On Angels: Discerning the Spirits

Discerning The Spirits: A God-Honoring Way of Approaching The World Connecting the Dots Series 3/30/2022 “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.” 1 John 4:1 Table of Contents: A Method For The Madness 3 Receive, Reject, Redeem 3 Similar Methods 5 The Chew And Spit Method 5 Crouch’s 5 Questions 5 Case Studies (Notes) 6 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS 7 Why Study Demonology? 7 Should Christians Participate In _______? 8 Other Issues 13 The Occultic Alphabet (Koch) 13 Demonic Beginnings: How Other Religions Formed 19 Separating Origin and Use 20 Demonism Behind the Black Lives Matter Movement 23 Satan Calling: How Sarah Young Channeled the Occult in Jesus Calling 24 UFOs, Aliens, And Demons. Oh My! 25 Bibliography J.C. Andrews 29 Discerning the Spirits 2 A Method For The Madness …examine all things; hold fast to that which is good; abstain from every form of evil. Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely, and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Thessalonians 5:21-23 LSB (emphasis added) Our Goal, in seeking discernment, is to be ____________ and ____________ before the Lord (1 Thess 5:23; 2 Pt 3:14). We seek after this by ______________ those things which are ________ (1 Thess 5:21; Jm 1:17) We seek after this by _____________ those things which are _______(1 Thess 5:22) We seek after this by _____________ those things which are inherently _______ but have been made EVIL (typically on a case-by-case basis). Everything we encounter, whether we acknowledge it or not, we are either ______________, _____________, or _______________. Receive, Reject, Redeem We have bought into a lie. This lie has been perpetuated for multiple generations in western Christendom and now we see the fruit of it. What is it? This lie says that at the end of a long day, we can kick back, turn the tv on, and turn our minds off. This is a lie because our minds are and always should be active.1 We must analyze every piece of information through the lens of Scripture. We cannot pause our discernment. We cannot simply divide into categories of types of things we can accept (Christian) and types of things we cannot (secular). Each individual stimuli we engage with must be analyzed and held up to Scripture. Paul gives us a helpful checklist for such a task in Philippians 4:8: “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is dignified, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, consider these things” (LSB). Everything we encounter, whether we acknowledge it or not, we are either receiving, rejecting, or redeeming. It would be wise to do so consciously instead of unconsciously. Receive When we encounter something our first questions should be “can I receive this entirely?” The answer is rarely “YES!” Few things outside of Scripture should be accepted entirely. Even Paul’s words were analyzed against Scripture by the Bereans and they were praised for doing so: 1 What about when we sleep? Yep! Your mind is active while you sleep, processing data from the day and discerning what is happening around you while you sleep. Every noise, voice, temperature change your brain is analyzing to tell if you need to wake up and address an issue. Even dolphins only rest half their brain, while the other half is awake, swimming, and avoiding predators. Resting does not mean our brain is off. We should always seek to use our minds (Lk 10:27). J.C. Andrews Discerning the Spirits 3 “Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so” (Acts 17:11 LSB). Paul’s words were not accepted without discernment and comparing to the Scriptures, and he was an apostle who saw the risen Lord. We must be cautious and discerning. What false prophet announces his identity as such before he shares rank heresy? Did Satan announce to Eve that he was the father of lies before lying to her? Simply because something is labeled “Christian” does not make it worthy of our full or even partial acceptance. Simply because someone touts the title “expert” in a field does not mean we fully accept what they say.2 After all, many wolves reside in sheep’s clothing. As you will see in this packet, there are some movies, books, movements, and activities labeled as Christian which do not pass the “sniff test” when compared to Scripture. We must engage in discernment with everything we encounter. Rarely will you find that you can receive something entirely. Even sermons you listen to may have elements which cannot be received. Reject If we cannot receive something entirely, we should ask if we need to reject it entirely. Here are some questions we need to ask: • • • • • • What is the origin? (Fundamental worldview of creator, original purpose, etc.) What is the history? (Usage overtime, adherents, etc.) What is the current use? Does the Bible speak against it? What does your conscience say? What does the conscience of your neighbor say? There are some things that need to be rejected entirely because to parse through and find the good would be damaging to us.3 For those things that we are able to parse through, we accept some things and reject other things. Redeem This is called “the fallacy of authority” and is an acknowledged illogical argument. Something is not made true by virtue of who said it. It is true because it is true. This should be an encouragement to the Christian who can learn of truth without the help of a “scholar” by reading the word of God, studying, and praying. This should be an encouragement for any topic. Anyone can read data: historical, scientific, and medical. Something is not made true by who says it. The data either stands true on its own or not. Thus “trust the experts” is a fallacious argument and should be abandoned by Christians who worship the God of all logic and truth. We should seek after knowing truth beyond just accepting what someone says. This author’s hope is that you will likewise compare this work to Scripture so as to confirm or deny its content. 3 A great example of this would be the tv show “Game of Thrones.” This show was pornographic. The amount of nudity and sexual acts in the show went beyond anything we had seen on network television before. Still many Christians said they watched it because the story was “good” or it helped them “relate” to others who were watching the show. Yet, at what cost? (Mt 6:22-23; Phill 4:8). GoT should be avoided entirely much in the same way… we don’t go to brothels because they serve good wings at lunch time. 2 J.C. Andrews Discerning the Spirits 4 There are some things we will encounter which have potentially been corrupted at one point, but can be won back for Christ. These things we seek to redeem. Here are some questions to help us determine if the item can be redeemed. • • • Was it first appropriated by pagan culture? Are elements of the Judeo-Christian worldview present in it? Can it be used as a moral lesson or parable? Similar Methods: The Chew And Spit Method4 Hillary Morgan Ferrer, in her book Mama Bear Apologetics: Empowering Your Kids To Challenge Cultural Lies, offers a method for parents to engage the culture with. She labels this message “The Chew and Spit Method” and includes the acronym R.O.A.R. in her explanation of it. Recognize the message Offer discernment (affirm the good and reject the bad) Argue for a healthier approach Reinforce through discussion, discipleship, and prayer Crouch’s 5 Questions Andy Crouch, in his book Culture Making: Recovering Our Creative Calling, lays out five questions that we should ask when engaging with “cultural artifacts.”5 (1) What does this cultural artifact assume about the way the world is? This question is seeking to find the underlying worldview. You can learn a lot about a person or thing through what it believes about the present state of the world and what problems are stated. (2) What does this cultural artifact assume about the way the world should be? What solutions are given for the established problems? How can the lives of the characters or people be made better or the world become a better place? This problem likewise examines the underlying worldview of the artifact. (3) What does this cultural artifact make possible? After encountering the artifact are there ideas or activities which are now possible to participate in? Does the artifact create a way forward to do something that could not be done before (good or bad)? 4 5 Ferrer, 47-61. Crouch, 29-32. J.C. Andrews Discerning the Spirits 5 (4) What does this cultural artifact make impossible (or at least very difficult)? After encountering the artifact are there ideas or activities which are considered wrong or more difficult to participate in? Does the artifact hinder you from doing something that you could do before (good or bad)? (5) What new forms of culture are created in response to this artifact? Are there new inventions, ideas, etc. taking shape in the world in response to the artifact? Does the artifact inspire good or bad actions? The first two questions are the most helpful in engaging culture. Case Studies Acts 19:11-20 1 Corinthians 10 St. Boniface Easter / Christmas J.C. Andrews Discerning the Spirits 6 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS Why Study Demonology? What does the following information have in common? • According to some studies, Horror films are quickly becoming one of the most popular genres in the United States, being 20% more popular in the U.S. than the global average.6 • Many stores, including Walmart, sell Ouija boards7 as nothing more than children’s board games. Some have adapted this for Christian audiences as “angel boards.”8 • Pagan Wicca boasts over 1.5 Million believers in the U.S., with a large amount of growth within the Millennial generation.9 • There are over 55 million Americans who practice yoga with at least 7% practicing Kundalini yoga.10 23% of Americans believe yoga is ultimately a spiritual practice.11 • ChristianBook.com sells over 130 books and devotionals centered on the Enneagram as a spiritual guide to the Christian. • The percentage of LGBTQIA+ identifying individuals has gone from less than 1% of the population to about 12% in recent years,12 with anywhere between 10 and 30% of generation Z (1997-2012)13 identifying as such. • “Celebrity” pseudo-pastor Greg Locke claims a demon, through an exorcism, revealed that several of his “church” members are witches seeking to destroy him.14 • An Illinois Elementary School promotes an “After School Satan Club” as an extracurricular after school program sponsored by the Satanic Temple of the United States and after pushback, the school district defends the club.15 6 https://americanfilmmarket.com/relative-popularity-genres-around-world/ “For readers who aren’t familiar with a Ouija board, it is a flat board featuring all the letters of the alphabet, the numerals 0 through 9, and the words ’yes,’ ‘no,’ ‘hello,’ and ‘goodbye.’ It also comes with a piece of wood or plastic called a ‘planchette.’ The idea is for one or more people to touch the planchette while audibly asking questions to any spirits who might be listening. If a spirit is listening, it is believed the planchette will move around the board to spell out a response.” (Bancarz, 309). 8 Bancarz, 309-310. 9 https://www.newsweek.com/witchcraft-wiccans-mysticism-astrology-witches-millennials-pagans-religion1221019. 10 https://comparecamp.com/yoga-statistics/ 11 Bancarz, 8. 12 https://www.glaad.org/blog/new-glaad-study-reveals-twenty-percent-millennials-identify-lgbtq 13 https://www.statista.com/statistics/719685/american-adults-who-identify-as-homosexual-bisexual-transgender-bygeneration/ 14 While theologians like Koch would say this is possible, Greg Locke is, as I have labeled him, a pseudo-pastor. He is a politician who preaches godless politics from his pulpit and disqualified himself from the pastorate some time ago. He had an affair with his secretary, refused to repent, divorced his wife, and married ‘the other woman.’ He has since continued to “pastor” without acknowledging the sin. While this situation involving demon-possession could have happened, Satan is likely enjoying Locke’s position as pastor more than harming him through church members. https://www.christianpost.com/news/greg-locke-demon-witches.html. 15 https://nypost.com/2022/01/14/illinois-school-district-defends-satanic-club-at-jane-addams-school/. 7 J.C. Andrews Discerning the Spirits 7 • At least 20% of preborn children are murdered while in the womb16 • Black Lives Matter Organization teaches the practices of the Yoruba Ifa religion. Libations are poured out to the dead, inviting them to indwell the individuals at each “protest” / riot. What do they have in common? All of these either originate from demonic practices or celebrate demonic practices. Satan is alive and active today, but his activity is not always what we would anticipate. Instead of an aggressive, head-on, fight Satan has engaged in deception with hopes of “deceiv[ing], if possible, even the elect” (Mt24:24, LSB) who are Christians. We must thus be aware of all of the schemes of the devil (Eph 6:11) and resist him (Jm 4:7). The Old Testament makes clear that behind idolatry and other religions are the demons themselves. Consequently, we will see throughout world religions many of the same anti-Christ “doctrines of demons” (1 Tm 4:1, LSB) for even in Satan’s schemes “there is nothing new under the sun” (Eccl 1:9, LSB). Bancarz and Peck make this same observation in regard to the “New Age” movement which utilizes and adopts several of the bullet points above: “The ideas and themes of the New Age are the same ideas taught in spiritual Satanism…New Age was nothing more than a more culturally acceptable Satanism repackaged with a bow of post-modernism for a twenty-first century audience.”17 To understand the battle we are fighting, we must first understand our enemy and his tactics.18 Should Christians participate in_________? …Yoga?19 …Astrology?20 16 Over 16% of preborn USA children are reported as surgical abortions per CDC, this does not include the large number of over-the-counter medicinal abortions. 17 Bancarz and Peck, 88. 18 “If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.” – Sun Tzu, The Art of War 19 Raja Yoga is inherently a spiritual practice involving breathing and positioning one’s body, “designed to enhance and induce meditative states in which one can transcend mental fluctuations and bypass rational thinking” (Bancarz, 311). Subhas R. Tiwari (Prof., Hindu University of America, Master’s in Yogic Philosophy) has claimed that one cannot separate the techniques of yoga from the Hindu spirituality of yoga. The poses themselves are intended as instruments to achieve or “apprehend the Absolute, Ultimate Reality, called the Brahman Reality, or God” (Bancarz, 312). Bancarz and Peck, with their experience in the New Age movement, lay out a solid argument against the use of yoga by the Christian (Bancarz, 310-317). They conclude with the following: “If yoga is methodological Hinduism intended to bring people into a realized state of self-divinity, and if yoga is named after gods and goddesses with the intention of becoming one with their attributes/essence, and if supernatural siddhis and the Kundalini syndrome are known side effects of proper yogic practice, this seems to be the most direct parallel to the first lie in the Garden of Eden out of every other practice in history” (Bancarz, 316-317). A deeper study of the harmful and demonic nature of yoga can be found in “Separating the origin from the use.” 20 Space and time do not permit an in-depth look at astrology. Suffice to say God condemns and even mocks astrology and astrologers (Isaiah 47:12-15). For a brief look at astrology as an occultic practice, see Koch, Occult Practices and Beliefs, p.17-19. Another resource on horoscopes and astrology can be found at https://reasonsforjesus.com/should-christians-read-horoscopes/. J.C. Andrews Discerning the Spirits 8 …Astral Projection? …Mindfulness Meditation? …Contemplative Breathing? …the Enneagram?21 …Martial Arts?22 …Palm Reading? …Fortune Telling? …Black Lives Matter? …Video Games?23 “As the most dangerous winds may enter at little openings, so the devil never enters more dangerously than by little unobserved incidents, which seem to be nothing, yet insensibly open the heart to great temptations.” – John Wesley Every Christian should seek after godly wisdom and discernment. The list above is not a complete list, as far as practices with occultic/demonic origins/usages go, nor is each item inherently occultic or demonic. Rather there are some versions, methods, or companies under each category that are seemingly or allegedly driven by the occult. Before we jump to objections, we must remember that Satan’s “deceitful workers” transform “themselves into apostles of 21 For information on the origin of the Enneagram see https://biblicalcounseling.com/resource-library/podcastepisodes/the-origins-of-the-enneagram/ and https://thecultishshow.com/blog/decoding-the-enneagram. Often the response to this info is to cry “genetic fallacy.” Simply because something originated from a person or idea does not mean that something is inherently evil or good. The argument is then that the enneagram is an analytical tool (reminiscent of the language from the SBC on Critical Race Theory in 2019) which can help a person understand more about their personality. The problem is that genetic fallacy only works when the product or idea is a neutral one. Nuclear technology is neutral and can thus be used for good (power) or bad (genocide). Religious ideas however are not able to be separated from their place of origin and purpose. As Christians, we recognize that Satanic practices like child sacrifice and communing with demons (practices that are within various pagan religions) are evil inherently because of the worldview they come from, yet we will give pagan practices like the Enneagram and Yoga passes because we think they are useful to us as people? These practices are not tools in the hand of individuals for good or evil, rather they make us tools in the hand of the evil one. 22 Not all martial arts are related to occult and demonic practices. Self-defense is a good thing, as long as the foundation of it is defensive technique and not spiritual. Listen to Cultish’s podcast from 2/22/2022 on this topic for more info (https://thecultishshow.com/podcast/martial-arts-and-the-occult). The differentiation between martial arts and their origins is beyond the scope of this lesson. 23 When I first started working at Mt. Zion, I made clear to some of my youth who played video games: as a whole, though some may be, video games are not inherently evil. There has been a craze of sorts since I was young to blame the evil violence of men and boys on video games. This mentality is not new. It seems every time a new genre or form of entertainment is founded, Christians are rightly cautious and take their time to examine it. However, sometimes once examining it we unfortunately dig our heels into untenable positions. One such example would be blaming the seditious behavior of teenagers on rock and roll music or Elvis Pressley’s gyrating hips. Again, I will say not everything in these categories (video games, rock and roll, and musicians) are inherently evil, but some can be. Rather than telling the youth to avoid video games, I encourage them to use discernment. Here are a few thoughts and questions I give them to think through as they engage in entertainment of various kinds: (1) Does this activity contain excessive evil content (i.e. graphic sexual content, graphic gore, demonic activity and participation, etc.)? Yes? Then you shouldn’t be engaging it. (2) Does this activity take up more time in your life than reading the Bible, praying, and evangelizing? Yes? Limit or entirely cut your play time. (3) Does this activity cause you to think or feel differently than you do? Yes? Then you should severely limit or cease engagement. We can participate in these things, but we should do so in moderation. J.C. Andrews Discerning the Spirits 9 Christ” and Satan himself appears as “an angel of light” (2 Cor 11:13-14, NKJV), hoping to deceive “if possible, even the elect” (Mt 24:24, NKJV). Satan’s goal is to deceive and harm believers. What better way to do so than through something that seems innocuous? What better way to do so than by causing the believer to, unknowingly, enter into syncretism (a combining of multiple religious views and practices)? Many of these practices come with a guarantee from their peddlers: healthier living, healthier thinking, more power, more knowledge, etc. In Christian circles, individuals may be told that through such rituals they can be closer to God or know Him more deeply. These practices, sometimes even sponsored within churches, “Like a good chess player, Satan is often come with a stamp of community approval as always trying to maneuver you into a well. After all, large numbers of U.S. citizens position where you can save your castle participate in yoga and like practices along with many only by losing your bishop”. churches and Christian groups having yoga classes. All – C.S. Lewis of these factors can encourage Christians to participate. Yet the goal of the Christian is not comfort, conformity, popularity, or even greater knowledge of self. The goal of the Christian is to pursue a godly and holy (set-apart) life, “looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith” (Hb 12:2, NKJV), honoring and obeying God in all that you do. The Christian must “lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us” so that we may “run with endurance the race that is set before us.” (Hb 12:1, NKJV). The author of Hebrews not only said we must lay aside sin, but every weight, which includes things which are not inherently sinful. Paul likewise argues that something, though it may be “good,” should be abandoned if it will be “spoken of as evil” (Rm 14:16, NKJV) and cause your brother in Christ to stumble (Rm 14:21). This applies to many things in our lives but is not quite applicable to most of the items on the list above. Most of those items mentioned above seem to fall better under the Biblical categories of “idolatry,” “sorcery,” and “necromancy” which are practices condemned and outlawed by God in the Old Testament. Those outlawed practices (Dt 18:9-14; 1 Sm 28:9; 2 Chr 33:6; Ez 21:21; Mal 3:5) were later shown to be linked to demons (1 Sm 28:12-13; Gal 5:19-21; Acts 16:16-24; 1 Cor 10:18-23) with even the Hebrew word for demons being used to reference idol worship (Dt 32:17). If Demons truly are the force and power behind such practices as yoga, astrology, the Enneagram, some martial arts, and other practices, how is the Christian to respond? 14 Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. 15 I speak as to wise men; judge for yourselves what I say. 16 The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? 17 For we, though many, are one bread and one body; for we all partake of that one bread. 18 Observe Israel after the flesh: Are not those who eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar? 19 What am I saying then? That an idol is anything, or what is offered to idols is anything? 20 Rather, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice to demons and not to God, and I do not want you to have fellowship with demons. 21 You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the Lord’s table and of the table of demons. 22 Or do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than He? J.C. Andrews Discerning the Spirits 10 23 All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful for me, but not all things edify. 24 Let no one seek his own, but each one the other’s well-being. Eat whatever is sold in the meat market, asking no questions for conscience’ sake; 26 for “the earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness.” 25 27 If any of those who do not believe invites you to dinner, and you desire to go, eat whatever is set before you, asking no question for conscience’ sake. 28 But if anyone says to you, “This was offered to idols,” do not eat it for the sake of the one who told you, and for conscience’ sake; for “the earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness.” 29 “Conscience,” I say, not your own, but that of the other. For why is my liberty judged by another man’s conscience? 30 But if I partake with thanks, why am I evil spoken of for the food over which I give thanks? 31 Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 32 Give no offense, either to the Jews or to the Greeks or to the church of God, 33 just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved. 1 Corinthians 10:14-33, NKJV When the practice is inherently pagan, bearing in it the worship of demons, then we avoid entirely. I believe that the Enneagram, yoga, astrology, palm readings, fortune telling, the Black Lives Matter organization, mindfulness meditation and many other like practices are demonic at their core. These practices should be avoided lest we be found to “drink…the cup of demons.” After all, “what accord has Christ with – Andrew Murray Belial?...What agreement has the temple of God with idols?” (2 Cor 6:15-16, NKJV). When the item is not inherently demonic, we can partake unless informed otherwise. Paul uses the meat market for his example of how to live out this principle. How is it that this principle is worked out today? “The enemy uses all his power to lead the Christian, and above all the minister, to neglect prayer. He knows that however admirable the sermon may be, however attractive the service, however faithful the pastoral visitation, none of these things can damage him or his kingdom if prayer is neglected.” • • Chiropractic Medicine is a science. It can be done with no spiritual components. Christians can perform it for spiritual reasons, caring for the temple of God. Likewise, the practice can be used to “align your chakras” and consequently help you toward pagan enlightenment. If your chiropractor, who you are seeking for medicinal purposes, begins explaining your chakras it’s time to look for a new chiropractor. Essential Oils are concentrated oils made from natural ingredients like plants and spices. These oils are said to help with various medical issues when applied either topically or through the air. The oils are not inherently spiritual, yet if you are made aware that a particular company is claiming a demonic purpose behind their oils, the Christian should switch to a different company. J.C. Andrews Discerning the Spirits 11 If Satan cannot have your soul, his desire is for you to be ineffectual either by partaking in demonic practices or being a bad witness before the world because of what you partake in. He will do all he can to lead you into practices that either are inherently demonic, or the world believes to be so. This is demonstrated most clearly in the New Age movement which has made eastern mysticism and paganism more palatable for the western “Christianized” individual. As Josh Peck reminds his readers: “Those in the New Age movement have gone to great lengths to try to make their beliefs palatable for Christians.”24 “There is nothing so deluded as feelings. This has been done through the coopting of Christian Christians cannot live by feelings. Let me terms or the dropping of other religious terms so as to further tell you that many feelings are the make the practice seem neutral. All the while each New work of Satan, for they are not right Age practice, rooted in and originated from pagan feelings. What right have you to set up your feeling against the Word of Christ?” religions, is truly a spiritual practice. As the Christian engages in these spiritual practices, whether knowingly -Charles Spurgeon or unknowingly, they open themselves up to those entities behind each practice. 24 Bancarz, 41. J.C. Andrews Discerning the Spirits 12 Other Issues: The Occultic Alphabet (Koch) The German Theologian Kurt E. Koch (1913-1987) presented a “Devil’s Alphabet” in his work Occult Practices and Beliefs: A Biblical Examination from A to Z to provide Christians with a basic understanding of how far the devil’s schemes have gone. He served as minister and counselor to countless men, women, and children involved in occult practices in over sixty-five countries. What follows is a list from his book in addition to a definition / description so one understands what exactly about each listed item bears occultic origin or practice: • Amulets (p. 15) The practice / ritual of carrying something on your person that you believe carries spiritual or lucky qualities. Examples: lucky charms, rabbits feet, etc. • Anthroposophy (pp. 15-17) A belief and practice, founded on reincarnation, involving “a process of clairvoyance [where] one is meant to attain to a vision of the transcendental world and one’s former existences.”25 • Astrology (pp. 17-19) “Let us take heed that we are not ‘ignorant of Satan’s devices’ (2 Cor. 2:11). He is still going to and fro in the earth, seeking whom he may devour. He is about our path and about our bed, and spies out all our ways. Our only safety lies in resisting him at the first, and not listening to his first advances. For this we are all responsible. Strong as he is, he has no power to do us harm, if we cry to the stronger One in heaven, and use the means which he has appointed. It is a standing principle of Christianity, and will ever be found true, --‘Resist the devil, and he will flee from you’ (James 4:7).” – J.C. Ryle The practice of predicting one’s future and giving excuses for one’s behavior based on the positions of a constellation of stars associated with a person’s birth month. Horoscope is the term given to the written out or diagrammed forecast of a person’s life. Example: “Today Gemini should avoid using their cars as much as possible” or “Taurus: today you will meet someone new who will help you more than you know; listen to them.” • Atheism (pp.19-20) If you are not for God, you are against God (Mt 12:30; Lk 11:23). If you do not worship God in obedience, then you serve another master (Eph 2:1-2). If the Holy Spirit does not indwell you, then your life is open to the indwelling of another (Mt 12:29; Lk 11:21-26). “Unbelief and superstition invariably mean that the person concerned hands himself over to powers opposed to God, and these powers then used the person’s life as a stage for their own revelations.”26 • Black and White Magic (pp. 20-25) Essentially the practice of mystically healing, charming, cursing, etc. There is unfortunately a division some create to continue to practice that which God has 25 26 Koch, Occult Practices and Beliefs, 15. Ibid, 20. J.C. Andrews Discerning the Spirits 13 forbidden, while attaching his name to it. Black magic is magic practiced with the understanding of Satan’s involvement and White magic is magic practiced while pretending that God is the force behind what you are doing. Truly Satan is the power behind magic, white and black alike. As Koch notes, there are some missionaries who are encouraged to practice white magic to combat black magic.27 • Blood Subscriptions (vv.25-27) The practice of binding yourself to Satan, contractually, through of blood. • Card-Laying (pp. 27-28) The practice of laying tarot or “angel” cards face up to tell the fortune or future of an individual. • Charming (pp. 28-31) “Charming means treatment by magic. The practice of magi is a matter of sorcery, even though it is at times executed in the name of the Trinity. Sorcery utilises demonic powers and is hence blasphemous.”28 • “ Once let a man begin tampering with the devil, and he never knows how far he may fall. Trifling with the first thoughts of sin,--making light of evil ideas when first offered to our hearts,--allowing Satan to talk to us, and flatter us, and put bad notions into our hearts and minds.—all this may seem a small matter to many. It is precisely at this point that the road to ruin often begins. He that allows Satan to sow wicked thoughts will soon find within his heart a crop of wicked habits. Happy is he who really believes that there is a devil, and, believing, watches and prays daily that he may be kept from his temptations.” -J.C. Ryle Christian Science (pp. 31-33) A religion founded by spiritist Mary Baker Eddy. Mind over body is taught to the point of being able to heal or harm an individual with the mind, even from great distances.29 • Clairvoyance (pp.33-34) The ability to discern the unnoticed or indiscernible even from great distances. “Clairvoyance, clairaudience and clairsentience all belong to the list of mediumistic forces and subjections.”30 • Colour Therapy (pp. 34-37) The practice of using a divining rod, pendulum, or mechanical pendulum (motor skopus) over a box that contains colored threads with the purpose of discerning and diagnosing a person’s ailments. Treatment then involves swinging the chosen thread “over the sick part of [the] body. This is supposed to speed up certain rays or vibrations connected with the body so as to induce healing.”31 • Death Magic (p. 37) The transference of illness from the living to the dead or dying through magic. 27 Ibid, 21. Ibid, 28. 29 The practice of harm is called “mal-practice” and is encouraged in Eddy’s diary (Ibid., 32). 30 Ibid., 33. 31 Ibid, 36. 28 J.C. Andrews Discerning the Spirits 14 • Eye-Diagnosis (pp.38-42) The mediumistic usage of a pseudo-scientific chart to determine illness, past, present, and future by looking at the irises of the eye.32 • Fanaticism (pp.43-53) Obsession with spiritual, occultic, or mediumistic things, especially within Christian movements. Koch specifically acknowledges some of the occultic practices within fanatic sects of Pentecostalism and charismatic Christianity: “In extremist sects laying on of hands often has the same byproducts as magic charming.”33 • Fetishes (pp.53-54) “A fetish can be described as an object charged with magical powers and carried about as a means of protection. Amulets, talismans and fetishes are thus very similar to one another.”34 An example of this would be the “relics” of saints sold, bought, and carried around by some Roman Catholics. • Firewalking (pp.54-57) The practice, after much meditation, of walking across fire without being burned. “What is the reason behind Satan giving his followers such powers? The devil is basically an imitator of God. He tries to counterfeit all the miracles and powers of the Bible. God protected the three faithful men in the midst of the fire (Dan. 3), and so Satan seeks to boast of the same power. However, with Satan it is the power of hell.”35 • Fortune-Telling (pp.57-59) The act of predicting the future of an individual. Koch divides fortune-telling into two kinds: (1) intuitive swindling and (2) extrasensory influenced. Both are dangerous and demonic in different ways. • Freemasonry (pp. 59-63) The incompatibility of freemasonry and Christianity is too lengthy of a topic to cover here. Koch was brief in his own analysis. Suffice to say the Southern Baptist Convention acknowledged this incompatibility in 1993.36 • Ghosts (pp. 64-69) This author recently (March 2022) encountered an ad promoting such a “doctor” who was coming to teach on eyediagnosis in Smithville, MO. The strain of practice being promoted was labeled iridology. 33 Koch, Occult Practices., 43. 34 Ibid, 53. 35 Ibid., 56. 36 More research can be done by seeing an explanation here: (https://www.namb.net/apologetics/resource/freemasonry-overview/). There is likewise a good debate on the topic here (https://tagyoureitpod.podbean.com/e/is-freemasonry-consistent-with-christianity/) and here (https://tagyoureitpod.podbean.com/e/freemasonry-debate-recap/). 32 J.C. Andrews Discerning the Spirits 15 Because the dead cannot return to earth (Lk 16:19-31) and rather go immediately to the afterlife (Lk 23:43; 2 Cor 5:8), those “ghosts” encountered or conjured must be another entity: i.e. demons. • Heresies (pp. 69- 71) Those beliefs which reject the fundamentals of the Christian faith like the identity of Jesus, the trinity, and the particulars of salvation. • Hypnosis (pp71-73) Koch makes clear that his “concern…is not with the professional use of hypnosis… [but] the dangers involved when hypnosis and suggestion are used by magic charmers and unqualified medical practitioners.”37 • Letters of Protection (pp. 73-75) “Magic letters, lucky letters and letters of protection etc., in spite of their religious exterior belong to the domain of superstition and sorcery.”38 • Magical Healing Methods (pp. 75-76) Whether through charming, white magic, black magic, incantations, etc. these methods rely on sorcery and magic instead of God. • Mental Suggestion (pp. 76-77) A type of magical healing involving speaking an idea or mental state into reality by suggestion or showing of various symbols. Koch says “mental suggestion is the demonic counterpart to the intercessory prayer of a Christian.” • Mesmerism (pp. 77-80) This practice involves putting the patient into a trance-like state, without the use of words, in order to manipulate the magnetic field of the individual’s body. • Modern Theology (p.80) See Neo-Rationalism. • Moon-Mancy (p. 80) The association of practices with the moon: i.e. casting certain spells during a full moon, believing that homeopathy will work better based on the cycle of the moon, etc. • 37 38 Neo-Rationalism (pp.81-84) Koch, Occult Practices, 71. Ibid, 73. J.C. Andrews Discerning the Spirits 16 Liberal theology which seeks to remove the supernatural elements of the Bible as well as redefine Biblical terms. • Numerical Symbolism (pp.84-85) “The devil has learned a little about how to trap believers. Today, theologians once more use the old words as for example ‘the cross,’ ‘forgivenes,’ ‘new birth’ and so on, but they empty these words of their original meaning and fill them with new rationalistic ideas.” Superstitious association with numbers. The clearest example is the belief that 13 is an unlucky number. This author was born on a Friday the 13th and thus experienced jokes about -Kurt E. Koch being unlucky growing up. A common Christian occurrence of falling for numerical symbolism is in believing that something may go wrong if you see too many 6s in a row. Certainly the number of the antichrist is 666 but we need not be terrified every time we encounter a number God created and controls. • Occult Literature (pp. 85-86) Those books which promote new-ageism, sorcery, witchcraft, etc. should be abandoned or burned. These books, even for research purposes, should be avoided by the Christian. • Omens (pp. 86-88) Superstition tied up in odd occurrences or events. Examples include believing that something bad will happen because you cross the path of a black cat or that something good will happen because you found a penny heads up. • Palmistry (pp. 88-89) The practice of fore-telling futures through interpreting lines, patterns, and marks on hands. Also called “palm-reading.” • Psycho-analysis (pp. 89-94) This is a type of therapy/counseling which seeks to deconstruct and analyze presenting problems. Koch makes the argument that psycho-analysis can be used if “it is practiced by believing Christians.”39 Otherwise, he believed that the practice would do more harm than good; more destruction than help. “Basically, psycho-analysis when practised by a non-Christian doctor is a form of counseling without God. Psycho-analysis, one might say, is the profane counterpart to confession.”40 • Psychography (p. 94) “A psychograph or a planchette is an apparatus used in spiritic circles as an instrument for receiving written messages from the spirits of the dead. But as Isaiah wrote, ‘Should not a people consult their God? Should they consult the dead on behalf of the living?’ (Is. 8:19).”41 39 Ibid, 89. Ibid, 90. 41 Ibid, 94. 