"Now the Spirit
speaketh expressly that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith,
giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils" (1 Tim. 4:1).
Just as a child reaches for its mother for help, so does man
instinctively reach toward God — especially during the trying moments in life.
In God he sees his Heavenly Father, who wishes him well and who can even
perform the impossible. The Lord Jesus Christ promised: "Ask and it
will be given to you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it will be opened
unto you" (Matt. 7:7). God answers him who asks for something really
necessary, such as: strengthening of faith, learning how to pray, attainment of
the Holy Spirit, physical recovery, help in work, improvement of family ties, children's
welfare, etc. God accepts pleas from all who address Him with sincere faith and
hope.
Besides the fact that prayer attracts God's help
to us, it is also remarkable in that it assists in man's inner growth. This is
because prayer is not a monologue but a conversation
in which God illuminates with the Holy Spirit the soul of the one who prays to
Him. Illuminating man's inner being, God teaches him to seek not only that
which is material and temporal but alsoprimarily that which is everlasting and
truly precious. Man, while conversing with God in prayer, realizes that God is
the highest and mightiest Being, who must be worshipped with reverence and
love, who may not be manipulated as some blind force. Thus, sincere prayers
that come as a result of various deeply felt personal needs, help in the moral improvement and inner growth of
man and lead him toward the highest blessing — the Kingdom of Heaven.
In full contrast to such steadfast devotion,
founded on faith and obedience to God, there emerges an unhealthy "black
spirituality" of the occult. Here also there is an element of the
supernatural and a search for help, but it is sought not from the Creator but
from some dubious spirits or from some mysterious nonmaterial forces. If a
steadfast faith in God ennobles man, then an unhealthy faith in the occult
cripples him spiritually. This unhealthy faith is directed toward all that is
earthly, trivial, and sinful. The purpose of this preoccupation with the occult
is strictly utilitarian: to find out secrets, to attain worldly acclaim, to win
someone's love, to strengthen one's health, to draw up bioenergy in order to
enhance one's potential, to take revenge on an enemy, or simply to
"play" with the mysterious. Many are drawn by the fact that all this
is attainable without any physical strain or the breaking of civil laws.
If turning to God awakens man's conscience and
rouses him to repentance and reform, occult knowledge, in contrast, does not
bind him with any moral obligations: just take and enjoy! The main attraction
for the occult seems to be in the apparent freedom from any moral obligations.
As we shall see later, the spirits of the nether world are anything but
unselfish, and sooner or later man will pay dearly for any services rendered by
them. It is only at first that everything seems rewarding and easy.
Occultism is as old as mankind. In Paradise the
tasting of the forbidden fruit was man's first attempt at receiving
extraordinary knowledge and talents by means of the occult (see Genesis ch. 3).
Sorcerers, shamans, spiritualists, and so forth have always existed, although
covertly in most societies. Significantly, our era is witnessing a much
increased popularization and passion for various forms of the occult, confirmed
by a whole series of serious contemporary investigations. The booklets The
Facts on the Occult and The Facts on Spirit Guides by John Ankerberg
and John Weldon (Harvest House Publishers, Eugene, OR, 1991) gathered together
information from many such studies in the United States referred to and quoted
here and provide further details on some of the topics discussed below.
Thus, Mircea Eliade, a well-known scholar, remarks
in his book Occultism, Witchcraft and Cultural Fashions: "As a
historian of religions, I cannot fail but be impressed by the amazing
popularity of witchcraft in modern Western culture and its subcultures.
However, the contemporary interest in witchcraft is only part and parcel of a
larger trend, namely, the vogue of the occult and the esoteric" (The
University Press, Chicago, 1976). Under the influence of the present day belief
system known as the "New Age," thousands of people in the United
States profess themselves to be "channelers" (mediums) and
"psychics." Millions turn to them for counsel and services while
being captivated by their writings. Some of these channelers are well known in
artistic and entertainment circles. In Europe, Canada, Brazil, Russia, and
elsewhere, there is also a noticeable increase in the interest in the
nether-world. Occult ideas have even begun to infiltrate serious sciences like
psychology, medicine, philosophy, and archeology. Pseudo-Christian sects spread
ancient occult ideas disguised in pseudoscientific and Christian terminology.
The New Age sections in many bookstores are larger than those devoted to
Christianity.
