The Demonic Occult

In America today, as well as in Europe, there seems to be a fascination with the demonic occult. The occult is the belief that there are mystical ways to gain power and to know the future through divination, spells, palm reading, potions, and cursed objects. But all of this is forbidden in the bible, both in the Old Testament and the New Testament. Why? Because God is the power of love in our lives, and if he wants us to know the future, then He will reveal it to us through His prophets or with His visions. God has condemned soothsaying, conjurers, necromancy, fortune telling, etc., in many places in the bible. Let’s take a look at some of the ways that people sin through a fascination with the demonic occult.

Horoscopes

What could be harmful about reading the daily horoscope in the newspaper? It’s all just for fun! But what seems like a fun thing to do is really evil. God does not reveal the future events in our lives through the stars, or through the Age of Aquarius, or through any such nonsense. Sometimes, the generic horoscopes in the newspaper kind of hit home with us, and that could lead to us depending on tomorrow’s newspaper to further determine our actions. All of this is part of Satan’s plan to pull us away from God, slowly but surely. God wants to be in charge of our lives, and He gives us His grace and His Word, both in writing and in the flesh (the Eucharist) to help us to do His will in building up His Kingdom. Becoming a daily communicant is much more powerful than becoming a daily horoscope reader. Why? Because the Eucharist IS Jesus Christ, and He has unlimited power to help us to avoid evil and to do good. Alternatively, the daily horoscope leads to ruin and destruction over time.

The Ouija Board

This board “game” sold by Parker Brothers is much more than just a game. It is a demonic gateway that allows one to communicate with demons, who are masquerading as dead people. By lightly touching the movable planchette, and asking the Ouija board questions, the demons proceed to move the planchette to either spell out words or to go to “YES” or “NO.” I have personally seen this work, and it is not due to static electricity, or to the pushing of the planchette by human fingers. The demons know how to fascinate humans by playing on our ignorance of them, as well as with our fascination of speaking to a dead person to gain esoteric knowledge. In reality, the demons are baiting their hook to drag you into hell, and the more you play with the Ouija Board, the deeper the hook goes into your soul. You are basically telling the demons that you prefer their company to God’s. Instead of spending time with the demons, it is recommended that you spend a lot of time in front of the Blessed Sacrament in silent adoration. This leads to life eternal, and the overcoming of sin. Conversely, the Ouija Board leads to a life of sin, and then damnation.

Cursing/Swearing

At first glance, cursing may seem to be a harmless activity. But taking the Lord’s name in vain, as so many people seem to do these days, is actually very harmful. You are basically telling the devil that you want God Himself to curse your enemies, instead of blessing them, as Jesus said to do in Luke 6:28. Blessings and curses in the bible are very real things (see Deuteronomy 28). When you use your tongue to curse people, you are also inviting Satan into your own affairs. Remember, the same tongue that you use to curse today is the same tongue that you will use this Sunday to receive the Eucharist, which IS Jesus Christ. So beware of doing just the opposite of what Jesus commanded you to do, which is blessing and doing good to your enemies.

Fortune Telling and Soothsaying

Fortune telling, aka “soothsaying,” done at school carnivals and elsewhere for “fun,” is very dangerous. Crystal balls, tarot cards, palm reading, reading entrails, etc., are all ways to get your money, and then to lose your soul. Placing your faith in satanic things like this so that you can know the future is strictly forbidden by God. Only God knows the future. If He wants us to know it, then He will make provisions for that, either with prophecy in scripture, or with Church-approved apparitions, like he did with Mary at Fatima. So beware of anyone who says that they can tell the future through any artificial means.

Necromancy and Séances

Necromancy is summoning up the dead to gain arcane knowledge hidden from the rest of us. A séance is an event where people gather around a table, hold hands, and then use chants to summon the dead. Séances were even being done in the Lincoln White House. But it is forbidden to summon the dead to gain hidden knowledge. Saul did this in the bible in 1 Samuel 28 with the Witch of Endor, and was successful in summoning the dead Samuel, so as to ask him about the future. Samuel actually did know the future, but he predicted doom for Saul because of his necromancy. As a result of this forbidden activity, the kingdom was taken away from Saul and he wound up committing suicide. The rapping and tapping that takes place during these séances can either be from the necromancer performing the ceremony, or it could be from demons pretending to be the dead human that is being “summoned.” And if it is the demons showing up, they won’t leave the people there voluntarily. Instead, they will hang around and curse their lives.

