The Occult And The Bible
Galatians 5:19-20, “What human nature does is quite plain. It shows itself in immoral, filthy, and indecent actions; 20in worship of idols and witchcraft.” (TEV)
1 Timothy 4:1, “God’s Spirit clearly says that in the last days many people will turn from their faith. They will be fooled by evil spirits and by teachings that come from demons.” (TEV)
Interest in the occult is a rising phenomenon in America. It is an especially growing interest among teenagers. Many times teens get into the occult through such games as Dungeon and Dragons or the Ouija Board. Sometimes it is also, through rock groups, music and videos which have occult overtones.
In 1970 McCall’s magazine did a 32 page article titled "The Occult Explosion" detailing the way astrology, magick, tarot, satan worship are affecting our society.
In 1991 Geraldo Rivera, did a television special on the occult and Satanism in America. He documented the fact that it is a rising phenomenon in America.
It is often said that the term “cult” and “occult” are two sides of the same coin. The term “cult” refers to groups that claim to be Christian, but when their theology and practices are examined they are found to be in error. Frequently, cults exploit their members through the abuse of religious authority, forms of mind control, or psychological abuse, in the name of Jesus.
The word “occult” on the other hand is normally not associated with Christianity. Occult organizations seldom claim to be Christian. The word “occult” comes from the Latin word “occultus” which means, “hidden.”
While it is true that there are some common aspects or crossing-over between cults and the occult, they should not be confused with one another. Some cults might not have occult practices, but both are connected by teachings that are in opposition to the Bible.
The Development of the Occult
The occult depends upon the belief that all things - stars, planets, people, nature and events are all connected to one another. Those who believe in the occult think they can change events and predict the future.
Occultism also includes a belief in beings, such as angels, or spirits who can be contacted and used to change people and events.
Occult practices have existed for millennia. Western occultism has its roots in ancient Babylonian and Egyptian practices. One form of Egyptian occultism that still exists today is the Fraternal Order known as Rosicrucians.
Occultism was also practiced during the Medieval period and was assumed to be real by 13th century scholars like Italian theologian Thomas Aquinas.
During the Renaissance (15th to 17th century) occultism experienced explosive growth. However, in the late medieval and early Renaissance period, occultism was regarded by the church as connected with the worship of Satan.
This resulted in thousands of women being tortured and killed during the Renaissance because they were accused (sometimes falsely) of practicing occultism. During the so-called Burning Times of A.D. 1300-1600, an estimated nine million people were killed because they were accused of witchcraft. Despite this, occultism continued in Europe during the 18th and 19th centuries.
During this time occultism was reinvented as the Spiritualist movement. One main group that contributed to this was the Theosophical Society (1875) which included many members of the symbolist movement, in addition to other artists, poets and thinkers.
In the 20th century, occultism experienced another rebirth basically due to the counterculture movement of the 1960s which emphasized an interest in astrology, divination and magick. Another influence on modern day occultism is the New Age Movement of the 1980s and 1990s.
Today, the tentacles of occultism has affected every area of our society. Police departments are using psychics to solve crimes. Children are addicted to fantasy games like Dungeons and Dragons which introduces them to the world of the occult through role-playing. Occult shows like Angel; Charmed, Forever Knight; Millennium; Pokemon; Sabrina- The Teenage Witch; Buffy, the Vampire Slayer; The Sentinel; and Dark Angel; to name just a few can be seen on TV.
On the big screen, movies like Harry Potter and the Lord of the Rings have broken box office records. Dr. Ted Beahr, a renowned Christian expert on the entertainment media with more than 20 years of experience stated, “Occult movies last year were almost as successful as family-friendly movies.”
Even college today offe classes on various aspects of the occult.
