The Real-life Exorcist

The Sunday Age

Sunday October 16, 2005

Luke Benedictus

Byron Miller never intended to become an exorcist. But nine years ago he was sitting on a park bench in Sydney when a distressed woman suddenly approached him. According to Miller, the woman said: "Please sir, can you help me. I'm possessed by spirit guides. Originally I thought they were my friends. But now they want me to kill my father."

Despite being a devout Christian, Miller knew nothing about exorcism, so he studied the Bible for instruction. And since that first paranormal encounter, the 60-year-old pensioner from Launceston reckons he's performed about a dozen exorcisms around Australia, including one to remove a poltergeist ("an extremely violent spirit") that was terrorising a woman in the Melbourne suburb of Noble Park.

"Exorcisms are not really at all like they're portrayed in the movies," Miller says over the telephone. "I take the person's hand in mine and have a sort of joint prayer to exorcise the demon. I'll generally say something like, 'In the name of Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of God, I command you to leave this woman!' Then there's a pause and the person will usually say, 'It's gone'.

"Sometimes there's a small reaction. One time a woman was carrying on and moaning and then vomited all over me and fainted. But that was the most extreme one."

Miller claims he can instinctively tell by looking into a person's eyes whether they're afflicted by malevolent spirits rather than, say, mental illness. But other telltale symptoms can also emerge.

"There's a very deep voice that comes from some people during the act of exorcism," he says. "Several of them have spoken with this same very forceful, deep, gruff voice. But sometimes the exorcism is completely silent and just takes place in a very spiritual way."

The retired fisherman concedes that not all his exorcisms have been successful. To cast out the Devil, it is essential for the victim to open their heart to the Christian message. "Some people actually like this feeling (of being possessed) because they like the feeling of power," he says. "It's impossible to carry out an exorcism on an atheist or on someone who didn't want me to do it."

Yet he insists the torment of other victims is disturbingly clear. "One woman was induced to tear the flesh from her body, pulling off her skin because this was instructed by her spirit guide."

Miller refuses to accept any payment for his exorcisms. He insists that any credit should be attributed to the power of the Lord. Most people learn of his services through word of mouth, but Miller admits that he's also been approached at random on a number of occasions.

"People say there's some sort of glow about me, like a white aura, that induces people to tell me their problems. But I don't take any notice of that," he says, chuckling at the mere thought of such preposterous mumbo-jumbo.