MovieChat Forums > The Exorcist (1973) Discussion > For Exorcism to work do u need permissio...

For Exorcism to work do u need permission?

posted 8 years ago by Megaman2005
8 replies | jump to latest

OK I was thinking of this the other day because my friend did Crystal Meth and it seems like she lost her soul.

Anyways, to get right to the point, a lot of the Exorcism movies I saw including The Exorcist and also the realisitc one Exorcism of Emily Rose, during the 1st stage of the Exorcism they ask the possessed person, "Do you want the demon inside you to go away?" and Reagan says yes and Emily's priest said that Emily didn't want the demon to go away.

And I asked my friend, "do you want the demon crystal meth put inside you to go away?" she said, "there is none *beep* I don't take it anymore! I'm locked up!" and I said, "Well, if there is a demon inside you, would u want it to go away? Just tell me yes or no?" and she refused to give me an answer.

So my question is, according to Christanity and Catholic "mythology" or "legends" or whatever you call it, for a demon to come out of a human is it a requirement for the human to give permission to get the demon out of her (or him?)

"Age ain't nothin' but a number" -- Aaliyah

[–] bastasch8647 8 years ago

I think you're conflating a physical substance and a physical condition with the non-physical state of possession by a non-material evil spirit. Crystal meth is not a demon, it's a chemical substance, and those who use it are addicted, not possessed. Nothing personal, but perhaps you didn't do your friend a great favor by suggesting that the addiction is equivalent to possession. If she wants a cure, she should get professional psychiatric help.

As to the question of a possessed person needing to give permission for an exorcism, in the film the question was asked by a psychiatrist/hypnotist, not a clergyman, so Regan's reply doesn't really count in the context of exorcism. My presumption is that an exorcist is called in by concerned family/friends, not by the possession victim him/herself. But that does not preclude a possession victim requesting an exorcism. One would think that asking for an exorcism is identical to saying, "I want the demon to leave". I don't know how it works if the possession victim refuses to acknowledge that the possession is real, or if s/he outright refuses an exorcism.

[–] Megaman2005 8 years ago

Hey there, bastach. I knew you'd have an answer.

My frind IS and has been getting "professional help" for the past 6 years now. She's been living in a hospital without the right to go outside. I saw a lot of video documentaries and testimonies that have also had the person make their very own story that they themselves wanted to do. And well about 20 out of 21 said that they were "cured" from the effects of crystal meth by praying, turning to God, etc. Of course the person possessed doesn't ask for the Exorcism. However, in the exorcism movies it seems that the priest always asks the possessed person, "Do you want the demon to go away?" in some form.

I was thinking maybe in the old days before crystal meth had a name and before we had a name for mental illnesses possessions may have been actually drugs. After all crystal meth isn't just a regular herb like weed/marijuana. Crystal Meth is MADE... kind of like "summoning a demon" in a way. You know like when witches brew things up in combination to do a spell? yeah similar to that.

From my personal research it seems that "God" is the only cure for crystal meth and that's why it at times feel like crystal meth is a demon.

"Age ain't nothin' but a number" -- Aaliyah

[–] bastasch8647 8 years ago

Okay, thanks for the clarifications. Yeah, addictive drugs can have a "demonic" function without themselves being demons...

[–] packtherac 7 years ago

http://www.catholiceducation.org/en/culture/catholic-contributions/exorcisms-on-the-rise.html

[–] 7 years ago

[deleted]

[–] bastasch8647 7 years ago

Sure, there's a demon in every bottle, and a demon in every psyche (even without invoking Original Sin theory). Hence, "the demonic" does exist in us, and outside of us in the objects with which we "satanically" interact and to whom we surrender our personal power and dignity. Of course, that leaves open the question of the existence of real (literal) demons.

For me, Blatty's demon, in the novel, convinced me that it was the real deal...Friedkin's film - less so, because he deleted so much of the demon's dialogue and paranormal effects. So if possession cases that embody the traits of Blatty's demon are ever documented, I'd start to pay attention...

[–] packtherac 7 years ago

Remember that the novel, and thus the movie, ARE based on a real life possession where the young lad exhibited some of the traits suggested.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exorcism_of_Roland_Doe

[–] bastasch8647 7 years ago

That's true, but

1. They were not scientifically documented. They were witnessed and written about by some of the witnesses. So they're still anecdotal. Having said that, I do believe that there were some paranormal features to the case. But paranormal does not always and necessarily equate to supernatural. In that vein...

2. The "demon" did not show any of the really superhuman traits of Blatty's fictional demon. It did seem to know a little Latin (but this is not necessarily supernatural knowledge, as Blatty himself points out in the novel), and seemed to have an occasional talent for intuiting witnesses thoughts (but again this falls within parapsychology, not necessarily supernatural intervention).

So the evidence remains anecdotal, whereas what is required is long-term, on the spot investigation and recording of the physical manifestations of the "possession".

Admittedly, there are probably insurmountable difficulties in documenting this rare phenomenon, the primary one being the issue of the patient's/victim's privacy. Another would be predicting the periodicity of the possession's "seizures" - in most cases about which I have read, possessions are fitful and go into dormancy or remission until the next "seizure" comes along. They don't typically function like The Exorcist's fictional possession, where Regan, once fully possessed, remains in that condition (except for the "Help Me" stomach writing scene). So it's not possible in most cases to imagine keeping a patient/victim perpetually wired, just "waiting and hoping" for the next appearance of the "demon".

So, imo, the phrase, "documenting a possession", would probably be much more difficult to achieve in reality than the phrase itself might imply.