by Milo Clark
M. Scott Peck, M. D.; Glimpses of the Devil, A Psychiatrist's Personal Accounts of Possession, Exorcism and Redemption; Free Press, New York, 2005. ISBN 0-7432-5467-8
(Swans - July 18, 2005) In a previous work, People of the Lie, Scott Peck first confronted, in print, situations of possession and an exorcism. As a scientist these confrontations are as much personal as professional. With Glimpses of the Devil, Peck further confronts both situations and self to conclude, personally and professionally, that there most definitely is a Devil, whether Lucifer or Antichrist.
"I would never again doubt the existence of Satan." . . . . "By the devil, I mean a spirit that is powerful (it may be in several places at the same time and manifest itself in a variety of distinctly paranormal ways), thoroughly malevolent (its only motivation seemed to be the destruction of human beings or the entire human race), deceitful and vain, capable of taking up a kind of residence within the mind, brain, soul, or body of susceptible and willing human beings -- a spirit that had various names (among them Lucifer and Satan), that was real and did exist." (p. 238)
As well as Devil, there are demons, junior devils, if you will. Demonic possession, therefore, is a subset.
". . . possessed people are not evil: they are in conflict between good and evil. Were it not for this conflict we could not know that there is such a thing as possession. It is the conflict that gives rise to this 'stigmata' of possession. Thoroughly evil people are not in conflict: they are not in pain or discomfort. There is no inner turmoil." (p. 239)
In reference to evil people, "Given the universal dynamics of laziness and narcissism, I do not think that the people of the lie need Satan to recruit them to their evil: I believe they are quite capable of recruiting themselves." (p. 240)
Is Peck describing George W. Bush?
M. Scott Peck, M. D.; Glimpses of the Devil, A Psychiatrist's Personal Accounts of Possession, Exorcism and Redemption; Free Press, New York, 2005. ISBN 0-7432-5467-8
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