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2 arrested after teenage girl dies in 'exorcism'

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WTF! RIP TwT screw religion.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Regardless of beliefs or war stories, this is a clear case of murder by "fresh water drowning." CHILD ABUSE!!! One desperate parent and a priest finding notoriety while in search of fame. The priest casts a dark cloud on the religion he represents...for a minute, then squarely on his own shoulders. The parent's greatest punishment is that he has to live with the fact that he murdered his daughter. The terms suffocation and exorcism are used rather vaguely. It is a poorly written article. "She was confirmed dead early the next day when her mother called an ambulance after the girl fell unconscious" Exorcism or waterboarding, don't believe in either. This poor child is no longer with us and I have seen "more mentally ill individuals in government, entertainment, and going about their daily lives" doing "just fine" amongst us. I have seen severely mentally ill kids in elementary and JHS, but their parents stood up for them and kept them in regular classes. I argued about that on several occasions, because the kids were so disruptive. However after this article I would hug any parent who fights the good fight for their love one. I hope there's a strong advocate for the child out there. Where is the outcry? Autopsy report anyone???

0 ( +0 / -0 )

All you "exorcist maniacs" get a life ! Medical-psychiatric science has proved, beyond a doubt, that psychological problems can be very difficult to resolve and that "waterboarding" is NOT the solution. However, as I stated before, Japan does NOT "recognize" mental disability. In fact the stigma of having a "mental patient" in any family is far too heavy and it is just NOT done to admit it. (What will the neighbours say ???) Mental health treatment is extremely limited in Japan - I know from the experience of having lived next to someone in serious need of psychological treament but (as far as I know - because we moved) never received it.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Demon possession is certainly not unknown in Japan, nor is it unknown in many countries of the world today. The only cure for demonic possession is, in fact, excorcism . . . If you cannot argue your point logically, then you really have already lost the argument

The way you bandy about the words "fact" and "logic" amidst claims about demonic possession, I'm not convinced you understand their meanings.

When you draw any conclusions from an unproven premise--like demons being real--you're dealing in anything but logic.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

@hoserfella

Sorry to disagree with you -but there are many thousands of exorcisms all over the world. every year. Western countries, Eastern countries, northern and southern hemispheres - makes no difference. Exorcisms happen daily.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

@steve

I am not a follower of "religion" personally, but I defend the right of all people to have belief, or faith. Every human being is created with a desire to worship something, and that is the reason there are so many belief systems. To deny that is to deny your humanity. Your comments are slightly puerile and subjective, to say the least.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

realist; eligion is for losers and often results in death as happened to this poor innocent child. Why does anyone have to believe Humanism, evolution or religion. Why not treat humanity with respect without prejudice something religion is unable to provide.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Interesting to read the comments of so many intellectual, and very tolerant (sic) atheists pontificating on this subject here. The general tone seems to be an attack on all "religion" because of one isolated incident involving a Buddhist monk and a distressed father in Japan. Without knowing any of the real facts of the matter, nor the mental state of the poor girl, they use this sad incident to lambast the followers of all religions as being some kind of subhuman species who are not really residents of the 21st Century.

The fact of the matter is, we have no idea what the real problem was with the poor girl. She could have had a mental illness, or she could have been demon-possessed. Demon possession is certainly not unknown in Japan, nor is it unknown in many countries of the world today. The only cure for demonic possession is, in fact, excorcism. Many "religions" try to practice their own brand of excorcism, often with terrible results, as was the case here. Speaking as a Christian, I was appalled to read of the methods used in this case. It sounds like some practices from the Dark Ages.

Just because you do not have any faith, except perhaps in Evolutionary Theory or its spawn, Humanism, does not give you the right to condemn the countless millions of people in the world who do have faith. If you cannot argue your point logically without hateful diatribes, then you really have already lost the argument.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

It's really easy to get mad about it and cry for "better mental health services"(/laws/regulations/whatever in other examples) and stuff, but still, that's just another dead end because people are people and things like this will always, always happen. Everywhere. This just killed my day. I feel so sad for that girl. Period.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

japanese people are weird lol

-7 ( +0 / -7 )

But the raving, outrage and hostility in the comments here to anything to do with beliefs is scary! ! Some people here need to get counseling.

By "raving, outrage and hostility" surely you mean reason and well-deserved ridicule.

I don't believe in tooth fairies and Santa Claus but I stand by people's rights to do so, and even form a club around it.

