Subtle Dangers of the Occult:

Introduction: This article deals with a very serious subject, it is basically my testimony of my personal experiences in occultic situations. But I have learned that satan is a liar and a deceiver and that he can and will use even good things, such as a person's testimony of coming out of something bad (like the occult) into something good (the Kingdom of God) for evil purposes. When I heard Mike Warnke's testimony in church or heard someone else speak from scripture of how some people did this or that, it peaked my interest into something evil and I don't want my testimony to do that, so as you read, please pray for strength to overcome any interest one may have in joining the occult or any of the other of the devil's religions.

I grew up in a "Christian" family, more specifically, my preteen years (1968-1971) were spent in a Christian Children's Home in Kimberlin Heights, Tenn (near Knoxville). It was called Sunny Hills Children's Home. Although my number may be off a little, this is why I sometimes say I had 21 brothers and sisters. There were some abuse problems at that and eventually it was shut down.

It was there that I was baptized (but not saved) for the first time. I said "Stick your right foot in, stick your left foot out and shake it all about and that's how we do the hokey pokey." One of the houseparents heard me and had a talk with me, told me it was a sin to dance and offered me the plan of salvation which tacked Baptism on to the end as a part of the plan. I believed what he said,

Later on I liked a girl and wanted her to "get saved" so I was baptized again so that she would get baptized. And then when I switched from the Christian Churches/Churches of Christ to the the "non-instrumental" Churches of Christ I was baptized a 3^rd time even though the minister did not seem to think it necessary. So, what does all this have to do with the occult?

Well, the serpent (satan) is a subtle the beast. (Gen. 3:1). satan has many religions, but many false teachings are subtle. My first contact with the occult was in the basement of Sunny Hills. A room in the basement that today would be called a Game Room. It contained a ping pong (Table Tennis) table and several board games including Monopoly and Life.

But one of the things that happened in that room was that one of the other children, a young lady, led several of the children in something we called a seance. We would sit around in a big circle, hold hands, and summon up our dead relatives (a clear violation of scripture, this is what King Saul got into trouble for). At the time I did not know that this was an occultic practice.

My next personal experience with the occult came when I was playing cards, and someone said that some people made a deal with the devil to become big stars. Then in Dec. 1980 I went to Los Angeles, California (near Hollywood). I was young and wanted to become a big comedy star on Television. But something happened in early 1981 to me, I started getting hungry and needed to pay the rent. I needed a job and I wanted to be an television actor. So, I said two prayers, one was to God, the other was to satan. And the next day, I got a job and into film school. Later I realized that it was God who had answered both requests, but I had been willing to sell my soul for something worldly that I wanted. Thank God that Jesus was the one who really bought my soul and protected me.

Then in the mid 1980's, during Reagan's 2^nd term as U.S. President, I sent for a correspondence course, it said that Reagan's administration funded it, and it probably did. It was a course in witchcraft. Later on, I went to the central branch of the Austin Public Library and read the introduction to a book written by Antony LaVey. I didn't read the whole thing, just a few pages. One of the things it said was "satan is the best friend God ever had". That is a Lie! The book was called The Satanic Bible.

During this whole time there were other influences, books from local bookstores dealing with witchcraft. Psychics who had booths at state fairs, carnivals and singles conventions. One of the most subtle influences into the occult is television.

TV shows like Bewitched,I Dream of Jeannie and Sabrina the Teenage Witch , have some pretty obvious connections to magic. But there are other shows that are more subtle. Dharma and Greg, Medicine Woman (which can be seen on GMC, the Gospel Music Channel), Buffy the Vampire Slayer , and some later episodes of The Waltons , especially those made after the TV series ended. Medicine Woman deals a lot with Indian culture, which is fine, but it also refers to Indian gods. "Mother earth, Father sky"

Even the so-called green movement doesn't recognize the proper place of the earth. We should never think of anything as "Mother Earth" or "Mother Nature". I'm an organic gardener, but as a Christian I don't like when I hear those on the radio shows I listen to to learn how to garden better refer to God's footstool, some thing God owns as "Mother".

There is danger in the occult and there are many false religions, even a magic trick with playing cards can be occultic and dangerous. Witches summon up spirits (which some of them call demons), yet say their religion is not from satan. How can you summon up a demon (devil) and say your practices are not from the devil? satanic deception, that's how.

In August of 2004 a cousin of mine that I had never met, a teenage girl, died because of curiosity about Witchcraft. Their belief in Reincarnation for everyone. Her and a friend literally stood in front of a train and let it run over them. They left a note indicating the connection to witchcraft, they had been on the internet studying Japanese Culture and Japanese religion.

