The footprints of the Serpent can be seen in the radical changes that were taking place in our thinking during the sixties. These changes were dramatized in the 1967 smash hit musical Hair. Its anthem was the song “Aquarius.” It was later made popular by the Fifth Dimension and is still heard occasionally, even today. It said, in part:
When the moon is in the seventh house. And Jupiter aligns with Mars. Then peace will guide the planets. And love will steer the stars. This is the dawning of the Age of Aquarius! Harmony and understanding, sympathy and trust abounding. No more falsehoods or derision. Golden living dreams of visions, mystic crystal revelation, And the mind’s true liberation. Aquarius! Aquarius! Aquarius!
Using astrological terms, the song said that the old age, the “Age of Pisces,” was coming to an end and that the “New Age,” the “Age of Aquarius,” was just beginning. Hair lauded the counterculture’s rejection of the “Establishment” (i.e. Western culture). Because the Bible was seen as being very much a part of that culture, those enmeshed in New Age thinking began glorifying and paying homage to Eastern mysticism. This is why “Donna,” Hair’s hero, traveled to India in search of “Yoga light.” In other words, Hair was a great evangelistic effort to convert the young to a “better way” of thinking. Yoga, reincarnation, and drugs were the means that would help mankind develop and even “evolve” into its full potential. Rejecting the truth revealed in God’s Word, the New Agers’ religious sources were the Chinese I Ching, the Hindu Vedanta scriptures, and the Zen Buddhist writings, to name but a few. As a result, the great utopian dreams of the Humanists were once again revived within the mind-altered experiences of the long-haired flower children, gurus, astrologers, Hindu mystics, and soothsayers who resided in all the various Haight-Ashbury’s of the world. As Caryl Matrisciana, a former New Ager, wrote:
Today the word “Aquarius” still echoes, growing louder and more distinct with the passing of time. That song summed up the newly-born hopes of a generation. And although we hear it less on the radio now, its lyric clearly states the full-grown vision of the New Age.
Like never before, our planet is filled with desperate people, faced with the problem of an ever-deteriorating world. On the one hand, man is disillusioned with himself. On the other hand, he is ever searching to find man-made answers either through technology or his own “human potential.” He dreams that a more fully evolved human specimen will bring in Utopia, along with its perfect political and social system.
Years ago Hair prophesied that this Utopia would come through occult mystical realms. Our direction would come through dreams and visions, through mystic revelation, and through the stars—astrology.
Today we see a far more developed belief system, a far more aggressive group of leaders, and a far more determined mass of followers than Hair’s visionaries could have hoped for.
Now I look back and realize the devastating impact which the message of Hair had on my own thinking, reasoning, religious outlook, attitudes, and morality. Hair led me, and millions like me worldwide, into a new mode of rationalizing. Hair conditioned and honed us for things to come. And Hair was the foundation that prepared us and our world for the principles that underlie today’s most influential mindset—New Age thinking.[6]
In connection with this, it is interesting to notice what Marilyn Ferguson, author of The Aquarian Conspiracy, wrote concerning the New Age movement, a movement, as was pointed out in the introduction, in which she is herself a co-conspirator:
There are risks, of course, in drawing attention to the once-anonymous movement that has operated so effectively without publicity. There is always the possibility that this great cultural realignment will be co-opted, trivialized, exploited: indeed, that has already happened to some extent. And there is a danger that the trappings and symbols of transformation will be mistaken for the difficult path.
But whatever the risks of disclosure, this Conspiracy, whose roots are old and deep in human history, belongs to all of us. This book charts its dimensions—for those who belong to it in spirit but have not known how many others share their sense of possibility, and for those who despair but are willing to consider the evidence for hope.
Like the charting of a new star, naming and mapping the conspiracy only makes visible a light that has been present all along but unseen because we didn’t know where to look.[7]
Although it’s probably not clear to you now, as you continue this series, the paradigm of the New Age movement will become quite clear to you. (Incidentally, paradigm, from the Greek word paradigma, means “pattern” and is used to express a framework or scheme for understanding and explaining that which is believed to represent reality.) Undergirding every culture there is an accepted paradigm. What has been taking place in our culture is a “paradigm shift.”