Dr. Walter R. Martin, an eminent expert on cults
in America, confirms that at least sixty percent of Americans observe occult
practices or profess an interest in the occult in one form or another. There
exist at least 3,000 occult books and magazines, and even traditional magazines
that, though having no real interest in this area, nevertheless print articles
regarding occult ideas, astrological signs, curing by means of crystals, and so
on. In Russia as well, the passion with the occult is taking on epidemic
proportions. These sad facts point to a socio-spiritual degeneration and are an
indication of the nearing of the Second Coming of Christ (1 Tim. 4:1).
The word occultism is derived from the
Latin occultus, meaning something hidden and inaccessible to most. In
the sphere of the occult are included various unexplainable phenomena and acts
which set into motion mysterious non-physical forces. Preoccupation with the
occult strives for the following goals: 1) to acquire knowledge inaccessible
through normal physical means, 2) to make contact with souls or supernatural
forces, and 3) to learn how to manipulate these spirits or forces. The
following is a partial summary of occult teachings and occupations: fortune
telling, astrology, chiromancy (palmistry), chimerology (hallucinations),
theosophy (based on the society of Elena Blavatskaya), kabbala, anthroposophy,
spiritualism, astral travels (also known as astral projection or out-of-body
travel), several varieties of mysticism, transcendental meditation, mediumism
or channeling, yoga, telesthetic (unconventional) healing, healing by
biofeedback, ritualistic coding, shamanism, sorcery, and all forms of white and
black magic.
Presently, great popularity is being gained by the
essentially occult New Age movement, which has incorporated into itself many of
the more ancient occult teachings. In addition, a number of contemporary sects
and cults have either originated through the influence of the spirits or carry
within themselves elements of the occult and make use of occult practices.
Among them we should count: the Anthroposophical Society, the American
Meditation Society, the Baha’i Faith, the Children of God (Family of Love),
Christian Science, the Church of Latter-Day Saints (the Mormons), the Eckankar
movement, the Universal Society of Hare Krishnas, the Rosicrucian Fellowship,
the Self-Realization Fellowship, the Spiritualists National Movement, the
Theosophical Society, the Transcendental Meditation movement, the Unification
Church, the Vedanta Society, the Watchtower Society (Jehovah’s Witnesses), and
Zen Buddhism — to name just a few.
What motivates the enlightened people of the 20th
century to turn toward such unscientific and doubtful occupations as the
summoning of spirits? The answer is that science and materialism alone cannot
satisfy all the questions posed by modern man. Something in each of us thirsts
and seeks after higher, spiritual answers to the principal questions, such as:
what do we live for? Are there other worlds and other more complex forms of
existence? What awaits us after death? Are there nonphysical forces which can
help us to overcome the laws of physics and attain lasting happiness? And so
people living in ignorance or simply ignoring Christian teachings turn to the
esoteric.
These esoteric cults claim that they know the
answers to the fundamental questions of existence and can open the paths to
nonphysical forces. But their answers are false and the methods disastrous. The
most frightening thing is the fact that they smother the fear of God in man and
the sense of responsibility for his acts. The fallen spirits joyously tell the
novice occultist that there is no judgment by God or everlasting torment, but
on the contrary, that everything in the afterlife is easy and pleasant. So
enrich yourself with knowledge and absorb the power given you. Truly, sometimes
as a result of occult practices a person may develop unusual capabilities:
telepathy, clairvoyance, the ability to heal by "biofeedback," the
ability to move objects without touching them (telekinesis), etc. However, as
we shall see, these capabilities are not self-developed in man, but come to him
through the assistance of the unclean
spirits, and that is the reason they are so menacing and harmful. True,
in order not to scare off a naive novice, demons cleverly conceal their
presence and present themselves as harmless roving spirits or as impersonal
nonphysical energy, spread out in the cosmos or hidden within man himself. Now
we shall examine and answer these claims of the occultists.
a) The nature of occult
spirits
Communication with the spirits is realized either
through spiritualism or through mediums. The history of invoking spirits
(spiritualism) goes back to antiquity. It is mentioned in the Bible as being a
sinful practice forbidden by God: "Regard not those who have familiar
spirits, neither seek after wizards to be defiled by them: I am the Lord your
God" (Lev. 19:31). "And the soul that turneth after such as
have familiar spirits and after wizards to go a whoring after them, I will even
set My face against that soul and will cut him off from among his people"
(Lev. 20:6). "A man also or woman who hath a familiar spirit, or who is
a wizard, shall surely be put to death. They shall stone them with stones:
their blood shall be upon them" (Lev. 20:27).