In an article titled TV shows fuel children’s interest in witchcraft”, Ananova News stated, "The Pagan Federation is claiming that TV programs Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Sabrina the Teenage Witch have fueled a rapidly growing interest in witchcraft among children. The organization says it deals with an average of 100 inquiries a month from youngsters who want to become witches, and claims it has occasionally been ’swamped’ with calls. Media officer Andy Norfolk says the Federation is to appoint its first youth officer in September after receiving calls following recent articles about paganism in teenage magazines." Ananova News, August 2000
Core Beliefs of The Occult
New religious cults are springing up every day. Each one of them has different terminologies and techniques, but many of them share the same occult beliefs. There seem to be seven major ingredients in occult practice and philosophy:
The Paranormal - This deals with experiences that are beyond the five senses and are extra-sensory or mystical in nature. An occultist will often refer to a sixth sense, or third eye, which enables them to see something that the ordinary person is unable to sense or see.
The Supernatural - This is the manipulation of natural laws through such things as psychokinesis (the movement of objects through the mind) or levitation.
The Esoteric - This refers to things that are hidden or secret. It is hiding the truth from the uninitiated through the use of symbols and allegories. Most occult groups draw newcomers in by advertising how they will learn things that have been hidden for thousands of years.
Monism - Man and the universe are all part of the same universal energy or life force. This means that there is only one ultimate reality. All is one and the one is God. The ultimate goal of monism is to experience this oneness with the universe through an alteration of one’s consciousness.
Pantheism - That a god, goddess or some divine energy pervades the universe. That we are all part of this divine force and that there is no distinction between humans and nature.
Polytheism - There are many gods or many manifestations of the one god or goddess.
Animism - That the earth and all other objects are pervaded by spirits or energy forces.
Three Categories of Occultism
Divination
Divination is the old term and fortune telling is the modern word. Those who are involved in this type of occultism attempt to supernaturally gain hidden knowledge about the future by use of psychic “readings.” The word “divination” comes from the Latin word “divinare” which means to foresee. The person who practices this form of occultism is known as a diviner which also comes from the Latin word “divinus” which means divinely inspired and pertains to deity. A diviner predicts future events, finds lost articles or people, locates underground water, or reveals hidden knowledge. Divination is the most widespread occultic practice and can be found in literally hundreds of varieties.
Some of the divination devices used to foretell the future include:
• Astrology - Using horoscopes and stars
• Fortune Telling - Using of palms, tea leaves, tarot cards or crystal balls, etc
• Iridology - Using the iris of the eye
• Reflexology - Using the bottoms of the feet
• Biorhythms - Using the cycles of life
• I Ching - Using sticks or coins
• Capnomancy - Using fire
• Phrenology - Using bumps on the head
• Molesophy - Using moles on a face
• Auras - Using multi-colored fields that surround the body
• Dreamwork - Using dreams
• Runes - Using wood or stone letters
• Games - Using Ouija Board, dice, dungeon and dragons
• Scrying - a technique of producing visions of the future by gazing into a crystal ball, black mirror, bowl of water, hot coals from a fire, etc.
Over the years, many who have rejected organized religion have turned to exotic occult instruments to find direction for their lives and advice concerning their future. Since the beginning, people have been looking for ways to predict the future and uncover the purposes of the past.
What does the Bible say?
• God does not PERMIT divination
Deuteronomy 18:10-14, “Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, 11or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. 12Anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord, and because of these detestable practices the Lord your God will drive out those nations before you. 13You must be blameless before the Lord your God. 14The nations you will dispossess listen to those who practice sorcery or divination. But as for you, the Lord your God has not permitted you to do so.” (NIV)
• Divination makes God ANGRY
2 Kings 17:17b, “They consulted fortune-tellers and used sorcery and sold themselves to evil, arousing the Lord’s anger.” (NLT)
Paganism
Just as the term "Eastern religions " refers to Buddhism, Hinduism, Taoism, etc., the terms "Neo-Pagan" and "Pagan" refer to separate religions that share some common themes.
Neopaganism is a modern religion which has been recently reconstructed from beliefs, deities, symbols, practices and other elements of ancient religions dating back to Greek, Roman and Egyptian worship.
Paganism centers around goddess worship or worship of the “earth mother” or the “huntress.” The most common form of goddess worship is Wiccan or witchcraft. There are a number of forms of the Wiccan religion which include Druidism and Shamanism.