As do I. However, supporting such a right doesn't mean that beliefs like those found in this story--or any beliefs for that matter--are beyond derision.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

so, maybe the people here saying that demon possession isn't real are saying that because the demons are making them say that!

Seriously, this case is outrageous. I can't imagine the terror and suffering of that poor girl. Not sure, but probably the monk received an offering for each ritual. Pathetic. But you could ban religion, but it would just make the fortune tellers richer. Japanese seem willing to believe any crazy thing that they see on TV or their friend told them. Not a week goes by without someone telling me about the link between closing toilet seats and money gods, or that they are a libra, koala type with O blood type which is why they were late or some such nonsense..

0 ( +0 / -0 )

There are thousands of religions in Japan with all kinds of combinations of Buddhism, Shinto, fortune-telling or whatever thrown in.

And as strange as that sounds, most people I know have a belief system that includes bits of lots of things thrown in. I don't think religion per se needs to be attacked here. I don't believe in tooth fairies and Santa Claus but I stand by people's rights to do so, and even form a club around it.

But the "holy man" needs to stand trial, and there needs to be an investigation to see if other people are subjected to this treatment which should be banned in my opinion.

But the raving, outrage and hostility in the comments here to anything to do with beliefs is scary! ! Some people here need to get counseling.

Then again ... maybe the Vatican exorcist has some work for him among the gaijin community in Japan. :)

0 ( +0 / -0 )

No reported here is the extensive use of the Hinomaru. They were everywhere, including two hanging over the spigot they were torturing this girl with. What the religious significance is, I don't know. But just the fact that some people attach such a significance is just one more reason the Japanese government should have chosen another flag.

These moonbats should be in a mental ward for life.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Let's do the math: several years of mental illnes implies 3 or so... not sure when the water torture started, but says about 100 times; even spread over many years, they were taking her there at least once a week on average - certainly not 'once in a blue moon'- something social services, doctors, teachers etc. should have been able to perceive - this society failed her; Rest in Peace

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Atheism - helps prevent stupidity. RIP little girl

0 ( +1 / -1 )

The real problem in this country is that "mental disability" is frowned upon. There are few hospitals that have adequate treatment, the reason for this - most probably - being that families are ashamed to admit that one of their members suffers from a "mental" disorder. BTW, "mental illness" is NOT caused by "evil spirits" or "bad fairies", it is very often a malfunction of the brain that can be caused in several ways - even a pair of forceps wrongly placed during birth can cause considerable damage. It is NOT always the parents' fault but it's still "taboo" here in Japan to be mentally sick.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

I know you're faithless but if your scope of things is limited only to what you can see, then you are lost.

No, NetNinja. Not believing in things that aren't there isn't being lost. And the only lost in this story was the girl's life at the hands of a charlatan and her gullible father.

What I said earlier can't be refuted.

What's that? That a fictional comedic movie about the fashion world is evidence of the antichrist?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Some other facts that I picked up were a.the girl had been subjected to this treatment approximately 100 times b.Her head was held up so that the water would fall directly onto her face c. her body was bound with tape and rope.

Sounds to me like she was being tortured?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Evil spirits? Evil persons, plain and simple. Religion reminds me of a relentless salesman, ultimately that is what it is Marketing.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Ain't religion great?!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Father Gabriele Amorth, 85,.... has been the Vatican's chief exorcist for 25 years and says he has dealt with 70,000 cases of demonic possession....He said that hoped every diocese would eventually have a resident exorcist.

Now THAT'S one busy exorcist! Assuming he started exorcising at around age 25, that means he's been averaging at least 3.2 exorcisms a day, 365 days a year, for 60 years. Methinks his claims are probably padded a bit. In fact, methinks the claims of ANY "exorcist" have been probably padded a bit. I'm sure this monk is going to count EACH waterboarding incident of this child as a "case of demonic possession" - even though it is one child tortured about 100 times until she probably gave up thinking it would ever end on its own and decided to end it herself.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Couldn't agree more with you great legs & because of religion, millions and billions have died and will continue to die. Religion is a well covered Mafia, that is why there are so many, want to join? No thanks! ............................................................... I presumed you all aware of the fact that Mr.Mao ( the chairman ) once said the very same thing in china. LOL

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Stupid dad, stupid mom, stupid monk.

Her parents had taken her to one of the group’s facilities equipped with a water pump and made her go through the dousing practice about 100 times before, the broadcaster said.

After the first couple of times, a "normal" person would get the idea that it wasn't working - whatEVER it was they were trying to accomplish! 100 times is just waterboarding torture for the fun of it.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Japan must need more Hospitals, psychiatrists and mental institutions. They turned this poor child away for lack of the right treatment and her parents do this type of crazy thing. It's past all reasoning. And Lies can Kill people, petty pewter gods is just made up stories to control the masses. There is only Matter, Energy and Consciousness cause thats all anybody can see and feel so that's all there is.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Back to the topic -

Why did the parents take her there ? Did she have a breakdown, meltdown like some JT readers, what really happened ?

What happened ? What is going on here ? Why are the JT readers debating against " Mumbo Jumbo " ? Is it a conspiracy ?

I am sorry for the poor little girl. Her parents have to resort to witchcraft, mumbo jumbo, exorcism, and monkey magic like the song.

I think the real answer here is on youtube " epicmealtime "

Please do your research and check epicmealtime on youtube.

You will find your answers to these burning questions Now you know. " Because knowing is half the battle. " Yo Joe !!!!!! E. I. O. is there !!!!!

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

I defined mumbo jumbo in the dictionary, wikipedia,google, and everything i can think of.

And my conclusion is -

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

from your use of mumbo jumbo i was assuming you had read kevin's post about disliking the word mumbo jumbo simply to mess with him

0 ( +0 / -0 )

actually cleo kevin is the one with the problem with words like "mumbo jumbo"

Right you are. I apologise. But now I don't understand your post....what did you see me do?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Yes Kefka I know you don't like the word. What would you like to call it? Superstitious incantation? Hocus-pocus? A rose by any other name.

actually cleo kevin is the one with the problem with words like "mumbo jumbo"

i will gladly use any word within my vast vocabulary to get my point across even something mundane as Mumbo Jumbo

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Anywhere you have "faith" promoted as a virtue, you have humans abandoning their responsibility to weigh the evidence for claims such as the existence of demons, angels and gods. How did faith ever be considered virtuous? Why abandon reason for faith in old books and petty gods?

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Yes Kefka I know you don't like the word. What would you like to call it? Superstitious incantation? Hocus-pocus? A rose by any other name.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

I agree with Cleo's last post and my own earlier one regarding the Mumbo Jumbo.

-3 ( +2 / -5 )

My own feeling is one of exasperation that false beliefs and superstitious nonsense lead people to put their faith in mumbo jumbo

lol cleo i see what you did there

0 ( +0 / -0 )

how can you say unequivocally, that the girl was NOT possessed?

Because in order to have possession by an evil spirit, you gotta have an evil spirit. And there's no such thing. Bring me an evil spirit, prove to me that it's an evil spirit, and I'll consider the possibility that possession by an evil spirit is on the cards. Until then, evil spirits belong in the same drawer as the Tooth Fairy and the elven shoe makers.

I think the point here is not to debate whether or not she was possessed.....

I'm not debating the point.

......but to voice our disgust how she was treated

Sorry, but I don't think it's your place to decide what we should feel or what emotions we should give voice to. If you want to feel disgusted, that's fine. My own feeling is one of exasperation that false beliefs and superstitious nonsense lead people to put their faith in mumbo jumbo. Any disgust I feel is for the religious 'leaders' who plant this kind of bogey-man nonsense in the minds of gullible people and thereby lead them to hurt the people they love in the belief that they are 'saving' them.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

@steve@CPFC

LOL. ANYONE who uses the phrase "mumbo jumbo" as an argument in a serious debate about ANYTHING, has pretty much lost ALL credibility with me. It ranks right up there with, "I know you are but what am I", and "uh uhhh"!

Still laughing....

-4 ( +2 / -6 )

There is no such thing as spiritual possession in Buddhism. As a person who has lived in a monastery, and has had temporary ordination, I assure you that this mink is not a Buddhist!!!

4 ( +4 / -0 )

@Cleo

I usually agree with a majority of your posts (not all, though, mind you), but how can you say unequivocally, that the girl was NOT possessed? That may be your opinion and belief - but it is not necessarily a fact. You cannot prove that she wasn't. Nor can the parents and monk prove that she was. But you can't just SAY that she wasn't and POOF! - case closed; party over. You are right and anyone that believes different is wrong.

Is it unlikely? Highly. Is it possible? It's never been disproven.

I think the point here is not to debate whether or not she was possessed, but to voice our disgust how she was treated, and the result of that treatment - regardless.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

i feel so bad for that poor girl. i hope her father and that so called "monk" rot in their cells for the rest of their natural lives.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

If you check the volunteer waterboarding videos on YouTube or if you research the torture method of waterboarding, people that had it administered to them will say that it is the most frightening thing you can imagine.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

P.S. : The sect Nakayama Shingo Shoshu says on their page that Kumamoto Center was closed just after the girl's death. But they give as reason that they are repairing due to damages by rain. Of course, they don't want publicity about the case.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

"Just because a sect or a cult calls themselves Buddhist does not make them so. "

Yes it does. There is no control, no other criteria than self-claim from the groups/persons. The prophets don't come back often to say : these are my guys, these are not. Any group is free to say "we are Buddhists, Christians, Muslims, Jews...". And in all cases there are many groups not recognized by most others using the same label... but why are other sects entitled to judge ? That does not matter. We don't know what group it is here. I'm going to browse because I'm curious.

Nakayama-shingo-shoshu was recognised as a religious corporation in 1952. It had about 350 temples and churches nationwide with 305,555 believers as of the end of December 2008. They have a very serious looking HP.

nakayamashingoshoshu dot com

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Readers, please do not use this thread to attack the Catholic church. That is not what this particular discussion is about. From here on, posts that do not focus on the story will be removed.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

the blurb Sioux chef posted dealt with the very same priest yet the numbers were 300 over a 10 year period

That's the number of exorcists in Italy, not the number of exorcisms. That article mentions Fr. Amorth performing exorcisms 'dozens of times a week'.

Something stinks.

You think? We're talking about the Catholic Church - kiddy fiddlers protected by their bishops today, indulgences and witch hunts in the past, vast accumulation of wealth and exorcisms, it seems, both then and now. Of course it stinks. What do you think all that incense-swinging is about?

2 ( +3 / -1 )

hoserfella, personally I take anything that comes out of either the Vatican or the Church with a very large pinch of rock salt. If you want to claim that one of the top men in the Vatican who claims exorcisms are taking place with astounding frequency is either (a) not representative of the modern Catholic church (then what's he doing in the upper echelons?) or (b) lying through his teeth, that's fine by me.

Which is it?

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Cleo, the blurb Sioux chef posted dealt with the very same priest yet the numbers were 300 over a 10 year period. In Italy. Something stinks.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Actually that works out at Fr Amorth doing nearly 54 exorcisms a week every week for 25 years. Presumably 'deal with' means telling someone else to do it.

Fr Amorth also says that what happens in the 1973 film The Exorcist, though 'exaggerated', offers a 'substantially exact' picture of possession.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Cleo- if u believe those numbers, I have some great real estate in New Jersey to sell you.

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

Funny Napolean!!! Maybe you need to talk to a Priest. Something must of possessed you to choose Napolean Dynamite as your Gravatar.

I admit the Devil Wears Prada thing was out there. But then again, so is this story about exorcism. Nobody knows what to do with this. Girl dies in or after exorcism.

The real question here is....can we believe that is what actually happened. When people experience something that they can't explain and the world is not ready to hear or let alone believe, what do you do?

I'm not condoning the waterboarding. I am willing to support debate whether or not demons possess human beings. I'm willing to think outside the box to maybe redefine what possession really is.

Recent article: Father kills his 6 mo. old baby for crying. That baby is him....his face, his DNA, his own flesh and blood. Why do we even call him a monster if he does not have the appearance of a monster. Would you even consider the kind of demonic rage it takes to do such a thing?

Throw out the old ideas for a second. The head spinning, green vomit, scaling up and down the walls.

Consider the random killings and deaths for no apparent reason. You're still not ready to go beyond the logical. It's evil. We call it evil. We have a name for him. More than one and I'm sure he loves them all, especially the old ones. (Beezlebub, filth, one most foul).

It's interesting that most of the readers here recognize evil, call people evil, but aren't willing to recognize the true author, the architect of man's demise. No wonder he keeps trying to get your attention. What do we have to do to get you to see even the slight possibility?

Throw you all in a bath and hold you down for a minute? Put your feet in water and let you look into a cat's eyes? (Hey I know that reference!!! That's from a movie....what was that?)