During a spiritualistic seance, the spirit
emanates either in the form of a ghost or through its reaction on various
objects, such as by moving a plate, rapping on a table, or moving a pointer
(Ouija board). In mediumistic seances, the medium in a state of trance gives up
his body to the control of the spirit, which in turn enters the individual,
takes possession of his organs and performs through him various actions and
makes various predictions or revelations. The New Age in particular is
popularizing this second form of communication with the spirits (or
"forces"), referring to it as channeling (from "channel,"
to conduct or guide). In some instances, as the medium (channeler) goes into a
trance, his facial muscles and lips begin to twitch unwillingly. When the
spirit totally possesses the medium, the rhythm of his respiration changes, as
does his facial expression, to the extent that the medium sometimes becomes
totally unrecognizable. The voice changes as well; for example, a feminine
voice may become deep and masculine. Coming out of the trance, the medium
cannot remember what took place or what he said in his mediumistic state. At
first the spirit cannot enter the medium without his consent, and it is
necessary that the medium himself invite the spirit. However, after repeated
mediumistic seances, possession by the spirit can happen involuntarily, in a
spontaneous manner, with the medium becoming subject to the spirit.
It is obvious that among spiritualists and mediums
there exist charlatans, although there also exist a great number who are quite
accomplished and who truly communicate with beings of the nether world and receive
from them information and abilities unavailable to others. A large number of
ordinary channelers and spiritualists are unaware how crafty and dangerous
those beings are in whom they place their confidence. These are far from
harmless, roving spirits or impersonal forces of nature. On the contrary, there
is consistent evidence from many accomplished mediums and shamans that the
spirits with whom they deal consciously attempt to deceive them. They pretended
to be benevolent in order to more easily possess and harm them. Furthermore, as
Satprem, a student of the occult and of the Hindu guru (teacher) Sri Aurobindo,
wrote: "The spirits can take any form they wish" (Satprem, Sri
Aurobindo, or the Adventure of Consciousness, NY, Harper and Row, 1974).
Robert Monroe vividly described an event in which,
during one of his "astral" travels, he was viciously attacked by two
evil spirits. At one point in the fray, he panicked and desperately attempted
to remove himself from the torment. As he looked at them, they instantaneously
turned into the images of his two daughters, attempting to throw him off
balance emotionally in his fight against them. "The moment I realized the
trick, the two no longer appeared to be my daughters… However I got the
impression that they were both amused, as if there was nothing I could do to
harm them. By this time I was sobbing for help" (Journeys out of the
Body, Garden City, NY, Anchor Books, 1973).
The noted medium Emanuel Swedenborg, who had
dedicated himself to communication with spirits and who was acclaimed by many
as an expert in questions regarding the occult, attests to the fact that
spirits with whom spiritualists and mediums deal are so cunning and lying that
it is impossible for anyone appealing to them to establish their true personality
and intentions. These spirits are excellent actors masquerading under the guise
of dead souls. Swedenborg warns novice occultists with the following words:
"When the spirits begin to speak with a man, he ought to be aware that he
believes nothing whatever from them; for they say almost anything. Things are
fabricated by them, and they lie … They would tell so many lies and indeed with
solemn affirmation … if a man listens and believes they press on, and deceive,
and seduce in many ways ... Let men beware therefore and not believe an iota of
what they say" (A Compendium of the Theological Writings of Emanuel
Swedenborg, NY, Swedenborg Foundation, 1977).
We hear the same affirmation from Uri Geller,
known for his ability to twist spoons and knives by means of telepathy. He and
his mentor, parapsychologist Andrija Puharich, MD, often experienced uneasy
feelings in their dealings with spirits, noting a somewhat odd and suspicious
behavior in themselves. Both occultists were convinced repeatedly that the
spirits conducted themselves ambiguously, as though toying with them (Andrija
Puharich, Uri, NY, Bantam, 1975). Similar uneasy feelings have been
experienced by other accomplished spiritualists and mediums.
