Space pressures forced me to forgo making a personal comment on The Exorcist in this space last issue. A number of friends have asked me whether I will see the film. My answer is No! I feel it would add little to the knowledge about demons I have gained from Scripture. Seeing it would be unlikely to improve the quality of my Christian life; it might even impair it. For me the reviews of the film indicate the subject has not been treated adequately from the perspective of God’s revealed Word and can therefore deceive us and expose us to the wiles of the devil. Under particular circumstances some people might be helped by seeing the film. I don’t think I’m one of them, and I see no reason why I should view it.
I have been bemused by the fact that some religious liberals have condemned The Exorcist as pornographic even though they have found worse films acceptable. I suspect that their condemnation derives largely from an anti-supernatural bias and an unwillingness to believe in a personal devil and demons.
