The TRUE story of the Exorcism of Emily Rose

[Modem Butterfly]

http://www.randi.org/jr/200509/091605church.html#2

“The Exorcist” made millions for Warner Brothers Studios in 1973, and now in 2005 Sony Pictures has been fluffing up their own latest assault on reason, a film named “The Exorcism of Emily Rose.” It’s said that the film is “based on a true story,” as the former one also claimed; we all know how loose such a base can be. The fictional Emily Rose was, in real life, Anneliese Michel, a Bavarian. She was born September 21, 1952, and was a normal, religious girl. Then one day in her 16th year, she began shaking uncontrollably. The Psychiatric Clinic of Wurzburg diagnosed her with "Grand Mal" epilepsy. Because of the strength of the fits, and the severity of the depression that followed, Anneliese was admitted for treatment at the local hospital.

Soon after the attacks began, Anneliese adopted the conviction that she was “possessed,” an easy delusion to slip into because of her religious background. She needed no other explanation for the visions she experienced during her prayers. She began hearing voices of what she was sure were demons, who gave her orders. The doctors could offer her little help, and she lost hope that they were going to be able to cure her. She began taking the medication usually prescribed for such a malady.

. . . . . .

According the forensic evidence, Anneliese had literally starved to death. If forced feeding had been performed as little as one week before her death, she would have lived. In their trial, the exorcists actually tried to prove the presence of the demons by playing taped recordings of strange, fanciful, dialogues such as that of two demons arguing about which one of them would first have to leave Anneliese's body. Said the priests, not one of those present during the exorcism ever had any doubt about the actual existence and presence of the demons.

The verdict was not what might have been expected: Anneliese’s parents and the exorcists were found guilty of manslaughter due to negligence and failing to administer first aid. They were sentenced to six months in jail, and probation.

A church commission later declared that Anneliese Michel had not been possessed, but superstition carried the day; her corpse was exhumed – eleven and a half years after her burial – to confirm that it had decayed as would have been expected if she’d not been possessed. You see, if she’d really hosted demons, her body would have been preserved, as Bram Stoker told us; I’m surprised you didn’t know that. There is now, more than twenty years after Anneliese Michel died, a new Exorcism Rite, which is prescribed for worldwide use. I’m sure it works just as effectively as the old system. That’s progress, right?

[ananda]

1. Turns out Anneliese had..

.. epilepsy.

Sue

[FreedomAngel82]

3. Thanks for posting this

Very interesting.

[bonito]

5. Of which 75% of cases are idiopathic

They blame my wife for hers. I fired the neurologist, took her off all seizure meds and treat only per incident.

[kid a]

2. Shhhh. . . .you don't want the congragation's numbers to dip!

Demons are the best thing going for the church.

[SteppingRazor]

4. Wait, you mean...

She wasn't REALLY possessed by demons?!

I have seen the movie, and while it takes a few flights of fancy, it does try to present both sides, and never openly buys into demonic possession. The whole story is told in flashbacks. When the priest is telling the story, it's all demons and stuff. When a psychiatrist is telling it, it's all epilepsy and psychosis.

[Modem Butterfly]

6. Self-edit

Unnecessary roughness removed.

[chalky]

14. That's what I read in the review. "More like an episode of 'Law & Order'

than a remake of 'The Exorcist'".

[onager]

7. Yes, thanks, just read it...

...over at (James) Randi's site. Then came over here and there it was again!

Unfortunately, for many people the truth is never as interesting as a gigantic pile of made-up crap.

If that were not so, religion would have died eons ago and (as Sam Harris likes to point out) we might have had the Internet in the 15th century.

I personally think the truth behind stuff is always more interesting than the religious/mystical bugga-bugga.

[Modem Butterfly]

8. Hey! I was just PMing you!

I was about to tell you about the second article after FSM, and how it dovetailed into the recent exorcism nonsense...

Great minds, eh?

:)

[onager]

9. Heh! I also loved the Asimov quote...

...which I will shamelessly steal, since I think it fits here:

So there you are. I stand four-square for reason, and object to what seems to me to be irrationality, whatever the source.

If you are on my side in this, I must warn you that the army of the night has the advantage of overwhelming numbers, and, by its very nature, is immune to reason, so that it is entirely unlikely that you and I can win out.

We will always remain a tiny and probably hopeless minority, but let us never tire of presenting our view, and of fighting the good fight for the right.

(from a 1984 Isaac Asimov essay)

Now, since we both quoted from his site,all we have to do is eagerly await the usual hilarious personal attacks on Randi...

:evilgrin:

[Synnical]

13. Hey - thanks for this - I finally figured out what FSM means!

:P

[MamaBear]

23. And noodly appendage

:rofl:

[ComerPerro]

12. That's why Bush hasn't been thrown out of office yet

for many people the truth is never as interesting as a gigantic pile of made-up crap.