I believe our nation was founded on Christian Principles, but even if we weren't we need to get back to the Christian principles our country was founded on or it will destroy this nation from the inside. Personally, I am of the opinion, that through many of the decisions they had made, that many federal court justices and the justices on the U.S. Supreme court have made a deal with the devil to throw away the 1 ^st amendment to the constitution when it comes to the Christian religion. Government speech is just one excuse to deny Christians the right to pray where every one else can.

Should we avoid people involved in the occult? To some degree, yes (James 4:5-8), but not necessarily everyone. If we come into contact with such a person by being a neighbor, at a restaurant, at the grocery store or wherever we may happen to be, it would be more of a sin for us to avoid them completely than to talk to them about our Lord and Saviour. (James 5:19-20).

So, what should you do if you think someone, especially your children might be involved in occultic or other suspicious activity?

1. Pray. This is one thing scripture teaches us to constantly, as much as we can. "Pray without ceasing" (1 ^st Thess. 5:17) and the scripture often teaches us to pray and bring our petitions to God.

2. Read the written Word. Reading scripture helps us to know what God's written word says. Study what scripture says about the subject. Do NOT study works outside the scripture, especially those written by those currently involved in the occult. I learned a long time ago from a preacher named Jack Hammans that "the way to combat false doctrine is not to study false doctrine, but to study true doctrine." True doctrine can only be found in scripture, and the only aid you need is a concordance and a Bible Dictionary. You don't need commentaries, a commentary is just that, a Comment ary. You don't need that to study scripture, take it straight from the Word.

3. Watch the computers, don't let anyone, including yourself, have a computer with an internet connection in the bedroom.

You can get programs that will guard against some evils of the internet, but there are (at least) two problems with this, the 1 ^st of which is that sometimes people can get in under the radar and get around such programs.

The other problem is that sometimes these programs can block legitimate programs. There's the story that I seem to remember hearing or reading about of a fellow who wanted to Watch a certain Superbowl on TV. Superbowl XXI (Twenty One), so he got on the internet and looked it up. He was blocked because the Roman Numeral for Twenty One contained two X's.

1. Watch TV and listen to the Radio together and talk. Watch and Listen for subtle phrases that teach anything that goes against scripture. Be ready to turn to scripture to defend the faith. For example, be ready to turn to Acts 4:12 and it's context to show that there is no name under heaven whereby men must be saved. Turn to scriptures that show witchcraft is wrong.

2. Don't read unscriptural books or watch unscriptural movies like Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings (both teach a false god or put another way a false lord). Don't read The Apocrypha.

3. Don't Avoid every little thing that might have a bad influence. Do so as much as you can, but it's ok to play Monopoly and it's ok to play Solitaire or Go Fish. It's ok to do crossword and word search puzzles.

4. When attending conventions, seminars and other secular events, avoid tables with psychics or other anti-Christian teachers such as those who depend on Horoscopes to guide them.

5. Pray. This is worth repeating, nothing beats praying and reading the written Word. Prayer can help you with guiding you into the proper attitude. Prayer can help you walk in the Light and be led by Spirit of God, "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of the world, against spiritual wickedness in high places" Eph. 6:12 (Immediate context Eph. 6:10-18)

In spite of what I have said about our justices, we need to pray for our leaders, including our judges and justices, maybe God will lead enough people into positions of power that we can get the trend reversed. Prayer is a powerful thing, and I have no doubt that God still answers prayer today. This is a long article and for that I apologize, but truthfully I have left some things out because I forgot about them until later.

I have concerns about those who read this article, because I'm afraid that my testimony in this area of my life may lead someone down the wrong path, it's part of how I got involved. So, if you are a Bible-Believing Christian (Holy Bible) please pray that this testimony will glorify God and lead people already involved in non-Christian things to the Lord, and that satan will not use this testimony of my experience in the occult to draw even more people to him. Pray for all the readers to resist the devil and to recognize the dangers of the occult. Many of the dangers are of themselves subtle, but the greatest danger is that one might lose or rather, never get their salvation. It is not worth a soul to gain worldly things. It is important to know that God wants all to be saved, and that it is God's will that none should perish. Some cults are dangerous to the body, but not the soul, others are dangerous to soul but not the body. The occult is dangerous to both and like many other religions is led by satan. Yes, we should hate even the very garments they are wearing, but we should still love them and pray for those involved in the cult to recognize how evil it is, and to repent of their evil ways.

The intent of my articles are sometimes misdiagnosed, but this one I have a big concern about because of the nature of the subject matter covered, it's my testimony in one area of my life but it concerns a very serious and dangerous subject and knowing that satan is a trickster I am very concerned about it, so please pray for it to be a proper witness.

Thank You for your prayers and your reading and Have a God Day.