CaptainHowdy.com The #1 Exorcist Fansite Since 1999
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I was baptized a Catholic in 1960 though I'm not a practicing Catholic. I personally believe that demons are real and I do believe in the rite of Exorcism. I just wanted to know if other people on this site feel that 'demon possession' is a reality and doesn't just exist in the movies. Also give reasons as to why or why not you don't believe demons exist.
Anybody who has spent time in mental institutions or jails and believes in Christ, like I have, should have no doubt in his or her mind about the existence of demons. Hell…I can see them when I go to the grocery store. One should read the great book about possession called “Hostage to the Devil” by the late great Malachi Martin. Evil is all around us every day. We must be vigilant and look towards Christ every day or one CAN face the possibility of full infestation. Don't ever get too deep into the underworld. I think Friedkin did this just by the production of this masterful film…and has felt the ramifications of it every day. YES. Christ exists and YES demons and demonic possession is very very real and something NOT to be toyed with. Peace be with you all.
Not to be the skunk at the garden party, and with respect: How do you expect others to believe as you do?
Claiming the literal existence of demons is a huge claim. Especially in this age of science, neuroscience, and psychiatry. It is a huge claim because it says that the supernatural – in this case, in the form of demons – exists.
( FWIW: The supernatural, to me, is not an extraordinary claim, but I prefer to use the term, “transcendence” or “transcendent realm/being(s)”. Having said that, I balk at literal demons, for simple lack of proof. In no case that I've read about is a truly supernatural explanation required. )
A rare mental illness sometimes accompanied by telekinesis and increased intuitive abilities? Sure, why not.
But a supernatural, nonmaterial malevolent entity? Wait a minute. Proof of such would genuinely rock Western civilization because it would destroy the consensus view that the supernatural is a deluded concept; it would destroy scientific materialism and scientism; it would open the way (per Blatty) for God's existence.
But it must require proof – psychiatrically verified and peer-reviewed. No such proof has ever been demonstrated. You can't expect non-fundamentalist, liberal and/or “progressive” Christians and educated non-Christians to accept demons as real, without real proof. To date, there is none, and anecdotal evidence is far from scientific proof.
Your faith in Christ is A-okay with me, but your claim that Christ exists and we must look to him every day at the risk of “full infestation” goes beyond any situation I've ever encountered. I mean, where is Christ in the first place when people (supposedly) get possessed? Where is he when, say, a child contracts brain cancer? Etc.
And if you are “seeing demons” when you go to the grocery store, it might be asked of you, without intending insult, if you've had your eyes checked lately, or if you are suffering from some degree of paranoia. Not even Jesus and his disciples were seeing demons everywhere. Occasionally they'd run into one, or have one brought to them for cure, but in the Gospels they are nowhere near as prevalent as they seem to be in your vicinity.
Moreover, in most cases, Jesus was not expelling literal demons, but rather what his culture called “unclean spirits”. These “beings” are obviously medical and psychiatric conditions, probably healed by the victim him/herself, as when Jesus says, “Go your way: your faith has saved you”. A medical condition can't talk to you, and most of these “spirits” are indeed appropriately mute. Granted, in the Gospels, Jesus is depicted as encountering some “real” demons, as in the famous “I am Legion, for we are many” incident and other cases. But these types of cases are few and far between in the New Testament.
Sadly, your notion that, “without Christ” and without people “looking to Christ”, then we risk “full infestation” (I presume you mean full possession?), seems to be an implied insult to all non-Christians, and even to non-fundamentalist Christians. It's another point you must prove – if you want others to believe it. E.g., what is the incidence of demon possession among Buddhists, Episcopalians, Catholics, Methodists, secularists, agnostics, atheists, Unitarians, and a host of other non-fundamentalist individuals and groups? Is it higher in those groups than it is among conservative Christian denominations that believe in frequent “possession” and regularly practice “exorcism”? Statistics, please, in the name of evidence and proof.
Whilst I'll never say never, I find them 99% unlikely to exist. Angels and demons are an ancient concept. Fascinating as they are, they belong to an age where mankind did not understand their place in the universe, where science was in it's infancy and we sought fantastical explanations for the world around us.
Like most religious doctrine I suspect they were originally invented by one section of society in order to subjugate another. Whether it were the words of the village shaman or a more intensive work such as the bible, religion in general seems designed as a tool to shape society, and enforce moral laws through fear. Not at all a bad thing in it's day, but far less believable in these times.
When I see displays of modern day exorcism, all I see are the greedy and the megalomaniac taking advantage of the suggestive and the needy. Whilst I do not doubt the existence of the genuinely pious, for the most part exorcism is just the utilisation of smoke and mirrors designed to frighten one person and line anothers pockets.