I'm not asking you to change your religion or go get baptized. I'm just trying to get you to see that maybe these guys really believed that some evil beyond what we are willing to accept actually existed in this little girl.....for them. We don't know all the details. We don't even know if she asked for help.

Sadly, most here will never get their minds to accept that an exorcism might be the real deal sometimes. These guys will do time, they'll receive no help, a whole family in pain. That's the devil's carbon footprint.

-5 ( +0 / -5 )

To say that this ridiculously small amount of incidents is indicative of the modern Catholic church is silly.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/faith/article7056689.ece

Father Gabriele Amorth, 85,.... has been the Vatican's chief exorcist for 25 years and says he has dealt with 70,000 cases of demonic possession....He said that hoped every diocese would eventually have a resident exorcist.

The chief exorcist in the Vatican, speaking in March 2010....is not indicative of the modern Catholic church?

7 ( +7 / -0 )

Religion is the opiate of the masses

Sometimes "the masses" need a little opiate. However, nowadays, it's usually television and the internet, not religion.

How can anyone live their lives believing all the mumbo jumbo that is spouted?

"All the mumbo jumbo that is spouted" came about from humans trying to live their lives beyond "opiates", and desperately trying to find some deeper meaning to what is, essentially, a pretty meaningless existence. Well, that is until all the partying begins to get old hat.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

I'll take this misrepresentation of what I posted as a "yes" on having no evidence for your claim. It is still a Catholic rite and the church hasn't abandoned it.

SiouxChef - Almost every publication dealing with exorcisms mention that it was all but extinct in the 20th century, only to come back over the past 30 years, as I said, once in a blue moon in Italy and a few African countries. To say that this ridiculously small amount of incidents is indicative of the modern Catholic church is silly.

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

Your attempts to show that exorcisms worldwide are common have failed.

I'll take this misrepresentation of what I posted as a "yes" on having no evidence for your claim. It is still a Catholic rite and the church hasn't abandoned it.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

The world would be a much better place if all religions were abolished. How can anyone live their lives believing all the mumbo jumbo that is spouted?

-2 ( +5 / -7 )

R.I.P indeed. Teenagers/children receive barely any counseling in this country. So sad considering so many need it. Society pressures, school work load, school bullying, etc... it's a tough life for some. I'm a teacher here as most of you are too I guess... ask some of your students if they know of any children around them that don't attend school due to depression. Around 5 adult students of mine of the 20 I asked knew of or had children who wouldn't attend school and they didn't know why. Unfortunately the parents often don't know how to handle such situations. The lack of communication and physical contact in Japanese families is probably the biggest cause of depression for young people and, unfortunately, this will probably never change. At least not for a long, long time.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

That's... terrible! Poor girl..

1 ( +1 / -0 )

SiouxChef - Italy, perhaps the most catholic country in the world with a population of 61 million has seen exorcisms "balloon" to about 1 every 2 weeks on average (if you actually believe these numbers to be real). It is the only country mentioned in your article. Your attempts to show that exorcisms worldwide are common have failed.

NetNinja - as always, your posts are erratic and confused. Your assertion that the 2006 Anne Hathaway, Meryl Streep hit "The Devil Wears Prada" is proof of Lucifer's existence belongs in the Internet Poster's Hall of Fame. I salute you, my friend.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

This stuff works to an extent but the shaman was crap. He should have used a shikigami/demon to fight the demon inside the girls body.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

And the charges laid against the wrongdoers?

0 ( +1 / -1 )

....sadly it all could have been avoided if doctors took more interested in trying to help the girl instead of only being interested in money.. then again the parents went really that old so why would they believe a spirit was in their poor daughter? R.I.P little girl, may the next life bless you with good fortune

0 ( +1 / -1 )

"There is no exorcism in Buddhism. "

I don't think the news is invented. What is "in Buddhism" is what people that claim being Buddhists do. And that's not the first time that nutcases taking that big label played the which doctors. There are Catholic exorcists in Europe, but I don't think there are any in Japan. The are many offers of that kind of service by Buddhist/Shinto groups, and precisely Christians say their "selling point" is they are above that and don't those Middle-Age things.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Crazy Joe, the takigyo is like scuba diving, the guys are going there by themselves and able to walk away if they feel bad, and they are usually adults, so if that's how they have fun, no problem for me. No relation with what they did here, which is plain torture and murder.

" a religious group deriving from a Buddhist sect"

And their name is what ? How can we avoid those wackos if the information is not given ?

1 ( +1 / -0 )

There are a lot of things we can't see, yet still we know they're going on around us. I know that the wifi signal in the room is being blasted around everything including myself. I can't see it though.

Which is, of course, completely irrelevant since radio waves are real.

Exorcisms are more common than you imagine. There are certain degrees to which a person has been or could be possessed.

Many things are very common--but it doesn't mean they're not ridiculously stupid.

This girl could've been possessed. We weren't there to see it ourselves but there's always the possibility.

No one needed to have been there to call this what it is: utter nonsense.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

hoserfella,

The fact that a few loonies out there still perform them once in a Blue Moon doesn't mean that it's either encouraged or condoned. You give the impression that its a nightly occurance

Did you even read the article? You call that "once in a blue moon"? I take it you don't have a citation for the church having abandoned the rite?

3 ( +3 / -0 )

SiouxChef - The fact that a few loonies out there still perform them once in a Blue Moon doesn't mean that it's either encouraged or condoned. You give the impression that its a nightly occurance

tkoind - I didn't say people have moved beyond religion. Only that the great majority have put it in proper perspective. There is no excuse for exorcisms today in any case. These two idiots are just that; idiots who showed no sense or right and wrong. Saying that they were only following orders? Last time I heard that was Nuremburg.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

It seems like everytime I read JT, some poor child has been injured/killed by the person/people who are supposed to take care of them....although if the monk really needed to perform an exorcism, then it should've been performed on the crazy nurse who was pulling patients nails out....I'm just sayin'

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

hoserfella, "Nonanon - If this had happened back in the 1800's, then yes you could blame religion. However, in 2011 you have to blame 2 idiots"

I am sorry but you have really got this wrong. Do you really think that humanity has moved past religion just because it is 2011? Where have you been for the last decade? You are aware of the various religious wars and problems still plaguing the world, right?

Religion is alive and well and there are plenty of followers out there ready to do all kinds of things in the name of faith. In this regard very little has changed since the 1800s or the 800s for that matter.

These guys were practicing something they believed would work. As foolish and medieval as it was, the fact that they believed in it is evidence that religion and superstition are alive and well even here in techno-color Tokyo.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Only 100 times? No wonder she went insane!!

0 ( +1 / -1 )

I'm sorry Cleo to see that you have no faith in the devil. He has a lot of faith in you.

There are a lot of things we can't see, yet still we know they're going on around us. I know that the wifi signal in the room is being blasted around everything including myself. I can't see it though.

You can believe in God and not the devil. Those monsters, demons, are real. It's not a common occurance but it's hardly reported either. Nooo, this society believes it knows it all. We are not God's forgotten ant farm. You must believe.

If you can't believe then you can never say "It's a miracle". That shouldn't even be in your vocabulary. This girl could've been possessed. We weren't there to see it ourselves but there's always the possibility.

Exorcisms are more common than you imagine. There are certain degrees to which a person has been or could be possessed.

We've often say "Life imitates art and art imitates life" Yet there are some things to which we shamefully would not like to admit to. Take Jerry Springer, you are so happy to claim that it's fake. What if it's real? All those ugly things we saw. The adultery, infidelity, deception, hatred, immoral behavior, violence, lies and deceit. Are those not the devil's stock and trade?

Art once told us that "The Devil wears Prada". Popular media even promotes the devil's existence. So why can't you get your head around this? This doesn't look good? Evil with a manicure is much better? The Devil looks better in a suit? You need to open your mind to the possibility that this was an ACTUAL exorcism whether you like it or not.

The result is clear. Daddy goes to jail and Priest goes back to funerals. Possessed or not, evil destroyed a family today. That's what demons do. They destroy love.

-12 ( +0 / -12 )

I thought this only happens in countries where literacy rate is too low... But advance countries like Japan are also suffering from it...

1 ( +1 / -0 )

hoserfella,

. The Catholic Church swore off exorcisms decades ago and Im pretty damn sure Buddhism doesn't condone it either.

And I'm pretty darn sure your claim is false.

"As the Vatican's top exorcist, Amorth performs the mysterious, ancient ritual dozens of times a week . . . The practice of exorcism -- driving demons and evil spirits from people or places -- has been experiencing a renaissance of late, from Europe to the Americas to Africa . . . [i]n Italy, the number of exorcists has increased more than tenfold in the last decade to about 300 . . . "

http://articles.latimes.com/2004/apr/30/world/fg-exorcist30

You were saying?

5 ( +5 / -0 )

@Piltdown Man...

The lack of details that readers of Western media are so used to seems to be a general characteristic of news reporting in Japan, which is why I would call such reporting "poor". If a reader is left guessing afterward or has to turn to other sources to get basic info that should've/could've been covered in the article if the reporter had been thorough (IMO, doing his/her job), then that particular piece of writing is simply not up to snuff.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Nonanon - If this had happened back in the 1800's, then yes you could blame religion. However, in 2011 you have to blame 2 idiots ( who may or may not have meant to kill her). Marx's "Opium of the masses" quote mistakingly used by Ihavegreatlegs was to highlight unfair economic and class structures from over a century ago. While misquoting Marx at the local pub might impress some OL who doesn't know any better, it doesn't do any good here. The Catholic Church swore off exorcisms decades ago and Im pretty damn sure Buddhism doesn't condone it either.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

So, apparently the world lives back in the 1800s and prior.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

cleo, great post! I had to give you a thumbs up for that post!

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

So, this is today's case of a child dying at the hands of their parent. A somewhat bizarre case, but still....

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

@hoserfella: how has invoking the services of a monk, over and over, to perform an exorcism not got anything to do with religion? even putting the religion/ cult distinction aside, i fail to see it. are you familiar with the particular brand of Buddhism in question here? Also, how can we be sure of what the father and monk were truly intending? Finally, as mentioned by others here, religion has been a guise by which millions through history have died or suffered. This article just provides one example..

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Hard to say what really happened here and whether the girl was actually possessed or not.

It's very easy to say whether the girl was possessed or not. She wasn't, because there's no such thing.

One phone call to the Vatican and they'd send someone out to take a look

And somehow 'the Power of the Pope compels you!' works better than 'the Power of Buddha compels you!'? Different words, same mumbo-jumbo.

I don't think either the father or the priest were evil, just deluded and stupid. Probably also desperate.

Other weird 'exorcisms' that didn't quite work - jamming a steel crucifix down the throat: forcing a crucifix up the nose and into the brain: using a walking stick to beat the evil spirit out: squeezing the neck to force out the devil: hitting over the head with a concrete block: whipping the buttocks with a cheese board: force-feeding with communion wine and bread. In a number of cases after the demon had been driven out (=when the person was dead) the exorcist claimed that the body would soon resurrect and be whole again. Seems to be common to all religions.

http://www.unsolvedmysteries.com/usm81745.html

13 ( +15 / -2 )

The monk, who belongs to a religious group deriving from a Buddhist sect

What was the name of the religious group (cult)?

She was confirmed dead early the next day [ie. the day after the 'waterfall service'] when her mother called an ambulance after the girl fell unconscious. “The cause of death is suffocation,” the police official said.

How could she have suffocated (drowned?) the day after she was subject to the 'waterfall service'? It doesn't make sense.

This last question is rhetorical, but why do so many articles I read in Japan leave so many basic questions unanswered? (I find this the case both in Japanese-language articles and in English-language articles that are based on what has been reported by the Japanese media. Frustrating.)

3 ( +3 / -0 )

JA_Cruise - you don't call waterboarding, then drowning a mentally ill 13 year-old girl malicious? I can only imagine whatever else her father did to her.

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

Religion is flawed because man is flawed.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

I'll bet it cost the parents millions of yen to have this done as well...

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Seeeeeee? see how stupid religion is? Education is far more important than religion any day. i rest my case.

6 ( +8 / -2 )

Hard to say what really happened here and whether the girl was actually possessed or not. Was it simply a mental illness or possibly unexplainable or supernatural things were happening there that forced her father to do such procedures. I tend to agree with 7777777, I don't think killing her was intentional or malicious.

-7 ( +1 / -8 )

Religion is the opiate of the masses and has been used to kill people since people invented that silly stuff.

greatlegs - I'm not the religious type, but your grandstanding fails to mention that whatever these two morons were doing had nothing to do with religion. Also you take out the quote out of context as only one girl was repressed, no masses that I can see. Other than that, you sound like a real intellectual.

