Call for action on child exorcism

[-Cp]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/4294417.stm

Black church and community leaders are calling for action to protect children from the effects of exorcisms.
A spokeswoman for Africans Against Child Abuse (Afruca) said church leaders who believe in possession needed education on child protection.

A BBC investigation suggests only a third of London's local authorities are addressing the issue seriously.

The Newsnight probe suggests some children are being beaten by parents trying to drive out evil spirits.

Afruca spokeswoman Debbie Ariyo said she was not surprised by the findings because the driving out of demons was known to be a widespread practice within the African churches.

 

[Nienna]

These people haven't consulted their Bibles lately. Evil Spirits are not beaten out of people. To remove the most insidious kind of demon, Christians are told to pray and fast. There is no excuse EVER for BEATING (not talking about spanking) anyone, especially a child.

However, I find this quote to be disturbing...

The Metropolitan Police is currently investigating a number of cases of so-called "faith crimes".

Abuse is abuse, and can never be overlooked or mitigated against by cultural or religious factors

David Pearson
Churches' Child Protection Advisory Service

Detective Superintendent Chris Bourlet of the Met's Child Protection Central Command told Newsnight reporter Angus Stickler the scale of the problem was difficult to determine.

"We are talking about child abuse, physical abuse, mental abuse, actually using emotional abuse against the child - quite serious offences in some cases - up to physical woundings of children," Mr Bourlet said.

Some people already consider it to be a crime/evil to teach a child the traditional ways of the Bible. "Mental" and "emotional" abuse are gray areas, and legislating against "faith crimes" is a dangerous thing.

 

[dmp]

I'm with you, Mom. "emotional abuse'? That could be defined by SOME as 'Making a child cry.'



Scary stuff.

 

[Hobbit]

The Catholic Church needs to advertise better. They have at least one official exorcist per diocese. Currently, they don't advertise this, so people will go see psychologists first, but if people are trying to beat evil spirits out of children...

And yeah, 'faith crimes' seems to be a bad idea. With an Italian already suing the church for fraud, I don't want children taken into protective custody because their parents are abusing them by teaching them Christianity.

 

[Mr. P]

Abuse is abuse, no matter how you try to cover it.

Atlanta Journal-Constitution, GA, 18 March 2001
Church faces abuse probe over whipping of children

Authorities are investigating a massive case of alleged abuse by parents of as many as 60 children from the same northwest Atlanta church.

The Rev. Arthur Allen

Already, state social workers have removed 19 children from the homes of three members of the House of Prayer, 1194 Hollywood Road. Another church member said Friday evening that social workers had indicated they soon would take 11 of his children.

Atlanta police and social workers are looking into reports that church members systematically held down their children while beating them with belts and other objects - allegedly under the direction of the pastor, the Rev. Arthur Allen.

http://www.corpun.com/usd00103.htm

 

[listopencil]

I just rented that excorcism of Emily Rose movie. No wonder the Catholic Church doesn't advertise.

 

[Nienna]

Abuse is abuse, no matter how you try to cover it.



http://www.corpun.com/usd00103.htm

See, what do they mean by "Holding them down and beating with belts and other objects"? My daddy spanked me with a belt on occasion. I spank my kids with a white plastic mixing spoon when necessary. Hands are for loving, not for hurting.

I mean if these kids are really getting beaten up, for unreasonable offenses, then the authorities should step in. But If it's just a parent occasionally disciplining the kids... yeah, they do need to be held down because most of them will fight against it.

 

[Mr. P]

See, what do they mean by "Holding them down and beating with belts and other objects"? My daddy spanked me with a belt on occasion. I spank my kids with a white plastic mixing spoon when necessary. Hands are for loving, not for hurting.

I mean if these kids are really getting beaten up, for unreasonable offenses, then the authorities should step in. But If it's just a parent occasionally disciplining the kids... yeah, they do need to be held down because most of them will fight against it.

Did you read the entire link?

 

[MissileMan]

These people haven't consulted their Bibles lately. Evil Spirits are not beaten out of people. To remove the most insidious kind of demon, Christians are told to pray and fast. There is no excuse EVER for BEATING (not talking about spanking) anyone, especially a child.

However, I find this quote to be disturbing...




Some people already consider it to be a crime/evil to teach a child the traditional ways of the Bible. "Mental" and "emotional" abuse are gray areas, and legislating against "faith crimes" is a dangerous thing.

What's more dangerous IMO, are people who could mistake ADD or a child's willfullness as demonic possession and then be ignorant enough to believe they can "drive" the demon out.

 

[Nienna]

I did read the entire link, and if these parents are seriously whacking their kids around to try to beat demons out of them, then they need help, and the kids need safety.

However, I personally know people who consider it "abusive" to even raise your voice at a child. Someone very close to me was stopped by the police bc of such a woman. This mother was shopping in a store, and her little boy kept touching stuff. She kept saying over and over "No." The kid wouldn't quit, and she was getting very frustrated bc some of the stuff was breakable. So, yeah, she had some tension in her voice. She hauled her kid off to the bathroom and verbally combed him down.

Meanwhile, some psychotic lady had been following them around the store, deeply concerned with the "abusive" treatment the kid had been subjected to. When the mom headed to the bathroom, the lady headed for the phone, and called the police.

So when the mom & son emerged, leaving the store, the cops stopped her in the parking lot, took her kid away for questioning, and checked him over for abuse. The mom hadn't even spanked him that time, lucky for her. BC if there would have been so much as a red mark, she could have been in serious trouble. As it was, it still went on her permanent record that she was investigated for child abuse. Moral of the story: I think we should be very careful about what we call "abuse." And "faith crimes" seem to cross this line. It should be enough to have laws against beating your kid. They don't need to make faith an element of the crime.

As for demonic possession, I do believe it exists, but #1) natural causes should be investigated first, bc they are probably more common. And #2) If someone is seriously thought to be demon-possessed, they should not be beaten. People should pray and fast for them. Human power will not drive away demons; only the power of God could do that. So now you probably think I'm a raving loony, but