Really scared, please help

[seeker_of_God]

Thank you very much everyone who has replied. I really am truly grateful.

Unfortunately I don’t have any holy water, so I will have to ask a priest.

I’ve been saying the St. Michael prayer as recommended. I also said a sincere act of contrition. I also said the prayer that ConservativeOne recommended. This has all really helped to give me courage and I have felt more protected. Specifically, earlier in the day, I think I had just finished both St. Michael’s prayer as well as St. Anthony’s prayer recommended by ConservativeOne, since I was feeling fearful at the moment, and I felt a wave of comfort come over me, and I felt protected, and like there was nothing to worry about. That was great.

I will see a priest as soon as possible. I’m afraid of them not believing me, or thinking it is my imagination, though.

Last night was not so bad, thank God. I slept again with my rosary right beside me.

This afternoon though, I was taking a nap, and when I was waking up, I heard someone say my name. No one was in my house, but it was as real as could be. That was slightly frightening. I don’t know if it could have just been a dream though. I didn’t hear any malice in it.

 

[Linda_Marie]

I also was afraid to tell anyone about what was happening for the same fear - they would not believe me. They would dismiss my fear, I would be labelled as crazy, or gullible or whatever. Yes, our imaginations can run wild with us, but what I was experiencing was not my imagination. My imagination did not throw a wine bottle across the room and smash it on the floor on the opposite side of the kitchen while I was standing there. That was just one incident.

I told my MIL and was quite surprised when I was greeted with belief. She put me in touch with a very charismatic priest whose vocation was to wage spiritual warfare. He prayed over me and I felt immediate relief. I later met some nuns and they regaled me with stories of things that had happened to them when they lived in India, like black ink jetting out of nowhere onto their white habits. They assured me that the Church takes these things seriously. You will find belief in the spirits in the Catholic Church. Affer all, we teach about the spiritual world, life after death, fallen angels and all.

I opened that door by holding seances and using a ouija board (homemade, much more dangerous to use than the commercial product because of the deliberate personal (name removed by moderator)ut). I had also participated in casting a magical spell to remove a djinn from our home in KSA. before I even knew what I was getting into. (it had to be performed by a virgin and I was the only one in the house so I was drafted) I wasn’t Catholic then, actually not any religion. Since baptism, I have experienced odd happenings & feelings off and on, like they keep coming back to try again, see if I’m susceptible now. It is nowhere near as frightening as it used to be. I actually get mad instead these days. I’m better armed now, since I hide myself in Jesus and let HIm do the fighting for me. I’ve had my house here blessed twice, and my car. I have also gone through my house praying and sprinkling both Blessed Salt and Holy Water, both of which are effective sacramentals against evil forces. I wear a St. Benedict medal along with my Pardon Crucifix and Marian medals.

You can buy sacramentals like Blessed Salt and Holy Water from cukierski.net/index.shtml
They have their items blessed after you purchase them so you are not buying an already blessed item, which negates the blessing.

Be prepared to be attacked further as you journey towards full communion with the Church. I experienced physical attacks of feeling dreadfully ill in body especially during the reading of the Gospel right up until baptism. The Sundays of Lent have some long Gospel readings and by the end of them, the people around me would urge me to leave because I was so obviously ill. It would pass as soon as the reading was over but I was worried about being able to make it through the long Easter Vigil Mass. I persevered despite feeling so very ill and it stopped after I was baptised. I was no longer ill during the gospel reading. Keep your heart on the Lord and He will defend you.

 

[seeker_of_God]

Hi Linda Marie,

Thank you so much.

I thank God that nothing violent or physical like you explain has happened to me. I’ve never been touched, nor has anything around me, it’s just an intense fear, and occasionally thinking I’m hearing things.

I pray it doesn’t progress any further than that. I’m terrified as it is, though I’ve been a little more calm today.

I didn’t realize blessings were negated when the item was purchased. I should probably get my miraculous metal blessed again then.

