Exorcism

[Servio Caro (Javier Sánc]

Today I have read in a newspaper some interviews with two exorcist priest. They say that possesion are being increased a lot last times. It remembered me when my religion teacher of the high school went to Africa. He told us he saw an exorcism, that God exist, and of course evil forces too, and some rites, like tribal ones in Africa and the ouija, can be an "open door" for this forces, but he never wanted to tell us about it and always changed the theme when this appears. He told that because some friends were talking about the ouija. About it I must say that my father did, and it really happened what ouija told him.

There are a lot of evidences of exorcism and possesions in the bible and the judean culture and texts, but is there any in ancient rome or greece? maybe the oracles could be a possesion? Any other evidence? or they just appear with the expansion of Christians?

dark theme, I know

[Theodosius the Great]

Today I have read in a newspaper some interviews with two exorcist priest. They say that possesion are being increased a lot last times.

I've been reading similar reports over the last few years as well. Demonic possessions seem to be on the rise in Europe, particularly in Italy from what I've read. Scary but unsurprising to me.

There are a lot of evidences of exorcism and possesions in the bible and the judean culture and texts, but is there any in ancient rome or greece? maybe the oracles could be a possesion? Any other evidence? or they just appear with the expansion of Christians?

I've read that up until the time of Hippocrates, educated Greeks thought that deformities were caused by evil spirits or divine displeasure. No doubt this belief survived among common people, IMO.

Interesting topic. It should be under 'Ancient Civ Talk'

~Theo

[Servio Caro (Javier Sánc]

Also in Spain, this possesions are being increased, maynly in Galicia.

I know there were rites in the ancient greece, in fact, the word exorcism cames from greek. But psicology was not studied in this time and epilectic, psicotic, etc people were "exortised". This is a fact that happened along time, even in non christian or judean cultures, just because people didn't know this kind of illness, and the only explanation they found to this is the possession of an evil spirit.

[Libitina]

Can I ask if these articles have stated why these "posessions" might have increased? Is it a major lack of education in mental illness? Or something else?

[Servio Caro (Javier Sánc]

I don't think it could be lack of knowledge about mental illness, medicine and psicology are giving great steps day by day, and most common illness are well known.

in the interview, the priest said that our society is forgetting about christianity, and a lots of rites are being introduced, like ouija and others. He thinks that posesions will be increasing more

[Libitina]

I don't think it could be lack of knowledge about mental illness, medicine and psicology are giving great steps day by day, and most common illness are well known.

in the interview, the priest said that our society is forgetting about christianity, and a lots of rites are being introduced, like ouija and others. He thinks that posesions will be increasing more

Thanks. He wouldn't like me then.. and I'm not possessed. I don't think so... My parents may not agree :? D

I wonder how many "work" though and if they have a placebo effect.

[Servio Caro (Javier Sánc]

Have you done the ouija :twisted: ? I fear it

[Dan Howard]

Ouija could indeed act as a trigger for the mentally unstable causing them to believe that they were posessed. For that matter so could the "fire and brimstone" outbursts from the local priest, or the denunciations from an ignorant parent who was unable to discipline his/her child.

[Servio Caro (Javier Sánc]

of course, this rites have a very important "placebo" effect in people who believe that is possesed. Autosugestion can be very powerful sometimes

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

But does the 'possessed' person know they are possessed?

[Carlton Bach]

But does the 'possessed' person know they are possessed?

These days they usually do. Exporcisms tend to be performed on willing patients (though there have been a few less than savoury cases among some Free Churchers)

In Antiquity, I would suspect exorcism was less common than later. The concept existed (I very much doubt that it was limited to the Christian population, though their writings are ourt main source for it). However, the ancient world by and large had a much more sanguine approach to spiritual beings, and occasionally being ridden by a demon was not necessarily a bad thing in their eyes (check out what Socrates has to say on his daimon). That meant all manner of strange behaviour could be ascribed to powers that were neutral or even positive, not automatically evil. While Christian mysticism could integraste a considerable variety of behaviours (many of which would have people institutionalised today), it was not this accommodating.

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

I bellieve Alexander was supposed to be instilled with a Daimon?

[Gaius Decius Aquilius]

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/ ... 61477.html
(This page seems to shut itself down after about a minute. Paranormal influence, no doubt. )

And...
There is a story from ancient Japan. A pretty young woman who was rather vain in her appearance used to take the pins that held her hair and stick them into the floor mat instead of properly disposing of them. One summer night she awoke to visions of evil Tengu and Oni swirling around her room. These spirits tormented her until dawn and she could never sleep. Her family sought help from wise men and advisors who all agreed the visitations would end when the spirits were struck down by the only proven method. A Samurai of proven courage would have to strike them with the blade of a sword of quality: one that is signed.

The family made an agreement with a young and brave warrior who had a signed blade, and they also arranged a marriage contract so it would not be useemly for the handsome samurai to vist the young woman through the evening hours. That evening the young samurai hid in the garden. When the moon rose the evil Tengu and Oni begain to appear and torment the the young woman. Suddenly the samurai appeared and struck with his blade. The Tengu and Oni vanished, and turned into... hair pins... that the fell to the floor. Both the spirits of the pins and of the floor mats had been offended.

The young woman was repentent of her lazy ways and promised to never to behave improperly again. The brave samurai and the pretty young woman were married and they were never again tormented. But if this was because of the now ever present spirit of the samurai's blade, or by the reformed habits of the young woman, it will never be known.


The moral of the story is to buy a signed katana, do what you want, and don't wory about anything ever again. If you constantly answer the door with a sword, no one will bother you, not even your relatives or neighbors who want to borrow your lawn mower, or that old lady activist from down the street with her fringey petitions. (Note: possession of most Samurai swords is now banned in England. This fairy tale is not an instrument of any political statement or an advocacy to break any laws.)

Alternatively, you can just pick up after your primping and save the $6,000+ starting price for a signed katana. Also you don't have to look for an appropriate samurai and then pay the legal fees for all the lawyers in writing a marriage agreement.

R. Izard

[Ceannt]

2 years ago their was an Exorcism up in the north of Ireland involving a priest (he was killed performing it) hock:

[Iagoba]

R.Izard, which it´s the name of this tale, please? I would like to use it to explain the importance of the swords in the Japanese culture in the local Armory museum. We have a couple of armours, about eight swords and a teppo, but sadly not explained at all

Thanks in advance.

A Samurai would have to strike them with the blade of a sword of quality: one that is signed.

Sorry for going OT, but once I hit one "ghost " with my pillow :lol: . Sadly it wasn´t signed, nor I am a "Samurai of proven courage", at least not a Samurai. But it worked. :roll: