Tag Archives: Catholic Church

Catholic Church and the Harry Potter/Yoga Controversy

15 Monday Jan 2018

Posted by in Catholic Church, Harry Potter, Uncategorized, Yoga

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Catholic Church and the Harry Potter/Yoga Controversy

In 2003, the Catholic Church defended Harry Potter stating that author JK Rowling’s series is “consistent with Christian morals.” Instead, the Church spoke out and cautioned against “new age spiritual beliefs” that attack the Catholic faith. Further, the Church noted that most—if not all—children grow up reading about “fairies, magic, and angels.”  Puritan censorship is destroying creativity and doing it in the name of Christianity. Harry Potter themed yoga classes are a thing and sell out.

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First, Harry Potter is not satanic. It’s a fictional series about good and evil. It’s about the ramifications of choices made. And in the end, good wins. The Potter books are like The Narnia series, Lord of the Rings, and the Star Wars universe. Ban one, then ban them all. Churches cannot cherry-pick which titles they will censor. Both Harry Potter and Narnia are deeply rooted with Christian themes. However, only Narnia is held up as the standard for creative fiction. Wonder why? Is it because C.S. Lewis was a man? It certainly isn’t because he was an ordained priest or minister. He wasn’t. He was essayist, novelist, critic. He wrote about his Christian faith. Compare him to Rowling, a woman who had to use her initials so not to often male readers. She is also a novelist, essayist, critic. She often discusses her Christian faith. They’re similar. To say one is okay but the other is not is unfair and wrong. Both books build on the same themes.

Even though Pope Francis permits Catholics to read the Harry Potter books, he is not a fan of yoga. He stated: “practices like yoga aren’t capable of opening our hearts up to God.” However, that’s not the purpose of yoga.

Recently, small groups of Catholics have decried yoga as causing demonic possession. Father Cesare Truqui blames Harry Potter and Vinyasa yoga as causing demonic possession. Truqui stated “[yoga] leads to evil just like reading Harry Potter.” That’s ridiculous!

The Catholic Church reports a rise in reports of demonic possession. Reports. Most of the reports are not possession issues and don’t go beyond the initial in-take step. However, the growing number of the reporting is concerning until one analyzes the ease of reporting, the media stories encouraging reporting, and the willingness of someone to be interviewed. The fact that the Catholic Church has a stable of 12 exorcists doesn’t necessarily support an out-of-control demonic possession events. It means that there are more people training in that area.

Yoga consists of holistic meditative “exercises that unite the body, mind, and spirit.” It originated in Hinduism; however, the meditative practices are not isolated to the Hindu religion. It would be like saying no other religion can recite “The Lord’s Prayer” unless one was Catholic.

Yoga is incredibly popular. Annually, yoga instruction brings in $2.5 billion. Vinyasa is the most popular form. People report practicing yoga for #1 wellness, #2-3 peace and calm, and #4 health. Over 1.7 million children under the age of 17 practice yoga. In the US, 9.5% of adults practice totaling 21 million people. If it came down to it, people would give up organized religion to practice yoga.

For most people, yoga is physical exercise. It helps relax and calm the practitioner. True yogis seek spiritual perfection. Yes, they meditate. However, a lot of people who pray are meditating. The Catholic Church has not banned meditation. The Catholic Church attempting to hijack yoga by claiming one should only pray to God. That’s incorrect. The Catholic Church encourages practitioners to pray to saints and Jesus’ mother Mary. Finally, practicing yoga does not convert one to Hinduism. Just like praying the Rosary does not convert one to Catholicism.

Participation in organized religion is declining. The Catholic Church, as with others, should embrace young people. They should openly discuss Harry Potter and apply Christian doctrine to the events in the book. They should host integrated programs with other religious groups. My Episcopal Church would have trips to visit the Buddhist Monks in the area. That’s how participation grows. Knee-jerk censorship stifles creativity and discussions. It also chills academic discourse and turns people away.

So, no, you will not become demonically possessed if you read the Harry Potter series. Nor will you become possessed if you practice yoga. Instead of attacking the idiotic, religious organizations should address the real crimes done in the name of God: rape, hate, bigotry, adultery, rise in KKK membership, and prosperity Christianity.

Find your Hogwart’s House Yoga Program:

 

Chris Dedman: Called for a Higher Purpose

15 Monday Sep 2014

Posted by in Conferences, Demonic Possession, Famous Locations, Famous People, Haunted Houses, Paranormal, Religion, Scarefest

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Chris Dedman

Chris Dedman

Chris Dedman: Called for a Higher Purpose

Speaking to a standing room only audience at Scarefest 2014, Chris Dedman announced his intention to study under Bishop James Long and to become a full-fledged Demonologist. Upon completion, Dedman will join the ranks of John Zaffis and Stacey Jones. Dedman cautioned: Do not enter this field of study lightly.

Dedman’s session titled “Demons & Possession” consisted of definitions and insights based on his grounded Catholic beliefs. Dedman warned of the thrill seekers who watch TV and rush out to Walmart, “the world’s largest ghost hunting store.” He emphasized not to provoke a potential demon. [Note: Something I constantly profess to deaf media personalities.]

