Another part of a video series from Wordonfire.org. Bishop Barron will be commenting on subjects from modern day culture. For more visit www.wordonfire....
@Nemesis000000 That's too simple. The Church fully acknowledges the legitimacy of physical and psychologcial explanations in 99.8% of cases. But then there's that disturbing .2%. The exhibition of super-human strength, the possession of hidden knowledge, and the employment of foreign languages that the person has no business knowing. Those are much harder to explain.
@tario26 Just curious: what do you call your biological father, especially when referring to him in the third person? I'm kind of amazed how many people seem to take the Lord's words in this regard literally. What he meant was that we should acknowledge that we have one heavenly father. In regard to the films, I don't see how you think a movie like The Exorcist is glorifying the devil. It is in fact showing his wickedness and the necessity of fighting him.
I love how many comments you respond to father. You are truly doing God’s work. You have inspired me, especially as I grapple with living in such an atheist and secular state.
Ah yes, you're sarcasm detector is indeed working! Friend, the Catholic Church is hyper-careful about exorcism, requiring four very clear criteria to be present before a bishop would even think of giving permission to perform the ritual. There are indeed charlatans in this area, but they're not Catholic. As to whether people can be possessed by a wicked spirit, I would urge you to keep an open mind and look at the evidence. Don't be so dogmatic.
Bishop Robert Barron With respect Father Barron, in my experience charlatans in this area (and other areas) are present within ALL denominations of the church. In your own words, "Don't be so dogmatic."
@@SARAHjumpforjoy If one happens to be a Catholic charlatan, then by definition, he is not Catholic precisely because he is a charlatan! The distinction to be made is that being labeled within a tradition doesn't necessarily mean you are authentically a participant in the tradition.
@adstanra Believe me when I tell you that every one of those questions is asked and asked again before a priest would commence, with his bishop's permission, an exorcism. The Church has long been aware of the problems here. The four classical signs have to be in place before an exorcism would ever be allowed.
@adstanra That's way too sharp a distinction. 95% of what you know scientifically, you know through appeal to authority. You have personally verified very little of what you claiim to know about the world. The vast majority of it has been received from a long interpretive tradition.
There is a heck of a lot more evidence for demonic possession than for Bigfoot! Take a look in a number of books written by experienced exorcists. And I mean that you, like a lot of moderns, labor under the weight of an anti-supernatural prejudice. Drop that dogma and keep an open mind.
Thank-you Father Barron, really enjoy your videos. I love The Exorcist, and your assessment of it was wonderful! very spiritual film, keep up the great work with your channel!
I agree with your excellent assessment of these movies Father Barron. "The Exorcist" is a truly terrifying movie that indeed conveys the reality of the spiritual realm. I've come to view possession as an isolated epitome of the spiritual battle in which all Christians are engaged. "The Rite" was a bad movie, but the book was excellent. Very theological and very readable. I also highly recommend the books "Hostage to The Devil" by Malachi Martin and "The Dark Sacrament" by David Kiely and Christina McKenna.
The devil and demons are real. They had me by the throat once upon a time. I was a worldly soul before that person died. I now attend daily Mass, Captain of our Adoration Society of the Blessed Sacrament, a member of the Legion of Mary and in formation for the Third Order of Carmel. If God is for us, who can be against us?
The Exorcist is one of my favorite films because of the deep spiritual nature that lies at it's heart. I found the spiritual journey of the younger priest from doubt to heroic belief to be particularly moving being a doubter myself, while Father Damien's steadfast love for the unlovable to be one of the finest positive portrayals of the ideal of Catholic priesthood. Actually, make that a portrayal of the standard by which every Christian would treat others.
@CitizenAtheist We have audio tapes and detailed written records of the exorcisms. Look them up sometime. And the church, as I've explained over and over, holds that demonic possession is an extremely rare phenomenon and that 99.8% of those who claim to be possessed are in fact physically or mentally ill.
THE RITE, the book by Matt Baglio (which the film is loosely based on), is excellent. I did not see the movie version. THE EXORCIST itself is one of my favorite films. People look at me funny when I tell them I love that film. The original novel by William Peter Blatty (who also wrote the screenplay and produced the films) is a surpassingly good read.
St. Ignatius of Loyola also talked about that emptiness when he started his conversion. Trust in God, now that you have seen what youve seen, and persevere. Idk if you are a Catholic. If yes, you got all the Sacraments to help you.God Bless you. I will pray for you
@adstanra Because the term was used much more broadly in the first century to include things that we would recognize as physical or mental illness. We use the phrase "demonic possession" now in a much more restricted way.
His Excellency, Bishop Robert Barron does have a good and valid point. The forces of evil are not to be underestimated at all. The best way to defeat the forces of evil is by the power of prayer. Particularly the Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin, The Chaplet of Saint Michael the Archangel, the Chaplet of Divine Mercy and praying a variety of novenas. Including Praying Liturgy of the Hours and the celebration of the Catholic mass. So as a Catholic Christian and a Knight of Columbus, I know very well that the forces of evil are alive and well. And I must be vigilant and alert.
Rather than a "horror movie", as many would categorize it, The Exorcist is a great movie of Faith. The book is even better. The depiction of one doctor after another(and Fr. Karas himself) trying to explain what's happening in scientific terms rather than accept the obvious is depicted in even greater detail and approaches high comedy. In Karas's case it's a dark night of the soul and a demonic attack. In some ways it's like Lord of the Rings--reaching victory and Faith through darkness. Fr. Merrin is a Gandalf-like character while Karas is somewhat like Frodo. Exorcisms aren't fantasy though. They're very real. Great commentary, Bishop Barron and rest in peace, William Peter Blatty.
Father Barron, Great Videos... Over the past 6 months, I've been watching different ones that spark my interest, but only recently have I found the true fruit of your work and that would be your active participation in discussions with people who disagree with Catholic Doctrine. Now I revisit the videos and make sure to read your comments defending your position.
here's a piece of advice from a priest. a good, honest confession is worth more than an exorcism. i dont speak to the truth of that or not. i'm not a priest. but is sounds like good advice.
As I have understood, from Father Ripperger, yes, in some cases. This doesn’t mean all cases of possession. Father Malachi talks about some of his poor souls having had years..even upwards of ten years, of exorcism prayer..and perhaps, also confession. It just all depends on the strength of the demon/s, as to how long they will stay..and let’s be real..how long God will allow them to stay. Every demo;knows the time, the hour and the day it will be purged back in to hell.
