Posted 4/28/2005 4:22 PM (GMT 0)
Well everyone, I not only watch it I recorded it. Just went ahead and turned off the TV once the snakes thing started up so I can avoid having nightmares with snakes.
Earlier this month I finally witness for the first time up close someone having a seizure. All appearing to be tonic and/or atonic seizures. The only other seizures I’ve seen were with people on TV and in movies. But with what I’ve read and informed about, this guy [Russell Davis] on Dateline, might being having more than just one type of seizures. I am NOT any type of medical doctor but here’s my best guess.
First up, we’re dealing with two separate denominations…Catholic, mentioned only by the host, Stone Philips, and then the lead exorcist previously being a Baptist priest along with the other people in the exorcist group also being Baptist. If there is any or much of a difference between both of these two separate denominations I do not know the details.
Everything is being focused on the man, Russell Davis, who’s having these problems. John explains that Russell had a job as a trucker but was later unable to continue. I cannot drive nor am allowed to work either. Why? Because I have epilepsy. Russell was diagnosed with depression and placed on medications, which according to his own words, “..I would take it probably 3 or 4 months.” But John said that Russell was on and off the anti-depressants for 2 years, and it was just not helping at all. Russell was also afraid to leave the house, even thought of killing himself. Hearing voices at night, showing unmistakable symptoms, facial contortions and odd sounding voice. Uh, aren’t these some of the feeling and things that happen for people with epilepsy?
20 minutes into the session, people start to since an evil presents. I noticed him clinching his jaw muscles numerous times and then, to myself, looks like he’s beginning to have a short complex partial seizure. Alot of people around him talking like crazy, which might be a part of him being under stress and audio possibly triggering what look like seizures. Staring. One hour in something appears to change. Screaming for @ 2-3 second, quickly tenses up @20 seconds total time and then relaxes. 2 hours into his exorcism still continuing. Next, everyone can again see him suddenly tensing/stiffening up and then relaxes after it. Russell soon appears to be in the post-ictal phase, feeling weak, tired along with watery eyes. He mentions, “during those three, two or three peak times, when I felt that it was over, it’s just a horrendous type of stomach pains, all of the muscles…it’s like a type of convulsing. It’s just a gripping of the stomach that’s doing the stream. It’s really, that’s really difficult.” He continues to appear weak and tired. Then eventually relaxed and regains his energy.
All of this sure appears to be true signs that would match the symptoms of having seizures. The complex partials and possibly the tonic seizures too.
Minutes into the afternoon session the reading of scripture ignites what the team believes is a demon within Russell. Pictures show him quickly squeezing his eyes tight, along with his facial and jaw muscles. Holding his breath and then suddenly lets out a sign of relief. And once again appearng to be in the post-ictal phase.
With the camera anchored on Russell’s face and appearing somewhat in a angry mode, clenching his jaw muscles, turns his eyes to someone else and blurts out, “You know!” Then again continues to clench his jaw muscles over and over. Next, he acts like he’s having another yelling out loud session, appearing very angry and aggressive. One guy standing behind him holds him down with his hands on Russell’s shoulders. Another yelling out loud and other people come up closer, touch and starring right at him blabbering a bunch of religious words. Eventually the room goes quiet…Russell is back, and he says himself, “Maybe it’s gone”. 15 minutes later…blah, blah, blah…and the people continue to stare and talk rapidly like an auctioneer. Then nearly 5 hours after the group began it’s attack on what they believe to be evil demons in habiting Russell, the battle ends when he ekes out the three words they have been urging him to say, “Jesus is Lord”. Then, Russell gags, spitting into a garbage pale. He is relaxing and says, “Oh, I feel good. I feel free”.
Russell re-met with the group for additional exorcisms, 6 more times over the next several weeks. The story teller mentions, “In fact, today, 4 years later, we hear from Russell that he has that stable relationship. He’s been happily married for 2 years.” Could all of this be because he is no longer under-stressed, depressed or afraid?
At the close of the story, Stone Phillips continues to the end with these words. “One final note. Before an exorcism is even considered in the Catholic Church, theologians say that priests and doctors must rule out any psychological or neurological causes. Only then will they proceed with an exorcism to chase away evil demons.”
Well again, Mr. Phillips says Catholics but Russell and everyone around him were Baptists.
During the presentation, one guy sitting in a church pew says, “Never, never underestimate the power of suggestion…” Well here’s my suggesting and what my main questions is going to be. Has Russell ever seen a neurologist and has he ever gone through the tests required to determine whether or not he did or did not have any form of epilepsy? Maybe they should’ve connected him to an EEG monitor to see what it might pick-up and record during the exorcisms.
I noticed the aquarium along the wall behind the chair Russell was sitting in. Makes me wonder if this exorcist group would do the same thing to the fish if they fell out onto the floor and started flopping around like crazy, thinking that they’re being possessed by demons?
I don’t know if the whole show was real or just fake, but my overall point I’m trying to get to and out to everyone was like I said before. For everyone who did or did not see this show, do you feel that for everyone who knows very little if anything about epilepsy, are they going to believe that if they know someone who has epilepsy and/or when they actually witness someone having a real seizure, are they going to hold on to the myth that a person with epilepsy has a demon inside their body and soul. If so, then again, this will most likely increase the discrimination and stigma to everyone of us who has epilepsy and/or know someone who has epilepsy.
What would it take and what should or could we do to speak up and out in public, especially to the churches, that people who have seizures and epilepsy, or other disabilities, are NOT possessed with demons and evil spirits?
Bruce