There is an old adage that says, “Change is always a surprise to the blind man.” It is not to our credit that we have, in too many instances, been blind to the changes taking place around us. In discussing this with a friend, I realized that ignorance of the paradigm shift that has taken place in our society has seriously affected our ability to effectively evangelize those about us. For example: In evangelizing, one needs to take different approaches based upon whether or not one is teaching a polytheistic Hindu or a Bible-believing denominationalist. Consequently, being unaware of the current paradigm shift, and the presuppositions that go along with it, force us into making serious mistakes when attempting to teach our neighbors.
Before spending time with the various concepts that have been distilled into New Age thinking, there is another point that needs to be made. It is a point in which there must be no misunderstanding: New Age thinking is the antithesis of pure, unadulterated New Testament Christianity. As Christians, we must realize that our age, like every age, is fraught with crises. The Lord expects His people throughout the ages to properly respond to the crises of their particular age (cf. Matthew 5:1-16). In this connection, it is interesting to note that the Chinese ideograph for the word “crisis” is made up of two images, one for danger and the other for opportunity (see below).
Thus, we must never lose sight of the fact that crises, although dangerous, actually present God’s people with many opportunities.
Although the odyssey we are about to take will, at times, be somewhat vexing for you, I assure you that such a journey is absolutely necessary for one who wishes to understand and effectively counter the New Age movement. Furthermore, an understanding of the ideas, concepts, and techniques of New Age thinking will better allow you to recognize, and, as a result, counteract such erroneous thinking in your own life. Just what New Age thinking is and what strategies we can use to fight its pervasive influence in our society will become clear as this study continues.
Occult Magic
Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary defines magic as:
1a: the use of means (as charms or spells) believed to have supernatural power over natural forces, b: magic rites or incantations, 2a: an extraordinary power or influence seemingly from a supernatural Source. b: something that seems to cast a spell: Enchantment. 3: the art of producing illusions by sleight of hand.
When the term “magic” is mentioned, most of us think about the third definition given by Webster (i.e., sleight of hand or legerdemain, as it is called by the French). This is not the way I will be using the term in connection with the New Age movement. Magic, in its purest and classical sense, has to do with the claim of supernatural powers obtained by the study of the occult sciences, or the practice of the black arts in connivance (supposed or otherwise) with evil spirits or demons. The one who practices this kind of magic is a magician in the biblical sense (i.e., an enchanter, a charmer, a sorcerer, a wizard, or a witch).
Magic, as it is defined here, is always occult. The word “occult” comes from the Latin word occultus, which means to hide from sight, or that which is secret or not easily apprehended or understood. When one uses the expression “the occult,” he is referring to subjects or matters thought to involve the action or influence of supernatural forces or agencies, or some secret knowledge of them. Furthermore, some aspects of the occult are esoteric in nature and are meant to be understood only by those who have been specially initiated.
Magic, then, is foundational in the occult arts. A key to occult magic is the belief that unseen supernatural Powers exist. By performing the right kind of ritual, the occult magician believes these Powers can be contacted and made to assist him or her, as the case may be. This is illustrated by Manly P. Hall, who was a leading occult authority and himself a practitioner of the occult, who had this to say about occult magic:
Ceremonial (occult) magic is the ancient art of invoking and controlling spirits by a scientific application of certain formulae. A magician, enveloped in sanctified vestments and carrying a wand inscribed with hieroglyphic figures, could by the power invested in certain words and symbols control the invisible inhabitants of the elements and of the astral world…
By means of the secret processes of ceremonial magic it is possible to contact these invisible creatures and gain their help in some human undertaking.[8]
All the ancient nations, except Israel, practiced occult magic or sorcery in one form or another. As a theocracy, Israel was forbidden by God to practice any of the arts associated with the occult. When Israel enforced God’s Law, all who practiced the black arts were classified as criminals and, if caught, were sentenced to death.[9] Although occult magic was later practiced by some of those who were at least acquainted with God’s Law,[10] there is absolutely no doubt that it played a tremendous part in the lives of the Gentiles.[11] Furthermore, it seems that one who practiced magic, even after becoming a Christian, was not easily able to put aside its evil influence in his life.[12]
It is my belief that as Christians we should understand that the supernatural is real and not just the figment of someone’s imagination. In lieu of passages such as Ephesians 6:12, “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places,” I believe the occult to be the manifestation of satanic and demonic influences! Whether you agree with me or not is really not important in this discussion. What is important is for you to understand is that occultists actually believe that they are able, with the help of demons (or unseen forces), to do magic (see depiction above-right). It is this belief that is the basic foundation of occult magic, and it is this belief that has been incorporated into mystical New Age thinking.