“The Exorcist” does reveal the supernatural, but as the dark side of the collective unconscious. The movie doesn’t dismiss psychology or religion; it gives depth to the true psychological landscape with its inevitable archetypal manifestations.
The Church is hyper about this topic, and rightly so. It is not fun and games for anyone involved and if they make the wrong call, people get hurt-physically, mentally and spiritually. The fact is that there are a number of medical doctors- of all specialties, not to mention other scientists, that have witnessed this. Across cultures and religions. As one doctor stated, "it's hard not to believe when someone is levitating and no one can figure out why."
I'm so glad you talked about the Exorcist. One of the Greatest Films of all time and definitely the greatest Horror film of all time. Today's horror has no idea what it's doing. Exorcist Movies today always use The Exorcist as a Bench Mark. Also, one of the few films that has Catholic priests in a positive light.
@BreakingButterfIies Not so! The four classical signs are offered as evidence of possession. And their simultaeous presence is extremely rare--which is why legitimately sanctioned exorcisms are extremely rare.
Father Barron dropped the ball on this one. The central theme of this movie is that you must obey your mother. Father Karras disobeys his mother by having her go to insane assylum and so his mother curses him in her ethnic language. This is why the devil kills Father Karras and drags him to hell, it is his punishment from his mother's curse. Father Karras was no hero in the movie. He was a fool and disobedient to his mother and the penalty was him going to hell for all eternity.
@Sarusource You raise an important point: I don't think that the Church does stand to gain so much "validation" were demons/demonic possession "proven" to be real phenomena. There is much, much else that lends credibility to the authority of the Church. Now authority in itself is a matter of faith; I trust that it is within the capacity of the Church to teach truthfully on all matters moral and spiritual. However, the fact is that the Church's teaching is completely consonant with reason.
In his famous book, An Exorcist tells his story, Fr. Gabriel Amorth discusses the different types of diabolical activities, their symptoms, & origins. One origin which is mentioned in the book & also seen in The Exorcist movie is the use of Ouija Boards. Reagan's mother finds it & asks Reagan about it. The movie suggests she has been playing with it for a while, albeit Parker Bros sells Ouija boards. So I believe Demonic Activity is higher than we would like to believe.
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I have still never yet seen this movie. I appreciate your wonderful review, Father. Max Von Sydow also played Our Lord in the 1964 movie, The Greatest Story Ever Told. That was why I loved that he was in this movie. As you may know, the true story that The Exorcist book was based on happened in Mt Rainier, Maryland, when William Peter Blatty was a student at Georgetown. He read about it in the Washington Post. That's where he got the idea for the book.
@Sarusource I insist that the argument stands, based on reason alone. Nature itself suggests an infinite regress, and yet we know this to be a logical impossibility (hence the "reductio"). A first cause is, by definition, one.
@krunkmasterj You have a point to an extent, because yes it does deal with natural laws, but you forget this - R = (0,1,2) is our known 3 dimensions, what we know as visible space. the reason why we only speculate that there is R = (0,1,2,3,4) etc is because this vibrates faster then what the eye can percieve (visible spectrum of light) which I personally believe, draws it into the realm of the "Supernatural" which in latin means "Above nature/the natural"
You said the priest "was thrown" out of the window. But I thought he thew himself out to get rid of the demon. Blatty, who wrote the exorcist book/film, said the real story of the exorcism it was based on brought life back to his faith when he was a doubting student at Georgetown. It does the same for me. Exorcism reminds there's a supernatural reality we can only glimpse but we are still forced to confront it. It may be evil but it strengthens my faith in God.
@goldenram27 Just briefly: 1) I haven't been speaking of the first cause argument but of the argument from possibility and necessity, neither of which have ever been refuted to my satisfaction. 2) It is important to remember that no single argument of Aquinas' (or any argument) is sufficient in itself to demonstrate God's existence; that's why we have many. Further, Aquinas never suggests that a single argument could. 3) No one reasons his way to God; faith seeks understanding, not vice versa.
@Sarusource As far as Galileo goes, he was disciplined (albeit wrongly) for doing exactly what scientists today do: extrapolating a theological conclusion from empirico-scientific evidence (claiming that the scriptures had erred in positing a heliocentric universe, which, as I say, was never their intent). The Church never denied his scientific claims, but did correct his overreaching theological claim.
@TeutonicJoe Fr. Karras did not lose his soul to the demon. He lured the demon out of Regan and threw himself out the window to spare her further torment. It was a case of "laying down one's life for a friend." As for Jesus "instantly" removing demons, he is God after all. But he explained that for men, some demons can be cast out only by prayer and fasting. (Matt 17:15, 20; Mk 9:27-28). Finally, a demon does not possess a soul but a body; thus possession without more does not imperil the soul.
THanks father. I read a report of a New York psychiatrist who is consulted in these strange and rare events. What he and witnesses describe is not just chilling , but with no natural explanation. The contemporary dogmatic materialism on the philosophical level itself seems dogmatic and with most , a varitey of nouveau superstition, like scientism. Thanks for the excellent work.
@Sarusource Agreed, the ancients were incorrect about many things. But the Christian belief in the inerrancy of scripture does not oblige us to a literalistic interpretation, precisely because the value of the scriptures was and is precisely as religious texts, and the intent of their authors was the conveyance of philosophical/theological truths. In other words, Genesis was never meant to be a biology text. So I don't think that science and demonic possession bump as much as you might think.
@AcidWacker I think you deal with a very important and complicated philosophical question quite carelessly here. Perhaps THE philosophical question: If God were omniscient, He would know about it; if He were omnipotent, He could do something about it; and if He were all-loving, He would do something about it. I think the first two premises hold up quite well; it is the third that I would challenge. Would a good father prevent his son from the dangers of auto accidents by never letting him drive?
@BreakingButterflies No need to be sarcastic; if you read my reply you'd notice I said I was a doubter, and still am in many ways. Whether a fictional work or a work based on truth, the story resonated with me because both men gave their lives to save a child who was repulsive, "the least of these", to put it kindly, and in doing so, one fulfilled his priesthood and the other found his lost faith. The headspinning etc was the construct of the story, not the story itself.
@CitizenAtheist Oh really? Read the transcripts of the cases upon which Blatty based his novel The Exorcist. Or talk to someone seriously involved in the work. "There are more things in heaven and earth than are dreamed of in your philosophies," Mr. Atheist.
