Spiritism​—Why the Growing Interest?

FRANS is a pillar of the local Protestant church. If there is church work to do, he is the first one to lend a helping hand. Wilhelmina is God fearing too. “You have to go to church,” she says, and she goes. Esther likewise attends church regularly and does not let one day pass by without saying her prayers. All three have one more thing in common: They are also spirit mediums.

These three inhabitants of Suriname are not alone.

As an example, take Izaak Amelo, a 70-year-old merchant in Suriname. For seven years he was a respected church-council member and a well-known spirit medium at the same time. He recalls: “Every Saturday our entire church council gathered outside the village to consult the spirits. We continued the whole night. When the next morning came, the deacon kept an eye on his watch, and about five o’clock, he signaled us to stop. We then took a bath, changed clothes, and headed for church​—just in time for Sunday morning worship. All those years the pastor never said one disapproving word.”

After studying the link between spiritism and the churches in Suriname, Dutch Professor R. van Lier confirms that many view spiritism as a “supplementary religion.” In a study recently published by Leiden University, he also notes that spiritism is recognized as “a part of a broad religious constitution in which it stands alongside Christianity.”

But you may wonder, ‘Is acceptance of spiritism by churches of Christendom an assurance that it is approved by God? Will coming in touch with spirits draw you closer to him? What does the Bible actually say about spiritism?’

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Izaak Amelo recalls participation of an entire church council in spiritistic séances

Asamaja Amelia, a middle-aged woman in Suriname, was 17 years old when she first became involved in divination, a form of spiritism. Since her predictions came true and inquirers benefited from her advice, she was highly esteemed in her community. (Compare Acts 16:16.) But one thing troubled her.

“The spirits that spoke through me were kind to those who sought their help,” she says, “but at the same time they made my life miserable. After each sitting, I felt beaten up and could hardly move. When night fell, I hoped for some rest, but the spirits did not leave me alone. They kept disturbing me, talking to me and keeping me awake. And the things they said!” She sighs and looks down, shaking her head in aversion. “They loved to talk about sex and insisted on having relations with me. It was shocking. I was married. I did not want to be unfaithful and told them so. It did not help. Once an invisible force overpowered me, touched and squeezed my body, and even bit me. I felt wretched.”

‘Spirits encouraging sexual immorality? That is farfetched!’ you may exclaim. Are those spirits really that debased?

“It’s even worse!” says Izaak, mentioned earlier. “One night we were called to help a sick woman troubled by a spirit. The leader of the group​—the medium of a stronger spirit—​tried to chase the spirit away. For a whole day we pleaded for his spirit’s help. We danced and played the drums, and gradually the woman improved. He ordered her spirit out, and this worked. ‘We gained the victory,’ beamed the leader. Then we sat down and relaxed.”

Izaak’s gesticulating arms rest for a moment while he pauses meaningfully. Then he continues: “For a while all looked well, but then a scream broke the silence. We rushed to the house where it came from and saw the leader’s wife. She was crying hysterically. Inside the house, we found her little daughter​—her head facing backward! Some force had wrung and broken her neck, killing her like a chicken​—apparently, the revenge of that ousted spirit. Sickening! Those spirits are sadistic murderers.”

Spiritism and “the Works of the Flesh”

Uncleanness, sexual immorality, and murder​—as encountered in these two experiences with spiritism—​are traits squarely opposed to God’s personality. And that helps to identify who those spirits truly are. They may pretend to be messengers of God, but their immoral and murderous works give them away as imitators of God’s enemy and history’s first murderer, Satan the Devil. (John 8:44) He is their leader. They are his helpers​—wicked angels, or demons.​—Luke 11:15-20.

But you may ask: ‘Do these satanic traits show up in spiritism only on rare occasions? Could spiritism as a rule put me in contact with good spirits that would help bring me closer to God?’ No, the Bible lists the “practice of spiritism” with the other “works of the flesh” that are directly opposed to Christian qualities.​—Galatians 5:19-21.

At Revelation 21:8 “those practicing spiritism” (“those conversing with demons,” The Living Bible) are put in the same category as “those without faith and those who are disgusting in their filth and murderers and fornicators . . . and idolaters and all the liars.” How does Jehovah regard willful liars, fornicators, murderers, and practicers of spiritism? He hates their deeds!​—Proverbs 6:16-19.