It’s now time for us to turn our attention to Eastern religion and its influence on New Age thinking. As we do so, you will begin to understand the connection, whether real or imagined, between the demon facilitators in magic and the ascended masters or spiritual guides of Eastern religion. But before we make that transition, I want to emphasize this point: Sorcery, or magic, should be understood as any attempt to manipulate reality (internal, external, past, present, or future) by various mind-over-matter techniques that run the gamut from alchemy and astrology to positive/possibility thinking.[13] Magic, even if it does somehow actually enlist the powers of darkness, is still deception and superstition and must be avoided by every child of God. In today’s world, the sorcerer’s goal has become the goal of spiritualized Humanism; namely, to be the master of one’s fate and to make something happen simply by believing it will happen.
Eastern Religion
Although it may be accurate to say that some truth can be found in all religions, it is certainly correct to say that all spiritual truth has been revealed in Christ Jesus. As a matter of fact, Christianity, as it was revealed by Christ, His apostle, and prophets in the New Testament, is the only true religion being practiced today. It is, therefore, unfortunate that Western culture has seen fit to travel East for spiritual enlightenment. Thus, in order for us to trace the footprints of the Serpent through the mishmash that has developed into New Age thinking, it will be necessary for us to spend some time with those concepts that are inherent in Eastern religion.
The roots of Hinduism reach far back into ancient history. The earliest stage of Hinduism can be traced to the pre-Vedic Indians who lived in the Indus Valley of Northern India and the Dravidians, who populated the Indian peninsula some 4600 years ago. Although the origins of these people are uncertain, some have speculated that they were the descendants of ancient snake worshippers. (This reminds me of an episode that vexed me a bit on my second trip to India. It occurred while I was taking photographs at the Gateway to India in Bombay (now Mumbai). Without my noticing it, a snake charmer had come up quite close to me and placed a basket with a cobra in it very close to my left leg and had begun “charming it with his flute. I had seen this done from a safe distance many times while in India, but when I looked down on that occasion and saw how very close that cobra was to my leg, I was both frightened and annoyed. Nevertheless, snake charmers, snake images in temples, and the worship of “holy serpents” are very much a part of Hindu religion and, thus, Indian culture.)
The three most important gods of Hinduism are Brahma the Creator, Vishnu the Preserver, and Shiva the Destroyer. And, because the Bible identifies man’s adversary as “that old Serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan,” the “prince of the demons,” who has the “power of death,” it is interesting to note that Lord Krishna, the eighth incarnation (or avatar) of Vishnu, identifies himself in the Bhagavad-Gita as the “Prince of the demons.” In the Chandogya Upanishad, he speaks of himself as “Visuki, Lord of the snakes” and as “Ananta, the holy serpent.” Furthermore, Lord Shiva, the “master of all the forces of destruction,” wears, as a garland around his neck, the “Serpent King,” who, in turn, is identified as the “personification of death.” I mention this because it is good from the very onset of one’s investigation of Hinduism to have an understanding of its unholy nature.
The Vedic period of Hinduism began around 1500 B.C., when the Aryans, a central Asian people, invaded northern India. The Aryans worshiped the powers of nature rather than images, but as they moved southward into India they absorbed the Dravidian gods and concepts into their religion. The resulting assimilation developed into a complicated array of gods and goddesses. The Aryans were instrumental in developing an elaborate system of sacrifices which later led to the formation of a priesthood (the Brahmins).
Around 600 B.C., the Upanishadic period began. The Upanishads were sacred books which reinterpreted the Vedic religion and boiled all the gods down into a single principle or absolute universal soul. This view was monistic or pantheistic and held that the universe is God, and God is the universe. This impersonal universal soul was called Brahman, and this form of Hinduism was called Brahmanism. It was during this period that salvation was pictured as an escape from life. Consequently, life on earth began to be viewed in a very pessimistic way. It was during this period that the doctrines of karma and samsara grew to be generally accepted in Hinduism.
