In todays Episode Jonathan Streeter fills in for Bill Reel and takes RFM on a journey discussing the first miracle in Mormonism. They discuss the role that Demonic possessions and exorcisms play in religion generally and how such things have influenced Mormonism specifically

Episode outline

• Cold Open – Anatomy of a Performance Exorcism
  • Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mnkLBZZuNmI
  • Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8RuCLB6vM3M
• Exorcism discussion
  • Why exorcism? 
    • Scriptural precedent
    • Christ Example
  • How can exorcism be explained?
    • Psychology of belief and the reverse exorcism
      • Source: https://youtu.be/BR-eMMCp7tg?t=834

• Sociology of Possession: https://archive.org/details/policing-the-devil-and-possession
• The usefulness of Exorcism
  • Demonize ideas dangerous to belief
    • Example: Demonization of Doubt – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWsqNZgwIYE&t=10s
  • Consolidate power
    • Example: Demon attacks prophet and fails: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zVv90VfY9t8
    • Mystical Manipulation and spiritual supremacy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=He9H500yGZA
  • Psychological utility
  • Spiritual bypassing
    • Facebook Adultery: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTM3M-51rZo&t=4s
  • Demonize taboo behavior
    • Demons enter through video games: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1BXrk-B4u7A
    • Demons enter through masturbation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXAqGYfFBxc
• American roots of possession in Africa
  • Pastor AA Allen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8k6iOtFegq8
  • AA Allen Acolyte endorses TB Joshua: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dp7CUc88azA
• Examples of fraudulent exorcism   
  • Man answers cell phone in middle of possession: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6iJ_SZPjto
• The First Miracle of the Restoration
  • Ensign Article: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/ensign/1989/01/the-knight-family-ever-faithful-to-the-prophet?lang=eng
  • History of the Church, 1:82–83: https://byustudies.byu.edu/further-study-lesson/volume-1-chapter-9/

Resources for background:

• Possession in Mormonism Podcast: https://mi.byu.edu/mip-71-taysom/
• Paper about possession and Exorcism in Mormonism: https://archive.org/details/satan-mourns-naked-upon-the-earth-locat