By Reverend Mark
Hunnemann
With
the New Year I feel compelled to ask: what is the state of the paranormal
community? Before I respond, let me say that I consider myself part of the
paranormal community (though I prefer to call it supernatural), and I care for
these folks. I am not an outsider throwing rocks at these “nuts”, rather I am
inside trying, in my weak and stumbling way, to change people’s minds through
reasoned persuasion. Because of past bad experience with the church, often it
is hard to gain an audience, and this grieves me. So, thank you dear friends
for your continued interest and support.
I whittled it
down to two issues—what is happening to the investigators
and what is happening regarding the
investigations. In this section
we will deal with the former. When I say investigators, I mean that in the
broad sense of anyone who is actively and
regularly making contact with the spirit realm by attempting communication
with the dead—there are untold millions of Americans who are engaging in this
activity privately or informally, primarily due to what they have seen on TV.
Perhaps we could distinguish between formal
investigators (group structure and a stated purpose to assist others who
have problems), and informal
investigators (one or two individuals who do it for themselves or just for
the thrill, and no mission statement). In 2009, when I began this quest, paranormalsocieities.com listed 950
formal investigative groups; today the count has risen to 4,054 groups—by any
standard of measurement, that is astonishing growth! However, the amazing
growth only serves to underscore the importance of doing an analysis of how
things are going.
Let me plunge right in and say that I do not know of
anyone who has regularly attempted to contact the dead, who at some point, has
not dealt with demonic activity of their own.
Recently I was on a Christian paranormal radio podcast in which the host, who
has many more years’ experience than I do, concurred. (I was touched by the
dignity and respect that was shown to me by this Christian woman) We agreed that this is an extremely
noteworthy phenomenon which is being systematically swept under the rug. I am
sure that someone reading this will disagree with our observation, and that is
okay. However, the undeniable fact is that a very high percentage of
investigators (both kinds) are/have developed demonic issues. We may disagree
as to what it is, but I think most would agree that experiencing paranormal
activity appears to come with the territory. But why does it? And who/what is
it that is following you home? Why is there so much obsessiveness that
transcends healthy passion? As a man determined to see ghosts through God’s
eyes, the bible must be our guide, along with science and critical thinking.
All truth is God’s truth, but only the bible is inerrant and must be our only
guide to faith (beliefs) and practice. Sola scriptura! (2 Tim. 3:16-17) You owe
it to God, yourself, your team mates/friends, and your loved ones to grapple
with this and not sweep it under the rug.
Biblically, the picture is sobering for all who are
attempting communication with the dead, because God explicitly commands us not
to engage in this (Deut.18:9-14; Lev.19:31; 20:1-6). So, first and foremost, every time an investigator
investigates, they are disobeying God’s objective law. There are gradations of
sin, and speaking to the dead is one reason God ordered the complete slaughter
of an entire Canaanite people and culture (men, women, and children). In v.12
we are told explicitly that the occultic sins mentioned in these verses are the
reason for the utter destruction of the inhabitants of the land. They were not
innocent; the people who sought mediums and spoke to the dead were doing
something the Lord considered “abominable.” All of these activities, including
child sacrifice, are designed to seek supernatural wisdom apart from God. It is
instructive that this text is juxtaposed with the section on God’s prophets
(including the prophecy of a prophetic line culminating in Jesus)—the true and
only source of wisdom we are to seek regarding God and the supernatural. In the
Leviticus text, the heinousness of spirit communication is accented by stating
that it was: whoring in God’s eyes;
it was a capital crime; and if the Jews failed to kill the ghost whisperer,
then God Himself would kill them…this is the only place in the Old Testament,
that I am aware of, where the Lord threatens such personal involvement in the
punishment for a particular sin. All sin is cosmic treason against our holy
God, but some sins are particularly hateful to Him, and spiritism is one such
sin. Therefore, the punishment and consequences of violating this command are
especially severe. However, we must never lose sight of what we call the
ellipsis of a negative prohibition (flip side); it is because God LOVES us that
He wants us to delight in the words of His prophets/apostles and not be burned
by touching the hot occultic stove.
Spirit solicitation is spiritual warfare! As we have noted before, the solicitation of EVP’s
is attended by the same dangers as conducting an Ouija session. By entering
into the spirit realm, we give the demonic a legal right to attach and attack,
because we are trespassing in the realm that the Lord has given to them as
their temporary home. Also, for the first time in recorded history, lay people
in large numbers are plunging headlong into a world that universally has been
approached in the past by a community’s representative—a priest or shaman—due
to a natural fear of the spirits. Hence, the canopy of God’s common grace of
protection is removed. In a word, the paranormal community is rapidly becoming
demonized—investigators are coming under ever deepening influence of unclean
spirits. Tragically, this is the dirty, dark secret of the paranormal
community; for a variety of reasons we are not being honest with ourselves and
each other. I suggest that this is not wise, and is only causing more people to
be affected. Are we reluctant because it may signify a systemic problem in our
ranks? When we unwittingly dance with the demonic, then we open ourselves to
their accelerated activity. The condition of investigators is perilous in the
extreme, and is getting worse each passing day…Lord have mercy on us. Next time
we will look at the state of investigations.
ACTION STEPS
We must determine to
speak out regarding this issue…it is a matter of integrity and compassion.
Some of you are under
demonic influence, and you may, or may not, sense it…yet. Seek godly, competent
help in dealing with it.
Read Part 2--The Investigations
