Blog 3433 – 03.28.2025

Obsession or Possession?

Modern psychiatry and psychology explains Jesus story of healing the demon possessed man as a case of obsession not possession. Most of us can understand obsession for we all deal with it to some degree personally and we all have known someone who has for whatever reason become completely obsessed by this or that fear.

Phobias are fears that little by little become obsessions. Bill Murray made a movie called “What About Bob?” in which he portrays a man with a severe case of agoraphobia.

My third wife early in our seven year marriage suffered from agoraphobia and did not leave our apartment for eighteen months and there were other shorter periods when she did not go outside her comfort zone. She explained it to me once saying that it starts with an uncomfortable or embarrassing situation say in an elevator that makes you avoid elevators for fear that it will happen again. Gradually your world starts to shrink till the only place you feel safe is at home in your room.

The lines from the early Simon and Garfunkel song I Am A Rock come to mind:

“Hiding in my room, safe within my womb,

I touch no one and no one touches me,

I am a rock.”

After his encounter with Jesus the people who had known the wild man in the story were amazed for they found him clothed and in his right mind sitting at the feet of Jesus.

The most comforting words Jesus ever spoke for those of us who battle phobias or fears is the phrase: “Fear not for I am with you.” The Apostle Paul wordy guy that he was expounded on the same theme:

Jesus heard a voice in the wilderness and was tempted in all points as are we the story goes. Ego, Satan, the Devil is a created thing out of our imagination. We have a higher Self and a lower self we imagined into being. This makes more sense to me than a war in heaven where some bad angels and their ring leader were cast out. What is with all this casting out anyway? Angels cast out of heaven, the first woman and man cast out of the garden of Eden, and a thousand demons or fears cast out and into a herd of swine who immediately ran into the sea and drowned themselves.

My higher Self, my God, is more a welcoming voice, saying “Come unto me all ye who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest.”

Confession, Obsession, Possession and yet Love in a still small voice offers us a more excellent way.

Your friend and fellow traveler,

David James White