Good grief! It's hard enough to take the Pope and the Catholic Church's politics seriously these days, given all their misguided priorities and scandals. But exorcism? For real? Do these people still believe in demonic possession?
Apparently they do. And it's not just something that the Roman Catholic church winks at. Exorcism is an official duty of Roman Catholic priests, one that requires special training. And worse, they seem to have a serious shortage of exorcists!
I'd like to think that this is just a funny joke. But there are real live victims at the bottom of this story.
These "demonically possessed" people are mentally ill and in need of serious professional medical help. To the church's (small) credit, they've advanced to the point where the Church requires a physical and psychological examination prior to an exorcism to "rule out" medical problems. But that appears to be nothing more than a small bone thrown to the medical establishment so that the Catholic Church doesn't look quite so medieval. What they're really saying is that when a patient has a particularly difficult condition that is hard or impossible to treat, it must be demons.
It's medical and psychological fraud.
People often ask me and other atheist/humanist writers, "Why do you care so much? Why not just let religious people have their beliefs?" Well, this is why. As long as there is a teenager anywhere in the world who is developing the first signs of schizophrenia, and who is being accused of demonic possession, I won't rest. It is morally reprehensible to accuse a mentally ill person of being responsible (through spiritual weakness) for their own condition.
Mental illness is a terrible tragedy. It uses one's mind, the very thing that makes us human, as a tool of torture. Schizophrenia, paranoia, and other delusional illnesses submerge their victims into a world of nightmares that the rest of us can't even fathom.
It makes me sick to know that the Roman Catholic Church still interferes with medical treatments in the year 2010. It's another sign of the corrupting effects of blind obedience and blind faith, and of holding on to outdated beliefs long after science and common sense have prevailed over ignorance.
Catholics should be ashamed that their leaders endorse such nonsense.
Friday, November 12, 2010
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8 comments:
Dear readers -- I am no longer blogging and after leaving these blogs open for two years have finally stopped accepting comments due to spammers. Thanks for your interest. If you'd like to write to me, click on the "Contact" link at the top. Thanks! -- CJ.
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But it makes for such crappy movies!
ReplyDeletehttp://crudeandfeckless.blogspot.com/2009/07/exorcist.html
"Catholics should be ashamed that their leaders endorse such nonsense."
ReplyDeleteIt boggles the mind how normal folk still sit in those pews every week.
well, after going to a "come and see" retreat, and asking some of the priest about exorcisms; they tell me they NEVER assume there is a demon possession, and that none of them actually did one. they put them through all of the professional tests and will always assume there is another problem. but you know, when someone has a "mental illness" that causes someones eyes to turn green, then for the illness to just vanish, something must be up. oh, and be dismissive if you want even after hearing about some of these odd cases. Atheist are so quick to point the finger and say "ignorance" and "blind faith", but they are never able to point out there own faults. one guy i knew, with blind faith to the God delusion, without ever doing any research on the ignorance of the author (name escapes me), the fact that he actually does not know what we actually believe and teach. you know, when im reading a book about the ancient roman/greek gods, i would expect the author to actually do some research and know what the hell they are talking about. i have some respect for you craig, but naturally like any atheist who proudly boast with books and blogs about religious ignorance, are blind to there own
ReplyDeleteIsaac -- The Roman Catholic Church has to give up these silly superstitions and abandon the whole idea of exorcism before they'll get any respect from me. Just because medical doctors can't diagnose a problem doesn't mean we should resort to magic and ignorance. There's nothing odd about mental illness – I've lived with it, and it's a tragedy. Yes, I am quick to point the finger and say it's ignorance and blind faith because that's exactly what it is. The Catholic Church is HURTING people with this nonsense. I wouldn't claim to be an expert on Catholicism ('tho I probably know more about it than many Catholics), but I know a great deal about science and a great deal about mental illness. The Roman Catholic Church's continued belief in this nonsense is appalling.
ReplyDeleteIf you ever see a demon Mr. James and see true evil I believe you will change your tune.
ReplyDeletehow can the Catholic church be hurting anyone by taking anyone who ask for an exorcism, straight to doctors and phycologists. my parish priest tells me that 99.9% of the time its ether someone with a mental illness or wants attention. one thing you have to understand, is that not only do we believe in God, but also satan and his influences. demon possessions happen in the bible, and there are numerous cases now (most of with are false, but not all). if your going to tell me that its nonsense, then you might as well flat out tell anyone who believes in God that its all nonsense. would it kill an atheist to at least looking into what they're bashing
ReplyDeletewow, Isaac, you are so blind to what you're saying...
ReplyDeleteWhy have a person even go to the priest in the first place? It never is "posession", is it now? "God" does not exist, neither does "satan", or any other "demon" for that matter, and people should simply always think that the only explanation is a reasonable one - like any of the myriad ilnesses that science tries to rid us from.
why do people go to priest? because thats what they chose to do, and what does the priest do first? take them straight to professionals first. also, you, along with any militant atheist can join the west buro baptist and neo-nazis in your own blind faith and hypocrisy. and just for the record, i dont think craig is militant
ReplyDelete