Exorcism Vs Religion

“Satan’s greatest deception is making people believe he doesn’t exist” (Hugo Alvarez, Evangelical Pastor). Religious exorcism has been preformed since before the birth of Christ. One of the earliest exorcism rituals can be found in a section of the Bhavad Gita, from around the 5th century B.C.E. For an exorcism to end in a successful triumph over evil, two dependent factors must be in place. First, is valid approval from a higher church authority, and second is the strength of the exorcist’s faith (Order of Exorcists). Similar to many aspects of religion, exorcism was used as a way to explain and treat behaviors that the people of the time did not have explanations for, such as mental illness and dispositions that did not conform to what
The Rite of the Exorcism, published in 1614 and revised in 1999, acts as the guide for the process (Order of Exorcists). Prior to the Catholic publication, exorcism had been taking place centuries earlier in Egypt and Mesopotamia (Hill & Williams, 56-60). Although portrayed as a strictly Judeo-Christian practice in popular culture, in many societies, possession of spirits, both good and demonic, are seen as a normal part of faith (Hill & Williams, 60). The 1999 revision of The Rite of the Exorcism requires that priests must access an individual’s mental health provider before an exorcism takes place. Criteria for Catholic exorcism includes, speaking in a foreign language, abnormal strength, excessive masturbation, and a knowledge of information that the person would not be aware of. Once an exorcism is ordered, the procedure is comprised of restraining the possessed and reciting certain prayers and techniques found in The Rite of the Exorcism by the exorcist(s). There is no set amount of time for an exorcism to be completed, the process is rarely accomplished the first time (Hill &Williams, 94-95). Following the exorcism, the formally possessed will likely feel a sense of