Posted on 07/25/2012 4:36:32 PM PDT by stfassisi
What makes a mild mannered, promising young scientist decide to arm himself to the teeth, walk into a suburban movie theater and start killing innocent people at random?
Did he have a bad childhood experience? Doesn't seem that way. Everybody says he was a nice, very smart, shy kid. Maybe a bit of a geek, but there are millions of geeks who don't go on killing sprees. Was he insane? There weren't any warning signs that he was crazy. Was he politically or religiously motivated? No evidence. Was he driven crazy by violent video games? He didn't seem to play more than most kids. Was his mind poisoned by the nihilistic second Batman movie? It was a dark film, but millions saw it and didn't go on a rampage. Was he somehow "possessed" by the Joker character? Some say the demonic Joker drove Heath Ledger to kill himself.
Now it's getting spooky. There was a weird phone message with bizarre guttural voices and moans. Was he demon possessed? Maybe. It happens.
Demonic infestation is a rare, strange and terrible psycho-spiritual affliction. In simple terms, a malevolent, separate intelligence infests the mind and spirit of a person. It takes over the rational faculties and dominates the personality. The phenomenon is real, but anyone who has ever dealt with the problem realizes that the demonic realm is complex. The human person is an intricate organism in which the physical, mental and spiritual aspects are totally interwoven. Therefore, in most cases, trying to diagnose the possibility of demonic influence is extremely difficult.
This is because, in theory, demonic influence in a personality can exist on several different levels. Experts disagree about the terminology and extent of the diabolical influence, and in this arcane discipline, for reasons that will become clear, there are few set rules or guidelines. However, some levels of demonic involvement can be observed.
The first level of demonic influence is temptation. This is not just the mild desire to drink too much, overindulge, or have a sexual dalliance. That's just part of being human. If there is a demonic element, the "temptation" is to do something radically and extremely vile. This can happen in a person's life without any sign of supernatural activity.
The second level of demonic influence is obsession. At this level, there is still no sign of anything paranormal happening. The person starts to give in to the temptation. He may become reclusive and secretive as he becomes obsessed with the evil that he is entertaining. This evil may be in the form of occult activity, violent video games or movies, pornography, drug abuse, sexual perversion, sexual promiscuity, or obsession with power and violence.
The obsession with evil will probably have an addictive element. The personality begins to change. The individual may seem "normal" most of the time, but he'll have "dark moments" when his "inner demons" take over. The difficulty in diagnosing demonic influence is that these same symptoms may indicate substance abuse problems, mental illness, social maladjustment, emotional inadequacy, relationship problems or a complex web of such difficulties. Demonic influence will cause these symptoms, but these symptoms are not necessarily a sign of demonic activity.
In the first two levels of demonic influence, the malevolent spirit is still outside the personality. On the third level, the malevolent spirit seems to enter the whole person in a spiritual, mental and even physical dimension. This level of influence is called infestation. This is the stuff of exorcism movies—when the person exhibits disturbing physical, mental, and spiritual signs of infestation. The individual is "taken over" by the demonic spirit and paranormal phenomena are exhibited. When the signs of preternatural strength are seen, horrible alien voices come from the person, vile blasphemies are heard and perverted and violent actions are witnessed, one can be fairly sure that a demonic infestation is happening. However, many of these symptoms may also be signs of a deep mental or spiritual illness which is not demonic in origin.
The final stage of demonic influence is possession. This is when the malevolent spirit does not manifest itself any longer, but hides within the personality rather like a parasite. The person will appear to return to normal, but there is a shadow within. Even if they do so in a respectable and "normal" manner, they will live only for themselves and the darkness within.
In analyzing these levels of demonic influence, one must remember that each level builds on the former and there may be no sequence, predictability or diagnostic tests. In dealing with the interface between the paranormal realm and the complexities of the human person, the exorcist often feels like he is walking blindfolded through a minefield set in quicksand. He is wrestling with a pool of oily octopuses. He is on the edge of chaos where there is no foothold.