Consequently, if the spirits in touch with an
occultist lie, is it not clear
they are not good angels and
servants of God? Neither could they be souls of the dead, since, according to
Sacred Scripture, souls are not allowed to roam the world freely. On the
contrary, after a person's death, God assigns his soul to a specific place,
heaven or hell, in which the soul must reside until the Great Judgment Day:
"And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the
judgment" (Heb. 9:27). Therefore, if the spirits of the occultists are
not angels nor are they the souls of the departed, then, as the last
alternative, they are spirits subject to the one about whom the Savior said
that "he is a liar and the father of lies" (John 8:44) — that
is, of satan. It follows, therefore, that spiritualists and channelers who rely
on the spirits of the nether world place themselves and others in great danger
(as will be explained later). It is difficult to understand how people who
would never trust a stranger so naively place themselves under the control of
nether world beings, about whom they know nothing, and who are professional
liars.
b) Is spiritual energy
impersonal?
Let us now examine a second popular opinion, that
through some occult practices one can activate the nonphysical energy which is
either spread throughout the cosmos or is hidden in one’s self. This opinion is
especially enticing to the contemporary skeptic, who acknowledges neither God
nor the spiritual world. He gets excited that through his wish alone he can put
in motion a powerful nonmaterial energy and force it to work for him. In
anticipation of the existence of impersonal nonphysical forces, there has
arisen a series of contemporary occult theories saturated with quasi-scientific
terminology which are offered to the reader in the form of practical recipes
for all occasions in life.
The great success of these occult ideas is due to
the fact that the people who are seeking are spiritually uneducated and yet
seem somehow to discover a new world where everything that until then was
mysterious and impossible suddenly becomes understandable and attainable. There
is nothing to be afraid of and no one before whom to tremble — everything is
simple and able to be realized by him who has learned to manipulate nonphysical
forces.
Note: A special danger to spiritual health is
represented by that school of the occult which advises a method for opening the
fountain of energy within man himself. According to this teaching, every
person, having adapted to himself a specific technique, can develop in himself
great receptivity to the outer and inner world, to save and reestablish health
in himself and others, to learn how to be connected up to any information, to
open the third eye, to perform astral travels, to learn to unveil his chakras
(a Sanskrit word relating to the energy centers of the human auric
(atmospheric) field corresponding to the human endocrine system). Having opened
the chakra with the help of special methods in order to free psychic energies
that offer boundless possibilities, the claim is that a person can be placed on
a par with the gods — possessing clairvoyance, telepathy, telekinesis, and so
forth. Nevertheless, the masters themselves in this field warn that the opening
of the bio-forces in oneself bears serious consequences. A detailed examination
of this topic goes beyond the scope of this article. We shall indicate only
that people who are occupied in opening the chakras within themselves sometimes
irreparably damage their psyche.
Curiously enough, the very spirits which operate
"in the wings" of contemporary quasi-scientific, occult experiments,
are never insulted by the fact that channelers ignore their labors and silence
their merits. On the contrary, the spirits willingly hide behind faceless
nonphysical forces, since in this manner they can attain their primary goal:
enslavement. And they are very successful in this, since their own prince, the
devil, is a many faced and deceptive demagogue. To a person with intellectual
inquiries he says: "I shall give you supernatural knowledge," and to
a person with mystical tendencies: "I shall open up to you the mysteries
of existence." To the person who thirsts for authority, he promises fame
and power; to the person who is seeking worldly happiness, he promises all the
blessings of life; and to the unbeliever he shouts: "I don't exist. I am a
fiction!"
Therefore, having enticed a person with what he
treasures most, the devil takes him further and further from God, until he is
dropped into the bottomless pit. Thanks to his ability to adapt himself to the
thoughts of a person, the devil has been able to deceive modern man with
ancient, occult, fairy tales set in quasi-scientific terminology. Thus, even in
our time there has arisen a branch of science, parapsychology, which studies
and tries to scientifically explain the ancient practices of shamans and
mediums.
However, there remains the main question: does
there exist a nonphysical, morally impersonal energy, and if so, what is its
nature? In order to answer these question, one must take into consideration
that any energy or force, either material or spiritual, is intimately related
to the source that generates it.
