Exorcism in Florida

[Darth Wong]

Florida priest: Exorcisms alive and well

TAMPA, FL -- Father Tom Euteneuer says he has faced the Devil. That he is real. And that he is among us.

“The manifestation of demons can be very frightening, but you never have to be afraid of the Devil because we always have the power of Christ to deal with him.”

Father Tom, a member of the Palm Beach Diocese who calls south Florida home, says he has been performing exorcisms for the past 5 years.

“I find it very satisfying. I wouldn't use the word pride. Because pride is something from the Devil and the way you can actually do this is kind of work is to be very humble.”

Father Tom, the Exorcist, now travels the country lecturing about the ritual, and may soon have a lot more to talk about.

Pope Benedict the 16th recently announced his intention to drastically expand the use of exorcism in a way the world has not seen in centuries.

“The pope isn't inventing anything new” says Father Tom. “And he's not actually bringing anything out and dusting it off. It's always been there. Maybe less practiced than it could be - or should be - but right now he sees that there's a greater need for it.”

For most of us, our only brush with demonic possession comes through the eye of a Hollywood camera. In the 1973 film The Exorcist, Linda Blair portrays a teenager possessed by evil.

Scour the internet and you'll also find clip after clip of so-called real exorcisms on websites like YouTube video taped by people in countries around the world.

Pope Benedict's plan to expand the ancient ritual also has its critics, who worry that many people suffering with mental illnesses may be misdiagnosed.

To that end, a spokesman at the Vatican's university says a 10 week course would be offered for priests who want to learn how to conduct exorcisms. It would include sessions on rites, how to talk to the Devil, and how, they say, to recognize the tricks he uses.

Students would also attend psychology classes to help them distinguish between what the church calls genuine cases of possession and psychiatric disorders such as tourrettes syndrome, bi-polarism, and schizophrenia.

Father Tom says they’re “in a better position than in all of history to discern and determine what is spiritual and what's not spiritual.”

Pope Benedict, say those closest to him, believes in the existence of Satan and believes his influence has grown in recent years through rock music, children's literature, even the internet.

The question is how skeptically this ancient ritual will be received in a modern-day society.

The answer, says Father Tom Euteneuer, may ultimately be a matter of faith.

“When a society doesn't believe in demons, it therefore doesn't believe in exorcism. So it's really only people of faith who will understand this for what it is.”

Ha ha, some people actually live in Florida.

[SirNitram]

Still topped by the exorcist who claims he cured cancer by banishing a demon.. And is now Governer of Lousiana.

[Rye]

Ha ha, some people actually live in Florida.

Some dead people apparently live there too, hah.

Interestingly, a guy I used to work with in Preston said he had found work as an exorcist just before he left. And this guy wasn't an evangelical or catholic like you might expect, he was a really odd (but highly nice and entertaining) muslim guy, had a great big bushy beard and wore the saudi arab headdress thing.

Apparently, there's a lot of money in it. I guess that explains the church's interest.

[Cos Dashit]

Ha ha, some people actually live in Florida.

Hey hey. Most of these hicks live outside the large cities like Miami, Orlando, Tampa Bay. According to the article, this guy lives in vague 'south Florida', which actually surprises me, as most 'hardcore' Christians live in the northern part of Florida.

[Zixinus]

What I wonder, is how much suffering this guy has caused when he dillusionally thought someone possesed that was quite clearly either someone suffering from a large variety of metal illnesess or just a teenager having a fit.

What does this "ritual" involve anyway? Restraining a person, shouting "CHRIST COMPELS YOU" for hours and what else?

[sketerpot]

It sounds like exorcism is what happens when very, very religious people repress a bondage fetish.

[Qwerty 42]

If people want to waste their time on exorcisms on their homes, whatever. It's no different, functionally, from having a house blessed. Then, however, their are the exorcisms where people get hurt or worse. Those should be treated as physical altercations. That's different from the exorcisms of people where the priest walks in, waves a gold cross, says "go away," and leaves.

[Darth Lucifer]

...Apparently, there's a lot of money in it. I guess that explains the church's interest.

Maybe I could be chasing away demons for cash. I once worked as head of security at 1470 West and Spanky's Doll House and I have loads of experience casting out drunken devils on Saturday night.

[Superman]

Florida. How shocking.

[Sarevok]

Exorcists are so old and primitive. Should not they open a ghostbusters unit instead ?

[Zablorg]

Exorcists are so old and primitive. Should not they open a ghostbusters unit instead ?

One thing would lead to another...

[Bounty]

What I wonder, is how much suffering this guy has caused when he dillusionally thought someone possesed that was quite clearly either someone suffering from a large variety of metal illnesess or just a teenager having a fit.

If he's a catholic priest going by the book, the answer would be "hopefully none". Exorcism is one of the most tightly regulated rituals, and it's only very rarely that church officials allow one to take place, which makes me wonder just how this guy got his record. A modern exorcism (ie, post-1999, when the rites were revised) starts with the presumption that the "possessed" person is suffering from a medical condition, so anyone who doesn't present with a very specific list of very outrageous symptoms (in the ballpark of speaking in ancient languages or clairvoyance) is usually sent to see a psychiatrist. Only when there is no indication of mental illness can a bishop authorize an exorcism.

The ritual itself is pretty tame, basically it's a long-ass list of prayers recited by a priest and a few witnesses. The manual was translated from Latin here:

++http://www.geocities.com/athaumaturgus/NOexorcism.pdf

[Invictus ChiKen]

Exorcists are so old and primitive. Should not they open a ghostbusters unit instead ?

One thing would lead to another...

So does this mean they'll finally be an end to all those waked out Charismatics and there running around screaming, rolling in the isles laughing, barking like dogs, passing out and so on?

Personally I always felt if anyone need an Exorcism it was those guys.

[Darth Lucifer]

What does this "ritual" involve anyway? Restraining a person, shouting "CHRIST COMPELS YOU" for hours and what else?

After seeing this thread, I recently came across Penn and Teller's episode of "Bullshit" on this very subject (courtesy of YouTube). It was an eye opener to say the very least.

Other videos (mostly from internet fundies) I've seen of alleged videotaped exorcisms looked pretty fake to me.

[Winston Blake]

What does this "ritual" involve anyway? Restraining a person, shouting "CHRIST COMPELS YOU" for hours and what else?

Sounds like a good way for a teenage couple to get some alone time. Have the boyfriend pretend to be an exorcist, lock the door, and after all the back-and-forth screaming and bed banging in the world, he could walk out and the parents would pay him.