Is James Holmes demon possessed? It is impossible to say without a detailed diagnosis. Even then, it is a slippery question. We are dealing with a reality that is rubbery. In many ways this is the wrong question. Better to ask, "Was James Holmes taken over by Evil?"
Yes. Something happened to the mild mannered science geek. He turned into a monster. Something twisted in his mind and heart, and Evil made an entry. Evil infested his life. It took him over. Whether the twist was through mental illness, some inner wound or some terrible dark intelligence, we cannot say. The fact that we can't say what went wrong and don't have a neat and tidy answer is the key to understanding the terrible conundrum of evil.
When faced with mindless massacres, we don't have a rational answer—and that is the rational answer. What I mean is that the further one goes down the path of Evil, the more it becomes irrational and mindless. Evil, by its very nature, is a lie, a subterfuge, a deceit and a vast web of contradictions and inconsistencies. Evil is, by it's nature, the darkness and the chaos—where what seems reasonable is only a smoke screen for the absurd, and what seems logical is a pretext for irrationality.
A friend of mine who is an exorcist says this is why the ministry of exorcism is so exhausting and grueling—because the demons constantly lie. Whenever evil is manifested, it wears a mask. The evil ones squirm and hide. They flatter one moment and hiss with rage the next. They are one moment obsequious and aggressive the next. Because they are liars, reason and trust can find no grasp. Pure Evil is random, violent and unpredictable.
Furthermore, Evil is, by it's nature, perverse and twisted. Evil has nothing positive in itself. It can only ever twist, pervert and destroy what is good. Consequently, Evil seeks innocent victims. Goodness is the fuel and fodder for Evil. Evil kills and feasts on the good.
This is why evil feels so bad. We wouldn't mind so much if bad people got gunned down by a vengeful killer. But Evil doesn't work that way. Evil seeks innocent victims. That's why it's evil. We wouldn't feel so bad if vile, genocidal dictators get their just reward and hang, but evil seeks out the helpless old person, the vulnerable woman, the child yet unborn.
All we can do when faced with mindless evil is recognize that it is mindless. The only answer is that there is no answer. The murders in Aurora and the crazed face of James Holmes remind us that real evil is random and meaningless. It is deadly and ruthless and cruel simply to be deadly, ruthless and cruel. All we can do is gaze on in fascinated horror at the senseless suffering.
Then we can pick ourselves up and also remember that goodness always overcomes evil. Evil is the absence of rationality, the absence of good, the absence of love. Evil is the dark compared to light. Evil is cold compared to heat. The cold and dark feel bad, but they are the absence of light and heat. Likewise, Evil is the absence not only of Good, but the outgoing power of Good which theologians call Love.
The true answer to the absurdity of evil is the supernatural rationality of love, for love is the outgoing goodness that counters evil. By "love," I do not mean merely sentimental or erotic love. I mean a power that is positive and creative and dynamic and pro-active in the world—the power which Dante said "moved the Sun and the other stars."
Love is the divine force of rationality and goodness. Love is the force which empowered three murdered men in the cinema in Aurora to shield their girlfriends from harm. Love is the force which makes the meaningless meaningful through the strange power of forgiveness, and which brings sacrifice in the face of insane self-love. Love is the light in the darkness, and Love is the meaning that makes us remember in a compassionate connection that this dark act took place in a town named Aurora, which holds a hopeful meaning: "Daybreak."
I felt the same way when I read this.
Please pray for all effected by this evil act.
It occurs to me that if Holmes was indeed demon possessed (or oppressed to the point of losing his own individual will), that his behavior in the courtroom indicates that whatever evil entities had influenced him to murder his victims in that theater have now “left the building” as in “left his physical body”. They’ve accomplished their diabolical ‘mission’ which was to inflict death and destruction upon the innocent. There is no longer any reason to stick around, they will spiritually throw Holmes to the wolves, and look for new prey to gain control over and commit the same sort of violence at some future point.
