What's your take on demonic possession and the churches ritual for expelling demons? I'm watching Emily Rose and of course, I've seen the Exorcist and every other movie that involved this... Just wondering what atheist and agnostics, think about this subject?
I think it is hysteria, and possibly good drama. Or a crock of BS, take your pick.
The evidence is pretty overwhelming, and its not true. I have spoken to people who beleive in this sort of thing. I am convinced that they really do think its true. They are not liars, they are just wrong. Watching movies may be entertaining, and I watch them too, but if you want to educate yourself on the subject, listen to someone like Derren Brown on the subject. I posted a link below of a famous tv show he did in the UK called seance. its on for an hour, but well worth watching. I think it was one of the most complined about tv shows of all time over here in the UK
There are churches in the U.S. that specialize in exorcism. Interesting the people whom start going to these churches do not have demon problems until they "discover" them once going to the church. The moral of the story here is they literally "create their own demons".
It becomes in this micro-culture, to be expected to go through the rights of exorcism to show the group they are "saved from Satan".
It is really a sociological phenomenon.
I think many people who go through with exorcism are looking for attention, good or bad. To some, any attention is better than none. I could be wrong.
I worked with the Chronically Mentally Ill - I still remember the first time a client called me "The Handmaiden of Satan". Ok and my co-worker who was standing beside also got this full blast. I also remember my Roman Catholic Mother saying "Religious Delusions in Mental Illness are some of the worst". (Not in reference to the patient because - HIPPA!) but in general. To this day I agree. Routed in something so many believe - but fabricated by the mind and body. How to convince a religious person they aren't suffering from some unknown/known past crime? How to make them realize that medication might just help this? Often they want to hold on to the delusion to get closer to their God? Such a cyclical thing.
It's a dangerous thing to tell someone who's mentally ill, they're possessed and then subject them to exorcism. I'm not a mental health professional, but even I can see that's probably the worst way to handle it.
I love possession movies. As for the actual existence of 'possession'...low on my personal probability scale...I would bet most 'possession' cases are mental illness.
Atheists are immune to possession. Almost makes one think it's bullshit....
Whenever I see a comment of yours I like it. Must be on the same wavelength.