Exploring spiritism, therefore, amounts to loving what Jehovah God hates. It is like rejecting Jehovah, being in Satan’s camp, and siding with God’s archenemy and his helpers. Now think of this: Would you want to be close to a person who takes sides with your enemies? Of course not. Rather, you would stay clear of that individual. Obviously, then, we can expect the same reaction from Jehovah God. Says Proverbs 15:29, “Jehovah is far away from the wicked ones.”​—See also Psalm 5:4.

Spiritism Leads to Death

Dabbling in spiritism is also life threatening. God viewed it as a reason for capital punishment among his people in ancient Israel. (Leviticus 20:27; Deuteronomy 18:9-12) So it should come as no surprise that practicers of spiritism “will not inherit God’s kingdom.” (Galatians 5:20, 21) Instead, “their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire,” which denotes “the second death,” or eternal destruction. (Revelation 21:8) True, today some of Christendom’s churches may tolerate spiritism, but the Bible’s viewpoint has not changed.

What if you have already taken the first steps on the road to spiritism? Then you will do well to stop immediately and make a turnabout. Follow the divinely inspired advice that God’s prophet Isaiah gave to the Israelites of old. Their situation resembles that of people today who engage in unclean practices but think they are worshiping God at the same time. Hence, there are vital lessons in their experience. What lessons?

Heed Isaiah’s Warning

A look at the first chapter of Isaiah shows that the Israelites had “left Jehovah” and had “turned backwards.” (Isa 1 Verse 4) Although they had gone astray, they continued presenting sacrifices, holding religious observances, and offering prayers. But to no avail! Since they lacked an inward desire to please their Creator, Jehovah said: “I hide my eyes from you. Even though you make many prayers, I am not listening.” Those Israelites had revolted against him by taking up unclean practices, even to the point of ‘filling their hands with bloodshed.’​—Isa 1 Verses 11-15.

Under what circumstances would Jehovah accept them back? Note the requirements spelled out at Isaiah 1:16. He says: “Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean.” So if we take that counsel seriously, we will quit or refrain from unclean practices, including spiritism, one of “the works of the flesh.” Since we know that the evil mind behind spiritism is that of Satan the Devil, we will develop a hatred for it.

Then we should remove all objects connected with spiritism. Izaak did so. He says: “One day I gathered all my spiritistic belongings in front of my house, grabbed an ax, and chopped them to pieces. My neighbor screamed that I would regret what I had done. While she was screaming, I poured gasoline over the pieces and burned every single item. Nothing was left.”

That was 28 years ago. Did Izaak regret his action? On the contrary. Today, he is serving Jehovah happily as a Christian minister in one of the congregations of Jehovah’s Witnesses.

Isaiah 1:17 gives this further counsel: “Learn to do good.” That requires studying Jehovah’s Word, the Bible, so as to find out what is “the good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” (Romans 12:2) And applying that newly found knowledge will lead to refreshing blessings. That is what Asamaja found out.

Despite bitter opposition from relatives and neighbors, Asamaja courageously studied the Bible with Jehovah’s Witnesses and shortly thereafter broke with spiritism. Then she dedicated her life to Jehovah God and was baptized during an assembly. Now, some 12 years later, she says gratefully: “Since my baptism, I have not been troubled by spirits.” And she recalls with a smile: “The night following my baptism, my sleep was so deep and undisturbed that I was late for the next morning’s assembly program.”

Lasting Benefits

Today, both Izaak and Asamaja can heartily say with the psalmist Asaph: “The drawing near to God is good for me.” (Psalm 73:28) Indeed, drawing near to Jehovah has brought them physical and emotional benefits. But most of all, it has given them an inner peace and a close relationship with Jehovah.

Such blessings far outweigh the pain and struggle required to shake off the yoke of spiritism. Breaking away, though, can be an ordeal. Lintina van Geenen, a woman in Suriname, had that experience. Next, we will see how she wrestled for years but finally succeeded.

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Asamaja Amelia relates: “The spirits . . . made my life miserable. . . . And the things they said!”

Shaking Off the Yoke of Spiritism

CALAMITY struck my family when I was a girl of 14. At that time, a vicious murderer began to eliminate my relatives. His first victims were my sister’s children​—all nine of them. Then he turned against her husband. Shortly thereafter, he killed one of my sisters too. Four more of my brothers and sisters followed, until only my mother and I were left. Oh, was I frightened!

