Exorcism

Exorcism (from Late Latin exorcismus, from Greek exorkizein - to bind by oath) is the practice of evicting demons or other spiritual entities from a person or place which they are believed to have possessed by causing the entity to swear an oath. The term became prominent in early Christianity from the early second century onward as the casting out of demons.^[1] Nevertheless, the practice is quite ancient and part of the belief system of many cultures and religions.

Contents 1 Abrahamic religions 1.1 Judaism 1.2 Christianity 1.3 Islam 2 Indian religions 2.1 Hinduism 2.2 Buddhism 3 Notable examples 4 Scientific view 5 Cultural references 6 Gallery 7 See also 8 References 9 Further reading 10 External links

Abrahamic religions

Judaism

In the time of Jesus, non-New Testament Jewish sources report of exorcisms done by administering drugs with poisonous root extracts or others by making sacrifices.^[2] They mention that exorcisms were done by the Essene branch of Judaism (Dead Sea Scrolls at Qumran).

Christianity

In Christianity, exorcisms are ostensibly performed using the power of Christ in the Name of Jesus or through prayer.

In Christian practice the person performing the exorcism, known as an exorcist, is often a member of the church, or an individual thought to be graced with special powers or skills. The exorcist may use prayers, and religious material, such as set formulas, gestures, symbols, icons, amulets, etc. The exorcist often invokes God, Jesus and/or several different angels and archangels to intervene with the exorcism.

In general, possessed persons are not regarded as evil in themselves, nor wholly responsible for their actions. Therefore, practitioners regard exorcism as more of a cure than a punishment. The mainstream rituals usually take this into account, making sure that there is no violence to the possessed, only that they be tied down if there is potential for violence.^[3]

Islam

In Islam, exorcism is made by reading some verses from the holy Quran which glorify God and invoke God's help. In some cases, the Azan (the call for daily prayers) is also read, as this has the effect of repelling non-angelic 'unseen beings'.

Indian religions

Hinduism

Beliefs and/or practices pertaining to the practice of exorcism are prominently connected with Hindus. Of the four Vedas (holy books of the Hindus), the Atharva Veda is said to contain the secrets related to magic and alchemy.^[4][5] Possession is one the siddhis (laghima) or psychic power acquired with asuterity, chastity or yogic sadhana in tantric tradition. Milarepa entered the body of his disciple Gampoba with this siddhi. These beliefs are particularly strong and practiced in West Bengal, Orissa and southern states like Kerala.

The basic means of exorcism are the mantra and the yajna used in both Vedic and Tantric traditions.

Vaishnava traditions also employ a recitation of names of Narasimha and reading scriptures (notably Bhagavata Purana) aloud. According to Gita Mahatmya of Padma Purana, reading the 3rd, 7th and 8th chapter of Bhagavad Gita and mentally offering the result to departed persons helps them to get released from their ghostly situation. Kirtan, continuous playing of mantras, keeping scriptures and holy pictures of the deities (Shiva,Vishnu,Brahma,Shakti e.t.c) (esp. of Narasimha) in the house, burning incense offered during a puja, sprinkling water from holy rivers, and blowing conches used in puja are other effective practices.

Main Puranic resource on ghost- and death-related information is Garuda Purana.

Buddhism

In Buddhism, exorcism exists depending on the Buddhist sect. Each differs from the other, some view it as metaphoric, or esoteric and even literal. Some Tibetan Buddhists view exorcism as being nothing more but a metaphoric symbolism to expel the negative thoughts and transform it into an enlightened mind.

Certain Buddhists believe in blessings, rather than exorcisms to rid themselves or property of negative thoughts and/or negative spirits.

Notable examples

• Salvador Dalí is reputed to have received an exorcism from Italian friar, Gabriele Maria Berardi, while he was in France in 1947. Dali created a sculpture of Christ on the cross that he gave the friar in thanks.^[6]

• Anneliese Michel was a Catholic woman from Germany who was said to be possessed by six or more demons and subsequently underwent an exorcism in 1975. Two motion pictures, The Exorcism of Emily Rose and Requiem are loosely based on Anneliese's story. There is also a documentary movie Exorcism of Anneliese Michel ^[7] (in Polish, but the English subtitles are also available) featuring the original audio tapes from the proceedings of exorcism.

