WHAT’S WRONG WITH "CROSSING OVER"
ISAIAH 8:19
"And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead?"
I. INTRODUCTION
A. Television psychic hotlines and shows featuring psychics have become more popular. Psychics (sometimes called clairvoyants) will tell you that everyone has psychic ability, which can be developed.
B. A 1994 USA Today-CNN-Gallup poll found that 70 million Americans believe, as Haley Joel Osment’s character did in ’’The Sixth Sense,’’ that it is possible to talk to the dead.
C. Twenty-eight percent of Americans believe that people can hear from or communicate mentally with the dead, a new Gallup poll reports. Another 26% aren’t sure, but won’t rule it out. Half of all Americans believe in extrasensory perception. And notable individuals, from Hillary Clinton to Nancy Reagan to Adolf Hitler are known to have consulted with psychics.
D. According to longtime skeptic and magician James Randi, 72, whose standing offer of $1 million [Off-site Link] to psychics who can independently verify their "magic" has gone unclaimed for four years, "People not only want it to be true, they need it to be true. It’s the feel-good syndrome,"
E. "Everyone wants to be reassured about loved ones who have passed."
F. Claim to be congruent with the Bible
1. Some psychics will claim that their powers are consistent with the Bible and come from God, even offering convincing demonstrations as proof of their supernatural abilities.
2. State that Jesus was the greatest medium of all
3. Claim Jesus was clairvoyant, telepathic, and a materializing medium - Matthew 21:2
4. Claim that Abraham, Moses, Saul, Samuel, Isaiah, Daniel, and Paul were all psychics.
II. WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT CROSSING OVER
A. Deuteronomy 18:9-12 "When thou art come into the land which the LORD thy God gives thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations. [10] There shall not be found among you any one that makes his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that uses divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, [11] Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. [12] For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD: and because of these abominations, the LORD thy God does drive them out from before thee."
B. Leviticus 19:31 "Regard not them that have familiar spirits (’ôb - spirit of the dead), neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the LORD your God."
C. I Timothy 4:1 "Now the Spirit speaks expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;"
D. Mark 13:22 "For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall show signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect."
E. I John 4:1 "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world."
III. How does one Cross-Over
A. Fraud
1. Cold Reading
2. The currently-popular "psychics" like Sylvia Browne, James Van Praagh, and John Edward, who are getting so much TV space on Montel Williams, Larry King, and other shows, employ a technique known as "cold reading." They tell the subjects nothing, but make guesses, put out suggestions, and ask questions. This is a very deceptive art, and the unwary observer may come away believing that unknown data was developed by some wondrous means. Not so.
Examples: "I get an older man here" is a question, a suggestion, and a guess by the "reader," who expects some reaction from the subject, and usually gets it. That reaction may just be a nod, the actual name of a person, or an identification (brother, husband, grandfather), but it is supplied BY THE SUBJECT, not by the reader. "They’re saying, ’Bob,’ or ’Robert.’ Do you recognize this person?" is another question, suggestion, and guess. If there’s a Bob or Robert, the subject will amplify the identification. But if there’s no Bob or Robert immediately recognized, the reader passes right on, after commenting that Bob is there all right, but not recognized right now. If any Bob is remembered later, that is incorporated into the spiel. In one such by the mediumVan Praagh, prepared by the "48 Hours" TV program, a reading that lasted 60 minutes, there were only TWO actual statements made, and 260 questions asked. Both actual statements--guesses--were wrong. Van Praagh was looking for the name of the woman’s deceased husband, and he came up with it by asking, "Do you know anyone named, Jack?" The woman answered, "Yes! Jack, my husband!" But Van Praagh didn’t identify "Jack" at all. He asked her if SHE would identify him. By that time, Van Praagh had already tried on her 26 other men’s names--all wrong. But, the woman--the subject--forgot about those failures, because they were not important to her. "Jack" was important.
