AMERICAN EXORCISM: EXPELLING DEMONS IN THE LAND OF PLENTY

Michael W. Cuneo

Introduction

Why read this book? It does a great job of explaining a social

phenomenon by putting it into its social context:

There was a huge increase in exorcisms post 1974, mostly explainable by the book and movie The Exorcist (that’s what we’re going to discuss)

So, we’re going to discuss exorcisms in the US, not so much the book or movie…

Though, what did you think of the movie?

The Exorcist

But just so we’re clear, the book and movie were based on a 1949 exorcism case that the author (William Peter Blatty) found in a newspaper article

As of 2000, the original story has been thoroughly debunked: http://www.strangemag.com/exorcistpage1.html Mark Opsasnick looked into the details Based on events in the life of a 13 year-old boy named Ronald

Edwin Hunkeler of Cottage City, MD Ronald was a troublemaker and all of those who would know

about the case (his best friend, his best friend’s brother, the surviving priest, and all of the neighborhood children) attest to the fact that nothing supernatural occurred

When Opsasnick called Ronald, Ronald told him to never call him again and refused to talk about any of the events

The Exorcist

Here is Mark Opsasnick’s summary: With the completion of this adventure we now know who the boy

was, where he really lived, where he attended school, who his friends were, what his family life was like, and what behavior and personality traits he exhibited before his alleged “possession.” The credibility of the mysterious diary has now been called into question. I have shown that Father Walter Halloran—the one living, talking eyewitness to the St. Louis exorcism attempts, maintains that he did not witness any supernatural behavior by Rob Doe—no strange foreign languages (other than mimicked Latin), no changes in tone of voice, no prodigious strength, no excessive vomiting or urinating, and—to top it off—he is uncertain about the nature of the markings or skin brandings on the boy’s body. Perhaps most important of all, this case illustrates the need in paranormal investigation for close scrutiny of both initial newspaper accounts and highly touted individuals as providers of information. In this instance, both sources muddled the picture by embellishing the story when facts were uncertain.

Introduction to Book

Michael Cuneo is a sociologist Became interested in exorcism Observed more than 50 of them Interviewed many of the principle people

involved

Exorcisms Are Happening Today Exorcism is alive and well in

Contemporary America Generally under-the-radar Thousands have had these rituals

performed Generally only surface when there is a

problem

If you know where to look…

Yellowpages.com for Tampa: search for “deliverance” (as of 11/15/2008):

Mount Calvary Deliverance Church 1509 E Dr Martin Luther

King Jr Blvd True Holiness

Deliverance Child Care Center 3800 N Nebraska Ave

Miracle Faith & Deliverance 7301 N Florida Ave Ste

A Jesus New Covenant

Deliverance Fellowship 2909 E Hillsborough Ave

True Holiness Church Deliverance Center 3800 N Nebraska Ave

US Examples

Terrance Cottrell Jr. – 8 year-old suffocated by Ray Hemphill in 2003 during a 2 hour exorcism http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/08/25/nati

onal/main569963.shtml The boy's mother, Patricia Cooper, told

investigators the minister held Terrance Cottrell Jr. on the ground with one hand on his head, another between his legs, and his knee pressed into the boy's chest. Cooper and another woman each held one of his legs, while a third woman laid across his torso. The mother “stated that while this was going on she could see Ray Hemphill talking to Terrance Cottrell and telling him that the 'Demon should leave him,'” for about two hours, the complaint said. When the service was over, Cooper said the boy was not breathing and his face appeared blue. She said several people tried to revive him before calling for emergency help. The boy suffered extensive bruising on the back of his neck and died of suffocation, the complaint said.

Terrance Cottrell Jr. (undated photo)

Ray Hemphill

US Examples

Susan Kay Clark, 59, was killed in February of 2008 by her husband as he was trying to exorcise a demon from her http://www.foxnews.com/wires/2008Feb03/0,4670,

DeathExorcism,00.html He had his wife pinned down on a carpeted floor His defense: “the devil entered his body and

caused her to die” "They were like an old married couple," said Beck,

29, whose late grandfather was married to Susan Clark. "They would just roll their eyes at each other, but I never thought something like this would've happened."

