"Possessed" people
 

Ok, so, in the bible, you read of people being "possessed" quite frequently, and having devils 'cast out'.

What about today?

Why are certain troubles, tragic happenings, etc. passed off as a medical condition or a troubled mind etc.

Do you believe that people can still be "possessed" today, same as in the literal term in the scriptures?

I have had/witnessed certain occurances in life to attest that it still happens, but things like this is not spoke of much today.

Thoughts?

My dad had an experience as a bishop with someone in the ward that he refuses to talk about. I only heard some vague comments about it from my mom.

Personally, I think this goes back to the theory that members are increasingly reluctant to share spiritual experiences in a public setting (i.e. church) whether they are of profoundly uplifting, or somewhat testimony-strengthening but dark (evil spirits).

I think there are trends in society that make these conversations less palatable, and perhaps, the church leadership themselves do not refer to these sorts of things in their lives are frequently.

Most definitely. I'm not talking about the conversations of this sort of thing...but, in todays society, we chalk things up to one thing or another, but never account for this.

There is a spiritual world, that can overlap into ours, and the 'cause' or 'reason' for similar problems in todays world, never ascribes this as a viable reason.

On my mission, our entire zone slept over at the ZL's apartment the night before driving to the mission home for a big meeting. We started sharing some "darker" stories. The change in the atmosphere in the room was startling and dramatic. Everyone felt it. We had to pray as a group to get the feeling to leave.

I think we all learned a lesson, especially since we had been counseled about this very thing beforehand and didn't follow it.

While on my mission in Taiwan I was able to observe some of the local religions, which were different versions and combinations of Taoism, Buddhism, Confucianism, and area folklore. A few of the rituals and practices appeared as if an individual were seeking to be possessed. It occassionally involved self-mutilation and it was a trip to watch.

Part of the problem is that we have explanations for something things that were considered possession in the past.

Like epilepsy and schizophrenia. I think most believers believe that these conditions are medical and not spiritual.

I think there's little doubt that some of the things that were viewed as "possession" were really legitmate mental illnesses rather than supernatural manifestations.

By the same token, I don't think mental illness explains away every instance.

This was my reaction as well. Wouldn't it be nice if some of the mental illnesses could be healed as easily and quickly as Christ healed those in the NT?

..and this is where I was trying to go with this thread. Do you propose then, that the scriptures are symbolical of Christ merely healing a disease, or curing a bodily malfunction, rather than casting out an evil spirit?