40 J.C. Andrews Discerning the Spirits 17 • Psychometry (pp. 94-95) The practice of fortune-telling by holding an object belonging to an individual. • Rod and Pendulum (pp.95-98) Sometimes called radiesthesia, this mediumistic practice involves detecting things like illness, guilt, etc. with the use of a divining rod or a pendulum. • Screening (pp. 98-99) The placement of a box onto a home to protect it from “earth rays.” While the purchasers of such a thing are giving into occultic superstition, the sellers are more likely swindlers than true believers. • Significant Dates and Days (pp. 99-101) The practice of doing particular actions on particular days out of superstition or in seeking after luck. • Spiritism (pp. 101-105) “Ways in which one can encounter spiritism include spiritistic visions, table-lifting, glass-moving, automatic writing, speaking in trance, materializations (alleged appearances of the dead), excursion of the soul (the wandering of the souls of the living), telekinesis (the moving of objects with no physical means), levitation (lifting of people and objects – an imitation of ascension), apports (the appearance and disappearance of objects in closed rooms, etc.), and also magic defense and magic persecution which also exist in the spiritistical realm. The appearance of apparitions and ghosts, too, can be included in this list.”42 • Superstition (pp.105-106) This is the fearful belief of what could happen, which drives actions. Kock says superstition “is an attitude divorced from God.”43 He rightly acknowledges that to live in superstition is to live in a belief that God is not in control. • Telepathy (pp.106-107) The mediumistic ability to perceive thoughts and project thoughts to others. • Tongues Movement (pp.108-111) The emphasis and action of speaking in glossolalia, without meaning or order. Though man may claim God is behind the tongues, He is not. Kock does a good job of examining the recent Pentecostal movement in the US which has been exported all across the world. • 42 43 Transference (pp. 111-119) Ibid, 101. Ibid, 105. J.C. Andrews Discerning the Spirits 18 The passing on of spiritual, physical, emotional, or mental ailment or affliction from one individual to another via the demonic. • Umbanda and Macumba (pp. 119-121) A cult-like movement in Brazil involving animal sacrifices, excessive dancing, and the leaders of the cult seeking to be “filled with the spirit of her god.”44 • Wart Removal (pp.121-122) There are medical ways of burning off warts. Koch instead is referencing those magical practices of incantations to remove warts. • Witchcraft (pp.122-123) Witchcraft is related to the use of white and black magic as well as blood subscriptions. • Yoga (pp. 123-127) See section in this packet on “Separating Origin and Present Use.” Doreen Virtue, a former New Age teacher, created a similar list on her website.45 She adds the following: ⸰ affirmations without God ⸰ aliens ⸰ angel cards ⸰ angel numbers ⸰ angel readings ⸰ ascended masters ⸰ astral projection ⸰ astrocartography ⸰ chakras ⸰ channeling ⸰ Christ consciousness ⸰ course in miracles ⸰ crystals ⸰ cults ⸰ deities and divinities ⸰ divination ⸰ dream catchers ⸰ drumming circles ⸰ earth angels ⸰ empowerment ⸰ energy healing ⸰ entity group ⸰ fairies ⸰ feng shui ⸰ flower of life ⸰ follow your heart ⸰ goddesses ⸰ Harry Potter ⸰ horoscopes ⸰ idols ⸰ journeying ⸰ law of attraction ⸰ mandala ⸰ manifesting ⸰ meditation without God ⸰ mediumship ⸰ mercury retrograde ⸰ Metratron’s cube ⸰ mindfulness ⸰ numerology ⸰ OMG ⸰ oracle cards ⸰ out-of-body experiencing ⸰ paganism ⸰ pantheism ⸰ past-life regression ⸰ peace signs ⸰ polytheism ⸰ power animals ⸰ psychic readings ⸰ reiki ⸰ sage ⸰ sacred geometry ⸰ shamanism ⸰ sorcery ⸰ spirit guides ⸰ statues ⸰ sweat lodges ⸰ tapping ⸰ tarot cards ⸰ unicorns ⸰ universalism ⸰ universe ⸰ vision board ⸰ wicca ⸰ zodiac signs Demonic Beginnings: How Other Religions Formed 6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— 7 not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. 9 As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed. Galatians 1:6-9, ESV (Emphasis Added) 44 Ibid, 119. If you would like to know her reasoning behind each one, visit her website with the following link: https://doreenvirtue.com/2019/07/21/an-a-z-list-of-new-age-practices-to-avoid-and-why/. 45 J.C. Andrews Discerning the Spirits 19 Every belief system has an origin. Judaism can be traced back to God calling Abraham out of a pagan land (Gn 12:1-3; Jsh 24:2).46 Christianity can be traced back to the life and death of Jesus Christ (Acts 5:33-42; 11:26). What about other religions? The Origin of Islam According to Islam, the Quran47 was delivered to Muhammed by the angel Gabriel. Historical sources tell us that Muhammed experienced troubling demonic visitations throughout his life, starting around the age of five. After one troubling vision in his adult life, he believed he was demon-possessed and even became suicidal. Others convinced him that the visitation was not Satan but Gabriel, the angel. Thus, Muhammed accepted the Quran and pronounced that both the God of Israel and idols needed to be abandoned. Allah was the true god. The Origin of Buddhism There are many questions as to the accuracy of the purported origins of Buddhism. After all, the first official accounts of Buddhism’s origins surfaced about 700 years after the life of Siddhartha Buddha. The claim is that Buddha, after abandoning his earthly pleasure and provisions, meditated under a tree until he achieved “nirvana.” He then taught his method of achieving nirvana, a state of all-knowing and perfect peace, to other individuals. After his death, the religion of Buddhism was founded and various kinds of idol worship began, including worship of the tree that Buddha achieved nirvana under. The Origin of Mormonism According to Joseph Smith Jr., at the age of 15, he received a visit from the Lord.48 God told him that all the Christian denominations were corrupt. Three years later an angel named Moroni appeared at his bedside and instructed him to retrieve golden plates which would supposedly be the foundation for the Book of Mormon. Smith had a history of using occultic practices since he “Let us note the reality, personality, and was a child including a seer’s stone. He continued these awful power of our great spiritual enemy the devil. There are degrees in his power occultic practices even up until his death. After his and dominion over us. If his first death a charm was found in his pocket which would temptations are not resisted, he may in the supernaturally help him with seducing women. end gain full and entire possession of every part of our soul, and lead us captive to be his slaves. This seems the history of Judas. There are gradual steps in every apostasy.” J.C. Ryle Separating Origin and Present Use Once, when engaging someone on the pagan roots of something, this author was accused of falling into the 46 One may attempt to argue that Judaism existed since creation, though this would be ignoring the definition of Judaism. Judaism was wrought out of the Abrahamic Covenant, formalized by the Mosaic Covenant, and established through the Davidic covenant. There were those who believed in and worshipped the true God, YHWH, prior to Abraham, however Judaism began with “father Abraham.” 47 The Quran is the Muslim Holy Book. It is only the Quran as long as it is in the Arabic. Translations of the Quran are not considered authoritative as they no longer are considered the Quran. 48 It should be noted that Smith’s story changed several times. In 1830, he recorded that it happened when he was 15 years old (c.1820) and only the Lord appeared to him. In 1835 he claimed that the Father and the Son along with many angels appeared to him at the age of fourteen (c.1819). Then in 1838 he claimed that only the Father and Son visited him, no angels. J.C. Andrews Discerning the Spirits 20 “genetic fallacy.” The claim being that simply because something began in a particular way does not destine it to remain on that path. We should understand this better than anyone. After all, we were created good then fell into evil. We were thus destined for judgement and yet were offered Salvation. The genetic fallacy, however, should be abandoned when the very thing is infused with evil, only being capable of being used for evil. A good example of this would be the Ouija board. What purpose does such an evil object serve other than the purpose it was created for? Perhaps a large paper weight that could invite spiritual oppression into your home? It is designed to commune with the dead (or rather demons disguised as the dead). It’s spiritual purpose and design limits its use. Below you will see two examples of commonly used practices. Both originated from demons. The question then is “can their present use be separated from their origin and purpose?” The Origin and Use of Yoga Contrary to what some believe, yoga is not fundamentally stretching. Even if one were to claim they only use yoga for stretching purposes, it must be acknowledged that yoga is not even the safest or most helpful stretching or physical sport one can engage in.49 But yoga’s harm is not limited to the physical, rather it extends into the spiritual. Yoga originated about 3000+ years ago out of religious texts that birthed Hinduism. The practice began as a philosophical/religious system,50 created by mystic seers, internalizing “the idea of ritual sacrifice…teaching the sacrifice of the ego through self-knowledge, action (karma yoga) and wisdom (jnana yoga).”51 The practice evolved as additional layers were added: (1) the goal of practicing yoga became enlightenment (Samadhi) and (2) the physical body became viewed as a vessel of sorts to achieve spiritual enlightenment. Enlightenment or awakening is the goal of all forms of yoga, and it can best be understood as an attempt to “yoke [yourself] with in the sense of merging with and ultimately becoming one and the same as this universal godhead called Ishvara, or ‘Om’ (and also to attain god-like powers, ‘truths,’ and experiences along the way by ‘yoking’ with the spiritual ream).”52 In physical yoga, the poses are not designed to help stretch (perhaps a by-product) but rather to give honor, praise, and devotion to the Hindu gods. Bancarz and Peck, after explaining various positions’ associations with various gods in the Hindu pantheon, conclude: “The positions people exercise during yoga were never intended to be stretches. They are positions intended to shift human consciousness toward Godconsciousness and pay reverence to objects and entities other than the Triune God along the way.”53 Given the idolatrous and thus demonic reality behind the practice of yoga, Christians should flee from such a practice. Though we honor God with our lips, our hearts should not be far from God 49 There are more injuries in yoga than any other physical sport / workout. Some claim that this has to do with wrong technique or user error, however this is not true. Yoga is a practice that is physically hard on the body, no matter what physical condition you are in. One renowned Yogi even said “that ‘the vast majority of people’ should give up yoga altogether. It’s simply too likely to cause harm” (Broad). 