Thanks for the explanation though. This is probably why I didn’t finish RCIA. As I got closer to receiving the sacraments, I just started to drift for some reason. It was totally subtle and unnoticed by me for a while. It was weird because I was so on fire about it before that. It just started with being a little disinterested with mass, then creating excuses not to go, etc.

Then I went into a bit of depression, got very sick twice for a week at a time…and by time the rite of election came up, I realized that I had way too many unanswered questions to commit to it fully.

Thankfully I’m seeing that I went very wrong. I still have the same questions, but I know that the Catholic Church has to be true, because of what I’ve learned before.

I’m curious, you say that you are better prepared now because you hide in Jesus. Can I ask you to clarify for me? Do you mean you just pray a lot and allow him to handle it?

 

[trophybearer]

St. Cyprian may be of some help! Pray to him! Here is a great life of a Saint who was a sorcerer in his youth and who was converted and is a powerful intercessor for those posessed and opressed by demons. Make the sign of the cross whenever you feel tempted, opressed- anything. The sign of the cross causes the demons to flee! Make fervent prayer to God, especially in these times of distress. If you have any doubts about this read this account of the lives of Sts. Cyprian and Justina.

orthodoxinfo.com/death/cyprian_justina.aspx?print=ok

St. George has always been a great help to me as well! Call upon the name of the Lord making the sign of the cross saying, “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner” and pray until the feeling passes. Don’t be discouraged! Have confidence in the cross of Christ and the power of His holy name!

God protect you!

 

[Fernando_D]

Just remember my friend, evil only has power if you let it. The devil is powerless, if you don’t except him.

God Bless

I will be praying for you my friend!!!

 

[Linda_Marie]

Hi Linda Marie,

I’m curious, you say that you are better prepared now because you hide in Jesus. Can I ask you to clarify for me? Do you mean you just pray a lot and allow him to handle it?

Yes, I do pray a lot but mostly it is Trusting Jesus. I know that He is more powerful than any spirit and that while I Trust in Him, they cannot touch me. I am washed in the Blood of Jesus now and I belong to Him.

I did not come to the Church to be freed from an evil spirit. The worst incident I experienced was at least 10 years before I came to the Church. I came because Jesus drew me. The new attacks started after I began turning to the Lord. He’d been tapping me on the shoulder for years and I kept saying later, later, I’m having fun. Sometimes I can be really thick and it takes a lot to get through to me. This was after I was delivered of a particularly nasty spirit by the power of Jesus and I just said thanks and went my merry way. He finally took me by the scruff of the neck and gave me a good shake. Sometimes we have to have nothing before we realize that we have everything in Him.

Maybe it is because I have been confronted by these things off and on for the last 42 years that I have learned how to deal with it. I find it is a lot better to focus on getting closer to Jesus, rather than focus on what to do about the spirit bothering me. Ignore the spirit and don’t give in to fear. Be not afraid.

Do things like read the bible, the catechism or St. Faustina’s Diary, join a prayer group, go to Adoration, pray the Rosary, spend time in conversation with Jesus, talk to Him like you would your best friend, cause that is Who He is. I chat with Him sometimes while I’m doing my chores, for instance.

The Sacraments are most beneficial, the Eucharist most especially. Since you are not fully initiated, I recommend that you re-enter RCIA.

If you do go back to RCIA, any questions they don’t explain to your understanding, come to us. There are plenty of people very knowledgeable about the Faith here who know a lot more than I do.

 

[firstmode]

You have been given power over all the enemy by Jesus!! AMEN!

Luke 10:18-20

18He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. 20However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

The Spirits submit to YOU because the authority Jesus has given to you. YOU have authority and the spirits submit to YOU. This is a gift by Jesus. You are a strong spiritual warrior!!

2 Corinthians 10:4

“4The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.”

You have weapons that have been given to you by God, the Word, which is the sword and also prayer and authority. They have DIVINE power to demolish strongholds. You do not have to be a priest to use them! Jesus gave them to all of us!! PRAISE THE LORD!

Try memorizing this psalm, and recite it when you are scared. Recite the AUTHORITY Jesus gave you over the spirits, recite it as a weapon that has DIVINE POWER!!