@adstanra Well, the pigs drown, not the demons, who are bereft of anything to possess, in any case. You raise a good point about the pigs being ritually unclean. I think that the story is factual on one level, but also metaphorical on another level; the pigs represent the basic incompatibility of evil with good (hence the express request to be sent into the "unclean" pigs) as well as the self-destructive nature of evil (hence the pigs running over the cliff).
@Sarusource "Scientism" is the philosophical position that everything that man can know can only be known through the physical sciences. This position is self-defeating, because it is arrived at by philosophical means. The converse is that there are some things that can be known by other means, namely, through Philosophy (and its cousin Theology). I would suggest that the supernatural, by definition, is precluded from scientific analysis. How does one analyze that which is "above nature"?
@AcidWacker Everyone tries to find meaning in suffering. Everyone hopes in something. As Christians, we believe that we have the best, most satisfying answer to the question of evil in the person of Jesus Christ, who suffers with us, in us and for us.
@Sarusource Ah, now we're getting somewhere. First, bear in mind that you are critiquing not Aquinas' third way, which I previously mentioned, but his second way. Nevertheless, it's an important critique. Notice, please, that the premise is "everything in nature has a cause", not everything without qualification. So everything in the universe, everything that can be observed, measured, manipulated, etc. God (i.e. the uncaused cause, unmoved mover, etc.) does not fall into this category.
@adstanra It's somewhat ironic (but not really) that it's the religious people in this situation that are most willing to follow the evidence wherever it leads, while the secular people scramble to find alternative explanations based on their prior philosophical/theological commitments, which often involves ignoring or playing down the evidence. Why does God allow possession? To manifest His power and love when the victim is eventually delivered from the enemy. No demon is stronger than our God.
@Sarusource Do I personally have the doctors reports? No, of course not. Only the doctors and their patients would have access to these, as with any medical records. I just know that the Church requires (not suggests, but requires) the collaboration of psychologists and physicians in the exorcism rite. This you can't possibly deny.
@Sarusource You demonstrate my point. No doubt the early Christians (and ancient people generally, for that matter) had a necessarily primitive cosmology. But is it fair to retroactively judge them according to our modern scientific standards? And even if it were, what one understood about cosmology and what one believed about theology are two different things. Early (and modern) Christians understood God to be omnipresent, and "heaven" to be that spiritual state of eternal beatitude with Him.
@adstanra I would say the command of Jesus is what keeps the demons from finding another host. It's not a matter of historical content "vs" metaphorical content, either with the Bible or with any other text. The two can and frequently do coexist. In the Catholic tradition, there are "two senses of Scripture: the literal and the spiritual, the latter being subdivided into the allegorical, moral and anagogical senses" (Catechism 115). I think your reading is an accurate one as well.
Possessions are a phenomenon many cultures and religions across the world and throughout history have recognized. Often they were just people with mental disorders, or scapegoats for community misfortune, but are there invisible entities out there who are not so nice? Absolutely.
@Sarusource The argument is not meant to impress; it is meant to illuminate. Granted, theists may accept the argument because they are predisposed to do so, but that doesn't exactly address the argument, does it? The argument anticipates the infinite regress objection. There's a buried "reductio ad absurdum" there, which is actually used to support the conclusion. That's a very well-constructed argument on Aquinas' part.
IN spite of living in a pretty materialist society and in spite of the (very sad) efforts of the 'new atheists' to convert people to their religion of a mechanistic-naturalist philosophy, most people are still seeking spirituality. The need for spirituality is ever increasing. True, organized religions, including the Church are suffering somewhat from diminishing numbers, at least in the west, yet more and more people seek spiritual truths (often in the wrong place... but that's another story)
@adstanra I assert that philosophy can answer this. You ask, why should there be nothing? The answer: Nothing in nature is necessary in itself, since it is possible for everything not to be. If nothing in nature is necessary in itself, then even now nothing would exist, since that which exists only exists because of things which exist prior to it. Therefore, there must be something, outside of nature, which has of itself its own necessity and causes the necessity of everything in nature.
Only 2 things sacred me in the Exorcist- the sudden appearance of the demonic face and that scraping sound in the attic. The opening sequence in Iraq, however, is sublime.
@Jugglable ...and actually, I guess it did the same for the doubting priest in the film. When he screams at the demon "take me!" he is acknowledging that what's going on is real and that he does believe in the reality of the possession now.
I hate to nitpick, but Father Karras throws himself out and tries to kill himself, and with it, the evil demon that has possessed him. Father Barron here says that he is "thrown out".
Fr. Karras is thrown out, even if it looks like he throws himself out of the window -- because he's possessed, the demons act from within him and control his body.
Bishop Barron used an expression from the Holy Bible, which was Jesus Christ at John 12:31 saying: "Now is the judgment of this world, now shall the ruler of this world (Satan) be cast out;
I agree that he does throw himself out the window. The movie ends on a very tragic note if you think about it; Father Karras is possessed by the demon however his last willful act is to leap to his death. He knew what it meant if he willingly killed himself, but chose to do it so that he could cast the demon back to Hell though it meant he would be going with it. It's got me thinking about the demonic nature of a lot of the mass shootings recently and why a lot of these mass shooters tend to kill themselves afterwards. It denies them any possible chance at forgiveness and any kind of redemption.
@Sarusource As you rightly point out, the Creationist movement is largely modern, American, and Protestant. I don't think we can put those views on the Catholic Church! The Church's official position on Genesis is that, while there are surely factual elements (e.g. the common ancestry of humanity), we are not, and never have been, bound to a literalistic interpretation. It is surely allegorical; Eden represents the state of original innocence and beatitude with God. Actual place? Not important.
@3rosesred Most priests are in some way trained, if not at the very least informed, upon certain measures that can be taken when faces with a demonic manifestation and every Christian being part of a royal priesthood of Christ would do well in learning defensive measures as well.
@tario26 Thanks for the response ☺. From that quote a person couldn't say that there is only one person by the name of 'father.' ("yet have ye not MANY fathers")You could say that there are very few though. If you read from v14-17 you will notice that Paul refers to others as his sons twice: “I write not these things to shame you, but as my beloved sons I warn you” v14. And again in v17,”for this cause have I sent unto you Temotheus, who is my beloved son.” (KJV)
@Sarusource I think that some scientists (and more people who would like to think they're scientists) take this attitude, not recognizing the limits of their respective disciplines. Science overflows into Scientism as a philosophical default. But I certainly don't generalize in this regard. (The disparaging quote is commonly attributed to Einstein, by the way.)
