The Conjuring 2, The Devil and The Catholic Church

I’ve been asked many times “why did you revert to the Catholic Church?” It’s a natural question, and I’ve given a variety of answers. But sometimes, I like to have a little fun with the whole convert/revert discussion. Very often, I’ll lean in and say, “well, it was because of the movie The Conjuring.”

This isn’t true by any means, but it does bring out one of many legitimate reasons I made the switch. I’m an avowed believer in what the Nicene Creed confesses as the “Seen and Unseen.” This means I reject the naturalistic dualism that is often presented to us in our modern Western culture.

One of the implications of that belief is that I believe in the Devil and evil spirits. I believe they’re out to destroy the plans of God through attacking his very image: human beings. This, of course, brings up many modern misconceptions and misunderstandings. No, I don’t believe in a devil with horns or a pitchfork. I certainly don’t believe in cute little imps that sit on your shoulder telling you to eat just one more fried Twinkie. And, most importantly, I reject that the Devil has power that is equal to God’s own. Rather, I stand with the long line of Catholic theologians who believe that the Devil doesn’t seek some twisted good of his own. He seeks a negation, non-reality, and oblivion of the entire created order. There is nothing sexy or alluring about his ultimate aims. He’s not seeking to set up some dark kingdom of sex, drugs and rock and roll where you party with your friends.

These beliefs are why I love The Conjuring movies. When the first film came out, I was a year and half away from converting to the Catholic Church. Patheos assigned me to cover the press junket in San Francisco due to my interest in the paranormal. The film grabbed my attention so that I didn’t even noticed the reporter who dug her fingernails into my arm during the movie’s most intense scenes.

The movies are based on the real life case files of Ed and Lorraine Warren, the controversial founders of the modern day paranormal investigation movement. Without getting into some of the disputed nature of their work, they were (and are) committed Roman Catholics. Most of their investigations happened because the Church asked them to help with a plethora of supernatural occurrences over sixty years of investigation.

While in San Francisco, I interviewed Lorraine Warren. When I walked into the room, she gave me a warm smile that smoothed out the worry lines in her face. Even though she’s pushing 90, her eyes were sharp, focused and intense. When I asked her why she wanted people to see this movie, even though it takes liberties with the original story, she said, “Because, honey, I want them to know evil exists, but that Jesus is more powerful and He is real. And the power of the church is real.”

That comment burrowed into my brain and triggered a variety of thoughts, especially when I rewatched The Conjuring and then saw The Conjuring 2 last Thursday night.  The second movie continues the Warren’s battle with evil, and the stakes get more intense as an evil presence terrorizes a single mom and her children. Both movies go beyond the normal horror film and delve into the deeper battle between good and evil.

It’s a battle that I’ve been able to observe in my own life through a variety of experiences I don’t like discussing in everyday conversation.  Further, I’ve known quite a few friends, priests and others who have shared their terrifying experiences with me. These aren’t nut jobs or people seeking attention. Most wouldn’t want me sharing their experiences in public.

It’s always been interesting to me how the church is often consulted or asked to help in the most extreme paranormal cases: the negative entity. Very few people doubt the power of the Catholic Church and her priests when it comes to the paranormal realm.

Combine that with the other terrible things in the church, it always says something powerful. Whether it’s the scourge of pedophile priests, the incompetent leadership who allowed those priests to continue victimizing people, or attacks against Pope Francis when he tries to follow Jesus, it seems evident to me that the Devil attacks the Catholic Church pretty hard.

This belief might make me seem like a conspiracy theory nut job who wears a tin foil hat at night. Maybe so. But, it’s hard to ignore the evidence I’ve seen with my own eyes and the observations I’ve made both as an outsider and a revert.

Right now, I can hear the scrape of the wood from the collective asses squirming uncomfortably in their seats. Believe me,  this is not a comfortable topic for me either, but it’s one we all feel the need to discuss. How many times have you talk about ghost stories and bizarre events with friends after a few drinks? And the fact both Conjuring movies have been huge successes at the box office shows that interest in the supernatural remains high.

Yet we also have studies telling us that people are leaving the church like lemmings jumping over a cliff. Why is that?

The answer, I think, comes from another classic horror film, The Exorcist. I think what elevates this movie beyond the normal bloody dreck that is modern horror is the relationship between the two priests. Father Merrin, a grizzled priest who is an Exorcist for the church, and Father Karras, a young priest who lost his faith after the death of his mother.

Father Karras believes Regan, the young girl of the film, isn’t really possessed, but acting out of psychological trauma. He goes through great lengths to prove everything is natural. But when he can’t, he is forced to accept a supernatural reality. And Father Merrin is called to wrestle with the devil to the death.

They are a perfect picture of the struggle within the modern Catholic church. Many Catholics shuffle their feet and mumble when they talk about the Devil. But most, like the Catholics that hang out here at Sick Pilgrim, find that attitude disturbing. We want to be able to talk about it in an open and honest way.

This is what the Exorcist and the Conjuring movies do: provide an opening to discuss the devil and the supernatural without sounding like kooks. The Catholic Church should keep encouraging that dialogue, even while curbing some of the gross excess that’s crept into the subject of demons. If we do, we’re going find the culture is already conditioned to pay attention.