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Pervasive Occultism


TheSword

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I'm currently reading a book that studies and details the pervaviseness of occultic practices in America.  The book contains a lot of survey data and one statistic that struck me is 1-in-4 Americans engage in some type of occultic practice (knowingly or unknowingly).  This stat easily bleeds over into the churches where professing Christians are engaging in it as well.

 

Have any of you come across people in your ministries that have come across severe problems as a result of playing around with stuff like ouija boards, witchcraft, and spiritism?  Have you had to counsel anyone sucked into this demonic world?  If so, how did you deal with the issue(s)?

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Watched an interesting documentary on how the modern-day signs and manifestations movement is virtually indistinguishable from Hindu Kundalini. Watching the comparisons, especially how the 'manifestation' is passed, they are strikingly similar.

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I have several relatives who regularly waste their money on Tarot card and palm readers.  Others who listen to satanic music, many who play with Ouija boards, and still others who drink blood and have sharpened and cut their teeth into fangs.  Many have a false hope of salvation and most hate God and Jesus Christ, all are destined for hell.

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For those I've spoken with who are still involved in such things a Ouija boards, witchcraft or "white magic", and such things, I've stress the importance of total separation from it. Immediately tossing in the trash or burning all things connected to these matters, even the "innocent" things some folks try to keep like "charms" or "crystals". Unless they are already familiar with the Scriptures, I take them to the Bible (if they are familiar with the Scripture in this area, I simply go over what the Bible says) and show them what the Lord says about witchcraft, contact with the dead, and the severe consequences of such and punishment which shows clearly just how seriously the Lord takes the matter. Of course all of this goes along with leading them to repentance, guiding them to spend serious time in prayer and Bible study; and where possible, spending time discipling them for a time.

 

If they are no longer involved in such things, but feel they are suffering the consequences of actions in their past, I take them to the Scripture which says we are no longer under condemnation, that Christ is greater than the devil, that the devil has no hold over us, that we are not to be in fear, that Christ has won the victory. I make sure we address their repentance, spend time in prayer, guide them to study the Word in the areas mentioned so they will realize the Enemy has no hold on them and if the Enemy tries to infiltrate their thoughts and make them fearful or trick them, that the Word shows us how to stand strong against such and realize it's just the Enemies attempts to deceive because if we don't yield, he can't touch us. Then, as in the other case, if possible I spend discipleship time with them for a period of time.

 

In both cases, if I'm unable to directly disciple them, I make it a point to maintain as much contact as possible at least until they are doing well.

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Most people see nothing wrong with reading their daily horoscope either. But little doors open bigger doors for the devil to get in! All the shows on TV now are about going to supposed "haunted houses". It's so easy for people to accept all that evil but impossible to believe in an Almighty God!

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Most people see nothing wrong with reading their daily horoscope either. But little doors open bigger doors for the devil to get in! All the shows on TV now are about going to supposed "haunted houses". It's so easy for people to accept all that evil but impossible to believe in an Almighty God!

 

Yes, that's probably one small step that leads to other things sooner or later for most people. Its amazing at how many magazines has the daily horoscope.

 

When I was young I always wanted a Ouija board, I really had no idea what it was I had only seen it in a catalog, but mother made sure I never got one!  :biggrin:

 

And another thing its amazing at the number of magazines that has pictures of immodest dressed women. I suppose that's a thing of the past.

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Black magic consultants regularly put their cards through our doors - curses removed, marital problems, exams, jobs, homes,  - all your problems solved - money back guarantee ....

 

We had a book table opposite where one consultant operated. His wife was giving out leaflets - she confided - "If he was any good, I wouldn't need to be out here, giving out these leaflets.

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Most people see nothing wrong with reading their daily horoscope either. But little doors open bigger doors for the devil to get in! All the shows on TV now are about going to supposed "haunted houses". It's so easy for people to accept all that evil but impossible to believe in an Almighty God!

Unfortunately his is something that infects the church nearly as much as the world. It's so common to hear a Christian talk about their horoscope as if it's something to pay attention to. Many Christians read those "Dear Abby" type advice columns as if the words put forth there are some sort of special revelation for life. I hear Christians talking about having seen ghosts and often when someone confronts them with reality, they want to start talking about this or that "real life" ghost show they watched about a real haunted house or something and talk about how real that is.

 

For some of these people it can be easy to see how they fall into this stuff, but for so many others it's amazing how these otherwise intelligent people who have been in church for years can fall for this mess. Indeed, many are much more willing to believe in the fakery and all the paranormal than they are what Scripture says. Sadly, one reason for this is they know much more about these tools of the devil than they do of the Word of God.

 

As surveys and polls continually indicate, even among professing born again believers in Christ who say they believe the Bible is the Word of God, only a very tiny percentage read their Bible at least once a month. An even smaller percentage say they read their Bible daily. For the rest, the vast majority of these Christians, they say they read the Bible a couple times a year or not at all. From my own experiences this seems to be accurate.