Of course, I could be wrong and it's that tiny sliver of uncertainty that allows a work such as the exorcist to still send a shiver up my spine 😉
Just ask yourself,
Do wars, crime, murder, hate & diease thrive in this world we live in? Of course there are demons. Dark, disturbed spiritual beings that bring chaos. We all have light & dark energy within us which is to say we have the creator & demon forces flowing through us. Some are caught up in being what is accepted as being good or in the light while some dwell in darkness & the rare ones walk a middle path. Such is life.
“Do wars, crime, murder, hate & diease thrive in this world we live in? Of course there are demons. Dark, disturbed spiritual beings that bring chaos”
Non sequitur: demon-belief is not a logical consequence of observing the world's ills.
Demons are a supernatural explanation. Unfortunately, the world's ills do not require a supernatural explanation. All of them have their observable origin in completely explainable natural and psychological causes. Bringing in ancient superstitions to explain the world's ills is to discredit both science and responsible, enlightened religion.
“We all have light & dark energy within us which is to say we have the creator & demon forces flowing through us.”
Evidence, please. Demonstrate that human good and evil are anything but the products of nature and human psychology. If you can, then the door is open to demons. If you cannot, then demons remain firmly ensconced in the world of superstition, folklore, and literary fiction.
<<< Yawns ... Guess somebody woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning. Take some midol. It will help with the bloating, cramps & mood swings.
<<< Yawns … Guess somebody woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning. Take some midol. It will help with the bloating, cramps & mood swings. === Typical fundamentalist tripe – arrogant, caustic, and irrelevant to the topic at hand. As well as an example of inappropriately feisty behavior from the new kid on the block. Either address the issues I raised, provide your evidence, or just keep silent. I don't suffer irresponsible, angry, petty clods gladly, in this or any other web forum. It is clearly you, not me, who “woke up on the wrong side of the bed”, and posted an irrational, unproven, parochial appeal to fundamentalism. When I asked for evidence, you went all Annoyed Surly Adolescent. So I am still waiting for an intelligent, worthwhile reply. Am I waiting in vain?
Please exchange your vitriol for fact, reasoned argument, and documentation. Drop your defensive mockery and post seriously – you know, as if you mean it.
More uncalled-for sarcasm and false superiority.
More irresponsible dodging of responsible, intelligent questioning of your bald religious assertions.
Obviously, you are either incapable of, or are unwilling to, respond responsibly and intelligently.
Afaik, CaptHowdy.Com has no Ignore function, so instead of clicking on the “Ignore” option, I will simply turn a blind eye to your bellicose, belligerent, immature posts.
But thanks for teaching me a valuable albeit trivial lesson in practicing avoidance of just one more web-jerk.
You have very, very serious issues,
First of all the topic reads “Does Anybody On This Site Believe in Demons & Exorcism?” Everyone has his or her view on the topic. People will agree & disagree & that's life but for a person such as yourself to go over the top & shower others here with insults & childish name calling just goes to show how insecure you really are & you must lead a very unhappy life as you strike me as someone that feels they have to measure up & always be right. The world is full of billions of people & the world does not revolve around you nor myself. At least I understand this very basic concept as for you it's clear you are in the dark in more ways than one. Have a wonderful life.
I'm amazed at how newbies will come here and actually go through creating an avatar AND a tagline to insult others. LMAO!
Father B
Aw, give the kid a chance. Or not 😉
I admit to getting cranky and crabby in my old age, but I think the questions I addressed to the poster were legitimate, i.e., claiming the literal existence of demons is a colossally huge claim in this age of science, materialism, and neural research. So I felt justified in asking for evidence and in stating that in lieu of said evidence, demons remain questionable if not fictitious. On the other hand, I acknowledged that if the poster could provide evidence, then that could put demons back on the reality grid. The poster's angry and dismissive replies only stoked my skepticism and my ire. If apologies are due, then I'm sorry about the medium, but not the content, of my replies.
Angry? Who? Me?
Not at all. I'm actually a very happy person. I have no issues with anyone period. The anger you speak of is actually what you see reflected back upon you. I am not the one attacking others here just because their views might be different than mine. As I already said everyone has his or her own views. If you look at my post they are actually quite civil. As to the person that goes by Father. B well I have not insulted anyone. Unlike others I am not living on my computer or within this forum or another other forum for that matter. I found this site by chance as I've always like the first Exorcist movie & that's about it really. If someone want's to rule over a forum where everything revolves around he or she & what they have to say is law & nobody else has a right to express his or hers own views then that person needs to start up their own site with their own forum & set his or her own rules & be the master of their very own cyber universe. This is a public forum & I will post when I want & what I want & if others have issues with that well, that's too bad. As I said my post are quite civil & just as I do not own this site neither do the two of you. That's reality. If either one of you do not like my views in post then it's quite simple … Ignore me! Other than that … Happy posting.
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