Jack Priest (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
bitten_notshy) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
fandomhigh2013-01-30 10:24 am
bitten_notshy) wrote in fandomhigh2013-01-30 10:24 am
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Supernatural Studies, Wednesday, Period 1
Jack was leaning against his desk as the class filed in, hands behind his back. “As I promised, we’re talking about exorcisms today,” he reminded the students. “Which is an ancient spiritual practice believed in some cultures to rid an individual of demonic possession. We’re going to watch a brief video clip of a child being exorcised in recent years. It’s not graphic, but if you feel you cannot watch it or find the topic offensive in general, please feel free to leave the room now. Call it a week off.”
He waited a moment for anyone who wanted to leave, then cued up a video. “This gives a decent overview of what an exorcism is and how it might look in modern times,” he explained.
Once the video was done, he began talking again. “If you’ll notice, the narrator mentions the family’s priest thinks the boy’s problem is psychological damage caused by his father’s death, not demons. I’m not here to say one way or the other, but it is worth noting that many alleged possessions are now believed to be undiagnosed epilepsy, schizophrenia, or other organic disorders.”
“But families may still turn to possession as a way to explain symptoms that are otherwise inexplicable and untreatable. One famous fairly recent case was Anneliese Michel. She’d been diagnosed with epilepsy and hallucinations, and her family attempted drug treatment. It did nothing and they turned to religion. They had to go to several priests before they found one who said she didn’t ‘look’ epileptic and agreed to perform an exorcism.” Jack’s tone was dry on this, measured, and a bit angry. “Her priests attempted a total of 67 exorcism rituals over ten months. As the … treatment progressed, she started refusing food and drink as a way of atoning for the sins of the world. The exorcists remained convinced she was possessed and did not halt what they were doing to seek medical treatment. Anneliese finally died of malnutrition and dehydration, and the priests were charged and eventually convicted of manslaughter.”
“My question for you is this,” he said. “If a spiritual adviser honestly believes an individual is possessed by demons and, like Anneliese Michel, the individual dies as a result of an attempted exorcism, is the exorcist a murderer? Or is something else going on?”
He waited a moment for anyone who wanted to leave, then cued up a video. “This gives a decent overview of what an exorcism is and how it might look in modern times,” he explained.
Once the video was done, he began talking again. “If you’ll notice, the narrator mentions the family’s priest thinks the boy’s problem is psychological damage caused by his father’s death, not demons. I’m not here to say one way or the other, but it is worth noting that many alleged possessions are now believed to be undiagnosed epilepsy, schizophrenia, or other organic disorders.”
“But families may still turn to possession as a way to explain symptoms that are otherwise inexplicable and untreatable. One famous fairly recent case was Anneliese Michel. She’d been diagnosed with epilepsy and hallucinations, and her family attempted drug treatment. It did nothing and they turned to religion. They had to go to several priests before they found one who said she didn’t ‘look’ epileptic and agreed to perform an exorcism.” Jack’s tone was dry on this, measured, and a bit angry. “Her priests attempted a total of 67 exorcism rituals over ten months. As the … treatment progressed, she started refusing food and drink as a way of atoning for the sins of the world. The exorcists remained convinced she was possessed and did not halt what they were doing to seek medical treatment. Anneliese finally died of malnutrition and dehydration, and the priests were charged and eventually convicted of manslaughter.”
“My question for you is this,” he said. “If a spiritual adviser honestly believes an individual is possessed by demons and, like Anneliese Michel, the individual dies as a result of an attempted exorcism, is the exorcist a murderer? Or is something else going on?”
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