'Satan is not the god of evil against the God of the good:' Exorcist speaks to Vatican newspaper

'When listening to a prayer to the Virgin, (the demon) shows all of his hatred and fear toward her, he is forced to confirm that Mary is the Mother of God and that she intercedes for humanity.'

Fr. Francesco Bamonte, the president of the International Association of Exorcists, wrote an article for L'Osservatore Romano on January 8 describing how Hollywood could have depicted exorcisms in such a way as to showcase God's triumph over evil, but instead have chosen to exaggerate Satan and man's powers over God.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - In his article, Bamonte wrote that the silver screen has allowed the general public to recognize "the presence and extraordinary acts of demons in people's lives and the battle that the Church faces against them."

Portrayals of exorcisms in Hollywood and on television shows "could promote greater awareness" about God's power and the Catholic faith, but "the way in which evil, demonic possession, the prayer of exorcism and liberation are presented is disappointing and unacceptable," he explained.

The Church trusts priests who have been properly trained to help protect or deliver people from the power of the devil, but most films cover up "the marvellous [sic], stupendous presence and work of God" as well as Mary's role in the fight against evil.

To expand on his knowledge base, Fr. Bamonte wrote of personal experiences with exorcisms and explained the reality that "the demon, even if he doesn't want to, is forced against his will to affirm the truth of our Catholic faith."

One example presented was the use of holy water or holy relics used during exorcisms, which force demons to violently react as they are forced to submit to God's power without exception.

"When listening to a prayer to the Virgin, (the demon) shows all of his hatred and fear toward her, he is forced to confirm that Mary is the mother of God and that she intercedes for humanity," he continued.

Despite overlooking the role the Holy Virgin plays in exorcisms, the main inaccuracy Fr. Bamonte claims, is the serious error of presenting good and evil as equals.

"Satan is not the god of evil against the God of the good, rather he is a being who God created as good and who, with some angels - also created good by God - became evil because they refused God and his kingdom with their free and final choice.

"Satan and the spirits at his service, therefore, are not omnipotent beings, they cannot perform miracles, they are not omnipresent, they cannot know our thoughts or know the future."

Many films indicate salvation is found through access to secret or superior knowledge, but Bamonte warned such portrayals drive people away from the Church and set a foundation for "a class of superior beings."

To further explain, Bamonte wrote that people "who live with trusting abandon in God's arms are stronger than the devil and all of his minions - these truths do not emerge in the movies. What could have provided a good service to the Church and the faith becomes the usual and subtle attack of Satan against the foundations of the Catholic Church."

In closing, Bamonte wrote that the exorcism genre was the most "prolific" in the evolution of "B movie" horror films.

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