The law of karma was a moral law of cause and effect that could not be violated. It was also referred to as “the law of deed,” and one could either develop good or evil karma depending on what one did in this life. The doctrine of samsara (transmigration) taught that all life goes through an endless succession of rebirths. Every living thing is on this wheel of life, and one’s station in this present life depends on the karma one developed in one’s previous life. “Salvation,” which was conceived as a breaking away from samsara, could be achieved either by philosophical speculation on the words of sages, or by meditation. Eventually, the key to moksah or mukti (release from the wheel of life) became the altered states of mind, which were achieved by meditation or other means, in which one realized his individual soul (Atman) was identical with the universal soul (Brahman). The Yogi (one who practices yoga as a means of escaping samsara) called the union between the devotee and the Absolute samadhi. In reaching samadhi, one experienced what many today call “God Consciousness.” This “God consciousness”, or realization that the individual is actually one with God, is a key ingredient of New Age thinking and is expressed this way in the Hindu Scriptures: “Though you do not see Brahman in this body, he is indeed here. That which is the subtle essence—in that have all things their existence. That is the truth. That is the Self. And that, Svetaketu, THAT ART THOU.”[14] Swami Muktanada was pulling no punches when he said: “Kneel to your own self. Honor and worship your own being. God dwells in you as You.”[15] And this is the point New Age analyst Theadore Roszak was making when he said the goal of the New Ager is “to awaken to the god who sleeps at the root of the human being.”[16]
We will return to this idea of “God Consciousness” later in this study, but now it should be noted that in many Eastern religions God (Brahman, Universal Mind, the Absolute, et al) is at the same time both good and evil, light and darkness, creator and creature, male and female. In other words, “All is One and One is All.” In Taoism (that’s its symbol on the left), a mystical Chinese religion, this is expressed by the Yang and Yin symbols. Yang represents that which is male, good, active, light, heaven, sun, summer, positive, life, etc., while Yin represents that which is female, evil, passive, darkness, earth, moon, winter, negative, death, etc.
Realizing that such is the complete antithesis of Biblical teaching, it should not be surprising to learn that Taoism is a religion of magic, superstition, witchcraft, and occultism, involving the worship of many gods, the fear of evil spirits, and demonic possession. The philosophy behind Taoism is closely associated with Zen Buddhism, which originated in Japan. In fact, Zen Buddhism is the result of the meshing of Indian Buddhism and Chinese Taoism. Currently, the philosophies of both Taoism and Zen Buddhism (especially Zen Buddhism, with its reliance upon the self for “salvation”) have become very popular with New Agers.
Tapping Into The Forces
Whether one is practicing some form of occult magic or Eastern religion, one will be trying to harness the power of The Force. In Hinduism, the wife of Shiva the Destroyer is named Kali (or Kali Ma). It is she who is the most feared and revered of the Hindu deities. She is also known as Shakti, which means, “power” or “force,” and represents the impersonal Force that occultism teaches runs the universe. Incidentally, in witchcraft, the Force is called “Mother Nature.” This is why many feminist groups are returning to the practice of Wicca or witchcraft (the “old religion,” as they refer to it). Witches not only worship the Force, which they believe permeates all of nature, but they rely on it for help as they cast their spells. Those who practice witchcraft tell us that the source of both black and white magic is exactly the same. Any seeming difference is in the mind of the practitioner. This is explained by Anton Szandor LaVey, High Priest of the Church of Satan, in The Satanic Bible:
There is no difference between “White” and “Black” magic, except in the smug hypocrisy, guilt-ridden righteousness. and self-deceit of the “White” magician himself. In the classical religious tradition, “White” magic is performed for altruistic, benevolent, and “good” purposes; while “Black” magic is used for self-aggrandizement, personal power, and “evil” purposes. No one on earth ever pursued occult studies, metaphysics, yoga, or any other “white light” concept, without ego gratification and personal power as a goal. It just so happens that some people enjoy wearing hair shirts, and others prefer velvet or silk. What is pleasure to one is pain to another, and the same applies to “good” and “evil.” Every practitioner of witchcraft is convinced that he or she is doing the “right” thing.[17]
In Taoism, the impersonal Force that permeates the universe is known as Yang and Yin. As previously pointed out, Yang is male and good, and Yin is female and evil. According to Taoists, Yang and Yin are simply flip sides of the same Force. By this time it may or may not surprise you to learn that many adult Americans and practically all their children have already been introduced to the impersonal Force that witches worship and Eastern mystics idolize. The “dark” and “light” sides of the Force in the Star Wars movies correspond to both the “black magic” and “white magic” of the witchcraft Force and the “good” and “evil” sides of the Force of Eastern religion. If you saw any of the Star Wars movies, and it’s hard to find anyone who hasn’t, you know that the secret of being in touch with the Force was an altered state of consciousness. This is what Dave Hunt had to say about it in his book The Cult Explosion:
Luke Skywalker was coached by Obi-wan Kenobi to let his mind go so the Force could take over. Spirit communication (necromancy) as in a seance was also involved: after Obi-wan died he spoke to Luke from the spirit world. In the final analysis, the Force was greater than technology, which reflects precisely the new consciousness view and the direction that science itself is taking toward a marriage with Eastern mysticism. It was not the sophisticated space machine Luke was flying, but the Force, that enabled him to destroy the Death Star in the end.
