I went too see ‘The Last Exorcism’ because I thought the premise of the story was interesting. But it was quite a letdown. The ‘scene’ in the above poster doesn’t even appear in the film. Is that a form of lying in marketing? Still, while seeing the trailer on TV, these thoughts came to mind…
Before we search for demons among us,
may we search tor the demons within us.– Stonepeace
What if the one(s) invoked is non-existent or not mighty enough to vanquish the evil? The exorcist relies then, on his or her own strength of moral integrity in the name of the truth. This is why exorcists from all cultures should be highly righteous in the appropriate ways.
But why coerce the evil to leave with threats? The best exorcist touches and transforms the evil to be good, and do not condemn them once and for all. The great Padmasambhava, for example, transformed demons of the land of Tibet in the ultimate way – to become protectors of the Buddhadharma instead of its antagonisers.
The true chief demon is not Mara out there,
but the sum of the maras within you,
who align with the ways of Mara.– Stonepeace
Related Articles:
Of Gods and Demons
https://moonpointer.com/new/2010/06/of-gods-demons
Different Religions’ Takes on Exorcism
http://www.asiaone.com/News/Latest+News/Story/A1Story20071101-33587.html :
“Buddhist exorcism does not aim to kill, trap, hurt, or chase away harmful unseen beings.” Prayers and mediation is carried out for the purpose of persuading the spirit to leave the body. “Buddhist exorcism aims for win-win situations for the involved human and spirit – who are seen as two parties negatively affected by grudges that require peaceful negotiation.”