Psalm 91

1 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. [a]

2 I will say ** of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust.”

3 Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare
and from the deadly pestilence.

4 He will cover you with his feathers,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.

5 You will not fear the terror of night,
nor the arrow that flies by day,

6 nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,
nor the plague that destroys at midday.

7 A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand at your right hand,
but it will not come near you.

8 You will only observe with your eyes
and see the punishment of the wicked.

9 If you make the Most High your dwelling—
even the LORD, who is my refuge-

10 then no harm will befall you,
no disaster will come near your tent.

11 For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways;

12 they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.

13 You will tread upon the lion and the cobra;
you will trample the great lion and the serpent.

**14 “Because he loves me,” says the LORD, "I will rescue him;
I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.

15 He will call upon me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble,
I will deliver him and honor him.**

16 With long life will I satisfy him
and show him my salvation."**

 

[firstmode]

Do not fear the darkness, for the Lord is with you in the darkness and protects you. The Lord says that you do not have to fear the terror of the darkness for God is everywhere including in the darkness with you.

Speak that Authority which you have been given by Jesus to the spirits which Jesus says submit to YOU. Rejoice in the DIVINE power in the weapons he has given you!

 

[kevstar31]

Play the songs demons hate:
ignatius.com/ViewProduct.aspx?SID=1&SKU=CMS-D&Category_ID=145&

 

[Matariel]

Thanks so much to both of you.

I finally got some sleep last night after writing that post, after taking my rosary with me and just laying it right next to me. I think it just gave me more comfort and courage to not let myself get scared.

I thank God that whatever this is has never done anything more than made me really scared, or make me think I’m hearing things. I’ve watched a lot of paranormal shows before, and often you see so much more frightening stuff happening to people who have dabbled in the occult.

Anyway, I will definitely take your advice. Thank you so much.

If you’re habing trouble sleeping at night, place a blessed crucifix over your bed. I used to have terrible nightmares and odd feelings at night when I was a teenager, but now that I put the crucifix there I sleep like a baby. The sign of the Cross of Jesus protects from all evil.

 

[Matariel]

I didn’t realize blessings were negated when the item was purchased. I should probably get my miraculous metal blessed again then.

Actually, I think someone misunderstood. Although generally the item should be blessed after purchase, a mere monetary transaction could never negate a blessing from God. Anyway, as for the drifting away part when you were going through RCIA I totally understand because I went through RCIA twice, the first time I believe maybe the Devil intentionally tempted and did everything he could to lead me away. I think the same thing happened with you. The Enemy of God hates it when someone reconciles to the Catholic Church, because it is the one Church that is of divine and apostolic origin.

 

[seeker_of_God]

Actually, I think someone misunderstood. Although generally the item should be blessed after purchase, a mere monetary transaction could never negate a blessing from God.

Oh OK, good, because I had quite a few items that I purchased after they were blessed, including one of my rosaries, a miraculous metal, and a crucifix.

I think I’m going to get that crucifix hung up though. That’d comfort me a lot more.

Anyway, as for the drifting away part when you were going through RCIA I totally understand because I went through RCIA twice, the first time I believe maybe the Devil intentionally tempted and did everything he could to lead me away. I think the same thing happened with you. The Enemy of God hates it when someone reconciles to the Catholic Church, because it is the one Church that is of divine and apostolic origin.

That’s a bit frightening to realize I was being influenced. But all I can do is try again this year to go through RCIA.

 

[Linda_Marie]

Br. Rich SFO
Veteran Member Join Date: June 4, 2004
Location: NC
Posts: 9,870
Religion: Catholic

Re: Selling Blessed Items

---

Quote:
Originally Posted by catholicmom39
I have always been under the impression that you cannot sell something once it is blessed. Can someone tell me if this is correct and if so where does this come from? I just told someone who was doing this that we can’t but didn’t have anything to back this up. They told me their preist said it was ok.