[Kelvin Mace]

10. Also interesting was the post under that one

Attacking Air America for taking money from charlatans.

It has gotten worse recently with more bogus snake oil salemen being taken on. It is making it very hard to listen to AAR

As a devout Democrat, I was overjoyed when Air America Radio was launched not long ago, just in time for me to receive it with the satellite radio in my new car. As a fledgling station, their commercials tended to be repeated more often than normal, causing me to notice the high number of completely off-the-wall products and services they were willing hock in order to say on the air. Everything from Wendi Friesen’s useless “hypnotherapy” services and products (she now claims to cure alcoholism!) to various “herbal remedies” are still being touted in between sober political talk from hosts who decry the illogic of our current Administration. Not only do I find this ironic, but it seems a bit hypocritical, to boot!

The last nail in the coffin for me came a few weeks ago when one of the hosts was ranting about the drug companies making huge profits from changes made in Medicare prescription drug benefits. In between callers, this radio personality actually played a commercial for Kevin Trudeau’s new book “Natural Cures They Don’t Want You To Know About”! I’m sure it was just a coincidence, but that just about turned me off of ever listening to that station again.

I made a last-ditch effort to save my relationship with this wonderful radio station by writing to more than half a dozen of their hosts (Al Franken, Marc Maron, Janeane Garofalo, Randi Rhodes, etc.), but I haven’t heard a single word from any of them in weeks.

It would seem that, like their Republican counterparts who tout faith-based nonsense in order to keep the money flowing and their political careers shining, the good folks at Air America Radio couldn’t care less whether the products and services they’re helping to sell actually work, have any basis in reality, or harm someone. Obviously, the most important thing is to keep the lights on, and keep the station alive. I’m sure there are plenty of other companies out there that would love to air commercials on their station, however, I’ll probably never know if they are because I refuse to remain a listener. I just can’t take them seriously anymore.

Air America is not the only sign of my political party cracking up. I happened to check Arianna Huffington’s blog today, and guess who’s a permanent figure there! None other than Deepak Chopra! Now, what the hell could he possibly have to say about politics, and why would I listen?

[tocqueville]

15. The problem isn't really Air America

what amazes an European is that those ads are obviously LEGAL. They would fall automatically under the "charlatan" (snake-oil) laws in France or Sweden (the two legislations I know best). Besides if some of the advertisers DID actually practice their beliefs, they would fall under "illegal practicising of medecine".

They wouldn't even dare, because if they ever treated someone, it would be jail direct, besides the fines.

[geomon666]

20. The hosts don't decide the ads.

What does he suggest...dump the ads? And how are they supposed to make money?

I love you Randi but come on man...nobody is forcing anybody to buy that crap. I laugh everytime those commercials come on.

[Kelvin Mace]

32. Either we're ethical, or we aren't

anything else is typical conservative parsing. The fact is, they advertise for criminals.

I just found out I can listen to podcasts of the show without commercials. That's the way I am going.

[geomon666]

35. Either you're with us or against us?

Advertise for criminals? What are you talking about?

[Kelvin Mace]

36. AAR advertises for people peddling

fake cancer cures, bogus weight loss products and predatory loans. These people are criminals who prey upon the naive and gullible. Why would anyone want to take money from them? Why would anyone, especially on a network that espouses progressive ethical values, want to promote these bastards? The only answer I get from folks is "it's business". If we accept that excuse from AAR, then we are know better than the Wingers who justify their behaviour the same way.

If it is OK to accept money from people selling fake cancer cures, then why not cigarette makers, or gun companies, or NAMBLA, or even the GOP? Why not take money to run attack ads against the Democrats. After all, it's only business and AAR has bills to pay.

Please explain how "We are either ethical or we are not" is comparable to "You are either for us, or against us."

[geomon666]

37. It's comparable because it's black and white thinking.

There's no difference at all. And how do we know these ads were sold by AAR? How do we know it's not the local station that's selling them?

[Kelvin Mace]

38. Because I am listening to AAR

via the web feed which has only national commercials.

[sendero]

44. Whoever wrote that letter....

.... is probably about half as smart as they think they are.

[johnnie]

11. And there's also this

"The attacks did not diminish, and her behavior become more irratic. At her parents house in Klingenberg, she insulted, beat, and began biting the other members of her family. She refused to eat because the demons would not allow it. Anneliese slept on the stone floor, ate spiders, flies, and coal, and even began drinking her own urine. She could be heard screaming throughout the house for hours while breaking crucifixes, destroying paintings of Jesus, and pulling apart rosaries. Anneliese began committing acts of self-mutilation at this time, and the act of tearing off her clothes and urinating on the floor became commonplace."

http://www.moviesonline.ca/movienews_1253.html

This is common in epilepsy? I'm not saying she was possessed, but it seems she had more problems than that.