Of course that wasn’t the end. As we have already noted, Darth Vader’s survival was only logical. Why should one side of the force win out over the other? And who can say what the difference is between the “dark” side and the “light”?[18]
In another book, Mr. Hunt wrote:
The movie “Star Wars” popularized the concept of a Force that permeated the universe, with its dark and light sides, that can be tapped into and used for good and evil. This modern concept of God has generally replaced all past ideas of God or gods. George Lucas [creator of Star Wars] is only one of millions of people who believe in this Force, including many of today’s leading scientists [we will have more to say about this in another post in this series, AT]: and his film series is an evangelistic tool for converting the world to his belief. This is the basic Hindu-occult philosophy…, and it lies at the heart of the New Age Movement.[19]
Although I disagree with Dave Hunt on several doctrinal isues, he has done a good job in identifying the many different philosophies that have come to make up the New Age movement. As a matter of fact, his book The Seduction Of Christianity: Spiritual Discernment in the Last Days, should be on the required reading list of anyone who wants to know more about the devastating toll New Age thinking has already had on those who think of themselves as Christians. But for the time being, it is time for us to move along in this study.
Demons, Inner Guides, Ascended Masters, And Avatars
Kundalini is a form of yoga in which “serpent power,” or occult powers residing at the base of the spine, are summoned to the brain through certain yoga techniques. This supposedly endows the practitioner with superhuman psychic and spiritual powers which lead to samadhi or moksha (enlightenment). Figuratively speaking, the footprints of the Serpent can be found literally everywhere in false religion. There are no lies that are not his lies, and there are no false paths to God that are not his inventions.
In the past, Satan’s game plan seemed to be to convince the Western World that Jesus was a myth. Using scientific skepticism as a tool, doubt and scorn were heaped upon His claims to be the incarnated Son of God, the Savior of mankind, the Way, the Truth, and the Life. But in our generation, Satan has very cleverly changed his strategy. His attacks are no longer focused on the truthfulness of Christ’s claims, but on their uniqueness. Satan is using the philosophies of Eastern religion to blunt the unique claims of Jesus Christ. It is well established that the Eastern mystics are willing to honor Jesus as the incarnation of God, the Savior, and the Truth, but only as one of many such incarnations (avatars), one of many such saviors, and one of many such truths. Although an avatar, in Hindu usage, is any incarnation of the god Vishnu. In general usage, it can refer to the descent of any god into the world in human form, usually to help mankind in a time of crisis. In the Bhagavad-Gita, Lord Krishna says:
In every age I come back
To deliver the holy,
To destroy the sins of the sinner,
To establish righteousness.[20]
There are many inconsistencies in Eastern religion. Therefore, although Krishna seems to be saying that he offers salvation from sins, man’s problem, according to Hinduism, is really not sin; instead, man’s problem is his ignorance of his own divinity. In fact, the avatar’s purpose is to teach and guide spiritual seekers toward enlightenment. In the Aquarian Gospel, it is stated this way:
There are no supernatural acts of God to lift a man from carnal life to spirit blessedness: he grows as grows the plant, and in due time is perfected.[21]
When He was on this earth, Jesus warned that there would be many false Christs.[22] And although in these passages He was referring specifically to the destruction of Jerusalem, I cannot help but see such warnings as being appropriate for today. Furthermore, I am reminded of what the apostle Paul said in his first letter to Timothy:
Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils: speaking lies in hypocrisy: having their conscience seared with a hot iron.[23]
Previously, I quoted Manly P. Hall, a leading occult authority, as saying: “By means of the secret processes of ceremonial magic it is possible to contact.., invisible creatures and gain their support in some human undertaking.” I said we would eventually make the connection between the alleged demon facilitators of occult magic and the so-called ascended masters or spirit (inner) guides of Eastern mysticism. Critical to understanding this connection is what has come to be called “altered states of consciousness.”
