Universalis, your very own breviary in pixels...

Monday, 8 March 2010

Laughing at God's Monkey

Excellent piece in the Telegraph by FrLongenecker
St Thomas More writes, “The devil...that proud spirit...cannot endure to be mocked.”

The big question, however, is whether there really is such a creature as Satan. Do we all have a demon whispering in one ear and an angel in the other like those old Tom and Jerry cartoons? Are there purely spiritual beings or is it all a projection of our religious imagination? Lewis makes the point that human disbelief in Satan’s existence is just the thing that would please Satan most. Does the Devil exist? The occurrence of paranormal activity, especially demonic possession is the most disturbing evidence that Old Nick really is alive and well on planet earth.

The whole subject of demonic possession is a specialist area of theology and pastoral practice. I liken exorcism to "spiritual open heart surgery." It’s not for the fainthearted and it is certainly not for the amateur. In my experience the devil is real and demonic possession is real. However, it is very rare and the symptoms of disturbance are more likely to be profound emotional, mental or psychic problems which have ordinary explanations. Nevertheless, the literature on this phenomenon is sufficient to conclude that there are some horrible cases of personality disturbance which seem to have no other explanation than that an alien entity has somehow infested the psyche.

Yes, I've been thinking about the devil, lately, and whether, or rather, exactly how I believe in it, (I don't wish to dignify to call it, "him" or "her",) and what effect I allow it to have one me.

I like Father's reference to surgery, since it follows that though few of us have the requisite skill for that, we can ALL watch our diets, you know, eat what's healthy?
http://www.starlarvae.org/SL_graphics/monstrance_2.gif


and get our exercise -- you know, actually practice

http://www.eons.com/images/members/2008/10/8/6/6/66038432216041642836_610w.jpeg

"God's monkey," by the way, is the moniker bestowed on it by the previously mentioned Fr Amorth.
http://www.robertmaddock.com/blogstuff/dmonkey7.jpg

(Yes, I know that's not a monkey)

No comments: