NationStates Jolt Archive

please explain this from a atheist view.http://www.prairieghosts.com/exorcist.html

How about this:

Not everything you read is true.

I can't because I'm Agnostic. :D

Credulous people, mental illness and superstition combinined with embellishments in the telling of a story to create a spooky work of fiction. What's your explanation?

How about this:

Not everything you read is true.so everyone of the recorded exorcisms are false?

Credulous people, mental illness and superstition combinined with embellishments in the telling of a story to create a spooky work of fiction. What's your explanation?mental illness if thats true why is there not hospitals full of exorcisms and how do they get healed after

please explain this from a atheist view.http://www.prairieghosts.com/exorcist.html
Um the book you sited is a work of fiction (litteraly) it is supposedly bassed on a real story but the book itself is a fiction novel

mental illness if thats true why is there not hospitals full of exorcisms and how do they get healed after
There is more then one type of mental illness :rolleyes:

Its the work of satan. The demons posesed that child and let a catlick prest exercise them out becaus they wnated to lead mor people to worship the pagan antichrist pope. You should be careful not to beleiv everything you read. This story was catlick satanic lies told to turn you away from Jesus and make you worship the antichrist pope. Plese turn your life around. Leave your pagan church and let Jesus into your life. I'll pray for you.

The word of Jesussaves
Thanks be to god.

There is more then one type of mental illness :rolleyes:you would know

you would know
Yup I took a class in psychology once

mental illness if thats true why is there not hospitals full of exorcisms and how do they get healed after
There are many types of mental illness. Look at Amazon Indians. They can convince themselves that a magician has put a spirit in them and will sicken and die unless their tribal healer does an exorcism. Unless you're willing to agree that their tribal religion is just as true as your catholicism you must agree that fake demonic possesions happen, and ceremonies can help the afflicted feel better. If you agree that they do, then you must admit the possibility that the exorcisms in your own religion are similar events.

Yup I took a class in psychology onceThen tell me my phycological state.

Then tell me my phycological state.
Over the internet … besides it was a study of clinical psychology not general all we did was case study of mental disorders

How about this:

Not everything you read is true.

I'm going with this one. :)

so everyone of the recorded exorcisms are false?

"recorded excorcism" sounds about like a "recorded alien abduction" or a "recorded case of lycanthropy". You asked for an explanation. The explanation is that lots of cases and stories are just false, and there's nothing in this one that gives it a lot of credibility.

Even when I was religious, I never put a lot of stock in demonic posession. If God respects free will enough not to force you to act a certain way, why would he allow one of his ex-employees to force something on you?

mental illness if thats true why is there not hospitals full of exorcisms and how do they get healed after
one person's mental illness varies from another person's, just like you get different physical illnesses. As for healing, it's all in the mind, people think they're possessed then someone comes along and peforms an 'exorcism' and they think they're better, like when people who've had limbs removed and they still feel pain in them, it's been shown that giving them fake pills or injections and telling them that it's a pain relief actually gets rid of the pain because it's all in their heads, the human mind is a strange and wonderful thing

There are actually some vaild explantions.. such as power of suggestion. Or ever hear of mass hysteria? ;)

There are many types of mental illness. Look at Amazon Indians. They can convince themselves that a magician has put a spirit in them and will sicken and die unless their tribal healer does an exorcism. Unless you're willing to agree that their tribal religion is just as true as your catholicism you must agree that fake demonic possesions happen, and ceremonies can help the afflicted feel better. If you agree that they do, then you must admit the possibility that the exorcisms in your own religion are similar events.

This is a really good point. I believe there is a body of research that shows that the mental state directly affects the parasympathetic nervous system, and huge portion of a persons biochemistry takes its cues from the mind and its perceptions, so its not unreasonable to suggest that a ritual can be effective so long as the patient believes in it.

so its not unreasonable to suggest that a ritual can be effective so long as the patient believes in it.

Thus, the power of suggestion. :)

My favorite mental illness is from Japan where men believe that their penis is going to disapear into their bodies. However it can be cured by their wives, um... er... Well, let's just say that in this case, curing the disease may be more fun than preventing it.

My favorite mental illness is from Japan where men believe that their penis is going to disapear into their bodies. However it can be cured by their wives, um... er... Well, let's just say that in this case, curing the disease may be more fun than preventing it.

Holy crap, I'm gonna get paperwork from my urologist/psychiatrist on this one, and tell my wife that its medically necessary. I'll tell her I caught it when I was in Sendai last year.

Holy crap, I'm gonna get paperwork from my urologist/psychiatrist on this one, and tell my wife that its medically necessary. I'll tell her I caught it when I was in Sendai last year.

You might want to reconsider - the cure involves such things as attaching heavy weights to the affected area.

The word of Jesussaves
Thanks be to god.

Quoting your own puppet is a sign of mental illness.

Another interesting fact about Japan is that many people cover their belly buttons when they hear thunder to prevent demons getting in and possessing their bodies. Perhaps that's what happening in America? Those summer storms could cause a lot of possession in the South. I would be interested to see if there is any difference in rates of possession between innies and outies. In fact, I demand empirical evidence now!

Quoting your own puppet is a sign of mental illness.
That or a sign of comedic genius

:p

Quoting your own puppet is a sign of mental illness.

- 10 points for no sense of humor. Try again. :rolleyes:

please explain this from a atheist view.http://www.prairieghosts.com/exorcist.html

That it is lie? Until they can show up some indipendet source I will give it as much credits as the ones that claim that they saw an arm be regrown at someone at a meeting but can show no data of it...

You might want to reconsider - the cure involves such things as attaching heavy weights to the affected area.

I like the originally suggested cure better (the spousal pleasuring one). Although, this does bring up something I saw on one of those HBO "Real Sex" specials, years ago. Some Hindu dude who attached what looked like a twenty pound rock to his old fella'. Not sure why he did it, but his unit was clearly in no danger of retracting into his body...

Another interesting fact about Japan is that many people cover their belly buttons when they hear thunder to prevent demons getting in and possessing their bodies. Perhaps that's what happening in America? Those summer storms could cause a lot of possession in the South. I would be interested to see if there is any difference in rates of possession between innies and outies. In fact, I demand empirical evidence now!

In my whole life I have never seen an outie...is its something that swedish doctors do different when a baby is born?

I like the originally suggested cure better (the spousal pleasuring one). Although, this does bring up something I saw on one of those HBO "Real Sex" specials, years ago. Some Hindu dude who attached what looked like a twenty pound rock to his old fella'. Not sure why he did it, but his unit was clearly in no danger of retracting into his body...

Saw a video of a man who made a knot on his "best friend", made you feel a bit...disturbed.

In my whole life I have never seen an outie...is its something that swedish doctors do different when a baby is born?
A girl who lived next door to me when I was a little kid had an outie.

It's really good to see a thread not turn into a flame war and have such clear cut resolution. I'm happy we have this whole thing sorted out now. Hahaha :D

My favorite mental illness is from Japan where men believe that their penis is going to disapear into their bodies. However it can be cured by their wives, um... er... Well, let's just say that in this case, curing the disease may be more fun than preventing it.

Another interesting fact about Japan is that many people cover their belly buttons when they hear thunder to prevent demons getting in and possessing their bodies.

Haven't ever head the first, and I've lived here 14 years and tend to follow the urban legends pretty well (urban folklore in general is an interest of mine).
Do you have a citation for it?

The second is an old superstion, and I've never seen anyone actually do it.

Speaking of Japanese urban legends, a Kiwi friend of mine, Andy, spent 9 hours in Tokyo, blitzed out of his mind, wandering around looking for the famous "used ladies knickers vending machine". Never found it. Has anybody actually seen this thing?

Oh, to Ffc2, I'm not ignoring you, I'm just waiting for you fulfil your promise to "dispel all" biblical contradictions in your thread a few weeks back.

Speaking of Japanese urban legends, a Kiwi friend of mine, Andy, spent 9 hours in Tokyo, blitzed out of his mind, wandering around looking for the famous "used ladies knickers vending machine". Never found it. Has anybody actually seen this thing?

Oh, to Ffc2, I'm not ignoring you, I'm just waiting for you fulfil your promise to "dispel all" biblical contradictions in your thread a few weeks back.
They were legal under a Japanese law that allows selling "antique" used objects. Since they couldn't provide provenance for the panties they became illegal. At least that's what I heard.

Then tell me my phycological state.

A puppet to another member?

