Friday, May 13, 2016
Strange practices and religions such
as Wicca, Santeria, voodoo and channeling are growing in popularity. Are such
things harmless, or is there more to them than meets the eye?
As traditional Christianity has lost
its appeal for many people, growing numbers have sought to fill that vacuum in
their lives in other ways. Some turn to alternate religions popular in other
parts of the world. Some turn to witchcraft and pre-Christian paganism. Some
seek answers in the occult. A few even knowingly turn to Satanism and evil
spirits.
Some are simply curious; others are
very serious. But whether they recognize it or not, all are dabbling in dangers
that likely are well beyond their limited comprehension. That’s why these
dangers are often referred to as the occult—things that are secretive,
mysterious and concealed.
You’ve likely never directly seen
Satan or his demons, but certainly those familiar with the Bible recognize
their influence in this rapidly degenerating world. No wonder the Scriptures
describe Satan as “the god of this age” (2 Corinthians 4:4).
His influence is not new, but its
prevalence in modern society certainly is. What was once banned or very limited
in dealing with the dark spirit realm is now mostly out in the open. Satanism
is rampant in movies. And movements based on it, such as Wicca, Santeria,
voodoo and consultation with mediums, are thriving, especially with the young.
The apostle Paul tells us that we
should be wary of such practices, “lest Satan should take advantage of us, for
we are not ignorant of his devices” (2 Corinthians 2:11).
Wicca, Santeria And Voodoo
One of the fastest growing movements
in Western nations is Wicca, a modern version of witchcraft.
Wicca, from on an Old English word for
“witch”, incorporates many of the trappings of ancient British witchcraft
practices. Some, but not all, covens, or groups, practice casting spells,
divination and magic. Wicca is an umbrella group or movement that gathers under
its fold very different beliefs and practices—but is at its core a thinly
disguised type of old-fashioned witchcraft.
Santeria is a Caribbean religion
based on mixing African witchcraft with Roman Catholic beliefs—similar in many
ways to voodoo or pure African witchcraft. Its followers practice animal
sacrifices and perform feverish dancing during Santerian rituals that can lead
to possession of a person by an orisha
or “saint”. The individual then is said to speak and act as that “saint”. If
this is an actual spiritual experience, it is nothing more than demonic
possession.
All of these practices have this in
common: Satan is their originator, and they should be absolutely avoided. God,
who knows exactly how Satan and his demons work, emphatically warns us not to
have anything to do with them. He tells us to not “give the devil a foothold”
(Ephesians 4:27, NIV).
We should not consult with people
associated with these practices. God says: “There shall not be found among you
anyone who…practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens,
or a sorcerer, or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one
who calls up the dead. For all who do these things are an abomination to the Lord”
(Deuteronomy 18:10-12).
Mediums And Familiar Spirits
What about mediums and people who
use such things as tarot cards and Ouija boards to consult with the spirits?
Mediums—also sometimes called
“seers” or “clairvoyants”—are people who may be used by the fallen angels the
Bible calls demons. They might appear normal and helpful, but those who are not
charlatans (and many are) can genuinely have contact with deceitful spirits who
seek to attract and use human beings for their own evil purposes. For this
reason these evil angelic beings are called “deceiving spirits” in the Bible (1
Timothy 4:1).
They sometimes pose as the spirits
of the dead. Yet the Bible tells us that the living cannot communicate with the
dead. After a person dies, God is still involved with that person and his
destination. Hebrews 9:27 says so: “…Man is destined to die once, and after
that to face judgment”. If a person dies in Christ, he goes to heaven to be
present with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:1-9, especially verse 8); if a person
dies in his sin, he goes to hell, and eventually everyone in hell will be
thrown into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:14-15).
A person suffering in agony will not
be able to hear or answer a prayer, nor will a person who is living in heavenly
bliss with God. If the living try to communicate with someone who is in eternal
agony, should they expect him to be able to hear and answer them? Likewise,
would a person in heaven be concerned for temporal problems on earth? God has
provided His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to be the mediator between man and God
(1 Timothy 2:5). With the Lord Jesus Christ as our mediator, we can go through Him
to God. Why would we want to go through a sinful dead individual, especially
when doing so risks the wrath of God?
Familiar spirits, in reality
disguised demons, can have an intimate knowledge of people, alive or dead. They
have at their disposal supernatural abilities and an extensive network of
information from fellow demons who are more than willing to share their
knowledge with the deceived “host”. In this way, they will entice many more
people to be deceived and hooked—ending sometimes as pawns to these spirits.
This is the grave danger of
participating in any of these practices—at first these spirits appear as
willing servants, but inevitably they end up as harsh taskmasters. That is why
we should avoid coming into any contact with people who claim
they can communicate with the dead.
Tarot Cards And Ouija Boards
Some use manual devices such as
tarot cards or Ouija boards to consult with these familiar spirits themselves.
These objects should be avoided at all costs—they are not innocent “games” but
ancient ways of attracting these spirits.
Think of these instruments as
potential passports into your mind—possibly opening an entry to the zone that
should only be inhabited by your own thoughts and God’s Holy Spirit. If you do
not invite these evil spirits, they cannot enter. Yet sometimes even an
unsuspecting invitation through these devices can give demons a green light!
Sadly, many people have unknowingly invited evil spirits into their minds—never
to be quite the same again.
As the Scriptures reveal, these
spirits need to be cast out by genuine servants of God. Acts 19
records an instance where some would-be exorcists tried to cast a demon out of
a person and the demon turned on them, saying, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know;
but who are you?” Much to their surprise, “the man in whom the evil spirit was
leaped on them, overpowered them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled
out of that house naked and wounded” (Acts 19:15-16).
This is therefore no laughing matter
or cute entertainment—it is deadly serious! Scripture records several instances
of people falling into such forbidden practices with disastrous results.
Simply Say “No!”
We must simply say “No!”
when enticed to play with this dark spirit world. Don’t fold under pressure
from friends, family or anyone else. Put God and His Word first! Literally,
your life and your mental welfare could depend on it!
God, who knows exactly how Satan and
his demons work, warns us not to have anything to do with them. We should not
consult with people associated with these spirits in spite of any stated
intentions to help us. God’s Word is clear: “Give no regard to mediums and
familiar spirits; do not seek after them, to be defiled by them: I am the Lord
your God” (Leviticus 19:31).
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