50 “Yoga is basically a Far Eastern and Indian or Hindu system of philosophy and psychology.” (Koch, Occult Practices, 123). 51 Burgin, Timothy. History of Yoga. Yoga Basics. https://www.yogabasics.com/learn/history-of-yoga/. 52 Smith. Christian Yoga. 53 Bancarz, 314. J.C. Andrews Discerning the Spirits 21 (Is 29:13; Mt 15:8) by practicing something that acknowledges other gods (Dt 4:39; 5:7; 30:17). Time and space do not permit for us to examine how God views us worshipping him in ways he has not prescribed. Suffice to say God would seemingly be offended by someone using yoga to worship or “grow closer” to Him (Ex 32; Lv 10:1; 1 Kgs 12:28-33). As Koch says, “Have the Scriptures no more to offer than Buddhism and Hinduism? We insult our Lord when we leave the living source of the Bible for these foreign springs whose poisonous contents either kill or paralyse our spiritual lives.”54 We must “examine all things; hold fast to that which is good; abstain from every form of evil” (1 Thess 5:21-22 LSB). The Origin and Use of the Enneagram Though aspects of the Enneagram are claimed to have originated even from ancient Egypt, the clearest origin comes from a mystic, George Ivanovich Gurdjieff (1866-1949). Cherry and Johnson make clear that mystics like Gurdjieff were defined by two main things: (1) “claims to have attained a level of divine insight or understanding that transcends ordinary human knowledge”55 and (2) “communicat[ion] directly with the Divine or God, and eventually becom[ing] one with God.”56 Gurdjieff taught the symbol to his students with claims that through its use one could gain omniscience57 and be awakened.58 After this, Oscar Ichazo (19312020) added personality types to each nine points of the Enneagram symbol. Proponents Luckovitch and Morrell explain: “Drawing from Gurdjieff, Ichazo combined the Enneagram, the understanding of the centers, and the dynamic between Essence and personality with his understanding of several ancient systems of understanding, including the nine extant manifestations of the Divine as ‘Sephriot’ in the esoteric Jewish Kabbalistic Tree of Life, the Christian mystic Evagrius Ponticus’ early catalogue of human vices (which became the prototype of the Medieval Seven Deadly Sins and Seven Lively Virtues), and the work of Neoplatonists such as Plotinus (in his Enneads) and Proclus. In all, Ichazo claimed to have come up with 108 ‘Enneagons,’ which he taught in his mystical school in Arica, Chile. From these 108 Enneagons, just four make up the basics of the modern Enneagram of Personality: the Passions, the Fixations, the Virtues, and the Holy Ideas, providing an inner map for awakening Essence and seeing (in echoes of Gurdjieff) what psychological patterns keep us ‘asleep.’”59 After this, Claudio Naranjo (1932-2019) edited Ichazo’s work and popularized it by teaching to Jesuit Priests in Berkely, CA during the 1970s. Those priests began using this mystic tool for spiritual retreats within the Catholic Church. The “personality tool” made its crossover to Protestantism through the known-heretic Father Richard Rohr.60 54 Koch, Occultic Practices, 127. Cherry. 56 Cherry. 57 Cherry. 58 Luckovitch, John and Mike Morrell. A Brief History of the Enneagram and its Influences. MikeMorrell.org. https://mikemorrell.org/2019/11/the-secret-origins-of-the-enneagram-revealed/. 11/6/2019. 59 Luckovitch. 60 Richard Rohr is not simply a heretic because of his devotion to the Roman Catholic Church. He is also a panentheist, believing that all things emanate from God and thus you can take part in achieving godhood (in a 55 J.C. Andrews Discerning the Spirits 22 This “personality” tool clearly has problematic origins, yet can it be redeemed? This author would argue it cannot be redeemed because of its present usage. The symbol is used to tell you about your personality and is touted as being more helpful than previous personality tests. Anecdotally, this author has heard countless individuals put more weight into their identity found in the Enneagram than their identity found in Scripture. Many churches even now use this as a tool to help small groups learn more about themselves. This author has likewise seen individuals blame their behavior on their “personality type,” thus removing their guilt. Yet Scripture tells us it is our “pleasures which wage war in …[our] members” which cause all “quarrels and conflicts among” us (Jm 4:1 LSB). Seemingly the Enneagram also sits front and center in the deconstruction movement as a gateway into abandoning Scripture. Every individual this author knows who has deconstructed started down this path by engaging with the Enneagram. We should mark and avoid such a tool that mirrors astrology and Gnosticism. Demonism Behind the Black Lives Matter Movement “For God is not a God of confusion but of peace.” 1 Corinthians 14:32a It takes little to recognize the evil perpetuated by the founders of the movement through domestic terrorism, seeking after undue gain, and personal abominable practices. The question must then arise: is the movement evil? Just as we recognize that a broken clock is right twice a day, a created thing does not necessitate following the path of its creator.61 The Back Lives Matter Movement was founded on “queer-affirming” and protransgenderism principles with the goal of “disrupt[ing] the Western-prescribed nuclear family structure.”62 Given that God created mankind male and female (Gn 1:27-28), ordained heterosexual marriage (Mt 19:4-6; Eph 5:22-33), and set up the family structure (Eph 3:14-15), the BLM movement’s foundation and goal is clearly an affront against God and His order. On top of this the organization participates in various pagan practices. At the beginning of each protest, the organizers gather participants for the opening ritual. “The ritual is to publicly recite the names of black victims killed while chanting the African Yoruba term ‘Asé’ after each name.”63 In so doing, the participants are seeking the energy, strength, and essence/spirit of the deceased to enter their bodies and prepare them for the protest. The founders of BLM have said as much, implying and at times saying that they are bringing forth spirits.64 The well-known phrase “say their name” then is not a forced acknowledgment of potential injustices but rather part of a pagan ritual. The Christian who participates in such activities is “drink[ing] from the cup of demons” (1 Cor 10:21). This author has elsewhere sense). It is from Rohr that we have learned and grasped terms like “the Cosmic Christ” which teaches that anyone can become Christ. 61 A blanket statement that something is evil because its creator is evil is called “the genetic fallacy.” 62 After much controversy, BLM removed these statements from their “What We Believe” page. The original can still be found at https://uca.edu/training/files/2020/09/black-Lives-Matter-Handout.pdf. 63 https://www.thebereancall.org/content/spiritual-foundation-black-lives-matter-and-umbanda-spiritism. 64 Patrisse Cullors has said “When we speak their names, we invoke that spirit, and those spirits actually become present,… spirituality is at the center of Black Lives Matter.” Likewise, Melina Abdullah has said, “We become very intimate with the spirits we call on… It is literally almost resurrecting a spirit so they can work through us to get the work that we need to get done.” J.C. Andrews Discerning the Spirits 23 presented on the incompatibility of the movement and thus the phrase with Biblical Christianity, consequently this section will conclude here.65 Satan Calling: How Sarah Young Channeled the Occult in Jesus Calling: Automatic Writing is an occultic practice which results in a person writing words without consciously producing them. The practice is done through meditation, entirely clearing one’s mind, and channeling something else to author the words through you. Sarah Young, the author of the famed book Jesus Calling, has made claims of using such a practice in authoring her books. 66 She was inspired by the actions of two women in God Calling who entirely cleared their minds and wrote words as though God was writing through them. She acknowledged this reality in her first edition of Jesus Calling. Later Thomas Nelson removed this section because of the implications of how she arrived at her “devotional.” They deceptively reprinted a new “first edition.”67 There are still many copies of the original floating around. Truth be told, pastors seek out copies so they can show their congregants the demonic reality behind the work. If, as Sarah Young claims, Jesus spoke the words to her directly due to her “yearn[ing] for more” than the Bible,68 then the Bible is not sufficient for “everything pertaining to life and godliness” (2 Pt 1:3 LSB; see also 2 Tm 3:15-17; Hb 4:12). There must be something missing which we need, after all Jesus spoke the words to her, right? If Jesus had Young write the words down, as she claims, then her book is on the same level of authority as the Bible. Yet, Young admits that she “knew that these writings were not inspired as Scripture is.”69 Young’s addition to Scripture, if it were as she claims, would lead us down a path with no end. We could follow any and all gods because we would adopt abrogation as a hermeneutic tool: if there are conflicts between the old and the new then the new wins out. Thus, the words Young delivers to us from Jesus would cancel out any conflicting words Jesus gave us out of his own mouth. This is how the Muslims, Mormons, and even Catholics rectify their departing and demonic texts and teachings. We would need to follow suit if Jesus Calling is truly the words of Jesus as Young claims because his attitude and teachings between the two texts are very different from each other. 