US Examples

6 year-old girl in Atlanta was killed by her parents in an apparent exorcism attempt in 2004 http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/01/20/nation

al/main594278.shtml A 6-year-old girl found dead in a motel room had

been strangled, stabbed, beaten and covered in pages torn from a Bible, possibly in an attempt to "undemonize" her, police said Tuesday. Christopher Carey, 29, and his wife Valerie, 27, were taken to a psychiatric ward Monday and charged with murder… The Careys were arrested after they were spotted wandering the street naked in the freezing cold with a 7-year-old girl and 2-year-old boy. The older child provided detectives with information that led investigators to the motel where the 6-year-old was discovered, police spokesman Sgt. John Quigley said. Quigley said the adults indicated they were conducting a ritual that "had something to do with undemonizing the child."

Christopher Carey

International Examples

Maricica Irina Cornici – killed in 2005 in a Romanian convent during an exorcism http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2005-06-25-

exorcism_x.htm

The whispers started in April in the mind of the 23-year-old nun. In the heart of an Orthodox convent in Romania's impoverished northeast, doctors say, Maricica Irina Cornici believed she heard the devil talking to her, telling her she was sinful. She was treated for schizophrenia, but when she relapsed, a monk and four nuns tried a different method: exorcism. Last week, Cornici was bound to a cross, gagged with a towel and left in a dank room at the convent for three days without food — where she died of suffocation and dehydration.

Daniel Petru Corogeanu, the monk who led the exorcism

International Examples

37 year-old woman died during a “deliverance” ceremony in Auckland, NZ in 2001 http://tvnz.co.nz/view/news_national_story_skin/24236 Members of a small religious group in Auckland say they believe

that a 37 year old woman, who died after an exorcism in December, will return from the dead in the next few days. The police are investigating the woman's death, which was not reported to the authorities for six days. A member of the group says the woman, known as Joanne, died during a ceremony known as deliverance, which had been performed to cast out the demons which were possessing her. A 24-hour-a-day prayer vigil is being held at the house where she died. Police spokesperson Nolene Hagarty says police are still waiting on the results of the post mortem examination and forensic tests to determine the exact cause of death. Police have asked interpol to help them locate her next of kin in Korea.

International Examples

Anneliese Michel, 23 year-old woman, died in 1976 weighing just 68 pounds

She starved herself to death during a ten-month series of Roman Catholic exorcism rituals in Germany to cure epileptic episodes http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/

0,9171,919629,00.html

THE EXORCIST AS HERO

Part One

Chapter 1 – The Blatty Factor Priests were losing prestige in the US post Vatican II

(we discussed this in class) One way they have gained prestige is in the

context of exorcisms – they are seen as the true heroes of “good” opposing the forces of evil

This is the result of Blatty’s “The Exorcist” Why was The Exorcist so appealing?

Takes science to task for not being able to provide answers

Argues there is a supernatural force that is beyond science

People love simple answers

The Aftermath

American Catholics had mixed opinions Father Donald Campion condemned the movie as sordid

and sensationalistic Turns out, thousands of households across the US

suddenly had infestations of demonic presences My brother Mike’s experience (around 1984 or so):

Greg P. and friend watched The Exorcist and were drinking alcohol; came to him for help

Ironically, Catholics are told to be skeptical about exorcism Most priests claim to have never seen an authentic case of

demonic possession – just people pretending The Exorcist was followed up with dozens of copycat books

and movies

Chapter 2 – Malachi’s Hostages Malachi Martin followed up Blatty’s The

Exorcist with Hostage to the Devil in 1976

As a former priest, this added fuel to the fire

He claimed to know all of the 5 people in the book, but wouldn’t let anyone verify the claims in the book, including his publisher

All of his books mix fact with fiction and conspiracy theory (kind of like Dan Brown, author of The DaVinci Code)

The Stories

All of them are lurid, with lots of sex Why?

Also, many of them are initially skeptics or involved with science Why?

Routinizes possession and exorcism by giving patterns

The Patterns

Pattern of Possession: Entry – the point at which an evil spirit gains access to an

individual Erroneous Judgments – people don’t take care of it Voluntary Yielding of Control – give up control to the demonic

force Complete or Perfect Possession – all power of the individual

is lost Pattern of Exorcism:

Pretense – demonic presence attempts to disguise its true identity

Breakpoint – demon speaks in own voice Clash – lock in contest of wills Expulsion – when the exorcist wins

Doubts about Malachi Martin The people who would have known

about these exorcisms didn’t: Father Nicola was the principal investigator

for the American Catholic bishops was unaware of Martin’s cases

Father Benedict Groeschel, go-to guy in NYC in the 1970s and 1980s, never seen an actual case of demonic possession; didn’t know of Martin’s

What’s going on?

