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Famous exorcist: 'The devil loves to take over those who hold political office' [Ecumenic]
CNA ^ | June 6, 2008

Posted on 06/06/2008 1:59:47 PM PDT by NYer

Fr. Gabriele Amorth

Rome, Jun 6, 2008 / 11:10 am (CNA).- In an interview with the magazine “Maria Mensajera,” famous Italian exorcist Father Gabriele Amorth said, “Everybody is vulnerable to the work of Satan” and that “the devil loves to take over those who hold political office.”

The Spanish daily “La Razon” published the interview in an article by Alexander Smoltczyk in which the 82 year-old priest describes what happens in an exorcism.  He said he has performed more than 70,000.

“Evil exists in politics, quite often in fact,” Father Amorth said.  “The devil loves to take over business leaders and those who hold political office.  Hitler and Stalin were possessed.  How do I know? Because they killed millions of people.  The Gospel says: ‘By their fruits you will know them.’  Unfortunately, an exorcism on them would not have been enough, since they were convinced of what they were doing.  We can’t say it was a possession in the strict sense of the word, but rather a total and voluntary acceptance of the suggestions of the devil.”

“I tell those who come to see me to first go to a doctor or a psychologist,” the priest continued.  “Most of the time there is a physical or psychological basis for explaining their suffering.  The psychiatrists send me the incurable cases.  There is no rivalry.  The psychiatrist determines if it is an illness, the exorcist if it is a curse,” Father Amorth explained.

Nobody, he went on, not even himself, is “safe from the devil.  Everyone is vulnerable.”  “The devil is very intelligent. He retains the intelligence of the angel that he was.”

“Suppose, for example, that someone you work with is envious of you and casts a spell on you. You would get sick. 90 percent of the cases that I deal with are precisely spells. The rest are due to membership in satanic sects or participation in séances or magic. If you live in harmony with God, it is much more difficult for the devil to possess you,” Father Amorth stated.

“The Pope supports exorcists,” he explained, but “satanic sects are proliferating,” and for this reason Father Amorth said his calendar for the next two months is full.  “I work seven days a week, from morning until night, including Christmas Eve and Holy Week,” he said.


TOPICS: Apologetics; Catholic; Moral Issues; Religion & Politics
KEYWORDS: aloisestermann; amorth; catholic; catholicpoliticians; cedrictornay; democrat; devil; emanuelaorlandi; enricodepedis; exorcism; exorcist; gabrielamorth; politicians; politics; romancatholicism; satan
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1 posted on 06/06/2008 1:59:47 PM PDT by NYer
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To: Salvation; narses; SMEDLEYBUTLER; redhead; Notwithstanding; nickcarraway; Romulus; ...
“I work seven days a week, from morning until night, including Christmas Eve and Holy Week,” he said.

The devil never rests.

2 posted on 06/06/2008 2:02:17 PM PDT by NYer (Ignorance of scripture is ignorance of Christ." - St. Jerome)
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To: NYer

Bump to read later.


3 posted on 06/06/2008 2:04:40 PM PDT by fatima (Pray.for Jim,founder of this forum.)
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To: NYer
“I tell those who come to see me to first go to a doctor or a psychologist,” the priest continued. “Most of the time there is a physical or psychological basis for explaining their suffering. The psychiatrists send me the incurable cases. There is no rivalry. The psychiatrist determines if it is an illness, the exorcist if it is a curse,” Father Amorth explained.

*****************

Wise man.

4 posted on 06/06/2008 2:09:14 PM PDT by trisham (Zen is not easy. It takes effort to attain nothingness. And then what do you have? Bupkis.)
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To: trisham
"I tell those who come to see me to first go to a doctor or a psychologist,” the priest continued. “Most of the time there is a physical or psychological basis for explaining their suffering.

IIRC, screening by psychologists and physicians is an absolute, non-negotiable provision the Roman Catholic Church requires prior to the performance of any Rite of Exorcism.

5 posted on 06/06/2008 2:11:35 PM PDT by Joe 6-pack (Que me amat, amet et canem meum)
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To: NYer

Fr. Amorth forgot to mention the many lawyers that the devil has taken over.


6 posted on 06/06/2008 2:12:38 PM PDT by 353FMG (What marxism and fascism could not destroy, liberalism did.)
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To: NYer
Suppose, for example, that someone you work with is envious of you and casts a spell on you.

This guy believes a human being can cast a spell on another human? Like in witchcraft? Um, okay.

7 posted on 06/06/2008 2:13:54 PM PDT by MEGoody (Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall cause you to vote against the Democrats.)
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To: NYer

8 posted on 06/06/2008 2:15:02 PM PDT by Boagenes (I'm your huckleberry, that's just my game.)
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To: Boagenes

Looks like it was inspired by those Cuban communist propaganda posters, but sort of ... organic, like. I wonder why all those corn cobs are pointed at Barry O’s head, lol?