@Sarusource Look, put another way: we cannot produce any argument that proves the existence of God "in se"; if we could, He would cease to be God. We can, however, prove that things like an unmoved mover, an uncaused cause, that which has of itself its own necessity, etc. must exist logically. In this manner we can triangulate the question. So, while we admit (indeed, insist) that belief in God is super-rational, it is manifestly not irrational, as so many supposedly "scientific" people propose.
@adstanra Because that would violate medical research ethics. Informed consent would be questionable and more often than not, victims and their families opt for confidentiality (which is why the Church has adopted a universal confidentiality rule for exorcisms). Also, the phenomenon is rare enough to make it virtually impossible to get a good sample. All this in addition to the fact that these studies can only confirm the physical symptom, not the spiritual cause.
True Christians have a subconscious duty to sacrifice, at any cost. I hope you were not inferring it is a noble obligation reserved to Priests. Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis explains this accurately. So do the Twelve Step Programs as developed / designed after St. Ignatius..Humility.Amen.
When we are baptized with the chrism oil we become the chosen (messiah). In the Old Testament the offices of the messiah were: prophet, priest and King. We are called to live that way our whole lives. What is a priest anyways? One that brings divinity and humanity together. Are we not called in our everyday lives to do that?
I have not been adopted Catholically. My best friends were O.M.I. and Franciscan that walked me into sobriety 6.5 years ago. I am so grateful for the rich Faith of Catholicism. A.A. was the solution. I will do anything for anyone at any time, including standing corrected. God Bless to all. Amen.
+sundevilification you don't have learn everything in one day. You have a life time to learn about Catholicism. Yet begin with faith, then the beauty of Christ, his saints and then move into dogma. The Gospel changes you and you are in for a journey. A journey where you are Juliet and the living God is Romeo.
@AcidWacker Well, the biggest one is the Resurrection, based on the witness of the Gospels. Now, we cannot write off the credibility of the Gospels merely because they are religious texts. They were written by or with the collaboration of eyewitnesses to the events. There is also corroboration across the four canonical Gospels. Further, many of these same eye-witnesses (hundreds in all), chose to die rather than deny what they has seen (i.e. dead Jesus followed by living Jesus).
Fr. Barron, I recommend another movie written (and directed by) WP Blatty: "The Ninth Configuration." Gloriously low budget with great acting and dialogue. Not horror by any means .Lots for the viewer to chew on. Or if you want the daylights scared out of you, try "Exorcist 3" written and directed by WPB from his novel "Legion." Although the ending is a bit of a letdown, it's a heck of a ride along the way. A cult favorite of horror buffs.Skip "Exorcist 2." "3" is the real sequel.
How could anyone who becomes an ordained priest like the one in the movie doubt the existence of the demons ? Mind boggling. Did not the Lord sent out his disciples to cast out demons... Did not Paul cast out evil spirirts? Even our BLESSED Lord was casting out demons into the pigs. Our priest must have been sleeling through the seminary.
@adstanra What, may I ask, is your understanding of the Church's teaching authority? Where does it come from? How does it work? To what does it apply? Do you suppose that there is no method for verification for the Church's doctrinal pronouncements?
@adstanra We don't attempt to explain it; we trust that He has the answer. Whence the need for salvation? Well, if you're a child with smallpox, you need salvation from that, at least. We are all are subject to sickness and death, so we need salvation from these. We are also subject to self-destructive choices (i.e. sin), so we need salvation from this. If we are subject to these things, it is because we are broken. God intends to restore us to wholeness. The Resurrection is a promise of this.
@Sarusource Have I directly seen possession myself? No, I have not. I trust the Church here. Still, let us not consider this as an obstacle to belief in itself. After all, we rely upon witnesses all the time. If a man were convicted of murder by a jury that relied on the testimony of witnesses (several of them experts in their fields), you and I may well assume that the murderer was, in fact, guilty. Thus also with possession. Who is guilty in this case? The jury has spoken.
The priest who is holding the cross in the picture i see him here in the philippines lastyear i dont know why he is looking at me he is near in the hospital in lipa.and i said to myself he is look familiar.and now i see it here again in youtube i want to know the name of the priest
Just out of curiosity, have you ever read Fr. Amorth's books "An Exorcist tells his story" and the sequel to that book? I think you would really enjoy reading them if you had time. Personally, I think you would make a fine exorcist because you show compassion for the suffering through your talk about the priesthood and its mission to heal the sick. Another curious question, if one day your bishop asks you to exorcize, would you accept?
@Sarusource Explosives was meant to refer to a product of science. My point is that those who make explosives without proper knowledge are to be blamed themselves (mostly), as I think are probably most of those who perform exceptionally cruel exorcisms, as they are likely not entirely mentally stable. Non the less, I do agree with you that it's irresponsible to promote exorcism, in any form, even the mild form that Baron professes.
@PanDa46fluffpot I think you're onto something here, though I might cast it in different terms. I would say that inordinate or excessive fear of the devil, as indicated by the exorcism genre, is a sign of an immature and shallow spirituality, whereas fear of the Lord, properly considered, is a sign of a mature and deep spirituality.
@Nemesis000000 That's too simple. The Church fully acknowledges the legitimacy of physical and psychologcial explanations in 99.8% of cases. But then there's that disturbing .2%. The exhibition of super-human strength, the possession of hidden knowledge, and the employment of foreign languages that the person has no business knowing. Those are much harder to explain.
I know your serious when you got that finger raised an the mouth half open in the thumbnail.
You arguing with your self?
@tario26 Just curious: what do you call your biological father, especially when referring to him in the third person? I'm kind of amazed how many people seem to take the Lord's words in this regard literally. What he meant was that we should acknowledge that we have one heavenly father. In regard to the films, I don't see how you think a movie like The Exorcist is glorifying the devil. It is in fact showing his wickedness and the necessity of fighting him.
I love how many comments you respond to father. You are truly doing God’s work. You have inspired me, especially as I grapple with living in such an atheist and secular state.
Ah yes, you're sarcasm detector is indeed working! Friend, the Catholic Church is hyper-careful about exorcism, requiring four very clear criteria to be present before a bishop would even think of giving permission to perform the ritual. There are indeed charlatans in this area, but they're not Catholic. As to whether people can be possessed by a wicked spirit, I would urge you to keep an open mind and look at the evidence. Don't be so dogmatic.
Bishop Robert Barron With respect Father Barron, in my experience charlatans in this area (and other areas) are present within ALL denominations of the church.
In your own words, "Don't be so dogmatic."
thank you Bishop Barron for fighting in this new battle ground !
