Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live. Whoever lieth with a beast shall surely be put to death. He that sacrificeth unto any god, save to the LORD only, he shall be utterly destroyed." (Exodus 22:18-20)
These verses attest to the power of belief as they led to the slaughter of thousands of defenseless people throughout Europe and the rest of the world. Understand that these verses not only authorize the executions but they explicitly command them. Verse 18 justified the burning of women in Europe judged as witches. In early America, the Salem witch trials resulted in the deaths of women and men.
Verse 19 refers to bestiality, a sin considered worthy of death. Christians used verse 20 to justify religious wars, Crusades and the slaughter of unbelievers throughout Europe. And the condemnation of heretics still goes on.
Two themes that Jesus repeatedly discusses are "hell" and his ability and the ability of his followers to cast out "demons" in his name. I have read two news stories in the last 3 days about pastor's in the UK and in Africa subjecting children and teenagers to the stigma of "demon" possession and the subsequent "casting out of the demons" for a fee. Once the child is labeled as demon possessed and/or a "witch" the parents distance themselves from the child or abandon them altogether. It is as if the church is gearing up for the dark ages with "witch hunts" and violence against anyone who believes different than their church does. The bible never illumines what the behavior of demon possession looks like leaving it to the imagination of the "witch HUNTER". This biblical view is so pervasive in america that Pat Robertson could blame the Haiti earthquake on the supposed"devil worship" of Haitian ancestors 300 years ago. Pretty heady knowledge from a billionaire who talks and hears from god daily on his TV show. No one cancelled his show....the TV evangelist just keeps on collecting checks from superstitious and gullible people who send him money. I am sure he claims to have some "ministry" set up in Haiti to help the poor people of Haiti who have suffered so much "because of the sins of their great great grandparents". Yeah ...right!
I do get weary of the delusions of the TV evangelists who claim daily to "heal people" with their prayer cloths, and assorted trinkets sold to the superstitious and the gullible and deluded. We have forgotten that a reformation took place because of Martin Luther's outrage at the catholic church selling "favors".
For a fee you can get a demon cast out and get a prayer for your healing. It is all part of the dog and pony show that is very,very profitable and very, very dangerous for a people who have quit thinking rationally.
Showing posts with label casting out demons. Show all posts
Showing posts with label casting out demons. Show all posts
Monday, July 26, 2010
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Modern Day Witchhunts
"These signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new languages; "
Author: Mark 16 Verses #: 17
In the african countries of Nigeria and Uganda the pentecost revivalist churches pastors are charging up to several hundred dollars to cast demons out of children. When the exorcism has been thought to have failed children as small as toddlers are being abandoned by their parents and families. This is causing a great strain on the social networks of these countries to find people who will care for these poor abandoned children. The practice of claiming that people and little children are possessed of demons by church leaders creates a stigma upon the child and person that is nothing short of a cruel modern day "witch hunt". At no point in scripture does god explain what a demon possessed person looks like or acts like and it is impossible to provide proof of demon possession. This has left the accusation of demon possession open to those church leaders and church members with the largest and most vivid imaginations. I have met many a "preacher" in my 30 years of church attendance who claimed they cast out demons and yet the characteristics and signs and symptoms of a person requiring exorcism is quite vague and the actual proof that a "demon" has been cast out is non existent. To be singled out for a public exorcism is quite demeaning and very confusing for an adult let alone a little child and yet is done routinely in many american churches. Until you have had someone lay hands on you and start screaming for the devil to come out of your body/mind/spirit you cannot really appreciate the confusion and damage that this practice can do. I personally pity any child forced into the experience.
2,000 years ago very little was understood about mental illness, head trauma, and various neurological disorders which I suppose could have been construed as demon possession. Since the advent of modern psychiatry and psychiatric medication society has been able to close institutions/jails that were designed to keep the mentally and criminally insane from the population at large. We no doubt still have a problem with people who need treatment for mental illness and are not getting the care and drugs that they need. Many mentally ill people still refuse help and fail to recognize their illness. This no doubt causes a great deal of suffering as any family unit can attest to when subjected to a mentally ill and unmedicated family member. I personally have never known an exorcism of demons as sufficient to accomplish anything except embarrass and ridicule the person being subjected to the experience. When you are forced to live with someone who has a manic explosive anger disorder for instance one can only wish an "exorcism" could ease the pain and end the physical abuse, but the reality is that demons are a figment of the imagination as is exorcism. Modern day exorcisms are nothing but a fraud and a dog and pony show put on by a church leader who wants to make themselves look powerful and connected to deity before they pass the offering plate.
Author: Mark 16 Verses #: 17
In the african countries of Nigeria and Uganda the pentecost revivalist churches pastors are charging up to several hundred dollars to cast demons out of children. When the exorcism has been thought to have failed children as small as toddlers are being abandoned by their parents and families. This is causing a great strain on the social networks of these countries to find people who will care for these poor abandoned children. The practice of claiming that people and little children are possessed of demons by church leaders creates a stigma upon the child and person that is nothing short of a cruel modern day "witch hunt". At no point in scripture does god explain what a demon possessed person looks like or acts like and it is impossible to provide proof of demon possession. This has left the accusation of demon possession open to those church leaders and church members with the largest and most vivid imaginations. I have met many a "preacher" in my 30 years of church attendance who claimed they cast out demons and yet the characteristics and signs and symptoms of a person requiring exorcism is quite vague and the actual proof that a "demon" has been cast out is non existent. To be singled out for a public exorcism is quite demeaning and very confusing for an adult let alone a little child and yet is done routinely in many american churches. Until you have had someone lay hands on you and start screaming for the devil to come out of your body/mind/spirit you cannot really appreciate the confusion and damage that this practice can do. I personally pity any child forced into the experience.
2,000 years ago very little was understood about mental illness, head trauma, and various neurological disorders which I suppose could have been construed as demon possession. Since the advent of modern psychiatry and psychiatric medication society has been able to close institutions/jails that were designed to keep the mentally and criminally insane from the population at large. We no doubt still have a problem with people who need treatment for mental illness and are not getting the care and drugs that they need. Many mentally ill people still refuse help and fail to recognize their illness. This no doubt causes a great deal of suffering as any family unit can attest to when subjected to a mentally ill and unmedicated family member. I personally have never known an exorcism of demons as sufficient to accomplish anything except embarrass and ridicule the person being subjected to the experience. When you are forced to live with someone who has a manic explosive anger disorder for instance one can only wish an "exorcism" could ease the pain and end the physical abuse, but the reality is that demons are a figment of the imagination as is exorcism. Modern day exorcisms are nothing but a fraud and a dog and pony show put on by a church leader who wants to make themselves look powerful and connected to deity before they pass the offering plate.
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