Filling a Need

It is not surprising to find young people in the forefront of mystic exploration. Young minds are naturally imaginative. There is, however, a deeper reason for their involvement, identified by one of the principal witches in the British Isles, Lois Bourne. In her book Witch Amongst Us she states: “Due to the decline in organised religion, and the fact that science cannot always explain observed phenomena there has been a recent resurgence of interest in the occult and associated world, with people seeking different answers to the same questions. Young people are turning towards paganism in an effort to satisfy their longing for answers to the mystery of life, and it is possible that some of them are being drawn into the vacuum of the seedy fringes of the occult world with all its inherent dangers.”

Yes, science and the churches too have failed to offer satisfying explanations for supernatural phenomena. And they have left many feeling empty in their quest for the meaning of life. Yet questions demand answers. For an increasing number of young people today one apparent way of getting the answers is to explore the occult. As they do so, the “inherent dangers” are either deliberately played down or ignored.

“ONLY a foolish or an ignorant man would today refuse to accept that there are some forces or influences about which we know little, and over which we have no control,” warns Peter Underwood in the preface to his book Into the Occult.

Many people are interested in those forces. As a former member of a witches’ coven in Canada put it: “Every time I make a trip to Victoria I see at least a dozen of the witches. Many of them are prominent business people . . . During the daytime they can’t be picked out from anyone else.”

In the British Isles there are now 6,000 known witches, and one person in 20 is actively connected with occultism. In Germany over 50,000 practice sorcery. Although witchcraft is illegal in South Africa, estimates are that between 40,000 and 90,000 members of the white population are involved in the “black arts.”

Why is the occult so popular?

What Fascinates Them

“Do you want a bank account bursting at the seams with money? A love life that would make a sultan envious? Supreme power to crush your enemies and reward your friends? . . . Witchcraft can bring your heart’s desire!”

This advertisement for a book on magic shows why many people are first drawn to the occult. They have been promised money, sex and power. Others may desperately wish to contact dead loved ones, or to know the future. Still others are merely curious.

Many claim to get results. A British photographer and his wife joined a satanist group after a “sex-filled initiation” and suddenly their business began making lots of money. As soon as they quit the group, their business went flat.

Others do not fare so well. In the African country of Liberia, the son of a prominent politician and several others sought to use witchcraft to gain political power. The young man wanted to be an ambassador. The group murdered a local fisherman and used parts of his body to make charms and potions, but their magic did not help them. After a spectacular trial, seven persons were hanged.

A Canadian couple got caught up in an occult group, only to flee in terror at the changed personalities and evil in the members. “Anyone who thinks they’re going to play around with witchcraft​—they’re playing with dynamite,” they said.

Even if they had doubts before, those who get involved in the occult become convinced that superhuman forces are involved. But, having done so, many feel that they have been snared in an evil web.

Breaking Free From Occult Power

LARGE numbers of persons who have dabbled in the occult now find themselves under the control of superhuman forces. They are not sure what these are, but they desperately want to break free. Is it possible?

As they struggle to free themselves, they may encounter severe problems. Some hear threatening voices from the spirit realm. Others are opposed by practitioners of the occult arts.

Centuries ago, on the island of Cyprus, there was a Jew named Bar-Jesus who practiced the occult. He was a sorcerer, known also as Elymas, which is a Greek form of a title given originally to Persian priests of Babylonian sorcery. It appears that Bar-Jesus held the position of court magician and adviser to the Roman proconsul at Paphos. The Bible, at Acts 13:6-12, relates that when the apostle Paul came into the area and taught the proconsul the principles of Christianity, Elymas fiercely opposed, seeking to protect his influential position as “priest” of the divination cult. But the proconsul was freed from that evil influence by embracing “the teaching of Jehovah,” the true God, as conveyed by Paul.

Many thousands of persons in this 20th century have also been freed from the occult by taking to heart the “teaching of Jehovah” as found in the Bible and taught by Jehovah’s Witnesses. One of the things that they learn is the identity of the superhuman forces behind the occult arts. These are not benevolent but wicked spirits, demons. Jesus Christ, who himself came from the invisible realm, knew about their existence and spoke about them. (Luke 4:33-35; 10:18-20; 13:16) To break free from their control, a person must have help from a source with greater power than theirs, from God himself. This is possible only by learning the truth from the Bible and applying it in one’s life, with full reliance on Jehovah God.

Consider some real-life examples of this in recent years. Take note how individuals got involved in the occult, and the kind of practices that draw on occult power. Also, observe what it did to their lives, and how they managed to break free.

