Christianity vs. Paganism

By Reverend Mark Hunnemann

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1)

18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. 19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world,[g] in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. 21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. 24 Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, 25 because they exchanged the truth about God for the lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen. (ESV, but partially personally translated..Romans 1:18-25, bold added)

There is a visceral yearning to know that life is meaningful and has a basis for universal morals-the 2 are connected.And countless young people are seeking meaning in paganism. This is not merely an academic debate. In our spiritual quest for meaning, some of you are deeply confused or struggling…

Fundamentally, there are only two worldviews, and they are mutually exclusive: one based on the ultimacy of creation, which is paganism, and the other is based on the ultimacy of the self-existent Creator, which is Christianity. Paganism is not just another religious rival to Christianity, it is its antithesis or opposite because it denies the duality at the heart of all things (not dualism)—the transcendent Creator and His creation. As Camille Paglia put the difference: In the beginning, God vs. In the beginning, Nature.

From the text in Romans, pagans are guilty of the ‘great exchange’ (which is not so great) because they suppress the knowledge of the true God, and exchange it for the lie (definite article in Greek)-- which is worship of nature. As you can see from the text, this displeases God immensely.
I realize that paganism is an eclectic religion with many beliefs under its wide umbrella, but I trust that I express the hallmark of paganism accurately.
First, let me state emphatically that pagans do not worship Satan; they worship nature. Many don’t even believe in Satan.  Lucifer factors in for many, but I don’t have time to pursue that.

“Paganism sees the world as self creating (or perpetually existing) and self-explanatory. Everything is made up of the same stuff, whether matter, spirit, or a mixture. There’s one kind of existence, which, in one way or another, we worship as divine (or of ultimate importance) Though there is apparent differentiation and even hierarchy, all distinctions are, in principle, eliminated, and everything has the same worth. This is “Homocosmology”, a worldview based on sameness. The classic term for this is ‘paganism’. Worship of nature.”

”The only other option is a world that is the free work of a personal, transcendent God, who creates ex nihilo (from nothing). In creating, God was not constrained by or dependent on any preexisting conditions. There is God, and there is everything that is not God—everything created and sustained by the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. This worldview celebrates otherness, distinctiveness. We only worship as divine the distinct, personal, triune Creator, who placed essential distinctions within the creation. (male/female, right/wrong, humans/non-humans, etc.) This is “heterocosmology”, a worldview based on otherness and difference. This is Christianity. (Peter Jones, The Other Worldview)

The Triune God structured the fabric of the cosmos on a principle of distinctions within unity, reflecting the very nature of the Trinity…answering the One and Many (unity and diversity)problem philosophers have argued about for millennia. Something you can see as soon as you step outside and see the astonishing diversity but underlying unity of nature.  The interpersonal communication between the members of the Trinity gives meaning to human communication. Paganism lacks this.

I say this gently, but Paganism does not have any evidence to support its veracity—unless you count its antiquity and experience as evidence.  But in the Garden of Eden, the first humans, Adam and Eve, were monotheists. It was soon afterwards that the ‘great exchange’ became exceedingly common. Nevertheless,  the evolutionary theory of religion has been debunked, which is precisely what the Word of Truth reveals happened. This is a crucial point but I can’t address it in detail. Perhaps a part 2…

 And its vast variety, which is seen as paganisms strength, is actually its weakness. Celtic, Nordic, Egyptian gods-which gods do you choose? It is like a spiritual smorgasbord in which WE determine what god exists for us. What kind of god is it that depends on our belief to exist? And are these gods strong enough to put all your weight on for meaning….especially in trials?

In Christianity, there is a consistent and persistent insistence that the Living God is the only God that is really there—who has spoken to us true truth in human language in the bible—not exhaustively, but truly. But there are no agreed upon sacred texts in paganism to subject to scrutiny to see if they are historically reliable, as there are in Christianity. The Old and New Testament documents have been subjected to intense and rigorous analysis— have been shown, beyond a reasonable doubt, to be reliable and trustworthy regarding historical details, and without contradiction or error, and supported by the archaeological evidence in astonishing detail. Albright and other archaeologists state that no findings in archaeology have ever contradicted the bible—and many findings confirm the astonishing accuracy of biblical record.

Hundreds of fulfilled prophecies…Dozens of fulfilled prophecies of Jesus (e.g. when, where He would be born)which will blow your mind-one in trillion 13th power as one converted Jew estimated…convincing evidence for the resurrection, evidence of the reliability of gospel narratives, evidence of design and personal Creator ect..If you are interested in this evidence, there are many lines of evidence to support Christianity (see Lee Stroebels books ) for honest seekers to pursue. Christianity is logic on fire, eloquent reason-an adequate basis for meaning, without unscrewing your head. No other religion claims God has entered space and time and left “footprints”. Certainly paganism can’t claim this.

One pagan wrote, in response to overwhelming evidence for Christianity:”the value of a religious faith is not how much it can be factually proven, but in the way it nurtures and facilitates a relationship between the worshipper and the divine. That is a metric that can only be evaluated by the people involved”.  In Christianity, it’s not an either/or. Rather we can confidently embrace the Lord with all of our heart because we know in our minds it’s true, because of the evidence.

Experience is a form of evidence—does it work? Christianity ‘works’ because it’s true, not vice versa. Numerous folks I know, like Laura Maxwell  (please see her Facebook page, “A Spiritual Quest”), used to be pagans and relied on their spirit guides and practiced various forms of divination, but when they began to question what they believed, they were attacked by these same entites, which God calls demons, and were freed by the saving power of Jesus of Nazareth, the God/man who died to set us free from demonic oppression.  I have helped dozens of families with hostile haunts. It is through the name of Jesus, and only through the name of Jesus, that unclean spirits are forced to leave—I’ve seen this with my own eyes many times. Pagan tools or means of cleansing houses is at best a temporary solution. My friend Dana Emmanuel has written an excellent article on faulty, pagan cleansing methods. She used to head a well-known paranormal investigation group.

Sage and other Spiritual Cleansing Techniques by Ex Paranormal Investigator – Dana Emanuel November 16,

https://exposingtheenemy77072127.wordpress.com/2017/12/05/spirit-communication-a-demonic-invitation-1/   this article has to do with all forms of spirit communication

It grieves me to say this, but the vast majority of hauntings can be causually traced back to various forms of pagan divination—tarot cards, EVP's, Ouija boards, etc.; this is empirically verifiable. When you attempt contact with spirit realm, which God lovingly forbids, then you are jumping into a diabolical domain. And you will be oppressed, whether you realize it or not. I ask this lovingly, but how many of you who are pagans have paranormal activity in your home?  All paranormal activity is demonic activity.

If you accept the Big Bang, then the scientific principle of Occam's Razor shaves away any notions of polytheism, and leaves us with one Creator. And Darwinism has faltered in the face of concrete facts and hard reason.

The only adequate pre-condition for meaning and morals is the triune God who has spoken true truth to us in the bible. As the great philosopher, Ludwig Wittgenstein cried out in despair that Nature was silent regarding the most basic questions-meaning. Nature cannot be self-explanatory as pagans assume. Nothing is big enough or personal enough to give us an “outside perspective”. How can we know something as basic as the meaning of life, unless Someone outside and above Nature communicates with us?  The universe, as physicists tell us, is not infinite and neither are the finite pagan gods…and nature is fundamentally impersonal. We NEED revelation from our Infinite/personal Creator to find meaning. Otherwise we are self-referential…trying to give ourselves meaning.  If we are merely the products of evolution-impersonal plus time plus chance, then we are personal warts on the face of an impersonal universe. Impossible to find meaning in that scenario.

If you saw a pool of spilled milk on the kitchen floor, you wouldn’t ask the spilt milk how it got there. You would ask a PERSON how it got there. I say this gently, my contention is that pagans (in a sense) ask the spilled milk how it got there when they look to Nature to explain nature and the meaning of life and morals. Like a pool of milk, Nature is not a Person nor is it infinite—it does not have the transcendent, Personal perspective to explain to us the “spilt milk”—the meaning of life and guidance in morals…and divination of nature and the universe is the same thing. Starting from ourselves and the universe we live in, our perspective is so severely limited, we are left painfully clueless. Why look to astrology or divination of nature when you can talk to the all-powerful, all-loving Creator of Nature for guidance or comfort? Besides, God condemns divination, in all forms. (Deuteronomy 18).

In the homo-cosmology of the pagan system, there is no qualitative difference between humans and the animals or even between humans and the grass…because all is one, and there are no creational distinctions, and all is equally endowed with the divine. There is no basis for a unique human dignity. Yet each of us knows deep down that there is a profound distinction between us and animals., not to mention the grass. Ironically, with its focus on nature, paganism is profoundly unnatural because its contrary to everything we existentially know about ourselves and nature.

Pagan gods and nature are finite. However, as Jean Paul Sartre, the atheistic French Existentialist, stated that “if a finite point does not have an infinite reference point, it is meaningless and absurd.” Everything is a finite point. You are..I am…From the finite, expanding universe to finite humans, we are ultimately absurd in pagan system, because there is no infinite reference point to give any of reality meaning. Nothing is big enough—not their gods, nor the universe…nothing is personal enough either. But the Christian God is infinite and personal, on the high order of Trinity…the only sufficient reference point to give life meaning.  He is both transcendent and immanent, as opposed to paganism where all is immanent.

The Living God has spoken to us regarding the meaning of life-love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength…and your neighbor as yourself. Simple, but simply profound and life-changing. An existential walk with the Creator of the universe who is too great NOT to care about all of our needs and fears.

Perhaps one will herald science as supportive of paganism, but Christianity is a necessary pre-condition for science.

Both AN Whitehead and Oppenheimer, neither who were Christians, stated that modern science could only have arisen in a Christian millue because the early modern scientists presupposed that a reasonable God created a reasonable universe, whereby man (who is created in His image) by use of his reason could discover God’s reasonable scientific Laws.  In other words, there is meaning.

They agree that paganism and its view of nature and reality, could never have given rise to modern science.

What about morals? You may express moral outrage at what Christians and their God have done. And Christians have acted horribly at times, and for that I’m sorry. But does the pagan system of homo-cosmology (sameness, fusion of opposites, as Jung said) have a sufficient basis for objective truth or morals? In this case, pagans are adamant that objective, absolute truth does not exist. Truth/morals is relative and subjective. I ask,” Are you Absolutely certain that absolutes do not exist”-that is a self destructive statement. In that system, right and wrong are human constructs. If that is the case, then the Marquis de Sade is correct…as is Dostoevsky…what is, is right.

Nature, for all its beauty and alleged divinity, is red in tooth and claw..full of cruelty. Natural disasters kill millions every year. The survival of the fittest is the credo of nature. Nature can’t be our guide. Without objective,moral absolutes, all we are left with are sociological or statisitical averages, or preference…morals as morals cease to exist…and who could say that Hitler was wrong, in a pagan system?  And yet nobody lives this way because they can’t. If one cannot live with the logical ramifications of their belief, then something is wrong. Some cultures have embraced pedophilia, cannibalism, polygamy…what if they claimed it helped them find self-realization and helped psychologically to embrace the divine within, who could say definitively they are wrong?  The 20th century was the bloodiest in history because the tyrants denied the reality of real morals. It leads to a horror of great darkness.

For the Christian, morality is permanently revealed in the bible, and is based on the unchanging character of the Triune God. Hence, moral absolutes exist and we can make ethical evaluations and distinctions. I add, they are given as a loving guide from a loving Father: Like tracks for a train to run on. What would happen if one day the train said that it was fed up with the constraints of the tracks, and jumped off the tracks? It would quickly wreck because it was MADE to run on the tracks…finds freedom within the form of the tracks.

Pagans are explicit in insisting on their autonomous freedom by jumping off the very tracks that were meant to guide and protect us from wrecking.  I know from talking to pagans that the desire to cast off all exterior moral constraints is central to the pagan mindset.

However, like the train, humans find freedom within the form of the tracks of normative biblical ethics, as well as security and protection. We punch ourselves in the face when we sin. God’s moral laws are woven into the very fabric of nature, as well as our conscience. Pagan ethics are unnatural because they ignore the God who created both humans and nature. Is it wise to brush away your Maker and then worship what He made?

In the bible the infinite/personal God communicates with finite/personal creatures and tells us what we couldn’t discover on our own. He alone can explain the spilled milk…give meaning and moral direction to our lives.

Please read the gospels and ask God to reveal to you who Jesus really is. He is your Creator and will give you eternal life if you bow before Him as your Savior and Lord.

Mark Hunnemann is the author of Seeing Ghosts Through God's Eyes: A Worldview Analysis of Earthbound Spirits. It's also available in eBook format.

Are We Being Conditioned to Tolerate Evil?

Hello everyone! I hope you're having a wonderful weekend. It's very hot here in Florida. I can't begin to explain how hot. I set AC on 73 and it ran all day. It was too hot to cool it down that low. It's ridiculous. Every time you go outside you feel the need to shower due to how sweaty and hot one gets just from checking the mail! Lol. The dang heat factor is just awful.

Our world is changing, folks. Evil movies coming out about nothing but demons. I saw somewhere that the movie "IT" remake [based on the Stephen King book] was a disappointment to some as they made the clown more "demonic and evil and it wasn't like that in the original." I know he was a clown that killed kids as I hate clowns. LOL. They freak me out. But I thought it was noteworthy to share what I had come across by pure coincidence.

All these episodes of "A Haunting" and "Paranormal Witness" and others are these scary looking creatures that people had the unfortunate luck to cross paths with or inadvertently let it in somehow. I don't believe all those stories are true but I sure believe some are. It's just my humble opinion. They fabricate, too. Editing is involved. It hurts people who really are telling the truth. People are more into the dark arts which are everywhere it seems. It's not healthy but it's accepted as normal. Before they wouldn't dare air TV shows about demons but now it's so popular.

Why is Satan and the dark arts all a sudden just considered so cool? Kids asking for ghost boxes and doing EVP's at home, using spirit boards etc...They download the app version on devices etc...and just because it's a phone and not a costly paid for device doesn't mean they can't manipulate those apps. Phones have radio and recorders. Are they only able to do it to this device? My bet is they can manipulate our phones.

These satanists have women just to breed kids for them to sacrifice. It's disturbing and disgusting! There is so much more. Look at all the pizza/pedo gate? Type it into your browser and YouTube as well. The elites who help run this country are possibly involved in a huge pedophile ring. One person was murdered after speaking out about it. It could have been just a bad coincidence but possibly to shut the man up many are saying. He knew too much many say. It's been going on for many years. In the 1970's it was going on. People became conditioned to turn a blind eye. Its human trafficking, my God.

I found this post on a random website:

"We are being conditioned to accept Satanism at a grand scale. As a blogger said about the 2015 grammies – what’s on for next year…child sacrifice? That’s how bad and blatant it is!"

For those who don't know what Pizzagate is the following information will help.

Basically when a user by the name u/DumbScribblyUnctious posted a thread titled “Comet Ping Pong – Pizzagate Summary” to subreddit r/The_Donald (a community of Donald Trump supporters), which appears to have touched off a complex and detailed conspiracy theory involving WikiLeaks’ release of e-mails from former Hillary Clinton presidential campaign chair John Podesta, child exploitation, and a Washington, D.C. pizzeria called Comet Ping Pong.

According to snopes.com it's a detailed conspiracy theory known as "Pizzagate" holds that a pedophile ring is operating out of a Clinton-linked pizzeria called Comet Ping Pong. Which I should note is only a few minutes from the White House. The owner is an alleged pedophile. This is all speculation at this point but something is up with these spirit cooking events. It's so far beyond disturbing ladies and gentlemen. It is just not getting better. It's on the rise and this is just my opinion. Mainstream media stays quiet after calling it "fake news".

Satan's time is near and I personally feel he is after as many souls as possible. I think we are in end times or close to it but that's just my opinion. So they are stepping it up in hell with such violent and unspeakable acts and attempted murder planned out! He hates us to the nth degree. All humans. He assigns his demons to certain people like God sends us Angels for protection. He copies the Lord in so many ways. So many people inadvertently open doors which can take months to deal with. It's just not worth it.

The Lord may return at any time. No one knows the time or day. But so many things are coming to pass and it's very scary for many but remember God's promise to us. We won't be a part of this. Be strong let's not let the world turn a blind eye to sickening criminal behavior.

I want to thank you so much for taking the time to read this. Please check out our other bloggers with valuable information they share as well. And interesting. God bless.

Written By

Jennifer L Auld

Why Do You Keep Harping Over & Over Again About These Stupid Ghosts?

By Reverend Mark Hunnemann

Circa 1530 AD....

"Dr. Martin Luther, why do you keep harping, over and over, about justification by faith alone?"

Luther..."Two reasons--it is the article upon which the church stands or falls, and I also harp on it every week because my people forget it every week."

Circa 1960 AD....

"Dr. King, why do you keep harping, over and over,  on civil rights?"

Dr Martin Luther King...."Because it is so ensconced in our society, both in and out of the church...it is also making the watching world think that Jesus is irrelevant to cultures  most pressing needs. God has given me a dream..."

Which of you could say to MLK while he was alive, "I think you are right but I am too busy with my business/kids to DO anything. Can't you just give it a rest?!" Or..."Stop talking about this dream...folks are getting tired of it." (this was actually said to MLK by his closest advisers on the eve of the historic DC speech).

 One could multiply this list of folks who made a significant impact on culture, with many, many more, in large measure  due to their perseverance in face of pressure to shut up. I  tremble with unworthiness to  mention my passion in even  the same paragraph as these two mighty MARTINS. But please note this crucial fact--it is the SIGNIFICANCE OF THE ISSUE  AT STAKE, that emboldens me to press on in face of many  people getting sick and tired of my "ghost  posts."....and I have no delusions of grandeur regarding myself. In fact, I have trouble even getting out  of bed...bent and broken. I am unworthy to place myself next  to two of my heroes. However, I have thinking of writing  this blog for quite awhile now.

My father, a WW II vet, died the day after his 90^th  birthday. My mom and dad were very busy--business owners and  raised 10 kids--but the Dairy Queen my father owned/operated was perhaps the only company in Moore County, NC where a black man was hired on equal basis of anyone else. In the 1950's everybody had segregated bathrooms and water  fountains....NOT MY DAD.--one fountain, and 2 bathrooms (men/women)....as a result, my dad had a large black clientele. Most white folks there basically ignored the issue of "separate but unequal."

I, like lots of folks on Facebook, have hundreds of friends.....these include folks I've known for 40 years  or more, who are very dear to me. But one thing I can count on is that when I post on ghosts, it is clear that they have  had enough. I am very thankful for the faithful few who are in tune with God's heart on this issue.

I am ignorant of many subjects, but I do know what the bible, science, and sound reasoning has to say about the ever-growing fascination with the paranormal in general, and trapped spirits in particular. Like the two Martins mentioned above, I am utterly convinced that this issue HAS TO BE REPEATED OVER AND OVER....The notion of ghosts is not only  ensconced in our culture--in and out of the church--but that there are objective indicators that suggest that the notion of ghosts is possibly Satan's most successful and effective tool in spreading the kingdom of darkness and ushering in the man of lawlessness/antichrist.

We need to repeat this regularly because we forget it regularly--we all have busy lives, which tend to mute even the loudest cries of pointing out danger. And as MLK said in  his "Letter from a Birmingham Jail" the church is becoming/appearing increasingly irrelevant to the most significant issues of our day.

MLK certainly rallied some of the church to this issue where Satan was attacking, but most Christians (even those who  were in basic agreement) just wanted him to shut his dang mouth. "The church should focus on preaching the simple gospel and not get caught up in cultural issues." Similarly, Christian leaders today, as a whole, think that addressing the paranormal craze is ludicrous...not part of  preaching the simple gospel. Apparently they have not read the prophets, who ceaselessly thundered against all manner of cultural decay. Or evil and error. EVIL AND ERROR...wicked behavior and wicked beliefs. Or do we even believe that some beliefs, or even practices, can be called WICKED ANYMORE?

Up to this point, my regret is not having written a second volume which deals with specific issues---the lunacy of  residual energy, the cruelty and stupidity of the notion of poltergeists, the obvious parallels between EVP solicitation and a Ouija Board session., etc. But I remain firm that all the other occult sins rely heavily on the notion of trapped spirits. Mediums and psychics would be largely out of work without their alleged aid from their friendly ghosts.

Christian leaders...and most Christians are simply lazy, devoid of critical thinking skills..and don't care about the next generation. "Give me affluence and peace of  mind....I do not want to THINK about what issues may be more serious than those that grip me." I have tried over and over to show WHY the notion of ghosts is OUR generations most significant wrong belief. Every generation has its own specific issues which the devil is attacking, and it is our responsibility to determine what our blind spots are--or we will be like my parents generation re: race. The Greatest Generation (they were/are) was in large measure horribly deficient re race.

The old analogy applies well here...if a movie theatre is actually on fire, the most compassionate thing to do is scream as loud and often as possible.."Fire...fire...fire...fire"

I have written nearly 200 blogs, almost all dealing directly or indirectly, with ghosts. W/o going into detail it is phenomenal the range and comprehensiveness of the destruction that this belief has caused.

There is no other occultic belief (inviting the curse of God) that is nearly as popular and destructive as the notion of ghosts. Let us think about our children and grandchildren, and the spiritual/cultural conditions we will be bequeathing them. As always, may God's glory inflame us.

Amen.

Mark Hunnemann is the author of Seeing Ghosts Through God's Eyes: A Worldview Analysis of Earthbound Spirits. It's also available in eBook format.  

Ghosts of Shepherdstown--New Paranormal TV Series

Shepherdstown is the oldest town in West Virginia, and is best known for the local arts scene, the historic attractions, and the university. Now, this community of 1,750 people will become known for something else entirely different. According to Real Screen, a recent surge in supernatural activity has forced the town’s chief of police, Michael King, to turn to a team of paranormal investigators for answers.

Shepherdstown’s five-man police department has been busy responding to several 911 calls where residents are claiming that their emergency is not criminal in nature, but paranormal. King decides to bring in paranormal experts Nick Groff (Ghost Adventures, Paranormal Lockdown), billed as America’s leading paranormal investigator; Elizabeth Saint (A Man Possessed, Reaper), a paranormal sensitive; and Bill Hartley (Psychic Kids: Children of the Paranormal, The R.I.P. Files), the team’s technical guru. Together, this Ghosts of Shepherdstown team will work to uncover the truth behind the disturbances and investigate the reports of disembodied voices, shadowy figures, physical attacks, and objects that seem to disappear right into thin air.

Let me address an issue from the outset—paranormal snobbery. It goes in both directions. Some so-called ‘para-celebs’ act as if they are better than others. They have listened to all the positive hype about themselves. As far as I’m concerned, nobody is an expert regarding the spirit realm, but some sure seem to come across as they are. However, snobbery can run in the opposite direction. Those of us who have little recognition can become embittered toward those who have attained some measure of fame.The result is that, in their minds, ALL paranormal TV shows are lumped together as worthless and ‘scripted nonsense’. And so, along comes this show about Shepherdstown replete with para-celebs, and the tendency is to reject all of it as nonsense. We need to see that both attitudes are snobbery, and be discerning of what is real and what is not. Don’t throw out the baby with the bath water. There are varying degrees of ‘form and freedom’, or scripted and spontaneity, in these shows, but even the most scripted show can be derailed by the intrusion of the demonic. One sarcastic criticism I kept reading was that Elizabeth was a lousy actor. Did the thought ever occur that she might be a lousy actor because she was not acting? We need to avoid extremes in both directions—whether they are the best thing since sliced bread or that they are nothing but worthless playacting.

Without being gullible, we must realize that Satan has a deeply vested interest in the success of these shows because they are deceiving millions of people. The reality is that more people watch TV than read substantive books…I know this from experience! Consequently, the astute observer can learn much about demonic collusion and the schemes of the devil in making these shows work and bring some kind of non-Christian ‘resolution’ to these paranormal trials. Which results in deceiving many, many people who are not discerning of supernatural evil. We’ll see this shortly as the “resolution” unfolds in this tiny town in West Virginia.

What is collusion? “A secret agreement or cooperation for an illegal or dishonest purpose.” (Webster's). Collusion can explain much demonic activity.

Agreement amongst fellow demons to bring about the success of a diabolical purpose is the essence of spiritual warfare, helps explain Satan’s schemes, and collusion has much explanatory power when trying to understand the demonic purpose behind a TV show or an infestation. Demonic collusion almost always includes humans (witting or unwitting) in some form or fashion—working with human psychics and mediums is a classic example. Since Satan and his minions control the psychic airwaves, they can make the medium experience whatever they wish—anything that will paint a very convincing deceptive picture of what is going on in the spirit realm.They are masters of collusion that deceives humans. Another way to put it, is that demons engage in intelligent, coordinated attacks in spiritual warfare. Again, demonic collusion helps to explain so much demonic strategy in so many varied circumstances.

Since they are finite creatures they can only be in one place, but collusion greatly enhances their reach as well the convincing nature of their varied deceptions…including Shepherdstown.

The only reason I watched, and am writing, on this six-part series is because it garnered a lot of attention and is affecting many people—Christians and non-Christians alike. Anybody called by God to pull down strongholds of erroneous belief/behavior (2 Corinthians 10) have to PRAYERFULLY watch these paranormal shows in order to understand Satan’s schemes. And I prayed that the Lord would help me to see why this phenomenon happened in Shepherdstown.

What has caused all the exploding activity in this town? For hundreds of years this sleepy little town, though it had its share of tragedies, was asleep paranormally speaking.

It has been my conviction that overt demonic activity has been on the increase since the 1960’s, with the mass introduction of the Eastern/pagan worldview. That this entire city was overrun with a demonic infestation seems to be consistent with the ever-increasing paganization of our country and the resultant flinging open of doors to the demonic. What if this is the beginning of large-scale spiritual terrorist attacks? Have we reached a critical mass of evil in God’s eyes that the floodgates are being opened before the end? In the span of just a few decades, activity that was once considered vices is now viewed as virtues. There has also been a sweeping change in belief—Nature or the Universe is now seen as ultimate reality instead of the infinite/personal God of the bible. The Creator and creation has been merged, with horrible consequences. (see Romans 1).

I’m not going to summarize each episode, for the sake of time. Each show begins with a frantic call to the police department which is not criminal in nature but paranormal. Recently, out of the blue, the police department started being deluged with calls of people being freaked out by paranormal activity. This was not a few isolated incidences. The WHOLE town seemed to be under siege and the residents were becoming hysterical.

I was intensely curious as to WHY a whole town would suddenly come under demonic attack. To summarize biblical teaching: all paranormal activity is demonic activity…contrary to some vocal Christians who claim that this view is simplistic and it allegedly does not do justice to the biblical data. I will fight to my dying day, by God’s grace, to deal honestly with the biblical view of God and the afterlife.

All paranormal activity is demonic activity. Hence, all paranormal activity must be seen as very serious, no matter how seemingly innocuous.

At the end of each episode the team seemed to bring resolution to individuals, but the overall activity kept growing. They tried to find a common denominator, like the town run, which is the water source…and they theorized that a ‘negative’ entity was using the town run (since it was water) as a means of moving about and affecting both humans and other spirits.

In every investigation they used the standard equipment and method…chief of which is always some form of EVP or communicating with the dead. The bible is very clear that contacting the dead is an abomination to Him (Deuteronomy 18). By the way, one person has stated that God would not forbid us to do something unless we were able to do it. In other words, why would God tell us to not attempt communication with the dead unless we were able to? Following this strange logic consistently, God forbidding us from worshipping or communicating with other gods, must imply that there are other gods! And we know from the bible that there is no God but the Living God! (Isaiah 40-48) So, the logic of our friend is flawed and unpersuasive.

The point is that attempting to communicate with the dead in an investigation, only opens doors wider to the demonic. Short of outright Satanism or blood sacrifice, I don’t know of a quicker way to open doors to the demonic than attempting to communicate with the dead. Inadvertently, most paranormal investigators make their clients' home much worse since they use methods which are detestable to God. And so, every investigation which happened in Shepherdstown (since they attempted to speak to dead) only worsened the situation, even though Satan was happy to oblige a ‘resolution’ (for a brief while) in order to validate his deception, not only in this city, but in the eyes of the millions watching. Satan knows that the notion of ghosts is one of his most successful and effective deceptive schemes. Hence, that is why he will do all he can to make sure these TV shows WORK. That is why I cannot agree with my friends who are dismissive of all paranormal TV shows. I am convinced that the devil is involved in all of them to some extent, and is spreading a fog of deception over our land through them. Again, if I were the devil, I would do all I could to make these shows work sensationally. We are losing our ability to be spiritually discerning due to a pragmatic view of truth (does it seem to work) and addiction to the sensational.

Some interesting video evidence was captured. In the last episode, unless one is willing to say that everyone was lying, we were shown a horrible display of what some call poltergeist activity. The point is that, while in the basement, demons destroyed their kitchen. The young pregnant mom heard infant cries coming from pipes, as well as what seemed to be the baby’s mother. They contacted the medium which they had used in several episodes, and it seems apparent that she has a familiar spirit because she psychically observed all that they had unearthed via their investigations. This is demonic collusion…feeding her relevant information which seemingly validates HER abilities as well as the ghost scenarios she was painting.

There were numerous instances in which the medium displayed an uncanny accuracy regarding historical events that the town historian had uncovered. This is where collusion is so helpful in explaining the data or the phenomena.

According to this team, as well as the medium, a colonial age woman, who lived at this last location, was falsely accused of being a witch and poisoning the town water and killing numerous infants. The team historian asserted that there was a physical explanation for the deadly water. They drowned the ‘witch’ and left her baby in the woods to starve to death. Both were said to be heard at the last location…looking for each other. That was the medium's explanation.

Consider this scenario for a moment…...

An infant is earthbound for about 300 years. The mother, who is getting increasingly angry, has cast a spell in her spirit state on city. This is where the demonic collusion becomes increasingly evident. The team just happens to find a medium who explains how the whole town had become ‘paranormal’ overnight. The young pregnant mom allegedly reminded the witch of her situation and she blew a gasket, and this caused the massive haunting. She started becoming in the spirit realm what they had falsely accused her of…a witch. She cast a spell on the city and all its inhabitants.

However, the medium to the rescue! She discerns all this. Not demons, but rather a 300 year old baby and spirit witch. By the way, after watching all 6 episodes I don’t recall them ever mentioning demons as a possible explanation for the negative entity they kept encountering. That is called demonic influence. When the situation clearly was revealing an evil entity, the demons quietly persuaded them that it was not demons! The demons all worked together to make sure that neither the investigative team nor the medium mentioned the D word. Which is pretty astonishing in light of the evil things they came across, like upside down crosses in the woods.

I can’t continue without commenting on how preposterous the notion is of an infant being left here for about 300 years. The classic biblical teaching regarding infants is that ALL infants immediately go to heaven after death. Not only that, but the spirit mom and baby are searching for each other for about 300 years! Why didn’t they find each other…..its a small town?! Hebrews 9:27 says that all people appear before God for judgment immediately after death. What kind of God is going to leave AN INFANT in the same spirit realm in which demons reside, and allegedly mass murders according to many in paranormal community. The baby was crying…how infant-ish was this spirit infant? Simply going on observation and sound, this infant was an infant for 300 years. How horrific!

Again, the medium to the rescue! She perceives why the whole city was under siege, and why so abruptly. How? The 300-year-old earthbound woman told her. The solution was to hold a ceremony at the spot where she was drowned. After a few words declaring the woman and child free, she encouraged those present to toss a memento into the river with an encouraging word. It was a thoroughly non-Christian ceremony. No mention of Jesus or the Holy Trinity. It was a pagan ritual.

The team and medium release mother and the baby (reunite them) by a pagan ritual. The series ends with the police chief saying that virtually all paranormal activity stopped overnight. Wow! Demonic collusion. Learn it…it is what makes The Dead Files work too. But what is the result in people’s minds unless they are very discerning? That mediums work. That EVP’s work. That pagan rituals work. That an entire city was saved apart from the God of the Bible. The pagan worldview is being entrenched deeper in the psyche of Americans. We must weep, pray, educate, and work to be God’s agents of change in this dark and broken world.

Read about demonic collusion and THE DEAD FILES.

Mark Hunnemann is the author of Seeing Ghosts Through God's Eyes: A Worldview Analysis of Earthbound Spirits. It's also available in eBook format.  

'Ghost Brothers' and 'Destination America'

Huffington Post … “Ghost Brothers is addictive.”

It has been said that the paranormal is the new normal. Take the new show on Destination America, The Ghost Brothers. This is the first paranormal ghost hunting show that features an all-black ensemble. Three black men who have known each other for a long time have teamed up. Their mission statement asserted at the outset of each show—“To show that ghosts are for real.”

“The series follows best friends Dalen Spratt, Juwan Mass and Marcus Harvey on a mission to uncover whether some legendary “haunted” houses are the real deal. All raised in religious households, Spratt, Mass and Harvey were taught that messing with the dead is dangerous business, but their own unexplained experiences piqued their fascination, driving them to find out how spooky the supernatural can be. “Ghost Brothers” is described as blending the group’s natural curiosity with comedic flair, offering a fresh, funny and unique take on the spirit world.

“We’re excited to join the Destination America family and prove that there can be a little humor in the unknown,” said Spratt. “But the best part about ‘Ghost Brothers’ is that this time, the black guys make it out of the haunted house alive!”

“Destination America is the leader in paranormal programming, and we are excited to bring diversity to this space with the very first African American ghost-hunting team on television,” said Jane Latman, general manager of Destination America. “Dalen’s, Juwan’s and Marcus’ personalities shine through in ‘Ghost Brothers,’ wearing their emotions on their sleeves in an incredibly relatable way during all of the fear, thrills and chills of investigating things that go bump in the night.”

I must confess that as far as entertainment, they are, well, entertaining. Their shared culture reveals itself in some of their mannerisms, and humor.

My concern is this—to whatever extent black folks may have avoided paranormal shows due to their being all-white, now have some of their own. In other words, blacks, and those drawn to black heritage, now have a magnet to pull them into the ever widening net of fascination with the paranormal….and all the danger that comes with fascination with the paranormal. Yet another segment of America is being brainwashed into believing that ghosts exist. As I mentioned, Ghost Bros. are already persuaded that ghosts do exist and they are passionate about persuading others, by allegedly proving it.

Rather than listening to their families wise warnings, they are rushing headlong into ‘Satan’s sandbox”.

Their gear and methodology is essentially the same…except that they prefer smart phones to do some of their video and EVP.

Unlike most other groups these guys are genuinely funny. And that has already proved to be a powerful attraction to a new audience.

I’m sure that parapsychologists and others will be cynical of their methodology but my concern is that like most investigative groups, they assume the very thing they are trying to prove—namely, the existence of earthbound spirits.

As one homicide detective said, he did not approach a crime scene with any pre-conceived notions because that could potentially cause him to overlook or mis-interpret the data/evidence….and possibly cause him to arrest the wrong person. By approaching locations with the assumption that ghosts exist, the Ghost Brothers do what most every other group does…and the data is overlooked or mis-interpreted. I truly wish that paranormal investigators would approach the data with the same caution as the above homicide detective. Where is the group that follows the consensus of historic Christianity (see last week’s blog on 100 years of Reformed Creeds) and views paranormal activity as demonic?

Destination America is certainly one of the leading paranormal TV channels, with at least 8 paranormal shows. On a popular level, they are on the cutting edge of changing the thinking of America regarding the paranormal….thanks to the quantity and diversity of ghost-driven shows.

While parapsychologists and paranormal investigators are dismissive of these shows, we cannot afford to be dismissive because they (TV shows) are what is affecting tens of millions of non-discerning people.

I find this deeply disturbing because Destination America is fast becoming the destination of America. It is both symptom and cause of our cultures exploding fascination with the paranormal. It is their mission to establish the paranormal as the new normal. Unless God intervenes, the destination of America is going to continue down the path to demonization due to the fascination with the paranormal.

This is leading to an unprecedented amount of overt demonic activity, as prohibitions regarding attempting to communicate with the dead (which does NOT imply that they must exist as some injudiciously assert) are being disregarded left and right. Ghost Brothers may be sincere but they are sincerely wrong, and are contributing to opening doors to an unprecedented amount of overt demonic activity….here in what was once ‘the Christian West’. The Christian worldview is being replaced with a highly spiritual occult worldview…which is very similar to the ancient Gnostic worldview –just re-cast in modern garb.

A few days ago I hit a milestone—I turned 60 years old. This has caused me to become reflective regarding the kind of country we are going to bequeath to our children and grandchildren. I have three children in their 20’s, and three young grandsons. What kind of country will we leave them?

As long as I’m able to write, I am determined with renewed passion to do all I can to stop this paranormal juggernaut, for the sake of our children/grandchildren. I dearly want to have as deep an impact for God’s glory in our culture before I am called to glory. Hence, I will, by God’s grace, push back against the forces which ‘Destination America” represents. Not pushing back is lazy, selfish, and God-dishonoring because, to not speak out, is essentially accommodating this evil. Then we will lay squarely on the lap of our children the noxious fruit of this fascination with the paranormal, and our indifference.

While there are many exceptions, we have become a massively selfish generation which is fixated on personal peace and affluence. May we instead weep at the graveside of our culture…and work and pray for a destination of America that is delivered from its present course by a revival of the Holy Spirit and reformation of sound doctrine.

Mark Hunnemann is the author of Seeing Ghosts Through God's Eyes: A Worldview Analysis of Earthbound Spirits. It's also available in eBook format.  

Paranormal Smells from Hell and the Lordship of Christ

By Reverend Mark Hunnemann

an excerpt.....

"Oftentimes during a paranormal investigation a phantom smell will waft across the nose of a team member or perhaps you have caught a whiff of something out of the ordinary in your home. Detecting an unusual odor isn’t always a sure sign of a spirit’s presence, but in certain instances, it is. Some of the more familiar smells are perfumes that were worn by the lady of the house when she was alive or, in the case of a smoker, pockets of cigarette or cigar smoke will mysteriously appear. These scents are generally harmless to a resident or investigator – as they are intended to be either an attempt at communication, a comforting sign to let a loved one know they are nearby or they will suggest the presence of a spirit who coincidentally is within your vicinity. There are certain odors, however, that everyone should be gravely concerned about because they are a pretension that an evil entity is in the room with you.

In certain extreme cases, smells can signify a negative presence which either resides on the property or is passing through to another destination. In some instances, there is an open portal nearby which is allowing the passage of a spirit to wander as it sees fit. The strong odors of decaying flesh and decomposition are telltale signs that this foul entity is nearby. In the town of Union, Missouri, located about 50 miles south of St. Louis, there is a house where these types of disgusting smells have been detected on multiple occasions.

On numerous occasions my wife and I have smelled tobacco smoke in our home. Her father was a smoker, and we know from experience that he likes to make frequent appearances (a medium had told her this was the case… but that is another article). An old friend of mine, who was a chain smoker, passed away about a decade ago. I believe that he too will come and pay a visit because I know this is something he would have done in life. The scent of burning tobacco was always his constant companion, and so I expect that any of his visits would warrant this odor….." Timothy Yohe

A demonic infestation may involve all five senses, including smell, which is what I want to focus on. Above is a typical approach to paranormal smells within the paranormal community. One problem with smell is that it cannot be collected, like an EVP.  But the presence of supernatural smells is so common that it is without doubt a true phenomenon.

The author makes a distinction between innocuous smells and smells that indicate a negative spirit. Notice that the actual smells themselves are seem by him as indicative of the identity of the spirit behind the smell. Foul smells are evidence of a negative spirit, and other smells are to be seen as evidence of the presence of a benign spirit. Do you think that is wise? Especially in a realm rife with deception?

For example, the odor of rotting flesh or sulfur is stated to be evidence of a demonic spirit. The only problem is that he offers no real reason as to why these admittedly vile smells indicate an evil spirit. Who has not let food go bad and had to air out their residence due to the vile smell? However, there is nothing insidious behind it. So, why automatically assume foul smells indicate a negative spirit?

When it comes to the supernatural realm, how does he have any basis for certainty regarding the meaning of certain smells? He does NOT appeal to the Word of God, and is left with speculation.

One of my criticisms of the paranormal community is that they continue to maintain their basic beliefs, but they don’t really exercise strict self-examination regarding those beliefs…..exposing them to thorough critical review. I make it a point to frequently read articles written by folks within the paranormal community—that is how I came across this article. However, it is rare to see paranormal investigators ask the tough questions—am I dishonoring God by attempting to speak to the dead? (Deuteronomy 18) Am I really putting Christ as Lord over my thinking and actions related to the paranormal? Am I seeking to sincerely put my beliefs under the absolute Lordship of Christ?

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths.” (Proverbs 3:5-6) This is a call for Christ to be Lord over all spheres of our lives. The wise will govern themselves by what the Lord Himself declares, AND WILL NOT SET THEIR OWN FINITE AND OFTEN MISTAKEN UNDERSTANDING AGAINST HIS.

If this is true in the natural realm, how much more when dealing with the supernatural. ….we are totally left in a morass of speculation if we don’t lean on the Lord with all of our heart when trying to understand the invisible realm, especially (and this is crucial) since this is the temporary, God-ordained home of Satan and his minions.

Christ’s Lordship extends over every sphere of life. ”The hearing ear and the seeing eye, the Lord has made them both.” As God has made the ears and the eyes (and all our senses) He better than anyone knows how to assess a person or situation, and His judgment will be final and decisive. We must seek to see ghosts through God’s eyes, and bow before His judgment.

However the author reveals an autonomous thought and heart pattern when using his sense of smell because he doesn’t look to the Lord who created his nose. Notice there is no leaning on the Lord and His revelation in his speculations regarding the identity of the spirits behind the various smells. God made your nose; therefore He owns your nose…literally. It is an act of cosmic treason to use our God-given senses without reference to Him, especially when attempting to interpret part of His world. Without our Triune God, life is incoherent and meaningless.

However, the author speaks confidently that certain smells are to seen as innocuous spirits. How does he know? He assumes the very thing he is trying to prove.2 Corinthians 11:14 speaks of the angel of light principle. If Satan can deceive visually, then he can deceive the olfactory system. All five senses are open to deception. Think of how many of Adam and Eve’s senses were involved in their fateful temptation? The forbidden fruit was enormously attractive…

The author readily admits that his own home has paranormal smells on regular basis….the smell of tobacco. He assumes that this is evidence of his deceased father, as well as a friend—both who smoked. His confidence in his beliefs was bolstered by a medium’s visit. Need I say more?

This raises the issue that has me deeply concerned. How many of those who do paranormal investigations have signs of paranormal activity in their own homes, but they see it as innocuous? There are many investigators who are being oppressed by demonic spirits which they have given legal rights to by their actions. But when you combine those with the seemingly benign activity, then I fear the vast majority of investigators are under direct attack. That is tragic beyond words.

Here is a point that occurred to me. No living person has the ability to self-generate smells without some aid, like perfume or a cigar. They can’t just make those smells appear out of thin air. So, what is the mechanism by which alleged ghosts generate smells? If they can’t do it while alive, it is inconsistent to assert that they have those powers after death. While alive one’s soul cannot make a smell appear out of the blue. How can this same soul generate the smell of a cigar, perfume, etc,ect?

To assert that this soul is smoking or wearing perfume is utterly absurd! They are disembodied spirits. Demons DO have the ability to generate smells, without resorting to saying that they are actually smoking, ect.  Occam’s Razor would suggest that the notion of demonic origin of paranormal smells is the simplest explanation. It is also in line with the angel of light principle.

My conclusion is that all paranormal activity—including paranormal smells—are demonic in nature. The exception would be the pleasant smells that sometimes attend a deliverance or house cleansing. Some have reported the smell of roses after a cleansing. That makes sense.

However, in general, any truly paranormal smell that simply occurs in one’s home is certainly demonic. Angels don’t play around and would not leave an odor unless it was God-honoring.

To associate certain foul smells with “negative spirits”, and all the rest with usually benign earthbound spirits is anti-biblical, and foolish. It is pure speculation. This gives a false sense of security to those whose home is infested with demons. Because the stakes are so high when determining the identity of a spirit, it is incumbent upon us (especially believers) to not rely on our speculation. We must look to God’s revelation and not our speculation when determining the nature of paranormal smells.(see Proverbs 3:5-6)

Please DO NOT become accustomed to any paranormal activity, including pleasant smells, because these smells are from hell. Think of the most pleasant odor imaginable and demons can (and do) mimic it, as they also mimic familiar sights and sounds.

Satan takes all God’s good gifts, like smell, and uses them for his insidious purposes. It is perfectly in line with Satan’s brutality and cruelty to play upon one’s loss. That is, demonic mimicry of dad’s cigar is an attempt to deceive and oppress us. Yet, there are many dear folks (including the author of the above excerpt) who take deep comfort in demonic smells.

I don’t write in order to try to score “points” but in love…..as an attempt to educate folks regarding the juggernaut of demonic deception that is crushing the spiritual landscape around us, as well as causing us harm. The book of Proverbs is full of warnings that when we sin it is like we are punching ourselves in the face.

Please beware of the smells from hell. And let us take the Lordship of Christ seriously for His glory, and for own welfare.

Mark Hunnemann is the author of Seeing Ghosts Through God's Eyes: A Worldview Analysis of Earthbound Spirits. It's also available in eBook format.

The Occult Seems To Be Taking Over New Movies, TV & ALL OVER INTERNET!

Hello my friends! I trust you had a fab weekend and your enjoying this beautiful Sunday. The Lord's day. Summer is over and Fall is here. If you're in Florida like me you can't tell the seasons have changed. It's  very hot! I hope everyone is staying cool and drinking plenty of liquids. Is very important to stay hydrated.

I'm sorry to bring up this constant regurgitated subject but be honest with you it's very hard not to. It's very hard. This is probably the third blog I have written on this and a lot of that has to do with emails I receive. Some people just have questions and some people would like to do a Skype call and have me explain in detail to their team the dangers of taunting demons or using religious provocation which is a form of talking unless you are called into this and you know what the heck you doing .

Some ask if I'd explain to their kid or their husband or their wife or whoever possible consequences when you use a Ouija boards, for use digital recorders to constantly trying to talk and pick up the voices on the recorder now someone made a comment that I do that when I do that I was doing direct orders from Jesus Christ because it is a lot easier to get them on audio tape/ digital then it is to get them on camera or video. A lot of people don't use anything which I respect that I know how a lot of people are no one would ever take my word for it so I like to have some type of backup that helps support what I'm stating or what someone else and I saw or went through. Demons hug the shadows, meaning they stay in the darkest shadows and only some people can see them. And there is such thing as hell hounds whenever I've come across them which is been four times in my life they've had yellow eyes.... go ahead laugh at me. Laugh it up. I'm just putting it out there people.

I NEVER not ONCE done any EVP's in my home or alone somewhere in the field. Its not something I go around my house doing... never would I do something foolish as that. Remember that woman I spoke about the last time I've blogged about this that I could no longer help as she stopped talking to her family all she cared about was talking to the demons and taking her recorder everywhere she went.

Sometimes people more flat out ask if I could blog about certain subjects and I'll make a note of it and I'll get to it as soon as possible because I want to help as much as I can. Not everything is daemonic we have nothing to fear you start applying the blood of Jesus Christ they're going to have a real problem with hanging around where you're at but you must be 100% without a doubt in your faith in Christ speaking with authority and command them in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. I also receive many emails about adults teenagers and children alike are summoning demons  after seeing it done on TV or a movie "just to see what happens." Sure feel free to tell me "we heard this before Jennifer" well you know what can I say it won't go away and it's getting worse and more and more people are doing it . there's always something worse like the slender man epidemic that was just a fake demon a picture into 14-year-old stabbed their friend 19 times to be with slender man and the other demons so they can

I noticed the movie Sinister has a sequel out talking about the boogeyman that takes children. From what I understand  this thing looks like a demon and just the whole premise of it all is absolutely disturbing and I would think it would really upset any younger children, teens and adults alike..... I'll be honest, I was a thrill seeker watching Freddy Krueger and all Friday the 13th movies at age 10, 11 and 12. Of course my parents did not know but when my mom found out she just could not understand why that would not scare the holy heck out of me and make me terrified to go to sleep and the most baffling is why they did not give me nightmares? And sadly that's what the enemy does it's like they say "curiosity killed the cat."

I know I already wrote about this in a blog a couple of months ago but I just want to remind you because once again I don't mean to regurgitate the subjects but it just helps me make my point. I found the following information at Us Magazine with this article:
"Charlie Challenge Goes Viral as Teens Try Summoning Demons With Two Pencils And A Piece Of Paper.

Read more:
Kids today! Apparently all you need to summon demons is two pencils and a piece of paper. The “Charlie Challenge” is the latest viral sensation to sweep the Internet, which features teens chanting “Charlie, Charlie are you there?” and “Charlie, Charlie can we play?

According to countless Instagrams and Vines, the two pencils are placed in a cross formation on a chart that reads “yes,” “no,” and vice versa on the bottom half. After the teens chant, the pencil moves (supposedly on its own), indicating that, yes, Charlie is indeed there."

Slender Man

This is sounding so very much like the Slender Man crap and two teenage girls stabbed a fellow classmate in order to please Slender Man and become a demon and have magical powers. The little girl survived but was badly attacked in the name of this demon. Teens and adults were constantly going into the woods summoning this thing (that was made up from a drawing of a creepy looking demon someone sent in for some contest) was very much a popular activity. The following is from a article explaining part of just what happened to refresh your memory:

"ABCnews.com reports "WAUKESHA, Wis. (AP) — Prosecutors say two 12-year-old southeastern Wisconsin girls stabbed their 12-year-old friend nearly to death in the woods to please a mythological creature they learned about online.

Both girls were charged as adults with first-degree attempted homicide Monday in Waukesha County Circuit Court; they each face up to 60 years in prison if convicted. A court commissioner set bail at $500,000 cash per child. According to a criminal complaint, the girls had been planning to kill their friend for months and finally made the attempt in a park on Saturday morning, after a slumber party.

One of the girls told a detective they were trying to become "proxies" of Slender Man, a mythological demon-like character they learned about on creepypasta.wikia.com, a website about horror stories and legends. They planned to run away to the demon's forest mansion after the slaying, the complaint said.

"I recognize their young ages but it's still unbelievable," Court Commissioner Thomas Pieper said during one of the girls' initial court appearances Monday."

The victim suffered 19 stab wounds; one missed a major artery near her heart by a millimeter, doctors told police. She was in stable condition Monday. The court documents did not provide her name."  <~~~~~~ THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM PEOPLE..

I've noticed on YouTube and many other places the Occult has become quite popular and not in a positive way. Satanism to quite a few people is not healthy. More and more tv shows and movies are motivate by this subject and it peaks the curiosity of viewers and then once they hit the internet it's a lot of material that can be misleading or worse offer tools and free literature on Satanism or very disturbing

Dark-themed entertainment, in the form of movies, books, television shows, and video games, is here to stay..

Satanism is a hard core religion. It's based on the belief that it's ok to be selfish and they practically live by that attitude. They pretty much say the world will be ruled by those who fight to win. Satanism challenges the biblical teaching every which way you can imagine. It manipulates the mind against it. Also regarding man's relationship to others. A lot of satanists believe that the strong will rule with Satan. Once they have paid their dues for lack of better words, they often make a pact with satan. Some even make a date when they will take their own lives by suicide. They believe that if they submit themselves to satan in death, they will return in another life as a stronger being and rule with him forever. According to recent statistics, fourteen young people a day take their own lives. A major concern for those who uphold a Judeo-Christian world view is that this generation is becoming detached and is losing all sense of morality. Many have lost their mooring. It is so important  for the the church,, and we as individuals, to share the message that Jesus Christ is the only possible solution to our emotional and spiritual needs.

Satan has used a number of tools over the centuries to capture the naive. The Ouija Board has proven to be very productive in this method.  According to the Dictionary of Mysticism the Ouija Board is "an instrument for communication with the spirits of the dead." The Ouija Board is an open door to the other side and anything demonic.. Disembodied spirits speak to the living through the medium of the Ouija Board. This information is believed to be truth from the other side and is not recognized for what it is: Lucifer's delusion to gain our allegiance.

