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'Nightline' examines exorcisms in Congo

E-mail|Link|Comments (1) Posted by Michael Paulson May 19, 2009 03:48 PM

On Thursday night "Nightline" is taking a look at what it says is a growing phenomenon in the Democratic Republic of the Congo: exorcisms of children accused of witchcraft by evangelical pastors. The special edition report, airing at 11:35 p.m., is by ABC News anchor (and Newton native) Dan Harris. Harris says he witnessed "under the banner of Jesus, an epidemic of child abuse." He says that children denounced as witches are sometimes beaten, starved, or killed.

Here's a disturbing preview:

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1 comments so far...

This blog entry uses the word "exorcism," but on the ABC Nightline clip to which it refers, no one uses the word "exorcism." The word exorcism in our culture usually refers to an extremely rare Catholic practice, satirizes in "The Exorcist," so the word exorcism is used here in a ultra-unusual sense, bordering on the anti-Catholic. Plus, what are the qualifications of the pastor shown here? Surely not the 8 post high school academic, spiritual, psychological and pastoral training years of a Catholic priest?

Posted by gaudete May 19, 09 07:40 PM

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Michael Paulson covers religion for The Boston Globe. He shared in the Pulitzer Prize in 2003, won the Mike Berger, Templeton and Supple awards in 2008, and is a four-time winner of the Wilbur Award.
E-mail mpaulson@globe.com.

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