Free High Stakes by Erin McCarthy Page B

takes Simon Peter, James, John and Andrew as disciples; while John has this incident taking place after Christ’s rising from his tomb! This is not a small inconsistency here, as someone is clearly wrong as to the time this miracle happened. Luke and John also describe it differently, which has most Biblical scholars thinking that they are two separate instances of the same miracle. Francine says this is true and that Luke’s is more compelling, as Jesus wanted to show Simon Peter and Andrew that he had power so that they would follow him as disciples. John’s account is set after Jesus escaped his tomb, and it mentions that a group of Christ’s disciples gathered by the sea did not recognize him. We will get into this later, but the reason they did not recognize him was because he was in disguise. Jesus in a disguise? Wait and see.
    Jesus then cures a man who is possessed by a demon in a synagogue. Before we get into this, let me make a few comments. There are numerous accounts of Christ throwing out demons in various people throughout the four gospels, as well as elsewhere in the New Testament. In ancient India, several thousand years before the birth of Christ, the whole concept of demons was invented. When people got sick they were thought to be inhabited by evil spirits or demons. This type of belief is still prevalent in Africa, South America, New Guinea, Borneo and elsewhere where primitive tribes still exist. The shaman or witch doctor will bring his or her potions and herbs and cast spells to eliminate the evil “demon” and cure the one who is sick. I have always said there are no demons and no devil and that so-called “possessions” are either schizophrenia or the overactive and suggestive mind emoting emotion in a big-time way. Under hypnosis, some people can actually manifest a blister when an ice cube is put on their arm or hand when told it is something very hot. The mind can be very powerful…especially in a person who is highly suggestive or mentally ill.
    Francine says that these accounts of Jesus casting out demons are greatly exaggerated. She says there were several epileptics whom Christ pulled out of seizure by keeping them calm and one or two schizophrenics whom he gave herbs to that seemed to help; but that most of these “demons” were simply the Judaic belief of evil spirits causing illness of some kind, which the writers of the Bible exaggerated to be actual evil entities. Francine goes on to say that Christ did most of his healing by the laying on of hands and by prayer and meditation. He went into an altered state of consciousness to become a tube or vessel for healing energy from God. He had learned how to alter his consciousness to a deep meditative state in India, as it was one of their primary healing techniques. In any case, Francine says his healings had a dynamic impact on the uneducated masses and word of his healing abilities spread like wildfire.
    Most scientists and scholars also question the veracity of exorcisms, saying there is no scientific proof whatsoever for demonic possession. Most of the evidence in this area, they say, points to psychological disturbances and mental illness. While most scientists and scholars say demonic possession does not exist, the early Church used the fears and superstitious beliefs of the masses in demonic possession to advance their dogma of a devil and hell. Many Christian churches today still have experts who handle exorcisms, especially the Catholic Church.
    In Mark 1:23–28 and Luke 4:33–36 we have the story of a man in the synagogue who was supposedly possessed by an unclean spirit (Mark) or devil (Luke). He tells Jesus that he knows that Jesus is the Holy One from God. Jesus then tells the spirit or devil to go out of the man and then it leaves the man without harming him. In Mark we have the witnessing people amazed and in Luke we have them afraid, for they wonder how Jesus was able to command