You can sell blessed items, you cannot sell Relics.** If you sell a Blessed item the Blessing does not remain with the item, it will need to be Blessed again. **

forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=37954
And from Ask an Apologist
forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=216753

Perhaps I shouldn’t have said ‘negate’ the blessing, but rather that blessings cannot be bought or sold. If a blessed item is sold, the blessing does not go with it.

 

[Matariel]

forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=37954
And from Ask an Apologist
forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=216753

Perhaps I shouldn’t have said ‘negate’ the blessing, but rather that blessings cannot be bought or sold. If a blessed item is sold, the blessing does not go with it.

Oh, wow, that’s interesting. I though the blessing was attached to the object and would come vicariously with the object even though the object itself (not the blessing attached) is sold…

But I guess I was wrong. Interesting.

 

[Palm_Tree]

Hi,

This is very tough to explain, and hopefully no one thinks I’m crazy. I have to tell someone though, because I feel like I’m going crazy.

Unfortunately I used to dabble in the occult on and off. Well for several years now, I’ve felt like something was around me. I don’t know if it’s evil or what, but it strikes fear in me. It’s bothered me in just about every house I’ve been in.

It makes me so afraid to be alone, because I always feel like something is watching me. I’m afraid to go into the kitchen, though that isn’t as bad now. I’m afraid to go into the bathroom. I’m afraid to go into my bedroom sometimes, especially at night.

When I try to sleep in my bed, I always sense something around me, like either right behind or over me. It is a very warm sensation, and very tangible. Sometimes it feels so real I have to feel around to check there isn’t actually something physical there.

This is happening to me right now. I feel terrorized because every time I start to settle down to go to sleep, I think I hear something.

I should mention that I’m totally blind, so that increases the paranoya. I don’t know if I’m just scared because I can’t see what’s around me, or if there is actually something that is scaring me. But I used to not feel like this, so I don’t know.

I had my fan on, so it was harder to hear what’s going on around me, which makes it worse. I’m very perceptive to subtle changes in the noise around me, so every little thing would really freak me out, because I’m already on edge.

I even slept on the couch for a few weeks because I didn’t feel it as badly out in the living room, but I don’t want to have fear running my life like this.

So, again,** I don’t know if I’m just imagining things because I can’t see what’s around me, or if there is actually something that is causing me to be so afraid.**

But the bottom line is, I can’t stand it anymore. …

I’m afraid to tell anyone because of what they might think, so that’s why I’m posting here.

What should I do?

I will see a priest as soon as possible. I’m afraid of them not believing me, or thinking it is my imagination, though.

Wow that’s horrible. I can’t imagine what it would be like to be blind while feeling like something was around me, something is watching me, etc. That must be terrifying.

As for being afraid of being told it might just be your imagination, why are you afraid of that? It might be your imagination. That doesn’t make you crazy. All of us have been spooked by our imaginations before.

For example, one time I saw this intense movie about a serial killer, and afterwards I walked home alone in the dark, and I started getting this feeling I was being stalked by someone that wanted to harm me, and I was scared. But it turned out it was just that my imagination was running wild after seeing that movie.

For another example, one time I saw this intense movie about how horrible monsters attacking this town. Afterwards, I was walking through a public park in broad daylight with people all around me, I started getting scared that the monsters from the movie were real and might start attacking us. But it turned out it was just that my imagination was running wild after seeing that movie.

As for what you should do, I think it is a good idea for you to go see a priest. I also think you should go to a very nice and kind mental health professional, especially if this terror you are feeling of being watched, etc is something that is making your life miserable.

As for the priest, don’t be afraid of him thinking that it might just be your imagination. Just like being blind increases your paranoia, coming to a Catholic message board and having people tell you that you are being stalked by demons is also increasing your paranoia. I realize they are trying to help you, but they don’t realize that they might actually be causing you even more harm.

Besides, I’m pretty sure that all the talk of demons or using St. Benedict’s medal, crucifixes, holy water, prayers, etc to protect against demons is even in line with the Catholic Church.