Is Holmes guilty? I contend he absolutely is guilty and he will hopefully pay the highest penalty provided by the law. As for the fate of his soul?
Until he walks into the death chamber for his appointment with Mr Needle, there is always the possibility of his confessing his sins to Jesus Christ, seeking Him to come into his life and clean him up, and while that prospect might cause some to recoil in disgust, there is plenty of precedent for it, and David Berkowitz (the ‘Son of Sam’ killer) is a perfect example of Redemption for a soul that most considered lost forever.
Everyday people do give into evil its called sin and we are told that we all are sinners
God gave it a bath, and washed it clean a long time ago.
The next time he's gonna put it on the dry cycle with heat.
Just like in the days of Noah indeed.
Thanks for the ping to this fine piece.
That was a very well thought out and courageous post ,dear friend.
We can not forget what Saul did in having people killed before becoming Saint Paul
I agree. And I will add that that many people with real very physical ailments like Epilepsy, ALS, Cerebral Palsy, Schizophrenia and people who suffered from strokes and other brain injuries were once “diagnosed” by the religious as being “demonically possessed”. And the sufferers of such diseases and brain injuries where once treated very miserably and inhumanely in order to get the “devil” out of them; that was until modern science and advancements in modern medicine finally prevailed and determined that they were not “possessed” by demons but suffering from very real medical illnesses.
Again, I agree with you that no sane, decent person would do such a thing. It’s a bit of conundrum – if he is really insane; is he innocent by reason of insanity or his he guilty by reason of insanity? In any case, he is guilty and he should never be allowed to see the light of freedom ever again given his severity of his crimes, whether he was insane or not when he committed them.
I wish Father would NOT have written this article. It’s sensational and irresponsible IMO. Holmes’ mother has come out and said her (adopted) son is mentally ill (or she felt that he was) and that she encouraged him to seek out counselling. I do not believe an exorcist (in good standing, not to be confused with Euteneuer) would come out and speak like Father Longenecker has, so I think he as well should not have stepped up to the plate and done so. I gotta give Father a BIG thumbs down on this one.
I have seen this happen to someone in my family. It is heartbreaking to watch. Thank you for posting.
Now, modern Psychology though their demonic hero's like Carl Jung and others -(who were known occultists )call homosexuals abortionists, porn addicts normal people.
If anything, I am of the opinion that modern Psychology is of the devil in many cases
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plenty of psych meds have no withdrawal symptoms.
Hippa laws would prevent drug information from being disseminated.
Where have you read this?
I would like to also add that Doctors who perform abortions are at the same level of evil (perhaps worse) than Holmes,yet the majority modern Psychology does nothing to condemn the abortion doctor or condemn their behavior because somehow they view their intellect of becoming a Doctor as something that makes them superior.
I have news for you. The devil is far more intelligent than you are and if you disregard this and do not properly seek the correct Spiritual protection you will open yourself to being possessed as well.
This is for you
http://www.ewtn.com/devotionals/prayers/chaplet-of-st-michael.htm
Think of all the very-understandable. natural (physical, intellectual and social) motives for evil: desire for pleasure, comfort, ease, wealth, a feeling of well-being, maintining a good reputation, or the suppression of pain, revenge on somebody who has wronged you, wild release of anger or lust, etc.
All natural and in a way understandable, though evil.
Now think of some crime in which none of these natural drives are really at the root of it. My friend says that when the evil act makes no sense in terms of natural saisfaction, that's when you know you're dealing with the demonic.
His example was that at some famed Nazi concentration camp, Allied troops were known to be within hours of coming in and occupying the place, and in those hours the camp staff (men and including women) were going around murdering as many of the remaining prisoners as they could.
It defied "rationality." It could profit them in no way. If they were "rationally" evil, they would have gotten out of there themselves, to avoid being seized by the Allied troops, or at least tidily disposing of the evidence of their own crime. But they were determined to do as much evil as they could in the hours they still had left, even though it was directly and immediately incriminatng to themselves.
