Surge in Satanism sparks call for more exorcists

ironingbored

A SURGE in Satanism, facilitated by the internet, has led to a sharp rise in the demand for exorcists, the Roman Catholic Church has warned.

Fr Gabriele Amorth, the Vatican's chief exorcist, also claimed that sex abuse scandals involving the Catholic Church were proof that Satan was "waging a war against the Holy See".

The internet has made it easier than ever to access information on Devil-worshipping and the occult, experts said.

Exorcism is the subject of a six-day conference being held this week at the Regina Apostolorum Pontifical University in Rome, which is under the Vatican's authority.

"The internet makes it much easier than in the past to find information about Satanism," said Carlo Climati, a member of the university who specialises in Satanism and young people.

"In just a few minutes you can contact Satanist groups and research occultism.

"The conference is not about how to become an exorcist, it's to share information about exorcism, Satanism and sects. There is a particular risk for young people who are in difficulties or who are emotionally fragile," he said.

The object of the seminars was to scrutinise Satanism with "seriousness and scientific rigour", avoiding a "superficial or sensational approach", he added. The conference in Rome has brought together more than 60 Catholic clergy as well as doctors, psychologists, psychiatrists, and teachers.

In theory, any priest can perform an exorcism -- a rite involving prayers to drive the Devil out of the person said to be possessed. But Vatican officials said three years ago that parish priests should call in professional exorcists if they suspected a parishioner needed purging of evil.

An exorcist should be called when "the moral certainty has been reached that the person is possessed", said the Fr Gabriele Nanni, a member of the Vatican's congregation for the causes of saints.

He said that the indications could include radical and disturbing changes in the person's behaviour and voice, or an ability to garble in foreign languages or nonsensical gibberish.

Fr Gabriele Amorth said people who are possessed by Satan vomit shards of glass and pieces of iron, scream, dribble and slobber. He added that Pope Benedict XVI believed "wholeheartedly" in the practice of exorcism. ( © Daily Telegraph, London)

sex abuse scandals involving the Catholic Church were proof that Satan was "waging a war against the Holy See".

Once again everybody's fault except the Catholic Church's.

"seriousness and scientific rigour", avoiding a "superficial or sensational approach"

Well I suppose there's a first time for everything.

garble in foreign languages or nonsensical gibberish.... vomit shards of glass and pieces of iron, scream, dribble and slobber.

Doesn't this pretty much describe almost the entire body of priests/bishops?

Galvasean

Read about this in the paper toay. Just what teh hell do they be on?

strobe

ironingbored wrote: »

sex abuse scandals involving the Catholic Church were proof that Satan was "waging a war against the Holy See".[/B]

I get blamed for everything.

Hivemind187

MUWAHAHAHAHAHHAA

... my time is near!

liamw

"The internet has made it easier than ever to access information on Devil-worshipping and the occult, experts said."

Damn, it's true!

Galvasean

Experts in teh internet or experts in bull**** demons?

ArtSmart

wrote:

He said that the indications could include radical and disturbing changes in the person's behaviour and voice, or an ability to garble in foreign languages or nonsensical gibberish.

em, going by that criteria i think i know someone's who possessed

first name Brian...



I wonder will Benny do a round -up of de boyz

Seriously though, their possibility for expansion is primarily in the poorer less educated regions, so this type of nonsense will prob go down effectively there.

Stercus Accidit

ArtSmart wrote: »

Seriously though, their possibility for expansion is primarily in the poorer less educated regions, so this type of nonsense will prob go down effectively there.

That puts a pretty depressing slant on these things, we can laugh them off here in the first world, but somewhere, somebody is going to suffer because of this and the other garbage these clowns spout. Its easy to forget.

heliguyheliguy

Stercus Accidit wrote: »

That puts a pretty depressing slant on these things, we can laugh them off here in the first world, but somewhere, somebody is going to suffer because of this and the other garbage these clowns spout. Its easy to forget.

And that suffering will be funded by the 1st world (your neighbors)

axer

Fr Gabriele Nanni wrote:

He said that the indications could include radical and disturbing changes in the person's behaviour and voice, or an ability to garble in foreign languages or nonsensical gibberish.

So call in an exercism specialist rather than sending the person to a doctor to see if they are suffering epileptic fits or some other neurological disorder. What are we in the 16th century?

Zombrex

mental note to self, don't read hilarious thread title while drinking Coke

Mena

A press release like that, and people still buy into this malarky?

/sigh

Zombrex

Satanists! I knew it was them! Even when it was the bears, I knew it was them.

gbee

The real truth is that Satan IS the HRCC, not that he infiltrated it.

It was once said that the biggest trick the Devil pulled was making people not believe in him, I say his biggest trick was making the HRCC.

Mark Hamill

gbee wrote: »

The real truth is that Satan IS the HRCC, not that he infiltrated it.

It was once said that the biggest trick the Devil pulled was making people not believe in him, I say his biggest trick was making the HRCC.

I thought the biggest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing 2 billion people to worship an effigy of their god nailed to a piece of wood by their ancestors, and declare the act as the best thing to ever happen for them .

krudler

gbee wrote: »

It was once said that the biggest trick the Devil pulled was making people not believe in him, I say his biggest trick was making the HRCC.

Satan is Keyser Soze? I thought it was Kevin Spacey!

ShooterSF

April fools or poe's law? Can't decide and that's whats scary about religion...

robindch

ironingbored wrote: »

garble in foreign languages or nonsensical gibberish.

I think they're just getting a dig into the evangelicals:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glossolalia

sensibleken

ironingbored wrote: »

garble in foreign languages or nonsensical gibberish.... vomit shards of glass and pieces of iron, scream, dribble and slobber.

Does this mean all of temple bar are possesed:eek:

Lawrence1895

I guess, you just have to blame someone else or come up with a story that frightens the sh** out of the congregation, and bang...you are able to draw the attention away from your own mistakes :mad:

goose2005

A lot of Christians tend to forget that if you don't believe in demonic possession, you can't be a Christian. Jesus himself was an excommunicator. http://www.abu.nb.ca/courses/ntintro/lifej/exorcismjesus.htm#E55

Jimmy444

Wicknight wrote: »

mental note to self, don't read hilarious thread title while drinking Coke

I wouldn't worry about it too much - coke is not mentioned in the list:

"Fr Gabriele Amorth said people who are possessed by Satan vomit shards of glass and pieces of iron, scream, dribble and slobber. "