{"id":1818,"date":"2018-03-16T13:00:11","date_gmt":"2018-03-16T13:00:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.manchester.ac.uk\/religion-law-and-the-constitution\/?p=1818"},"modified":"2025-11-26T11:36:50","modified_gmt":"2025-11-26T11:36:50","slug":"exorcism-and-demons-of-stereotyping","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sites.manchester.ac.uk\/religion-law-and-the-constitution\/2018\/03\/16\/exorcism-and-demons-of-stereotyping\/","title":{"rendered":"Exorcism and Demons of Stereotyping"},"content":{"rendered":"

[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section” fullwidth=”on” next_background_color=”#000000″ global_module=”322″][et_pb_fullwidth_menu global_parent=”322″ _builder_version=”3.17.6″ menu_id=”8″ submenu_direction=”downwards” fullwidth_menu=”off” background_layout=”dark” module_class=”main-navigation” \/][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ fullwidth=”off” specialty=”on” prev_background_color=”#000000″ next_background_color=”#1d1d1d”][et_pb_column type=”2_3″ specialty_columns=”2″][et_pb_row_inner locked=”off”][et_pb_column_inner type=”4_4″ saved_specialty_column_type=”2_3″][et_pb_post_title _builder_version=”3.17.6″ featured_placement=”above” locked=”on” parent_locked=”off” date_format=”j M Y” \/][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.17.6″ background_layout=”light” parent_locked=”off”]<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Social and legal challenges arising from religious stereotyping, on the one hand, and issues around exorcism, on the other, might not a first glance appear to be natural bedfellows.\u00a0 Nevertheless, the two frequently come together in an unholy alliance to breed problems.<\/p>\n

Firstly, and to many people\u2019s surprise, exorcism is a phenomenon on the rise in the UK.\u00a0 There are a variety of reasons for this, and the growth of faith and cultural diversity and the migration of persons are just some of the myriad factors at play.\u00a0 Of course, as would be expected against such a complex backdrop, the term \u201cexorcism\u201d encompasses a vast range of different practices and beliefs, but this concept can be distilled down to mean some form of ritual or practice aimed at expelling malign spiritual forces which occupy or oppress a person, place or object.<\/p>\n

However, exorcism comprises many shades of belief and meaning.\u00a0 Are the evil forces or (in Christian parlance) demons part of the background spiritual fauna of the world, which need to be cleansed from time to time to avoid problems?\u00a0 Or are they something more rare and sinister, lying in wait for an opportunity to attack? Do they deliberately prey on humans? Are individuals whom they attack innocent victims, willing conspirators in evil, or somewhere in between?\u00a0 Are such people a threat to others, and if so, are they culpable for any harmful or deviant behaviours they engage in?\u00a0 Can evil spirits be transferred from person to person, person to object or person to place, and if so by what means?\u00a0 What form of prayer, ritual or other activity is required to remove the spirits when they have taken up residence?\u00a0 Are the spirits in fact more metaphorical than real? Are they avatars for feelings and character traits which those seeking exorcism wish to transform, or do they have a true and independent existence? Obviously, different religious traditions have different answers to this plethora of questions and the picture is far from monochrome.<\/p>\n

All things considered, it is unhelpful when those outside of the faith tradition involved in any given situation make assumptions based on their <\/em>worldview, rather than that of the people actually involved.\u00a0 Equally, it is both damaging and frustrating when newspapers like the Guardian make statements such as \u2018Exorcism is intrinsic to Christianity\u2019, and justify it with the apparent assumption that Christianity means accepting the literal truth of all stories contained in biblical texts.\u00a0 This is simply inaccurate and misleading, and even in opinion pieces, such assertions are damaging.\u00a0 Exorcism is intrinsic to some<\/em> branches of the Christian tradition, but there are many other people and groups self-identifying as Christian who would resolutely reject it, along with any belief in evil spirits.<\/p>\n

Irrespective of the context or target group, careless stereotyping is damaging on many levels.\u00a0 It tragically undermines the dignity and identity of individuals who are stereotyped, and it hampers dialogue, because conversations are based on a skewed perception of reality. \u00a0Furthermore, a lack of religious and cultural literacy has implications for law and justice, because it has a negative impact on the quality of decision-making about when and how state authorities should intervene in religious practices. The stakes could not be higher here because individuals seeking (or in the case of children, receiving but not seeking) the intervention of exorcists, are frequently very vulnerable. \u00a0Only this year, a Nicaraguan woman was murdered in the course of an exorcism ritual, and Europe is by no means immune from such incidents. In fact, adults and children alike have been hurt, traumatised and even killed undergoing exorcisms in the last decade in Britain.<\/p>\n

If we are to strike a balance between respecting religious freedom and diversity of worldviews on the one hand, and protecting those at risk of abuse and exploitation on the other, public authorities have to have a handle on what is actually happening.\u00a0 It would neither be possible nor appropriate to intervene in every case of exorcism, as most of the time these practices involve consenting adults manifesting their faith in a manner which is neither dangerous nor abusive.\u00a0 However, it is important that appropriate agencies can identify when this is not the case and sensationalised media reporting is counterproductive.\u00a0 Crucially, not all activities described as exorcism are the same, nor have the same impact on participants.<\/p>\n

For example, it is now acknowledged that police and social workers minimised and misunderstood practices relating to exorcism and belief in witchcraft amongst African communities in Britain, as was evidenced by the inquiry into the murder of Victoria Climbi\u00e9.\u00a0 Children were allowed to suffer unimaginably because abuse was wrongly regarded as simply a manifestation of cultural difference. To make matters even worse, as groups like Africans Unite Against Child Abuse convincingly demonstrate, labelling children as \u2018witches\u2019 and subjecting them to harsh \u2018treatment\u2019 in an effort to cure the deviance is not a long-established part of African culture by any means.\u00a0 To the contrary, it is a recent aberration and often driven by individuals deliberately misusing power.\u00a0 \u00a0For this reason, police officers and social workers who had attempted to show cultural sensitivity fell into a stereotyping trap, mistakenly imagining behaviours to be normal in a community of which they were generally not a part, when in fact nothing could have been further from the truth.\u00a0 Fortunately, public authorities have made a great effort to learn from past mistakes in this regard, but being mindful of the pitfalls in negotiating other cultures will remain crucial in the future.<\/p>\n

As a society, we have a serious commitment to \u201cbalancing beliefs\u201d and assessing competing rights and needs in a fair and compassionate way, and as a result we are bound to reject intellectual shortcuts and simplistic assumptions.\u00a0 To put it simply, rather than assuming that we know what is going on from the perspective of outsiders looking in, we need to be prepared to take the trouble to find out.<\/p>\n

Related Articles<\/strong><\/p>\n

Exorcists are back-and people are getting hurt<\/a> The Guardian<\/em> (6\/3\/18)<\/p>\n

The exorcism that turned to murder<\/a> BBC News <\/em>(28\/2\/18)<\/p>\n

E Stobart \u2018Child Abuse Linked to Accusations of Possession and Witchcraft\u2019<\/a> 2006<\/p>\n

