Catholic Church sets up an exorcist hotline

[MysticStrummer]

Sakari, what I said is that there are accounts of atheists being possessed and exorcised. That is true, there are stories in books and on websites, but no account I can possibly point you to could be taken as proof. It's not proof of possession. It's not proof of exorcism. It's not proof of anything, but neither are the things you post. Posting alternative mental illness related explanations doesn't disprove possession. Posting a list of exorcism deaths doesn't disprove exorcism. Neither side can claim to have proven their claim. I can only speak for myself, but your questioning the subject certainly doesn't make me mad. I just think it's puzzling that you believe you're proving anything. Also, quoting from one of the first websites that comes up when you google the subject just tells me you looked long enough to find something that backed up what you believe and then stopped looking.

[Sakari]

Sakari, what I said is that there are accounts of atheists being possessed and exorcised. That is true, there are stories in books and on websites, but no account I can possibly point you to could be taken as proof. It's not proof of possession. It's not proof of exorcism. It's not proof of anything, but neither are the things you post. Posting alternative mental illness related explanations doesn't disprove possession. Posting a list of exorcism deaths doesn't disprove exorcism. Neither side can claim to have proven their claim. I can only speak for myself, but your questioning the subject certainly doesn't make me mad. I just think it's puzzling that you believe you're proving anything. Also, quoting from one of the first websites that comes up when you google the subject just tells me you looked long enough to find something that backed up what you believe and then stopped looking.

A lot of people get confused over this. I ( and a lot of others here ) are not trying to " disprove " anything. It is not our job to prove something does not exist. It is the person, or peoples job to prove something they say or believe is true.

I ( and a lot of others ) give facts to Psychological issues.From journals, and / or proven diagnosis. Not just from opinion in books or websites.( and not usually the first thing found on google, by the way I use bing )

It would be very easy to go through anything that has real, verifiable facts, and put my own spin on it, saying that the professionals are wrong, especially if people had to prove I was wrong.

It is not a game of whom is wrong or right, it is asking people if they say something is fact, and not just belief, to back it up with evidence.

When it comes to anything that can ( and is ) a medical issue, I think it is important to remember this.

I am glad you do not get mad, as that is not my intent. As I have said a thousand times, if people would just say " this is what I believe, but can not prove it ", there would be little discussion at all. Maybe some " what makes you believe that " things, but no where near what happens when someone push's belief as fact.

I am not proving anything, I am just sharing facts with others that have not researched them, and have been using belief as fact. I also do it without name calling or blatant sarcasm on every reply. ( not saying you, a lot of people are guilty of it on both sides ) I am also able to see, I have seen plenty of people on this site, and others read topics from people and say " wow, thanks, I did not know that ". I myself used to go off of anything I read or heard, so from people doing as I and lot of other people do, I have educated myself, and found fact from belief.

Again, I am not trying to prove anything, and I hope this made it clear. I have explained this ( a lot of us have ) numerous times now. There are even topics on it.

As for quoting the first thing I googled......Who cares?.....I have posted so many things from journals, etc. on to many topics to name. I have spent who knows how long studying this topic. I posted what I thought was fitting for the reply. Would you have actually changed your mind if I had quoted the 123rd thing found on google instead of the first? If I were a Psychologist, I would just post my own facts. I am not, so I quote those whom are.

Edited December 2, 2012 by Sakari

[darkmoonlady]

Possession is something that has reached the level of popular culture and therefore the seeds of the idea are planted in the population such that when someone exhibits mental illness a small fraction are going to be called possessed. The reason they are called possessed has more to do with the belief structure they have, and saying that "atheists have been possessed" is not saying much seeing as SOMEONE in the situation has to have a religious background to even bring possession as a possibility in the first place. That the person is thought to be possessed is proof of a religious influence on their "diagnosis" seeing as a mainstream physician or psychiatrist wouldn't ever bring up possession. They don't teach possession as anything real in medical school so even if an atheist were to be said to be "possessed" it would be coming from a professional with a religious bent who is making that call.

The reason the Catholic church is now putting up a call in hotline says more about the church attempting to stay relevant in times where Catholic church attendance is dwindling and it's publicity for the church. Sadly mentally ill people are prone to religious imagery in their mental illnesses which is then taken as "see if Bob is babbling about the devil, he must be possessed".. If a family is dealing with a person in the family with severe mental issues AND the family is religious it ups the chances immensely that possession will be brought up as a causal basis for the persons mental issue. There are plenty of people who are in the care of secular doctors who exhibit signs of what some in the church would label as possession that are simply suffering from a complex mental illness with religious mania as part of that. Just because a person growls or spits, claws themselves or any of the other symptoms associated with supposed possession those symptoms aren't outside the realm of your garden variety mental illness. Possession is a misdiagnosis by professionals with a religious bent and nothing more.

[Grandpa Greenman]

Wise words m'Lady.

[teetay08]

- if i shall ever be possess... imma just have to deal with cause im deff. not going to them catholic people.

[The Id3al Experience]

Phone Op: Welcome to the Catholic Church exorcist hotline. How can I help?

Possessed person: Im possessed, I think its the devil...

Phone Op: Ok, well please put him on the line

..... Silence.....

Posssed Person(devil): Im going to kill all of you... RrrrrRRrr

Phone Op: Yes well NOT ON MY WATCH - and the power invested in me, god loves us all, I expell you....

Posssed Person: Well, its me... im back - its a miracle.... thank you so much.

Phone Op: Ok, so that will be $59.99, how would you like to pay Credit Card over the phone?

[coolguy]

This could be real. We will never know.

[pallidin]

911: "What is your emergency?"

Caller: "I have a demon inside me!"

911: "Uh, Ok, can you get it out?"

Caller: " No, that's why I'm calling you!"

911: "I'm sorry, we do not provide those services"

Caller: "What?!!!, I am possessed and need help!"

911: "Ok, sir, please calm down"

Caller: "I can't calm down!!! There's a demon inside me!"

911: "Sir, are you on any medication?"

Caller: "No! Well, I did just take 2 tabs of LSD and smoked some really good weed, plus a half-quart of vodka"

911: "Ok, sir, I'm going to roll medical."

[Simbi Laveau]

Bed shaking,scratches suddenly appearing ,levitating and can't get down ?

Call the exorcist hotline,for all your exorcism needs .

Yes folks ,the Vatican has approved the dioceses of Milan Italy,to set up and exorcism hotline ,that you can call Mon-Fri ,2-5pm.

They're getting about four calls a day . You can call,from anywhere in the world .

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/03/exorcist-hotline-created-_n_2232110.html

Edited January 4, 2013 by Simbi Laveau

[Mr Supertypo]

demonic possession is nothing more than indoctrination attempts by the reapers....