Desiring Despair: The Desire of Horror: The Exorcist

Caution: In this episode we discussion both the physical and sexual violence of the movie.

The "Problem of Evil," which is the irresolvable contradiction between an all-loving, all-powerful God and the suffering of innocence, is what causes most of those who leave Christianity to leave it. Maybe a close second is the general disenchantment that came with the scientific revolution of the Enlightenment. William Peter Blatty took on both scientism and hopelessness in his novel and screen play of the Exorcist. Who is the Devil and why does he desire our despair? There are so many reasons to lose faith that it doesn't seem that there's much more for the Devil to do. If hope is the department of religion, then how do the religious keep it? Let's discuss.