The Victoria Climbi\u00e9 Inquiry<\/a> (2003)<\/p>\n

Victoria Climbi\u00e9 Timeline <\/a>\u00a0BBC News <\/em>(28\/1\/03)<\/p>\n

Africans Unite Against Child Abuse<\/a><\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_post_nav _builder_version=”3.0.106″ in_same_term=”off” show_prev=”on” show_next=”on” prev_text=”Previous” next_text=”Next” locked=”on” parent_locked=”off” \/][et_pb_comments _builder_version=”3.0.106″ show_avatar=”on” show_reply=”on” show_count=”on” background_layout=”light” header_font_size_tablet=”51″ header_line_height_tablet=”2″ custom_button=”on” button_icon_placement=”right” button_text_color=”#ffffff” button_use_icon=”off” locked=”on” parent_locked=”off” button_text_size__hover_enabled=”off” button_text_size__hover=”null” button_one_text_size__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_text_size__hover=”null” button_two_text_size__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_text_size__hover=”null” button_text_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_text_color__hover=”null” button_one_text_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_text_color__hover=”null” button_two_text_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_text_color__hover=”null” button_border_width__hover_enabled=”off” button_border_width__hover=”null” button_one_border_width__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_border_width__hover=”null” button_two_border_width__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_border_width__hover=”null” button_border_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_border_color__hover=”null” button_one_border_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_border_color__hover=”null” button_two_border_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_border_color__hover=”null” button_border_radius__hover_enabled=”off” button_border_radius__hover=”null” button_one_border_radius__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_border_radius__hover=”null” button_two_border_radius__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_border_radius__hover=”null” button_letter_spacing__hover_enabled=”off” button_letter_spacing__hover=”null” button_one_letter_spacing__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_letter_spacing__hover=”null” button_two_letter_spacing__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_letter_spacing__hover=”null” button_bg_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_bg_color__hover=”null” button_one_bg_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_bg_color__hover=”null” button_two_bg_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_bg_color__hover=”null” \/][et_pb_text admin_label=”Related posts” _builder_version=”3.0.106″ background_layout=”light” locked=”on” parent_locked=”off”]<\/p>\n

Related<\/h1>\n

Related posts:<\/h3>
<\/div>
<\/div>
<\/div>

Ministerial Responsibility-Damian Green and Walking the Plank<\/h2><\/div><\/div><\/a>
<\/div>

Marriage and Cohabitation-Does your religion effect your legal status?<\/h2><\/div><\/div><\/a>
<\/div>

Religious Freedom in Life and Death: The limits of Article 9<\/h2><\/div><\/div><\/a><\/div>
<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n

[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column_inner][\/et_pb_row_inner][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″][et_pb_sidebar _builder_version=”3.0.106″ area=”sidebar-1″ orientation=”left” show_border=”off” background_layout=”light” locked=”on” \/][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ admin_label=”Connect Title” custom_padding=”0px||0px|” _builder_version=”3.0.90″ background_color=”#1d1d1d” module_class=”footer-section” prev_background_color=”#ffffff” global_module=”380″][et_pb_row admin_label=”row” global_parent=”380″ locked=”off” allow_player_pause=”off” parallax=”off” parallax_method=”on” parallax_1=”off” parallax_method_1=”off” parallax_2=”off” parallax_method_2=”off” parallax_3=”off” parallax_method_3=”off” make_fullwidth=”off” use_custom_width=”off” width_unit=”on” use_custom_gutter=”off” make_equal=”off” module_id=”footer-row” _builder_version=”3.0.89″][et_pb_column type=”1_3″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Contact Us Title” global_parent=”380″ background_layout=”dark” text_text_color=”#ffffff” parent_locked=”off” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial”]<\/p>\n

Contact Us<\/h4>\n

[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label=”Contact Us” global_parent=”380″ text_text_color=”#aaaaaa” parent_locked=”off” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid” module_class=”contact-us” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial”]<\/p>\n

+44 (0) 161 306 6000<\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Find Us Title” global_parent=”380″ background_layout=”dark” text_text_color=”#ffffff” parent_locked=”off” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial”]<\/p>\n

Find Us<\/h4>\n

[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label=”Address” global_parent=”380″ background_layout=”dark” text_orientation=”left” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid” module_id=”address” parent_locked=”off” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial”]<\/p>\n

The University of Manchester
Oxford Rd
Manchester
M13 9PL
UK<\/a><\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Connect Title” global_parent=”380″ background_layout=”dark” text_text_color=”#ffffff” parent_locked=”off” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial”]<\/p>\n

Connect With Us<\/h4>\n

[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_code admin_label=”Social Media” global_parent=”380″ parent_locked=”off” _builder_version=”3.17.6″]<\/p>\n