 

We are going to believe and follow what we feed our minds. If we are not feeding upon the Word of God regularly, we are feeding upon something else and that's where we will be moving towards.

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Most people see nothing wrong with reading their daily horoscope either. But little doors open bigger doors for the devil to get in! All the shows on TV now are about going to supposed "haunted houses". It's so easy for people to accept all that evil but impossible to believe in an Almighty God!

 

This is incredibly accurate. It seems there were 3 or 4 of these shows that started airing all at once and the channels were inundated with them.  I had left the channel on either History or Discovery one night (I don't remember which) and when I turned on the TV the next day it was in the middle of one of these shows.  I only stayed on the channel long enough to figure out what it was, but I saw enough in a few minutes to be horrified for the people on the show.  All I could think was, "if you only knew what you were actually dealing with you'd run out of the house and pick up your Bible!"

 

I also saw several places in the news how this new movie The Conjuring has captured people's attention and they're just enthralled with it.  I think there is, perhaps, a growing trend in people who have been trying to trust in science and humanism to explain everything and are becoming disillusioned with the lack of answers to their questions about the spiritual realm that they're searching for answers and the Adversary is ready and waiting to give them a false truth.  I know this stuff has been around since time began, but at least in Western culture, it seems to have picked up speed over the last couple decades or so.  Wicca and Spiritism are growing at alarming rate (avg 143% per year from 1990-2001).

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Referring to the post about Christians reading their Bible, most churches you don't even BRING your Bible! A lot of churches have like a catholic missal (?) reading book with replies for each Sunday of the year. Also, a lot of churches the actual preaching (if  you can call it that) is all of 5 to 10 minutes. The rest of service is filled with special singers or anything to fill the time that should be used for real preaching and the Gospel!

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I used to receive a newsletter from a pastor, concerning leadership in the church. Now, the pastor was a generally wise man, and I got a lot out of it.

 

One day I got an email from him that included a link to a small portion of an ebook he was recommending for leaders to read. I followed the link and got the frist few pages of the book. To my surprise, the wise Christian leader's recommended book had an opening statement, which was a quote from Lao Tzu, who you may or may not know, was the founder of Tao Buddhism. Not exactly a glowing endorsement for a book for Christians! So I contacted this pastor, and, I admit, I was concerned I would receive a scathing reply for daring to give a gentle rebuke to this wise man of God. However, I was pleased to receive a truly wise reply from a humble man who admitted his error, being that, having used other books by the same person and never finding anything bad, he recommended this one without reading it first. He apologized and immediately withdrew the recommendation with a note to all who received it as to his error.

 

My point is that there are those who really know little of the pervasiveness of the New Age in creeping into churches-I have know people who say, "I don;t need to read anything bu the Bible!" They ignore history, which can open the Bible in some ways, and ignore false doctrines and teachings of cults, and end up being fooled when it sneaks in, because they are so good at hiding intentions and meanings behind a smokescreen of biblical-sounding words and phrases. This man, as wise as he was, didn't bother to read even the first page, and even if he had, I am not sure he even knew who Lao Tzu was." Study to show thyself approved unto God..." 

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And the supposable good Bible commentary man C. S. Lewis, some people will read his fiction books, buy them for their children, & you never know where they will be led to.
 
And some Christians recommend Harry Potter movies & books.
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Referring to the post about Christians reading their Bible, most churches you don't even BRING your Bible! A lot of churches have like a catholic missal (?) reading book with replies for each Sunday of the year. Also, a lot of churches the actual preaching (if  you can call it that) is all of 5 to 10 minutes. The rest of service is filled with special singers or anything to fill the time that should be used for real preaching and the Gospel!

 

It not that way in this part of the country for most people that attend church services are carrying a Bible, except for the Catholic Church.

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It not that way in this part of the country for most people that attend church services are carrying a Bible, except for the Catholic Church.

Not here, not Methodist, Lutheran, Weslyan, Presbyterian or Assembly of God. AOG used to but they're a rock-n-roll church now with very superficial sermons printed off internet. (That was told to me by the son of former secretary of the church)

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Occultism has been greatly popularised by Hollywood, and of course the Harry Potter books have done their part to entice people into it. A lot of people buy into the idea that it's "just harmless fun" and don't understand the real spiritual dangers involved with it.

 

However, the lost can't discern things spiritually. Christians should be able to have a better understanding of the dangers. Yet many Christians are being enticed into the occult without even realising it. They're getting involved in things like contemplative prayer, "Christian" yoga and suchlike. Contemplative prayer is just Hindu/Buddhist mysticism with another name. They think these things will get them "closer to God", but in reality such activities are exposing them to demonic spirits. Mysticism will likely be the main glue of ecumenism in the future, and I believe that contemplative prayer is a much greater occultic danger, for the Christian church at least, than better-known practices like fortune-telling or Ouija boards (although those should certainly be avoided like the plague!).

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