The Conjuring(my post has some spoilers!)

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Just saw this absolutely terrifying(and terrific!) horror film about Ed Warren and his wife investigating the disturbing haunting of a family. Couldn’t turn off the light afterwards! It’s quite late here and I watched the last bit by myself! Think I’ll sleep with the lights on tonight and a crucifix + Bible + rosary nearbye!

Three questions:
  1. Were the Warrens really supported closely by the Church as the movie shows and says they were? Were they strong Catholics?
  2. Are the events based closely on the true story, or only Loosely?
  3. Is it true that in exceptional circumstances(including that “waiting for approval” may be taking too long) that an Exorcism may be performed by a somewhat trained and experienced layperson as depicted in the finale of this film?
 
I’d really like to know the answers to your questions too.
but I loved the end of that movie

In big quotes on the screen:
Code: 
                              GOD IS REAL
                         THE DEVIL IS REAL
EACH PERSON MUST CHOOSE WHOM THEY WANT TO FOLLOW
 
Re your number 3.

The power to exorcise comes from baptism, and not from ordination.

So technically, it would be possible.

However, it would be extremely dangerous (spirits can cause all manner of psychosomatic harm, up to and including death), as well as disobedient to the Church.

ICXC NIKA
 
The Warrens are hacks. I’m doubtful they had strong support of the church. Basically, they do their “investigations” to sell books and make money. Unlike other paranormal investigation groups which attempt to use science to come to a greater understanding if a phenomenon is explained or not by science, the Warrens fail to use any real scientific methodology. Basically, they are only out there to support their a priori assumption that the phenomenon is real.

I love paranormal investigation, and I love finding the scientific explanation for things we like to attribute to ghosts. What’s even more interesting is finding things that can’t be explained by science. Unfortunately, money-grubbers like the Warrens muddy the waters and provide Hollywood fodder, rather than any real advancement in this field.
 
This. I read a book or two about the Warrens when I was young, and I remember Mrs. Warren claiming to have been psychically contacted by a wounded Bigfoot in the woods, once.

I thought the movie was really good and absolutely creepy, but the Warrens themselves were nothing but con artists.
 
Yes they were strong Catholics. If they were really con artist or not is up for you to decide. I personally believe they were sincere people who didn’t try to trick people 🙂
 
From the catechism:

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. (#1673)

The movie was complete fiction and the Warrens were probably nothing but con artists who used Catholicism to add an air of authority and mystery to their work.

That said, I really did enjoy The Conjuring. It was really over the top and kind of silly towards the end but it did make me jump in my seat a few times.
 
Wow, I just watched this last night for the first time too. I had some of these same questions and browsed the web last night on the topic. I am not sure about the Warrens’ level of devoutness. I know that Lorraine was a consultant for the film (even made a cameo in the movie - she is the old woman in the front row of the auditorium audience that the wife in the movie attended).

At Patti Maguire Armstrong’s blog, she posts 3 comments from exorcists about whether this type of movie is something to see. She also contacted Fr. Gary Thomas (the exorcist on whom the movie The Rite is based) and he apparently said that Lorraine does have some degree of gift of discernment. You can read about that in the comment section of Patti’s post.

I don’t know what was in effect in 1971, but the 1985 norm on exorcisms by then-Cardinal Ratzinger states that only bishop-approved priests may perform an exorcism. So it’s quite possible that the Warren “exorcism” in the movie was sensationalized even depicting it to have happened (not even counting the high drama of how that exorcism played out), or at least very imprudent.
 
alexandratm said:
The Warrens are hacks. I’m doubtful they had strong support of the church. Basically, they do their “investigations” to sell books and make money. Unlike other paranormal investigation groups which attempt to use science to come to a greater understanding if a phenomenon is explained or not by science, the Warrens fail to use any real scientific methodology. Basically, they are only out there to support their assumption that the phenomenon is real.

I love paranormal investigation, and I love finding the scientific explanation for things we like to attribute to ghosts. What’s even more interesting is finding things that can’t be explained by science. Unfortunately, money-grubbers like the Warrens muddy the waters and provide Hollywood fodder, rather than any real advancement in this field.
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Interesting aspect on what you are stating about Paranormal Investigation Groups and how you love finding the scientific explanation for things attributed to Ghosts. However, if you are a believer in Jesus Christ then you are very misguided my friend.

As a real life Exorcist Minister you need to read/understand and know this about Ghosts and Paranormal ~~When I was very little, I knew that ghosts were pretend. They were kids covered in white sheets with eye holes cut in them. There was a friendly ghost on TV, and he was pretend too, because he was a cartoon.

Then as I got older, I heard that some people thought that ghosts were real. Those people thought that ghosts were the spirits of dead people hanging around on the earth.

The more I read the Bible, the less I agreed with that thought.

The idea that ghosts are the spirits of the departed, who, because they have “unfinished business” here on earth, have to wander the earth or “haunt” a particular place is anti-Scriptural. According to Scripture, nobody departs this life with “unfinished business.” Believers have received complete forgiveness for all their sins through their faith in Jesus, and therefore they enter immediately into a glorious new life with their Lord (Luke 16:22; 2 Corinthians 5:6-8). Unbelievers are condemned to an eternity of separation from God in hell (Luke 16:22-23).