For example:

Superstition is a sin against the First Commandment, and** to attribute the efficacy of prayers or of sacramental signs to their mere external performance, apart from the interior dispositions that they demand, is to fall into superstition.** CCC 2111

As the Vatican explains:

1. Popular piety is characterized by a great variety and richness of bodily, gestural and symbolic expressions: kissing or touching images, places, relics and sacred objects; pilgrimages, processions; going bare-footed or on one’s knees; kneeling and prostrating; wearing medals and badges… . These and similar expressions, handed down from father to son, are direct and simple ways of giving external expression to the heart and to one’s commitment to live the Christian life. Without this interior aspect, symbolic gesture runs the risk of degenerating into empty customs or mere superstitions, in the worst cases.
   …
2. **Popular devotion to the Holy Angels, which is legitimate and good, can, however, also give rise to possible deviations: when, as sometimes can happen, the faithful are taken by the idea that the world is subject to demiurgical struggles, or an incessant battle between good and evil spirits, or Angels and daemons, in which man is left at the mercy of superior forces and over which he is helpless; such cosmologies bear little relation to the true Gospel vision of the struggle to overcome the Devil, which requires moral commitment, a fundamental option for the Gospel, humility and prayer; **

vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/ccdds/documents/rc_con_ccdds_doc_20020513_vers-direttorio_en.html

 

[seeker_of_God]

Wow that’s horrible. I can’t imagine what it would be like to be blind while feeling like something was around me, something is watching me, etc. That must be terrifying.

Yeah, it is, very terrifying.

As for being afraid of being told it might just be your imagination, why are you afraid of that? It might be your imagination. That doesn’t make you crazy. All of us have been spooked by our imaginations before.

Yeah I understand all of that. But it seems so real. I mean it’s very hard to explain but it feels so real to me. It’s not just a vague sense of intense fear, but actually sensing a presence around me, that I can even feel shift around. It’s terrifying, and sometimes just totally random.

I’ve thought of it being my imagination, but it is so tangible. I almost feel like I could reach out and touch something when it is at its worst.

As for what you should do, I think it is a good idea for you to go see a priest. I also think you should go to a very nice and kind mental health professional, especially if this terror you are feeling of being watched, etc is something that is making your life miserable.

I’m really trying not to take this personally, but I wonder how you must view this if you are suggesting I see a psychologist/psychiatrist.

I am seeing a psychologist, but about different issues. But I just can’t go mentioning what I am feeling about this, then them recommend me to a psychiatrist who prescribes some kind of medication that messes with my brain chemistry. I’m a musician; I can’t have something like that messing with me, even if I thought it was needed, which I don’t.

The truth is that I’ve felt these things ever since I started messing with the occult, about 8-9 years ago. I’m just really getting tired of it.

As for the priest, don’t be afraid of him thinking that it might just be your imagination. Just like being blind increases your paranoia, coming to a Catholic message board and having people tell you that you are being stalked by demons is also increasing your paranoia. I realize they are trying to help you, but they don’t realize that they might actually be causing you even more harm.

So in your view, what is the point of talking to the priest then?

Besides, I’m pretty sure that all the talk of demons or using St. Benedict’s medal, crucifixes, holy water, prayers, etc to protect against demons is even in line with the Catholic Church.

As for all of that, I don’t know what to say because I’m not familiar enough with the Church’s teachings to comment.

I just know that the things mentioned in this thread have helped me a great deal in facing these fears. They are still present but I feel a lot more protected against them.

 

[PJM]

Hi,

This is very tough to explain, and hopefully no one thinks I’m crazy. I have to tell someone though, because I feel like I’m going crazy.

Unfortunately I used to dabble in the occult on and off. Well for several years now, I’ve felt like something was around me. I don’t know if it’s evil or what, but it strikes fear in me. It’s bothered me in just about every house I’ve been in.

It makes me so afraid to be alone, because I always feel like something is watching me. I’m afraid to go into the kitchen, though that isn’t as bad now. I’m afraid to go into the bathroom. I’m afraid to go into my bedroom sometimes, especially at night.

When I try to sleep in my bed, I always sense something around me, like either right behind or over me. It is a very warm sensation, and very tangible. Sometimes it feels so real I have to feel around to check there isn’t actually something physical there.

