posting this question in the correct forum.
As I understand this topic, Catholicism requires belief in demons and demonic possession, and that one should take the new testament description of such events as true. The casting of demons into pigs is a rather explicit account (Matthew 8:28-32). I guess that particular exorcism, at least, was clearly not a misinterpreted psychological malady if the demons were miraculously transferred to the herd of swine. And there are Gabriel Amorth’s (Vatican exorcist) books, and Paul Thigpen’s (of TAN Books) recent book “Manual for Spiritual Warfare”, where he too states that the devil can possess people and otherwise physically intervene: move objects and otherwise terrorize/haunt people and places.
I have read that prior to an exorcism, medical professionals must rule out psychological and neurological problems. I assume that is required prior to an exorcism, correct?
So where are the videos from the medical profession of someone so violently possessed that modern medicine was at a complete loss for an explanation? I don’t buy into the possession videos on youtube. Those all seem like psychological or neurological conditions.
It seems to me that a real video of true possession – a case that confounded and in fact terrified medical professionals – would cause the conversion of more than a few skeptics. Or is the devil so subtle he does not want that? If the latter is the case, how do we really know demonic possession is real? But if real, where are the incontrovertible videos from the current day medical profession? Please don’t tell me the Catholic church will not release such videos. If protocol was followed, the medical profession had access to the afflicted patient first, right?
I understand that exorcism is a sacramental, not a sacrament. I hope I am posting this question in the correct forum.
As I understand this topic, Catholicism requires belief in demons and demonic possession, and that one should take the new testament description of such events as true. The casting of demons into pigs is a rather explicit account (Matthew 8:28-32). I guess that particular exorcism, at least, was clearly not a misinterpreted psychological malady if the demons were miraculously transferred to the herd of swine. And there are Gabriel Amorth’s (Vatican exorcist) books, and Paul Thigpen’s (of TAN Books) recent book “Manual for Spiritual Warfare”, where he too states that the devil can possess people and otherwise physically intervene: move objects and otherwise terrorize/haunt people and places.
I have read that prior to an exorcism, medical professionals must rule out psychological and neurological problems. I assume that is required prior to an exorcism, correct?
So where are the videos from the medical profession of someone so violently possessed that modern medicine was at a complete loss for an explanation? I don’t buy into the possession videos on youtube. Those all seem like psychological or neurological conditions.
It seems to me that a real video of true possession – a case that confounded and in fact terrified medical professionals – would cause the conversion of more than a few skeptics. Or is the devil so subtle he does not want that? If the latter is the case, how do we really know demonic possession is real? But if real, where are the incontrovertible videos from the current day medical profession? Please don’t tell me the Catholic church will not release such videos. If protocol was followed, the medical profession had access to the afflicted patient first, right?
