Exorcism.

Essay by AnkhesenamunCollege, UndergraduateA+, December 2005

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The stages of how medicine and religion work today took a long time to be realized, even though it is still not perfected, doctors and religious figures are learning how to be more open about the possibility that one problem could be medical and one could be spiritual. The practice of Exorcism was first mentioned in a letter of Pope Cornelius in 253(Allen, John). Catholics are the most known for their knowledge and use of exorcism. It is a little

known fact that other religions and practices use this ritual too. Hinduism, Judaism, Buddhism, Islam, Shinto an even occultist and witches have some form of exorcism(A.G.H). Most of these practices are to release an unclean spirit to rid the victim of illness or disease.

In Biblical times Jesus performed an exorcist on a man who lived in the mountains in miserable conditions. When this man saw Jesus coming he asked of him for help.

Jesus commanded the spirits to leave the body of the man and commanded its name from him. He then commanded them out of the man he sent them into a heard of animals who jumped into the sea and drown(Mark 5:1-13). With so much history of exorcisms and the Devil the Medieval times were harsh amongst less fortunate people living then. The ones born with deformities were immediately suspected of being possessed by the devil. Most were accused of being a witch and were killed accordingly. They believed that God allowed the Devil to enter humans as a test of their will power(A.G.H.). Since then different rituals for releasing the devil, demons, spirits and ghosts have been used. The Charismatic moment is very strong today. With one group in almost every city, even without public knowledge, they tend to feed the need of people who can...