Speaking of Japanese urban legends, a Kiwi friend of mine, Andy, spent 9 hours in Tokyo, blitzed out of his mind, wandering around looking for the famous "used ladies knickers vending machine". Never found it. Has anybody actually seen this thing?

They weren't just ladies undies, but schoolgirls. I saw one once, a long time ago. They are illegal now.

Snopes has a good article: http://www.snopes.com/risque/kinky/panties.htm#add

BTW, Drunk commies reborn, you got it backwards. It was the Antique Dealings Law that allowed them to be outlawed.

BTW, there are still shops in the red-light districts that sell them, and other articles of clothing, AFAIK.

Haven't ever head the first
The first one I got from a textbook. My impression was that it was something from ye olden days. They also included infomation about Japanese people who think they've become foxes.

I've only seen the bellybutton covering thing once, and I lived out in the sticks. The person who did it wasn't taking it seriously. I asked someone else if she covered her belly button when she heard thunder and she said yes, but only when she was a kid. I guess it's something like knocking on wood.

I think the textbook was "Psychology and Life," by Zimbardo.

Edit: No, I'm looking through the Zimbardo and I can't find it. Anyway, I read about it at least 12 years ago, so I'm afraid I can't help you with a citation. I'd google it, but I'm fraid someone will come to my house and ask why I ran a search involving the words, "penis," "Japanese," and, "disappearing."

Wait! I think I have it! While I was in the shower my brain told me that it was in a book called, "Abnormal Psychology." I don't always trust my brain, but I think it has the goods this time. I'm sorry but I can't remember the authors' names, but I'm sure if you look through every book called Abnormal Psychology you'll come across it. Ah brain, you've done it again! I was upset about that whole mother's birthday thing, but how can I stay angry at you? *hugs grey matter.*

while we're on the subject of 'Japan'+'weird', enjoy this link!

http://outpostnine.com/editorials/teacher.html

one person's mental illness varies from another person's, just like you get different physical illnesses. As for healing, it's all in the mind, people think they're possessed then someone comes along and peforms an 'exorcism' and they think they're better, like when people who've had limbs removed and they still feel pain in them, it's been shown that giving them fake pills or injections and telling them that it's a pain relief actually gets rid of the pain because it's all in their heads, the human mind is a strange and wonderful thing

My favorite one is the one where they hold their good arm or leg in front of the mirror and flex and relax it, then the other limb (the one with the phantom affliction) feels better because it's been "stretched."

while we're on the subject of 'Japan'+'weird', enjoy this link!

http://outpostnine.com/editorials/teacher.html

That's a good one. :D Hadn't seen it before.

Thanks Phylum Chordata. Are you sure it was Japanese? I know I've heard similar dealing with Africa.

.<snip>... I'd google it, but I'm fraid someone will come to my house and ask why I ran a search involving the words, "penis," "Japanese," and, "disappearing."Aha! A challenge. :D :eek:

What I find are references to koro (http://weber.ucsd.edu/~thall/cbs_koro.html), or genital retraction syndrome, which is associated with China and Indonesia. Can certainly see where that would get put down to demonic possession....

Like how I managed to bring it back to on-topic? ;)

Aha! A challenge. :D :eek:

What I find are references to koro (http://weber.ucsd.edu/~thall/cbs_koro.html), or genital retraction syndrome, which is associated with China and Indonesia. Can certainly see where that would get put down to demonic possession....

Like how I managed to bring it back to on-topic? ;)

And that jogs my memory. The bit in Africa was witches stealing or shrinking penises. http://urbanlegends.about.com/cs/horrors/a/attack.htm

It definately seems to be related to the topic. Syndromes like this are good examples of the mass hysteria that is also associated with demonic possession.

To address the OP: it's simple. Without a credible valid scientific study that fails to disprove the existance of demons, and disproves other possiblities, the possibilty of demonic possession, while remaining open, is unlikely in the extreem. Other possibilities such as those previously mentioned, have been subjected to peer reviewed study, and thus have credibility.

so everyone of the recorded exorcisms are false? How can one who doesn't believe in gods or demons or angels find exorcisms effective? I believe the ritual has been performed many times. That doesn't mean I believe they're actually exorcising any demons.

Haha whenever I see Ffc2's thread I have to read. Your such an idiot lol. Do you know you've become a joke?