Posted on 08/30/2011 8:04:32 AM PDT by markomalley
bfl
Any chance you remember the name of the book?
Much food for thought, markomalley.
Marking
I have that book and have re-read it a few times. gets your attention! wonder what his follow-on story is??
It sure was creepy, that's for sure. I'm afraid to even think about what those people saw.
Read that book in the middle of the desert once.
Don’t read it the first time like that.
I read some of the reviews of the book, that was enough for me to not want to buy it or read it. I scare easily so.... now way.
I just sprinkled holy water and blessed salt just to be safe. :)
One of the reviewers mentioned afraid to use the telephone after reading a chapter 14 I think. That doesn’t make sense to me.
A sixteen-year NYPD veteran, Ralph Sarchie works out of the 46th Precinct in New York's south Bronx. But it is his other job that he calls "the Work": investigating cases of demonic possession and assisting in the exorcisms of humanity's most ancient--and most dangerous--foes. Now he discloses for the first time his investigation into incredible true crimes an inhuman evil that were never explained, solved, or understood except by Sarchie and his partner. Schooled in the rituals of exorcism, and an eyewitness to the reality of demonic possession, Ralph Sarchie has documented a riveting chronicle of the inexplicable that gives a new shape to the shadows in the dark.
In Beware the Night, he takes readers into the very hierarchy of a hell on earth to expose the grisly rituals of a Palo Mayombe priest; a young girl whose innocence is violated by an incubus; a home invaded by the malevolent spirit of a supposedly murdered ninteenth-century bride; the dark side of a couple who were literally, the neighbors from hell; and more. Ralph Sarchie's NYPD revelations are a powerful and disturbing documented link between the true-crime realities of life and the blood-chilling ice-grip of a supernatural terror.
too scary for me
I avoid evil at all costs.
Hostage was not an easy read for the obvious reason. At night I was sufficiently disoriented by the book that I put it outside on the veranda of the B & B where I was staying at the time.
Also, I have lived in NYC and would agree with the notion that the City has a palpable influence of demonic evil. That said, as cities go, I found San Francisco to "feel" more evil than NYC by an order of magnitude.
BTW, I would strongly advise that only people of very strong faith should read this kind of material or even entertain thoughts about it. As Scott Peck says about it..."Danger, High Voltage!"
I remember in my early twenties, I was away from the church and would sometimes go into Hollywood to various dance halls. I specifically remember a “bad feeling” or just an overwhelming feeling of being uncomfortable, as I drove into Hollywood. I could never understand that “feeling” until now.... now I understand.
I mentioned earlier that the book would be too scary for me, but what was very disturbing was that many of the reviewers had what they felt were demonic attacks while reading it.
Scary.
With that said though, it IS important for people to know that the enemy exists, he never sleeps and plots 24 hours a day to ruin our soul.
What that tells us is that he doesn't want them to find out about him. As Sun Tzu said (paraphrase) "know thy enemy."
That said, read that kind of stuff when you are spiritually ready for battle...not before.
I believe properly blessed sacramentals are very important.
I too, was sufficiently freaked out by the book. I do not scare easy. But I remember leaving the night lamp on to go to sleep on one occasion while I was reading that book.
I attended a Catholic church at the time of reading the book. I attended a mass one Sunday and the priest diverted from his homily(lecture), completely off topic, to discuss the designated exorcist and the exorcisms within the diocese (the collection of Catholic churches in a given area). He said that there was one exorcist within the diocese who performed the rite. The priest also said that out of about 5000 inquiries to demonic activity, there will only be about one exorcism was actually performed. He went on with his homily. I was piqued. IIRC, that was the night I was sufficiently freaked out!
More odd still, I was having this same discussion, about the book and the priest, with my son just three nights ago. FWIW
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