"The Exorcist," "Rosemary's Baby," "The Exorcism of Emily Rose," "The Rite," "Fallen," "The Last Exorcism," "Amityville Horror, "The Shining " and even the romantic "Ghost" are all movies that span decades with one common theme: demon possession. Many religions believe demon possession or spirit channeling is possible.
The idea is scary. It makes for a good movie, but is society's increased interest in the occult opening a door for the devil? Are school shootings, sniper attacks and suicide bombings occurring on the devil's playground?
The word "occult" comes from the Latin occultus, meaning hidden or concealed. The mysterious, clandestine, prohibited world seems like a secret society that one has to be specially selected for in order to be granted access to the knowledge. According to Aleteia, a 2005 Gallup poll learned that three in four Americans believe in the occult.
The International Association of Exorcists met in Rome in June 2014. Valter Cascioli, a psychiatrist and spokesperson for the group, said that "the number of disturbances of extraordinary demonic activity is on the rise," according to Catholic World News. Cascioli called the situation "a pastoral emergency."
The Catholic Church for years seemed to deny exorcisms and demon possessions, but the number of exorcisms performed is on the rise.
The first official guideline son exorcisms were issued by The Vatican in 1614 and then revised in 1999, according to Live Science. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops lists signs of demonic possession as superhuman strength, repugnance to holy water, the ability to speak in tongues, plus spitting, cursing, and "excessive masturbation."
"There has been a greater demand for people to call and talk to exorcists," said Father Vince Lampert, an exorcist for the Archdiocese of Indianapolis, according to Breibart. "From a faith perspective it may seem like the devil has upped his game, so to speak. I don't think the devil has upped his game, but more people are inclined to play that game... Demonic possession is a possibility. It could happen but it's extremely rare."
Should the Ouija Board be banned from slumber parties? What about asking a hottie at the bar, "What's your sign?" If you grew up listening to Ozzy Osbourne and skipped Sunday mass are you next on the devil's list? Or is this a scare tactic by the Catholic Church struggling to win back many who have grown disillusioned with institutional religion?
Some who perform exorcisms require the victim to seek psychiatric help first. Others pray with the afflicted and if the demon appears, they follow through with the rite. Some believe the demon is cast out. Some believe the ritual is a sensationalized attempt to avoid psychiatric medications. Others believe that exorcisms rely on the power of suggestion.
Exorcisms are usually performed by a priest or other church-sanctioned representative, but there are self-appointed demon cleansers. While researching for a book, author Michael Cuneo never saw the spinning head or pea soup like in "The Exorcist," the movie starring the late Jason Miller. According to Live Science, all Cuneo saw was "emotionally troubled people on both sides of the ritual."
Exorcisms performed by the unskilled or misled can create another horrible reality: death. In 2003, an 8-year-old with autism died when church members blamed his disability on demonic possession, according to Live Science. In 2005 a young nun in Romania was bound to a cross, gagged and left to starve the demon out of her. On Dec. 25, 2010, a 14-year-old British boy was beaten and drowned by his own family in the name of exorcism.
Cascioli blames the rise of possessions and exorcisms on undervalued temptation and an increased focus on "self" rather than community. He said, according to National Catholic Reporter, "We know that the one who divides - the devil - not only separates us from God, but separates persons and families."
Here is one point of view presented by Breibart:
