The Shawn Ryan Show - Episode #266

Guest: Dr. Dan Schneider

"Ancient Weapons Used Against Demons: Vigils, Fasting and Prayer"

Date: December 29, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode dives deeply into the realities of spiritual warfare, exploring ancient and modern confrontations with demonic forces. Host Shawn Ryan welcomes Dr. Dan Schneider, scholar, exorcism team member, and author, to unravel how age-old Christian rituals—vigils, fasting, and prayer—remain powerful "ancient weapons" in the battle against evil. Together, they discuss the mechanics of generational curses, possessions, cursed objects, the reality behind the "old gods," Freemasonry, and the religious underpinnings of cultural decay.

Dr. Schneider draws on direct experience with deliverance and exorcism ministries, academic theology, Catholic tradition, and modern encounters. Through candid, gritty conversation, they address tough questions—Are demons real? How do spiritual curses propagate? Are celebrities and powerful people making pacts with the devil? Why is order, fasting, and authentic religious practice so effective? The content is weighty, at times unsettling, and deeply practical.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Opening & Framing the Conversation

[01:04 – 02:57]

• Dr. Schneider opens with a prayer for protection, underlining the seriousness of spiritual warfare.
• Shawn acknowledges both excitement and trepidation for the episode’s subject matter, anticipating revelations about "demons, spells, the old gods—all the stuff I’ve been wondering about."

2. Generational Curses & Spiritual Inheritance

[04:03 – 18:20]

• Generational Trauma vs. Curse:

  • Generational curses are not simply repeated bad behavior—there is a spiritual dimension, a legacy of the absence of blessing/protection when familial sin or disorder occurs.
  • Dr. Schneider distinguishes three kinds of curses: natural, preternatural (demonic), and generational.

• Mechanics of Generational Effects:

  • Grave familial sins (e.g., abuse) "open the door" for spiritual effects to pass down—children may not be guilty for their ancestor’s sin, but experience the consequences.
  • Quote:

    "The sin itself doesn't pass down. But the effect of the sin... the privation of the protection and provision that comes with blessing." (09:59 – Dr. Schneider)

• Breaking the Cycle:

  • Not deterministic; healing requires explicit penance, prayer, and sometimes fasting to break spiritual strongholds.
  • Practical essence: You "have to be the Jesus Christ in your family" to break it (17:42).

3. Practical Spiritual Weapons: Prayer, Fasting, Vigil

[18:20 – 44:25 & 35:58 – 44:25]

• “Ancient Weapons”:

  • Vigils, fasting, and prayer are the ancient Christian tactics still effective today.
  • Fasting disciplines the body, sharpens perception of spiritual reality, and reduces temptation.
  • Quote:

    "These are the ancient weapons. These are our armaments, our spiritual armament, our defenses. This is the body armor we put on." (36:05 – Dr. Schneider cites St. Cyprian)

• Order and Imposed Discipline:

  • Structured daily prayer, especially at 6, 12, and 6 (the Angelus), brings 'order' that repels diabolic chaos.

• Male Authority:

  • "Certain demons absolutely yield... crumble before male authority" (23:45).

4. Obsessions, Possession, and Demonic Entry

[44:25 – 51:26]

• How Demons Enter:

  • Repetitive, grave sin creates wounds (openings); more wounds, more opportunity for demonic influence.
  • Mortal sin is sufficient for possession, but God’s mercy and human repentance often delay full affliction.

• Demons Projecting Thoughts:

  • Demons project shame, negative thoughts, and manipulate memory and emotion patterns.

• Spiritual Realm Visibility:

  • If the veil was lifted, "our numbers would darken the sun" (48:41 – Father Amorth, as relayed by Dr. Schneider).

5. Role of Monastics, Virgins, & Spiritual Authority

[54:19 – 60:17]

• Hermits and cloistered nuns are likened to the "SEAL Teams of the Mystical Body," sustaining the spiritual battle through hidden prayer and sacrifice.
• The story of nuns' consecration draws parallel to military elite units—offering purity as a weapon against evil.

6. Origin and Nature of Spiritual Beings

[79:03 – 83:20]

• Angels & Demons Created Good:

  • Angels—each a unique species—were created on "day two", all good, then a third fell with Lucifer, becoming demons (see Revelation 12).

• Fallen Angels—Not Nephilim:

  • Dismissal of Book of Enoch and common misbeliefs that Nephilim or demons are hybrid offspring of angels and humans.

7. Hauntings, Ghosts vs. Demons, And Cursed Objects

[85:11 – 109:51]

• Place Infestation:

  • Most “hauntings” are demonic infestations, not "ghosts" (purging human souls).
  • Recounts of real cases with Chucky dolls, cursed rosaries, and Santa Muerte statues.

• Attachment:

  • Demons exploit emotional attachments to objects (e.g., childhood dolls) or places (e.g., murder scenes).

• Destruction of Cursed Items:

  • Ritual prayers (bless, burn, bury, or throw in running water) should be used.

• Notable Quote:

  "I would get rid of it... These things act. They carry the curse that came with them." (103:11 – Dr. Schneider)

8. Freemasonry, Generational Curses, and Clandestine Networks

[109:51 – 118:08; 126:05 – 135:50]

• Freemasonry’s Occult Influence:

  • Describes how Freemason rituals, regalia, and generational involvement often surface as major entry points for demonic oppression/curses.
  • Notable pattern: Family lineages involved with Freemasonry manifest repeated child abuse, disorders, sexual confusion.

• Breaking Curses through Male Authority:

  • Real-time demonstrations of fathers invoking authority via natural law to deliver family members from demonic torment.

