Exorcisms: What do they look like today???

1
Exorcisms What do they look like today???

• Contrast this with what they look like in
  scripture and in relation to
• Gal 18-9 and Rev 2218

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Introduction

• I would like to spend this morning taking a look
  at some examples of what exorcisms look like
  today and what the prevailing attitudes are
  surrounding them
• While there may not be as much scripture in this
  lesson, I believe it will be beneficial for us to
  lay down the ground work of what is happening
  today so that we may be properly prepared and
  understand where people are coming from when we
  study this very controversial topic
• As we enter into this study, let us consider
  whether or not these teachings match up with the
  teachings and examples in scripture

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Example 1 (Taken From Mahalo.com)

• If you are worried that someone you know may be
  the victim of demonic possession, then you might
  be in need of an exorcist. Although official
  exorcisms can only be performed by an appointed
  Priest of the Roman Catholic church, there are
  other types of exorcisms and exorcists available.
  This guide will provide you with information on
  how to determine if an exorcism is needed and how
  to perform an exorcism should an official
  exorcist not be available to you.
• What Is an Exorcism? An exorcism is a ritual
  performed to cast out an evil spirit that has
  taken up residence inside a human. Although the
  human will still have possession of his or her
  soul and will, the demonic spirit will be in
  control of both the person's mental and physical
  faculties. Legitimate possessions are thought to
  be those where the Devil is in possession of the
  person, but has the help of various demonic
  spirits operating upon lust, anger, revenge,
  hate, anxiety, destruction, etc. Because the
  victim has been possessed against his will, he or
  she is not held morally accountable for whatever
  may transpire during the possession.

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Example 1 (Taken From Mahalo.com)

• Step 1 Investigate
• If you think someone you know is being possessed,
  the first thing to do is investigate. Whether you
  opt for an official exorcism and investigation,
  or unofficial one, you will still need to
  investigate to determine the legitimacy of the
  possession claim.
• You may want to consult with a psychologist or
  similar behavioral therapist as well. They will
  be able to monitor the person's actions and
  determine if the person is question is actually
  suffering from mental problems instead of demonic
  possession.
• The investigative process will entail determining
  whether or not the signs of a possession are
  present, and if so, whether or not they can be
  explained by something other than possession.

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Example 1 (Taken From Mahalo.com)

• Step 2 Appoint an Exorcist
• If you want an official exorcism performed, you
  will need to contact the appropriate people via
  the Catholic church. There are usually a certain
  number of official exorcists, the exact amount
  determined by the country you live in.
• There was once a time when anyone could perform
  an exorcism and have it be recognized by the
  Roman Catholic Church, but this has since
  changed.

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Example 1 (Taken From Mahalo.com)

• If you are not seeking an official exorcism,
  however, or just want one performed as soon as
  possible, there are other options available.
  These include
• Bring in someone that has the gift or powers
  necessary to recognize and perform exorcisms.
  These will not be official exorcisms though.
• Have someone from a Protestant church perform the
  exorcism. They refer to exorcisms as deliverance
  ministries.
• Perform the exorcism yourself

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Example 1 (Taken From Mahalo.com)

• Step 3 Decide What Type of Exorcism is Needed
• If an exorcism is required, you will need to
  decide what type to perform. There are two main
  types of exorcisms
• Solemn exorcisms can only be performed by Priests
• Simple exorcisms can be performed by anyone

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Example 1 (Taken From Mahalo.com)

• Step 4 Perform Exorcism
• All exorcisms involve prayers of some sort. For
  simple exorcisms, the exorcist will usually
  recite the St. Michael's Prayer
• The exorcist should not address the demon
  directly, instead imporing God and not using the
  word 'I' at all during the exorcism.
• Exorcisms involving Priests also revolve around
  prayer, but also implore other methods, usually
  using salt and Holy water.

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Example 1 (Taken From Mahalo.com)

• Conclusion
• Although rare, exorcisms may be needed if someone
  is definitively possessed by a demonic force.
• Although only Priests appointed by the Roman
  Catholic Church can perform an official exorcism,
  there are many exorcisms performed annually by
  unofficial exorcists.
• If you are worried someone you know may be
  possessed, then following the above steps will
  help prepare you for performing an exorcism, even
  if you must do it yourself.

