Posted on 11/22/2010 10:20:36 AM PST by null and void
Having just read Rev. Thomas J. Euteneuers's new book, Exorcism and the Church Militant, one of the first things I asked him was whether he was afraid of demons. I shivered more than once reading through its short chapters, arranged as basic questions about the devil, demons, possession, and the rite of exorcism.
"Not at all," Father answered with a smile. "God has given me the grace to remain unafraid."
When I expressed my surprise, he explained, "Demons are basically handcuffed, and they know it."
Father Euteneuer does not speak as a theorist. Since 2003 he's had extensive experience ministering to those possessed by demons. His introduction to the demonic world happened when a family asked him for help for one of their members, and he eventually asked for permission to perform the rite of exorcism. He has been doing them ever since.
Exorcism and the Church Militant is intended, in part, as a warning to parents who allow their children to be desensitized to "the dark world" by books and films like the Harry Potter series and the vampire books of Stephanie Meyer. Father Euteneuer told me possession is almost always a result of someone getting involved in some sort of occult practices, such as witchcraft, Wicca, tarot cards, and Ouiji boards.
"Harry Potter and these Twilight vampires glamorize the power of evil," Father Eutenener explained, "and this has lead to many, many cases of possession among young people." It may begin with a child or teenager simply "playing around" with the occult, but that seemingly harmless act is "opening a window" to possession.
Father Euteneuer emphasized this point, "Demons do not discriminate between intentions -- no matter how innocent -- and children lose the clear distinction between good and evil."
What makes the occult so dangerous is the fact that it is based upon something real -- the preternatural world of fallen angels, headed by Lucifer himself. Below him are the "choirs" of devils and demons who are a reverse mirror, in their fallen state, of the hierarchy of angels.
Yet, as Father Euteneuer made clear, this entire dark spiritual world "cannot operate without permission from human beings." He pointed out that the widely-seen film, The Exorcism of Emily Rose, based upon the actual case of Anneliese Michel, makes it seem like a possession can occur against a person's will.
Demons play by the rules, as it were. They can only enter a person when invited, and they will leave when subjected through the rite of exorcism to the authority of the Church. "All demons understand is authority," according to Father Euteneuer. He told me of a time he was with someone who was possessed -- not intending to do an exorcism because permission had not yet been given -- and the demon spoke to him saying, "The Church is not here."
Father Euteneuer reminded me that as fallen angels, demons are smarter than any human being. "The darkest demon is smarter than I am," he said. An exorcist must remain aware of the demon's ability to know everything about the person they are possessing, including family members, and those who may enter the room to cast them out.
One demon attempted to negotiate with Father Euteneuer, offering to help him with his Latin if he would let him stay put. That story prompted me to ask if demons had a sense of humor. "No," Euteneuer replied. "The demon was only trying to resist being cast out. They know what an exorcism is, what is going to happen to them."
Possession usually involves more than one demon. Father Euteneuer explained that when "one demon gets in it will help to create more invitations to other demons." The more powerful ones have biblical names, and he often runs into demons with the same name, as if they had a kind of demonic family name.
The possession of an individual person is a perverse imitation of the Incarnation. "They know they've lost the war in heaven, now they've come to earth and are doing all they can to exert their power and be an obstacle to heaven." That's why demons experience some form of pain when they are exorcised -- Father Euteneuer said demons will often complain that "It burns." They have been deprived of the satisfaction of entering a body in imitation of the Word made flesh.
By the end of my interview with Father Euteneuer, I realized my initial question about being frightened of demons had betrayed my misunderstanding of the limits of demonic power. Exorcism and the Church Militant is a book that should provide guidance to many for years to come, especially for parents who need a reminder that the occult is not innocent entertainment.
I can't speak for Twilight, but he has clearly never read any Harry Potter book.
HP ping
I have, I read them before I let my daughter read them because of the concerns people posted about. As far as I’m concerned they have as good a message as Harry Potter IMHO.
Good to know. Thanks.
It’s a freakin kids book!
Did Stephen King open a portal to hell by writing stories about the Paranormal?
Some people need to lighten up...Seriously.
Nonsense.
Harry Potter is replete with Christian themes. Good vs. Evil, loyalty, sacrifice, Love...anyone who thinks otherwise has not read the books.
Huge HP fan. May I be on the ping list, or does this list support the exorcist’s view?
A Ouiji board is a child’s game.
Makes no difference if it creates the desire to know more about the occult in the mind of the individual, be they young or old.
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve read the series. I’m currently back to Chamber of Secrets. I’ll be teaching a Harry Potter Lit. class next semester, and I’m very excited about that! This person obviously has not read the series, as power is not glamorized but portrayed as very dangerous. Hello, the statue at the Ministry of witches and wizards sitting on a pile of humans anybody?
Also, I’d love to know what this braintrust thinks about such classics as Alice in Wonderland, Through the Looking Glass, and The Wizard of Oz.
You teach Rowling in a Literature class? What level is that?
in a book called the dark side of the occult, researchers found common traits among all those who were demon oppressed or possessed and that was the occult or drugs. they found the fastest route to become possessed was the ouija board or drugs.
dont kid yourself. harry potter is all about the occult. it may be entertaining but it glorifies it same as all these tv shows where folks attempt to make contact with the dead or have paranomal encounters.
maybe the bible is not your book but it is incredibly clear that we are to NEVER participate in any of these things and that supernatural entities (whether good or bad) are awe-inspiring created beings—not the harmless ones people like to think of. Apostle Paul himself said that he was never disrespectful when talking about them because of their power and office.
although the exorcism of emily rose was wrong in that demons cannot possess a christian, much else about it was spot on.
oh and i have read the books and watched the movies. but i bet you haven’t read the bible which is the book that says not to have any involvement.
I’ve been doing spirit release work for about twenty years. Not everything the father says is true. For example, “inviting” them in can be accidental or without invitation. They can enter when a person is drunk..thus the term spirits for alcohol, when a person is in depression, when they use drugs, or when they are under general anesthesia.
I’ve cleaned up many messes from people using ouija boards.
The spirits can get pretty nasty at times. Their power is often the influence they gain while the host denies their physical existance.
Do you think watching or reading a work of fiction about characters doing something is the same as actually doing it?
I’ve added you to my unofficial list.
retrokitten is the keeper of the True List...
One can find lofty themes in the trashiest dime novels. The question is how worthy those works are of study. It just seems like something the kids could read on their own without academic prodding.
Fully agree.
If the Bible (I capitalize the the first letter of the Good Book) says not to have involvement in books like Harry Potter, why did you then read them and see the movies? Strange. Have you also read or watched Alice in Wonderland and The Wizard of Oz?
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