In keeping with his ongoing Augustinian conversion, former hedonist and international gadabout Roosh V tweeted out a sermon by Fr. Chad Ripperger on spiritual warfare.
Regular readers will be familiar with my stance on extraordinary demonic activity and its effects on society–both at the macro and individual levels.
Fr. Chad, a trained exorcist, gives an informed estimate that 25% of the American population is subject to demonic obsession. I’ve seen numerous sources cite the same figure when estimating the number of radical Leftists. While not identical, those Venn diagrams overlap.
Don’t get me wrong. Fr. Chad’s sermon isn’t all doom and gloom. In fact, it’s quite reassuring.
A central aspect of spiritual warfare I’d overlooked is that demons don’t necessarily focus their attacks on a victim’s worst weak points, but on the areas in which he has the potential to reach great heights of virtue.
Fr. Chad reminds us that demons are wholly subject to Christ. He even calls them Christ’s slaves. They cannot overstep the limits God sets for them by even one inch.
Severe temptation and–even extraordinary demonic activity–can be allowed by God to shake a person out of spiritual laxity, lukewarmness, or complacency in regard to a virtue that God desires to see perfected.
We must remember that extraordinary demonic activity doesn’t necessarily say anything about the morality of the person so afflicted. Possession in particular is on the level of the body, not the soul. Fr. Chad even mentions a possessed person he knew who went six months without sinning at all.
Recall St. Mary Magdalene, one of Jesus’ closest followers, who had been possessed by seven demons.
Some people who read my posts about the demonic influence on the Left falsely conclude that I hate Leftists. I don’t. I hate error.
I do want to see the Left defeated so they will a) stop leading other people into error and b) turn from evil and embrace Jesus Christ so He can bring them to the fullness of their potential for virtue, which may be considerable.
That is why abandoning the political field is not just unwise but immoral. Fr. Chad notes that politics has left the stage wherein both sides debated a variety of ideas, some good and some bad. We now face a stark choice between good and evil, sin and virtue.
Father points out what everybody in politics has missed for years: virtue is the key to making proper political judgments.
Anytime a politician or pundit suggests a new policy, be it social or economic, ask yourself this question:
Will it assist the people in developing virtue?
We often lose sight of this fact, especially in regard to economic issues, but the ultimate purpose of all political activity is to make it as easy as possible for the people to cultivate virtue.
Socialism and capitalism both miss the big picture because they’re both materialistic. It profits a man nothing to gain the world but lose his soul.
In not-Clown World, political discourse would look like this:
Congressman: We should let the market handle Big Tech monopolies.
Voters: Will it help the people cultivate virtue?
Think Tank Policy Wonk: Recreational drugs should be legalized.
Audience Member: Will it help the people cultivate virtue?
Sunday News Show Pundit: We may find Satanism repugnant, but our Constitutional principles require us to let them install a statue of Baphomet in the Capitol Building.
Actual Conservative Guest: Will it help the people cultivate virtue?
Spirit of Vatican II Catholic Blogger: Runaway diversity may erode social trust and smother community solidarity, but it’s our duty to resettle unassimilable migrants in small Midwestern towns.
Catholic Chad: Will it help the people cultivate virtue?
See how changing the frame wonderfully focuses the mind on what’s truly important?
Brian,
Demons are slavés of Jesus? That's quite insightful given how counterintuitive this is at first glance. So this highlights God never desires evil but can use it to bring a greater good.
So how do we cultivate virtue? For me it's the basics: I. E an objective reality exists and we must acknowedge regardless of our subjectivity
xavier
The four cardinal virtues of prudence, temperance, courage, and justice are skills that can be perfected through practice.
The theological virtues of faith, hope, and love are divine gifts that are the fruits of grace.
God allows demonic attacks on certain areas of our spiritual lives to spur us to ask Jesus for His help in strengthening the virtues pertaining to those areas.
Enlightening sermon.
Fr Chad — appropriate.
Thank you.
Named for St. Chad of Mercia, one imagines.
You are most welcome.
Been listening to Fr Ripperger since the start of Lent. Another good video to post is his one on masculinity/manhood. Also, he and Fr Wolfe (FSSP) and others posted on Sensus Fidelium channel talk about how to cultivate virtue. The whole channel almost justifies using YouTube.
Some people who read my posts about the demonic influence on the Left falsely conclude that I hate Leftists. I don't. I hate error.
This here is the heart of loving the sinner and hating the sin. It's just that so many sinners identify with their sin that they see attacks on the sin as attacks on them.
I find this to be especially true with homosexuality. Given the massive levels of propaganda over the past years, many people view homosexuality as an orientation (a part of you) and react viscerally when homosexuality is called out. They view it as an attack on them because the wrongly see it as a part of their identity, aka orientation.
Christians try so hard to make sure the LGPTQ crowed doesn't feel attacked, without realizing that they will never NOT feel attacked because they've made homosexuality a part of their identity.
They need to be told that, while they may struggle with temptations and disordered desires, homosexuality is something that is practiced not something that is part of your identity.
Hear, hear.
Meanwhile in Clown World, io9 shows its disgust of Way, Truth, and Life our Lord Jesus Christ. Just look at the name of the url: https://io9.gizmodo.com/the-five-best-and-five-worst-demons-to-get-possessed-by-1719664267
Sounds like they've done their research, and may have first-hand knowledge. In this case, their words *are* their deeds — Journos, after all.
"Seek and ye shall find."
As always, be careful of what you're looking for; it may just find you.
"Unassimilable" is pretty well the host country's fault – first you decide not to assimilate, and then you attract the kind of immigrant who won't. If that weren't the case, it would be a much closer question. But of the two options currently on the table, "no immigration, period" is a better cultivar for virtue than "as much immigration as possible and don't you dare even suggest they should change."
Check out Roosh's 2020 presidential campaign platform on his web site. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.
Did Fr. Chad give an explanation for why there's so many fat lesbians now? Because of one of the demons?
Based on his sermon, that would probably be Leviathan.
Ripperger has stated in talks that the obscurity epidemic is partly spiritual, including demonic obsession, and probably has to do with our food.
Interesting anecdote, but in one talk, he mentions that a fellow exorcist received word that some music labels actually pray for demons to possess the music in the gold disc, so that the song isn’t successful. While he’s waiting to hear confirmation that this is true, Ripperger noted there’s no reason to not believe that other groups do this as well, such as food companies. Hence why you should always bless your food and drink.
Should read: “to possess the music in the gold disc so that the song IS successful.”
Every Christian should say grace before meals–especially in public.
I’m just gonna go out on a limb here and say Ariana Grande has prayed the the biggest, most powerful demon. Just listen to the lyrics of all her songs. All about destroying the soul of women. Congrats. You created a beautiful dumpster fire.
@SmockMan
Haven't heard the lyrics, maybe the shooting at one of her UK shows was some sort of sacrifice. Maybe she's one of the ones with an incubus. That's just scary.
It's an open secret that all the big acts' chart-topping hits are written by a handful of well-connected songwriters.
Look up a guy who calls himself Max Martin. He's written hits for the Backstreet Boys, Celine Dion, Pink, Avril Lavigne, and Taylor Swift. He co-wrote "I Kissed a Girl" for Katy Perry. And yes, he writes for Ariana Grande.
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