The readers have a way of leading the subject to believe that they knew something they didn’t. Example: Reader: "Did your husband linger on in the hospital, or did he pass quickly?" Subject: "Oh, he died almost immediately!" Reader: "Yes, because he’s saying to me, `I didn’t suffer. I was spared any pain.’" It’s strange that the reader (Van Praagh, in this example) had to ask that question... And remember these readers often go out and interview the audience members when they’re on line waiting to get into the studio or auditorium. That technique was employed by the very successful reader Doris Stokes. She would feed back any data she got as if she were refreshing her memory of what had been told her. "Are you the lady who has a passed-on sister, dearie?" would of course receive assent from the victim, and ahhhs from the audience.
Also, a person who approaches the reader before the TV show or auditorium meeting and says she has a question about her deceased grandmother, can then later be selected out of the audience when they’re on-camera or during the live encounter, and can then be asked, "Is your question about your grandmother?" and that appears--to everyone else--like a bang-on "hit."
Or, and this is very subtle indeed, people in the studio or auditorium audience--usually seated up front for best visibility--are sometimes those who have already been to the "psychic" for a private reading, and have then been asked to show up later to occupy reserved seats at the public in-person gathering "to develop more information" using the "collective power of the assembled audience." The reader then repeats previously gleaned data, and that appears miraculous both to the audience in the studio and at home, watching, or elsewhere in the auditorium audience.
3. ’Miss Cleo’’ - real name, Youree Cleomili Harris - is an actress who claims to be a psychic. She is employed by Access Resource Service, a Florida-based telemarketing company owned by multimillionaire Steven Feder. The company has conflicted with several telemarketing laws. Thus far, Arkansas, Illinois, Missouri, and New York have taken actions against the company
B. Apparent Bona-Fide
1. II Corinthians 11:14-15 "And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works."
2. II Timothy 4:1-2 "Now the Spirit speaks expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;"
3. Acts 16:16-18 "And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying: the same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which show unto us the way of salvation. And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour."
4. Mark 13:22 "For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall show signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect"
IV. What is the acid test for Crossing Over
A. God’s prophets were not using psychic ability, but were given the information directly by the Holy Spirit or in God-given visions. The prophets did not use techniques or seek out ways to develop supernormal powers. Most importantly, Biblical prophecy glorified God and proclaimed His words and messages. Psychic power is Satan’s counterfeit of God-given prophetic ability and does not lead those involved towards Christ, but rather further away, often denying Christian doctrine.
B. Deuteronomy 18:21-22 "And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the LORD hath not spoken? [22] When a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him."
C. If the prophecy is not 100% accurate, the prophet is not from God.
D. In tapes of Crossing Over with John Edward scrutinized by Randi, he says Edward had an accuracy of 13%. In one 45-second interrogation of a TV guest, Randi counted 23 questions by Edward with three correct answers.
E. A really good psychic on their best day might be about 85% accurate. No psychic claims 100% accuracy 100% of the time.
V. Can one truly Cross Over
A. The Scripture teaches there is no contact between the living and the dead.
1. Job 7:10 "He shall return no more to his house, neither shall his place know him any more."
2. Ecclesiastes 9:6 "Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun."
3. Isaiah 63:16 "Doubtless, thou art our father, though Abraham be ignorant of us, and Israel acknowledge us not: thou, O LORD, art our father, our redeemer; thy name is from everlasting."
4. Luke 16:27-31 "Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father’s house: [28] For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. [29] Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. [30] And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. [31] And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead."
B. The seance at Endor in I Samuel 28
1. In as much as God would not answer Saul through legitimate means God would not act contrary to HIs word by sending Samuel to talk with Saul.- 1 Samuel 28:6 "And when Saul inquired of the LORD, the LORD answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets."
2. The medium saw elohim, spirits accompanying Samuel.- 1 Samuel 28:13 "And the king said unto her, Be not afraid: for what saw you? And the woman said unto Saul, I saw gods ascending out of the earth."
3. If God had ordered Samuel to go to Saul, he would not lie by saying Saul disturbed his rest. - 1 Samuel 28:15 "And Samuel said to Saul, Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me up? And Saul answered, I am sore distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and God is departed from me, and answers me no more, neither by prophets, nor by dreams: therefore I have called thee, that you may make known unto me what I shall do."