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Example 2 (Taken from Askmen.com)

• Examine your faith
• Before you go ahead and banish the world from
  evil supernatural-style, you must examine your
  faith.
• Successful exorcisms can -- and must -- only be
  carried out by the highly religious. Those whose
  idea of faith is going to church on Christmas Eve
  and forgetting about it the rest of the year need
  not apply.
• Ultimately, it is your faith that will command
  the demons out

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Example 2 (Taken from Askmen.com)

• Examine your faith
• Other than its religious context, exorcism has
  roots in history, too, with the real-life case of
  Anneliese Michel -- now referred to as Emily
  Rose.
• During the late 60s and early 70s, Anneliese
  began to experience the classic signs we now
  equate with possession Seeing devilish faces,
  being unable to control her body, hearing voices,
  and attacking loved ones.
• Finally, Father Arnold Renz and Pastor Ernst were
  given permission by the Bishop of Wurzburg to
  perform an exorcism.
• For several months, one or two exorcisms were
  held each week, but to no avail. In 1976,
  Anneliese died, forensics blaming her death on a
  form of epilepsy and, ultimately, starvation.

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Example 2 (Taken from Askmen.com)

• Dress for the possessed
• Ensure that you look the part by renting a
  surplice or purple stole from a local costume
  shop.
• If youre to dispossess the possessed, youll
  need to convince the demon that you mean
  business, and that means looking like an
  authentic priest.
• Sling a couple of rosary beads around your neck
  for extra effect. Be sure to enter the room
  clutching a Bible, muttering mysteriously and
  acting erratic

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Example 2 (Taken from Askmen.com)

• Identify the possessed
• You must first establish that the possessed is,
  in fact, possessed. Would you ever forgive
  yourself for performing a long, drawn-out
  exorcism on someone that was having an epileptic
  fit or a psychotic episode, and needed an
  ambulance
• Not only can an exorcism on someone that isnt
  possessed be a highly dangerous procedure, but
  ignoring those in need of medical attention can
  result in death (or worse, guilt)
• Usually, priests called in to perform an exorcism
  investigate the situation before steaming ahead
  -- you must too.

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Example 2 (Taken from Askmen.com)

• Understand the possessed
• In order to successfully perform an exorcism, you
  must understand the typical behavioral patterns
  of the possessed so that youre not susceptible
  to any dirty tricks they may try.
• At first, the demon will hide its true identity
  by pretending to be a peaceful spirit. It will
  try to lure you in with sweet talk, will look at
  you like a lost puppy and will do everything in
  its power to avoid being exorcised.

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Example 2 (Taken from Askmen.com)

• Understand the possessed
• When you threaten exorcism it will invariably
  reveal itself, thrashing about, throwing up,
  reciting weird languages, and screaming. It may
  even attempt to perform a sexual act to
  demonstrate its deviant, defiant behavior.
• After this stage, you and the demon will clash
  and fight for the soul of the possessed. Here,
  you must sift through your religious weaponry

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Example 2 (Taken from Askmen.com)

• Contain the possessed
• If you can, tie them down to the bed
• Use something strong, like belts or rope, and
  bind their wrists and ankles to the bed. Ideally,
  youd gag them as well, but getting that close to
  their mouth is not recommended -- they may just
  bite your hand off.
• Once you are satisfied that the possessed cant
  escape, youre ready to perform the exorcism.

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Example 2 (Taken from Askmen.com)

• The rite
• The exorcism revolves around a single passage in
  the Roman Ritual, one of the books detailing the
  official rites of the Roman Catholic Church.
• Begin with the imploring formula whereby youll
  ask God to free the possessed from the devil. Do
  remember to say please, however.
• Say something along the lines of, God, whose
  nature is forever merciful and forgiving, accept
  our prayer that this servant of yours, bound by
  the fetters of sin, may be pardoned by your
  loving kindness.

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Example 2 (Taken from Askmen.com)

• The rite
• At this point, the possessed may thrash about on
  the bed, hissing and spitting the demon inside
  knows that its end is nigh.
• Continue the rite by demanding that the devil
  leave the body of the possessed, Depart, then,
  impious one, depart, accursed one, depart with
  all your deceits, for God has willed that man
  should be his temple.
• As the bed begins to shake and the demon spouts
  profanity from the mouth of the possessed,
  attempt to keep your cool. Although you may think
  that youre hurting this vile creature that lies
  before you, you are, in fact, saving it from
  itself.

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Example 2 (Taken from Askmen.com)

• The ritual
• At various intervals in your recitations and
  prayers, you must perform certain actions.
• Occasionally, sprinkle holy water from your vile
  onto the possessed and anybody else that may be
  in the room with you.
• Youll probably hear a burning sound, but dont
  worry, this is entirely normal. If you were as
  consumed by the fires of hell as the possessed,
  no doubt youd sizzle too.
• As well as dousing everyone with holy water, be
  sure to lay your healing hands on the possessed.
  While this isnt a particularly pleasant part of
  the exorcism, its essential in the fight against
  evil.