[Wizard777]

16. Demonic possession is real though extremely rare.

I don't believe this to be an actual case of possession. Nor do I believe the possession of the boy here in Mount Ranier Maryland to be possession. If he were possessed by Lucipher as the Vatican declared. The Pope himself would have been powerless in the battle against him.

[Ladyhawk]

18. Um, no it isn't (real, I mean).

Burden of proof is on the one making a positive claim. Outrageous claims require outrageous proof.

So, no it isn't real...unless you have some outrageous proof you'd like to show me?

[geomon666]

21. You want proof that demons exist? Here it is.

[Wizard777]

24. Can you make a "possitive claim" about a negative force?

We can prove light exists. We commonly accept darkness as the absence of light. But can anyone really prove darkness exists? If darkness truely were the absence of light. Then Night Vision wouldn't work. It gathers the available light in the darkness. The light in the darkness is not only scientific. It's profoundly Biblical. I'll give you this much. Currently the existance of both God and Lucipher are Theorum. Which is by no means a fact. But Congress has passed legislation based on other theorum. Such as the theory of Psychological Addiction. This is the equivalent of outlawing demonic possession.

The first thing you have to contend with in discerning both Angelic and Demonic. Is your brain own filtration system. Out of 100% of the information your brain gathers. Only 10% (20% at absolute best)makes it past the filters to be utilized. Your factual world in which demons and angels do not exist is nothing more than an illusion. When you use entheogens like LSD. It does not create the bright colored lights you see. They are always there. The LSD shuts down the brains filters to allow you to see the REAL world as it REALLY is. Halo's, bright Angelic lights, and all. ;)

Now I also want to say that religion is not the art of sceptics. Can you really prove to me that Katrina actually happened? I've seen doctored photos of ghosts in the background of Bush's speech. Have I also seen doctored photo's of the damage? Eyewitness accounts. They also exist for Miracles as well visions of hell. Mass halucination?

[onager]

26. I'm hallucinating this in regards to your post...

[Drewskie]

28. if it were real you'd hear about it more often...

Like the paper says so and so got possessed last weak. Or I know a kid who's voice dropped several octaves before she started levitating off the bed... The argument is always made that it is just so incredibly rare. Why should it be so rare?... especially when folklore's formulae for getting possessed in the first place is well known: listening to black metal music, fooling around with a Ouija board, playing d&d, reading anton levae's(sp?) satanic bible... stuff like that. Also, it's always little girls for some reason, who are maybe not so likely to have access to the above mentioned. Why not other members of the general populace? But you think it's real... and are thus a cook. ;)

[Wizard777]

29. That's quite a brew you have going there.

It's never ever ever ever a WOMAN. Your thinking of poltergeist manifestations. They tend to coincide with girls going through puberty. It could be nothing more than coincidence. So could haunted houses and their tendency to burn down.
It is very rare because Ahriman cannot touch any part of Ahura Mazda's creation without his permission. He had to go to great lengths to get God to allow him to tempt Christ and Job. He was able to convince God that Sodom and Gamorah were ritefully his. Those two pillars of flames was just a touch. In the cases of possession it's always very low level demons that lurk a little beyond the darkside of humanity. No big deal as far demons go.

[Drewskie]

31. ?

So why did God allow him to tempt Eve, and thus Adam, in the first place?

[Wizard777]

43. Freewill. His greatest gift to mankind. He respects it greatly. n/t

[Warren DeMontague]

39. Maybe the "real" world without the filters is still an external projection

of the inside of your own head.

You know... when you're a hammer, everything looks like a nail?

The Copenhagen Interpretation of Quantum Physics says that, in a sense, it is pointless to look for "real" reality outside of our perceptions. In essence, if you buy into this line of reasoning, it's not just the "factual world in which demons don't exist" that's an illusion, its also the factual world in which they DO. It's ALL "factual worlds", period.

Bottom line? if you've found one that works for you, hey, More Power To You. But you probably ought to draw the line at telling other people they're missing out on 80-90% of quote-unquote reality because they don't see the same spookies that you do.

[Wizard777]

46. Exactly. Life is but a perception.

When you die the occulum will survive. It's your view of life that you take with you.

[RobinA]

42. Any Research

to back up your LSD claims?