ENTREPRENEURS OF EXORCISM

Part Two

Chapter 3 – Demon-Busters

Lots of unofficial exorcisms taking place in the 1970s and 1980s in the US

Maverick priests and non-Catholics Ed and Lorraine Warren – The Demonologists

Claim there are demons and spirits all around Exorcisms are the tip of the iceberg And no one is doing anything about it

Two thoughts: Creating demand for their product? Classic conspiracy theory – there is a secret problem but

no one is willing to help (Catholic Church, government, doctors, scientists, etc.), just those who see the conspiracy

Chapter 4 – Demonic Breakdowns Full-on possession transformed into

“deliverance ministry” of Pentecostalism and the Charismatic movement

New form of ministry that turns exorcism into a home remedy to cure all sorts of ailments: Demons of anger, lust, resentment, addiction, etc. A cure-all for all sorts of ailments, including

demons that prevent winning elections and making money (e.g., Sarah Palin): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwkb9_zB2Pg

Scientific Support

M. Scott Peck, PhD, author of The Road Less Traveled, published People of the Lie in 1983 Said demonic possession was a real

condition Made demonic possession an acceptable

middle-class treatment Also took it away from the campy treatment

of it in films and Hollywood Popular culture was pushing exorcisms

Why?

Satanic Panics

There were also scares of satanism in the 1980s People thought satanists were everywhere

Torturing kids in daycares Committing ritual acts of murder (40k per year) In music, particularly heavy metal Recovered memories

All included Satanic components But you can’t see the Satanists; they blend in How do we account for this?

Hysteria Was it actually happening?

Not a single clear-cut case ever Why the hysteria?

It sells! Greed!

Cultural Diffusion

Malachi Martin appeared on Oprah Cases of possession skyrocketed as a result Same thing happens when the news

mentions cases of the flu or meningitis or advertisers mentioning new medical tests (e.g., BRCA)

Chapter 5 – The Priest-Exorcist as Hero-Revisited

John Cardinal O’Connor, archbishop of New York, delivered a sermon about the plague of Satanism in the US

Also said actual exorcisms were taking place 20/20 showed an exorcism on April 5, 1991

Gina Father Richard McBrien criticized the exorcism as

“holding the Catholic faith up to ridicule” Why?

Father James LeBar, consultant on the Gina exorcism, said, “In the majority of cases these forces are probably the product of an overactive imagination or some definable psychiatric condition…”

Popular Culture

Roman Catholic Church has rarely encourage exorcism

Most of this comes from popular media like 20/20, movies, TV shows, etc.

P. 70 “In this capacity, in fact, it isn’t much of an exaggeration to say that exorcism today is actually the invention of the popular entertainment industry – the product, above all else, of Hollywood hype and Madison Avenue hucksterism.” Is this true?

CHARISMATIC DELIVERANCE MINISTRY

Part Three

Chapter 6 – Heartland Deliverance Observes the exorcism of a guy named Paul Why didn’t Paul’s prayer group want to support his claims of

demonic possession? People were blaming everything imaginable on demonic

possession: marital infidelity to depression This doesn’t work well with the American ethos of personal

responsibility People want a quick fix from exorcism or deliverance, which is part

of its appeal Conclusion of Paul’s exorcism:

P. 81 “And that was it. No pyrotechnics. No acrobatics or spinning heads. The whole business orderly and efficient. Over and done with in less than fifteen minutes. Aside from Paul’s coughing and head-jerking, a calm, controlled, almost decorous procedure.”

Ends up seeing a Christian psychotherapist

Chapter 7 – Pentecostalism Joins the Mainstream

Paul’s exorcism seems routinized to the author They have refined it into something of an

art form Originally it was an awful lot like what

you see in The Exorcist – yelling, screaming, fighting, vomiting, etc.

Now, the demons are “bound” and the exorcism plays out calmly

Episcopalian Exorcisms?

Why did the speaking of tongues and deliverance ministries in Van Nuys, CA in St. Mark’s Episcopal Church seem so out of place? Because Episcopalians are generally middle-class, and

deliverance and exorcism ministries are generally popular in lower/working class groups

Pentecostals are generally lower/working class What does this say about class differences?

