Demonic Possession

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Mullenite
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Demonic Possession

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Most churches have at some point have viewed mental illness as demonic possession, and some fundamentalists still believe so today.
When is mental illness a purely biological, biochemical effect, and when is there possible demonic involvement?

Doctors called religion an obsessional neurosis. After Phelan studies became well-known, religion was removed from hospitals. However of late, the numbers have increased as research has placed more value on faith and mental health. All faiths, now strongly support the care of the mentally ill.
Studies show that when mental and physical health problems occur, most people turn to religion.

Here are some so called signs of demonic possession.

Physical Changes Affecting The Person

1 The person involved may go for long periods of time without blinking their eyes. (Can indicate a neurological condition)

2 The person may appear catatonic. (Can also be a sign of mental illness)

3 The person speaks a language they could not possibly know. (Or speak English with unusual accents.)

4 The person speaks in tongues.

5 The person will become completely rigid where they cannot be moved at all, even by multiple people.

6 Look for changes in the eyes. They may turn almost black like shark eyes.

7 Look for obvious changes in their features.

8 The person may possess inhuman strength.

9 The person may exhibit “precognition,” the ability to predict the future.

10 The person displays “retro cognition,” the ability to know about past events they should not know about.

11 The person may be able to know something about a person they have not met.

12 Their voice may change. It may go from high to low to guttural.

13 They may be able to tell what you are thinking.

14 They may move in some unusual way. For example, they may seem to glide instead of walk.

15 Writing or symbols may appear on the body in the form of welts and scratches. Look especially in areas they could not reach.

16 They may levitate.

17 Hair or eye color may change.

18 There may be multiple voices coming from the person at the same time.

19 Take note if animals appear to be frightened of the person, especially if they begin acting fearful when there are personality changes in the person.


Outward Manifestations

1 Objects move around seemingly by themselves.

2 Objects may disappear and not be found again. (Asporting)

3 Objects may disappear and be found in another location. (Teleporting)

4 Objects may disappear and later be found where they originally were.

5 Objects may come from nowhere. (Apports)

6 Knocking, banging or pounding may be heard throughout the house or in just one room.

7 Objects fly around as if they were thrown from unseen hands.

8 There may be knocks at the door but no one is ever there. These are often heard in threes, as this is a way of mocking the Holy Trinity. Ditto for doorbells.

9 Religious articles disappear or are destroyed. They may also be desecrated.

10 Growling may be heard but the source cannot be located.

11 There may be scratching sounds heard without an obvious source.

12 There may be foul odors that have no verifiable source. They may come and go.

13 Odd lights may be seen. They may shoot around a room.

14 Heavy furniture may move on its own.

15 There may be sightings of people or dark shadows that may or may not have form.

16 Odd-looking creatures may be seen.

17 Doors and drawers may open and close on their own.

18 Electrical appliances may turn on or off.

19 Spontaneous fires may start up.

20 Animals may become spooked and stay away from the targeted person altogether.

21 Animals may growl at something they see but you do not.

22 Any talk of God or religion may cause an outbreak of activity.

23 Glass may break for no reason.

24 Sounds of glass breaking may be heard but there is no evidence of it happening.

25 There may be sudden temperature changes, up and down although it is usually down. These can be recorder on a thermometer.

25 A person may suddenly become cold while the temperature remains constant. A thermometer may record a one to two degree drop in that person.

26 People may have a feeling of being watched or that they are not alone.

27 People may hear voices when no one is present.

28 People will often hear their name called only to find that no one is around. Sometimes, a couple will each think they heard the other call to them.

29 There may be a sensation of wind blowing even with the windows closed.

30 Lights will go off or not come on when turned on.

31 Apparent retaliation after some attempt to stop the activity.

32 Activity starts up when you attempt to say prayers.

33 Apparent retaliation if a clergyman has been to the home.

34 Physical attacks. It might be in the form of punching, scratching, biting, hair pulling, etc.

35 Psychological attacks. The devil knows your weaknesses and will try to exploit them. Someone who feels ashamed about something will have an increase in that emotion. The same is true for depression, anxiety and anything else you can think of.

36 Sexual assaults. This can run the gamut from fondling to actual penetration. This can occur in males as well as females.

37 Levitation of objects or people.

jimmy k
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Re: Demonic Possession

Post by jimmy k »

Demonic possession isn't talked about enough, it certainly does exist and most people in or out of the church think it is just a fairy tale. How many billion spirits were cast out of the heavens and try to enter mortal bodies, some have and some continue to do so and there has to be some kind of effect on the body in many different ways. I think that some of the major illnesses physical and mental are a result of possesion.

