How does demonic possession occur

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So why doesn't the church talk about heaven anymore? Bidding farewell from beyond the grave? Although visits by the spirits of the recently departed can be chilling, they are also comforting, say those who've seen these "crisis apparitions.

As the priests began to pray, the woman slipped into a trance -- and then snapped to life. She spoke in multiple voices: One was deep, guttural and masculine; another was high-pitched; a third spouted only Latin. When someone secretly sprinkled ordinary water on her, she didn't react. But when holy water was used, she screamed in pain. You'll be sorry. You've probably seen this before: a soul corrupted by Satan, a priest waving a crucifix at a snarling woman.

The film "The Exorcist" shaped how many see demonic possession. But this was an actual exorcism -- and included a character not normally seen in the traditional drive-out-the-devil script.

Read More. He was part of the team that tried to help the woman. Fighting Satan's minions wasn't part of Gallagher's career plan while he was studying medicine at Yale.

He knew about biblical accounts of demonic possession but thought they were an ancient culture's attempt to grapple with mental disorders like epilepsy. He proudly calls himself a "man of science. Yet today, Gallagher has become something else: the go-to guy for a sprawling network of exorcists in the United States. He says demonic possession is real. He's seen the evidence: victims suddenly speaking perfect Latin; sacred objects flying off shelves; people displaying "hidden knowledge" or secrets about people that they could not have possibly have known.

She threw a Lutheran deacon who was about pounds across the room," he says. That's beyond psychiatry. Gallagher calls himself a "consultant" on demonic possessions. For the past 25 years, he has helped clergy distinguish between mental illness and what he calls "the real thing.

Gary Thomas, one of the most famous exorcists in the United States. The movie "The Rite" was based on Thomas' work. Gallagher is a big man -- 6-foot-5 -- who once played semipro basketball in Europe. He has a gruff, no-nonsense demeanor. When he talks about possession, it sounds as if he's describing the growth of algae; his tone is dry, clinical, matter-of-fact. Possession, he says, is rare -- but real. Some critics, though, say Gallagher has become possessed by his own delusions.

They say all he's witnessed are cheap parlor tricks by people who might need therapy but certainly not exorcism. And, they argue, there's no empirical evidence that proves possession is real. Still, one of the biggest mysteries about Gallagher's work isn't what he's seen. It's how he's evolved. Users without a subscription are not able to see the full content.

Find in Worldcat. Go to page:. Your current browser may not support copying via this button. Search within book. Subscriber sign in You could not be signed in, please check and try again. Username Please enter your Username. Password Please enter your Password. Spiritualism, a religion that flourished across America in the s and is still practiced in a few places today, teaches that death is an illusion and that spirits can possess humans.

New Agers have also long embraced a form of possession called channeling, in which spirits of the dead are said to inhabit a medium's body and communicate through them. Hundreds of books, and even some symphonies, have been allegedly composed by spirits. Hollywood, of course, has been eager to capitalize on the public's continued fascination with exorcism and demonic possession with films often dubbed "based on a true story. The greatest cultural influence, of course, came from the classic "The Exorcist.

The script was written by William Peter Blatty, adapted from his best-selling novel of the same name. Blatty believed or claimed to believe it was an accurate account, though later research revealed the story had been sensationalized was far from credible. As seen in discussion of exorcism, "there are two ways to become possessed by the Devil: either the Devil passes directly into a person, or someone, usually said to be a witch or wizard, working with the Devil sends a demon into a victim through bewitchment Guiley Cast Out All Witches and Devils.

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