Do people from different social classes comport themselves differently?

Is it acceptable for people in lower social classes to behave in these ways but not for people in higher social classes?

Virtually all investigations into this suggest it is “incoherent, repetitive syllabification having neither the form nor the structure of human speech”(p. 87)

Charismatics

Label was changed from Pentecostals (specific groups) to Charismatics (to the practitioners, regardless of denomination) We now have “charismatic Catholics,”

“charismatic Methodists,” etc. Interesting side note – Mormons have

their own take on “speaking in tongues” Mission experiences

Taming of the Demons

Exorcism became more mellow over time

Started “binding” demons so there wouldn’t be any hysterics Why?

Pentecostals moved up in social class That type of behavior was seen as less

acceptable

The Bible

Is demonic possession mentioned in the Bible? Mark 1:21-28, Luke 4:31-37, Luke 13: 10-17, Matthew 15:21-28,

Mark 7:24-30, Matthew 8:28-32, Luke 10:17-19, He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news

to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.“ (Mark 16:15-18)

Is this still done today? Why not? Why do religious “intellectuals” deny the possibility of

exorcism? Why has it fallen out of favor with the Catholic Church?

Who Gets Possessed

P. 92 “Every single person who had come to [Basham] for an exorcism was a Christian – a born-again, spirit-baptized Christian no less.” How do you explain this?

Deliverance ministers have two explanations: Devil focuses on the righteous, to challenge

them Non-Christians don’t recognize it

Chapter 8 – The Heyday of Charismatic Deliverance

Lots of books that detailed the elements of demonic possession and affliction (minor possession)

Pigs in the Parlor detailed all of the types of possession Demonic possession is a danger in every

corner of the world But once you know about it, you can

contain it Does this reflect “demand creation” for

those with a product to sell?

Chapter 9 – Discerning Demons Might Charismatics experience

possession because they are expected too?

Have you ever been influenced to do something you wouldn’t otherwise do? Example from pp. 114-115 of a woman who

had no sense of what was being suggested, but once she caught on (30 minutes later), she was writhing on the floor with the best of them

You’re Possessed

The author was told point-blank he needed deliverance: P. 116 “You see, Michael,” the first woman said, “these

kindhearted women are picking up that you’re in trouble. They want to help you. All of us have years of experience dealing with the demonic. Are you going to tell us we’re wrong? Are you going to question my discernment?”

How would you respond He was diagnosed as needing deliverance and

being clear within days of each other by different people What’s the implication?

You Should Try It

P. 117 “It’s nothing to be ashamed of,” the priest said. “I’ve even been exorcised myself – several times. It’s a terrific feeling getting liberated from demonic influence.”

What’s the implication? Goes with the 1960s and 1970s ethos of self-

improvement Quick fixes for finding one’s self Lots of other groups at the time – est, Synanon, Quest

In some circles, having been delivered is a badge of honor suggesting Satan doesn’t have “more important fish to fry.” (p. 125)

Manipulation

Exorcisms can also be used for manipulation Tell someone their dissent or bad behavior

is the result of demonic possession Used against women, in particular, to get

them to accept male patriarchy (demons of dissent or feminism

Can also lead to abuse

Chapter 10 – Exorcism as Therapy By 1979, 19% of the US claimed to be

Pentecostal or Charismatic Exorcism was domesticated in the 1980s

(originated in 1614) The addition of binding reflects the

power of changing expectations Now that you can bind people, the demons

accept it What’s the implication?

Other New Developments

Genealogical tracking of demons You can inherit demons from your parents (p. 151) Dr. K can’t think of any patients who have come for

“intergenerational deliverance” who didn’t need it Implication?

