In keeping with his ongoing Augustinian conversion, former hedonist and international gadabout Roosh V tweeted out a sermon by Fr. Chad Ripperger on spiritual warfare.
Regular readers will be familiar with my stance on extraordinary demonic activity and its effects on society–both at the macro and individual levels.
Fr. Chad, a trained exorcist, gives an informed estimate that 25% of the American population is subject to demonic obsession. I’ve seen numerous sources cite the same figure when estimating the number of radical Leftists. While not identical, those Venn diagrams overlap.
Don’t get me wrong. Fr. Chad’s sermon isn’t all doom and gloom. In fact, it’s quite reassuring.
A central aspect of spiritual warfare I’d overlooked is that demons don’t necessarily focus their attacks on a victim’s worst weak points, but on the areas in which he has the potential to reach great heights of virtue.
Fr. Chad reminds us that demons are wholly subject to Christ. He even calls them Christ’s slaves. They cannot overstep the limits God sets for them by even one inch.
Severe temptation and–even extraordinary demonic activity–can be allowed by God to shake a person out of spiritual laxity, lukewarmness, or complacency in regard to a virtue that God desires to see perfected.
We must remember that extraordinary demonic activity doesn’t necessarily say anything about the morality of the person so afflicted. Possession in particular is on the level of the body, not the soul. Fr. Chad even mentions a possessed person he knew who went six months without sinning at all.
Recall St. Mary Magdalene, one of Jesus’ closest followers, who had been possessed by seven demons.
Some people who read my posts about the demonic influence on the Left falsely conclude that I hate Leftists. I don’t. I hate error.
I do want to see the Left defeated so they will a) stop leading other people into error and b) turn from evil and embrace Jesus Christ so He can bring them to the fullness of their potential for virtue, which may be considerable.
That is why abandoning the political field is not just unwise but immoral. Fr. Chad notes that politics has left the stage wherein both sides debated a variety of ideas, some good and some bad. We now face a stark choice between good and evil, sin and virtue.
Father points out what everybody in politics has missed for years: virtue is the key to making proper political judgments.
Anytime a politician or pundit suggests a new policy, be it social or economic, ask yourself this question:
Will it assist the people in developing virtue?
We often lose sight of this fact, especially in regard to economic issues, but the ultimate purpose of all political activity is to make it as easy as possible for the people to cultivate virtue.
Socialism and capitalism both miss the big picture because they’re both materialistic. It profits a man nothing to gain the world but lose his soul.
In not-Clown World, political discourse would look like this:
Congressman: We should let the market handle Big Tech monopolies.
Voters: Will it help the people cultivate virtue?
Think Tank Policy Wonk: Recreational drugs should be legalized.
Audience Member: Will it help the people cultivate virtue?
Sunday News Show Pundit: We may find Satanism repugnant, but our Constitutional principles require us to let them install a statue of Baphomet in the Capitol Building.
Actual Conservative Guest: Will it help the people cultivate virtue?
Spirit of Vatican II Catholic Blogger: Runaway diversity may erode social trust and smother community solidarity, but it’s our duty to resettle unassimilable migrants in small Midwestern towns.
Catholic Chad: Will it help the people cultivate virtue?
See how changing the frame wonderfully focuses the mind on what’s truly important?