By Bill Scott. FaithWords, a division of the Hachette Book Group. Published October 2011.
We live in a culture that is skeptical of most things spiritual – but that can’t seem to get enough of dark, scary, “spiritual” movies and books – from Rosemary’s Baby to The Exorcist and a host of annual releases. So what more can be said about demons and evil spirits?
I will establish up front that I am friends with the author of The Day Satan Called and worked with him on the editorial development of the project. But that doesn’t mean I can’t be a raving fan and recognize some special contributions to our understanding of the spirit world that Bill has made through this book, does it?
I met Bill Scott and his wife Janet about a year ago to discuss a couple publishing projects they needed to work on for an organization for youth they founded and run. In the course of the conversation Bill mentioned off-handedly that he had written a manuscript (with more than a little help from Janet) of his experience with a … witch … who he had invited to live in his home in order to help her … okay.
Suffice it to say I watched Bill just a little more closely to see what kind of guy he really was. What I noticed then and have seen confirmed over and over in the subsequent year is that Bill is direct and honest to a fault. I took the manuscript home and was transfixed – and terrified. That’s the first thing I would say about The Day Satan Called – it is a well-written, fast-paced, entertaining, and incredibly scary story. Bill seems to take you to the edge of the cliff at the end of every chapter. About the time you think what he lived through couldn’t get worse – it does.
I’m not going to give away any spoilers, but I’ll note that the book has a totally unexpected ending. The story is great but it is Bill’s observations that make this book special. In the process of looking back at how things started and ended, Bill asks and answers some poignant questions about demon possession: is it related to multiple personality disorder (MPD) – sometimes? All of the time? How much of what is called demon possession is someone’s personal fantasy or even a con game? Or both? How prevalent is demon possession in our society and how concerned should we be? With all the temptations in the world that seem to work so well with so many, why would Satan even bother with “possessing” some people? Can a Christian be demon possessed – or in the case of a person suffering from MPD, can one personality be redeemed and another personality be possessed?
I mentioned that Bill is honest and direct. He doesn’t claim to know all the answers to those and other questions, but he does a great job of presenting what happened to him – even the parts that are personally embarrassing that he’d rather forget – and reaffirming the scripture: “You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4).