Thus for instance, no physical energy or field (electromagnetic or
gravitational, for example) exists "by itself" but emanates from
definite atomic or subatomic particles. And since these physical particles are
impersonal, the forces which emanate from them are also impersonal and
therefore are morally neutral. Similarly, spiritual energy and spiritual forces
do not exist "on their own" but emanate from spiritual beings. And
since the spiritual beings (angels, people, demons) are individuals, the energy emanating from them is, it follows,
colored by their moral state — good or bad. Experienced psychics understand
this very well and therefore try to guard themselves against moral infection.
In the world we live in there is black and white,
and there are shades of gray, as well; there is light and darkness, and there
is twilight, as well. However, at each point in empty space there is no
twilight, only total light or total darkness. Similarly, in the world of
spirits there is no morally undefined state. Spirits (in contrast to people)
are simple beings: they can be either totally good (angels), or totally evil
(demons). Accordingly, in the spirit world there exist only two states:
paradise or hell. There is no intermediate, neutral state. Having understood
this, we must agree that the force (energy) emanating from God and the angels
is always benevolent and draws toward good, but the force (energy) emanating
from the demons is always evil and pushes toward evil. Having two thousand
years of spiritual experience the Orthodox Church has established this fact
quite unambiguously. The force emanating from God, or rather "non-created
Godly energy" (in the words of St. Gregory Palamas) enlightens and
enlivens the soul. "Lord, it is good for us to be here" cried
the disciples, when on Mount Tabor the divine light enlightened them (Mt.
17:1-13).
However, people are much more complicated than
simple spirits (angels and demons). That is why people can pass some of the
time in a morally undefined state and are capable of wavering between good and
evil. Due to the fact that in man there is a moral uncertainty and an
inconsistency, the good and evil in him most of the time neutralize each other,
leaving his spiritual energy weak and ineffective in comparison to the energy
of simple spirits. This is similar, for instance, to the charge balance of a
chemical compound that comes about from the sharing of electrons between
positively and negatively charged molecules. In the spiritual world, there do
not exist any morally neutral, nonphysical forces, because they always emanate
from morally definite beings, angels or demons. Therefore, every time a person
comes in contact with energy that is being exuded by these beings, he will
experience a pull either toward good or evil.
Note: Of course, the fountainhead of all types
of energy is God, who is good. However, the fallen angels have polluted the
energy they have received, as well as all other gifts given to them by the
Creator.
Consequently, the occultists are mistaken
regarding the neutrality and safety of the nonphysical force. Since neither God
nor His angels allow themselves to be manipulated, the demons are the ones who
come willingly to the service of the occultists. Therefore, they dispense to
the occultists the needed energy. But they do not do this unselfishly. On the
contrary, they loan their energy with the purpose of receiving it back with a
good return. Sorcerers, witches, satanists and many accomplished occultists are
well aware of this but keep it in secret. Let us examine some remarks from a
few specialists.
Professor Michael Harner has been a visiting
professor at both Columbia University and Yale and teaches anthropology at the
New School for Social Research in New York. He authored the book The Way of
the Shaman (NY, Bantam, 1986). His research in the field of occultism
brought him to the conviction that the basic fountain of shamanistic energy
emanates from the world of spirits. "Without a guiding spirit it is
virtually impossible to be a shaman, for the shaman must have this strong,
basic power source …"
Some Hindu and Buddhist gurus (teachers) openly
acknowledge that their energy comes from the world of spirits. Idries Shah
remarks, for example, that "Gurus on their own do not possess
extraordinary spiritual power. They receive it from the spirits. To the gurus
belongs solely the ability of concentration" (Oriental Magic, NY,
E.P. Dutton, 1973). In the book The Adventures into the Psychic, Jess
Stearn, a long time investigator of parapsychological manifestations, makes the
following observation: "Almost without exception all of the great mediums
… felt that they were instruments of a higher power which flowed through them.
They did not presume to have the power themselves" (NY, Signet, 1982).
However much the occultists may want to be praised
for their overwhelming capabilities, they are nevertheless obliged to
acknowledge that in reality spirits from the other side work through them. For
instance, referring to the parapsychological investigation by Lawrence LeShah,
who studied a series of Western and Eastern psychic healers, Charles Panati
writes the following: "But if the healers he studies had one thing in
common, it was that they all felt that they did not perform the healing
themselves; a 'spirit' did it working through them. They felt they were merely
passive agents... All the healers he studied slipped into altered states of
consciousness in order to heal" (Supersenses, Garden City, NY,
Anchor/Doubleday, 1976).
