Christians come on in

[ahabion]

There isn't any indisputable evidence in the existence of a God. Faith is most certainly not evidence. Faith is a belief. Not a tangible truth.

Reminds me of a recent movie I saw "The Rite" with Anthony Hopkins (guy in Silence of the Lambs and Hannibal)...

I went to this movie with a friend of mine (both of us Christians) but this guy was one of the elders of our church on a very special time. A week prior to us seeing the movie, we were talking about his experiences as an elder and the one thing he says that he cannot shake off was (to him) the true confirmation that this 'belief thing' is really real. I asked him what confirmed it for him and he stated that it was when he was asked to be part of an exorcism for one of the girls at our church that got possessed. He stated that it was entirely surreal or 'unbelievable' witnessing it. I asked him for more details because I enjoy these kinds of things... the Exorcists movies, Exorcism of Emily Rose... but I asked him if the things we see in movies is true. He had a resounding answer of Yes. He said that they had 5 grown men trying to hold her down (she's around 130 lbs) and the men probably from 160 - 250 lbs and yet they couldn't hold her down... he said very literally she was pushing (using her arms) them a good distance off while they attempted to hold her down. The voice changing completely and speaking in a totally different language. Now mind you, we're Asian... so we have our native tongue, English, and given who I know were at the exorcism, French, Laos, Thai, and Cambodian were all representative languages there. The girl was born in the States, knows our native language and English fluently and may know one of the common school languages (French, Spanish, etc...) but what he told me was that it was a completely different language altogether which scared the crap out of him. It wasn't until our Pastor started into the exorcism using God's name did the fighting-back subside.

I then asked him what happened next... he stated that the Pastor started to demand the names of the demons that possessed her... she was replying in English and no one of the older elders knew to write English besides my friend... so he had to write out all the names. He stated that the first night, he had over 50 names and it gradually became less and less each night (4 nights total). By that time the Pastor was completely exhausted, they asked for help from one of the sister branches (same denomination and ethnic language) to send their pastor to help with the 'boss' demon. Now that's the story he told me a week prior to seeing the movie.

Now during the movie, what he told me the week before was all confirmed (now, i know it's just a movie... so it's not real real) but it was a based on a true story (real life experience).

Long story short, all I'm saying is that everything he told me he experienced a week previously was played out almost to the T in this movie... very coincidentally. Take it however you want... but this stuff is real for me.

Good movie BTW for anyone who likes those demonic possession movies. PG13 so don't expect a lot of blood, violence, sex, or gore. I think they did a good job upon the basis of the movie than 'Hollywood-ing' it up.

[msanch24]

Reminds me of a recent movie I saw "The Rite" with Anthony Hopkins (guy in Silence of the Lambs and Hannibal)...

I went to this movie with a friend of mine (both of us Christians) but this guy was one of the elders of our church on a very special time. A week prior to us seeing the movie, we were talking about his experiences as an elder and the one thing he says that he cannot shake off was (to him) the true confirmation that this 'belief thing' is really real. I asked him what confirmed it for him and he stated that it was when he was asked to be part of an exorcism for one of the girls at our church that got possessed. He stated that it was entirely surreal or 'unbelievable' witnessing it. I asked him for more details because I enjoy these kinds of things... the Exorcists movies, Exorcism of Emily Rose... but I asked him if the things we see in movies is true. He had a resounding answer of Yes. He said that they had 5 grown men trying to hold her down (she's around 130 lbs) and the men probably from 160 - 250 lbs and yet they couldn't hold her down... he said very literally she was pushing (using her arms) them a good distance off while they attempted to hold her down. The voice changing completely and speaking in a totally different language. Now mind you, we're Asian... so we have our native tongue, English, and given who I know were at the exorcism, French, Laos, Thai, and Cambodian were all representative languages there. The girl was born in the States, knows our native language and English fluently and may know one of the common school languages (French, Spanish, etc...) but what he told me was that it was a completely different language altogether which scared the crap out of him. It wasn't until our Pastor started into the exorcism using God's name did the fighting-back subside.

I then asked him what happened next... he stated that the Pastor started to demand the names of the demons that possessed her... she was replying in English and no one of the older elders knew to write English besides my friend... so he had to write out all the names. He stated that the first night, he had over 50 names and it gradually became less and less each night (4 nights total). By that time the Pastor was completely exhausted, they asked for help from one of the sister branches (same denomination and ethnic language) to send their pastor to help with the 'boss' demon. Now that's the story he told me a week prior to seeing the movie.

Now during the movie, what he told me the week before was all confirmed (now, i know it's just a movie... so it's not real real) but it was a based on a true story (real life experience).

Long story short, all I'm saying is that everything he told me he experienced a week previously was played out almost to the T in this movie... very coincidentally. Take it however you want... but this stuff is real for me.

Good movie BTW for anyone who likes those demonic possession movies. PG13 so don't expect a lot of blood, violence, sex, or gore. I think they did a good job upon the basis of the movie than 'Hollywood-ing' it up.

aside from stories and "based on a true story" films, theyre no evidence for these happenings either. Not saying your friend isnt being truthful, but i just dont believe that it happened like that. And if it did, it wasnt caused by demons. I just cant believe that. my mind wont allow it. It seems way too...absurd.

[ahabion]

aside from stories and "based on a true story" films, theyre no evidence for these happenings either. Not saying your friend isnt being truthful, but i just dont believe that it happened like that. And if it did, it wasnt caused by demons. I just cant believe that. my mind wont allow it. It seems way too...absurd.

That's what the character in the movie believed too... he explained it away using science. That the possessed were really schizo and that the speaking of English (she was native Italian) and other languages were due to the person's age and demographic. If there is one thing that I've learned in corporate america, is that you can explain anything away, even hard facts and numbers.

I either case, convincing anyone to do or be something else when that person is already resolved to do the other is pretty fruitless. Resolved being the keyword there.

[msanch24]

That's what the character in the movie believed too... he explained it away using science. That the possessed were really schizo and that the speaking of English (she was native Italian) and other languages were due to the person's age and demographic. If there is one thing that I've learned in corporate america, is that you can explain anything away, even hard facts and numbers.

I either case, convincing anyone to do or be something else when that person is already resolved to do the other is pretty fruitless. Resolved being the keyword there.

I dont know man. I seems counterproductive to attempt to explain something using a hollywood movie. I understand where youre coming from and i understand the point youre making but until i have first hand real life experience, it doesnt mean much to me.