In this lesson we will focus on the practice of witchcraft. It was during the Middle Ages that witchcraft experienced a great revival. It was an age where everyone believed in the supernatural and superstition abounded. Witches often refer to themselves as “pagans”, “The Craft” or the “old Religion” pointing to the fact that witchcraft existed long before Christianity. They also dislike being called witches and prefer to be called Practitioners of Wicca. They claim that their religion dates back to prehistoric times. They often refer to themselves as “Wiccans.” This terms comes from an Anglo-Saxon word for “wise ones.” Witchcraft is a nature religion that in many ways is similar to the fertility religions that the prophets in the Old Testament confronted.
Their Beliefs
They worship the creator but the creator is both male and female in the same image as man was created. They do not see god as being above, in the heavens, but as being all around us in the earth. The god or goddess of Wicca is creative energy or nature. The reason why their god is depicted with horns is because he represents both man and animal. They have many names for their god such as Pan, Kerminos, Mars, Zeus, Apollo, Thor, and Odin. They claim they do not worship many gods, but rather, one god and one goddess with many names. Wiccans are pantheistic and believe that all things are part of God.
Witches today deny that they believe in or worship the devil. Neither do they believe that hell exists. They do believe that “self” always comes first because the body is a temple. They also believe that upon death their spirit will become part of the natural energy of creation (the god/goddess) and will be channeled into whatever is next.
The modern Wiccan movement can be traced back to Gerald B. Garner (1884-1864) who is considered the founder of contemporary witchcraft. As a student of the occult, Garner used his occult research to originate modern witchcraft. In 1954, Garner’s book, Witchcraft Today was published. Today it is estimated that there are as many as 80,000 to 10 million witches in the United States and over 100 million worldwide.
Witches refer to their groups as a nest, grove, circle or coven (first used in 1662) which consists of thirteen people, both men and women, and are led by a high priest or priestess. The Wiccan religion is based on the natural cycles of the earth and all things celestially. They normally meet weekly (usually a Friday night) or twice a month during the full and new moon. These meeting times are called esbats. They also celebrate eight major festivals during the year called sabbats. They are the spring equinox (March 21), the fall equinox (September 21), the Yule (December 21), the summer solstice (June 21), Samhain (October 31), Imbolc or Candlemas (February 2), Beltane (May 1), and Lammas (August 1).
Closely connected with witches is the occult practice of magick which is the use of charms, spells, or rituals to produce supernatural effects or control and forecast natural events. This differs from the kind of magic (spelled with a “c”) that is the use of sleight of hand techniques for the purpose of amusement.
There are literally hundreds of varieties of occult magick:
• White Magick
• Black Magick
• Red Magick
• Tantric (sex magick)
• Blue Magick
• Neutral Magick
• Liturgy Magick
• Sympathetic Magick
• Magick Mesmerism
• Magnetism
• Magical (criminal) hypnosis
• Lycanthropy
• and many more.
Occult magick can be one of two kinds, either personal or impersonal. Personal magick is where living intelligent spirit agents are appealed to, influenced, and controlled by incantations, and ceremonies. Impersonal magick is where natural laws are thought to be set aside through the use of incantations, spells, love potions, amulets, and charms, apart from intervention of spiritual beings.
What does the Bible say?
