Cultic Studies Journal, Vol. 11, No. 1, 1994, Page 52
deliverance, on the other hand, intimate aspects of the soul‟s life are apparently revealed,
aspects that the subject may have been quite unaware of. Thoughts that simply “come to
mind” during the prayer become decisive points for the future moral and spiritual
development of the community member. You thought your main spiritual problem was the
habit of lying, which you have been confessing for two months thanks to this prayer, you
learn that it is a spirit of greed --a greed you may never have felt nor manifested.
An important psychological effect of the deliverance prayer is the loss of confidence in one‟s
own judgment, especially about spiritual development. Any doubt, any criticism --no matter
how rational or well founded-may very well be an “attack from the enemy.” So devious are
the hidden workings of Satan that the victim may well remain unaware of them, until others
“discern” these workings. Thus, one becomes radically dependent on the pastoral structure
of the community.
Before leaving the subject of deliverance, we do well to note two additional dangers with
this practice. The first is that traditional Christian remedies for the work of the devil are
devalued. If the deliverance prayer is a genuine spiritual need, the Church does not offer it.
What the Church does offer seems to be too little. The second problem is that Satan and his
real work are falsified. The member is led to believe that the covenant community and its
leaders have real authority over evil spirits, an authority that goes beyond that which,
according to Christian doctrine, all of us have to resist the devil.
It can and often does happen that a community member may no longer find life in the
community fruitful. Typically after about two years as a member, the experience of vibrant
new life fades and a sense of spiritual dryness sets in. As this happens, many members
begin to consider leaving the group. It is in this that an especially significant appeal is made
to the works of evil spirits. The problem becomes acute and can be summarized:
If Satan does actually exist and if his means and aims are as the community describes,
then to leave the covenant community is to cooperate with his plans and to fall into his
hands.
One of the principal fears members have as they leave-a fear that community leaders
appeal to-is that by leaving they will fall victim to the devil. They will lose their faith, their
marriage will fall apart, their children turn to drugs, and so on. The community offers a
“covering,” a protection from Satan, which one is ill advised to forsake. This is a powerful
belief that actually does prevent many members from taking the necessary steps toward
freedom from the group‟s demands.
Speaking as a Roman Catholic, I believe that a strong case can be made that since the
Vatican Council many Church leaders have erred by neglecting the reality of the evil spirits.
Their rediscovery by charismatic groups could count as a real grace for the Church.
However, it has happened that this rediscovery has given the devil more than his due. It
has made possible a particularly powerful means of psychological and social control. We
must add here that the literature on cults and abusive religious organizations is full of
exactly parallel accounts. Whether one belongs to the Sword of the Spirit or the People of
Praise or to the Moonies or The Way International, whether one joins a Bible-based
discipleship church or an ultra-traditionalist Tridentine schismatic group or the Mormons,
that person lives in a spiritual world in which evil spirits allegedly infiltrate the Church, other
religious groups, the counseling professions, and even the person‟s own soul. It is a world in
which safety from Satan can only be found in submission to enlightened leaders who claim a
special power from God to discern the true workings of the devil. It is a world in which a
person loses psychological control of his or her own life.
**********************
deliverance, on the other hand, intimate aspects of the soul‟s life are apparently revealed,
aspects that the subject may have been quite unaware of. Thoughts that simply “come to
mind” during the prayer become decisive points for the future moral and spiritual
development of the community member. You thought your main spiritual problem was the
habit of lying, which you have been confessing for two months thanks to this prayer, you
learn that it is a spirit of greed --a greed you may never have felt nor manifested.
An important psychological effect of the deliverance prayer is the loss of confidence in one‟s
own judgment, especially about spiritual development. Any doubt, any criticism --no matter
how rational or well founded-may very well be an “attack from the enemy.” So devious are
the hidden workings of Satan that the victim may well remain unaware of them, until others
“discern” these workings. Thus, one becomes radically dependent on the pastoral structure
of the community.
Before leaving the subject of deliverance, we do well to note two additional dangers with
this practice. The first is that traditional Christian remedies for the work of the devil are
devalued. If the deliverance prayer is a genuine spiritual need, the Church does not offer it.
What the Church does offer seems to be too little. The second problem is that Satan and his
real work are falsified. The member is led to believe that the covenant community and its
leaders have real authority over evil spirits, an authority that goes beyond that which,
according to Christian doctrine, all of us have to resist the devil.
It can and often does happen that a community member may no longer find life in the
community fruitful. Typically after about two years as a member, the experience of vibrant
new life fades and a sense of spiritual dryness sets in. As this happens, many members
begin to consider leaving the group. It is in this that an especially significant appeal is made
to the works of evil spirits. The problem becomes acute and can be summarized:
If Satan does actually exist and if his means and aims are as the community describes,
then to leave the covenant community is to cooperate with his plans and to fall into his
hands.
One of the principal fears members have as they leave-a fear that community leaders
appeal to-is that by leaving they will fall victim to the devil. They will lose their faith, their
marriage will fall apart, their children turn to drugs, and so on. The community offers a
“covering,” a protection from Satan, which one is ill advised to forsake. This is a powerful
belief that actually does prevent many members from taking the necessary steps toward
freedom from the group‟s demands.
Speaking as a Roman Catholic, I believe that a strong case can be made that since the
Vatican Council many Church leaders have erred by neglecting the reality of the evil spirits.
Their rediscovery by charismatic groups could count as a real grace for the Church.
However, it has happened that this rediscovery has given the devil more than his due. It
has made possible a particularly powerful means of psychological and social control. We
must add here that the literature on cults and abusive religious organizations is full of
exactly parallel accounts. Whether one belongs to the Sword of the Spirit or the People of
Praise or to the Moonies or The Way International, whether one joins a Bible-based
discipleship church or an ultra-traditionalist Tridentine schismatic group or the Mormons,
that person lives in a spiritual world in which evil spirits allegedly infiltrate the Church, other
religious groups, the counseling professions, and even the person‟s own soul. It is a world in
which safety from Satan can only be found in submission to enlightened leaders who claim a
special power from God to discern the true workings of the devil. It is a world in which a
person loses psychological control of his or her own life.
**********************