Three Chilling Cases

Included in the presentation was an authenticated audio clip from the infamous Anneliese Michel possession case. In the clip, you can hear the afflicted young adult spouting off in Latin; the intensity and enormity of the demonic possession is quite evident. It is haunting.

Anneliese Micel

Anneliese Micel

Anneliese Michel (9.21.1952-7.1.1976) was a devout Roman Catholic German high school student when she began to suffer epileptic seizures at the age of 16. She was prescribed medication; however, she began hearing voices soon after. So began the possession of Anneliese. She, her parents, and two local priests believed that she was possessed by a demon. At the age of 23, she withstood 67 exorcisms over a 10 month period. During that time, her behavior became more erratic and bizarre and her health rapidly declined. She died weighing 68 pounds and with both knees broken from continual genuflecting. Her parents and the priests were charged with negligent homicide (topic for another blog). The possession of Anneliese is the topic of three movies and thousands of Internet postings.

The second case was from February 2008 and profiled on the popular paranormal series Paranormal State. “I am Six” was an unsettling case for all involved. Over 10 paranormal teams abandoned this case. Dedman reinforced the idea that teams who find themselves over their heads should call in help.

“I am Six” is a hot, debatable topic on the Internet. The case involved the supposed possession of Laura, a young woman from Quincy, Illinois. The “demon” called himself “Six.” Hence the title. Dedman met Chip Coffey on this case. Contrary to skeptical Internet criticism, Coffey did not travel with the crew and did not know anything about the case prior to his walk-through. Dedman’s lesson in this instance: Call in help. This was not a discussion about the merits of the case, Ryan Buell, or the TV show Paranormal State. [Note: When researching this topic, I was dismayed by the abundance of grammatical errors and factual errors by the skeptics. I’m not persuaded by your argument when you cannot write properly or research correctly.]

The final case was Dedman’s appearance on Ghost Adventurers. The video clip depicted Dedman speaking with Zak Bagans, lead investigator, explaining a spirit box session at the infamous Ax Murder House where an entity said “Legion.” This is a term for demon and unnerved Dedman.

The Villisca Ax Murder House, located in Iowa, was the site of the brutal murder of 8 people on June 10, 1912. [Note: Again, I have problems with the official website of this location due to the number of grammatical errors and the inconsistency in the name “Ax” or “Axe.”]

Dedman’s humor masks the pain he suffers through his work. Once someone faces a demon, he is marked for life. Relationships suffer. Health issues arise. Lives change—and not for the better.

Protect Yourself

Dedman protects himself with a blessed St. Benedict medal. He recites the “Prayer to St. Michael, the Archangel.” He uses blessed salt to protect his environs. And he always puts people first. Proceeds from his booth sales go to the Catholic Church. Dedman is a man of God doing God’s work in very dark corners.

On a positive note: Dedman’s book has been picked up by a publisher and should be published in late 2015. For more information about Bishop Long’s Demonology course, please view www.demonologyclass.com.

 

Wanted: A Real Exorcist

22 Tuesday Apr 2014

Posted by in Ghost Hunting, Paranormal, Reality TV, Religion, Terminology

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Official Vatican City Exorcist

Father Gabriele Amorth, Official Exorcist of Vatican City.

 

Wanted: Actual Exorcist, not Mere Investigator

Interest in the paranormal has surged over the past few years. Reality TV shows propelled this popularity causing some viewers to take up arms and to start hunting ghosts. Most acquired a proper education supplemented with field study before consulting clients in the paranormal. But a small percentage did not. This faction gave themselves elusive titles like “Exorcist Investigator.” And that, my friend, is dangerous!

Televised “exorcisms” conducted on paranormal reality shows generate ratings. Ratings + Advertising Dollars = Series Renewals. That is ultimately the goal of all TV personalities. (Note: Legitimate TV ghost hunters do not perform exorcisms, or voodoo rituals for that matter.) All reality TV shows are 1) scripted and 2) edited for high-impact content. (See formula for explanation.) Never is unedited or uncut video footage aired. Therefore, even if you watch a televised “exorcism,” you did not see everything.

Reading books does not qualify you to perform the Solemn Rite. Nor does hosting a TV show. Exorcisms can only be conducted by validly ordained clergy with permission from the church. The key word is “clergy.” You must be a member of the cloth. Priest, Reverend, Pastor. These titles are conferred upon someone who has a firm belief in God and has been trained in His word. In addition, clergy possess field experience in exorcisms. They did more than read a book. And they never practiced alone.

A full-blown Catholic Exorcism takes hours to complete. The Catholic Church does not publish statistics; however, it is believed that less than ten (10) occur annually. Exorcisms are more prevalent in the Pentecostal faith, where several hundreds of “exorcism ministries” are active. These rituals are much shorter and less elaborate. Exorcisms can go terribly wrong. Quickly.

Amateur exorcisms have made the headlines in recent years. A woman was pummeled to death (1995). Another was stomped to death (1997). And still another suffocated with a plastic bag (1998). Actual demonic possession is quite rare. However, it should not be taken lightly. If you suspect someone is under the Devil’s influence, refer the case. Don’t cue up the TV for guidance. This is beyond most of us. Consult fully trained people. If you’re not fully qualified, then you should never attempt!