A Me
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Re: Demonic Possession

Post by A Me »

There's a Jewish tradition I heard about (it's been a while so I may be wrong) that if you say the name of a demon, he'll come to you. Meaning, demons have enormous egos. This has an echo in the phrase "speak of the devil and he will appear", nowadays shortened to "speak of the devil".

I don't like talking about experiences with demons because I've found it brings them closer. They like people to talk about them, they like people to either be afraid of them or worship them or both.

They are murderers at heart, every one of them.

I will say I believe demonic possession exists today. However, if you remember the things you were taught in the temple, you can have power over them.

I will also add that one man I knew who had MPD (multiple personality disorder) received a priesthood blessing once that cast out the spirits in him. He was then told that they weren't demons... they were confused spirits who were trying to help. He never had a problem after that. That was more like spirit possession, rather than demonic, but I always found that a fascinating idea. It would explain a lot of the quirks in that disorder.

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ChelC
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Re: Demonic Possession

Post by ChelC »

I've thought a lot about this subject and here's where my opinion has evolved to (subject to change, lol!)

I believe that evil spirits can influence a person, but I don't believe they can fully possess them without being permitted to do so. I believe that certain mental disorders and imbalances can cause a person to be more likely to be influenced loudly by evil spirits.

That about sums up what I believe. When my son was at his worst, he certainly seemed possessed. In hindsight, I believe that evil spirits toyed with him while he was less able to control himself (and I wish I could give those evil spirits a tabernacle long enough for this mother to throw some hefty physical abuse at the tormentors).

Mullenite
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Re: Demonic Possession

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I believe we are on the cusp of being first-hand witnesses of cataclysmic catastrophes that have not been seen on the earth for thousands of years, I also believe we are about to see a new outpouring of evidence that there are those who walk this earth who do not walk it alone. In other words, they carry within them one or more co-habitants who are not very nice creatures.

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SmallFarm
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Re: Demonic Possession

Post by SmallFarm »

I think addiction could be termed a form of demonic possession.

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serenitylala
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Re: Demonic Possession

Post by serenitylala »

anything that alters a person's agency: drugs, alcohol, even some pharmacological drugs can open the person to being "possessed" in some way by either demons (evil spirits) or unclean spirits.

Some possessions are momentary when the invader jumps into a person just to feel the sensation of the drug or alcohol or anger, whatever it may be.

Some sickness were also termed to be spiritual afflictions by the early saints and had to be "cast out" so that the person could recover. The persons in this case were completely full of their faculties but had organ systems or pieces of their body affected by unclean or evil spirits.

People should review the Newel K Knight story: where Joseph cast out a devil out of Newel. That is an extreme case. I have witnessed minor possessions in my career as a medical student.

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ithink
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Re: Demonic Possession

Post by ithink »

A Me wrote:There's a Jewish tradition I heard about (it's been a while so I may be wrong) that if you say the name of a demon, he'll come to you. Meaning, demons have enormous egos. This has an echo in the phrase "speak of the devil and he will appear", nowadays shortened to "speak of the devil".
My old patriarch, now deceased, understood this principle. After baptism, a man walked out of the font and said "I feel so good that I could take on the devil himself right now!" The patriarch said he went over and said: "Don't say that. He is a god of evil. He can hear you right now".

The man was never seen at church again.

Satan operates by the law of Moses. Malign him, minimize him, or ridicule him, and you will be open to attack.

If I were a moderator, I'd lock this thread right now.

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Jason
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Re: Demonic Possession

Post by Jason »

ithink wrote:
A Me wrote:There's a Jewish tradition I heard about (it's been a while so I may be wrong) that if you say the name of a demon, he'll come to you. Meaning, demons have enormous egos. This has an echo in the phrase "speak of the devil and he will appear", nowadays shortened to "speak of the devil".
My old patriarch, now deceased, understood this principle. After baptism, a man walked out of the font and said "I feel so good that I could take on the devil himself right now!" The patriarch said he went over and said: "Don't say that. He is a god of evil. He can hear you right now".

The man was never seen at church again.

Satan operates by the law of Moses. Malign him, minimize him, or ridicule him, and you will be open to attack.

If I were a moderator, I'd lock this thread right now.
I can personally testify to that....as well as my mission trainer/companion.....and my mission president that was called in to save the day!

