Arizona pastor offers exorcisms over Skype

[struggle4progress]

... Reverend Bob Larson claims he has performed more than 20,000 exorcisms ... A 60-minute Skype exorcism costs $295 ...
Bob Larson, Arizona Reverend, Offers Exorcisms Via Skype
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/29/bob-larson-skype_n_4688323.html
to ashling in the lounge for finding this important story

0 votes, 0 passes | Time left: Unlimited
	Nope. I'm saving up for my Colorado vacation
	0 (0%)
	Isn't it great how social media is redefining us and our world?
	0 (0%)
	Don't mock Larson: he's quite sincere about that $300 an hour
	0 (0%)
	Footage of Larson successfully battling rubber crocodiles in Australia convinced me to give this a fair shot
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	But what will I do if the demons get stuck in my computer?
	0 (0%)
	I've heard Bob can swivel his head 360 and spew gallons of green
	0 (0%)
	What a ripoff! The iPhone exorcism app only costs $7.99
	0 (0%)
	iPhone fanbois don't want you to know the Android exorcism app only costs $4.43
	0 (0%)
	Just another NSA trick to track everybody who tried to exorcize the Pentagon back in 1967
	0 (0%)
	0 DU members did not wish to select any of the options provided.
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[rug]

1. Can I get him to do one on someone else?

[struggle4progress]

2. Why not? I think the major theological point for Rev Bob is the $295

[arcane1]

3. And it's f-ing tax-deductible

Reason number 4,357 why we can't have nice things.

[struggle4progress]

7. If he's doing this, then I think he's engaged in fraud, but it would tricky to prove

... A donor claiming a deduction of $250 or more is also required to obtain and keep a contemporaneous written acknowledgment for a charitable contribution. To be contemporaneous the written acknowledgment must generally be obtained by the donor no later than the date the donor files the return for the year the contribution is made. The written acknowledgment must state whether the donee provides any goods or services in consideration for the contribution. If the donee provides goods or services to the donor in exchange for the contribution (a quid pro quo contribution), the written acknowledgment must include a good faith estimate of the value of the goods or services. The donee is not required to record or report this information to the IRS on behalf of a donor ...

If he's charging $295 for an hour Skype session, that doesn't sound like a donation to me: it sounds like someone is paying $295 an hour to chat with Bob, and Bob is encouraging them to call the $295 a donation to his charity to get the tax write-off

[hrmjustin]

4. I think the religion room needs an exorcism.

It has gotten too much in the past few days.

[struggle4progress]

15. I'll try to back off some

[hrmjustin]

16. No your thread is fun. We need some fun in here after the past few days.

[Starboard Tack]

19. I wonder if he runs specials

Maybe we could get a group discount.

[okasha]

21. Maybe he runs coupons

in the Sunday papers.

[trotsky]

20. Oh?

Who are the evil spirits you wish would be destroyed?

[Jim__]

5. Bob Larson used to do exorcisms on call-in radio.

He'd actually do them over the phone for free. Of course, in between exorcisms and other such business, he had a great appeal for the money required to carry on his sacred mission.

I used to get a kick out of listening to the guy.

[SecularMotion]

6. International Catholic Association Of Exorcists

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Who may join the association?

A. There are 2 criteria for consideration: 1. The applicant must be a person who is either Catholic, Anglican, or Orthodox in their beliefs. 2. The applicant must be either a bishop, priest (with permission of their ordinary), a lay person who is a demonologist or a member of an already certified paranormal research team.

Q. What is a Demonologist?

A. A demonologist is one studies demons and records information about them for a priest to properly perform an exorcism. They are the assistant to an ordained priest at the time of exorcism as a record keeper and prayer leader. In some cases they assist by restraining the possessed.

The Demonologist is not only an encyclopedia of the supernatural, they are also a learning tool for those interested in spirits, both human and inhuman, as well as in the science and religion behind demonology.

Q. May a Demonologist perform an exorcism?

A. There are two forms of Demonologist: a regular Demonologist (as described above) and a Religious Demonologist.
The regular Demonologist is not sanctioned to perform any kinds of exorcisms. While the Religious Demonologist is sanctioned to only bless a home, if deemed necessary. They are required to use the prescribed rite to do so and may not bless a person. They may say prayers of intercession for the person but they are not permitted to touch or attempt to exorcise a person.

Next there is a Peritus Demonologist, what we refer to as Lead Demonologist. They are well studied and experienced in these matters. They assist with the training and guiding of new Demonologist. A Peritus Demonologist can be either a Demonologist or a Religious Demonologist.

http://icaoe.weebly.com/faqs.html

[hrmjustin]

8. Sounds like fun.

[SecularMotion]

11. Fun? Sounds like religious insanity.

Alarming Resurgence In Exorcisms

There is an alarming resurgence in the age-old practice of exorcising demons. Dioceses across Italy and Spain are officially qualifying priests to perform exorcisms. In America, Pew Research data shows that 68 percent of the population believes angels and demons are active in the world.

The legitimation of exorcism is far more frightening than supposed demons. It can lead to mistreatment of psychiatric illnesses, in more extreme cases death, financial exploitation of the vulnerable by con artists like Peter Popoff, and a mockery of religious healing which is about prayer and mediation, not medieval remedies to mental health issues.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/eliyahu-federman/exorcisms_b_4628271.html

[hrmjustin]

13. I was joking.

[struggle4progress]

14. Yeah, the ICAoE is unhappy there so few exorcists: they feel the church fails to recognize

hoards of demons requiring professional exorcism

... Father Gabriele Amorth, 88, who ... heads the International Association of Exorcists, told The Sunday Times that he will ask Pope Francis to allow all priests the right to do exorcisms without the church's approval. According to the report, priests currently need special approval from their bishop to perform the rite and it is rarely granted. "I will ask the pope to give all priests the power to carry out exorcisms, and to ensure priests are properly trained for these starting with the seminary. There's a huge demand for them," said Father Amorth ... "Today, unfortunately, bishops don't appoint sufficient exorcists. We need many more. I hope that Rome will send out directives to bishops around the world calling on them to appoint more exorcists" ...
Catholic Church's Top Exorcist Claims He Rid World of 160,000 Demons
By Leonardo Blair , CP Reporter
May 28, 2013|4:19 pm

[hrmjustin]

9. I love this show.

[longship]

10. Phoning it in! Whatta scam! nt

[okasha]

12. Just wait. The guy down the block

will start advertising them for ONLY $200.50 including a FREE keychain! Only in America. . ..

[trotsky]

17. Are his exorcisms real?

Are the Catholic Church's?

Is it OK to make fun of him but not the RCC? Why?

[Act_of_Reparation]

18. Because the Pope's a Democrat?