During the years that followed, I ate, worked, and slept in daily dread. I wondered: ‘When will he strike? And who will be next​—Mother or I?’

My Background

To help you understand what happened afterward, let me tell you about my background. In 1917, I was born as a member of the Paramaccaner Bush-Negroe tribe on an island in the Maroni River in Suriname. My forefathers were den lowenengre, or runaway slaves, who had fled into the jungle to eke out a hard but free life. Well, actually it was a life free from slavery to men but not free from the demons.

Everyday life in our village was ruled by demon and ancestor worship. To bind others with a spell and bring sickness and death upon their fellowman, some people used wisi, black magic, or they enlisted the help of a koenoe (pronounced koo noo), a teaser. These teasers are believed to be persons who were mistreated by a family member. After their death, they supposedly return to the family to wreak vengeance. Actually, however, these teasers are debased demons that force people to worship them.

As a member of the Evangelical Brother Community, a Protestant church, I also learned something about God. Although I was left in the dark about how to worship him, the rain forest around me gave abundant proof that he is a good Provider. ‘I want to worship a good God but not an evil spirit that causes suffering,’ I reasoned. I knew that teasers enjoy torturing their unwilling victims until death.

Imagine how shocked I was to find out that enemies of our family had sent a koenoe to us. I was 14 years old when he set out on his deadly mission. Twenty-six years later, only Mother and I were left.

The First Encounter

Mother was a hard worker. One day, while walking to her farm, she was knocked down and could not get up. The koenoe had chosen my mother. Her health weakened and she became paralyzed. She needed help​—my help. But I was torn between love for her and fear of the demon that possessed her. During the attacks of the koenoe, however, poor Mother cried out in so much pain that I could not bear it any longer and laid her head in my lap for comfort. She then calmed down, but I felt “hands” squeezing my body.

When I wanted to flee, Mother cried again. So for her sake I stayed and endured my first shivering encounter with this killer. I was 40 years old.

Intensified Attacks

Mother died. Only three days later, I heard a friendly voice saying: “Lintina, Lintina, don’t you hear me? I’m calling you.” That was the beginning of a misery so great that I wished for a quick death.

First the demon troubled me only when I was going to sleep. As I was about to doze off, the voice would awaken me, talking about burial places and death. Losing sleep made me feel weak, although I continued caring for my children.

Later the demon stepped up his attacks. Several times I felt as if he were strangling me. Though I tried to run away, I could not because a heavy weight seemed to press on my body. I wanted to scream but could not produce a sound. Still, I refused to worship my attacker.

Upon recuperating after each attack, I resumed farming, growing cassava and sugarcane and selling them at the market in a small coastal town. It became easier to make a living, but my worst sufferings were ahead.

Searching for a Cure

One day I heard the foreboding voice of the demon say, “I will make your belly swell like a ball.” Some time later, there was a hard lump in my belly that grew bigger until I looked pregnant. Really frightened, I wondered: ‘Can God, the Creator, help me to get rid of the koenoe? Can He send a good and stronger spirit to chase him away?’ To find out, I went to a bonoeman, a witch doctor.

The first witch doctor gave me tapoes, or amulets, but the swelling remained. Determined to find a cure, I traveled from one bonoeman to another​—all to no avail. Between those visits, I continued farming to get funds to buy the beer, wine, champagne, and loincloths to pay the witch doctors. Many times they advised: “Kneel down for the koenoe. Beg him as your master. Worship him, and he will leave you.” But how could I kneel for a spirit that tortured me and wanted to kill me? I could not.

However, in desperation I did everything else that the witch doctors told me to do. One of them treated me for five months. He bathed me with herbs and pressed the juice of 11 different plants into my eyes​—“to purify them,” he said as I screamed from pain. But at the end of the treatment, I went home penniless, abused, and sicker than ever.

“This Is Your End”

One of my sons, who lives in the Netherlands, sent me money to continue the search for help. So I went to a medical doctor in the capital. After an examination, he said: “I cannot help you. Go and see a bonoeman.” So I tried a spirit medium of East Indian origin​—but again no help. I headed home but got only as far as the capital, where I reached the house of one of my daughters. There I collapsed​—broke and sick. In vain, I had spent 17 years and 15,000 guilders ($8,300, U.S.) searching for a cure. I was 57 years old.

Next, the demon threatened: “I’m finished with you. This is your end.”