9 posted on 06/06/2008 2:19:04 PM PDT by RegulatorCountry
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To: Joe 6-pack
True. But Father Amorth is 82. He may well have been involved in establishing the policy.
10 posted on 06/06/2008 2:21:52 PM PDT by trisham (Zen is not easy. It takes effort to attain nothingness. And then what do you have? Bupkis.)
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To: All
70,000 exorcisms? If he started when he was 12, that would be almost 3 a day, every day of the year, for 70 years.
(I don't think he started when he was 12 . . . .). BTW, I hope they do another Constantine movie. I enjoyed that one.
11 posted on 06/06/2008 2:22:01 PM PDT by jeffc (They're coming to take me away! Ha-ha, he-he, ho-ho!)
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To: NYer

““the devil loves to take over those who hold political office.””

Boy, now ain’t that the truth! And bishops too! Always something to remember when getting to enthused with any pol or hierarch.


12 posted on 06/06/2008 2:23:50 PM PDT by Kolokotronis (Christ is Risen, and you, o death, are annihilated)
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To: NYer; Bender2; Lil'freeper
Famous exorcist: 'The devil loves to take over those who hold political office'

That explains a lot.

13 posted on 06/06/2008 2:26:29 PM PDT by big'ol_freeper ("Preach the Gospel always, and when necessary use words". ~ St. Francis of Assisi)
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To: jeffc
70,000 exorcisms?

My own guess is that proofreading's not what it used to be! ;-)

14 posted on 06/06/2008 2:27:13 PM PDT by maryz
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To: maryz

I’m guessing you are correct. :)


15 posted on 06/06/2008 2:28:48 PM PDT by trisham (Zen is not easy. It takes effort to attain nothingness. And then what do you have? Bupkis.)
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To: MEGoody; NYer

You don’t believe in the “evil eye”? OK. You are undoubtedly more highly evolved than other more simple folk. Here’s a snip from the web site of the GOA concerning how The Church deals with the “mati”.

“The exorcism of satanic powers is also performed by the Orthodox Church in other rites, such as that of the evil eye (vaskania).

Vaskania is simply a phenomenon that was accepted by primitive people as fact. They believed that certain people have such powerful feelings of jealousy and envy, that when they looked on some beautiful object or individual it brought destruction. Vaskania is recognized by the Church as the jealousy and envy of some people for things they do not possess, such as beauty, youth, courage or any other blessing. The Church essentially rejected Vaskania as contradicting the concept of divine providence. The prayers of the Church to avert the evil eye are, however, a silent recognition of this phenomenon as a morbid feeling of envy. The Church forbids people to go to “readers” or other individuals for use of magical rituals to overcome the evil eye. These readers take advantage of the weakness of superstitious people and destroy them spiritually and financially by playing upon their imagination.”


16 posted on 06/06/2008 2:29:14 PM PDT by Kolokotronis (Christ is Risen, and you, o death, are annihilated)
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To: trisham
"True. But Father Amorth is 82. He may well have been involved in establishing the policy."

Certainly possible. I was surprised at his longevity as I've read a good bit of material that indicated exorcisms can exact a heavy physical toll on the exorcist and many die young.

17 posted on 06/06/2008 2:31:34 PM PDT by Joe 6-pack (Que me amat, amet et canem meum)
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To: Joe 6-pack

We all know that from seeing “The Exorcist”. :)


18 posted on 06/06/2008 2:33:41 PM PDT by trisham (Zen is not easy. It takes effort to attain nothingness. And then what do you have? Bupkis.)
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To: MEGoody
Most people who believe in demons and possession believe that human beings can acquire some supernatural powers by serving demons. One example might be Obeah-man, who is able to see the dead, make the seas recede, and heal the sick. Obeah is an African form of Shamanism. Perhaps it should be called Obamanism for short.

THE PRINCE OF DARKNESS: In Obeah related to Orisha worship you can become an Obeahman or a Obi-man. This signifies that your pathway is particularly dark and evil. Usually the Obeahmen sooner or later will move to secluded places and perform dark forms of magick mainly connected to the Dead. http://www.angelfire.com/electronic/awakening101/obeah.html

19 posted on 06/06/2008 2:38:25 PM PDT by hellbender
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To: trisham
"We all know that from seeing “The Exorcist”. :)"

Although there is some debate over what Malachi Martin's exact standing with the Church was at the time of his death, I found this book quite interesting and insightful...


20 posted on 06/06/2008 2:41:00 PM PDT by Joe 6-pack (Que me amat, amet et canem meum)
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