And I echo and strongly emphasize the lock this thread advice!

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serenitylala
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Re: Demonic Possession

Post by serenitylala »

Jason wrote:
ithink wrote:
A Me wrote:There's a Jewish tradition I heard about (it's been a while so I may be wrong) that if you say the name of a demon, he'll come to you. Meaning, demons have enormous egos. This has an echo in the phrase "speak of the devil and he will appear", nowadays shortened to "speak of the devil".
My old patriarch, now deceased, understood this principle. After baptism, a man walked out of the font and said "I feel so good that I could take on the devil himself right now!" The patriarch said he went over and said: "Don't say that. He is a god of evil. He can hear you right now".

The man was never seen at church again.

Satan operates by the law of Moses. Malign him, minimize him, or ridicule him, and you will be open to attack.

If I were a moderator, I'd lock this thread right now.
I can personally testify to that....as well as my mission trainer/companion.....and my mission president that was called in to save the day!

And I echo and strongly emphasize the lock this thread advice!
I agree to a large extent. Understanding how to combat the adversary is talked about several times by Joseph Smith because it was extremely important during his day... due to the massive amount of evil spirits that were trying to deceive.

The relevant facts and lessons learned from Church history should be the focus. For instance the situation with the Elders in England, especially Heber C. Kimball. Or the situation with Newel K knight. Or the best one is the situation where Moses has to deal with the adversary.

Quotes from Joseph Smith on discernment are the best sources for such information.

One does not really need to know the specific details of what a demonic possession looks like to recognize one. The Spirit manifests that something strange or unnatural is present.

The Holy Ghost is the best warning sounder that we have. A person can look absolutely normal, and yet the Holy Spirit can warn you to avoid them.

For instance, often times, Joseph Smith talked mentioned times when a person was "possessed with a lying spirit" or it was mentioned in the scriptures. For all intensive purposes, those people were normal, lying suckers, but normal. It was the Spirit that made them manifest. That is the key.

And if this topic is at all discussed, it needs to be discussed from that perspective. Focus on the things of the Spirit and the Gifts of the Spirit and we can do no wrong.

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Bridgey
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Re: Demonic Possession

Post by Bridgey »

I have worked in the mental health industry for many years. I have often thought about his topic. Some things I have noticed. NOt all people with mental illness who hear voices ie. schizophrenics are possessed. I believe some are.

But one other thing of interest of have noticed is this, that when people I suspect are possessed, that they are possessed in varying degrees. The spirit within them controls them in varying degrees. Some are controlled more than others. It is like the human host still has power over them to one degree or another and that the evil spirit has problems taking full control, thus commanding legions to come and possess.

I have one client who was a normal school boy, obviously with some issues. Anyway he shot his Mum dead when he got a gun for his birthday. Since that day he has been very child like (not in the righteous sense). It is like he has deprogressed in a large way in personality and depth of human character. Child like is the best way I can describe it. I put this down to that Evil spirits haven't had a body to grow, progress and learn like we have. While they may have expertise in certain areas, they haven't progressed past that of a child in other areas as we know that it is easier to overcome and progress with a body. You are limited in the spirit form. I have also noticed that the evil spirits tend to integrate their personality with that of the host. Other than that of multiple personality disorder where it appears the spirits have gained almost full control, the personality tends to become one. A sought of combination of the 2 as one isn't able to gain full control of the other. How much their personality is changed depends on whether the evil spirit as gained 10% control, 20%, etc.

This is my opinion based on my experience.

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serenitylala
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Re: Demonic Possession

Post by serenitylala »

Bridgey wrote:I have worked in the mental health industry for many years. I have often thought about his topic. Some things I have noticed. NOt all people with mental illness who hear voices ie. schizophrenics are possessed. I believe some are.

But one other thing of interest of have noticed is this, that when people I suspect are possessed, that they are possessed in varying degrees. The spirit within them controls them in varying degrees. Some are controlled more than others. It is like the human host still has power over them to one degree or another and that the evil spirit has problems taking full control, thus commanding legions to come and possess.

