March 12, 2010
Chief Exorcist Says the Devil is Troubling the Vatican
Father Gabiele Amorth is bothered by the sex abuse scandals, attacks on
popes, and "cardinals who don't believe in Jesus."
Chief Exorcist Says the Devil is Troubling the Vatican
Father Gabiele Amorth is bothered by the sex abuse scandals, attacks on
popes, and "cardinals who don't believe in Jesus."
SUMMARY: "The Devil is at work inside the Vatican," says Father Gabiele
Amorth who points to the sex abuse scandals which are rocking the Catholic
church as one bit of evidence. Amorth has been the Vatican's chief exorcist for
25 years and claims to have dealt with 70,000 cases of demonic possession.
He is also bothered by power struggles inside the Vatican, cardinals who don't
believe in Jesus, bishops linked to "the Demon," and the Vatican "cover-up"
of a 1998 incident in which the commander of the Swiss Guard, his wife, and a
second Swiss Guard were found shot to death.
Other incidents which Amorth sees as evidence that the Devil is at work is the
attempt on the life of Pope John Paul II in 1981 and the case of a mentally
disturbed woman who threw herself at Pope Benedict XVI last Christmas and
who succeeded in pulling him to the ground.
Father Jose Antonio Fortea Cucurill, another exorcist, thinks Father Amorth
has "gone well beyond the evidence" in claiming Satan had infiltrated the
Vatican. Some Vatican officials are more pious than others, he said, but that
doesn't mean some cardinals are members of satanic sects.
Amorth affirms that the devil is "pure spirit, invisible" but that he manifests
himself with blasphemies and afflictions in people he possesses. Satan can
cause people to speak in other languages or change personalities. A
possessed person can become violent, yell, scream, spit out nails or pieces of
glass or rose petals. It sometimes takes six or seven people to hold such a
person down.
Father Amorth, who has authored a book, Memoirs of an Exorcist, and is
president of the Association of Exorcists, doesn't think much of the Harry
Potter novels but did like The Exorcist movie. He hopes every diocese will
eventually have a resident exorcist.
(Picture of St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City from Wikimedia Commons.)
To read the entire article, click on this link to THE TIMES.
COMMENT: How can we recognize the Devil and his evil cohorts if we can't
see them? Jesus said, "By their fruit you will recognize them." I'm certain most
people would agree the fruit growing on Catholic trees in recent years to which
Father Amorth alludes is not the most wholesome. Other "bad fruit" not
mentioned in the article would include the Pope praying with non-Christians
and the Vatican's embrace of evolution.
It may make good theater when Satan inspires someone to get violent, but, in
my opinion, the greater danger is when he "comes to us in sheep's clothing."
Protestants recognize that certain practices of the Catholic church such as
praying to Mary and indulgences are not supported by Scripture. Especially
troubling is the teaching that we must in part work our way into heaven. But
that is not possible. If we think we can earn our way into heaven, then we must
be perfect just as He is perfect. Since every person fails that test, we must
rely entirely on Jesus Christ who suffered the punishment for our sins that we
deserve. Whoever believes in Jesus will be saved.
There are questions in my mind regarding demon possession. Can
some or most of these cases be better classified as examples of mental
illness? On the other hand, can some cases of mental illness be better
classified as examples of demon possession? What we don't need to question
though is the Lord's commitment to us believers when we feel the Devil
approaching. He says we will not be tempted beyond what we can bear. And
we also should not forget that God is our Mighty Fortress. As the hymn says:
.
"A Mighty Fortress" (stanza 3), Christian Worship: A Lutheran Hymnal,
Northwestern Publishing House, 1993.
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QUESTION OF THE DAY
Can pets catch the H1N1 swine flue virus?
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Amorth who points to the sex abuse scandals which are rocking the Catholic
church as one bit of evidence. Amorth has been the Vatican's chief exorcist for
25 years and claims to have dealt with 70,000 cases of demonic possession.
He is also bothered by power struggles inside the Vatican, cardinals who don't
believe in Jesus, bishops linked to "the Demon," and the Vatican "cover-up"
of a 1998 incident in which the commander of the Swiss Guard, his wife, and a
second Swiss Guard were found shot to death.