So what are these ghosts that people talk about? Figments of people’s imaginations? Demons? Every one of these Paranormal shows tell people these are Ghosts - they are NOT. Ghost Hunters, Ghost Adventures, Ghost Mine, etc…all these modern day shows are set from Evil. Why? Because they are showing people "oh you can go out and talk to spirits and ask them questions, is that NOT divination??? If you post on this site then I am to assume you are a believer in Jesus Christ. Why do you think Satan would not be behind this? To get more people to be open to his minions.

In biblical times, an apparently booming industry was based on attempts to contact the dead. So if you are in a paranormal group or team and you are investigating asking questions then you need to understand this and depart. Scripture’s message is very clear. God’s people are not to touch any of this with a ten-foot pole (Leviticus 19:31; Deuteronomy 18:9-14; Isaiah 8:19-20).

And when it comes to the very real existence of the devil and his demons, the Bible is also very clear—they are real. God promises to assist Christians in their struggle against the devil, the world, and their sinful flesh (Eph. 6:10-20). He has defeated the devil and his demons (Hebrews 2:14).

Don’t worry about those ghosts on your doorstep asking for candy. They are pretend. When it comes to other things that people may call ghosts, keep away from them as they are Demons posing as energy balls, mists, vapors, etc…designed to break us down to wear out our senses.

So in a nut shell these are DEMONIC entities posing as images that we might recognize (Our Grandfather, Our Grandmother or even a little child). These are not Ghosts and when you are trying to prove scientifically their existence no need to - they are real Demons not Ghosts or spirits with unfinished business.

Ghosts do not exist-they are Demons! What is there to investigate??

Regarding the Warrens - Lorraine is a PSYCHIC - we are commanded to NOT go near them as people of God, the living Jesus Christ. From Leviticus 20:6 “If a person turns to mediums and necromancers, whoring after them, I will set my face against that person and will cut him off from among his people. Isaiah 8:19-20 And when they say to you, “Inquire of the mediums and the necromancers who chirp and mutter,” should not a people inquire of their God? Should they inquire of the dead on behalf of the living? To the teaching and to the testimony! If they will not speak according to this word, it is because they have no dawn.

It truly does not matter what they do or don’t - she is a medium and is a puppet for the Demonic, they tell her what she needs to know and as followers of Christ we are commanded to not listen or go near her. Many shows I have seen her on and she is completely wrong with stuff she states. Both of them are in this for money and it is the root of all evil. Yes, the have made in roads for assisting in Demonic removal, but they have made very poor choices in doing so.

Gods Blessings.
 
AAE_Minister said:
Ghosts do not exist-they are Demons!
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What about these?*Luke 24:37-39 But they were startled and frightened, and supposed that they saw a spirit. And he said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do questionings rise in your hearts? See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself; handle me, and see; for a spirit has not flesh and bones as you see that I have.”

Matthew 17:2-3 And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his garments became white as light. And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Eli’jah, talking with him.

1 Samuel 28:9-15 The woman said to him, “Surely you know what Saul has done, how he has cut off the mediums and the wizards from the land. Why then are you laying a snare for my life to bring about my death?” But Saul swore to her by the LORD, “As the LORD lives, no punishment shall come upon you for this thing.” Then the woman said, “Whom shall I bring up for you?” He said, “Bring up Samuel for me.” When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out with a loud voice; and the woman said to Saul, “Why have you deceived me? You are Saul.” The king said to her, “Have no fear; what do you see?” And the woman said to Saul, “I see a god coming up out of the earth.” He said to her, “What is his appearance?” And she said, “An old man is coming up; and he is wrapped in a robe.” And Saul knew that it was Samuel, and he bowed with his face to the ground, and did obeisance. Then Samuel said to Saul, “Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?” Saul answered, “I am in great distress; for the Philistines are warring against me, and God has turned away from me and answers me no more, either by prophets or by dreams; therefore I have summoned you to tell me what I shall do.” *I would agree that “mediums” are doing something evil, i.e. summoning the dead, as in the above Samuel passage. But do these not indicate that not all apparitions are demons? Also, the Warrens apparently did not do any summoning? I don’t know. IF, Lorraine had a gift of discernment, it may not have been by way of summoning. I am not aware that she could be classified as a medium, unless she practiced such active summoning.
 
AAE_Minister said:
Ghosts do not exist-they are Demons! What is there to investigate??
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If you see in my previous post, I said I like scientific paranormal groups who find rational, scientific explanations for things people attribute to ghosts. Basically, debunking. I did not say I believed in ghosts.

ETA: Also, not all of those shows tell people there are ghosts. Newer episodes of Ghost Hunters are pathetic, but older episodes did not tell people there were ghosts. The show was formed on the premise of debunking ghost stories. Even when a scientific explanation could not be found, they did not say “You have a ghost.” They said that something was “paranomal” - as in, not acting in a normal way. This does not mean there is a ghost, simply that, at this time, there’s not a rational, scientific explanation for what is occurring.
 
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