65 You can find more resources including previous teachings on these issues at www.mzlife.org/crt. “I decided to listen to God with pen in hand, writing down whatever I believe He was saying. I felt awkward the first time I tried this, but I received a message. It was short, biblical, and appropriate. It addressed topics that were current in my life: trust, fear, and closeness to God. I responded by writing in my prayer journal.” (Young, Sarah. Jesus Calling. Thomas Nelson Publishing: Nashville, Tennessee, 2004), XII.). 67 “Please be aware that one year after this article was written, a 10th anniversary edition of Jesus Calling was released by publisher Thomas Nelson. Portions of the book’s original Introduction, referred to in this article, were removed or changed. This includes the removal of Young’s statement that the book God Calling was the major inspiration for her for writing this book, and changing words that previously indicated she was hearing directly from Jesus. Previous statements that she was receiving “messages” from Jesus were changed to “writings” that she “gleaned” in quiet moments and to “devotions.” Other portions in the original edition, such as Young stating that she was yearning for more than the Bible, have also been removed. Additionally, some of Jesus’ alleged words in the original editions were altered…instead of a retraction, there is only a silent cover-up.” (Montenegro, Jesus Calling). 68 Young, XI. 69 Young, XII. 66 J.C. Andrews Discerning the Spirits 24 The word of God gives us a different understanding. God’s canon of Scripture is closed (Dt 4:2; Prv 30:5-6; Rv 22:18-19). We should, therefore, not suffer a false prophet who dares to speak in God’s name yet leads us into falsity for their own gain (Dt 13:1-5). Jesus told us there would be many who would come pretending to be him or to speak for him (Mt 24:4-5, 11-12; Lk 21:8). Jesus no longer speaks to us, but the Holy Spirit reminds us of his words (Jn 14:23-26) that we may teach others “to keep all that [Jesus] commanded” (Mt 28:20 LSB). We do not need a new fresh word. We do not need new words from Jesus. Jesus’ words are sufficient. To put it bluntly: we should not only avoid Jesus Calling, we should be appalled by it on account of our Lord. For more information on Jesus Calling, read Montenegro’s Jesus Calling: Channeling A False Christ and Virtue’s Say NO to Jesus Calling new age channeled books. Links are in Bibliography. UFOs, Aliens, And Demons. Oh My! In 2021 the U.S. government, adding to the already confused world, announced the existence of Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP) commonly referred to as Unidentified Flying Objects (UFO). Suddenly a growing community of “believers” in the extraterrestrial seemed saner to the world. An examination on the possibility of life on other planets, space travel, and theological implications follows: Life On Other Planets Could there be life on other planets? This is a question astrophysicists have been trying to answer. From a scientific standpoint, it’s possible if, and only if, evolution is the exclusive way life came into existence.70 Extra-terrestrial life is founded on the idea that there is nothing unique about the existence of life on earth, because we simply evolved. Therefore, if the conditions are right on other planets, then life can exist there too. Occasionally NASA and other organizations will add planets to the list of “Goldilocks” planets.71 Contrary to popular understanding this does not mean the planet is the same as earth or as hospitable to life. Rather all it means is that the planet is the right distance from a star so that water can exist without freezing or evaporating. There are countless other necessities for life to survive on a planet, let alone come into existence on it.72 As Batten shares: “Without intelligent, creative input, lifeless chemicals cannot form themselves into living things. The idea that they can is the theory of spontaneous generation, disproved by the great creationist founder of microbiology, Louis Pasteur. Without unfounded evolutionary speculation, UFOlogy would not have its present grip on the public imagination.”73 Space Travel 70 Ham, 238. Goldilocks in the story of the three bears was looking for the porridge that was “just right.” Thus a goldilocks zone is a zone of space that is “just right” for water to exist. 72 Batten, 143. 73 Ibid, 144. 71 J.C. Andrews Discerning the Spirits 25 Star Trek invented a term for the speeds which their space crafts could reach—warp speed (1-9). The ship’s captain could announce a need to go to “warp speed 5” to get out of a sticky situation and the ship would be programmed to go faster. In one episode74 of Star Trek Voyager, a pilot named Tom Paris attempted to break the barrier of warp speed—warp 10—with hopes of using this feat to return the Voyager home. It was hypothesized that being at warp 10 would be like being everywhere at once. When Paris triumphed, he found his very molecular structure change. The result of his attempt at omnipresence was gruesome. Though we don’t have the same terminology for how quickly our spacecrafts can travel, we do recognize similar limitations—the speed of light. In space some distances are measured by “light-years” or how far light can travel in an earth year. If we could travel at the speed of light, we could arrive at the nearest star system in just under four and a half years. The issue is that, like in the Star Trek universe, we are incapable of breaking such a barrier. Consider Bancarz and Peck’s analysis of the problem: “According to our own technology, we aren’t close to reaching anywhere near light speed. For example, it would take the NASA Voyager 1 probe around forty thousand years to reach Alpha Centaur if it continued to travel about thirty eight thousand miles per hour, which is about 4.36 light years away (or twenty five trillion miles). We are nowhere near to accomplishing the speed it would take technologically to reach a place like this—nor could our bodies handle the gforces of travelling such speeds.”75 There is a big issue, not just for speed but man’s ability to endure such speeds. Batten likewise brings up the issue of traveling such great distances. He additionally addresses the question of power sources: “The closest star to Earth, Proxima Centauri (a-Centauri C), is 40.7 million million kilometres (c. 25 million million miles) away. The Apollo flights took three days to get to the moon. At the same speed, it would take three days to get to the moon. At the same speed, it would take 870,000 years to get to this nearest star. Of course, one could accelerate (particularly unmanned) probes to a greater speed. At the incredible speed of one-tenth of the speed of light, the trip, one way, would still take 43 years. One would need enormous amounts of energy for such an acceleration. Even a very small, 10kg, craft would need energy equivalent to all that generated in four days by the world’s largest hydroelectric power station… Furthermore, in every cubic kilometre of space, there are an estimated 10,000 dust particles (made up of silicates and ice) weighing only a tenth of a gram. At such a velocity, colliding with even one of the these tiny objects could destroy a spaceship.”76 There are more problems with that feat than even Bancarz and Batten mention. Due to space and time, we will not examine those further issues here. Star Trek Voyager, S2 Ep15, 1/29/96, “Threshold” Bancarz, 273. 76 Batten, 144. 74 75 J.C. Andrews Discerning the Spirits 26 If traveling at the speed of light is impossible for us,77 and getting near to the speed of light is dangerous, then travelling to or from goldilocks planets on a consistent basis would be improbable and arguably impossible. Given this issue it would be illogical to believe that aliens are and have been for some time visiting the earth from other habitable planets. Theological Implications Why cover issues like the possibility of life on other planets and the impossibility of space travel at great distances? If extra-terrestrials exist then we have some theological problems, primarily with how we view creation, the fall, and salvation. We will examine those issues further: Creation Mankind is central to the creation story. God created and completed “the heavens and the earth… and all their hosts” (Gn 2:1 LSB) in six days. This means everything in the known and unknown universe was created, including those things in the unseen realm, and God “rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done” (Gn 2:2b LSB). On the sixth day “God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them” (Gn 1:27 LSB) “so that they will have dominion over” all the created order (Gn 1:26 LSB). If God created human-like life elsewhere, there are implications for our understanding of Scripture: (1) For what purpose do extraterrestrials exist? When were extraterrestrials created? As best as we can tell, those “ministering spirits” or angels (Hb 1:14) are counted under “all [heavens’] hosts” (Gn 2:1).78 In each day of creation, God gives purpose to those things he has created. God establishes purpose in every part of his created order including the angels. What purpose has God given to ETs? If they are created by God, which every Christian should assume (if they do in fact exist), then what role do they play in God’s creation narrative? Every other part of God’s creation is given purpose in the Scriptures. ETs are missing from the Scriptures and thus their purpose is not given. (2) Where do extraterrestrials fit into the created order? This is a necessary question because our God is a God of order (1 Cor 14:33). Though some try to argue that angels have been created in the image of God and are thus our elder brothers, Scripture makes it clear that man alone is made in the image of God. How can we know this when its not explicitly stated? God gives us the reason that we were created this way: “so that they [man] will have dominion over” all the created order (Gn 1:26 LSB). If we are over all “When you start traveling at or near light speed, time itself slows down…if you were to travel at the speed of light, time for you would actually stop. Now, this is just in relation to you and anyone else you’re traveling with. The rest of the universe, however, is different… This means, at the exact point of hitting light speed, the traveler would reach the end of time, whatever that is. Since, as far as we know, human beings cannot live in an environment outside of time, this would likely kill the traveler.” (Bancarz, 273). 