Catholics & Satan

Quote: FrGamble

The clearest example was a family who called me in a panic.

And that's as far as I read. I have zero
interest in anecdotal 'evidence' of any
kind because it's meaningless. That's
how all this insanity got started in the
first place.

Quote: Wizard

How did they know it was German?

It sounded like German to them. Sometimes he would scream words out other times he would speak calmly for a long time in this strange language. All in a strange voice. They did say it was definitely to them some type of language and not some just made up words.

Quote: FrGamble

There are many other stories I could tell as well some a little more scary and others downright weird and all unexplainable.

I can think of several explanations, none involving any kind of demonic possession.

It doesn't matter, because there is no way to know which, if any, fit the facts (not having all the facts to begin with). I'll just say someone who sees a psychic is not a person I would trust to be able to tell real language from gibberish mixed with parts of a real language. Anyone who's seen a WWII movie picks up a few words of German.

I hope they were directed to a psychiatrist.

I wish they would have stuck around long enough for me to recommend a good psychiatrist and counselor for the family.

Quote: Nareed

I can think of several explanations, none involving any kind of demonic possession. .

When you go into a situation looking for
demons and possession, that's what you'll
find. It's the polar opposite of the scientific
approach. It's called 'superstitious nonsense'.

The worst thing you can do in any of these cases is go into it think of demons and possession! You are praying that it is not that and many times it is not. That is why you need to do so much work involving psychologists and doctors until you are left with only the conclusion that we are dealing with the supernatural.

Quote: FrGamble

The worst thing you can do in any of these cases is go into it think of demons and possession!

The last thing you want the exorcist you called
to do is go into your situation thinking about
demons and exorcisms.

You're hilarious.

Quote: FrGamble

It sounded like German to them. Sometimes he would scream words out other times he would speak calmly for a long time in this strange language. All in a strange voice. They did say it was definitely to them some type of language and not some just made up words.

I hope you'll forgive my skepticism on this one. A long time ago I attended a very charismatic protestant church and there was "speaking in tongues" every single Sunday. Sometimes it sounded like somebody was just babbling but others were good at it and it sounded like a very foreign language, like Arabic. I'm quite sure nobody was deliberately faking it but they wanted to believe so hard that they got caught up in the experience. Kind of like hypnosis. One of these days I may write more about it.

Anyway, not to say that these people didn't have serious problems, and you were a good man to try to help, but I don't buy the part that it was specifically German, unless he already knew some of the language.

I think your skepticism is right on and I remain skeptical that this passed out young man who suddenly awoke from a drunken stooper was speaking fluent German as he goose-stepped around the house. However, I know how freaked out and scared he was and especially his sisters.

Quote: Evenbob

The last thing you want the exorcist you called
to do is go into your situation thinking about
demons and exorcisms.

Any exorcist worth his blessed salt will tell you that demons is the last thing they hope it is and every other explanation and avenue must be explored first.