[Wizard777]

48. Yes. But you have to combine several sciences to get the bigger picture.

It is known that in brain chemistry. LSD will halt Seratonin production. They this the brains reality chemical. It one of the filters. So they advance the theory to say that if you gave low seratonin levels. You are prone to halucination. You see halo's, flickering lights, and have irrational thoughts. But in physics it's revealed that those ligts are not a halucination. They are indeed very real. As for the irrational thoughts. As crazy as it sounds DNA is a fact. More specifically the DNA test. The man who invented the test realized the concept while using LSD. He only used it that one time. But it did tear down the walls of the current reality to reaveal to him the new reality of DNA testing. That's the funny thing about reality. It changes with each new discovery.

[Kelvin Mace]

19. Sorry, there is no such things as demons

(present occupants of the Halliburton white house excepted).

[Beetwasher]

22. That's Not Demons Possessing People, It's Aliens From The Planet

Qrtflmr in the universe referred to as X48 in the the 367th dimension. Why on earth would you think it's demons when it's so obvious to anyone that it's the aliens from Qrtflmr? Haven't you heard of their dimension breech technology?

[LostinVA]

25. Truly, there is no scientific or religious evidence demons exist

Nor demonic possession. Even most Catholic priests don't believe this, especially American ones. I've known several, and they all say it's either mental illness or self-induced hysteria. I don't think you have to believe in demonic possession to be a strong Christian. My mom is a very strong Christian, but is also in the medical profession, and realizes what it really is.

Think about the New Testament, and how similar demonic possession was to mental illnesses we KNOW ABOUT NOW, but were unknown then...

[Wizard777]

27. Christianty is the new kid on the block of world religionS .

It is by no means the whole of religion. It can even be said that it is a highly plagerized religion. The tenets of Monotheism (One God) actually come from my religion. Zoroastrianism.

There is religious proof. But not in christianity. They have even removed the account of Jesus descending into hell after his Crucifiction from their Biblios. I can only assume that they think that if they ignore Lucipher. He'll just go away. LMAO

As a master exorcist (being able to invoke as well as dispell demons.) At 16 I was able to invoke and command Ahriman (Lucipher.)It was quite a terrifying experince for my brother Maji that witnessed it. The air turned black. The darkness surronding the candle's flame and no light escaped that flame.

As for science. I have had Psychiatrists ask me to look at case files redacted for privacy. The person believed they were possessed. They could find no scientific explination for the phenomoninon and were willing to listen to a religious point of view. Out of the Dozen or so files I saw. Only one was real. I told the doctor the demons true name. That he was to call him by that name and tell it if it did not leave. His next appointment was with me. That was the last he saw of it.

God has given us all Freewill. So you believe what you want. Battling demons probably isn't your riteful path. There is nothing wrong with that.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

30. Sorry, you lost me at "religious proof".

That's a moron who lost electrons. (You have to know chemistry to get that one.)

[Ikonoklast]

33. Damn, that's the funniest stuff

I've ever read in GD! I cannot believe that a *rational* intellect has use for any religion other than that of a moral system; it is all just so much myth and fairy tales. Demons and devils, saints and angels, all nonsense.

We, ourselves, are the demons, the angels; except we will not own up to our shortcomings and blame them on supernatural forces.


Most of the mythology of many major religions would require the suspension of all laws of physics.




I myself am a Pastafarian and the rest of you non-believers are in for a rude awakening.

[artemisia1]

40. You may have commanded "Ahriman", but I commanded the SCHWARTZ!

"Spaceball" reference.

My opinion is that those hacks ("excorcists") killed that young woman.

[Modem Butterfly]

41. A master exorcist?

As opposed to a journeyman exorcist?

Reading your post, I detected a whiff of sulphur, or was it bullshit?

[Wizard777]

45. Not really. One of the other things that comes from Zoroastrianism.

The battle between good and evil. Know thy enemy well. Demonology and Exorcism must be mastered before you can become a Master of the Temple. Even Alchemy is still alive and well. ;)

[rniel]

17. I don't believe in exorcism, but

I believe tiny drawfs live in our stomach are the cause of all diseases. It's best to bleed with leaches 3 times a day and hang upside down next time you feel sick.

Damn doctors don't know anything.

[Protagoras]

34. Isn't a goat supposed to be involved somewhere

in there? I can't remember though, it's been so long since my last demon..er...dwarf posession/ailment/abduction.


but seriously...oh wait, nevermind :P

[Silverhair]

47. The Bible and demonic possessions.

IF, and that is a strong IF, one believes the Biblical accounts of demonic possession, then one should logically believe the entire accounts and draw conclusions from them.

With one exception, Judas, Satan himself NEVER possessed anyone. He is too busy for ordinary possessions. Judas was a special case that he wanted to make sure didn't get screwed up. All other possessions are by lesser hostile powers.

No born-again Christian can be possessed, only the unsaved can.

Exorcism does not require a weird ritual. A genuine Christian has only to command the demon to leave.

That is what the Bible teaches on the subject. The Catholic church may have some different teaching on the matter. I can not speak for them.