Solving the Mystery

THAT powers beyond what are normal have enabled people to perform extraordinary deeds is well established. Brian Inglis notes: “Paranormal phenomena are now closer to formal recognition than they have been since medieval times​—when they were considered to be as natural, even if not so predictable, as any other of nature’s forces.”

What is the source of these extraordinary powers? Well, for thousands of years, most of the human family has believed that the souls of the dead live on in the spirit world. And it is commonly believed that these souls or spirits of the dead are responsible for paranormal phenomena. But are they?

Are the Dead Responsible?

If the dead are unconscious​—really dead—​then it would be impossible for them to be the mysterious forces behind the occult. Well, then, what is the condition of the dead?

Describing the creation of man, the Scriptures say: “Man became a living soul.” (Genesis 2:7, King James Version) Note that there is not the slightest hint here that man was given a soul as one of the components of his being. Rather, the soul clearly is the man himself. So, what happens when man dies?

Of Jesus Christ, the Bible prophesied: “He hath poured out his soul unto death.” (Isaiah 53:12, KJ) And of humankind generally, the Scriptures say: “The soul that sinneth, it shall die.” (Ezekiel 18:4, 20, KJ) All human souls die because they have all inherited sin from the first man, Adam, who became a sinner by disobeying God. And the Bible says: “The wages of sin is death.” (Romans 5:12; 6:23, KJ) So at death, the soul, the sense-possessing person, dies.a

Is it possible, therefore, for the dead to communicate with the living? The Bible says: “[Man] breathes his last breath, he returns to the dust; and in that same hour all his thinking ends.” The Bible also says: “It is not the dead who praise the LORD, not those who go down into silence; but we, the living, bless the LORD.”​—Psalm 146:4; 115:17, The New English Bible.

Since the dead cannot praise God because their ‘thinking has ended,’ they certainly cannot communicate with the living nor be responsible for any paranormal phenomena. Then who are responsible?

The Mystery Solved

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. It is, therefore, in your best interest to heed the warning.

God’s command to Israel of old highlights a still more important reason to shun the occult. “For everybody doing these things is something detestable to Jehovah.” (Deuteronomy 18:12) The inspired Christian Bible writers agree with this fundamental truth. The apostle Paul lists the “practice of spiritism” as one of the “works of the [fallen] flesh.” (Galatians 5:19, 20) And the apostle John penned God’s warning that the portion for “those practicing spiritism . . . will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulphur. This means the second death.”​—Revelation 21:8.

Some people may believe that there could not be dangerous consequences from playing with anything that looks as innocent as the Ouija board. Yet, a group of bus drivers in England who played with one during rest periods found that their attitude toward one another began changing. Some became unusually aggressive. This attitude even affected their driving. They reported feeling a strong urge to drive their vehicles into the oncoming traffic for no reason at all.

Then there is the young woman who experimented with a Ouija board and developed an obsession with the past. She believed she was in love with a man who had died 300 years earlier. She kept trying to make contact with him. Her mania finally led her to commit suicide by laying down on a railway track. Police investigating the case found diaries indicating she wanted to die so as to join her beloved.

So even if you think you are not unduly fascinated by the occult, beware! Heed the Scriptural advice: “Keep your senses, be watchful.” Remember who is behind the occult. “Your adversary, the Devil, walks about like a roaring lion, seeking to devour someone.” (1 Peter 5:8) Do not let that “someone” be you!

That the Devil and his demons really do exist, and that they can indeed influence a person’s life, is illustrated by the following article.

[Footnotes]

[Blurb on page 10]

She believed she was in love with a man who had died 300 years earlier

[Picture on page 9]

Is it the dead with whom they communicate?