Became a pretty clear “cure-all”, self-help, psychotherapuetic tool

Can it be a positive tool? Many psychological problems are cured just by giving

them attention (thus therapy seems to help in many cases, just due to the attention)

However, some cases are more serious and should receive more attention

THE ROUGH-AND-READY SCHOOL

Part 4

Chapter 11 – The Hegewisch Shuffle

My favorite story of the book: P. 168 “Pastor Mike Theirer, a small, balding, amiable man in his

early forties, wastes little time getting down to business. Just a minute or two into the deliverance session, he works his way to the front of the brightly lit auditorium and sits down in a metal folding chair beside Brian, a strapping young man with brown wavy hair. Wrapping his arms tightly around Brian’s shoulders, he speaks directly into his ear, commanding the demons to reveal themselves. For five minutes or so Brian sits quietly, fidgeting, shifting his feet, his face pressed against Pastor Mike’s chest, but then, growling and foaming, he lurches to his feet with Pastor Mike now on his back, clinging to his neck. One of Pastor Mike’s assistants, a stocky man in his twenties wearing jeans and a plaid shirt, charges to the front of the room and tries to intervene, but Brian, flailing, kicking, screaming, tosses him aside and starts gyrating furiously, twirling Pastor Mike around and around in an airplane spin, sending his glasses flying.

Chapter 11 – The Hegewisch Shuffle

My favorite story of the book (cont’d): Just an hour earlier I had eaten dinner with Pastor

Mike at a local restaurant, and now, concerned for his safety, I take off my jacket, walk slowly up the center aisle, and throw a headlock on Brian, which stops his gyrating and gives Pastor Mike a chance to climb from his back.”

P. 174 – people take turns being exorcised; everyone gets a chance What’s going on here? Video of mass exorcism

The Hegewisch Shuffle

P. 169 “As our ministry grows, I hope the Lord will give us more power to cast out these demons,” he says. “You know, Jesus used to just command demons to depart, and they’d have to leave. It’s strange; it should be that way for us, too. These are very tough, stubborn demons we’re dealing with here tonight. We pray the Lord will give us more power.” What’s going on here?

Demons comport themselves based on gender lines: Men curse a lot; women say “shut up!”

The Hegewisch Shuffle

P. 174 “For a solid hour it’s a repeat performance of the night before. Clumps of bodies sprawled out across the floor: Foam-spattered writing demoniacs being held down and prayed over. People not directly involved at any given moment stand by the refreshment table chatting, surveying the situation.

I position myself by the rear doors, where five young children are playing on the floor, drawing pictures with crayons, seemingly oblivious to it all…

Less than ten yards away Pastor John is now putting on a roushing show of his own, squirming in a chair, snarling, barking, cursing (“Fuck! Fuck! Fuck this fucking place!”), with Pastor Mike holding him from behind, praying.”

P. 168 “Young children roam the hall, taking it all in nonchalantly.” Can you imagine experiencing this as a child?

The Hegewisch Shuffle

Most of the people at the church are working- to lower-middle-class; plaid shirts, jeans, sports jackets or long skirts and long-sleeved blouses Why?

At 11:00 pm they call a halt to the mayhem, bind the demons, and wrap things up What does this indicate?

Chapter 12 – Carolina Blues

Word of Faith Fellowship in Spindale, NC Example of exorcism gone wrong

Exorcisms are used to control Pastors control members and won’t allow outside

access Members signed waivers to join

Video of blasting This isn’t necessarily because of exorcism

Many religions do this and all religions have this potential

Video Taught “Faith Movement” (a.k.a. Prosperity Gospel)

Chapter 13 – Satanic Conspiracies Among non-Pentecostals (i.e.,

evangelicals, mainline, and even Catholics), many are middle-class

Most despise glossalalia and spirit-baptism, but are okay with deliverance 500 to 600 ministries around today

Generally do this in secret Why?

Satanic Conspiracies

Popular in the 1980s and early 1990s Called Satanic Ritual Abuse

No evidence for this whatsoever Bolstered by the “recovered memories”

movement Total garbage – people cannot distinguish between

planted memories and real memories (see Elizabeth Loftus’s work)

Major implication today – don’t trust eye-witnesses But people went to jail based on “recovered

memories” Occasionally makes news today

Satanic Conspiracies

Why don’t religious academics and many trained theologians believe in demonic possession? Believe miracles ended with the Bible Now all that is required to believe is the

Bible How did satanic conspiracies contribute

to the increase in exorcisms?

Chapter 14 – On the Front

Talks about an exorcism of a young man’s demons Ends with:

P. 221 “these demons are now expelled… But your attitudes of anger and resentment and vanity are long-standing… So you still have a lot of work to do. You could easily fall back into these habitual patterns of behavior. But this wouldn’t be the work of evil spirits; it would be sinful habit… If you find yourself falling back into this rut, you may be tempted by Satan to believe that the demons weren’t expelled tonight and that you’re still enslaved to them. But this would be a satanic deception.”