78 This understanding is consistent with the rest of Scripture. The angels are often referred to as the hosts of heaven, with seemingly some references used generally to cover both angels and demons (1 Kgs 22:19-22; 2 Kgs 17:16; 23:4-5; 2 Chron 18:18-21; 33:3-5; Neh 9:6; Ps 33:6; 103:21; 148:2; Is 40:26; 45:12; Jer 19:13; Dn 8:10; Zeph 1:45). Others argue that the hosts often refer to those objects which inhabit the heavens (Is 34:4), namely planets, stars, etc. 77 J.C. Andrews Discerning the Spirits 27 created order, including the angels, then any ETs would be under our dominion.79 Why then would these ETs have superior abilities, technology, and form? Fall There are some who speculate that ETs must have experienced their own Edenic situation80 and have arrived on the other side successfully, with greater technological advancements and civilization. This speculation fails in two ways. (1) As already stated, the ETs could not have been created in the image of God, even if they are humanoid. (2) Due to Adam’s failure, all of creation (including any ETs) are subjected to the effects of the fall (Rm 8:18-22). Salvation If ETs are beings which can reason then there should be an opportunity to be saved (Is As already stated, any possibility of perfect obedience by the ETs to their creator would not negate a need for redemption, due to the corruption of Adam’s sin (Rm 8:18-22). Thus ET’s seemingly deserve the chance for salvation and need salvation. The only question remains: can they be saved? The short answer is “no.” What follows is the sequential argument for why ETs (if they existed) would not be able to be saved by the blood of Jesus in the same sense humans can be.81 1:18). • • • • • • • If ETs exist, ETs are not made in the image of God ETs, then, fall into the “creature” category Creatures lack souls Souls are what go to the “afterlife” to condemnation or glorification82 When ETs, who lack souls, die, they cease existence Therefore ETs cannot enter into the afterlife Therefore ETs cannot be saved83 There of course is further argumentation on the issue of the line of Adam. Jesus is the second Adam (1 Cor 15:45-50) who redeems the sons of Adam. ETs not being of the line of Adam are outside of the Noahic Covenant, Abrahamic Covenant, Davidic Covenant, and New Covenant; all of which Jesus fulfills for the “Sons of God.”84 Suffice to say, ETs present issues for our 79 This case is further bolstered when looking at the Noahic covenant. God blessed Noah and his descendants with the following: “the fear of you and the terror of you will be on every beast of the earth and on every bird of the sky; with everything that creeps on the ground, and all the fish of the sea, into your hand they are given. Every moving thing that is alive shall be food for you; as with the green plant, I give all to you” (Gn 9:2-3 LSB). Interestingly the word for terror (‫ )חתת‬only appears three times in the OT in reference to fear. Here, Job 41:33, and Jeremiah 50:2. The potential reasons for this go beyond the scope of this work. Suffice to say, the animals were and are to submit to the dominion of man with consequences for not doing so. 80 That is: creation, garden, temptation, etc. 81 Due to length of proofs for such an argument, this author is recommending further reading in Bancarz, Batten, and Rhodes. The lengthy proofs of the argument will not be given in this brief article. 82 This author recognizes the issue before us of the soul going to Abraham’s bosom or hades while we wait for the resurrection of the dead. Then it will not be soul alone but also the resurrected body. All creatures have bodies. Only those in God’s image have soul/spirit and body. 83 Of course salvation is meant in the same way as humans are saved. All of creation will be made right because of God’s salvific work through Jesus, but not all of creation is redeemed as the sons of God are. 84 In last week’s packet, this author made a point of how one is to understand the OT Hebrew phrase translated as “sons of God.” This author argued that in its 4 uses, it is always in reference to the angelic. The NT Greek phrase J.C. Andrews Discerning the Spirits 28 understanding of salvation. They would be effected by sin as all of creation, yet they reportedly are higher than man? They cannot be saved, yet they can reason in higher ways than man? End Times It can and has been argued by many Christians that there are only a few conclusions we can come to about ETs and UFOs. If they cannot be explained away by natural phenomena or the deception of man, then that which is seen or experienced is demonic. Some theologians and pastors have argued that if ETs were to publicly come on the scene, this would be clear evidence of the end times. Such an investigation and comparison is beyond the scope of this article. This author agrees that demons are behind many unexplained phenomena that lead people astray into fear and new age practices. The devil, however, since he is an apostate angel, is able, as he was in the beginning, to lead astray and to deceive the mind of man for the transgressing of God's commands. Little by little he can darken the hearts of those who would try to serve him, to the point that, forgetting the true God, they adore him as if he were God. – Tertullian, Against Heresies 5:24:3 [inter A.D. 180-199]. Bibliography: The usage of the following resources is not a wholesale promotion of each author or resource. There are some authors on this list which are good on the topic they address in this work, however are unhelpful on other topics. Be cautious and read every book with discernment, comparing everything to Scripture. Bancarz, Steven and Josh Peck. The Second Coming of the New Age: The Hidden Dangers of Alternative Spirituality in Contemporary America and its Churches. Defender Publishing: Crane, MO, 2018. Batten, Don, David Catchpoole, Jonathan Sarfati, and Carl Wieland. The Creation Answers Book. Creation Book Publishers: Powder Springs, Georgia, 2019. Broad, William J. How Yoga Can Wreck Your Body. The New York Times Magazine. https://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/08/magazine/how-yoga-can-wreck-your-body.html. 1/5/2012. Cherry, Rhenn and Dale Johnson. The Origins of the Enneagram. Association of Certified Biblical Counselors. https://biblicalcounseling.com/resource-library/podcast-episodes/the-origins-of-the-enneagram/. 4/12/2021. Crouch, Andy. Culture Making: Recovering Our Creative Calling. IVP Books: Downers Grove, Illinois, 2008. Ferrer, Hillary Morgan, Ed. Mama Bear Apologetics: Empowering Your Kids To Challenge Cultural Lies. Harvest House Publishers: Eugene, Oregon, 2019. Ham, Ken, Ed. The New Answers Book 1: Over 25 Questions On Creation/Evolution and the Bible. Master Books: Green Forest, AR, 2006. Koch, Kurt E.. Demonology Past And Present: Identifying and Overcoming Demonic Strongholds. Kregel Publications: Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1973. Koch, Kurt E. Occult Practices and Beliefs: A Biblical Examination from A to Z. Kregel Publications: Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1971. Martin, Walter. The Kingdom of the Cults, 6th Ed. Bethany House: Minneapolis, Minnesota, 2019. Montenegro, Marcia. Jesus Calling: Channeling A False Christ. ReasonsForJesus.com. https://reasonsforjesus.com/jesus-calling-channeling-a-false-christ/. 4/4/2017. Pittman, Marcus. The Christian History of Dungeons and Dragons. Loor.TV. https://blog.loor.tv/blog/dungeonsdragons-gary-gaygax-faith-christian. 4/9/2021. translated “sons of God” is used differently and often refers to those who have put their trust in the salvation and blood of Jesus Christ. This distinction must be made to avoid confusion. J.C. Andrews Discerning the Spirits 29 Ridenour, Fritz. So What’s The Difference? A Look At 20 Worldviews, Faiths and Religions and How They Compare to Christianity. Regal: Ventura, California, 2001. Rhodes, Ron. Alien Obsession: What Lies Behind Abductions, Sightings, and the Attraction to the Paranormal. Harvest House Publishers: Eugene, Oregon, 1998. Shreve, Mike. Was Jesus a Yogi Who Taught Yoga? ReasonsForJesus.com. https://reasonsforjesus.com/was-jesus-ayogi-who-taught-yoga/. 6/11/2020. Smith, Jessica. But My Yoga Class . . . Addressing "Christian Yoga" and "Yoga for Exercise Only.” Truth Behind Yoga. https://www.truthbehindyoga.com/christian-yoga-and-yoga-for-exercise-only/. Unger, Merrill F. Biblical Demonology: A Study of the Spiritual Forces Behind the Present World Unrest. Scripture Press Publications, Inc.: Wheaton, Illinois, 1952. Virtue, Doreen. Say NO to Jesus Calling new age channeled books. DoreenVirtue.com. https://doreenvirtue.com/2021/03/22/say-no-to-jesus-calling-new-age-channeled-books/. 3/22/2021. Virtue, Doreen. There’s no such thing as ‘Christian yoga.’ DoreenVirtue.com. https://doreenvirtue.com/2020/05/22/theres-no-such-thing-as-christian-yoga/. 5/22/2020. Virtue, Doreen. Why Astrology and Horoscopes are Condemned in the Bible. DoreenVirtue.com. https://doreenvirtue.com/2020/05/25/why-astrology-and-horoscopes-are-condemned-in-the-bible/. 5/25/2020. J.C. Andrews Discerning the Spirits 30