Evil with no humanly explicable reason. That's -- he says --- the sign of the presence of the hellish entities.
Most people who consider demons to be synonomous with an uneducated perception of modern mental disorders, have probably never perceived an actual demon or if they have, they have been exposed without being reborn in Christ, spiritually dead.
Demons, or fallen angels, are very real. The are bodiless spirits who can influence the mental and spiritual domain of humans. They also can physically harm humans, although lacking bodies themselves. They are just as real as a big bully picking you up off of your feet and throwing you across a room in a fist o cuffs.
They may be spiritually perceived and they can influence as well as attack.
They might place ideas in ones thinking. They might access your memory and recall events to pose a challenge.
Psychiatrists seeking to avoid the topic, or thinking God doesn’t really exist, comfort themselves by attributing demon possession to schizophrenia or any number of academically discussed observed phenomena, attempting to place more faith in activity void of the demonic than to even admit it exists. Most simply ignore their existence, placing their faith upon their academic explanations and avoiding challenges to that ignorance.
Insufficient evidence has been provided regarding Holmes, but people do things for reasons, even if poorly thought through. I haven’t seen why he acted or thought the way he did.
The possibility of demonic possession also crossed my mind when reading of the shooting range report.
It should also be noted that just because a possessed person doesn’t always act possessed, doesn’t imply he is free of possession. This doesn’t encourage a rush to judgment, but it is more foolish to ignore their existence and actions than to recognize they do exist.
That's hardly the case. Where did you come by that misapprehension of reality? Until recently, drug treatment was a rarity in psychiatry.
Another aspect of this case is his major in neuroscience. If demonically influenced or possessed, it says far more regarding his peers and the academic institution than about Holmes.
Where have you read this?
He is being held in isolation at the Arapahoe County Jail but the continual spitting has forced authorities to cover his face while he is being moved.Read more: Link
It is just the latest example of Holmes' bizarre behaviour and comes as his mother revealed she feared he had been disturbed for years and was concerned about his social isolation.
Arlene Holmes, who lives in San Diego, California and was only made aware of the shootings when a reporter called her for a comment, is said to have urged her son to seek counselling.
The claim in the Washington Post about Mrs Holmes, a nurse, is the first sign that she could have averted the massacre and raises grave questions over what else she knew.
The term withdrawal is inappropriate here. Very few, if any, psych meds can be abruptly stopped without discontinuation syndrome occurring, including antidepressants and anxiolytic drugs.
The Catholic church is first to admit that before demonic activities might even be considered, the situation must be clearly established to *not* be mental illness.
To a frightened person with no education in mental illness, it is extremely unnerving, and very easy to assign to supernatural causes.
A profound example of this is found with pernicious anemia, the inability to absorb vitamin B-12 from food. A person with this may be incoherent, violent, ranting, frothing, straightjacket material. Easy as all get out to assume demonic possession.
Yet just a shot of liquid B-12 in the arm, and you can see their whole bodies’ tense muscles relax as soon as the vitamin circulates to their area. Then they “wake up” and are entirely rational as soon as it hits their brain.
Holmes just on the surface is showing many of the signs of acute schizophrenia. One of its first active indicators is the collapse of cognitive abilities. In his case, going from straight ‘A’s to straight ‘F’s overnight.
Just by itself that is very upsetting to him, of course, but then he lost his funding, and was told to vacate his university apartment in a month. And then his girlfriend decided to leave him. Not her fault, really, he probably had a profound change to his personality.
And sitting in court, looking like he was “out of it”, may not have been acting. His jailers reported that he thought he was in a movie, in jail.
Pretty soon stuff like this starts to point a pretty big finger. Importantly, his lawyers will demand a psychiatric evaluation, and there is a possibility that he has a rapidly moving brain degeneration.
If that’s the case, he will be dead within a year or two.
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