Posted on 02/02/2011 6:31:30 AM PST by marshmallow
An American exorcist has blamed the internet for rising numbers of young people who say they are possessed by the Devil.
Websites dedicated to the occult, witchcraft, Tarot cards, psychics and séances were increasingly exposing young people to demonic influences, said Fr Gary Thomas.
The priest, whose story has just been made into a major Hollywood film starring Welsh actor Sir Anthony Hopkins, said that pornography and drug abuse were also “doorways” to harassment by evil spirits.
He said there were “no statistics” on how many people might be possessed but said there was a definite increase.
“What I can tell you is that there are more and more Catholics involved in idolatrous and pagan practices,” he said. “That’s really why there’s more demonic activity. There’s the absence of God in the lives of a lot of people.”
He added: “A lot of parents today have no critical eye of faith with which to even recognise the dangers their children are in. A lot of this is going on with the internet. There are lots and lots of demonic websites.”
Speaking to the Catholic World Report magazine he continued: “A demon doesn’t show up. He has to be invited in … The involvement in pagan, satanic, or occult practices are the classical ways.
“Pornography is a doorway. But addictions of any kind can be – not are, but can be – a doorway, but it’s coupled with other things. For instance, drug use alone isn’t going to invite the demonic in, but coupled with the occult it could.”
Fr Thomas, of San José diocese, California, is rapidly emerging as the most famous exorcist in America after the story of his ministry was turned into a film called The Rite, which will be released in Britain on February 25.
He has and does on a daily basis. You, along with so many other poor souls, lack the acumen to realize that.
As Father Lucas Trevant(Anthony Hopkins) tells Deacon Michael Kovak(Colin O'Donoghue) in The Rite:
"Just because you think the devil doesn't exist, doesn't mean he doesn't."
Thanks for the ping.
What in your husband’s childhood experience suggests evil or the devil?
Odd does not equal evil or demonic. Again, where is the evil in this story? I believe I have read you relate the story a time before (I could certainly be mistaken about that), and was puzzled then by its use in supporting the existence of the devil.
Ouija boards predict nothing...feelings, inherent knowledge, opinions, predictions (ours) may come out...I had a blast mant years ago with an Ouija board...there was a girl that everyone...I mean everyone knew as Sue....I somehow, knew that her real name was Marilyn....at a stupid teenage party we played with the Ouija board and I revealed that "Marilyn" would do something that I knew "sue" was going to do...after the event, the participants discovered that Sue was really Marilyn....they were all amazed and I never revealed the answer....that was 50 years ago
Evil (as in Satan) uses the Ouiji board and does indeed make predictions. It’s a ploy to distract your faith from God to lead you to put your faith into other things. That’s how it all starts. And, its an entry for evil into your life.
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