Other incidents which Amorth sees as evidence that the Devil is at work is the
attempt on the life of Pope John Paul II in 1981 and the case of a mentally
disturbed woman who threw herself at Pope Benedict XVI last Christmas and
who succeeded in pulling him to the ground.
Father Jose Antonio Fortea Cucurill, another exorcist, thinks Father Amorth
has "gone well beyond the evidence" in claiming Satan had infiltrated the
Vatican. Some Vatican officials are more pious than others, he said, but that
doesn't mean some cardinals are members of satanic sects.
Amorth affirms that the devil is "pure spirit, invisible" but that he manifests
himself with blasphemies and afflictions in people he possesses. Satan can
cause people to speak in other languages or change personalities. A
possessed person can become violent, yell, scream, spit out nails or pieces of
glass or rose petals. It sometimes takes six or seven people to hold such a
person down.
Father Amorth, who has authored a book, Memoirs of an Exorcist, and is
president of the Association of Exorcists, doesn't think much of the Harry
Potter novels but did like The Exorcist movie. He hopes every diocese will
eventually have a resident exorcist.
(Picture of St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City from Wikimedia Commons.)
To read the entire article, click on this link to THE TIMES.
COMMENT: How can we recognize the Devil and his evil cohorts if we can't
see them? Jesus said, "By their fruit you will recognize them." I'm certain most
people would agree the fruit growing on Catholic trees in recent years to which
Father Amorth alludes is not the most wholesome. Other "bad fruit" not
mentioned in the article would include the Pope praying with non-Christians
and the Vatican's embrace of evolution.
It may make good theater when Satan inspires someone to get violent, but, in
my opinion, the greater danger is when he "comes to us in sheep's clothing."
Protestants recognize that certain practices of the Catholic church such as
praying to Mary and indulgences are not supported by Scripture. Especially
troubling is the teaching that we must in part work our way into heaven. But
that is not possible. If we think we can earn our way into heaven, then we must
be perfect just as He is perfect. Since every person fails that test, we must
rely entirely on Jesus Christ who suffered the punishment for our sins that we
deserve. Whoever believes in Jesus will be saved.
There are questions in my mind regarding demon possession. Can
some or most of these cases be better classified as examples of mental
illness? On the other hand, can some cases of mental illness be better
classified as examples of demon possession? What we don't need to question
though is the Lord's commitment to us believers when we feel the Devil
approaching. He says we will not be tempted beyond what we can bear. And
we also should not forget that God is our Mighty Fortress. As the hymn says:
.
"A Mighty Fortress" (stanza 3), Christian Worship: A Lutheran Hymnal,
Northwestern Publishing House, 1993.
****************************************************************************************************
Want to be automatically notified each time there is a new post? Just e-mail
your request to [admin@lutheranscience.org].
****************************************************************************************************
QUESTION OF THE DAY
Can pets catch the H1N1 swine flue virus?
****************************************************************************************************
0 Comments
| LSI stands for the Lutheran Science Institute, an organization of WELS and ELS Lutherans interested in science and health issues with a special emphasis on the creation and evolution controversy. This blog's purpose is to search the Internet to find articles of interest to Christians. Views expressed are those of the author (Warren Krug) and are not necessarily those of the Lutheran Science Institute, Inc. |
Though devils all the world should fill.
All eager to devour us.
We tremble not, we fear no ill;
They shall not overpow'r us.
This world's prince (Satan) may still
Scowl fierce as he will,
He can harm us none,
He's judged; the deed is done!
One little word ("Jesus") can fell him.
All eager to devour us.
We tremble not, we fear no ill;
They shall not overpow'r us.
This world's prince (Satan) may still
Scowl fierce as he will,
He can harm us none,
He's judged; the deed is done!
One little word ("Jesus") can fell him.
Yes. There are a few cases where cats and
ferrets have been found with the virus.
Transmission of H1N1 from people to animals
occurs the same way as it does from person to
person. There is no evidence people can get
swine flu from their pets.
Source: Bottom Line Personal (March 15, 2010)
ferrets have been found with the virus.
Transmission of H1N1 from people to animals
occurs the same way as it does from person to
person. There is no evidence people can get
swine flu from their pets.
Source: Bottom Line Personal (March 15, 2010)