• Witchcraft is FORBIDDEN
Leviticus 19:26, “Don’t practice any kind of witchcraft.” (CEV)
Jeremiah 10:2, “Don’t act like the people who make horoscopes and try to read their fate and future in the stars!” (TLB)
• Witchcraft was punishable by DEATH
Exodus 22:18, “Death is the punishment for witchcraft.” (CEV)
1 Chronicles 10:13, “Saul died for his disobedience to the Lord and because he had consulted a medium.” (TLB)
• Witchcraft will be JUDGED
Malachi 3:5, “The Lord All-Powerful said: I’m now on my way to judge you. And I will quickly condemn all who practice witchcraft...”(CEV)
Revelation 21:8, “But I will tell you what will happen to cowards and to everyone who is unfaithful or dirty-minded or who murders or is sexually immoral or uses witchcraft or worships idols or tells lies. They will be thrown into that lake of fire and burning sulfur. This is the second death.” (CEV)
• Witchcraft will be DESTROYED
Micah 5:12, “I will destroy your witchcraft and you will no longer cast spells.” (NIV)
• Witchcraft is a SIN AGAINST GOD
1 Samuel 15:23, “Rebellion is as bad as the sin of witchcraft...” (NLT)
• Witchcraft is a DISGRACE
Micah 3:7, “Seers will be put to shame. Those who practice witchcraft will be disgraced. All of them will cover their faces, because God won’t answer them.” (GW)
• Witchcraft will LEAD YOU ASTRAY
Zechariah 10:2, “People consult idols and fortunetellers, but the answers they get are lies and nonsense. Some interpret dreams, but only mislead you; the comfort they give is useless. So the people wander about like lost sheep.” (TEV)
Spiritism
Spiritism or spiritualism is the third kind of occult practice. Spiritualism is used by spiritists who profess to believe the Bible. While divination attempts to foretell the future and magick tries to change the future, Spiritism tries to communicate with a spirit or dead person in order receive information from them.
How a spiritist goes about communicating with and receiving communication from the spirit world is what is known as spiritistic phenomena. The means used to do this includes such things as:
• Trance mediums
• New Age Channeling
• Seances
• Ouija Board
• Telepathy
• Clairvoyance
• Bilocation
• Mesmerism
• Psychometry
• Telekinesis
• Levitations
• Spiritistic visions
• Automatic Writing
• Materializations
• Apparitions
Spiritism may be mankind’s oldest religion. Today there an estimated 100 million spiritualists in the world. In Great Britain it is estimated that 50 percent of the people are involved in some way with the occult. This is in contrast with the 2 percent that attend church in that country.
The National Spiritualist Association of Churches was first founded in 1893 and today has 300 churches with 10,000 members. The International General Assembly of Spiritualist has 250 churches and 20,000 members. The Universal Church of the Master has 300 churches and 10,000 members. The National Spiritual Alliance of the USA has 40 churches with 4,000 members.
Spiritism holds to certain doctrines that show its anti-Christian background and beliefs.
For instance, spiritism believes in an evolutionary process of spiritual development. Spiritists believe that when someone dies and goes to the spirit world they are able to develop further with the help of other spirits. The goal of spiritism is to evolve to a higher plane in this life and the next. What you do in this life determines the plane of spiritual development you will enter after death.
Spiritists also believe that God is a spirit and like everyone else, He too is evolving to a higher plane.
They also believe that Jesus is the master of all mediums, but not the Savior of the world.
Neither do spiritists believe in hell. Heaven on the other hand is a series of spiritual planes through which spirits pass in an evolutionary process. Through this process a very wicked person may begin on a very low plane, but through the help of other spirits can advance to the next plane until they eventually arrive in heaven.
What Does The Bible Say?
• Spiritism will make you spiritually UNCLEAN
Leviticus 19:31, “Do not turn to mediums or seek out spiritists, for you will be defiled by them. I am the Lord your God.”
• Spiritism will SEPARATE you from God
Leviticus 20:6, “I will set my face against the person who turns to mediums and spiritists to prostitute himself by following them, and I will cut him off from his people.” (NIV)
What Should You Do?
• REMOVE occult practices from your life
2 Kings 23:24, “Furthermore, Josiah got rid of the mediums and spiritists, the household gods, the idols and all the other detestable things seen in Judah and Jerusalem. This he did to fulfill the requirements of the law written in the book that Hilkiah the priest had discovered in the temple of the Lord.” (NIV)
• CONSULT God about the future
Isaiah 8:19, “When men tell you to consult mediums and spiritists, who whisper and mutter, should not a people inquire of their God? Why consult the dead on behalf of the living?” (NIV)
• FOLLOW God’s Word
Isaiah 8:20, “You should follow the teachings and the agreement with the Lord. The mediums and fortune-tellers do not speak the word of the Lord. Their words are worth nothing.” (ICB)
• REFUSE to listen to the occult
Jeremiah 29:8, “The Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: "Don’t let the false prophets and mediums who are there among you fool you. Don’t listen to the dreams that they invent.” (TLB)