I have one client who was a normal school boy, obviously with some issues. Anyway he shot his Mum dead when he got a gun for his birthday. Since that day he has been very child like (not in the righteous sense). It is like he has deprogressed in a large way in personality and depth of human character. Child like is the best way I can describe it. I put this down to that Evil spirits haven't had a body to grow, progress and learn like we have. While they may have expertise in certain areas, they haven't progressed past that of a child in other areas as we know that it is easier to overcome and progress with a body. You are limited in the spirit form. I have also noticed that the evil spirits tend to integrate their personality with that of the host. Other than that of multiple personality disorder where it appears the spirits have gained almost full control, the personality tends to become one. A sought of combination of the 2 as one isn't able to gain full control of the other. How much their personality is changed depends on whether the evil spirit as gained 10% control, 20%, etc.

This is my opinion based on my experience.

Agreed! Agreed!

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notjamesbond003.5
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Re: Demonic Possession

Post by notjamesbond003.5 »

If there are any doubters about possession, rent this movie-a true strory:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSy7DldFdUI

njb

ndjili
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Re: Demonic Possession

Post by ndjili »

I agree with locking of this thread. Sorry notjamesbond but I will strongely advise anyone to not even click on that link and definately DO NOT see that movie. I made the mistake of watching it when I was newly pregnant and regreted it for much time after. Things dont always possess people but instead enter your home and follow you. Movies and even you tube link will attract them and can have some very terrifying results. Please everyone do not watch these kinds of things. Very very evil.

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Jason
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Re: Demonic Possession

Post by Jason »

no need for more advertising for darkness.....

should close this thread imo fwiw....

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notjamesbond003.5
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Re: Demonic Possession

Post by notjamesbond003.5 »

My thought is different, discerning the Spirit and knowing how to identify your enemy shouldn't be a topic to be feared.

The same way Heber Kimball, Joseph and others did in their day we should do likewise now and this shouldn't make one fear darkness-but ony idenify it, check it and cast it out as need be.

We can close the thread if you wish..and get back to labeling GWB as the Anti Christ, Dick Cheney as the son of Lucifer, and Harry Reid the errand boy of Beezlebub I suppose and move on to other productive topics deemed necessary by some here-only after the Church decides to delete verse 16, of Chap 1 in JSH found in The PoGP-fair enough?

Wake me up when someone gets that handled.

Thank you~

njb

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Jason
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Re: Demonic Possession

Post by Jason »

notjamesbond003.5 wrote:My thought is different, discerning the Spirit and knowing how to identify your enemy shouldn't be a topic to be feared.

The same way Heber Kimball, Joseph and others did in their day we should do likewise now and this shouldn't make one fear darkness-but ony idenify it, check it and cast it out as need be.

We can close the thread if you wish..and get back to labeling GWB as the Anti Christ, Dick Cheney as the son of Lucifer, and Harry Reid the errand boy of Beezlebub I suppose and move on to other productive topics deemed necessary by some here-only after the Church decides to delete verse 16, of Chap 1 in JSH found in The PoGP-fair enough?

Wake me up when someone gets that handled.

Thank you~

njb
You don't need to roll in the turds to recognize the smell of turds! Less than 5 seconds into your link was enough to get the hairs on the back of the neck stiff.....no need to roll further in nor coax others to do the same!

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ChelC
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Re: Demonic Possession

Post by ChelC »

ndjili wrote:I agree with locking of this thread. Sorry notjamesbond but I will strongely advise anyone to not even click on that link and definately DO NOT see that movie. I made the mistake of watching it when I was newly pregnant and regreted it for much time after. Things dont always possess people but instead enter your home and follow you. Movies and even you tube link will attract them and can have some very terrifying results. Please everyone do not watch these kinds of things. Very very evil.
That's an interesting thought. I remember once years ago watching a movie -can't remember what it was - that left me feeling really uncomfortable. I remember not thinking the content of it was particularly bad, but I could not sleep until I finally got up and put the movie in the garage, and then I could feel a difference. It was such a strange experience.

ndjili
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Re: Demonic Possession

Post by ndjili »

There is much we can learn about the adversary without inviting him into our homes, which I'm sorry but evil movies DO. Also they can follow you home from movie theatres. I know from experience. I used to love to watch the discovery channel's a haunting and fun ghost shows until I let something into my house. I knew it as soon as it happened. It was horrible. I also had something follow me home from the very movie that you recommend notjamesbond. Not worth it

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notjamesbond003.5
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Re: Demonic Possession

Post by notjamesbond003.5 »

My recommendation of the movie was meant for the doubters of Satan's reality is all, for these folks:

2 Ne. 28: 22
22 And behold, others he flattereth away, and telleth them there is no hell; and he saith unto them: I am no devil, for there is none—and thus he whispereth in their ears, until he grasps them with his awful cchains, from whence there is no deliverance.