Sir John Eccles, winner of a Nobel Prize for his research on the brain, has described the brain as “a machine that a ‘ghost’ can operate.”[24] According to this theory, in a normal state of consciousness the human mind or spirit is the “ghost” that operates the brain. This is the way God made us and this is the way He expects us to remain. But when man enters into altered states, whether through drugs, hypnosis, yoga, transcendental meditation, or any other such technique, he is failing to guard his heart (mind/brain) as God has instructed him.[25] In these altered states, man leaves himself open to satanic influences. We know this can happen when we think improperly or sinfully,[26] and it evidently can and does happen when one enters an altered state. God, in His Word, has always condemned those practices associated with altered states,[27] and nowhere in His Word has He ever commanded His people to engage in them. Therefore, it is no accident that altered states are an integral part of false religion and occultism no matter where one goes in the world.
It makes no difference whether one travels to the Saut d’Eau waterfalls in Haiti to see men and women in altered states who think they are possessed by Damballah Wedo (the Serpent, the god of all spiritual wisdom) slithering on the rocks at the bottom of the falls; or to India where, in altered states, the people worship Visuki, Lord of the snakes, or Ananta, the holy serpent; or to Europe where a coven of witches, occult practitioners, or Satan worshippers evoke the various names of “that old serpent, which is the Devil,” the footprints of the Serpent seem to be indelibly imprinted on the landscapes of altered minds.
In the next post in this series, we’ll continue to examine altered states, looking specifically at the testimony of those who have experienced these altered states, including some who have since become Christians.
Notes
6 Caryl Matrisciana. Gods of the New Age, 1985 page 14.↩
7 Marilyn Ferguson, The Aquarian Conspiracy, 1980, page 21.↩
8 Manly P.Hall, Masonic, Hermetic, Qabbalistic and Rosicrucian Symbolical Philosophy, 1969, page CI, cited in Dave Hunt and T.A. McMahon, The Seduction of Christianity, 1985, page 100.↩
9 Deuteronomy 18:10-12; Leviticus 19:31; 20:6,27.↩
10 Simon in Acts 8 and Elymas in Acts 13.↩
11 Acts 19:19. Those who practiced magic brought their books and burned them. It is interesting to note that 50,000 pieces of silver (the value of the books) represented 50,000 day’s wages equivalent to about $2,500,000 in today’s economy.↩
12 Simon, who has previously used sorcery and had bewitched the people of Samaria, after becoming a Christian and seeing the apostles’ ability by the Holy Spirit to bestow some miraculous manifestations on the Samaritan Christians, stooped so low as to be able to think God could be induced by money to give him the same ability. The temptation for this sin must surely have been the influence of his former occult practices (cf. Acts 8:5-24). ↩
13 Dave Hunt and T.A. McMahon, The Seduction of Christianity, 1985, page 12.↩
14 Swami Prabhavananda and Fredrick Manchester, The Upanishads: Breath of the Eternal, 1957, page 70. ↩
15 Quoted by Dave Hunt, The Cult Explosion, 1980, page 106.↩
16 Theodore Roszak, Unfinished Animal, 1977, page 225.↩
17 Anton Szandor LaVey, The Satanic Bible, 1969, pages 110-111.↩
18 Dave Hunt, The Cult Explosion: An Expose of Today’s Cults and Why They Prosper, 1980, page 124.↩
Dave Hunt, Peace, Prosperity and the Coming Holocaust, 1983, page 215.↩
20 The Song of God: Bhagavad-Gita, translated by Swami Prabhavanda and Christopher Isherwood, 1964, page 50. ↩
21 L.H. Dowling, The Aquarian Gospel of Jesus The Christ, 1969, page 7.↩
22 Matthew 24:24 and Mark 13:22.↩
23 I Timothy 4:1.↩
24 Louisa E. Rhine, Mind Over Matter: Psychokinesis, 1970, page 385.↩
25 Proverbs 4:23.↩
26 In John 13:2, the Bible says that “the devil, having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son to betray him.” This seems to be Satanic influence rather than actual possession. The same is true of Ananias and Sapphira as recorded in Acts 5:3-4. Furthermore, although Matthew 12:43-45 is dealing with actual demon possession, the principle taught seems to be that when the heart or mind of man is left vacant, it is at that moment vulnerable to demonic influence.↩
27 Divination, enchantments, soothsaying, witchcraft, charming, sorcery, wizardry, magic, necromancing, etc. (Deuteronomy 18:10-12; Leviticus 19:31; 20:6,27).↩