One of the most concise reports regarding the
question of psychic healing can be found in the collection called Healers
and the Healing Process. In a ten-year investigation in which many
specialists participated, it was found that "Any study of healers
immediately brings the investigator face to face with the concept that spirit
intelligences (variously referred to as guides, controls, or protectors) are
working through the minds of healers to supply information of which the healer
himself has no conscious knowledge" (Wheaton, IL, Theosophical Quest, 1977).
This investigation also concluded that abnormal healing is more widespread in
countries where spiritualism and belief in spirits is popular.
Consequently it has been established that
regardless of the terminology used, occultists enter into contact with real
fallen spirits who supply them with knowledge and nonphysical energy.
c) The fruits of occult
practices
We have already discussed the proposition that
these spirits are neither angels nor the souls of the dead, but are rather
demons. The consequences brought about through association with these spirits
will convincingly show them to be demons. This is the most fail-safe method of
investigating spirit apparitions, to which the Savior Himself pointed in
saying: "Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from
thorns, or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bringeth forth good
fruit, but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit" (Matt. 7:16-17).
Here, then, the many cited facts from those who occupied themselves with occult
convinces us of the following: a) that the spirits prod people who deal with
them into all possible kinds of sins
and crimes and b) that they damage
their health and cripple their lives.
It is established that those involved in occult
activities sooner or later begin to manifest psychic or psychological abnormalities;
many fall into depression or are driven to alcohol and narcotic abuse. M. Lamar
Keene spent thirteen years among professional mediums. In his public confession
he wrote that all the mediums he knew, either personally or through others,
ended their lives tragically. The Fox sisters, for example, ended their lives
as hopeless drunkards. William Slade, who was famous for reading minds, became
mad and died in a Michigan insane asylum. The medium Margery died as a hopeless
drunkard. Wherever he looked, the same picture presented itself: mediums
invariably ended their pitiful existence with an even more pitiful death. He
was totally crushed by the whole mediumistic syndrome — by the deceit,
commonplace depravity, thoughtless drunkenness, and narcotic dependency (The
Psychic Mafia).
Besides all else, by disclosing their evil and
sadistic nature, the spirits torture in various ways those whom they help. They
do this slyly, in order not to frighten their prey ahead of time — slowly and
shrewdly they increase the suffering. A person practicing the occult begins to
experience a higher state of nervousness and physical indisposition, becomes
subject to incomprehensible damage and various unpleasantries, at times
experiencing unfounded terror, and begins to consider suicide. When he finally
realizes that it is the spirits who are directing all these misfortunes against
him, he attempts to rid himself of them and stop his occult activity. It is
then that the spirits double their rage and smother him in a sea of greater
misfortunes in order to frighten him and force him to return to them. By
tightening and loosening the reins, they gradually enslave the occultist
completely and in the end destroy him.
This observation is substantiated by Dr. Nandor
Fodor, the author of the well-documented Encyclopedia of Psychic Science:
"Curiously enough, mediumism, if suppressed, will manifest in symptoms of
disease … Once the practices are accepted, the disease disappears"
(Secaucus, NJ, Citadel, 1974). The renowned psychic Edgar Cayce is a clear
illustration of this. Joseph Millard writes that in fact he was a pitiful
marionette of the forces of the other side (Edgar Cayce: Mystery Man of
Miracles, Greenwich, CT, Faucett, 1967). An earlier medium, Raphael Gasson,
wrote the following from personal experience: "Many have suffered greatly
because they started investigating into this thing [mediumism], and have
eventually been brought to distraction when they have attempted to free
themselves from it. Homes have been broken up, suicide and lunacy have
afflicted those who were once in it, and have dared to seek deliverance from
its power. Those who have found that deliverance, give thanks to God for His
grace and mercy" (The Challenging Counterfeit, Plainfield, NJ,
Logos, 1966).
Spiritist and guru Sri Chinmoy, a spiritual
counselor at the United Nations, comments that many sorcerers and others having
dealings with spirits were strangled or otherwise killed. He was personally
familiar with several such occurrences (Astrology, the Supernatural and
Beyond, Jamaica, NY, Angi Press, 1973). Professor Koch, who dedicated so
many years to the study of abnormal apparitions, confirms that among those who
occupy themselves with the occult there exist a high percent of suicides,
tragic injuries and madness. He and many other specialists in the field of
parapsychology affirm that extended preoccupation with the occult invariably
ruins the physical well-being of a person, as if a certain inner vampire were
sucking the strength of the occultist.
People fall into the snares of the occult because
they fail to see the danger. At first everything seems pleasant and easy.
Malachi Martin in his book Hostage to the Devil describes the fate of a
certain "Carl," an accredited psychologist with a degree in physics and
a keen interest in religion and parapsychology. Carl amazed his friends with
his preternatural psychic abilities. Following his "calling," he
seriously studied teachings regarding reincarnation and astral travel.
Progressively, as he comprehended these occult sciences, more and more horizons
were opened to him. Carl was both knowledgeable and careful. He was convinced
that his research would be of benefit to science and mankind. Having received a
professorship at a Midwestern university in the United States, he continued to
experiment in the area of parapsychological and mystic manifestations. However,
he slowly began to notice some negative changes in his character and mood.
Later he began to be troubled by a feeling of distrust and even fear toward the
spirits with whom he was interacting. And so Carl came to the conclusion that
it was imperative to change the fundamental method of his research and to
repudiate his original theses. At this time he became paralyzed and, falling
into an incoherent state, he was taken to a hospital. After some eleven months
of intensive therapy and exorcism, accompanied by prayers from family and
friends, Carl recuperated. After leaving the hospital, he renounced all that he
had attained in the area of parapsychology and discovered the mystery of his
illness, that he had vaingloriously and freely given himself up to an evil
spirit. Although the spirit came to him under the guise of perfecting him, and
helping him to help others, he knew all the time that in reality the spirit was
evil.
Nevertheless, in spite of the fact that so many
have suffered from their activities in the occult and that there are so many
documented facts relating to the danger of occultism, a multitude of people
continue to hold on to the myth that the occult is inoffensive charlatanism or
an innocent pastime or even a positive spiritual quest. It is none of the
three. The opinion that besides the "dangerous" form there exists a
"benign" form of occultism is also false. Some hope that with proper
precaution one can derive some benefit from the occult. Unfortunately, all data
point to the fact that in any form of occult activity something negative and
destructive "adheres" to the person, from which he cannot rid himself
without help from above. This being from the nether world begins to manipulate
the person's fate and pushes him deeper and deeper into the occult quagmire.
It's like the contraction of AIDS. This virus,
once it enters the system, "tricks" the healthy cells into believing
that it is a "good" entity, so the cells let down their defenses and
"accept" the invader. Only when it is inside is the virus discovered
to be a "Trojan horse," an invading parasite which begins the process
of destroying its host. Of course, the infected one can live a normal life for
several years and may not even suspect that his days are numbered. Only in the
final stages of this illness does the existence of this total destruction
become evident. However, it is then too late! The occult will kill spiritually
just as effectively as AIDS will kill physically.
There is another factor which, although extremely
important, is not mentioned in the scientific studies of the occult. It is the
vile theomachistic (God-fighting) nature of occult spirits: an
unexplainable aversion to God
and all other holy things experienced by a person after having received from
the occultists any form of "help." To a person of faith, a sudden
change in his spiritual frame of mind is especially perceptible. After he
receives help from either a practitioner of ESP or an occultist, he loses the
desire to pray, read the Holy Scripture, go to church, take Communion, seek the
help and advice of the clergy, and so on. This aversion is generally in
proportion to the energy received through occult measures. Repeated
transactions with the occult put a person in a theomachistic (God-fighting)
frame of mind.
Prof. Koch tells of the following event. In a
certain Thai village there lived a Christian native who was an active member of
his church. After hurting his hand, there developed on it a pus filled wound.
In that tropical climate the infection started to spread very quickly, and soon
thereafter a part of the hand became covered with a near black lesion. However,
since the nearest doctor was quite far, this Christian tried to cure his hand
with home remedies. Finally, when the gangrene reached almost to the shoulder,
he went to the doctor and was told amputation of the hand was imperative;
otherwise he would die from the gangrene. In a panic the Thai exclaimed, "What
will I do with only one hand? Who will do my planting and gathering of
rice?" Being seized with great agitation, he suddenly remembered an old
Hindu who treated people with some kind of mysterious power. Even though he
knew that Christians should not turn to sorcerers, his desperate situation
pushed him to go to the Hindu for help. It seems that this Hindu was far from
being a charlatan, and his magical powers accomplished the impossible. The
puss-filled inflammation was checked, and the hand was saved. Soon after
receiving help from the sorcerer, the villager stopped going to church and
returned to the pagan faith of his ancestors. Thus, for his hand he paid with
his soul (Occult Bondage and Deliverance, Kregel Publications, Grand
Rapids, MI, 1970).