Demons and devils are very intelligent, and very cunning, and very patient. They lie and manipulate better than the best lawyers and politicians. And they will subtly influence someone for decades if they have to, to get a specific result. They have no boundaries of what they will not do to further their own ends. They kill people, they cause severely debilitating illness. They tear families apart, they take all that is good and pure and drag it through the dirt and blood until there is nothing left. They are never to be taken lightly or as a joke. It is not adventurous or romantic or 'cool' to be as hunter. It is dangerous. Not just physically, but spiritually. Whatever they can do to you physically will end, because life is short. But spiritually... the soul is immortal...

How does the occult relate to religion? The occult comes in two related forms. The occult arts such as divination, fortune-telling, spiritism, magic, and so forth. There is also an occult/mystical worldview. The occult tends to be more magical. It is a more mechanical expression of the occult. Yet even the occult arts have religious aspects; they attempt to provide meaning, contacts with the “sacred,” and, at times, a basis for community. This information is very disturbing but all to well true. We need to be in prayer every single day against this. Don't show hate or be judgmental, just show love and be sure t do our very best to avoid anything that satan would just love for us to falter in. Christ died for our sins, as I have said before the battle has already been done my friends.

Remember the book of revelations tells us how this is all going to end. It doesn't matter what's happening in the country who is the president Jesus Christ is running this country at least in my personal religious beliefs OK I'm not attempting to offend anybody. I'm just simply stating I'm not going to be afraid to state I believe in Jesus when everybody else can stay what they believe in and I always show the utmost respect.

Written by Jennifer L Auld

A Display of Demonic Variety...Dead Files vs Ghost Adventures

By Reverend Mark Hunnemann

I have written on the Ghost Adventures....I have written on the Dead Files....and I have written on Paul's injunction that we must not be ignorant of Satan's schemes. I'm going to pull these various threads together, and hopefully,  light will emerge!

The tactics regarding how warfare is waged, including change of the color of uniforms, occurred between Vietnam and the subsequent wars waged in desert/urban environments. A strategy/uniform designed for jungle warfare won't work for battle in Afghanistan or Iraq. What is true in human warfare has many parallels in spiritual warfare.That is where the Dead Files and the Ghost Adventures come into play.

I have not taken any notes, so this "off the top"..however, I have been thinking about this issue for some time--especially the comparison/contrast between these two top ranked paranormal shows.

Let me begin by asking a question: why is there virtually no discernible supernatural activity on the Dead Files, while every week there IS observable/verifiable supernatural activity on the GA?

First, let me address the extremist position, especially those who dismiss all activity on any of these shows as bogus. You are wrong sir/ma'am, and while we must not be gullible, we certainly must not be cynical--the biblical worldview is supernatural, including evil supernaturalism. I remember a conversation I had with a fellow Presbyterian minister who dismissed all these displays of demonic activity as fake after watching a couple of shows. I could not disagree more.They are out of touch with what is happening in our culture recently.

I have seen almost every episode of The Dead Files, and there is never any observable supernatural activity, despite the claims from Amy Allan that there are usually many dead people/demons/shadow people etc present at the location. Amy claims to be a physical medium--meaning she allegedly sees and converses with the dead. Yet her and her cameraman husband never seem to record what she says she is seeing. What makes the show seem so compelling is the correspondence between her observations and partner ex-homicide detective Steve Di Schiavi's findings...they are a mirror image of each other. Whatever she sees, he somehow comes up with an historical precedent which explains it. It is almost as if something was guiding him to unwittingly corroborate Amy's findings. BUT, the sensationalism is somewhat muted(well, except for when she gets "jumped"), just two people working independently, coming to the same conclusion--often in a very astonishing fashion. It is simply TOO amazing how consistently his findings are "spot on" with hers, and vice versa. Many people have moved away from the biblical position as a result of the uncanny correspondence between their "independent research". I put quotation marks there because I believe Satan is guiding their research to correspond.

On the other hand, the Ghost Adventures Crew (again, I have seen almost every episode) have no physical medium, but they have a plethora of the latest and greatest in paranormal observation gear. In addition, it needs to be said that they will do almost anything to stir up activity--using witches, mediums, Ouija boards, voodoo, etc. Unlike the Dead Files, they always have some kind of evidence of the supernatural.For example, it interests me how  often an odd shaped orb precedes a supernatural "happening" (footsteps, bangs, EVP and so on) It is as if the demonic are putting on a show to deceive the non-discerning. Some sensational evidence is almost always found by them. It seems that the demonic delight in displaying themselves overtly on this show, but covertly on DF. Both groups are equally disobeying God's holy law re necromancy, but the GAC is inundated with all kinds of experiences. Why?

ALWAYS.....NEVER....ALWAYS.....NEVER.....ALWAYS...NEVER. For the discerning their is a pattern.

I doubt Amy approves of how the GAC does their research, and vice versa, but they both come to the same conclusion--leading people astray re evil supernaturalism.

They wear different "uniforms" and use different tactics but the result is the same--people are led to believe that humans get stuck here after death, and massive confusion is introduced re what happens after death, and who populates the spiritual realm.

My objective was not to unravel/expose in detailed fashion either show, but to reveal that Satan has a vested interest in the success of both. That is the main point. Satan, like any good general, will use varying tactics to attack us--especially if they are proving effective.

The Dead Files and The Ghost Adventures are a display of demonic variety in trying to deceive us. We need to be on guard against all the schemes of the Evil One, wearing the full armor of Christ.

"Seeing Ghosts through God's Eyes" (also in a Kindle edition)...please consider purchasing my book which uses science, logic, and the bible to analyze the true source of power behind paranormal activity.

Obsession on the Dead Files

By Reverend Mark Hunnemann

Recently on the Dead Files there was a family that owns two houses--one is infested and the other is beach front....famed Malibu Beach. The family is being torn apart due to the mother's obsession with the haunted residence.Both the mother and Amy Allan believe the former is reincarnated, which allegedly explains why the many ghosts are drawn to her--they knew her in a previous lifetime. Sheesh....

For a Christian, the notion of reincarnation is antithetical to grace, but many Christians are not grounded in their faith....so they believe in both.

My point is not to dismantle reincarnation--although it is more evidence of how misguided Amy is--but to simply accent a very common phenomenon, diabolical obsession. I have talked to former paranormal investigators who spent hours and hours listening to the same EVP....or bought equipment their family could not afford....or went to places over and over. Families are being destroyed.

We have spent a couple of weeks discussing the importance of critical thinking, and certainly one of the casualties of diabolical obsession is one's ability to think clearly--often with tragic results.

The wife/mother mentioned on the Dead Files, unlike many who are stuck at their infested residence, could choose to move back to luxury at Malibu Beach. BUT, there is this thing called "obsession". Once a house is infested, the desire of the demonic is to break people down--physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Causing people to obsess on this or that usually elicits severe tension in the family. In this case, one daughter had already left. I could see the husband's love for his bride, but the pain was also obvious when she made it plain at the reveal she was choosing the house over her husband and daughters.

What is happening? The more people become fascinated with demonic activity, then the worse the demonic activity gets....and the worse it gets---horrible, vicious cycle. It easy to get over-awed by a child levitating, but what about OBSESSION? In a million different ways, individuals and families are being destroyed by day-in, day-out fixation...strategically planned and guided by the demonic.

Are you or someone you know having their humanity chiseled away due to obsession? Not  all obsession is demonic, but much is. Because it is not as sensational as plates flying or children floating, much diabolical obsession is not getting the loving attention it needs.

Dealing with obsession is not easy, but we must plead the blood Jesus  

Mark Hunnemann is the author of Seeing Ghosts Through God's Eyes: A Worldview Analysis of Earthbound Spirits. It's also available in eBook format.

WHY DO YOU KEEP HARPING...OVER AND OVER AGAIN, ABOUT THESE STUPID GHOSTS?

By Reverend Mark Hunnemann

circa 1530 AD...."Dr Luther, why do you keep harping, over and over, about justification by faith alone?"

Luther..."Two reasons--it is the article upon which the church stands or falls, and I also harp on it every week because my people forget it every week."

circa 1960 AD...."Dr. King, why do you keep harping, over and over, on civil rights?"

Dr MLK...."Because it is so ensconced in our society, both in and out of the church...it is also making the watching world think that Jesus is irrelevant to cultures most pressing needs.God has given me a dream..."

Which of you could say to MLK while he was alive, "I think you are right but I am too busy with my business/kids to DO anything."? Or..."Stop talking about this dream...folks are getting tired of it." (this was actually said to MLK by his closest advisers on the eve of the historic DC speech).
 
One could multiply this list of folks who made a significant impact on culture, with many, many more, in large measure due to their perseverance in face of pressure to shut up. I tremble with unworthiness to  mention my passion in even the same paragraph as these two mighty MARTINS. But please note this crucial fact--it is the SIGNIFICANCE OF THE ISSUE AT STAKE, that emboldens me to press on in face of many people getting sick and tired of my "ghost posts."....and I have no delusions of grandeur regarding myself. In fact, I have trouble even getting out of bed...bent and broken. I am unworthy to place myself next to two of my heroes. However, I have thinking of writing this blog for quite awhile now.

