OK, that is a misleading title for this post. As far as I know, no exorcism was ever performed on Adolph Hitler. I bet that title got your attention, though! And it's not entirely disingenuous, since Hitler, exorcism, demonic possession and Satan are the topics of this blog entry.

Fun stuff!

In August, the Vatican's chief exorcist, Father Gabriele Amorth, said that he was certain that Adolph Hitler and Joseph Stalin had been possessed by the devil. The reactions were predictable.

Secular liberals were indignant, pointing out that

• Catholicism is an archaic holdover from the dark ages, and while it might be quaint (in a Kerry - Kennedy sort of way), it is also hopelessly misogynistic (in a pro-life kind of way).


• The banal, superstitious notion of demonic possession is a childishly poor explanation for the intricate European socio-economic political environment that gave way to the Holocaust and World War II.


• BUSH IS HITLER! BUSH IS HITLER! BUSH IS HITLER!

Some Jewish leaders shocked the world by - GASP! - spinning Father Amorth's remarks so that they sounded anti-Semitic. Rabbi Marvin Hier of the Simon Wiesenthal Center in Los Angeles said that the possession explanation let Hitler off the hook:

“It says they’re really great people. Up in heaven, some celestial evil angel caused it all.”

In response, Rob Schneider issued a statement saying that he'd never make a movie with Adolph Hitler. After someone pointed out that Schneider is only half Jewish, the actor hedged his bets by saying that he'd never make a movie with Rabbi Hier, either. As an avid movie fan, I'd have been happy if Schneider had simply promised to never make another movie.

Now, don't interpret any of that as anti-Semitism on my part. As a Christian, I have tremendous love and respect for my Jewish older brothers and sisters in God. I love those bumper stickers that say "My boss is a Jewish carpenter."

For me, as a Catholic convert (and an often ham-fisted apologist) in the predominately Baptist south, Father Amorth's remarks about Hitler were a small occasion for happiness. I like it when I find myself in agreement with my Baptist and Fundamentalist family members. Most of the people in my family would readily agree that if anybody were in league with the Devil, it would have to have been the Über Bastard.

One reason this issue is interesting to me is that much of my family is of German extraction. I've never suffered from white liberal guilt about slavery since most of my folks came to the US in the early 1900's. However, the very supposition that my family might have a Nazi in the woodpile gives me a case of "der willies."

Another reason I fid the subject interesting is that I've had an exorcism performed on me. You read that right. A priest has used the ancient Church rite of exorcism to drive demons from my body.

You might like to know more about that.

When our family converted to Catholicism, we were privileged to receive a number of Catholic Rites in the process. Some of them, like baptism, communion and confirmation, are familiar with most everyone. Others, like the Rite of Reception, aren't as well known. Still another common rite that catechumens receive is an exorcism.

Now, there are exorcisms and then there are exorcisms. To most folks, the mere word conjures up Hollywood images. So, no, let me tell you up front that my exorcism didn't involve writhing in the floor or projectile vomiting. I didn't make any pronouncements about anyone's mother committing indiscretions in hell, either. Exorcism is just part of the package, and I received it with a number of other rites on a beautiful spring Sunday morning in front of the whole church. In a nutshell, what happened was our Priest put Lucifer and his toadies on notice that, while I might have fraternized with them in the past, those days were over. It's the brush-off, Satan, see? I'm switching teams.

I don't mean to make light of the Rite, I'm grateful to have received it, but I am willing to make fun of Satan himself. One thing I learned from C.S. Lewis is that old Screwtape is very proud and can't abide mockery. Ridiculing him can be a way to keep him at bay. Whatever he is.

My ideas about Satan have changed a lot over the years. I've always had a hard time believing in a corporal Satan, but I have come to see the devil as a truly cognizant and singular being. I believe that Satan really does delight in and work toward the ruin of mankind. Lucifer hates us for having God's love in a way that even the Angels never had, and the further he can sink us to his level, the better. He's basically a spoiled brat who is mad at us because "Dad likes us best."

Not that he isn't scary. He is. Like all brats, Satan is ruthless, vicious and vile. I believe that his potential for destruction is very much like it's represented in the movie The Exorcist. That's been one of my favorite movies for years, so I was glad when Father Amorth validated my ideas about that movie and it's inherently Christian message. Speaking about The Exorcist, Father Amorth said

"I know it very well," he said. "Fifteen scenes are very real, the substance of the film is positive."

He felt it was particularly helpful in showing how exorcism is of value when all medical care has proved useless. But he warned that the film is a “spectacle because cinema needs to make spectacles.”

My appreciation for The Exorcist is one of the many areas where I part ways with my Fundamentalist family. My mom, for instance, won't allow the movie in her home. This has more to do with Billy Graham than with the film itself. Billy Graham is the de facto protestant Pope of the South, and in the 70's he issued an infallible statement to the effect that The Exorcist was an evil film; that even the celluloid that the movie was printed on was evil. So let it be written, so let it be done.

Now, I'm not knocking Billy Graham, but it bugs me that the same family members who look down their nose at me because I try to follow the Pope's instructions are even more fanatical about Billy Graham. I like and respect Reverand Graham a lot, though. His TV crusades were a constant presence during my childhood, and I remember them fondly. I think of the man as a living Saint. He's won innumerable souls for Christ. I just disagree with him about The Exorcist. I think that the movie is very honest about evil, but there's a difference between being honest about evil and glorifying or promoting evil.

Another film that takes exorcism and evil very seriously, although with a far gentler approach, is The Exorcism Of Emily Rose. In that movie, the young girl who's battling a demonic invasion is comforted by a vision of the Holy Virgin. Mary assures her of the greatness and glory of God, and it's an extremely moving scene in the film. I'm spiritually bolstered by deep devotion to Mary; I wear a Mary medallion to remind me of Our Lady's example and of her advice to Jesus' friends at the wedding in Cana to go and "do whatever he tells you." Of course, I don't always follow Mary's example any more than I always follow my own mother's example… but, nonetheless, I still love and deeply respect both of the "Mothers" in my life, the one who bore me and the one who bore my Lord and my God.

I think that that's the secret to keeping Satan out of our lives. Follow the examples of the Christians around us. Follow the example of Jesus himself, of course. Surround yourself, if you can, with so much goodness that there's simply no room for Satan to squeeze in. I know that advice like that sounds clichéd and silly, but it does work. It might not lead to a life that qualifies as a good "spectacle," like in the movies, but it works.

You know in another way, it might be a good idea to think of life as a big movie… and to remember that Satan, like Rob Schneider, is always around, always waiting for his chance to pop up and turn a blockbuster into a total bomb.