(ASIDE: Earlier in the night, our photo editor received a phone call from a 666 area code, which apparently no longer exists. When she called it back, the answer was a dial tone. So we may actually need an exorcism soon.)
Lots of weird things happen on this campus. But have we ever seen an exorcism? Berry College, located north of Rome, Georgia, has. From Christian Boone’s story in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
It was the tidiest exorcism on record — completed in minutes and absent the pungent mess typically associated with demonic possession.
While most everyone at Berry College, located just north of Rome, doubts junior Nathan Mallory’s claim that he cast the devil out of a former student, the alleged exorcism has reignited a festering debate about religion’s role at the liberal arts institution.
Much of the controversy is focusing on the role of the WinShape program, a Christian living-learning program founded by Chick Fil A’s unabashedly Christian owner. (Chick Fil A’s controversial religious and political associations are the topic of a recent Diamondback op-ed.)
The most famous college exorcism tale, however, probably belongs to Louisana Gov. Bobby Jindal. The Republican, who was considered a rising star before his widely-mocked response to President Obama’s State of the Union this year, claims to have witnessed one while he was studying at Oxford University. After the jump, read an excerpt from a piece Jindal wrote for a campus magazine about the exorcism.
The crucifix had a calming effect on Susan, and her sister was soon brave enough to bring a Bible to her face. At first, Susan responded to biblical passages with curses and profanities. Mixed in with her vile attacks were short and desperate pleas for help. In the same breath that she attacked Christ, the Bible’s authenticity, and everyone assembled in prayer, Susan would suddenly urge us to rescue her. It appeared as if we were observing a tremendous battle between the Susan we knew and loved and some strange evil force. But the momentum had shifted and we now sensed that victory was at hand.
While Alice and Louise held Susan, her sister continued holding the Bible to her face. Almost taunting the evil spirit that had almost beaten us minutes before, the students dared Susan to read biblical passages. She choked on certain passages and could not finish the sentence “Jesus is Lord.” Over and over, she repeated “Jesus is L..L..LL,” often ending in profanities. In between her futile attempts, Susan pleaded with us to continue trying and often smiled between the grimaces that accompanied her readings of Scripture. Just as suddenly as she went into the trance, Susan suddenly reappeared and claimed “Jesus is Lord.”
With an almost comical smile, Susan then looked up as if awakening from a deep sleep and asked, “Has something happened?” She did not remember any of the past few hours and was startled to find her friends breaking out in cheers and laughter, overwhelmed by sudden joy and relief.