Hostage to the Devil: The Possession and Exorcism of Five Contemporary Americans

One On One With Satan A chilling and highly convincing account of possession and exorcism in modern America, hailed by NBC Radio as "one of the most stirring books on the contemporary scene." Hostage to the Devil is a controversial nonfiction bestseller, a chilling and true account of possession and exorcism in modern America, hailed by NBC Radio as "one of the most stirring books on the contemporary scene."--Back cover. In 1976 Satanism was presented, and was probably regarded by most Americans, as a box office and a bookstore draw. In fact, Hostage to the Devil was intended as a clear warning that Possession is not- nor was it ever- some tale of dark fancy featuring ogres and happy endings. Possession is real; and real prices are paid. Among the general population of Catholics and Christians of other denominations, large numbers of people no longer learn even so basic a prayer as the Our Father. In churches and parochial schools alike, the subject of Hell is avoided, as one midwestern priest put it, in order not to put people "on a guilt trip." The idea of sin is likewise avoided, according to the same source, in order not to do "irreparable damage to what has been taught for the past fifteen years." That much alone leaves every Christian at a profound and needless disadvantage in the confrontation with evil that life brings to each of us. Deeply felt prohibitions against mixing what is termed the "rational" with the faith that is necessary for the recognition of evil is, for many, an insurmountable obstacle. And without the grace that is born of true faith, Satan does what he does best- he ceases to exist in the eyes of those who do not see. - Preface. What happens when a human being becomes possessed by Satan? What are the horrors of being possessed? What type of man is an exorcist? Why would he offer himself as hostage to the devil so as to free the person possessed by evil? What are the physical tortures and mental anguish of the exorcist? Here for the first time, in a book of unforgettable power and compassion that is being praised as a milestone by churchmen of varied faiths, are documented case histories of possession and exorcism -- the real life dramas of five Americans whose exorcisms were performed between 1965 and 1974. - Jacket flap.

One On One With Satan

A chilling and highly convincing account of possession and exorcism in modern America, hailed by NBC Radio as one of the most stirring books on the contemporary scene.

"When the search party reached the disused grain store known locally as Puh-Chi (One Window), the bombing of Nanking was at its height."