A High Priest of Witchcraft Seeks Freedom

Gordon, who lives in England, was a witch (they did not refer to him as a “warlock”). Here is his own story:

“My connection with occultism started when I joined the Psychic Research Society. During subsequent years I observed and participated in hundreds of séances, witnessing most forms of psychic phenomena including direct voice, levitation, ectoplasm and apports [the manifestation of material objects through occult power]. At the same time I discovered my own power to become a diviner, to be clairvoyant and to engage in psychometry [divination of facts relating to a person or thing from contact with an object].

“Seeking to develop my occult abilities even further, I took up transcendental meditation as a member of a Buddhist society. I soon found that Eastern philosophies are a natural steppingstone to fundamental occultism. A new colleague, a skilled cabalist, taught me many fascinating things. A whole field of intriguing mysteries opened up before me. I read and studied deeply.

“As my grasp of ritual and transcendental magic increased, so did my circle of friends all over the country. I became adept at tarot reading and at interpreting the cabala.a I was initiated into the progressive grades of witchcraft until I eventually became high priest of a witches’ coven. I taught these arts to many others, including my wife, who became my high priestess.

“But things were not right with me or with my magical arts. My coven was subjected to bickerings and jealousy. There was rivalry with other covens, one group even working magic against another. Worse still, sordid affairs of a sexual nature (an all-too-common factor in witchcraft) eventually affected me, to the sad detriment of my own marriage.b I started experimenting with ‘soft’ drugs, becoming increasingly unhappy and disillusioned.

“It was at this time that a passing acquaintance, knowing of my connections with witchcraft, gave me a copy of the book ‘Babylon the Great Has Fallen!’ God’s Kingdom Rules! The title immediately captured my interest. I knew full well that ancient Babylon had been the repository of all ‘secret religion’ and that the Bible’s book of Revelation, mentioning ‘Babylon the Great,’ contained many mysteries too. Although I read the book eagerly and carefully, I was still confused, but this turned out to be my first positive step in gaining freedom from the subtle powers of occultism.

“As time passed, things went from bad to worse. In desperation, one night I remembered what the friend who had given me the ‘Babylon’ book had said: ‘If you need help, get in touch with Jehovah’s Witnesses.’ I picked up the telephone directory and rang the nearest address. Although it was late at night, the stranger I spoke to listened carefully. Within the hour he was standing at my door.

“My new friend, an elder in the local congregation, was genuinely concerned at what I had to say. I took him into my magician’s den. Even now I can recall how astounded he was at what he saw! Occult paintings filled the room. My two swords of initiation, beads of incantation and incense burners were displayed with my Arthame dagger​—used by witches to draw circles and pentacles when calling spirit forces into human contact. A full-size black model head of Isis (the ‘Mistress of Magic’) was alongside a bright-orange figure of Amon-Ra (the Egyptian ‘King of the Gods’) and model sailing craft, supposed to signify the transporting of souls across the sea of the dead. We stayed talking in that room until the early hours of the morning. I certainly needed much help.

“Our discussion centred around the Bible, a book for which I had always had a natural respect, but of which I knew little. We used a small book, The Truth That Leads to Eternal Life, as a guide to systematic Bible study. During the ensuing weeks I learned the simple truth about evil and the demons, and of their power to control and direct men’s minds.

“One thing that greatly disturbed me, I remember, was my first reading of Deuteronomy 18:10-12: ‘There should not be found in you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, anyone who employs divination, a practicer of magic or anyone who looks for omens or a sorcerer, or one who binds others with a spell or anyone who consults a spirit medium or a professional foreteller of events or anyone who inquires of the dead. For everybody doing these things is something detestable to Jehovah.’

“I had no idea that such a statement was in the Bible and it shocked me a great deal. In fact, my conscience began to trouble me as I realized my considerable guilt over the things with which I had been involved. On the other hand, the clarity of the truth came sharper in focus as a result, and for this I was grateful.

“Later I was amazed to read that the early Christians had also experienced serious encounters with demonism and magical arts. I had always known fire to be a symbol of destruction and when I read of the course of action voluntarily taken by the people of Ephesus who became Christians in burning their books of magical art,c I saw the need to do the same myself. So it was that after prayer one night I went up onto the moors and burned all my books and paintings. Likewise I broke and threw away the many metal appendages of my arts, despite their value.

“Slowly, but surely, I became free from demon influence. It was not easy. Witches and other former friends did all they could to dissuade me, but I treasured my newly found freedom too much to compromise. The forces of evil are strong, but I soon came to realize that the forces for good are stronger. I have every reason to be thankful for the happiness and security I now have serving Jehovah, the God of truth and of light.​—2 Cor. 4:3-6.”