An exorcist who claims to have cast out 50,000 demons over 50 years has explained what he believes is a new way the devil is claiming victims.
Content warning: This article contains discussion of suicide that some readers may find upsetting
Bob Larson believes advances in technology, including the growing use of AI chatbots, could be targeting certain people. He claims he has performed exorcisms on people who he says became possessed after using chatbots online.
These are Larson’s religious interpretations of what he has heard from the people he works with. They don’t mean those individuals became possessed because of a chatbot.
What does Larson claim?
Larson told the Daily Mail about a young woman he recently worked with. He said she had been talking to a chatbot that pushed her toward increasingly strange thoughts and eventually told her to take her own life.
He also claimed chatbots can draw people into witchcraft and the occult. “Sometimes it is a connection they make with a voice that speaks to them,” he said.
“But they are looking to communicate with another realm,” he added. “They’re looking for an answer.”
What are the other views on exorcism?
Larson says his work is a form of Christian ministry. An episode of Dr. Phil, however, saw the host challenge a couple of people who said they had undergone exorcisms, suggesting psychological factors could be involved instead.
What does another exorcist say?
Ian Lawman, another exorcist, spoke to the media last year about demons and how he believes they blend into the living world.
“People don’t understand that there’s demons amongst us even now,” he said. He claimed demons wear clothes like we do because they’re trying to fit in and are “very good at disguising themselves.”
According to Lawman, the eyes often give them away. “When I meet somebody… and I think there’s something strange about them, it’s all about their eyes,” he said. He added that because he is ordained, demons often look uncomfortable around him and want to back off.
If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide or a mental health crisis, you can call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline in the US, available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you’re in immediate danger, call 911.
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