Exorcism or expelling of an evil spirit is found in many religions, primal and other. There are also primal religious forms which have religious performances in which a performer becomes someone else for a while and gives oracles and opinions. Both have been misunderstand in mainline society and religion. Exorcism is done in vulgar forms leading to a life long scar for the person accused of being possessed by a spirit. Religious performances are not evil but religious expressions connected with nature and performed by tribals, adivasis and dalits.
Despite this, mainline society is obsessed with stories and incidents of possession and evil creatures and people. So much so that all mainline religions are forced to provide religious solutions for such so called possessions. Some denominations even have prayers for it while others get creative and address the needs of the situation. Force and even threats and violence is used to tame the evil spirit. The atmosphere itself is scary and strange. Few people actually seek professional help and guidance of psychologists.
The 1993 Malayalam movie “Manichitrathazhu” is perhaps one of the rare movies and civil society efforts to find a solution which uses the help of a psychology doctor and a religious priest at the same time. A sort of mutual respect. But the movie was successful in bringing out the serious issue of spirit possession and the ways it is dealt with in traditional societies. In St. Luke 4: 31-36, Jesus encounters a man who had the spirit of an unclean demon. But Jesus’ response is exemplary. The noise and big performance is put up by the man while Jesus is calm and assured.
It is also interesting that the man with the unclean spirit was in the synagogue.
Lent is a time when we can challenge many superstitions and wrong thoughts. People are not only concerned with people with evil spirits, but also houses which are possessed. Religious leaders are called in to pray and expel the evil spirits from the house and even building and land. The leaders then suggest change in position, change in main door, change in gate, and digging and putting prayed upon threads, stones and special items for the expelling of the evil spirit and for a change in fortune.
Jesus did not do any of this. He called upon the spirit, asked it to be quiet and asked it to come out. He then asked them to not identify him and not say that he was the son of God. Lent should be seen as a time to cleanse our mind of such superstitious thoughts. Instead, we should get help for the concerned person by listening, spending time with them, assuring them and then identifying deep seated traumas and experiences which bring about these seizures and so called possessions. Lent is a time to tame, not by violence and superstition, but by touch and prayer. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment