Exorcisms...

[Carol]

A dark reality which many priests and ministers have been witness to but will seldom talk openly about is that of the devil and his hideous demons regularly possess the souls of humans. Demons prowl the world in seek of the ruin of mortal souls and drive many of those decieved by this into unspeakable acts of murder and intrigue. These evil spirits enjoy "feeding" upon the souls of human beings...eventually draining them of their humanity.
Many modern day intellectuals want to dismiss the reality of personified Evil Spirits...those humans who have been possessed...when they know for a fact that such a reality as this exists. The only known cure is in the form of a ritual known as exorcism.
The word exorcism comes from two Greek words..."ek" and "horkizo". They refer to that of putting a demon or evil spirit under "oath" and all the major religions across the world have some form of exorcism ritual.
In that of Judaism there are ten pious men (or rabbis) who are needed to engage the possessed person and there is not any guarantee of a successful outcome. The evil spirit is called a "dybbuk" and if the exorcism is successful...the dybbuk is expelled through the possessed person's feet and is then either sent forward into the four winds or back down into the under world.
In Hinduism the Hindu priest uses the smoke of dried animal dung, rock salt, and the removal of part of the possessed person's hair along with a series of specially prepared mantras.
Shamans will put themselves into a trance which is usually brought about by a combination of disciplined meditation and psychedelics. Many times the shaman's spirit then leaves his body as he travels into other dimensions. There he converses directly with demonic powers to get needed information from other spirits.
In the Roman Catholic ritual, the priest...assisted by a junior priest and medical specialist...combat the demon armed with a cross and holy water. The Roman ritual of exorcism called The Rituale Romanum is recited. This rite must first be approved by the authority of the church. Before any permission is granted the possessed person is put through a battery of psychological and pyhsical testing by trained medical specialists. This so that every attempt is made to determine whether the possessed person is actually suffering from some kind of physical or mental disorder...physiological disorders which can imitate possessions include those such as epilepsy, schizophrenia, and Tourette's Syndrome.
The movie "The Exorcist" was a disguised account which was from a real-lifr incident when a boy (not a girl as in the movie) became possessed after playing with a ouija board.
Malachi Martin...the late Jesuit priest...was one of the foremost authorities on exorcism in the world. He was an ex-Jesuit professor and Vatican office holder and conducted many exorcisms throught his long career. "Hostage To The Devil" written by him is a land mark classic in this field and is one all serious researchers should read. This book explores the actual exorcisms of five living Americans.
Before the priest and his assistants go to the house of the possessed, they must spend says and possibility weeks in intense prayer and cleansing of their spirits. If this is not done then they are in mortal danger upon entering the room of the possessed human. The smallest of sins become glaring in the eye of the Evil Spirit and many times the Evil Spirit will shout the sins of the priest and his assistants out in order to create more confusion.

How Does One Become Possessed?

There are cases on record which clearly state just how demonic possession has happened. Some adults as well as children become possessed by playing with a ouija board; conducting a seance; practicing whitchcraft; inordinate obsession with Gothic music, dress, and Satanic tiruals; making pacts with demons or the Devil himself. Some people will strike this unbelievable bargin so as to obtain job opportunities, the love of another person, money, career success, or even for acts of personal revenge.
In other instances, the demons will select an innocent "pure" child or human to attack and unless this person has devout faith...they are completely helpless to stop the ensuing possession. There are even instances of the clergy becoming possessed.
Father Malachi Martin feels that possessions can begin in childhood or adolescence. He states that at some point in the person's life they made a conscious choice to "let an alien presence into their lives". Over time this alien presence becomes more and more demanding and begins claiming their very soul...before the actual possession occurs, there is a process called "Obsession". Simply put...obsession is when a human beomes obsessed with certain black magic elements...possibly with a character from a role playing game as D&D, etc. They will become aware that their invisible "friend" or "familiar" is keeping them company and even advising them.

Father Malachi Martin's Basic Stages of Exorcism.

1. The Presence
Upon entering the room of the possessed person, the priest and his assistant experience an intense cold along with a horrible invisible "presence" which seems to be watching their every move. This presence is very powerful and full of intense hatred...there is the stench of rotting flesh and excrement hanging heavily in the room.
There are many things which can happen but the first goal of the priest is to break the Pretense.
2. The Pretense
The Pretense is the false front the demon puts on when the priest confronts it. After the Pretense is dealt with the Breakpoint comes next.
3. Breakpoint.
The Breakpoint is reached when the demon's Pretense fails. When this happens, extreme chaos often erupts. The only way to withstand this is through the most intense prayer to block out all the images.
4. The Voice.
The voice is a horrible mixture of many demons howling at once. This voice rises up to such a deafening volume that often the priest cannot stand it...even so this voice must be broken in order for the exorcism to proceed. When this is accomplished, the priest moves forward in the Rituale Romanum invoking the power of the Holy Blood of Christ and the Communion of Saints. The reading of liturgical Latin has an especially disturbing effect on the demon and the use of holy symbols like the cross, holy water and sacred relics all have a very powerful impact on the devil. Intense howls and violent shrieks of revulsion erupt from the devil inside.
5. The Clash.
The Clash is the most crucial element of the battle where the priest must use every particle of his strength and will. In this battle there is no truce....there is no compromise...there is no mercy. There is only the naked struggle between supernatural good and evil...only one force can win at this stage.The demon desperately tries to hold onto the possessed human's body and soul...if it is driven out the demon is sent then sent back to hell where it writhes in darkest torment.
Even Father Malachi Martin himself felt on the hot side of Satan's wrath.
6. The Expulsion.The expulsion occurs when the demon is finally driven out of the possessed person in the name of Jesus...the possessed person often awakens as if he/she had been in a coma. Some remember while others have no memory. Greatly weaken, the exorcised person is usually prayed over by the priest and even given Communion.