-6 ( +3 / -9 )

OK, I have some compassion for the dad and monk b/c the article said the parents turned to the medical profession first and apparently tried the medical route for "several years" to no avail so out of desparation and love for their daughter perhaps they tried an alternative method. I can`t find fault in them for this. They are just trying to help their daughter who was obviously suffering with what ever condition she had. I also have to consider is water dousing any worse than some of the things the psychology profession does to people? If you know people with mental illness they too can tell you stories of people going into a mental health facility healthy and coming out dead or in a trance like state of being. The psychology field has a lot of protected abuses. They also tie people down and often put them in solitary confinement for long periods of time. The only difference is they have a degree that lets them do it so legally they are protected.

I actually feel sorry for the parents because I think they were just trying desparately to find something to help when the medical/psychological field failed. They didn`t want to give up on their daughter so they went another route that had a tragic ending. I think it is just a sad story of people desparately trying to find some answer.

-2 ( +4 / -6 )

Religion is the opiate of the masses and has been used to kill people since people invented that silly stuff.

Right on Legs!! Agree 100%!

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Another weird killing in Japan. Nothing changes.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

This is the kind of idocy I expect from Texas of Mississippi, not Japan. But just goes to show that there are religious nut cases everywhere.

Poor girl, probably suffering from some mental illness and these jerks killed her with their flat earther nonsense. When will people stop holding on to primative nonsense waiting for nonexistent "spirits" and "gods" to sort out problems they should face on their own. Primative minded people.

-2 ( +5 / -7 )

Couldn't agree more with you great legs & because of religion, millions and billions have died and will continue to die. Religion is a well covered Mafia, that is why there are so many, want to join? No thanks!

2 ( +5 / -3 )

Rest in Peace to the poor young girl who was obviously mentally ill.

These two evil child abusers and killers should be jailed for life. And their "religions" should be exposed as the bogus organisations they really are, if the heirarchy in any way endorsed this abuse.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

"the youngster had suffered several years of mental and physical ill health" Isn't it the father and monk that are mentally ill? This is called 滝行 (taki gyou)(waterfall training) in Japanese. You stand under a waterfall and it's practiced a lot in Japan. I've never seen it done in a chair , though.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Religion is the opiate of the masses and has been used to kill people since people invented that silly stuff.

6 ( +10 / -4 )

Can't say I've really heard of this. I thought it only happened with Voodoo believers and bible bashers.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

The father and priest should be exorcised in this way.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

What the hell! Sounds like the Japanese version to Voodoo or something. Poor little girl. Ans to think her own Father! Someone whom is supposed to protect his child from harm.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Religious People are scary, that poor child needed medical treatment only. RIP..

6 ( +7 / -1 )

dark age stuff..... the father and monk are the ones possessed....

2 ( +3 / -1 )

The Power of Budda compels you!!!! The Power of Budda compels you!!!! What is your name demon??

This is pretty sad.

The father = Going to jail The Monk = Scott Free

You just can't do this anymore. Yes, I believe the devil is out there. Yes, I believe the devil's minions possess poor little innocent girls sometimes. You don't waterboard your kid though. Leave the exorcisms to the professionals.

One phone call to the Vatican and they'd send someone out to take a look. P.S: I'm not saying she wasn't possessed. You don't waterboard them.

-14 ( +1 / -15 )

The girl was mentaly ill and the only evil spirits in this story that I can recognise is the monk and the girls father

4 ( +6 / -2 )

Her parents had taken her to one of the group’s facilities equipped with a water pump and made her go through the dousing practice about 100 times before

That's really sick. Almost hard to believe. The poor girl.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Any religion that claims that they can heal disease and sickness without the use of medical intervention, and through bizarre rituals and prayers, is NOT a religion! Its a cult! Steer clear of them.

6 ( +8 / -2 )

Medical services here are woeful at the best of times, but mental health treatment is plain medieval. Why didn't the doctors help her? Because they are invariably crap, and interested only in money.

-2 ( +3 / -5 )

Treating mental health problems with exorcism? As has been said on these boards before, Japan needs more support services for the mentally ill, and more awareness in society as a whole. For example, mention the word schizophrenic and everyone thinks of crazy, knife-wielding freaks with voices in their heads saying "Kill!" More awareness and support is needed or we will continue to hear about these sad and desperate incidents.

3 ( +5 / -2 )

I know, Gurukun..... MAJOR EPIC FAIL!!! R.I.P. young lady The parents may have acted out of ignorance and didn't really intended to hurt their own daughter but seriously... what the hell were they thinking?!?!

-2 ( +4 / -6 )

Japanese Waterbaording? "Evil Spirits? Geeez!

RIP to the young girl.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

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