Further on, Prof. Koch states that the most
powerful sorcerer that he ever met was an Eskimo shaman, Alualuk. His occult
powers were so strong that he even resurrected several dead pagans, one of whom
lived another ten years after his return to life. However, this same shaman,
having been enlightened by a certain preacher, began to believe in Christ and
was baptized, after which he lost all his powers. When Koch became interested
in the power with which he performed his miracles, the once-practicing shaman stated
categorically: "Demonic of course!", adding that his power did not
extend to practicing and believing Christians.
In our time the danger of occult participation has
increased greatly because very often it presents itself as a religious and even
Christian activity. Traditionally, occultism has not covered up its
antichristian bent. Today, from practicing psychics and other occultists, you
can even hear suggestions such as to go and be baptized, spend some time in
church, receive Communion, and drink some holy water. Some of those psychics
even call upon the name of God during their seances, read prayers, and make the
sign of the cross, thus giving the impression that God's power works through
them. This is all a terrible hoax! All forms of the occult, regardless of the
cover up, remain, by their very nature, irreligious.
Truly, all the basic indications of the occult
present in contemporary, "Christianized" extrasensory seances are
that these are attempts to manipulate the
supernatural powers for the sake of covetous gains. Religion demands submission
to the Creator, faith, repentance, moral improvement, aspiration toward heaven
and a selfless service toward good. In the occult, the object is to absorb a
"bright energy," to achieve worldly success, to gain knowledge of
mysteries, and so forth. All this is without moral obligations to God. A person
who is pursuing the occult is not seeking Christ when he goes to church, but a
bioenergy. While gazing at the icons, he does not see God, but rather a
fountain of nutrition. He selfishly stretches out his hands toward holy items
in order to "recharge" himself for his unholy deeds, with which to
mock the greatness of the Creator.
What do these psychics say about themselves? Let
us turn to the statement of Uri Tarasov entitled "I am a sorcerer of the
fourth generation." In answer to the question of a correspondent who
wrote, "I gathered that you performed sorcery over a patient with [a bone
disease] with the help of your biofeedback, manual therapeutics, and psychotherapy.
This is well known. We are acquainted with some representatives of holistic
medicine. Are you one of these characters? Then whence is the sorcery?"
Tarasov replied, "The answer is in your question. Why do I not call myself
a psychic? Because a psychic achieves primarily a tenth of what a mediocre
slight-of-hand sorcerer has mastered. The same can be said of hypnotists,
warlocks, psychotherapists. Each of these capabilities… is only the tip of the
iceberg." This was said with the utmost frankness. This is the "tip
of the iceberg" whose foundation descends into the nether regions.
Because of the God-fighting nature of all types of occult practices, Sacred
Scripture strictly forbids participation in them. We present here a few
examples. "There shall not be found among you any one who maketh his
son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or who useth divination, or an
observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, or a charmer, or a consulter
with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For all who do these
things are an abomination unto the LORD, and because of these abominations the
LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee. Thou shalt be perfect with
the LORD thy God" (Deut. 18:10-13). "If there arise among you
a prophet or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder, and the
sign or the wonder come to pass whereof he spoke unto thee, saying, `Let
us go after other gods which thou hast not known, and let us serve them,' thou
shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams; for
the LORD your God is proving you to know whether ye love the LORD your God with
all your heart and with all your soul. . . that prophet or that dreamer of
dreams shall be put to death, because he hath spoken to turn you away from the
LORD your God" (Deut. 13:1-5).
Therefore, while a healthy religious life
enlightens and morally ennobles one, unhealthy pseudo-religious occult activity
morally cripples and destroys him. All forms of the occult without fail lead to
interaction with fallen souls. Even though at first these occupations bring
success in one's affairs and create an impression that they open before one
unlimited possibilities, in the final summation one has to pay dearly for
favors received from fallen souls. "For what is a man profited, if he
shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in
exchange for his soul?" (Matt. 16:26).
Addendum
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