@@SARAHjumpforjoy If one happens to be a Catholic charlatan, then by definition, he is not Catholic precisely because he is a charlatan! The distinction to be made is that being labeled within a tradition doesn't necessarily mean you are authentically a participant in the tradition.
Thanks for that even-handed and ecumenically sensitive comment!
Dear Bishop Barron is there anyway or any possibilty common Catholics like me can expel a demon through prayer without the help of a priest somehow?
@adstanra Believe me when I tell you that every one of those questions is asked and asked again before a priest would commence, with his bishop's permission, an exorcism. The Church has long been aware of the problems here. The four classical signs have to be in place before an exorcism would ever be allowed.
@adstanra That's way too sharp a distinction. 95% of what you know scientifically, you know through appeal to authority. You have personally verified very little of what you claiim to know about the world. The vast majority of it has been received from a long interpretive tradition.
@00zzzyy Friend, I have no memory of deleting your comment. There might have been a glitch.
Your insights make me love my faith more and more, and understand more with each one of your talks.
There is a heck of a lot more evidence for demonic possession than for Bigfoot! Take a look in a number of books written by experienced exorcists. And I mean that you, like a lot of moderns, labor under the weight of an anti-supernatural prejudice. Drop that dogma and keep an open mind.
Really?
Thank-you Father Barron, really enjoy your videos. I love The Exorcist, and your assessment of it was wonderful! very spiritual film, keep up the great work with your channel!
I agree with your excellent assessment of these movies Father Barron. "The Exorcist" is a truly terrifying movie that indeed conveys the reality of the spiritual realm. I've come to view possession as an isolated epitome of the spiritual battle in which all Christians are engaged. "The Rite" was a bad movie, but the book was excellent. Very theological and very readable. I also highly recommend the books "Hostage to The Devil" by Malachi Martin and "The Dark Sacrament" by David Kiely and Christina McKenna.
The devil and demons are real. They had me by the throat once upon a time. I was a worldly soul before that person died. I now attend daily Mass, Captain of our Adoration Society of the Blessed Sacrament, a member of the Legion of Mary and in formation for the Third Order of Carmel. If God is for us, who can be against us?
The Exorcist is one of my favorite films because of the deep spiritual nature that lies at it's heart. I found the spiritual journey of the younger priest from doubt to heroic belief to be particularly moving being a doubter myself, while Father Damien's steadfast love for the unlovable to be one of the finest positive portrayals of the ideal of Catholic priesthood. Actually, make that a portrayal of the standard by which every Christian would treat others.
@CitizenAtheist We have audio tapes and detailed written records of the exorcisms. Look them up sometime. And the church, as I've explained over and over, holds that demonic possession is an extremely rare phenomenon and that 99.8% of those who claim to be possessed are in fact physically or mentally ill.
so it's all right that some of the priests I know are my hero's. I understand a little bit better..
THE RITE, the book by Matt Baglio (which the film is loosely based on), is excellent. I did not see the movie version. THE EXORCIST itself is one of my favorite films. People look at me funny when I tell them I love that film. The original novel by William Peter Blatty (who also wrote the screenplay and produced the films) is a surpassingly good read.
St. Ignatius of Loyola also talked about that emptiness when he started his conversion. Trust in God, now that you have seen what youve seen, and persevere. Idk if you are a Catholic. If yes, you got all the Sacraments to help you.God Bless you. I will pray for you
@adstanra Because the term was used much more broadly in the first century to include things that we would recognize as physical or mental illness. We use the phrase "demonic possession" now in a much more restricted way.
His Excellency, Bishop Robert Barron does have a good and valid point. The forces of evil are not to be underestimated at all. The best way to defeat the forces of evil is by the power of prayer. Particularly the Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin, The Chaplet of Saint Michael the Archangel, the Chaplet of Divine Mercy and praying a variety of novenas. Including Praying Liturgy of the Hours and the celebration of the Catholic mass. So as a Catholic Christian and a Knight of Columbus, I know very well that the forces of evil are alive and well. And I must be vigilant and alert.
About supernatural; there are things and "things" or experiences that cannot be explained, but cannot be denied. ♥
Rather than a "horror movie", as many would categorize it, The Exorcist is a great movie of Faith. The book is even better. The depiction of one doctor after another(and Fr. Karas himself) trying to explain what's happening in scientific terms rather than accept the obvious is depicted in even greater detail and approaches high comedy. In Karas's case it's a dark night of the soul and a demonic attack. In some ways it's like Lord of the Rings--reaching victory and Faith through darkness. Fr. Merrin is a Gandalf-like character while Karas is somewhat like Frodo. Exorcisms aren't fantasy though. They're very real. Great commentary, Bishop Barron and rest in peace, William Peter Blatty.
Father Barron, Great Videos... Over the past 6 months, I've been watching different ones that spark my interest, but only recently have I found the true fruit of your work and that would be your active participation in discussions with people who disagree with Catholic Doctrine. Now I revisit the videos and make sure to read your comments defending your position.
You should check out the BBC miniseries called Apparitions if you haven't already. It's on Netflix streaming.
Intelligent and inspired as usual Fr. Baron. God bless you and your family.
here's a piece of advice from a priest. a good, honest confession is worth more than an exorcism. i dont speak to the truth of that or not. i'm not a priest. but is sounds like good advice.
As I have understood, from Father Ripperger, yes, in some cases. This doesn’t mean all cases of possession. Father Malachi talks about some of his poor souls having had years..even upwards of ten years, of exorcism prayer..and perhaps, also confession. It just all depends on the strength of the demon/s, as to how long they will stay..and let’s be real..how long God will allow them to stay. Every demo;knows the time, the hour and the day it will be purged back in to hell.
Thank you Fr. Barron, you are certainly a fertile ground of interesting truth.
@Nemesis000000 Sure, the vast majority of the time. But how do you explain a small child who suddenly begins to speak medieval Latin?
“The Exorcist” does reveal the supernatural, but as the dark side of the collective unconscious. The movie doesn’t dismiss psychology or religion; it gives depth to the true psychological landscape with its inevitable archetypal manifestations.
The Church is hyper about this topic, and rightly so. It is not fun and games for anyone involved and if they make the wrong call, people get hurt-physically, mentally and spiritually. The fact is that there are a number of medical doctors- of all specialties, not to mention other scientists, that have witnessed this. Across cultures and religions. As one doctor stated, "it's hard not to believe when someone is levitating and no one can figure out why."
