I just finished two books by exorcists for the Catholic Church. Straight up, no irony.

One of them went what they considered deeply into Wicca and such.

From what I can tell and from what these authors claim to have experienced, whether it was the evil one or not, most of these people were f'ed in the head to start.

And one book does discuss human sacrifices, particularly around abortion clinics.

It doesn't seem that being bathed in the blood of the lamb has helped them much. They're still deeply troubled.

But they got Jesus and his mom, who've been through it.

I get paid by the page. Easy reading.

The exorcees.

One guy claimed to have been involved in over 2000 exorcisms, as exorcist, sideman, or teacher.

For him, all I could think of was, as the exorcist, if he asked for his money up front.

Seems to be a really good gig in certain dioceses.

Catholics are a parallel universe.

Exorcees is my word. There are about six different levels of possession.

Eb, I can't tell you the books because they're not yet in print and for personal ID reasons, but I'll give you the author of one of them.

Being wrapped up in repetitions of the Rosary, daily Mass, confession, scruples, adoration of the blessed sacrament, personal saints, feast days, Latin Rites, no open communion table, parish life, pro-life, Pope and the Curia, little biblical study for the last 1500 years.

These ain't Methodists.

Catholic Radio. Catholic podcasts. Huge.

And many are turning toward a muscular Christianity that's often MAGA without Trump.

I read much more in the Catholic left world, but they publish books about social justice rather than how to be a manly man, not necessarily like Jesus, in these United States.

Catholics are a parallel universe.
And your evidence is a book about exorcism?
#10 | Posted by eberly

No, Eberly. I'm not a dumsht you can dismiss easily with trolling.

Nor do I come here to argue, which I've been informed violates the Retort terms of engagement.

I'll discuss Catholics with you all day long, right and left, positive and negative, muscular and social justice, the Rosary to liberation theology, Augustine to Teilhard. I know very, very little about these things comparatively (more than you, though, I'm guessing), and I don't have a dog in the hunt.

Any other questions?

"I was pretty shocked years ago when I discovered the Far Rwing Catholic faction in South FL with their own Pizza-financed University and Rush Limbaugh mouthpieces.
So weird."

I can't get too far into it, but after years of reading very left-wing Catholicism, exactly those factions have found their way onto my production line the last couple years. Not to mention my family in an incredibly ironic way.

They come up short of being Trumpsters on daily politics, but like the Chinese, they have longer ambitions.

Exactly. I come into these books for the prurient interest (and the paycheck), and they rarely deliver as expected. I want the juicy, head-turning stuff.

Three exorcisms per diocese per year. And that's full-fledged exorcisms. I'll see if I can pull a quote that won't trigger the AI crawlers. That'd be a game ender for me.

I've massaged the content:

"contributing to demonic problems beyond temptation that are extraordinary: demonic infestation, demonic oppression, obsession, and possession."

All this backed up by Faith and Tradition.

Most of the Catholic bell curve is entirely unaware of this stuff or liberation theology (in so many words).

Like Mormon transhumanism. After bringing that up to the 18-year-olds who showed up at my door, all of a sudden I was getting invited to the local poobahs' house for dinner. Had a great time.

Yes, I'm fun at parties these days. I used to be a wallflower.

My wife has Alzheimer's but is perfectly delightful. She'll walk around and talk to everybody. I'll get into theological discussions, with the proper folks.

29. Right. According to the exorcists' party line, all the devil's minions are fallen angels who can't get back to heaven, so they run around trying to latch onto the weak so those humans don't get into heaven.

Or something.

32. Thanks.

PCA are white cisheteropatriarchal jerks. It's like MAGA coming to their senses. They'd be more comfortable among the muscular Catholics or pure evangelicals.

PCUSA has been among my biggest clients for 25 years. Love the denomination, although they stick their nose all over the place too, bless their hearts. I told them so years ago when they published a review of their social doctrine going back to 1948. (I think my query was, "Is there anything you don't have an opinion on?") And they know they have little to show for it. They're among the ones publishing books acknowledging it.

Them and all the others.

Very good sound and fury, and it pays my bills. But they haven't yet figured out how to preach to the nonchoir. Nonrage and intellectual arguments don't sell in the public marketplace.

Even your man NT Wright. No offense intended.

I mean, he sells. But not to anyone who doesn't already want to have what he's selling.

Am I making sense?