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FULL-SENTENCE OUTLINE FORMAT

Name: Mariam Mukhammad

Specific Purpose: After listening to my speech, my audience will know more about what
exorcisms are and about several specific real life cases of exorcisms and demonic possessions.

Introduction
I. Attention-Getter: In 1968, a girl around the age of 17 began to suffer from
convulsions and epileptic attacks. This girls name was Anneliese Michel and as the years went
on, her spells only got worse. She began to see devilish hallucinations during prayer and to hear
voices that condemned her. Around 1973, Anneliese grew depressed and aggressive. She was
also known to avoid religious iconography such as particular images of Christ and as her state
worsened, her parents became convinced that she was possessed and in need of an exorcism to
spare her soul from the demons believed to be haunting her. This young girl stopped eating
altogether, believing that it would help lessen the demons hold on her. Later, Anneliese even
began doing bizarre deeds like urinating and licking her urine off the floor, eating insects,, and
barking like a dog for several days straight. She also began to speak in demonic voices calling
out names like Lucifer, Judas, Nero, and Hitler as some of the demons possessing her. Almost 70
rituals were performed on Anneliese Michel that eventually led to her death at the young age of
23. Author Eric Hansen of the Washington Post wrote in an article in 2005, that what shocked
people most about this case and what made it so well known at the time was the fact that it
happened in the heart of one of the most civilized and advanced countries in Europe:
Germany. a country that prides itself on being highly rational -- and highly secularized.
II. Personal Credibility: The exorcism of Anneliese Michel has been made famous to
people young and old by movies like The Exorcism of Emily Rose, released in 2005 that was
based on the true account of Annelieses life. Michels story is a modern account of exorcisms
performed not in the 1800s but in the 1970s, at a time where rational thinking was encouraged
over superstitions just like it is today.
III. Thesis: Exorcisms are ceremonies meant to drive out demons or evil spirits that are
said to be possessing a person or a thing, many of which have been performed throughout the
ages on a variety of people with diverse backgrounds. A few modern cases of possessions and
performed exorcisms have become well known around the world with the help of media.

Transition: To understand the few well known cases of modern exorcisms, it is first important
to know what this exercise entails.

Body (include in all outlines)


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I. First main point: Exorcisms, which aim to cast out demons and evil spirits from
those said to be inhabited by them, have a long history whose origins can be mainly tracked
down to Christianity.
A. Subpoint: The person performing the exorcism is referred to as the
Exorcists and is usually a high member of the Church like an ordained priest or
bishop.
B. Subpoint: Although this was not practiced in early days of exorcisms, the
Catholic Church now orders those who believe to be possessed to undergo
medical examination for possible mental illnesses prior to performing exorcisms
them.
C. Subpoint: According to the authors and contributors of the New World
Encyclopedia published in 2013, The act of exorcism is considered to be a
dangerous spiritual task. The ritual involves prayers, blessings, and invocations
much of the time with a document or particular scripture that is believed to
expel demons.

Transition Although many people see exorcisms as outdated ceremonies performed


in the Dark Ages, many are still being performed to this day. Having said that, I will
now get into four specific instances of well known modern exorcisms.

II. Second main point: Cases of exorcisms performed, besides Anneliese Michels
story, include Robbie Mannheim, Clara Germana Cele, Michael Taylor, and Mother Teresa!

A. Robbie Mannheim a.k.a. Roland Doe


1. Sub-subpoint: 1973s The Exorcist is based on the story of a 14-year-old boy named
Robbie Mannheim who was said to be possessed by an evil entity in Maryland in the 1940s. At
the time he was nicknamed Ronald Doe to protect his privacy and was very frequently known by
this name. He became controlled by this demon of sorts after trying to contact his dead aunt
through an Ouija board.

2. Sub-subpoint: Once possessed, the Robbie levitated and spoke in tongues. Priests
performed over 30 rituals of exorcisms on Mannheim until he was believed to be free of the
spirits haunting him and moved on to live a somewhat normal life.

B. Clara Germana Cele


1. Sub-subpoint: Clara was a young orphan born in South Africa. In 1906, the Cele began
exhibiting odd behavior like speaking and understanding languages she never learned before and
knew things about people she had never previously met. She was said to be able to levitate and
had superhuman strength.
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2. Sub-subpoint: The real threat of demonic possession was deemed when she began
speaking in contorted, twisted voices. The girl later said that she made a pact with Satan to hand
her body to him. However, after a two-day exorcism, all the evil seemed to had left her.

C. Michael Taylor
1. Sub-subpoint: Michael and his wife, Christine, were a religious couple who lived in a
quiet English town. However, when Christine accused her husband of having an affair, Michael
became infuriated. This anger only grew and he became so erratic that a priest decided to
perform and exorcism to expunge whatever was plaguing Michael. The session lasted a whole
night, claiming to have freed Taylor from over 40 demons but still believing that not every evil
spirit had left Michael.

2. Sub-subpoint: Not long after Michaels exorcisms were performed, he went home and
murdered his wife and dog. Then, he roamed the streets in his blood soaked clothes until he was
found and arrested for the crimes.

D. Mother Teresa
1. Sub-subpoint: According to Author Satinder Bindra of CNN World written in an article in
2001, Mother Teresas exorcism took place in a hospital where she had gone for cardiac
problems.
2. Sub-subpoint: A friend of Mother Teresa, Archbishop of Calcutta Henry D'Souza, noticed
that although she was fine during the day, she would be extremely restless and agitated during
the night. Suspecting that something evil could be plaguing her, the Archbishop decided to
arrange and exorcism. Mother Teresa said to have felt abandoned by God at some points in her
life which caused her to be troubled at times. However, after the exorcism was performed she
said to have slept very peacefully.

Conclusion (include in all outlines)


I. Summary: Exorcisms are performed to expunge evil spirits and demons from
people and objects. Cases of performed exorcisms can be tracked throughout history and
leading back to today.
II. Clincher: From girls to women, boys and men, no one is absolutely safe from
demon possessions. However, exorcisms could be the tool that saves and protects you or
leads you to your demise.
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Annotated Bibliography

Bindra, Satinder. "Archbishop: Mother Teresa Underwent Exorcism." CNN. Cable News
Network, 07 Sept. 2001. Web. 02 Mar. 2017.
<http://edition.cnn.com/2001/WORLD/asiapcf/south/09/04/mother.theresa.exorcism/>.

Hansen, Eric T. "What in God's Name?!" The Washington Post. WP Company, 04 Sept. 2005.
Web. 1 Mar. 2017. <http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-
dyn/content/article/2005/09/02/AR2005090200559.html>.

Janes, DeAnna. "9 Real-Life Cases of Exorcism and Demonic Possession." The Lineup. Open
Road Integrated Media, n.d. Web. 03 Mar. 2017. <http://www.the-line-up.com/exorcism-
demonic-possession-cases/>.

Radford, Benjamin. "Exorcism: Facts and Fiction About Demonic Possession." LiveScience.
Purch, 07 Mar. 2013. Web. 01 Mar. 2017. <http://www.livescience.com/27727-exorcism-
facts-and-fiction.html>.

"Exorcism." New World Encyclopedia, . 11 Oct 2013, 20:26 UTC. 1 Mar 2017, 20:05
<http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/p/index.php?title=Exorcism&oldid=974857>.

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