Humans are not the highest form of life. The Bible reveals that long before God created man and woman, he created a multitude of spirit sons, invisible angels. (Job 38:4, 7) Later, one of these began to oppose God, even slandering him, thus becoming Satan (opposer) and the Devil (slanderer). In time, other spirit creatures joined Satan the Devil in his rebellion, forming an organization of rebellious angels, or demons. Are these demons the ones responsible for the paranormal phenomena of occultism?

Yes, they are! In pre-Flood days these spirit “sons of the true God” were able to materialize fleshly bodies and live on earth. (Genesis 6:1, 2; Jude 6) But since returning to the spirit realm, their contacts with humans have been limited to causing the paranormal phenomena that have been so common throughout the history of mankind.

The demons have particularly communicated with living relatives and friends of the dead, causing these persons to believe the lie that the dead are still living somewhere in the spirit world. To impersonate the dead is no problem for the demons, since they can closely observe people while they are alive. Thus, the intimate details of a person’s life, including sound of voice and manner of expression, can then be accurately impersonated.

But, you may ask, what about the loyal angels? Perhaps they communicate with humans today. It is true that God used angels to communicate with humans in earlier times. Today, however, we have the completed Bible as God’s direct and adequate communication to us humans. (2 Timothy 3:16, 17) In it Jehovah God specifically forbids humans to attempt communication with the spirits.

Through his prophet Isaiah, God says: “But people will tell you to ask for messages from fortunetellers and mediums, who chirp and mutter. They will say, ‘After all, people should ask for messages from the spirits and consult the dead on behalf of the living.’ You are to answer them, ‘Listen to what the LORD is teaching you! Don’t listen to mediums​—what they tell you will do you no good.’”​—Isaiah 8:19, 20, Today’s English Version.

No wonder that God gave detailed instructions to the nation of Israel on avoiding occult practices. On entering the Promised Land, he warned them not to get involved with the Canaanites’ “detestable customs.” (Leviticus 18:3, 30) Details of these customs or practices are listed in Deuteronomy 18:10, 11. They include employing divination, practicing magic, looking for omens, sorcery, binding with spells, consulting professional foretellers of events, and inquiring of the dead.

Beware of the Occult!

At first glance, those “detestable customs” might seem harmless enough. But danger lurks there. How so? Because those practices can lead to entanglement with the demons. The Canaanites’ depravity and their obsession with sex and violence served as evidence of this.

Today there is a similar danger in pursuing an interest in the paranormal. It could well be the bait leading to ensnarement by demonic forces. You do not have to look far to find reports of sex and violence associated with the occult practices of our day.

I WAS a spirit medium, a sorcerer, a male witch. I employed divination. I looked for omens. I bound others with spells. I practiced black magic and voodoo. Most of the spiritistic practices condemned in the Bible at Deuteronomy 18:10-12, I engaged in.

The apostle Paul’s traveling companion Luke wrote: “A certain servant girl with a spirit, a demon of divination, met us. She used to furnish her masters with much gain by practicing the art of prediction.” (Acts 16:16) As was the case with that girl, a demon also provided me knowledge of things that could not be known by ordinary means.

For example, before my grandmother died, I knew that her death was imminent. And when a relative would become pregnant, I knew about it before others did. These were not simply hunches that proved true; my knowledge about such things was almost always correct. When I would wish for a fellow student, teacher, or relative to become sick, invariably they would.

Once I became upset with my grandmother and wanted her to be hurt. I called to the demons, asking specifically that she should cut herself​—that afternoon she cut herself with a knife.

Practicing voodoo, I used articles of clothing and made an image of my brother. I wanted to keep him from bothering me. Afterward, whenever he came within ten feet (3 m) of me, he got shooting pains in his chest and had difficulty breathing. So he learned to keep away from me.

Later, an acquaintance scoffed at my ability to summon the demons. I knew he dealt in drugs. So I told him he would be arrested and then be released. The demons did just what I requested. Within two months the man was arrested. Afterward the charges were dropped, and he was released. The man never questioned my abilities again.

Becoming Involved in Occultism

My family was steeped in the religious ritual and paganism of the Ozark Mountains in the United States, where people were users of love potions, and the like. I was born after my parents moved to San Francisco. They really didn’t want children; it interfered with their freewheeling life-style. So I was neglected, shown no affection, battered emotionally. I became a loner, a hater of people.

At an early age I was drawn to the occult. I would watch all the movies and TV programs featuring it. And by the time I was about six, I was a regular user of the Ouija board. I was open to and, in fact, eager for communication with the spirit realm. I knew that demons existed and I felt very comfortable talking with them. And they favored me with special powers and knowledge.

I began reading all the books on occultism that I could get my hands on, obtaining them from public libraries and, in particular, bookstores. One store, operated by a spirit medium, catered especially to those who practiced witchcraft, or black magic. From reading old books on occultism, I learned the names of demons who were contacted in past ages by people who practiced spiritism.

Then, in my communications with the demons, I began using these names when I spoke with them. And it seemed that whenever I dealt with a particular demon, that one’s personality and the way he worked differed from that of another demon I would call upon. I thus came to know scores of demons by name.

From my reading about occultism, I knew that the demons were angels who had lost God’s favor and were not the spirits, or souls, of people who had died. I had sympathy for these angels, and I particularly felt sorry for Satan. I became a worshiper of Satan, yet, contradictory as it was, I would at the same time pray to God. And when my prayers would be answered, I believed God had answered them. Satan had me thoroughly deceived.​—2 Corinthians 11:14.

Although providing me special powers, the demons did not help me to be a good person. On the contrary, they twisted my thinking to hate rather than love. In time, I became a fornicator, thief, drunkard, drug abuser, and homosexual.