I truly admire your work Father
I'm so glad you talked about the Exorcist. One of the Greatest Films of all time and definitely the greatest Horror film of all time. Today's horror has no idea what it's doing. Exorcist Movies today always use The Exorcist as a Bench Mark. Also, one of the few films that has Catholic priests in a positive light.
@BreakingButterfIies Not so! The four classical signs are offered as evidence of possession. And their simultaeous presence is extremely rare--which is why legitimately sanctioned exorcisms are extremely rare.
@BreakingButterfIies One of the cases that provided the basis for the Exorcist novel took place in St. Louis and was tape-recorded.
Father Barron dropped the ball on this one. The central theme of this movie is that you must obey your mother. Father Karras disobeys his mother by having her go to insane assylum and so his mother curses him in her ethnic language. This is why the devil kills Father Karras and drags him to hell, it is his punishment from his mother's curse. Father Karras was no hero in the movie. He was a fool and disobedient to his mother and the penalty was him going to hell for all eternity.
@Sarusource No apology necessary. I enjoyed our conversation. I will pray for your safety.
@Sarusource You raise an important point: I don't think that the Church does stand to gain so much "validation" were demons/demonic possession "proven" to be real phenomena. There is much, much else that lends credibility to the authority of the Church. Now authority in itself is a matter of faith; I trust that it is within the capacity of the Church to teach truthfully on all matters moral and spiritual. However, the fact is that the Church's teaching is completely consonant with reason.
In his famous book, An Exorcist tells his story, Fr. Gabriel Amorth discusses the different types of diabolical activities, their symptoms, & origins. One origin which is mentioned in the book & also seen in The Exorcist movie is the use of Ouija Boards. Reagan's mother finds it & asks Reagan about it. The movie suggests she has been playing with it for a while, albeit Parker Bros sells Ouija boards. So I believe Demonic Activity is higher than we would like to believe.
You should see the movie Stigmata. Brilliant, in my view.
God bless you Bishop.
Peace!
So David John--why do you care? If you're an atheist it's all nonsense to you, so why worry?
The best and the best and the best bishop Barron speech very very, I have huge interest to watching his all videos we need more
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@halflifeproductionz Not exactly. Take a look at some of the authentically chilling accounts of real exorcisms.
I have still never yet seen this movie. I appreciate your wonderful review, Father. Max Von Sydow also played Our Lord in the 1964 movie, The Greatest Story Ever Told. That was why I loved that he was in this movie.
As you may know, the true story that The Exorcist book was based on happened in Mt Rainier, Maryland, when William Peter Blatty was a student at Georgetown. He read about it in the Washington Post. That's where he got the idea for the book.
@Sarusource I insist that the argument stands, based on reason alone. Nature itself suggests an infinite regress, and yet we know this to be a logical impossibility (hence the "reductio"). A first cause is, by definition, one.
@krunkmasterj You have a point to an extent, because yes it does deal with natural laws, but you forget this - R = (0,1,2) is our known 3 dimensions, what we know as visible space. the reason why we only speculate that there is R = (0,1,2,3,4) etc is because this vibrates faster then what the eye can percieve (visible spectrum of light) which I personally believe, draws it into the realm of the "Supernatural" which in latin means "Above nature/the natural"
You said the priest "was thrown" out of the window. But I thought he thew himself out to get rid of the demon.
Blatty, who wrote the exorcist book/film, said the real story of the exorcism it was based on brought life back to his faith when he was a doubting student at Georgetown. It does the same for me. Exorcism reminds there's a supernatural reality we can only glimpse but we are still forced to confront it. It may be evil but it strengthens my faith in God.
I saw The Exorcist when I was a teenager and it scared the absolute shit out of me and affected me for years to come.
What a great analysis of this old masterpiece!
@goldenram27 Just briefly: 1) I haven't been speaking of the first cause argument but of the argument from possibility and necessity, neither of which have ever been refuted to my satisfaction. 2) It is important to remember that no single argument of Aquinas' (or any argument) is sufficient in itself to demonstrate God's existence; that's why we have many. Further, Aquinas never suggests that a single argument could. 3) No one reasons his way to God; faith seeks understanding, not vice versa.
my dad's english teacher at mcquaid jesuit high school was father bill o'malley, who played father dyer, karras' best friend in the movie.
@Sarusource As far as Galileo goes, he was disciplined (albeit wrongly) for doing exactly what scientists today do: extrapolating a theological conclusion from empirico-scientific evidence (claiming that the scriptures had erred in positing a heliocentric universe, which, as I say, was never their intent). The Church never denied his scientific claims, but did correct his overreaching theological claim.
@TeutonicJoe Fr. Karras did not lose his soul to the demon. He lured the demon out of Regan and threw himself out the window to spare her further torment. It was a case of "laying down one's life for a friend." As for Jesus "instantly" removing demons, he is God after all. But he explained that for men, some demons can be cast out only by prayer and fasting. (Matt 17:15, 20; Mk 9:27-28). Finally, a demon does not possess a soul but a body; thus possession without more does not imperil the soul.
Great analysis, Father Barron.
THanks father. I read a report of a New York psychiatrist who is consulted in these strange and rare events. What he and witnesses describe is not just chilling , but with no natural explanation. The contemporary dogmatic materialism on the philosophical level itself seems dogmatic and with most , a varitey of nouveau superstition, like scientism. Thanks for the excellent work.
Very insightful, Father. Thank you.
@Sarusource Agreed, the ancients were incorrect about many things. But the Christian belief in the inerrancy of scripture does not oblige us to a literalistic interpretation, precisely because the value of the scriptures was and is precisely as religious texts, and the intent of their authors was the conveyance of philosophical/theological truths. In other words, Genesis was never meant to be a biology text. So I don't think that science and demonic possession bump as much as you might think.
@AcidWacker I think you deal with a very important and complicated philosophical question quite carelessly here. Perhaps THE philosophical question: If God were omniscient, He would know about it; if He were omnipotent, He could do something about it; and if He were all-loving, He would do something about it. I think the first two premises hold up quite well; it is the third that I would challenge. Would a good father prevent his son from the dangers of auto accidents by never letting him drive?
@Batman1047ca Because there are these strange cases of ordinary people who exhibit the four classical signs of possession.
@BreakingButterflies No need to be sarcastic; if you read my reply you'd notice I said I was a doubter, and still am in many ways. Whether a fictional work or a work based on truth, the story resonated with me because both men gave their lives to save a child who was repulsive, "the least of these", to put it kindly, and in doing so, one fulfilled his priesthood and the other found his lost faith. The headspinning etc was the construct of the story, not the story itself.
