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Possession
A
condition in which a person's mind, body, soul or all of these is believed to be under the control of an external force,
such
as a deity, demon,
supernatural being, or another distinct
personality.
Belief in possession is
probably universal among human societies, primitive and civilized. It is
also ancient, and evidence of it has been found at the earliest stages of
man's culture.
Apart from possession by the Holy
Spirit, Christianity regards
possession as the work of the Devil. In
medieval theology Satan entered the victim
directly, or by using an intermediary, such as a witch
or wizard, causing the victim to act
abominably and renounce God.
According to demonological literature,
sometimes the voice of the possessed person changed, sometimes even his or her appearance.
The body might be thrown into convulsions, and strange objects and even creatures were
said to be passed from the orifices, mainly the mouth and anus. The
possessed person also displays hatred and/or fear for the symbols of
goodness and sanctity.
The cure for possession by
evil spirits is exorcism.
In Judaism the most feared
evil
possession is by the Dybbuk, a doomed soul that wreaks mental and spiritual havoc on the
hapless victim. In many nonwestern cultures communication with, and voluntary possession
by, various deities is central to religious worship (see Voodoo).
Similarly in Christianity, voluntary possession by the Holy Spirit is encouraged,
especially in the Pentacostal movement, whose adherents may speak in tongues, perform
faith healing, and writhe uncontrollably in a form of ecstatic communion with God.
Evidence for genuine
possession by an evil supernatural force is unavailable, mostly because
those who have supposedly been possessed insist on anonymity, and those
who have participated at exorcisms refuse to reveal any details which
might breach that anonymity and permit verification of some of the
reported phenomena. People participating in exorcisms are usually also
firm believers in demons and the efficacy of exorcism. Their accounts and
testimony are most likely colored by their beliefs, because their
interpretation of events are certainly based on their faith.
Related
audio:
People of the
Lie: Possession and Group Evil/Audio Cassette.
People of the
Lie: Toward a Psychology of Evil/Audio Cassette.
Related
books:
Demon Possession: A Medical, Historical, Anthropological, and Theological Symposium: Papers Presented at
the University of Notre Dame, January 8-11.
Demon Possession
and the Christian.
Demons! The
Devil, Possession & Exorcism.
Deliverance from
Evil Spirits: A Practical Manual.
Dojo: Magic and
Exorcism in Modern Japan.
Entity Possession: Freeing the Energy Body of Negative Influences.
Exorcism: How to
Clear at a Distance a Spirit Possessed Person.
Hostage to the
Devil: The Possession and Exorcism of Five Americans.
How About Demons?
Possession and Exorcism in the Modern World.
Manual on
Exorcism.
The Complete
Exorcist or Exorcism from Scratch.
The Unquiet Dead: A Psychologist Treats Spirit Possession.
Click
here for more related
books.
Further info:
A View of Exorcism in the Catholic Church.
How to
differentiate Demonic Possession from Schizophrenia.
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