“But you are not God, you are not Jesus,” I cried.

“Even God cannot stop me,” the demon answered. “Your days are numbered.”

The Final Struggle

Some weeks passed. Meena, a neighbor lady who was a full-time minister of Jehovah’s Witnesses, asked my daughter about my condition and said: “Your mother can be helped but only with the Bible.” Overhearing the conversation, I walked toward them. Before I reached them, however, I was thrown to the ground. Meena hurriedly came and said: “That demon will not leave you alone. The only one that can help you is Jehovah, no one else.” Then she prayed with me to Jehovah God and began to visit me. But the more she visited me, the fiercer were the demon’s attacks. During the night, my body shook so violently that no one in the house could sleep. I stopped eating and had moments when I completely lost my mind.

My condition became so serious that my sons came from the interior to take me back to my village to die. Being too weak to travel, I refused. But feeling death approaching, I called the Witness to say farewell. Meena explained from the Bible that even if I died, there is the resurrection hope.

“Resurrection? What do you mean?”

“God can raise you to life in Paradise,” she answered. A ray of hope!

But that very night the demon possessed me. In a trance, I seemed to see the koenoe followed by a crowd of people. He ridiculed: “She thinks she is going to get a resurrection.” Then the crowd laughed and laughed. But then I did something I had never done before. I called: “Jehovah! Jehovah!” That is all I knew to say. And the demon left!

My sons came again and begged: “Mama, don’t die in the city. Let us take you to your village.” I refused, for I wanted to learn more about Jehovah. “All right, perhaps I will still die,” I told them, “but I will at least have served the Creator.”

Like a Strong Tower

Meena and other Witnesses continued visiting me. They taught me to pray to Jehovah. Among other things, they told me about the issue between Jehovah and Satan and how the Devil brought suffering upon Job to get him to renounce God. Learning these things strengthened my conviction never to worship the demon. The Witnesses read a scripture that became dear to me: “The name of Jehovah is a strong tower. Into it the righteous runs and is given protection.”​—Proverbs 18:10.

Slowly my strength came back. When my son returned, I told him to wait outside. I dressed and tucked a blouse into my skirt to show that the swelling was almost gone. Then I walked outside.

“Is this Mama Lintina?” my son blurted out.

“Yes, it is​—thanks to Jehovah, my God!”

Taking My Stand

From the moment I could walk a bit, I went to the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses. There I received so much encouragement from the friends that I never stopped attending meetings. A few months later, I accompanied the Witnesses in the public preaching work. Shortly thereafter, I was baptized and became a servant of Jehovah, my loving Rescuer. I was 58 years old.

However, something remained to be done. Years earlier, back in my hut in the village, I had built an altar on which to offer sacrifices to my ancestors. To be spiritually clean, I had to destroy it. I asked Jehovah for help, since my action could cause an uproar among the villagers. When I reached my hut and opened the door, someone yelled: “Pingos!” (Wild hogs!) A herd was crossing the island and jumping into the river to swim across. Immediately, both young and old deserted the village for this easy catch. Thrilled, I knelt and thanked Jehovah for this development. Quickly, I dragged the altar outside, poured kerosene over it and set it on fire. The altar was gone before the crowd returned. Of course, they found out, but nothing could be done about it anymore. Thus, with peace of mind, I returned to the capital.

From Misery to Happiness

More blessings came my way. My son in the Netherlands did not believe the stories he had heard about me and boarded a plane for Suriname to see for himself. He was so happy to see me healthy that he bought a fine house for me in the capital, where I now live. What a change I have experienced​—from a penniless slave of demons to a well-cared-for servant of Jehovah!

Eleven years after my baptism, I have even more reason to be grateful. Moved by the many blessings I received, three of my children and one son-in-law also became interested in Bible truth and eventually dedicated their lives to Jehovah God. And time and again, I have related my experience with demonism when brothers and sisters have taken me along to see their Bible students who lack the courage to break free from the demons. In that way even those dreadful years have been of some use in the Kingdom-preaching activity.

I lack sufficient words to express my gratitude to Jehovah, my God. Surely, I have seen his almighty hand in my behalf. Indeed, Jehovah has been good to me!​—Compare Psalm 18:17-19.

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In breaking free from spiritism, Lintina van Geenen learned that “the name of Jehovah is a strong tower”

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Suriname hinterland where many people are captive to spiritism