Teens and the Occult: Nothing Innocent About It

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Pastor Dale Morgan

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Jun 5, 2008, 1:43:20 AM6/5/08

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*Perilous Times, Witchcraft and The Occult

Teens and the Occult: Nothing Innocent About It*

Courtesy of BreakPoint with Charles Colson

CBN.com – According to a study conducted by the Barna Group called
"Teens and the Supernatural," three out of every 10 teenagers have
played the Ouija board, had their palms read, and eight out of 10 have
read horoscopes.

Maybe these numbers do not shock you. But while these activities may
seem innocuous, below the surface there lurks an extremely dangerous and
powerful world—something Scripture refers to as "the powers of darkness."

Take, for example, the Ouija board, a game young people have played for
decades. Manufactured by Parker Brothers, the game combines numbers and
letters around a pointer that mysteriously indicates answers to
questions players ask. Even Parker Brothers cannot explain how the
pointer moves. That's because the game taps into spiritual forces
outside the realm of human control.

Another "pastime" with dark undertones is horoscope reading.

According to one survey, 29 percent of Christian teens said they did not
see anything wrong with it. Eighteen percent said they read horoscopes,
but do not think it really predicts the future. And another 8 percent
said they read it, but feel guilty about it.

Just like the Ouija board, the horoscope can also be dangerous—a
dangerous first step into the world of the occult. One woman, Barbara
Gardner, writing in Today's Christian Woman, explained how reading
horoscopes sucked her into a dangerous pattern that led to astral
projection—also known as "out of body experience"—palm reading, and
fortune-telling. She ultimately attributed the breakup of two of her
marriages to her obsession with occult activity.

And the list goes on, from seemingly innocent activities like yoga
(which is steeped in Eastern mysticism) and playing video games with
demonic themes, to more obviously sinister things like communicating
with spirit guides. Beyond that, many popular films, TV shows, and books
have minimized the seriousness of dabbling in the occult, movies and
shows like Goosebumps and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. No wonder many kids
find the spiritual world harmless at best, or deeply intriguing at worst.

A representative of the Barna Group said: "Teens give the supernatural
world the same treatment as any other aspect of their lives. They cut
and paste supernatural experiences and perspectives from a variety of
sources . . . Most of all, they are motivated by their desire to find
out what works for them and what feels right."

The Barna report also indicates that the teens who feel like their lives
have spun out of control are the ones most likely to dabble in the
occult. But instead of gaining control, they are relinquishing control
to powers more terrifying than they can imagine.

Far from being harmless activities, Ouija boards, palm-reading, and
horoscopes are really gateways into a world that is Satanic at its core,
and directly opposed to God's commands.

There is a reason that Isaiah 8:19 says, "When men tell you to consult
mediums and spiritists, who whisper and mutter, should not a people
inquire of their God?" And if you really want to know what God thinks of
all those who tell fortunes or who inquire of the dead, read Deuteronomy 18.

So, parents, be alert when it comes to your children and the occult.
Talk with your kids honestly about it. And always, always point them to
the source of true power and love and acceptance—Jesus Christ Himself.