An interview with the exorcist and his deliverance teamTo spell it out for a morally challenged culture, I interviewed Fr. Patrick, an exorcist, along with three members of his deliverance team about the Fifty Shades of Grey phenomenon.
Leaders from the Catholic Church warn it is immoral. Domestic violence groups warn that it dangerously glorifies sexual violence against women. Even literary and movie critics warn that Fifty Shades of Grey has “no discernible story and lacks a reason to exist.” And yet, it broke box office records for Valentine’s Day openings earning an estimated $81.7 million in its first three days.
It also became the second-highest February debut ever, behind The Passion of the Christ’s" $83.9 million opening in 2004. It is a slight relief that more people were drawn in by the holiness of Christ than by the evil of a sadomasochistic movie. Fifty Shades fans, however, are not going to use the “e” word to describe their attraction to it. But for Catholics, a synonym for “moral reprehensible” and “against the dignity of women” is evil.
To spell it out for a morally challenged culture, I interviewed Fr. Patrick, an exorcist, along with three members of his deliverance team. He was taking a break between two cases with his team, when he took my call and put me on speakerphone. Fr. Patrick (not his real name) is a parish priest who has been a designated diocesan exorcist for 5 years after apprenticing for 6 years under an experienced exorcist. Members of his deliverance team that were present for the interview, engage in prayer support for him while he battles against demonic forces in people who come to him for help. Everyone involved in the interview asked to keep their identity secret for this article due to the nature of their work.
Fifty Shades of Grey is R-rated, its sexual violent theme puts it on par with pornography so both topics were discussed.
Fifty Shades] will open you up to whatever is being promoted. Whatever you take in, you take into your heart. It deforms the heart and then that is going to play out in your relationships. People are enjoying it — calling it recreation — but it is a mockery of God’s creation.
DT: In sex cults, people are drawn in with curiosity, but it becomes a matter of what they are willing to do against virtue and against morality. Depending on what you are willing to do to diminish the dignity of another person, it will determine how high you rise.
Fr. Patrick: They [bad movies and pornography] are against the path of sanctity. They open people up to that way of thinking. We begin to justify sin and then our filter can no longer discern holiness from evil. Instead of asking if there is something wrong with a movie, I would ask, is it redeeming?
Fifty Shades of Grey.
http://peterkleponis.com
http://www.covenanteyes.com/
http://oldfashionedmovie.com/
http://www.ignatius.com/Products/EM-H/extreme-makeover.aspx
http://mattfradd.com/new-book/
http://www.arlingtondiocese.org/purity/index.aspx
A Parent’s Survival Guide to Fifty Shades of Grey” and
her letter to young peopleabout the dangers the film poses.
Patti Maguire Armstrong
is a speaker, author, and was managing editor and co-author of Ascension Press’ s best selling"Amazing Grace" series. Her latest books are
Big Hearted Families
and the popular children’s book series
Dear God I Don’t Get It
and
Dear God, You Can’t Be Serious!
(The 3rd book in the series will be released next spring.) This article was originally published on her blog Catholic News and Inspiration and is reprinted here with kind permission.
