*See footnote.
I watched part of Rosemary's Baby last night.
I turned it off at the 'conception' scene - I forgot how graphic it was.
I simply happened upon the film while channel surfing. I was kind of freaked out. Years ago, on New Year's Eve, I read the book. The film was released in the New Year. (I hate dating myself - but I have to face facts don't I. I'm a 22 year old trapped in this hideous shell ... what?)
Why is that so freaky - the coincidence of seeing the film on New Years, that is?
Because.
In high school my friends and I were playing with a Ouija board. We all had been interested in fortune telling and spooky stories and hauntings. One night I asked the board when I would die - the planchette moved quickly to 6 and then to 7. I concluded it would be 1967. That 1967 New Years Eve, my partner and I stayed home from the bars. I read Rosemary's Baby - he read Last Exit to Brooklyn. I had assumed the board was telling me I would die in 1967. At the stroke of midnight, I put the book down and told my friend - who was quite unimpressed, 'looks like I made it - so it must mean I will live until I'm 67.' He could have cared less.
So - without revealing my age - my birthday is in May - and, this may be it ... the last days.
I know - the devil lies - and over the years I've had prayers and all of that - to deliver me - and so I'm not believing in it - but it still haunts me. The coincidence on New Year's was indeed strange.
So I'm going to confession today.
*About the gif: At the time I worked at a local department store in the display department. Oddly enough - the display department in Minneapolis was directed by a witch, and several employees were involved in witchcraft and the occult. Though clearly fascinated by that, I wasn't aware at how extensive it was until much later. Likewise, the store's major promotion at the time was London/Carnaby St. 'Youthquake' which included Aquarian themes. Auditorium and teen events involved fortune tellers and a lot of fluff connected to the occult. Interestingly, I covered the walls and ceiling of the bathroom in Tarot Card chintz, and the shower curtains were the same fabric. It was pretty cool. I also tried to teach myself how to read Tarot.
I have no idea what influence that all had upon me, but early on after my conversion there were many scary infestation type temptations and harassment.
My fabric was similar to this - although
the checker-board background was dark purple
and the cards were more antiqued.
Song for this post here.
(Did you know Diane Keaton was in the original cast?)
+
O glorious prince St. Michael,
chief and commander of the heavenly hosts,
guardian of souls, vanquisher of rebel spirits,
servant in the house of the Divine King
and our admirable conductor,
you who shine with excellence
and superhuman virtue deliver us from all evil
, who turn to you with confidence
and enable us by your gracious protection
to serve God more and more faithfully every day.
chief and commander of the heavenly hosts,
guardian of souls, vanquisher of rebel spirits,
servant in the house of the Divine King
and our admirable conductor,
you who shine with excellence
and superhuman virtue deliver us from all evil
, who turn to you with confidence
and enable us by your gracious protection
to serve God more and more faithfully every day.
I think there is a common thread between fascination with the occult and openness to legitimate mysticism. In all things God works for the good of those who love Him. You love Him, so maybe He allowed the thing in you that led you to occult dabbling so that later it could help you love Him more by opening your heart to the truths He reveals through legitimate mystical gifts--gifts to others or gifts to you. Curse or blessing--depend on how you follow Him.
ReplyDeleteDeut 11:26-28 “See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse: the blessing, if you listen to the commandments of the LORD your God, which I am commanding you today; and the curse, if you do not listen to the commandments of the LORD your God, but turn aside from the way which I am commanding you today, by following other gods which you have not known."
Seems to me you're doing alright in seeking the blessing. Don't listen to the professionally-orthodox crowd who think taking the devil seriously means telling others you can trip, bang your head, and wake up a Satanist if you're not vigilant. If the devil can have moral/spiritual power over us against our will, then God's promises are false and baptism is a lie. (I'm not a theologian, so what I just said may or may not be true, though it does come with a money-back guarantee).
I think you are right. However - in my experience - the occult seems to cling to a person like an oil slick. So it is always good to be washed clean in the Blood of Christ in the sacrament of penance. Teresa of Avila said she was more afraid of those who are so afraid of the devil - such as those people you mention - than she feared the devil himself. That said - she used a lot of holy water as well.
DeleteMy confessor dismissed my concerns - in a good way - and gave me absolution. Peace - pardon and peace. Thank God for the sacraments.
DeleteMy ex-sister-in-law got a Ouija board. I must have been about 17 and she was maybe 20. We played exactly once. It freaked us out and we got rid of it. I guess we were smarter than we thought we were.
ReplyDeleteOpening yourself up to evil spirits is always dangerous.
In high school we loved scaring ourselves silly. We'd sit in a car outside the haunted house on Summit and freak out every time we saw any movement. LOL!
DeleteAnyway - we got rid of the board too.
I graduated from a Catholic high school in Miami. Senior girls had to take home economics and sew a bunch of dresses. The dresses were paraded in a "fashion show." The year I graduated, 1970, our theme was the zodiac signs. I think the idea arose from the popularity of the Age of Aquarius stuff from Hair. No one said, "Astrology is superstition and against the teachings of the Church," not even the nuns. I helped write the show.
ReplyDeleteThey simply thought it was fashion then?
DeleteYes, just patter while senior girls paraded in dresses: "Here is Maria, dressed in the electric blue of Aquarius..." It's so strange, now when I look back on it. Once in a while I hear a practicing Catholic bring up her Zodiac sign as an explanation for her preferences or behavior, and I wonder where the person has been all this time.
DeleteIt seems to me that fascination and preoccupation with the occult is akin to Adam and Eve's first sin of wanting to share in the knowledge and power of God. So much of the occult is so very silly and of course full of lies. You can tell the condition of the tree by the fruit it bears.
ReplyDeleteIt seems to me that you are absolutely correct - excellent!
Delete