Vatican to hold exorcist training course after 'rise in possessions'

[Eugene]

Source: The Guardian

Vatican to hold exorcist training course after 'rise in possessions'

Critics warn exorcism can be a form of spiritual abuse as priests report jump in possession claims

Harriet Sherwood
Fri 30 Mar 2018 14.00 BST Last modified on Fri 30 Mar 2018 15.46 BST

The Vatican is to hold a training course for priests in exorcism next month amid claims that demands for deliverance from demonic possession have greatly increased across the the world.

The Vatican-backed International Association of Exorcists, which represents more than 200 Catholic, Anglican and Orthodox priests, said the increase represented a “pastoral emergency”.

According to a priest from Sicily, the number of people in Italy claiming to be possessed had tripled to 500,000 a year, and an Irish priest has said demand for exorcisms has “risen exponentially”.

Last year, the Christian thinktank Theos reported that exorcisms were a “booming industry” in the UK, particularly among Pentecostal churches.

But some warn that “deliverance ministry” can be a form of spiritual abuse. Critics also say LGBT people and those with mental health issues are targeted for deliverance in the belief that their sexuality or psychiatric problems are the result of demonic possession.

-snip-

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/mar/30/vatican-to-hold-exorcist-training-course-after-rise-in-possessions-exorcism-priests

[Binkie The Clown]

1. Just what the world needs right now: More irrationality.

[edhopper]

2. We've had people here

defend exorcism. In the 21st Century!
Demons! I mean WTF?

[BigmanPigman]

3. I would think that the fucking moron in the W House is indeed possessed by demons

but he has been acting like this his whole life so that can't even be used as an excuse. He doesn't need Holy Water sprinkled on him, he needs a wooden stake and a necklace of garlic to do the trick.

[FiveGoodMen]

4. As long as someone can persuade them that objective reality is "fake news"...

Tell an evangelical that Satan has clouded their vision and they can't trust their own eyes, and ... many will fall for it.

When Mueller is done with the Russian thing, maybe he can investigate the RCC and the SBC.

[Turbineguy]

5. Trump

needs to be excorsized.

[fantase56]

6. And here I thought I'd be reading something from The Onion

[lindysalsagal]

7. I'm surprised Francis goes in for the chicken/snake crowd.

I thought he was above the ancient voodoo. Guess I gave him too much credit.