I am not sure when Christianity Today (CT) magazine lost some credibility but each electronic issue is stunning and I don't mean in a positive way.
The Bible is full of occult warnings. It condemns the paranormal in no uncertain terms! The Bible says to give it no foothold (Ephesians 4:27). It cautions that confrontations with Satan will be inevitable but if we resist him, he will flee (James 4:7).
With that in mind, I am troubled by recent articles in Christianity Today. Sure, most of them came out near Halloween last month but that isn't a license to drop the standards and throw in a few ghosts and monsters and try to sanctify a theme blatantly forbidden in the Bible.
Here are just a few article titles:
A Christianity Today writer states, "When well-written or well-told, a ghost story's characters and settings and plot become real and transformative, and we sink deeply into its world. Realizing we have survived the frights, the adrenaline rushes, the unknown and unwelcomed, we find that we made it and can keep right on breathing."
The author is right. People are sinking deeply into the real world of the occult. They are being transformed but not in a biblical fashion. We are being scared to death and that can be a forever death.
This same author justifies her passion for the supernatural by suggesting that the disciples believed in ghosts because they thought Jesus was one! I can't make this stuff up! This, then, justifies the subject matter that the Scripture condemns; it has led to the modern-day occult rage that even costs people their lives when they dabble too deeply.
You have to wonder if CT editors pacify their conscience when the author states at the end of this outrageous article that the Holy Ghost is the fondest ghost she knows!
Satan isn't a benign snake. The Bible takes very seriously the reality of evil. The devil and his legions only seek to "steal, kill, and destroy" (John 10:10). Forbidden practices are clearly outlined in Deuteronomy 18:9-13.
I concur with author and my radio co-host Eric Barger who writes in Entertaining Spirits Unaware: The End-Time Occult Invasion, "Satan has consistently enticed mankind into his dark, supernatural realm. Aided by man's sin-driven quest for control, power, and self-enlightenment, Lucifer's lure has been quite successful. From the pages of the Old Testament, we are made aware of his many traps and catch a glimpse of individuals and entire nations caught up in his web."
He concludes, "From Pharaoh's court to Elijah's triumph over the false prophets of Baal, the occult is pictured as the ultimate defiance of God's supremacy. From the New Testament we see God's powerful and complete antidote as captives are set free through the diligence of the saints in the mighty Name of Jesus."
That is what we exhort Christianity Today to focus on. Please spare us the lie that monsters point us to God. Please don't ask us to chuckle at Halloween church signs. There is unspeakable bloodshed on Halloween and the saints should be inside the church praying against such darkness, not being cute with phrases on their outdoor signs.
We are all for sharing the gospel with real witches but featuring that topic as CT did in October is just clever marketing that again focuses on dark issues.
The dark side has totally invaded the bright side thanks to the acceptance of many things Christians should just avoid at all costs.
The occult offers a false message that brings destruction because the force behind it is the father of lies. This deception will lead to total wreckage. Clever tie-ins to the Holy Ghost are shameful and even blasphemous. We think Christianity Today should re-evaluate its message and be sensitive to our times which are riddled with evil. Their feature on "Ghost Stories for the Christian Soul" could have eternal consequences.
Today's kids and teens have advanced from Harry Potter and Twilight to blood covenants and rituals. The occult is mainstream. Hollywood's occult cravings have been handed down to 10 year olds who engage in the dark arts by the time they are 15. Hollywood and the TV industry continue to ride the occult to the bank like a Halloween witch to a seance'.
But Christians need not fear. We have all authority over the demonic through Jesus Christ who triumphed over all powers, principalities, and authorities on the cross.
The truth sets everyone free from every dark bondage but it doesn't help when Christian periodicals turn around and remind us of the dark bondage in graphic form. I say shame on any periodical claiming to be Christian that plays on dark themes and tries to make light of them.
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