What’s going on here?

On the Front

P. 222 “Deliverance ministries such as Dr. Graves’s… provide a relatively safe and nonjudgmental forum for students to sort out difficult (and potentially embarrassing) problems that might otherwise be left to fester… It isn’t the students themselves but rather their indwelling demons that stand in need of correction… deliverance may serve as a kind of functional equivalent to the Roman Catholic sacrament of confession, providing relief not only from tension and anxiety but also from an accumulated sense of personal guilt.”

What do you think?

On the Front

Cuneo’s perspective may be substantially different from those who are experiencing deliverance

P. 226 “Several months afterward… I bumped into a young man in New York who had attended the same conference. He told me that it had been the most moving and transformative experience of his life.” Why the difference?

On the Front

P. 234 “About 80% of his exorcisms have involved women.” “Men are much less in tune with their

spirituality.” What’s going on here?

Three sources of evil in Evangelical Protestantism: The world, the flesh, and the devil Demonic possession reduces the first two

to bit players; it’s all about the third Why is this appealing?

ROMAN CATHOLIC EXORCISM

Part 6

Chapter 15 – A Day at the Office Warren (the subject of the exorcism in

this chapter) sought out exorcism rather than professional help because he had seen the 20/20 episode where Gina was exorcised Does the media influence how we behave?

P. 247 “Hollywood sets the scripts, and with very few exceptions… people undergoing exorcism fall into line.” Is this true?

A Day at the Office

P. 249 “And here’s the thing: While priest-exorcists as a rule don’t actively seek out demonic fireworks, they can’t live indefinitely without them. They need them the same way a pathologist needs disease or a coroner homicide – as a validation of purpose, a confirmation of actually being in the game. They’re an occupational necessity… Without the occasional hell-blasting, even the most stalwart exorcist can begin to doubt the relevance of his work.” What do you think?

Chapter 16 – Official, Unofficial, Quasi-Official

P. 257 “This was my first direct exposure to Catholic exorcism – official, fully credentialed Catholic exorcism, that is. I’m not sure exactly what I expected, but it was something rather different from what I got. The proceedings had an improvised, patch-work, here’s-what-we-do-now feel to them. There was no scene of shuddering finality, no soul-piercing moment of truth. Everything seemed drawn out and inconclusive – seemed somehow too human… Whatever else they might be, [exorcisms are] resoundingly human affairs, with all of the faltering unremarkability this implies.”

What do you think?

Official, Unofficial, Quasi-Official As a result of media attention, the Roman

Catholic Church now has more exorcists than it has in decades 10 Catholic priests in the US Maybe a couple hundred worldwide

Even so, getting a Catholic exorcism isn’t easy and can take months

Catholic exorcisms are being performed around the world, but primarily in conservative diocese, not liberal ones Why?

Official, Unofficial, Quasi-Official Does the existence of exorcists result in

demonic possession? P. 262 “If an exorcist is appointed… and if

he’s afforded a supervisory role in the investigative process, exorcisms will take place. This is virtually a given, a propositional inevitability.”

Why?

Official, Unofficial, Quasi-Official Cuneo saw over a dozen official Catholic

exorcisms But no “fireworks” Why?

Some said “luck of the draw” Others said “Satan doesn’t wont to blow his

cover”

Official, Unofficial, Quasi-Official P. 267 “In the irony-begetting-irony

fashion of the day, the media create the myth of the sacrificial priest-exorcist out of scraps of truth and snatches of fiction, and then wind up half believing in their own creation.” What does he mean here?

Official, Unofficial, Quasi-Official P. 269 “Catholic exorcism is a rarity

among religious rituals. It seems actually to lose value unless it is performed only under the most extraordinary circumstances – or not at all. Those who perform it more often than is absolutely necessary run the risk of trivializing both the ritual and the evil it is designed to combat.” Is this true?

Conclusion

Exorcism is widely available in lots of forms Though if you get it, you probably won’t say so to strangers

Widespread practice of exorcism is (probably) not to due to an increase in possession but from the media P. 272 “Hollywood and New York City called the shot; a highly

suggestible public took care of the rest.” People who want to believe are the ones who end up believing.

Cuneo saw over 50 exorcisms but no indication of supernaturalism Doesn’t mean it isn’t there

Could be beneficial for some, though certainly can be very negative Any effects are probably due to the placebo effect