Psychologist Trains Exorcists

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Charlemagne_III said:
Here is an article about a former skeptic who now, as a psychologist, trains priests in the business of exorcisms.

pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2014/02/10/local-psychologist-a-former-skeptic-now-trains-priests-in-exorcisms/

What say you? Is this more proof of the supernatural’s dark side?

How would a skeptic react to this “proof”?
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I don’t know how a skeptic will react; that can vary.

As a Catholic I do understand and believe that these things happen. It helps when we believe what the Church teaches authoritatively, that the angels were created by God, and are bodiless spirits and
have an intelligence far greater than ours.

They are on a leash, and when we resist temptation with God’s grace, we become stronger, thanks to the grace of God.

They can wreak havoc when we allow them to enter by using ways that are forbidden by the Lord.
 
Dorothy said:
They can wreak havoc when we allow them to enter by using ways that are forbidden by the Lord.
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But how is it that anyone allows them to enter? Who would invite the devil to take over one’s body? :confused:
 
Charlemagne_III said:
But how is it that anyone allows them to enter? Who would invite the devil to take over one’s body? :confused:
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anger, resent, judging all sin is an invitation for evil to enter. It needs no invitation, god created the devi,l to tempt sinners.
 
Wouldn’t the Priests/Church be the experts in Exorcisms? Why would they need training from a Psychologist? He seems to be a self aggrandizing fool imo.
 
Roscoe_Turner said:
Wouldn’t the Priests/Church be the experts in Exorcisms? Why would they need training from a Psychologist? He seems to be a self aggrandizing fool imo.
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The priest would be the expert in exorcisms, not the psychologist.

But the psychologist might be able to help the priest deal directly with the devil, and how to deal with his own complex emotions as he encounters both the devil and the person possessed.

I would think the priest would welcome the witness of the psychologist at the actual exorcism.

We should remember that the devil probably wants a two-for: both the person possessed and the priest who is his ally.

My understanding is that Bishops are very careful who they choose for the exorcist in their diocese. Holiness is certainly one requirement. But mental stability must be another.

You think?
 
Charlemagne_III said:
The priest would be the expert in exorcisms, not the psychologist.

But the psychologist might be able to help the priest deal directly with the devil, and how to deal with his own complex emotions as he encounters both the devil and the person possessed.
56A
I would think the priest would welcome the witness of the psychologist at the actual exorcism.

We should remember that the devil probably wants a two-for: both the person possessed and the priest who is his ally.

I never heard of a priest needing help foom a shrink.

My understanding is that Bishops are very careful who they choose for the exorcist in their diocese. Holiness is certainly one requirement. But mental stability must be another.

You think?
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I never heard of a priest needing help from a shrink. No way, no how.
Exorcisms happen by themselves, I know of this happening.
louise
 
Charlemagne_III said:
But how is it that anyone allows them to enter? Who would invite the devil to take over one’s body? :confused:
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They are allowed to enter by sin of many kinds, unrepentance, long-term repetition of the sin, dabbling with the occult, not having a prayer life or coming to the sacraments,

Unfortunately, some do seek Satan and desire certain kinds of power from him.

It is good to know that with God all things are possible, and no matter how low one has gotten into evil, God can forgive and lift them up when they reach out to Him.

If you want to know more about such things Father Fortea’s book can help.
 
Charlemagne_III said:
The priest would be the expert in exorcisms, not the psychologist.

But the psychologist might be able to help the priest deal directly with the devil, and how to deal with his own complex emotions as he encounters both the devil and the person possessed.

I would think the priest would welcome the witness of the psychologist at the actual exorcism.

We should remember that the devil probably wants a two-for: both the person possessed and the priest who is his ally.

My understanding is that Bishops are very careful who they choose for the exorcist in their diocese. Holiness is certainly one requirement. But mental stability must be another.

You think?
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It’s not how he presents himself in the story. He presents himself as an expert in exorcisms. Self aggrandising. They didn’t interview a Priest to see how he assisted. The only mention of the Diocese is that they wouldn’t let a exorcism be filmed due to privacy issues.
 