@CitizenAtheist Oh really? Read the transcripts of the cases upon which Blatty based his novel The Exorcist. Or talk to someone seriously involved in the work. "There are more things in heaven and earth than are dreamed of in your philosophies," Mr. Atheist.
@adstanra Well, the pigs drown, not the demons, who are bereft of anything to possess, in any case. You raise a good point about the pigs being ritually unclean. I think that the story is factual on one level, but also metaphorical on another level; the pigs represent the basic incompatibility of evil with good (hence the express request to be sent into the "unclean" pigs) as well as the self-destructive nature of evil (hence the pigs running over the cliff).
@Sarusource "Scientism" is the philosophical position that everything that man can know can only be known through the physical sciences. This position is self-defeating, because it is arrived at by philosophical means. The converse is that there are some things that can be known by other means, namely, through Philosophy (and its cousin Theology). I would suggest that the supernatural, by definition, is precluded from scientific analysis. How does one analyze that which is "above nature"?
@AcidWacker Everyone tries to find meaning in suffering. Everyone hopes in something. As Christians, we believe that we have the best, most satisfying answer to the question of evil in the person of Jesus Christ, who suffers with us, in us and for us.
Just imagine the EPICNESS OF JESUS CHRIST in a situation like this. With the words "leave this girl" he could expell evil!
@Sarusource Ah, now we're getting somewhere. First, bear in mind that you are critiquing not Aquinas' third way, which I previously mentioned, but his second way. Nevertheless, it's an important critique. Notice, please, that the premise is "everything in nature has a cause", not everything without qualification. So everything in the universe, everything that can be observed, measured, manipulated, etc. God (i.e. the uncaused cause, unmoved mover, etc.) does not fall into this category.
@adstanra It's somewhat ironic (but not really) that it's the religious people in this situation that are most willing to follow the evidence wherever it leads, while the secular people scramble to find alternative explanations based on their prior philosophical/theological commitments, which often involves ignoring or playing down the evidence. Why does God allow possession? To manifest His power and love when the victim is eventually delivered from the enemy. No demon is stronger than our God.
@Sarusource Do I personally have the doctors reports? No, of course not. Only the doctors and their patients would have access to these, as with any medical records. I just know that the Church requires (not suggests, but requires) the collaboration of psychologists and physicians in the exorcism rite. This you can't possibly deny.
@Sarusource You demonstrate my point. No doubt the early Christians (and ancient people generally, for that matter) had a necessarily primitive cosmology. But is it fair to retroactively judge them according to our modern scientific standards? And even if it were, what one understood about cosmology and what one believed about theology are two different things. Early (and modern) Christians understood God to be omnipresent, and "heaven" to be that spiritual state of eternal beatitude with Him.
@adstanra I would say the command of Jesus is what keeps the demons from finding another host. It's not a matter of historical content "vs" metaphorical content, either with the Bible or with any other text. The two can and frequently do coexist. In the Catholic tradition, there are "two senses of Scripture: the literal and the spiritual, the latter being subdivided into the allegorical, moral and anagogical senses" (Catechism 115). I think your reading is an accurate one as well.
Possessions are a phenomenon many cultures and religions across the world and throughout history have recognized. Often they were just people with mental disorders, or scapegoats for community misfortune, but are there invisible entities out there who are not so nice? Absolutely.
@Sarusource The argument is not meant to impress; it is meant to illuminate. Granted, theists may accept the argument because they are predisposed to do so, but that doesn't exactly address the argument, does it? The argument anticipates the infinite regress objection. There's a buried "reductio ad absurdum" there, which is actually used to support the conclusion. That's a very well-constructed argument on Aquinas' part.
IN spite of living in a pretty materialist society and in spite of the (very sad) efforts of the 'new atheists' to convert people to their religion of a mechanistic-naturalist philosophy, most people are still seeking spirituality.
The need for spirituality is ever increasing. True, organized religions, including the Church are suffering somewhat from diminishing numbers, at least in the west, yet more and more people seek spiritual truths (often in the wrong place... but that's another story)
Thanks father! 😄
@adstanra I assert that philosophy can answer this. You ask, why should there be nothing? The answer: Nothing in nature is necessary in itself, since it is possible for everything not to be. If nothing in nature is necessary in itself, then even now nothing would exist, since that which exists only exists because of things which exist prior to it. Therefore, there must be something, outside of nature, which has of itself its own necessity and causes the necessity of everything in nature.
Only 2 things sacred me in the Exorcist- the sudden appearance of the demonic face and that scraping sound in the attic. The opening sequence in Iraq, however, is sublime.
@Jugglable ...and actually, I guess it did the same for the doubting priest in the film. When he screams at the demon "take me!" he is acknowledging that what's going on is real and that he does believe in the reality of the possession now.
@wordonfirevideo
What are the "four classical signs" and how do you know they indicate a demon?
I hate to nitpick, but Father Karras throws himself out and tries to kill himself, and with it, the evil demon that has possessed him. Father Barron here says that he is "thrown out".
Fr. Karras is thrown out, even if it looks like he throws himself out of the window -- because he's possessed, the demons act from within him and control his body.
Bishop Barron used an expression from the Holy Bible, which was Jesus Christ at John 12:31 saying: "Now is the judgment of this world, now shall the ruler of this world (Satan) be cast out;
I agree that he does throw himself out the window. The movie ends on a very tragic note if you think about it; Father Karras is possessed by the demon however his last willful act is to leap to his death. He knew what it meant if he willingly killed himself, but chose to do it so that he could cast the demon back to Hell though it meant he would be going with it. It's got me thinking about the demonic nature of a lot of the mass shootings recently and why a lot of these mass shooters tend to kill themselves afterwards. It denies them any possible chance at forgiveness and any kind of redemption.
@@WordBearer86 He receives reconciliation right before he dies by another priest, so he is redeemed.
@Sarusource As you rightly point out, the Creationist movement is largely modern, American, and Protestant. I don't think we can put those views on the Catholic Church! The Church's official position on Genesis is that, while there are surely factual elements (e.g. the common ancestry of humanity), we are not, and never have been, bound to a literalistic interpretation. It is surely allegorical; Eden represents the state of original innocence and beatitude with God. Actual place? Not important.
@3rosesred
Most priests are in some way trained, if not at the very least informed, upon certain measures that can be taken when faces with a demonic manifestation and every Christian being part of a royal priesthood of Christ would do well in learning defensive measures as well.
