| The question as it is posed; my daughter was | | | | performs exactly the same functions as the ancient |
| watching a show on TV about exorcisms last night. I | | | | witch doctors, shaman, and voodoo priests and in |
| would like to hear your thoughts as you expound on | | | | some respects, even your present day doctors. In all |
| that subject. | | | | cases, if you believe in the condition and if you believe |
| First of all, you should know by now that there simply | | | | that you can be cured through some incantation, |
| is no real devil or Satan to cast out. There is what | | | | application of herbs or drinking of potions, then you can |
| could be considered satanic qualities that can arise in | | | | be cured. |
| the form of multiple personalities in some people who | | | | If it were truly known, those ancient and not so ancient |
| display symptoms of possession.. Of course, these are | | | | witch doctors were quite as successful as the medical |
| secondary personalities and are not real in the sense | | | | profession today; you now have simply put aside the |
| that they are psychological constructions only and | | | | chicken bones and use different procedures. Pills that |
| cannot gain reality within the physical system. | | | | you take today only work because you have been |
| All physical personalities, when they are born, adopt | | | | convinced that they will bring relief. Even your eminent |
| one of several probable identities available to them at | | | | physicians are still scratching their heads trying to figure |
| birth, finally selecting the one that best offers future | | | | out why placebos work almost as well as the real |
| characteristics along the chosen lines of development | | | | medicine. In an absolute sense, what you believe will |
| anticipated by the new identity before physical birth. | | | | work, will work. |
| .This leaves the others not selected, to continue their | | | | The job of the exorcist is to create a fear induced |
| existence as subordinate egos, buried deep within the | | | | trance like state and scare the pants off of you. The |
| subconscious, not rising to the level of adequate | | | | perception of possession by devils is of course a |
| physical construction but containing enough self | | | | serious psychological state and help can come through |
| awareness to exert varying degrees of influence on | | | | introspection, psychological counseling or personal |
| the main ego personality. While remaining hidden, they | | | | illumination. Treating the condition by submitting yourself |
| can influence the main ego in a good or detrimental | | | | to a priest exorcist or voodoo doctor can sometimes |
| way, exerting psychological pressures to affect the | | | | bring a temporary end to the seeming possession if |
| actions of the main ego in its daily pursuits. | | | | you believe it can, but it will not address the underlying |
| These secondary multiple personalities usually remain in | | | | psychological problems which will eventually have to |
| the background exerting a kind of psychological | | | | be addressed. |
| thickness to the main personality that can amount to | | | | The fact that most exorcisms are closely associated |
| enlarging the scope of the main identities reality in a | | | | with the history of the Catholic Church, which is deeply |
| beneficial way. Under normal conditions, these | | | | rooted in mysticism, incantations, dogma, Satanic cults, |
| subordinate identities do not rise to the surface and | | | | legends and myths about a powerful God that will |
| are held in reserve, reinforcing and supplying | | | | descend from the clouds on a white, gold winged |
| information as it is needed that it may possess, that | | | | horse, trumpets blaring, just in time to save the |
| information/data would then be assimilated by the main | | | | righteous and smite the devils, is not surprising in the |
| identity who may never know where it came from. In | | | | least. I know some of you have already thought of this, |
| some cases these hidden secondary personalities can | | | | but the exorcism will always be most effective when |
| become stronger, gaining strength and challenging the | | | | not only the unfortunate possessed person believes in |
| dominance of the prevailing identity, exerting more | | | | the power of Satan, but also when the exorcising |
| influence on the main personality and rising to the | | | | priest is thoroughly indoctrinated with the same belief |
| surface push the main ego identity aside for a length | | | | system. There is a kind of telepathy at work here |
| of time, assuming virtual control over the ego centered | | | | between subject and exorcist, not unlike between |
| reality. The personality will then seem to be an entirely | | | | hypnotist and subject. |
| different person and indeed he will be. These | | | | Inasmuch as you now have exorcisms performed on |
| secondary egos that never rise to the surface to | | | | your television, only deepens the hypnotic state of the |
| become a primary ego self, (human being), will continue | | | | subject and the exorcist/hypnotist and will increase the |
| to exist and will find other avenues of expression in | | | | intensity of the experience of both participants, the |
| future lives, where they may very well become | | | | subject wanting to please the exorcist, will usually go |
| primary identities in their own right, finally expressing | | | | to new lengths to exhibit extravagant behavior before |
| their own characteristics and leaving behind their own | | | | the occupying Satan is cast out. The fact that millions |
| imprint on civilization..If this description sounds like | | | | of people could be watching only increases the |
| possession, that is exactly what it may be, but not with | | | | obligation of the subject to comply with the exorcists |
| the intent of emerging as an evil entity but simply | | | | expectations. This in not unlike a morality play and the |
| asserting itself and can in some cases, indeed, shove | | | | more people watching, the more it will influence the |
| the main identity aside and take over the dominant | | | | obligation of the subject to play their part well. |
| position of the outer ego. | | | | In an aside from all of this, and I know this may seem |
| This would be more a case of "inner possession" | | | | scandalous to some, but the very people who hold the |
| rather than possession from any "outside agency or | | | | strongest beliefs in Satan and devils will continue to |
| Satan". If there is something to be gained when a | | | | create them for at least some time after their physical |
| secondary personality achieves some sort of control, | | | | death until they finally discover that they are simply |
| there may be instances when deviant, evil like | | | | creations of their own sub-conscious. Then, who would |
| tendencies could manifest if the motivation were there. | | | | be most susceptible, who will encounter the most |
| As simply as I can say, and I repeat, there are no real | | | | powerful and lingering images of Satan and devils in |
| devils, demons or Satan, only the ones you create and | | | | this life and after? |
| their power and influence is thereby limited by the | | | | Of course, it would be your religious icons, the priests, |
| amount of energy you give to them. By simply turning | | | | the rabbis and clergy of all faiths, after all they are the |
| your attention away from them, you destroy any | | | | biggest believers in the power of Satan. If you do not |
| reality it had gained and it or they will soon disappear. It | | | | think about, concentrate on or give credence to any |
| follows then, that if you believe in devils, you will create | | | | Satan, devils or demons, if you do not include them in |
| devils, real enough to cause you some harm, even | | | | your belief system, you will never encounter them and |
| though they have a different source than the human | | | | you will never need an exorcist. |
| personality which is a primary identity, infused with all of | | | | Can an exorcist cast out Satan? NO! There are no |
| the inherent abilities of the soul/entity. | | | | real devils or Satan to cast out. Can an exorcist |
| Those who believe in Satan will of course | | | | temporarily rid you of feelings of possession? YES. |
| unconsciously create Satan and will also believe in the | | | | But so can you if you believe you can. |
| possibility of possession and exorcism. An exorcist | | | | |