This is happening to me right now. I feel terrorized because every time I start to settle down to go to sleep, I think I hear something.

I should mention that I’m totally blind, so that increases the paranoya. I don’t know if I’m just scared because I can’t see what’s around me, or if there is actually something that is scaring me. But I used to not feel like this, so I don’t know.

I had my fan on, so it was harder to hear what’s going on around me, which makes it worse. I’m very perceptive to subtle changes in the noise around me, so every little thing would really freak me out, because I’m already on edge.

I even slept on the couch for a few weeks because I didn’t feel it as badly out in the living room, but I don’t want to have fear running my life like this.

So, again, I don’t know if I’m just imagining things because I can’t see what’s around me, or if there is actually something that is causing me to be so afraid.

But the bottom line is, I can’t stand it anymore. I’ve tried praying about it, and for a while that helped a lot, but it’s been getting stronger again for the last few nights. I’ve not slept at all tonight because I just can’t stand it.

I’m afraid to tell anyone because of what they might think, so that’s why I’m posting here.

What should I do?

**
Dear friend in Christ,

You’re question is profound, and so shall be my response.

See a Catholic priest at the very earliest opportunity. Call and make an appointment ASAP.

Tell him EVERYTHING! And pray, pray, pray. Sleep with a rosary, NOT As a good luck charm, but as a sign of fidelity with Jesus and Mary!

Love and prayers,
Pat**

 

[Palm_Tree]

Yeah, it is, very terrifying.

Yeah I understand all of that. But it seems so real. I mean it’s very hard to explain but it feels so real to me. It’s not just a vague sense of intense fear, but actually sensing a presence around me, that I can even feel shift around. It’s terrifying, and sometimes just totally random.

I’ve thought of it being my imagination, but it is so tangible. I almost feel like I could reach out and touch something when it is at its worst.

I’m really trying not to take this personally, but I wonder how you must view this if you are suggesting I see a psychologist/psychiatrist.

I am seeing a psychologist, but about different issues. But I just can’t go mentioning what I am feeling about this, then them recommend me to a psychiatrist who prescribes some kind of medication that messes with my brain chemistry. I’m a musician; I can’t have something like that messing with me, even if I thought it was needed, which I don’t.

The truth is that I’ve felt these things ever since I started messing with the occult, about 8-9 years ago. I’m just really getting tired of it.

So in your view, what is the point of talking to the priest then?

As for all of that, I don’t know what to say because I’m not familiar enough with the Church’s teachings to comment.

I just know that the things mentioned in this thread have helped me a great deal in facing these fears. They are still present but I feel a lot more protected against them.

I told you about two times that I got scared by figments of my imagination. When that happened to me, it wasn’t just “very real,” it was completely, 100% real. Yes, it wasn’t a vague sense of fear for me, I actually 100% believed that I was being stalked by somebody wanting to kill me and I actually thought I was about to be attacked by monsters that wanted to kill me. To be specific, with the stalker that wanted to kill me: I felt his presense and I could hear him, it was 100% real. With the monsters, I knew exactly how they were going to attack, they were going to come up right through the ground we were standing on. This was 100% real. I could feel their presense, although I couldn’t hear them (they are silent when they move through the ground).

Yeah, it was terrifying. But for me, it turned out that it was all just a figment of my imagination, caused by the intense movie I had just watched.

Now say I didn’t realize it was a figment of my imagination and I continued to be terrified for years that somebody was about to attack me that wanted to kill me and that I was about to be attacked by monsters that wanted to kill me. And say I got on some internet discussion board, and I was told “oh yes, there is somebody that is trying to kill you,” and “there are monsters that are trying to kill you,” by people that told me they felt the same way. And they told me all these stories about the stalkers and the monsters and recommended ways in which I could fight the stalkers and the monsters with holy water and prayers and medals and whatever. Yeah, I might think that is helping me, but it really isn’t, because all they are doing is reinforcing this belief I have that I have a stalker trying to kill me, that there are monsters trying to kill me… when it’s all just superstition… all just a figment of my imagination.