• Quote:

  "I want you to say: In the name of Jesus Christ and by the authority given to me through natural law, I command you to leave my wife alone... and it goes away." (132:08 – Dr. Schneider)

9. The “Old Gods”: Baal, Moloch, Ishtar, and Modern Culture

[135:53 – 162:46]

• False Gods & Hierarchy of Demonic Principalities:

  • Baal (impurity), Asmodeus/Leviathan/Lilith (homosexuality, sexual deviation), Moloch (child sacrifice) reappear in every age, with different masks.
  • Not just mythology—these ancient gods are demonic powers seeking worship via human sin and sacrifice today.

• Ritual Sex, Power, and Modern Culture:

  • Ritualistic (and orgiastic) sex and child sacrifice are spiritual abominations against the image of God, desired by the demons for power and defilement.

• Notable Quote:

  "These old gods keep resurfacing... It begins with impurity, introduces homosexuality and after that, child sacrifice." (143:09 – Dr. Schneider)

• Modern Repackaging:

  • Satanic rituals, festivals, and even elements in pop culture (e.g., awards shows) echo these ancient themes, sometimes knowingly, sometimes as “useful idiots.”

10. Selling Souls, Celebrity Pacts, and Cultural Collapse

[189:06 – 207:06]

• Selling the Soul – Real or Myth?

  • Spiritual pacts with evil for power, fame, or talent are real—sometimes explicit, sometimes entered through incremental moral compromise, blackmail, or outright occult ritual.
  • Robert Johnson at the crossroads, rock stars, and Hollywood icons often reference this idea literally or symbolically.

• Is it reversible?

  • Yes, through repentance, prayer, and renunciation. “There’s nothing you’ve done that Jesus Christ cannot forgive.”

• Cultural Decline Mirrors Ancient Idolatry:

  • Sexual depravity and child sacrifice (abortion, ritual abuse) portend societal collapse, as in past empires.

11. Defensive Posture & Hope

[207:06 – End]

• Spiritual Combat Focus:

  • The focus should always be Christ first, overcoming evil by positive growth, not fixation on darkness.
  • Personal and familial order, daily prayer, fasting, and sacraments are the strongest defense.

• Quotable Conclusion:

  "I've read the Bible from beginning to end, and you know what? In the end, we win. We just have to keep fighting." (207:07 – Dr. Schneider)

• Ultimate Call:

  • “Look in the mirror—that’s the real battle. Change yourself and change your family. One at a time.”

Notable Quotes & Highlights

• [09:59] Dr. Schneider:
  "The sin itself doesn't pass down. But the effect of the sin... the privation of the protection and provision that comes with blessing."

• [23:45] Dr. Schneider:
  "Certain demons absolutely yield... crumble before male authority. Certain demons."

• [35:58] Dr. Schneider (St. Cyprian):
  "These [vigils, fasting, prayer] are our armaments... our body armor that we put on."

• [48:41] Dr. Schneider (Father Amorth):
  "If you could see our numbers, we would darken the sun."

• [103:11] Dr. Schneider:
  "I would get rid of it (Santa Muerte statuette)... These things act. They carry the curse that came with them."

• [132:08] Dr. Schneider:
  "In the name of Jesus Christ and by the authority given to me through natural law... I command you, leave my wife alone."

• [143:09] Dr. Schneider:
  "These old gods keep resurfacing... It begins with impurity, introduces homosexuality and after that, child sacrifice."

• [207:07] Dr. Schneider:
  "I've read the Bible from beginning to end, and you know what? In the end, we win. We just have to keep fighting."

Memorable Moments with Timestamps

• Opening Perimeter Prayer & Show Set (03:49):
  Dr. Schneider’s spiritual perimeter prayer, explaining its effectiveness and necessity when discussing evil.

• Explaining Spiritual Inheritance (09:59):
  Clear analogy of how sin’s effects pass down (drunk driver example).

• Demonic Interrogation & Exorcism Warfare (25:11 – 30:20):
  First-hand exorcism experience—pain for demons, tactics of discipline and confusion.

• Haunted House & Object Stories (101:03 – 109:51):
  Chilling recounting of real cursed object cases (Chucky dolls, Santa Muerte figurines) and protocols for neutralization.

• Confronting the Power Brokers (155:08 – 156:27):
  "Why do the powerful know about these old gods and not normal people?" Examination of occult power in celebrity and politics.

• Exposing Modern Rituals (177:08):
  Hollywood parties, ritualized sexual acts as mockery of the Eucharist.

• Final Exhortation & Spiritual Hope (212:13):
  "Don’t focus on the darkness. Focus on Christ. Be the best version of yourself. That’s how we win."

Timestamps for Key Sections

• Opening Prayer & Introduction: 01:04 – 02:57
• Generational Curses Explained: 04:03 – 18:20
• Ancient Weapons: Prayer & Fasting: 35:58 – 44:25
• Exorcism & Spiritual Tactics: 23:45 – 30:20
• Hauntings & Cursed Objects: 85:17 – 109:51
• Freemasonry & Curses: 109:51 – 118:08; 126:05 – 135:50
• Old Gods Hierarchy: 135:53 – 162:46
• Celebrity Pacts & Selling Souls: 189:06 – 207:06
• Final Reflection: 212:13 – End

The entire episode maintains a candid, warrior’s tone—earthy, direct, but deeply reverent regarding spiritual realities. Dr. Schneider and Shawn Ryan fuse real-world combat mindset with theological insight, offering a rare, actionable look behind the veil of “the war that never ends.”

For those seeking practical guidance, spiritual courage, or answers to hard questions about evil in the world, this episode is an unsparing, gripping resource.