Outrage at TV exorcism

[emad]

By Flora Stubbs And Herpeet Kaur Grewal, Evening Standard
25 February 2005

Channel 4 has provoked outrage by showing the first exorcism ritual on British TV.

The programme brought anger from viewers and religious groups amid claims it was sensationalist and exploited someone who is likely to be mentally fragile.

The programme, called The Exorcist, featured a man known only as Colin who believes he is possessed by demons.

In a ritual that lasted about two minutes, Anglican priest the Rev Trevor Newport stood over Colin, prayed and then demanded that evil spirits be cast from his body. There was no shaking or rocking associated with the traditional images of exorcism and Colin did not demonstrate any violent reaction.

http://www.thisislondon.com/news/articles/16872151?source=Evening%20Standard

[Brooklyn Michael]

1. I'm curious....

After the "exorcism", did they cut to a commercial for "John Paul's Holy Roman Snake Oil ("Guaranteed to lubricate your way through the Pearly gates")?

[Zerex71]

9. Ha, that made me laugh!

[Anarcho-Socialist]

2. Wow, people are easily outraged these days

"...brought anger from viewers and religious groups amid claims it was sensationalist". These very reactions only increases the sensationalism and the attention, it's self-defeating irony.

[murray hill farm]

3. Reality TV....

so strange it is! This is really stretching it.

[Roland99]

6. But then they all went out and rented The Exorcist

[count_alucard]

4. I bet the procedure was as fake

as Christianity itself.

[saltpoint]

5. Well goddamit, I'm outraged that Peter Jennings wears --

-- blue ties sometimes.

The son-of-a-bitch!
----

Perhaps those relgious groups worried about exploitation of someone who may be mentally fragile might want to get their own house in order first, and following that little project, maybe get a tv with a gizmo that changes channels.

[DBoon]

7. I know a TV that could use an exorcism

It is always tuned to Fox news. Must be possessed by the Forces of Evil.

I bet you didn't know that Satan can take over home electronics, did you? I bet you've never owned a PC running Windows ME, either.

[davidinalameda]

8. no pea soup?

then it wasn't real

[MadHound]

10. So I guess these folks would also be outraged at

Brian Eno and David Byrne. After all, not only did they record an exorcism, but they set it to music.

For those who want to hear it, the albumn was "My Life in the Bush of Ghosts", song title is "Jezebel Spirit" Great albumn, they also put a New Orleans radio preacher to a snappy dance beat.

[BiggJawn]

11. "The Power of Christ COMPELLS YOU!!!"

Damn, now I got THAT SONG stuck as an Earworm!