It would’ve been vastly interesting if they could provide video of the events. And officially check the participants’ mental health. It’s not that I don’t like Catholic exorcists - it’s standard procedure for all supernatural claims.
 
Psychiatrist Scott Peck, author of The Road Less Traveled and *People of the Lie *,was invited to participate in several exorcisms. Like the psychologist in the article cited above, Peck was initially skeptical of the claims of exorcism, but after these experiences he became fully convinced of demonic posession. His account of his witness to these exorcisms may be found in People of the Lie if anybody is interested.

I do think it’s interesting that some skeptics can be more impressed by evidence of the devil than by evidence of God. After all, some people are possessed by God to the degree that they give themselves entirely over to God and to his works in the world. Yet I’ve never heard a psychologist marvel at divine possession, which is just as real as demonic possession.

After all, giving onself to God must be just as real as giving oneself to the devil.
 
Charlemagne_III said:
I do think it’s interesting that some skeptics can be more impressed by evidence of the devil than by evidence of God. After all, some people are possessed by God to the degree that they give themselves entirely over to God and to his works in the world. Yet I’ve never heard a psychologist marvel at divine possession, which is just as real as demonic possession.
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In the article the psychologist talks about people being able to speak without moving their lips, being burned by holy water, etc. In that news story about the possessions in Indiana, kids were supposedly walking on walls or something like that. I don’t hear about those kinds of easily observed phenomena about people who are “possessed by God.”
 
valekhai said:
In the article the psychologist talks about people being able to speak without moving their lips, being burned by holy water, etc. In that news story about the possessions in Indiana, kids were supposedly walking on walls or something like that. I don’t hear about those kinds of easily observed phenomena about people who are “possessed by God.”
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If some Christians have reached the state of union with the Lord (as taught by the Mystical Doctors of the Church) then their lives of virtue will be noticed, and if others do not know about them the Lord will cause their lives to be known in order to encourage others. (For example: St. Therese of Lisieux who was asked by her superior to write her life story “The Story of a Soul.”

There can be phenomena involved with a holy person’s life, but that is not the measure we use to show that the person is in total union with the Lord. Such phenomena can also be of the evil one, and there must be much investigation before it is said to be of the Lord.
 
Charlemagne_III said:
Psychiatrist Scott Peck, author of The Road Less Traveled and *People of the Lie *,was invited to participate in several exorcisms. Like the psychologist in the article cited above, Peck was initially skeptical of the claims of exorcism, but after these experiences he became fully convinced of demonic posession. His account of his witness to these exorcisms may be found in People of the Lie if anybody is interested.

I do think it’s interesting that some skeptics can be more impressed by evidence of the devil than by evidence of God. After all, some people are possessed by God to the degree that they give themselves entirely over to God and to his works in the world. Yet I’ve never heard a psychologist marvel at divine possession, which is just as real as demonic possession.

After all, giving onself to God must be just as real as giving oneself to the devil.
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Giving oneself to god is just a term used by many, but that is by our works, doing all the right things in the sight of god, that is not the way to overcome our sins. Scripture says of ourselves we can do nothing.

louise
 
Dorothy said:
If some Christians have reached the state of union with the Lord (as taught by the Mystical Doctors of the Church) then their lives of virtue will be noticed, and if others do not know about them the Lord will cause their lives to be known in order to encourage others. (For example: St. Therese of Lisieux who was asked by her superior to write her life story “The Story of a Soul.”
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This is kind of what I’m getting at. On the evil side of things, you have people climbing walls. On the good side of things, you have people living lives of virtue. If a skeptic is looking for evidence of the supernatural, they’re going to be more drawn to investigate the claims of demon possession.
 
valekhai said:
In the article the psychologist talks about people being able to speak without moving their lips, being burned by holy water, etc. In that news story about the possessions in Indiana, kids were supposedly walking on walls or something like that. I don’t hear about those kinds of easily observed phenomena about people who are “possessed by God.”
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God doesn’t show off like the devil apparently does. Rather, the saints who are possessed by God work quietly and humbly to transform the world into something better. Of course, there have been miracles, but you will never find an atheist who believes them possible, not even if one happened to himself. :rolleyes:
 
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