• George Lukins

• A boy identified as Robbie Mannheim,^[8][9] was the subject of an exorcism in 1949, which became the chief inspiration for The Exorcist, a horror novel and film written by William Peter Blatty, who heard about the case while he was a student in the class of 1950 at Georgetown University. Robbie was taken into the care of Rev. Luther Miles Schulze, the boy's Lutheran pastor, after psychiatric and medical doctors were unable to explain the disturbing events associated with the teen; the minister then referred the boy to Rev. Edward Hughes, who performed the first exorcism on the teen.^[10] The subsequent exorcism was partially performed in both Cottage City, Maryland and Bel-Nor, Missouri^[11] by Father William S. Bowdern, S.J., Father Raymond Bishop S.J. and a then Jesuit scholastic Fr. Walter Halloran, S.J.^[12]

• Clara Germana Cele

• Michael Taylor

• Mother Teresa allegedly underwent an exorcism late in life under the direction of the Archbishop of Calcutta, Henry D'Souza, after he noticed she seemed to be extremely agitated in her sleep and feared she "might be under the attack of the evil one."^[13]

• An October 2007 mākutu lifting in the Wellington, New Zealand suburb of Wainuiomata led to the death of a woman and the hospitalization of a teen. After a long trial, five family members were convicted and sentenced to non-custodial sentences.^[14]

• Johann Blumhardt performed the exorcism of Gottliebin Dittus over a two year period in Möttlingen, Germany from 1842-1844. Pastor Blumhardt's parish subsequently experienced growth marked by confession and healing, which he attributed to the successful exorcism.^[15][16]

Scientific view

Demonic possession is not a valid psychiatric or medical diagnosis recognized by either the DSM-IV or the ICD-10. Those who profess a belief in demonic possession have sometimes ascribed the symptoms associated with mental illnesses such as hysteria, mania, psychosis, Tourette's syndrome, epilepsy, schizophrenia or dissociative identity disorder to possession.^[17][18][19] In cases of dissociative identity disorder in which the alter personality is questioned as to its identity, 29% are reported to identify themselves as demons.^[20] Additionally, there is a form of monomania called demonomania or demonopathy in which the patient believes that he or she is possessed by one or more demons.

The illusion that exorcism works on people experiencing symptoms of possession is attributed by some to placebo effect and the power of suggestion.^[21] Some supposedly possessed persons are actually narcissists or are suffering from low self-esteem and act like a "demon possessed person" in order to gain attention.^[17]

Nevertheless, Psychiatrist M. Scott Peck researched exorcisms (initially in an effort to disprove demonic possession), and claimed to have conducted two himself. He concluded that the Christian concept of possession was a genuine phenomenon. He derived diagnostic criteria somewhat differently from those used by the Roman Catholic Church. He also claimed to see differences in exorcism procedures and progression. After his experiences, and in an attempt to get his research validated, he attempted but failed to get the psychiatric community to add the definition of "Evil" to the DSMIV.^[22] Although Peck's earlier work was met with widespread popular acceptance, his work on the topics of evil and possession generated significant debate and derision. Much was made of his association with (and admiration for) the controversial Malachi Martin, a Roman Catholic priest and a former Jesuit, despite the fact that Peck consistently called Martin a liar and manipulator.^[23][24] Other criticisms leveled against Peck included misdiagnoses based upon a lack of knowledge regarding dissociative identity disorder (formerly known as multiple personality disorder), and claims that he had transgressed the boundaries of professional ethics by attempting to persuade his patients into accepting Christianity.^[23]

Cultural references

Exorcism has been a popular subject in fiction, especially horror.