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Example 2 (Taken from Askmen.com)

• The ritual
• Carefully approach the bed (the possessed may
  quiet down and try to stare you out, but dont be
  put off) and rest your hands on their skin -- one
  hand on their chest and one hand on their
  forehead (be sure to disinfect your hands
  afterwards -- who knows where the possessed have
  been).
• You may use this opportunity to perform the sign
  of the cross on both you and the possessed. If
  the possessed spits at you, spit back dont let
  it take control of the situation.
• If you have a religious relic handy, then touch
  the skin of the possessed with it. Whether its a
  crucifix or a statue of the Virgin Mary, the
  demon wont like it one bit and will have an
  adverse reaction.

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Example 2 (Taken from Askmen.com)

• The exorcism
• If everything has gone according to plan and you
  have won the fight, the demon will be expelled
  from the body of the possessed. The possessed
  will return to normal, but will need a few days
  to recover.
• They will have been through one of the most
  terrifying experiences imaginable, and wont be
  up to chatting about the ordeal or taking
  visitors on the first day.
• Allow their body to heal, return your props to
  the costume shop and distract yourself from the
  horror youve just faced -- watch a Disney film
  or something. 

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Example 2 (Taken from Askmen.com)

• Release me
• Thanks to Hollywood, the secretive ritual of
  exorcism has been brought from the underground
  into the mainstream.
• However, that doesnt mean that just anybody can
  go willy-nilly into the bedroom of the possessed
  and command a demon to leave. If youre not
  religious or well-equipped, the demon will
  probably zap you into oblivion.
• Responsible would-be exorcists should consult a
  local clergy for guidance. God willing and good
  luck.

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Example 3 (Taken from Catholicculture.org)

• What Is An Exorcism? (Catechism of the Catholic
  Church (n. 1673))
• "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
  (Mk l25f.) and from him the Church has received
  the power and office of exorcising (Mk 315 67,
  13 1617). 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.

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Example 3 (Taken from Catholicculture.org)

• What Is An Exorcism? (Catechism of the Catholic
  Church (n. 1673))
• "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 (cf. Code of Canon Law, can.
  1172)."

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Example 3 (Taken from Catholicculture.org)

• Ten Golden Rules A Key To The Revised Rite Of
  Exorcism
• First, the exorcist must be sure he is dealing
  with a possessed person, not someone with
  psychological problems.
• To do this, he must distinguish possession from
  superstition. Sometimes people believe they have
  been affected by the "evil eye" or some other
  form of black magic. They should not be denied
  spiritual aid, but no exorcism should be carried
  out in such cases.

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Example 3 (Taken from Catholicculture.org)

• The following are signs of possession a sudden
  capacity to speak unknown languages abnormal
  physical strength the disclosure of hidden
  occurrences or events and a vehement aversion to
  God, the Virgin Mary, the saints, sacramental
  rites and religious images, especially the cross.
• In difficult cases, while always respecting the
  secrecy of the confessional, the exorcist may
  consult with spiritual guides or
  Church-recommended physicians and psychiatrists
  before deciding to perform an exorcism.
• In the case of non-Catholics or other unusual
  situations, the exorcist-priest can leave the
  final decision to his diocesan bishop, who may
  also consult outside experts.

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Example 3 (Taken from Catholicculture.org)

• The exorcism should, if possible, be carried out
  with the consent of the possessed person, and
  with awareness of that person's individual
  physical and mental condition.
• The exorcism must always be performed as an
  expression of Catholic faith, and should never
  give the impression that it is a superstitious or
  magical event.
• At the same time, an exorcism should never turn
  into a "show" for the faithful. For that reason,
  media representatives and journalists must not be
  allowed to attend. The success or failure of an
  exorcism is not to be announced or published.

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Example 3 (Taken from Catholicculture.org)

• Relatives and friends may assist at an exorcism,
  if the exorcist deems it helpful, since they are
  able to help with their prayers. The possessed
  person should pray to God, particularly before
  the ritual, and strengthen his soul by receiving
  the sacraments of Baptism, Confession and
  Communion.
• If at all possible, the exorcism should take
  place in a church, or if not, in a closed-in
  place, with images of Christ Crucified and of the
  Mother of God. The exorcist makes the sign of the
  Cross over the victim's head, and immediately
  afterwards speaks the phrase commanding the
  devil, in Christ's name, to depart from the body
  of the possessed.
•  

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Conclusion

• Now that we have reviewed these various methods
  to exorcism, we must ask how they match up to
  what took place in the Word of God
• What steps are taken to exorcise the demons?
• Do we find ritualistic emblems and Holy water
  used in scripture?
• Where do the events of the exorcism take place?
• Who is present at the exorcism?
• How many exorcism attempts were necessary to
  remove the demons
• Are the processes we are following in line with
  what Gods Word says, or we following after the
  teachings of men?

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Conclusion

• We need to remember the words of warning from
  scripture
• Gal 18-9 Rev 2218