textfiles/magazines/ONESHOTS/tistf01.txt

                    -= Truth Is Stranger Then Fiction =-
                                   Issue 1:
                        Demonic Possessions & Exorcisms
            Written By Parker Lewis [Vandals] (an681512@anon.penet.fi)

  This  is a new publication  that I'll be starting,  it is dedicated  to the
world of  strange phenomena which  I've been interested  in for several years
now, with the everyday routine that we live everyday,  it's good to know that
there  is  much more  to live  then what is  presented to us,  it gives  more
meaning  to life.   Anyways thats what  this new  text file series  from  The
Vandals will be about, contributions will be excepted.  In this first "issue"
I'll be writting about Devil Possessions, which in my opinion is probably one
of the scariest phenomenas.  I hope you enjoy this new series.

  A  person  is known to be possessed when  they start reacting  in a violent
nature.   For no appearent reason they become violent,  they twist and tangle
their  arms  and legs in  such ways that  no one  is able  to untangle  them,
sometimes their bodies can become  so regit that outside force  is unable  to
move it,  while at other times their  bodies can become so flexiable that the
person is able to move the body in  positions not normally  possible  without
the  breakage of bones or joints,  at times the person who has been possessed
is  known  to transform into a  snakelike  creature,  the person's body would
become as flexible as rubber,  and they would  writhe along the floor,  their
neck  would elongate,  thereby enhancing the  serpent image.   In the case of
Clara Germana Cele,  when she bit one of the nuns which were supervising her,
in the arm, the arm revealed Germana's teeth marks as well as well as a small
red puncture which resembled a snake bite.  The person who has been possessed
has no control  over their own body,  only the Devil can give  peace to these
objects of his torture.

  Another phenomena which occurs while the person is under  control from  the
Devil  is the ability to levitate.   People have been known  to float various
feets in the air, both in a  horizontal position  (with their bodies extended
outwards)  and a vertical  position (with their feet downwards).   While they
are floating,  their  bodies are  rigid and  their  clothing  remain  tightly
attached  to their  bodies  instead  of falling  down as  would be  expected.
Attempting to pull the person down  while they are  levitating is a worthless
task,  only after  having holy  water  strinkeled on the body,  does the body
begin to descent and the clothing begins to fall loosely.   Sometimes instead
of just levitating upwards, the body is thrown in various directions as if it
were a play toy.

  When  under  control  of  the Devil,  the person shows  a hatered  for  all
relegious  objects.   The Devil is able  to sense the  presence of  relegious
objects even if they are well hidden or concealed,  pouring ordinary water on
him will only  make him laugh whereas   holy water will  cause him much pain.
A  person  who has  been possessed will  refuse to eat food  which  has  been
secretly blessed with holy water,   or  cower at the sight  of a  rosery or a
cross.

  Another  sign  of possession  by the  Devil  include vomiting of  repulsive
substances like yellow foam, feathers, seeweed and tabacco leaves which emite
such horrible smells that the only way to get rid of it is to burn the object
which the vomit fell on.   This  evil smell can fill out  a room,  and make a
person's presence in the  room nearly impossible, to give  you an idea of how
bad the smell is,  it smells even worst then Serial  Link and  his "Avengers"
group, but not by much (sorry, I just had to add that in there).   Before the
vomit is expeled,  the body becomes  bloated as if  it  were about to  burst.

  A  most  frequent  sign of  supernatural  ability  comes  in  the  form  of
clairvoyancy.   The person is able to predict deaths or accidents as  well as
events taking place far from where the person is located,  they may also  use
this  clairvoyancy  to bring on  shame to  someone,  by  reveling  scandalous
details  of  their  private  lives,  complete  with dates,  times  and names.

    While under control of the Devil, the Devil may manifest himself by other
actions like infesting the victim's  head  with red lice  which  can only  be
cured by pouring holy water on the victims head, utter shocking  profanities,
make  strange animal noises  or really horrible screams which are unbareable,
for extented periods of time.  The person may also start to talk to invisible
beings  or demon drawings and  show a great fascination for  diabolic things.
The person  may also have the ability to  speak in different  languages never
before spoken.   Sometimes the words don't come from the person's mouth, they
seem to be coming from within.

  For the rites  of exorcism  to be executed,  the  priest  must  first  seek
permission from the bishop.  During the exorcism the priest may be acompanied
by another priest and people who are physicly prepared for the challenge.  In
some countries like for example, Germany, a physician must also be present to
evaluate the physical state of the victim.   Exorcisms can take as long  as a
few  days  to a couple  of months  or  maybe even  longer.   Throught out the
exorcism  the  priests  and the  attending  people must be both  physicly and
mentally  prepared for the task.   They must endure the Devil's crys of pain,
as well as attacks from the Devil and this may take up  to several  sleepless
days.   The Demons who have  taken control of the body may choose to identify
themselves  and  their  reasons for  possessing  the body.   When the  demons
finally surrender, they mark their departure from the body with either a show
of levitation, by leaving behind a foul odor or by some other action.

  There are three ways that a  person can get possessed although they are not
the only ways.   The first is just a  random person who the Devil  chooses to
take control over,  the second is if the person  makes a pact with the  Devil
and the third is if  a person is cursed by someone  who is damned after  they
die.

  Skeptics dismiss possession by the Devil and attribute the person's actions
to an  epilepsy attack,  hysteria  or psychological  conditions like multiple
personalities.  They consider demonic possession as medieval superstition and
ignorance.   There is some degree of  truth to their thinkings,  but it  only
explains certain conditions that is shown on a person who has been possessed.
During an epilepsy attack a person's muscles can become rigid and foam may be
produced  in the mouth,  the person may move their  head in a back and  forth
motion,  the distortion of the face and strange guttural noises coming from a
spasm of the throat muscles may also be produced.   During an attack the body
may bend back  in a semi-circle,  this is known as the  hysterical arch,  and
it's frequently seen in cases of possession.   An average epilepsy attack can
last  up to  five minutes.   These conditions do  resemble some symptoms of a
person who has been possessed,  but they choose to ignore  the other signs of
possessions like levitation, the ability to speak  in a foreign tongue,  etc.
which can  not be  explained by modern day medical science.   It is by  these
paranormal phenomena that the church identifies a case of demonic possession,
other symptoms are the hatred for relegious objects and the ability to detect
relegious objects which have been hidden or concealed.

All information in this text file has been gathered from the following
publications:

 <20> Mysteries Of The Unexplained By Readers Digest
 <20> Demon Children By Martin Ebon
 <20> Exorcism: Fact Not Fiction By Martin Ebon
 <20> Diabolical Possession And Exorcism By Rev. John J. Nicola
 <20> The New York Times, August 8, 1976
   Article: Possessed By Satan By Adolf Rodewyk



  "Theres More In Heaven And Earth Then What Is Dreamt Up In Your Philosofy"