Exorcisms are one of the most iconic practices of the Catholic Church. Whether it be casting out demons, or simply learning about the hierarchies of Heaven and Hell, or even showing just how good can overcome evil in the most dire of circumstances, exorcisms have proven fascinating, to say the least. They’re so interesting, in fact, that they’ve been the subject of many movies and TV shows, including The Exorcism of Emily Rose, Penny Dreadful, and Supernatural, as well as books, such as Raven’s Peak by Lincoln Cole, and Hostage to the Devil: The Possession and Exorcism of Five Contemporary Americans by Malachi Martin. It’s these exorcisms that have paved the way to a darker corner of the human mind, and to understand a more horrific aspect of the afterlife. So, how do other religions, even Christianity itself, see exorcism? And why does it impact us so deeply?

The basis of an exorcism is to expel a demon or malevolent spirit from your body. However, different religions have a variety of ways as to how to see exorcisms. In the Catholic Church, God, Christ, or other angelic beings are used to rid the person of the demon. Protestant exorcists usually invoke the trinity. In Hinduism, the Atharva Veda is said to contain lessons that not only deal with exorcisms, but also with alchemy and magic. In Islam, an exorcism is referred to as a ruqya, and is often used to fix whatever damage caused by black magic. In Judaism, exorcisms often involve root extracts, as well as sacrificing. In Buddhism, exorcisms are often done on Ghost day, a day that is focused on casting away negativity, which often includes both evil spirits and other misfortunes a person may suffer, in order to help that individual have a blessed life. 

Of course, along with the capacity for the belief in exorcisms comes the potential to doubt. Many people have viewed those who are demonically possessed as suffering from a mental disorder or other mental illness. Many prominent men in the field of exorcism include M. Scott Peck, a psychiatrist who is known for his theories on evil and spirituality, and Malachi Martin, a Catholic priest whom Peck had admired, as well as insulted. 

Still, exorcisms have a certain darkness to them. They introduce us to a world where monsters aren’t humanized, or are our friends in any shape or form. They show us true fairytale villains that would love nothing more than to ruin us, and destroy our souls. When we look at exorcisms, especially in fiction, it’s as if we’re looking at true evil. But then, of course, that’s the fun of it. After all, exorcisms have been considered a staple of the religious horror genres, and have, more often than not, been used to satisfy some sort of curiosity we have in what happens in death, and whether or not what we do on Earth even matters. 

It’s this kind of thrill we, as readers and writers, tend to get incredibly addicted to. We’re a sort of sadomasochistic bunch that enjoys putting ourselves through hours of our character’s torment, just to get a good story. Then, of course, we were an eclectic bunch to begin with, so I’m not particularly surprised.