Impressive footage of real exorcism by Father Mathieu

[Geminize]

OK, I'll jump in this one. Of course, I can't say if the subjects in those videos were possessed or not. Although since I have no reason to believe in demons or the devil, I doubt it.

b) Reliable sources: we're not talking about snuff movies or anonymous videos posted on the internet, these are clips from serious journalistic pieces done by professionals, then scrutinized and endorsed by other professionals and later broadcasted by some of the biggest tv networks in the world (BBC, Antenne 2)

TV networks are businesses. Anything they broadcast is motivated by the desire for more viewers. More viewers = more money. The more controversial and fantastic the better.

c) Credible eyewitnesses: Relatives and friends of the victims, as well as clergymen and Father Mathieu, the most reliable witness you could possibly ask for.

Nonsense. The most credible eyewitness should be unbiased. Clergy are only human, subject to the same failings and delusions as anyone else.

e) Countless cases of documented exorcisms and the official doctrine of the Catholic Chruch that acknowledges the existence of the devil and the possibility of possessions.

Documented by who? The same biased clergy as above? Exorcisms performed do not prove the existence of demons or possession.

Show me an exorcism that cannot be explained by mental illness or acting. If these demons are so powerful, why can't they levitate a bed like in the movies? Maybe that's just not the way it works, and isn't that convenient.

[MisterTinkles]

If it were BS to sell to the masses, they wouldn't be so secretive about it.

Do you really believe that everyone involved in those exorcisms (incl. the late Father Mathieu that everyone described as a wise man and a saint) is trying to abuse those people?

And did you know that the Catholic Church only authorizes an exorcism with the approval of a doctor? This is a complex procedure and the Church takes it very seriously.

I've never seen an exorcism, I have no idea if they're legitimate or not and I'm not defending the Catholic Church here but in both videos you can clearly see that the possessed victims were there of their own accord; the 'seizures' and violent behavior only took place during the ritual.

But yes, I'm sure there are lots of fake exorcisms and I've seen a couple of those on YouTube - incl. the alleged 'exorcism' of a young kid that was actually infected with rabies, I'm not even going to post the link here because it's so disturbing and revolting.

Quacks, liars, and charlatans, have to follow a correct procedure, in order to "deflect" those people like me, who know its all "smoke and mirrors". They have created a self deluded fantasy world for themselves, so they can not only keep religion going by "the fear of being demonized", but also to keep the "sheep" coming to church and forking over their hard earned money, so the "church" can stay in business doing what it is they actually do.

And you have to be "secretive" sometimes, in order to get it right, so you DONT get found out. What would be worse than a screwup on camera? Or with outside witnesses? Those people practice this stuff long before they let any outsider in.

Im sure there are VERY VERY VERY few (priests) out there who actually believe this crap and think they can "exorcise" demons. But as I said, nothing more than people with mental problems or no self esteem, forced to believe they have some kind of possession going on.