Bob Larson v Derren Brown

[Furrowed Brow]

Bob Larson has been hitting our TV screens over here in the UK tucked away on one of the minor digital channels. For those who don’t know of him he purveys himself as an exorcist. Here are some links to give you a taste. Link 1Link 2Link 3

My reaction is mouth agape horror. Not that demons are being exorcised, but how a man with an obvious strong personality - mesmeric even - can feed off and manipulate peoples' fears. I say that without questioning Mr Larsons sincerity and belief what he is doing is true and of help. But I do see it as everyone involved operating within a false consciousness, and Mr Larson being a force marshalling people to behave and respond within that the dynamic he is creating - whether he realises that himself of not.

Over here in the UK we have a TV and stage magician/psychology illusionist Derren Brown I’ve seen this guy on stage twice and will being seeing him again in London in June. Derren Brown’s trade is psychological manipulation and he is a debunker of all things spiritual. In the UK it is illegal to perform a séance on stage. I have seen Derren Brown perform what is to all intents and purposes a séance on stage, with moving tables and people told personal intimate details about themselves that “no one else could possibly know”. DB qualifies his act as being the product of stage craft, psychological manipulation, misdirection and dishonesty. So he gets away with it. He has also posed as a spiritualist, gives readings of people and other stuff besides. I don't think he has tackled exorcism yet - but I'd say it is well within his abilties to duplicate Bob Larson's performance.

I mention Derren Brown because I have absolutely no doubt that some people will be moved and deeply impressed by Bob Larson, and others of his ilk who deal in the side show performance element of religion. I have just said that Bob Larson marshals people to behave within a dynamic he is creating. I suspect those who would want to defend Bob Larson would respond by saying no one is being forced to do anything. That everyone is acting freely without duress or control. That the affect upon them was real. That they really felt something...and so on. For those who take the likes of Bob Larson seriously, I urge you to fire up your imagination, be open to what one human can impress on another and try and catch one of Derren Brown’s TV programmes or better still go see him live.

Anyhow - questions.

• Do you think Bob Larson and anyone who trades in public exorcisms, spiritualism, healings etc offer anymore that stagecraft, suggestion, force of will and psychology?
  
  Do you think Derren Brown dabbles in things he does not understand?
  
  Or - like me - do you think that anything that can be done by the likes of Bob Larson can be achieved by skilled and motivated performer like Brown.

[eliyahu137]

Do you think Bob Larson and anyone who trades in public exorcisms, spiritualism, healings etc offer anymore than stagecraft, suggestion, force of will and psychology?

Yes. I believe that any person who genuinely is born again has the authority to engage in "exorcisms." People may still mix this power with manipulative techniques, wheter knowingly or not has to be very carefully and individually judged.

The real question is: How do you know when an exorcism is real and when it is stagecraft, suggestion, force of will and psychology?

Also, is it wise to invest time and energy in exposing any "Christian"snake oil salesmen? What if, in any particular ministry in question, you expose and defame a ministry and you are genuinely wrong and you oppose God's work (in spite of the showmanship being employed)?

Do you think Derren Brown dabbles in things he does not understand?

I have not seen the man but I would guess that he is doing such. He may have some genuine things to address. But I know from the Bible and personal experience that demon possession and demonic activity is very real. Of course there are a lot of public (and private) exocisms which are highly questionable. But we need to be careful not to assume that any and every case of possession and/or demonic activity is not categorically labeled as charlotanism.


Or - like me - do you think that anything that can be done by the likes of Bob Larson can be achieved by skilled and motivated performer like Brown.

I believe that a skilled and motivated performer like Brown may be able to mimic quite a bit of Bob Larson's activities. Again, this does not nullify the validity of any and all exorcisms.
What if you are genuinely experiencing demonic possession or other activity and, due to the criticisms of Brown and other skeptics like him, there are no people whom will even take your claims seriouosly and get you real help?
What if you have been in the third world countries as a missionary and you have personal genuine accounts of demons manifesting in various ways and also coming out of people, etc? How can you even tell anyone here in the West about these things without being looked at as a quack after so much criticism of such things has been made public information?

People need to be careful and not assume things. For example, just because people often use theatrics to fake supernatural powers does not mean that Jesus and the apostles and prophets of the Bible were charlotans. Healthy skepticism allows for the authentic to have its place.