- When Falls the Coliseum - https://whenfallsthecoliseum.com -

The demon haunted world

Posted By Ricky Sprague On In ends & odd,politics & government | 2 Comments

The Exorcist [1]was based on a true story. Did you know that? It’s true – the author of the novel, William Peter Blatty, said so [2].

It is the electrifying – and true [3], remember, the author says so – story of an otherwise delightful little girl whose body is taken over by the devil.

[4]

The devil is a malevolent supernatural creature who comes from Hell, which is the place where bad people go when they die. He works in direct competition with God, who is good except for all the disease and war that He allows to happen. But that’s a discussion for another time. For right now, just remember that the devil can take over peoples’ bodies.

The Amityville Horror [5] is based on a true story. Yes, it is. It says so right there on the cover.

[6]

It is the disturbing – and true [7], I can’t stress that enough – story of an otherwise normal, healthy family who move into a house and are disturbed to learn that it is haunted by paranormal phenomena. They hear strange, disembodied voices, are levitated, and smell feces where there is none. Again, this is all true. If it wasn’t true, they wouldn’t have printed the words “A True Story” on the covers of two different editions of the book.

[8]

Sybil [9] is based on a true story. I’m serious. Just look at that cover. “The true and extraordinary story,” it reads.

[10]

It is the true [11] and extraordinary story of a slightly nervous, anxious young woman who, over the course of her therapy sessions, discovers that within her body reside 16 distinct personalities. Distinct personalities of which she had no prior knowledge! That is unnerving. Any one of us, at any time, might suddenly become someone else.

Communion [12] is based on a true story. Don’t give me that look; it really is. If you don’t believe me, here’s the cover of the book.

[13]

It is the harrowing, and – I can’t stress this enough, true story of an otherwise reasonable [14] and rational [15] science fiction author’s perceived alien abductions. The poor man has no control over when the “greys” will come and snatch him out of his bed. He believes he is at the mercy of supernatural forces beyond his control.

The scientist Carl Sagan once said that we lived in a “demon haunted world [16].” Boy, was he ever right! Human beings are at the mercy of forces beyond their control. At any moment their bodies might be taken over by demons, or evil spirits, or their own previously unknown alternate personalities, or aliens. Given the fact that we live in such a world, full of such disturbing, extraordinary, harrowing, and electrifying true events, is it all that surprising that a map with targets on it [17] might compel a young man to commit a heinous act of mass murder? Or that “vitriol in public discourse [18]” could infect a man’s mind and motivate him to kill? Or that a song with violent imagery [19] might possess him and force him to act out?

It’s a wonder that political-imagery mass murder [20] isn’t more common. Like demonic possession [21].

Ricky Sprague [24]

Ricky Sprague occasionally writes and/or draws things. He sometimes animates things. He has a Twitter account [25] and he has a blog [26]. He scripted this graphic novel [27] about Kolchak The Night Stalker. He is really, really good at putting links in bios.