Demonic possession

[bernee51]

Is demonic possesion something that is only for the movies?

Can this 'news' feature be taken seriously. Should it even be reported as 'news'?

I think not.

[Furrowed Brow]

Jaw dropping.

Seems the middle ages can be dressed up in a shirt and tie, and gain a doctorate.

[Goat]

Is demonic possesion something that is only for the movies?

Can this 'news' feature be taken seriously. Should it even be reported as 'news'?

I think not.

No, it shoujld not.

It does show the quality of 'Fox News" though.

[sledheavy]

I've had a lot of my friends who are political science majors getting upset about editing American flags into movies without consent of the director or writer, or whathaveyou. Frankly I just think it's a rant, but it's on going now.

If it's one thing I'd like to get rid of, just erase from the earth. It'd be flies and slow news days.

lol...fox news.

hmm....I just mentioned Zimbardo's experiment.

wow, that's not even a quote. lol...being that I'm a journalism major, you think you guys would read my material if I worked for fox?

[studentem]

I love the specific details given on different types of demonic attacks by "Doctor" Roberts, carefully explaining the difference between the two.

"Roberts added that he doesn’t know if it was Satanic “possession” or “oppression.”

It beggars belief that this primitive superstition should be humoured on an alleged news station, let alone enshrined in a "university". It's astonishing, embarassing, pitiful and a host of whatever other superlatives you care to name to describe this gross ignorance.

[MikeH]

This thread makes me LOL

With the ridiculous amount of nonsensical, misrepresented, and utterly useless news that is being pumped through major media outlets, it's pretty hilarious that this article is so offensive, so degrading to some.

I assume that everybody tossing around snide comments has sufficient knowledge of the subject, and is not arguing from from personal incredulity.

[studentem]

I assume that everybody tossing around snide comments has sufficient knowledge of the subject, and is not arguing from from personal incredulity.

Just to clarify, are you referring to the "subject" of evil, magical, extra-dimensional beings taking control of people? Is there some other, less superstitious, meaning of demonic possession of which I am unaware? I would be delighted to be educated if there is, but my understanding, which provoked my above fairly hysterical outburst ( for which I guess your "LOL" was justifed, sorry about that) , was that that the gentleman on fox was talking about magical entities controlling people. Have I got that straight?

[MikeH]

Just to clarify, are you referring to the "subject" of evil, magical, extra-dimensional beings taking control of people?

Yes, I am referring to that subject. I assume that to be so floored by a news report such as this you have studied demonology, read the works of Alphonse de Spina, Peter Binsfield, attended exorcisms, and have then drawn your conclusion instead of just arguing from ignorance.

Is there some other, less superstitious, meaning of demonic possession of which I am unaware?

What exactly is superstitious about extra-dimensional beings? Is it ridiculous to you that there are extra dimensions, or that there could be beings in extra dimensions? Why?

I would be delighted to be educated if there is, but my understanding, which provoked my above fairly hysterical outburst ( for which I guess your "LOL" was justifed, sorry about that) , was that that the gentleman on fox was talking about magical entities controlling people. Have I got that straight?

You employ the word magical to add weight to your argument that such a notion is ridiculous, but if there are extra dimensional beings there would be nothing at all magical about them.

[studentem]

Thanks for the response.

What exactly is superstitious about extra-dimensional beings?

My understanding was that there was no evidence for the existence of extra-dimensional beings and that therefore thinking that illnesses or erratic behaviour are caused by their "possessing" people is "a belief or notion, not based on reason or knowledge", which is my understanding of the word, "superstition". I will confess immediately that I have not read any of the works you mentioned and that your accusation of "personal incredulity" is an accurate one.

Is it ridiculous to you that there are extra dimensions, or that there could be beings in extra dimensions? Why?

It seems unlikely to me considering our very human tendency to anthropomorphise impersonal events such as disease and mental illness in the absence of scientific education, and also the absence of any evidence of which I am aware to suggest that extra-dimensional beings are real outside of human imaginations. I have not read the works you refer to and I would greatly appreciate it if you might be so kind as to explain the sort of evidence or reasoning which ( I hope I am correct in assuming) you found compelling.

You employ the word magical to add weight to your argument that such a notion is ridiculous, but if there are extra dimensional beings there would be nothing at all magical about them.

I use the term magical as a synonym for supernatural, which has a more credible and persuasive polysyllabic ring to it. I would refer to Jesus' resurrection for example as a magical event, because clearly such an occurence is paranormal and seems to conflict with everything we know about physics and biology. In this case, I am using the term because I presumed that the mechanics by which extra-dimensional beings enter people's bodies and control their behaviour are supernatural. I must concede that if indeed "extra dimensions" were real, if indeed there were some process by which mysterious "beings" were able to travel through these dimensions and control humans for some reason, then my use of the term would be inappropriate. Would it be fair to say that such extraordinary claims would require some fairly compelling evidence to establish? Do those works you mentioned succeed in establishing the plausibility of those facts in your opinion?

[Rathpig]

Richard Roberts is a kook. Oral Roberts University represents the low threshold in the United States for any group of silly and superstitious people to create a "school". Fox News represents the commonality of tabloid journalism being given a public forum.

All this story shows is the pitiful nature to which some people reach to propagate an anachronistic world view because this type of feces sells to a willing market.

Richard Roberts is probably going to end up in prison after Oral Roberts University is investigated thoroughly, so I guess he can swap fairy tales with Kent Hovind.