The Sci-Fi Channel taught me last night that hope remains in the search for unity among Catholics and Protestants.
I was just flipping through the channels and just happened upon a show called “Ghost Hunters.” OK. OK. I wasn’t just flipping by. I like the show. Look, anytime you have two Roto-Rooter plumbers running around scary houses and ancient prisons at night I’m there. I’m right there. Call it a weakness. Call it imbecility. I’ve been called worse.
Last night the crew saw some pretty weird stuff in a vacation home and the lead ghost hunter Jason had a flashlight knocked out of his hands. Then they heard a voice growl out the name of the homeowner. Now typically, these guys are as cavalier as can be about ghosts but this incident rattled them enough to bring in a “demonologist” named Keith Johnson, a Protestant with a self declared “strong faith.”
He was asked to bless the house. Everyone gathered around him nervously and asked him what he was going to do. Keith held his bible up. It was one of those creased and worn bibles you can tell gets read often with post it notes sticking out of pages. And then as if to validate the blessing Johnson pointed to a vial of water and remarked that it was “real holy water” blessed by a priest. And this guy splashed the stuff everywhere. He was like a spiritual exterminator with demonicide.
I thought this was pretty funny. When things got ugly and the principalities and powers started howling names and knocking things around the team brought out the Catholics. It’s easy to discard the Church in the daylight but when the fallen angels are suspected of rising and bark in the night I’m just thinking we’re putting the rectory in our “5” above Mother Rainbow’s Church of Jesus.
I’m not critiquing, I’m just saying that in the late innings with the game on the line who in your heart of hearts do you want batting cleanup?
Maybe there is hope for unity… if only things get ugly enough.
October 19, 2007 at 6:34 pm
“It’s easy to discard the Church in the daylight but when the fallen angels are suspected of rising and bark in the night I’m just thinking we’re putting the rectory in our “5” above Mother Rainbow’s Church of Jesus. “
Amen brother. Even when I was Protestant, I felt the same. If the *bleep* ever hit the fan, and I was confronted by “you know who,” Was I gonna call Rev. Fred, with the platitudes and the nice friendly brown suit, or would I make a B-Line to the nearest Catholic church.
I think the answer would be clear.
October 20, 2007 at 12:36 am
The movie, The Exorcist was based on a true story, but the possessed child was really a 14-year old boy from a Lutheran family. I believe they went to their minister first who told them to go see a priest.
October 20, 2007 at 1:07 am
A Methodist friend of my son visited a non-denominational charismatic service and witnessed a “deliverance.” He told me later it really creeped him out and “besides,” he said, “even I know that you have to be a Catholic priest to get rid of demons.”
October 21, 2007 at 5:44 pm
Did you see the movie “The Exorcism of Emily Rose?” It was based on a true story. I found the expert witness testimony fascinating. I don’t think the epert was a Catholic.she was an epert on possession.she said the reason Emily Rose died was that the use of psychotropic medication in the case of Emily Rose bound the demon to her flesh. Imagine how many people may be permanently bound to demons if that is true….
Ephesians 6:12-13 “For our struggle is not with flesh and blood but with the principalities, with the powers, with the world rulers of the present darkness, with evil spirits in the heavens. Therefore, put on the armor of God, that you may be able to resist on the evil day and, having done everything,to hold to your ground.”
Sadly, many priests these days do not consider or believe in possession. It is my experience that possession makes more sense in some cases than any other argument….
Chilling subject.