The Bloody Mary Game

This is a relatively new occult activity, where teenagers stand in front of a mirror, say “Bloody Mary” three times while turning around three times, and then repeat saying it until an image of a demon appears in the mirror (yes, this really does happen!). This YouTube phenomenon has caused many a teenager to get themselves cursed, unbeknownst to them. It can only be undone through a total renunciation of the occult and the devil through the grace-filled sacrament of Confession, a strong devotion to Mother Mary, and then a total commitment to Jesus Christ. It should be noted that the words “bloody Mary” are the demons’ way of mocking the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Botanicas

Botanicas are basically witchcraft shops that sell potions and herbs used in spells. They are now to be found in shopping malls and in main street stores. Some include Catholic statues and medals to “disguise” themselves as being Catholic, instead of being demonic. People who practice the witchcraft religion of Wicca purchase their goods here, and then use them to cast their spells for power, money, lust, and for revenge. Absolutely nothing good can come from any of this. Instead, patronize your local Catholic bookstore and purchase things that will aid you in devotion to Mother Mary and in worship of Jesus Christ!

Cursed Objects and Infestation

Yes, just like Catholics have priest-blessed objects in their homes, the devil’s minions can also curse objects, which leads to an infestation of your home. One must be very careful when accepting gifts from strangers, or when purchasing antiques. These gifts and antiques can carry curses, and can become demonic magnets in your home. If one is discovered, it is best to sprinkle the object with holy water, and then to burn it. This would include certain record albums as well, some of which glorify Satan with their album covers and with their music.

Drugs

In the old days, drugs were referred to as potions. These mind altering substances weaken the will and prepare the body and mind for the ways of evil, instead of the ways of Christ. This is why the bible forbids drunkenness, because it leads to carousing and sinfulness. Why? Because our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, not Satan’s saloon. Some drug dealers actually have Satanists come in and curse their drugs before shipment, so as to gain “protection” from law enforcement agencies. Other drugs, such as marijuana, LSD, and heroin, also alter the thought processes of humans, which is like plowing the ground in preparation for the planting of a very evil crop. Once your mind is altered, the devil is only too happy to suggest really weird stuff that now sounds good to you. The drug culture of the 1960’s has produced a lot of really strange beliefs some 50 years later, many of which were unheard of before, like abortion on demand, euthanasia, homosexual so-called “marriage,” and the legalization of marijuana in certain states.

Pornography

Porn may not seem occult, but exorcists assure us that it is a demonic gateway. The worship of sexual images accompanied by self-stimulation is a direct invitation to the demons to come into our lives. It is reminiscent of the orgies, which served as worship of the golden calf in the desert. Looking at porn is not only worshiping an image (an idol), it also is looking upon a woman with lust, which is strictly forbidden by scripture. Sex was created by God for the procreation of the species between a husband and a wife, and not for solitary pleasure. After all, God told Adam and Eve to be fruitful and multiply; he didn’t tell them to go out and have a good time with sex.

Other Occult Gateways

There are even more ways to access the demons, such as Hinduism, Yoga, Dream catchers, Transcendental Meditation, Voodoo, the New Age, Labyrinths, etc. The best thing to do is to avoid all of these things and to meditate on the mysteries in the rosary every day, which will rapidly lead you to the worship of Jesus Christ in the Holy Mass!

Bible Warnings

It’s important to note that the Bible does not warn us against things which are not real. Accordingly, here are some bible verses which warn us against dabbling with the occult:

Deuteronomy 18:9-11: “When you come into the land which the Lord your God gives you, you shall not learn to follow the abominable practices of those nations. There shall not be found among you any one who burns his son or his daughter as an offering, any one who practices divination, a soothsayer, or an augur, or a sorcerer, or a charmer, or a medium, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For whoever does these things is an abomination to the Lord; and because of these abominable practices the Lord your God is driving them out before you.

2 Kings 21:6: And he burned his son as an offering, and practiced soothsaying and augury, and dealt with mediums and with wizards. He did much evil in the sight of the Lord, provoking him to anger.

Galatians 5:19-20: Now the works of the flesh are plain: immorality, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, anger, selfishness, dissension, party spirit, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and the like. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God

Revelation 21:8: But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the polluted, as for murderers, fornicators, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their lot shall be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”

For additional information check out the following resources:

A Message of Hope, Confessions of an Ex-Satanist-How to Protect Yourself from Evil
By Deborah Lipsky, former Satanist

Former Satanist: “I Performed Satanic Rituals Inside Abortion Clinics”
By Zachary King

Evil Unleashed: True Tales of Spells Gone to Hell and Other Occult Disasters
By John Harker

Catholics and New Age, the Occult, and Witchcraft
By Wendy McMahan