Remember -I addressed my original post to any doubters.
Then ppl called for closing of the thread, which I think is unnecessary.

Hope that clarifies.

njb

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LukeAir2008
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Re: Demonic Possession

Post by LukeAir2008 »

Priests from the Church of Rome casting out demons with crucifixes and holy water?! Im not sure who I should be more scared of! :?

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notjamesbond003.5
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Re: Demonic Possession

Post by notjamesbond003.5 »

Luke-

What was sad is that The Priest tried but failed to cast out the demons and I knew why he couldn't-no priesthood authority-the demons only laughed at the Priest for trying.

What's even more sad is the victim ends up dying because she is an epileptic also possessed w demons and the Priest gets blamed for everything and winds up to jail..

The movie was educational for me as well as and a reaffirmation of the Restored Priesthood contained in our church.

njb

ndjili
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Re: Demonic Possession

Post by ndjili »

notjamesbond, people were calling for the closing of the thread before you posted that link.

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notjamesbond003.5
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Re: Demonic Possession

Post by notjamesbond003.5 »

ndjili-

I too have had to turn off or walk out of movies when prompted, many many times.
And having seen this movie once, was all I needed to see it.

njb

Mullenite
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Re: Demonic Possession

Post by Mullenite »

http://holisticresearch.blogspot.com/20 ... irits.html

Addictions and disembodied spirits

QUOTE: Read this post first. When we left George Ritchie he was watching in astonishment as the cocoon of light that surrounded one of the mortals he saw in his journey crack and open up as he passed out drunk. The protective shield peeled away from his head and his shoulders.

Continuing with the narrative on page 60-61 of the book, Return From Tomorrow, we read: "Instantly, quicker than I'd ever seen anyone move, one of the insubstantial beings who had been standing near him at the bar was on top of him. He had been hovering like a thirsty shadow at the sailor's side, greedily following every swallow the young man made. Now he seemed to spring at him like a beast of prey." What in the world is he describing?

"In the next instant, to my utter mystification, the springing figure had vanished. It all happened even before the two men had dragged their unconscious load from under the feet of those at the bar. One minute I'd distinctly seen two individuals. By the time they propped the sailor against the wall, there was only one. Twice more, as I stared, stupefied, the identical scene was repeated. A man passed out, a crack swiftly opened in the aureole round him, one of the non-solid people vanished as he hurled himself at that opening, almost as if he had scrambled inside the other man." Was this man somehow being momentarily possessed by a disembodied spirit?

"Was that covering of light some kind of shield, then? Was it a protection against...against disembodied beings like myself? Presumably these substance-less creatures had once had solid bodies, as I myself had had. Suppose that when they had been in these bodies they had developed a dependence on alcohol that went beyond the physical. That became mental. Spiritual, even. Then when they lost that body, except when they could briefly take possession of another one, they would be cut off for all eternity from the one thing they could never stop craving." Or at least not until they were healed sometime in the future.

In my opinion, what George Ritchie is describing is the act of being possessed, if only for a limited period of time, by another spirit being. There can be no other explanation. What do you think is the significance of what he witnessed? It's a fantastic claim, there can be no doubt about that. How do you suppose this momentary possession would have affected the man?

And who is to say how long that possession would have lasted? Could the other being have continued with him for a period of time that extended into days, weeks, months or even years? Have not alcoholics described their condition as being tormented by devils and demons? Could this not be an explanation for addiction and a feeling of being out of control, if only for a time?

Some who read this dismiss it immediately as utter nonsense. They may say such things as, "There is no such thing as a disembodied spirit being, let alone being possessed by such. George Ritchie made the whole thing up. He simply has a very fertile imagination." Maybe. Maybe not. Has anyone ever interviewed George Ritchie and asked some hard questions?

Dr. Raymond Moody, author of Life After Life has interviewed George Ritchie and asked many of those questions. He has interviewed hundreds of people who claimed to have died and then were brought back to life. He called Dr Ritchie's account, "one of the three or four most fantastic and well-documented dying experiences known to me." He said Dr. Ritchie's story was 'startling' and yet remarkably similar to what hundreds and hundreds of others have described.

So what do you think? Is is really possible that what George Ritchie saw and described can really happen? Can a disembodied spirit enter into the body of a mortal even if just for a little while? And if they can, what kind of an effect do they have on that mortal? Is it possible that there may be an influence left behind when they leave? Do some never leave?

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