Like I said, for me, it turned out that it was all just a figment of my imagination, caused by the intense movie I had just watched. Movies aren’t real. Likewise, I wouldn’t be surprised if it turned out for you that it was all just a figment of your imagination, caused by your belief in the intense occult experieces you had, just like the intense movie experiences I had. IMO, the occult is not real, just like movies are not real. I recommend you see a priest because I think you would be more likely to believe him when he tells you the occult is not real. It’s just a superstition, and superstitions are not real, which is why they lead you away from God, who is real, IMO.

Let’s say the occult was very real to you, and that you want to tell me: “How dare I tell you it wasn’t?” Well, I’ve been in love with a girl that I thought was my soul mate, I thought I was perfect for her. How dare she tell me that my love wasn’t true, wasn’t real? And that’s what she did. And, actually, that still bothers me some nights, even today, because I sometimes still believe my love for her was really real, really meant to be, and sometime that terrifies me because it is so real. But on the flip side, I’ve had girls in love with me that thought they were my soul mate, that they were perfect for me, that what we had was “real,” and it wasn’t. How dare I tell them that?

It’s complicated. The human mind is complicated. I don’t see why you feel threatend that I recommend you see a mental health professional. I think everybody should see a mental health professional, just like everybody sees a dental health professional, etc. Is your dental health really more important than your mental health?

My post got cut short because it was too long, so I will post the rest in my next post…

 

[Palm_Tree]

As for medication, I’m not saying you should take medication. Part of my education was advanced classes in neuropharmacology, and yeah, I side with the crowd of psychiatry that is against prescribing medication. Don’t take medication, just talk to mental health expert. Find one that you relate to, one that is very kind and loving and sympathetic to you, and you’ll most likely have found somebody that will free you of the things your mind is letting bother you via your senses (hearing, feeling, etc) that originate in your brain.

As for how you’re not familiar with the Church, I am. I’m born and raised by a family of strong Catholics that includes priests, monks, sisters, 4th-degree Knights of Columbus, etc. I was raised in Catholic schools and I’ve been heavily involved in parishes in several parts of the country pretty much my whole life… altar boy, Eucharist minster, Catechism teacher, a wide variety of Catholic groups, and I do a lot of work with diocesan priests and religious orders and I have many, many friends that are priests, monks, and nuns. And all this talk about demons – and holy water and St. Benedict’s medals, crucifixes, etc to repel these demons is something I have never heard of from any Catholic in my life. Seriously, I’m pretty sure it not in line with the Catholic Faith, and I provided CCC and Vatican links above to back my claim up.

Anyway, that’s cool that you’re a musician, what do you play? Also, I don’t have a lot of experience with blind people. When I was younger I used to work with a group that would take young blind people out and show them a good time, make them feel just like the rest of us. One of the best times I remember was when we all went roller-skating. It was touching how many of my blind friends trusted me out there on the skating rink with me.

 

[seeker_of_God]

Palm Tree,

If you don’t believe in the occult, well I’m not really sure what to say. Of course you’re not going to believe anything I say, because you think it is superstitious. But do you not face the same thing from Atheists who think you are superstitious to believe in God? You can’t explain to them how you know God is real, but you know it beyond a shadow of a doubt?

I know that the occult is real. I’ve had many experiences with it. Thankfully none of them were really scary until I tried to get out of it, but I’ve seen far too many things to even think about it just being my imagination.

I’ve witnessed many amazing things in my life. But then other people will think it’s superstition. What can I say?

To compare a temporary fear caused from a scary movie to a fear that has gone on for 8 years, is, well, baffling to me. Further, to dismiss the occult simply because you’ve never experienced it yourself, seems a little close-minded.

Do you believe in Satan? Do you believe that there is definite evil? It just sounds like you are dismissing all things evil, as simply untrue.

Anyway, I’m glad you’ve not had to deal with such things. But I simply don’t know how to explain it, if you are just going to dismiss it all out-of-hand.

As for being a musician, I am a classical pianist.