• The Dybbuk (1914 play by S. Ansky)
• The Exorcist (1971 novel by William Peter Blatty; inspired by exorcism of Robbie Mannheim)
• The Exorcist (1973 film, and its sequels and prequels, were inspired by the exorcism of Robbie Mannheim and the Roman Catholic ritual of exorcism; based on the novels by William Peter Blatty).
• Repossessed (1990 comic movie starring Linda Blair and Leslie Nielsen)
• Days of Our Lives (1995 saw the first ever excorcism performed on a daytime soap opera)
• Stigmata (1999 film starring Patricia Arquette and Gabriel Bryne)
• Possessed (2000 film inspired by exorcism of Robbie Mannheim)
• Kya Dark Lineage (2003 video game)
• John Safran versus God, An episode of the 2004 Australian documentary series "John Safran versus God" containing a supposed exorcism of its host, John Safran.
• Supernatural (2005 television series)
• Constantine (2005 movie) is based on the DC/Vertigo comic book Hellblazer.
• The Exorcism of Emily Rose (2005 movie) was inspired by the Anneliese Michel case.
• A Haunting (2005 Discovery Channel TV series about reportedly true stories, many involving demons and exorcisms.)
• Requiem (2006 German-language movie by Hans-Christian Schmid) is based on the Anneliese Michel case.
• D.Gray-man (2006 Japanese animation series by Hoshino Katsura)
• Grudge 2 (2006 English movie based on the Japanese Ju-on series)
• Apparitions (2008 TV series)
• Soul Obsession, a 2007 novel by Amy Wolff Sorter, which has an account of a Jewish exorcism
• Boys Do Cry (2007 Family Guy episode about the town of Quahog trying to exorcise Stewie, forcing the family to leave Rhode Island)
• Michou d'Auber (2007 French movie)
• Penn & Teller: Bullshit! (Showtime TV series) Season 5, Episode 5 - "Exorcism", air date: April 19, 2007. Provides some skeptical commentary on the usefulness and scientific validity of exorcisms.
• El Orfanato (The Orphanage) (2008 movie directed by Juan Antonio Bayona and produced by Guillermo Del Toro)
• 1920 (2008 Bollywood movie)
• True Blood (2008 HBO television series)
• Paranormal State (2008 A&E TV series)
• The Last Exorcism" (2010 American mockumentary horror film about "a troubled evangelical minister who agrees to let his last exorcism be filmed by a documentary crew".)^[25]

Gallery

A boy possessed by a demon	The Canaanite woman's daughter	The Gerasenes demonic	At the Synagogue in Capernaum
Christ exorcising at sunset	The blind and mute man	Exorcising a mute	Saint Francis exorcised demons in Arezzo, in a depiction on a fresco by Giotto.

See also

• Exorcist
• Deliverance ministry
• International Association of Exorcists
• Kecak
• List of exorcists
• Yoruba religion
• Unborn
• Gay exorcism

References

Further reading

• William Baldwin, D.D.S., Ph.D., "Spirit Releasement Therapy". ISBN 1-882658-00-0. Practitioner & Instructor of Spirit Releasement Therapy, containing an extensive bibliography.
• Shakuntala Modi, M.D., "Remarkable Healings, A Psychiatrist Discovers Unsuspected Roots of Mental and Physical Illness." ISBN 1-57174-079-1 Gives cases, and statistical summaries of the kinds of maladies remedied by this therapy.
• Bobby Jindal, BEATING A DEMON: Physical Dimensions of Spiritual Warfare. (New Oxford Review, December 1994)
• Malachi Martin, Hostage to the Devil. ISBN 0-06-065337-X.
• M. Scott Peck, Glimpses of the Devil : A Psychiatrist's Personal Accounts of Possession, Exorcism, and Redemption. ISBN 0-7432-5467-8
• Max Heindel, The Web of Destiny (Chapter I - Part III: "The Dweller on the Threshold" Earth-Bound Spirits, Part IV: The "Sin Body"--Possession by Self-Made Deamons—Elementals, Part V: Obsession of Man and of Animals), ISBN 0-911274-17-0
• Frederick M Smith, The Self Possessed: Deity and Spirit Possession in South Asian Literature and Civilization. New York: Columbia University Press, 2006. ISBN 0-231-13748-6
• Gabriele Amorth, An Exorcist Tells His Story. San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 1999. Vatican's chief exorcist tells about Roman Catholic practice of exorcism with numerous anecdotes from his own experience.
• G. Paxia, The Devil's Scourge - Exorcism during the Italian Renaissance, Ed. WeiserBooks 2002.
• J McCarthy The Exorcists Handbook - Approaches the subject of Exorcism in a clear non religious manner. Golem Media Publishers Berkeley CA ISBN 978-1-933993-91-1

External links

• Bobby Jindal. BEATING A DEMON: Physical Dimensions of Spiritual Warfare. (New Oxford Review, December 1994)
•  "Exorcism". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. 1913. 
• Jewish Encyclopedia: Exorcism
• Encyclopedia Britannica: Exorcism
• Diocese of Worcester webpages on Ministry of Deliverance Anglican View
• Exorcism in the Orthodox Church