A Confession is better than an Exorcism. Getting the guilty sin off your heart and forgiven prevents the devil from entering into you.
@tario26 Thanks for the response ☺. From that quote a person couldn't say that there is only one person by the name of 'father.' ("yet have ye not MANY fathers")You could say that there are very few though. If you read from v14-17 you will notice that Paul refers to others as his sons twice: “I write not these things to shame you, but as my beloved sons I warn you” v14. And again in v17,”for this cause have I sent unto you Temotheus, who is my beloved son.” (KJV)
@Sarusource I think that some scientists (and more people who would like to think they're scientists) take this attitude, not recognizing the limits of their respective disciplines. Science overflows into Scientism as a philosophical default. But I certainly don't generalize in this regard. (The disparaging quote is commonly attributed to Einstein, by the way.)
@Sarusource Look, put another way: we cannot produce any argument that proves the existence of God "in se"; if we could, He would cease to be God. We can, however, prove that things like an unmoved mover, an uncaused cause, that which has of itself its own necessity, etc. must exist logically. In this manner we can triangulate the question. So, while we admit (indeed, insist) that belief in God is super-rational, it is manifestly not irrational, as so many supposedly "scientific" people propose.
@adstanra Because that would violate medical research ethics. Informed consent would be questionable and more often than not, victims and their families opt for confidentiality (which is why the Church has adopted a universal confidentiality rule for exorcisms). Also, the phenomenon is rare enough to make it virtually impossible to get a good sample. All this in addition to the fact that these studies can only confirm the physical symptom, not the spiritual cause.
This was so great!!
True Christians have a subconscious duty to sacrifice, at any cost. I hope you were not inferring it is a noble obligation reserved to Priests. Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis explains this accurately. So do the Twelve Step Programs as developed / designed after St. Ignatius..Humility.Amen.
When we are baptized with the chrism oil we become the chosen (messiah). In the Old Testament the offices of the messiah were: prophet, priest and King. We are called to live that way our whole lives. What is a priest anyways? One that brings divinity and humanity together. Are we not called in our everyday lives to do that?
Andres Ortiz Concurr. Concurr wholeheartedly. Thank you, sir.
I have not been adopted Catholically. My best friends were O.M.I. and Franciscan that walked me into sobriety 6.5 years ago. I am so grateful for the rich Faith of Catholicism. A.A. was the solution. I will do anything for anyone at any time, including standing corrected. God Bless to all. Amen.
+sundevilification you don't have learn everything in one day. You have a life time to learn about Catholicism. Yet begin with faith, then the beauty of Christ, his saints and then move into dogma. The Gospel changes you and you are in for a journey. A journey where you are Juliet and the living God is Romeo.
Tanto Mejor. Gracias.
@AcidWacker Well, the biggest one is the Resurrection, based on the witness of the Gospels. Now, we cannot write off the credibility of the Gospels merely because they are religious texts. They were written by or with the collaboration of eyewitnesses to the events. There is also corroboration across the four canonical Gospels. Further, many of these same eye-witnesses (hundreds in all), chose to die rather than deny what they has seen (i.e. dead Jesus followed by living Jesus).
Fr. Barron, I recommend another movie written (and directed by) WP Blatty: "The Ninth Configuration." Gloriously low budget with great acting and dialogue. Not horror by any means .Lots for the viewer to chew on. Or if you want the daylights scared out of you, try "Exorcist 3" written and directed by WPB from his novel "Legion." Although the ending is a bit of a letdown, it's a heck of a ride along the way. A cult favorite of horror buffs.Skip "Exorcist 2." "3" is the real sequel.
How could anyone who becomes an ordained priest like the one in the movie doubt the existence of the demons ? Mind boggling.
Did not the Lord sent out his disciples to cast out demons...
Did not Paul cast out evil spirirts? Even our BLESSED Lord was casting out demons into the pigs.
Our priest must have been sleeling through the seminary.
@adstanra What, may I ask, is your understanding of the Church's teaching authority? Where does it come from? How does it work? To what does it apply? Do you suppose that there is no method for verification for the Church's doctrinal pronouncements?
What do you do when people accuse you of being possesssed?
Pray Rosary for them
@adstanra We don't attempt to explain it; we trust that He has the answer. Whence the need for salvation? Well, if you're a child with smallpox, you need salvation from that, at least. We are all are subject to sickness and death, so we need salvation from these. We are also subject to self-destructive choices (i.e. sin), so we need salvation from this. If we are subject to these things, it is because we are broken. God intends to restore us to wholeness. The Resurrection is a promise of this.
Very good Father, the overly rational side of the West ( to me ) always troubled me, I really appreciate your exegis concerning this...
@Sarusource Have I directly seen possession myself? No, I have not. I trust the Church here. Still, let us not consider this as an obstacle to belief in itself. After all, we rely upon witnesses all the time. If a man were convicted of murder by a jury that relied on the testimony of witnesses (several of them experts in their fields), you and I may well assume that the murderer was, in fact, guilty. Thus also with possession. Who is guilty in this case? The jury has spoken.
Interesting review Father Barron
The priest who is holding the cross in the picture i see him here in the philippines lastyear i dont know why he is looking at me he is near in the hospital in lipa.and i said to myself he is look familiar.and now i see it here again in youtube i want to know the name of the priest
A very interesting and romantic notion. I like that. I don't know that I would completely agree... but I like it anyways.
Just out of curiosity, have you ever read Fr. Amorth's books "An Exorcist tells his story" and the sequel to that book? I think you would really enjoy reading them if you had time. Personally, I think you would make a fine exorcist because you show compassion for the suffering through your talk about the priesthood and its mission to heal the sick.
Another curious question, if one day your bishop asks you to exorcize, would you accept?
@Sarusource Explosives was meant to refer to a product of science. My point is that those who make explosives without proper knowledge are to be blamed themselves (mostly), as I think are probably most of those who perform exceptionally cruel exorcisms, as they are likely not entirely mentally stable.
Non the less, I do agree with you that it's irresponsible to promote exorcism, in any form, even the mild form that Baron professes.
@PanDa46fluffpot I think you're onto something here, though I might cast it in different terms. I would say that inordinate or excessive fear of the devil, as indicated by the exorcism genre, is a sign of an immature and shallow spirituality, whereas fear of the Lord, properly considered, is a sign of a mature and deep spirituality.
Dear Bishop please can you just comment on movie "Exorcism of God"