Stephanie Young Ms.
Kezama ELA A10 18 December 2017 Demonic Possession Upon the topic of evil forces, demons are no exception on the list of entities not to be reckoned with. Demons are malevolent and will do anything and everything they can to prove their dominance over humans. There are many situations in life that a person can and cannot control, however, demonic possessions fit into both categories depending on who the individual is. There is a substantial amount of information concerning demonic possessions, some of which explain what a demonic possession is, how to get rid of it, and certain cases that became well known across the world.
Demonic Possessions To begin, a demonic possession is when a demon takes control over an inanimate object or an individual’s body. A person cannot be possessed unless one allows himself to be. A few of the main purposes of possessions are for demons to maintain and gain satisfaction after expressing their hatred for God and to prove their power. Strong characteristics of possessions include: a sudden strong opposition from anything sacred, unexplained transformations of one’s physical features, suddenly gaining the ability to speak or understand languages one did not previously know, and having the ability to see objects that are hidden from sudden view. The only procedure that can abolish a demonic possession is an exorcism.
Exorcisms Additionally, an exorcism is when a Presbyter granted with permission from the Bishop or the Bishop himself expels and wards off an evil entity from an object or an individual. A Bishop or a Presbyter are the only members of the church who are allowed to perform exorcisms. The church does not allow exorcisms to be performed unless the Bishop allows it.
In order for the process of an exorcism to be taken into consideration, one must experience the three stages of diabolical activity, which are: local infestation, personal infestation, and diabolical possession. Local infestation is when mysterious phenomenon happens in a specific place over a period of time. Characteristics of local infestation are: sounds which the origin or the nature cannot be explained, objects that move without a reason or explanation, and gusts of cold air that have no source. Personal infestation is when violent or out of the ordinary temptation appears by frightening experiences. For instance, seizures of unprovoked rage, unexplained physical assault, and levitation. Diabolical possession is when one is among the presence of a demon. At this stage, the demon has total control over who or what they possess.
One is not morally responsible for any actions committed under the influence of the demons. The Exorcism of Robbie Mannheim Furthermore, to protect one’s identity, a teenager given a pseudonym, otherwise known as a fictional name, of “Robbie Mannheim” was said to be possessed after his aunt Harriet passed away. Before her passing, the two created a strong bond and played the Ouija board together on a regular basis. After Harriet’s death, Robbie played the Ouija board multiple times with the intention of contacting his late aunt Harriet. After these attempts, Robbie’s usual quiet and shy personality began to change by turning into an aggressive and violent one. According to Mysterious Universes, “he would on occasion spew forth litanies of profanity and obscenities in a voice that seemed to be from someone else” (Swancer).
Robbie also spoke Latin without learning before these encounters. Robbie’s parents took him to several hospitals, but not one doctor could find an explanation for his sudden change in behavior. Robbie’s parents became desperate and frightened, which eventually led them to cross paths with Father Edward Hughes. Immediately after entering the household, Father Edward noticed Robbie’s intense gaze at the religious texts he brought. Father Edward claimed that looking into Robbie’s eyes was “as if there was nothing behind the eyes.
” The chair that Father Edward had been sitting in began to levitate after the Bible was place down on the table. Father Edward looked across the table and saw Robbie. Father Edward asked, “Who are you,” in Latin and the response he received from Robbie’s mouth translated to, “I am legions,” from Latin. Father Edward declared there was more than one entity in Robbie and called for an exorcism.
Robbie had gone through thirty failed exorcisms before a miraculous event had happened. During the thirtieth exorcism, Father Edward Hughes and another priest, Father Halloran, managed to force holy water down Robbie’s throat. Several days after the thirtieth exorcism attempt, Robbie woke up in a calm state and said, “Satan! Satan! I am Saint Michael, and I command you, Satan and the other evil spirits, to leave the body now”. After that day, everything had gone back to normal, as Robbie never needed to have another exorcism.
This case inspired the 1973 film, The Exorcist. To conclude, a demonic possession is not a topic that is to be dealt with lightly. A demonic possession can truly change one’s life, which would most likely leave a long-lasting and negative scar on the individual and their family, whether it be a physical, mental, or an emotional scar. Some cases end with the death of the individual, resulting in the demon proving their dominance over humans. Thus, it can be apparent why demons are categorized to be: malevolent, dangerous, intimidating, and untrustworthy. Page Break Works Cited Broderick, Robert C., editor.
A to Z Guide to the Catholic Faith. Illustrated by Virginia Broderick, Nelson, 2005. “Exorcism.” Gale Virtual Reference Library, Gale, Cengage Learning, 2009, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.
do?p=GVRL&u=saskschrcssd81&v=2.1&it=r&id=GALE%7CCX3005400082&searchId=R2&tabID=T003&linkSource=termClusters&inPS=true. Accessed 11 Dec. 2017. The Lineup Staff. “9 Disturbing and Deadly Cases of Real-Life Exorcisms and Possessions.
” The Lineup, 13 Jan. 2017, the-line-up.com/exorcism-demonic-possession-cases. Accessed 11 Dec. 2017. Swancer, Brent. “The Mysterious Exorcism of Robbie Mannheim.
” Mysterious Universe, 3 Apr. 2015, mysteriousuniverse.org/2015/04/the-mysterious-exorcism-of-robbie-mannheim/. Accessed 12 Dec.
2017.