My father, a WW II vet, died the day after his 90th birthday. My mom and dad were very busy--business owners and raised 10 kids--but the Dairy Queen my father owned/operated was perhaps the only company in Moore County, NC where a black man was hired on equal basis of anyone else. In the 1950's everybody had segregated bathrooms and water fountains....NOT MY DAD.--one fountain, and 2 bathrooms (men/women)....as a result, my dad had a large black clientele. Most white folks there basically ignored the issue of "separate but unequal."

I, like lots of folks on Facebook, have hundreds of friends.....these include folks I've known for 40 years or more, who are very dear to me.But one thing I can count on is that when I post on ghosts, it is clear that they have had enough. I am very thankful for the faithful few who are in tune with God's heart on this issue. I am ignorant of many subjects, but I do know what the bible, science, and sound reasoning has to say about the ever-growing fascination with the paranormal in general, and trapped spirits in particular.Like the two Martins mentioned above, I am utterly convinced that this issue HAS TO BE REPEATED OVER AND OVER....the notion of ghosts is not only ensconced in our culture--in and out of the church--but that there are objective indicators that suggest that the notion of ghosts is possibly Satan's most successful and effective tool in spreading the kingdom of darkness and ushering in the man of lawlessness/antichrist.

We need to repeat this regularly because we forget it regularly--we all have busy lives, which tend to mute even the loudest cries of pointing out danger.And as MLK said in his "Letter from a Birmingham Jail" the church is becoming/appearing increasingly irrelevant to the most significant issues of our day.

MLK certainly rallied some of the church to this issue where Satan was attacking, but most Christians (even those who were in basic agreement) just wanted him to shut his damn mouth. "The church should focus on preaching the simple gospel and not get caught up in cultural issues." Similarly, Christian leaders today, as a whole, think that addressing the paranormal craze is ludicrous...not part of preaching the simple gospel. Apparently they have not read the prophets, who ceaselessly thundered against all manner of cultural decay.Or evil and error. EVIL AND ERROR...wicked behavior and wicked beliefs. Or do we even believe that some beliefs, or even practices, can be called WICKED ANYMORE?

Up to this point, my regret is not having written a second volume which deals with specific issues---the lunacy of residual energy, the cruelty and stupidity of the notion of poltergeists, the obvious parallels between EVP solicitation and a Ouija Board session., etc. But I remain firm that all the other occult sins rely heavily on the notion of trapped spirits. Mediums and psychics would be largely out of work without their alleged aid from their friendly ghosts.  

Christian leaders...and most Christians are simply lazy, devoid of.critical thinking skills..and don't care about the next generation. "Give me affluence and peace of mind....I do not want to THINK about what issues may be more serious than those that grip me." I have tried over and over to show WHY the notion of ghosts is OUR generations most significant wrong belief. Every generation has its own specific issues which the devil is attacking, and it is our responsibility to determine what our blind spots are--or we will be like my parents generation re: race. The Greatest Generation (they were/are) was in large measure horribly deficient re race.

The old analogy applies well here...if a movie theatre is actually on fire, the most compassionate thing to do is scream as loud and often as possible.."Fire...fire...fire...fire"

I have written nearly 200 blogs, almost all dealing directly or indirectly, with ghosts. W/o going into detail it is phenomenal the range and comprehensiveness of the destruction that this belief has caused.

There is no other occultic belief (inviting the curse of God) that is nearly as popular and destructive as the notion of ghosts.

Go ahead and work 50 hours to make $ 100,000 (more or less), but if you do not rise up and curse the notion of trapped spirits, then your children and grandchildren will themselves be cursed by the Holy One....because of your laziness, fuzzy thinking and preoccupation with YOUR choices instead of God's commands.God have mercy on us.

Can Demons say "Jesus is my Savior and Lord."?, and Other Issues...

By Reverend Mark Hunnemann

I want to take a break from our series on worldviews and The New Paganism, and discuss some issues that have been brought up recently...I hope you find this informative!( though replies are abbreviated of necessity).

1. Can demons say (via EVP, disembodied voice, or though human "host") "Jesus is my Savior and Lord."?  Is it not impossible for a demon to say out loud: "Jesus is Lord."?  That is a very popular notion..... Some use that "test" to distinguish between demonic spirits and human spirits, while others, who do not believe in ghosts, use it as a test of possession. 1 John 4:1-3 and 1 Corinthians 12:3 are usually referenced in this regard. Some Christian demonologists, who do believe in ghosts, say that they have talked to spirits who affirm this personal creed--thus, PROVING they cannot be demons...and must be human souls here on earth. So, I need to  reply!!!

I also need to say this in preface---if you are a Christian, then it is vital that we let scripture interpret our experience, instead of interpreting the bible through the lenses of our experience. In addition, it needs to asked from the outset--why are you speaking to spirits when God condemns the practice?  We do not "talk" to demons, we COMMAND them!  So, from the starting gate, something ain't right about this...

"...I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says, 'Jesus is accursed!' and no one can say 'Jesus is Lord' except in the Holy Spirit." (1 Cor.12:3)

"Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist..." (1 John 4:1-3)

First, the context of the Cor. text is a discussion of the spiritual gifts within the diverse Body of Christ. Let me quote the first three verses so we can get the context right... "Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be uninformed. You know that when you were pagans, you were led astray to mute idols, however you were led. Therefore, I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says "Jesus is accursed!" and no one can say "Jesus is Lord" except in the Holy Spirit." (1 Cor. 12:1-3)

This text is primarily where folks look to in support of the idea that demons are unable to verbalize "Jesus is Lord." Are they right?

At the outset, Paul is telling his audience that we should seek to know all we can re: the spiritual gifts...not be ignorant of the matter because, as we shall see, the gifts are important for the proper functioning of each member of the Body. (v.1) Because of their background in pagan worship services (v.2), some Corinthians seemed to have had concerns about speech gifts (particularly tongues) empowered by the Holy Spirit in the church worship service. They had seen and heard a lot of weirdness  "back in the day', and were rightly concerned about this gift of tongues, which also fascinated them. Verse 3 begins with a "therefore", so we know Paul is making some logical inference regarding their concerns about tongue experiences and the blasphemous junk that was uttered via the demonic influence while they were idol worshippers. That is, evidently Paul is assuring them that they don't have to worry about uttering blasphemy while speaking in tongues ("Jesus is accursed"). He discusses later how the mind is unaware of what is being said while speaking in tongues.

The second part ("Jesus is Lord") is assuring them/us that all who genuinely profess Christ have the Holy Spirit in them--and none should be excluded because they all have valuable gifts for the benefit of the church. In verse one Paul tells us that he does not want them/us to be uninformed regarding spiritual gifts, and by the end of this extended discussion of gifts he has made it clear that all true Christians have an important role to play within the Body. Did you get that?

This entire twelfth chapter of 31 verses is devoted to explaining spiritual gifts--their nature and importance in the Body. That is, nothing in this context is about discernment of demons...or what they can or cannot do or say. To use it in that manner undermines the Holy Spirit's intent. It is eisogesis and not exegesis..reading into the text what is not there.

Second, it is recorded in the gospels, especially John, that people made false professions frequently. It says they "believed" but later it turns out that it was a spurious belief. This grieved Jesus immensely. We know that folks who are not Christians are enslaved to Satan/demons (Eph. 2:1-3; 2 Cor. 4:4, ect). In addition, many people publicly go forward in church and proclaim that they believe Jesus is their Savior and Lord, but later reveal that theirs was a false confession (James-no fruit). That is, millions of humans say, "Jesus is Lord" but they are unsaved and still enslaved to demons.

Hence, it follows that demons themselves should have no problem verbally confessing "Jesus is my Savior and Lord" as a means of deceiving folks. If demon enslaved humans can say "Jesus is Lord", then why can't demons do the same? Some Christians (even demonologists unfortunately) have this belief that a demon is simply UNABLE to utter those words. Which raises a question: what exactly would happen to a demon if they said that confession as an act of deception? Evidently nothing. Unconverted humans do it painlessly all the time, so  why not demons? Do we think they will start foaming at the mouth and begin to melt like wax, like a  Hollywood vampire exposed to daylight?!  I am not trying to make fun of anyone, but this mistaken belief has caused much mischief, and even harm in some circumstances.

"You believe God is one; you do well, even the demons believe--and shudder!" (James 2:19) Satan and demons are supremely accurate and massively knowledgeable theologians. However, a chief concern of James is exactly what we are talking about--loud professions of the pure gospel, but which emanate from an unregenerate heart. Mere head knowledge accompanied by verbal profession is insufficient to save. Good works don't have meritorious value but they do have evidential value (of true faith). And of course he says that even demons have a biblically accurate "belief" in Jesus, but they do not EMBRACE Him in trust. It is as if James said, "Hey, even demons can say 'Jesus is Lord', but that does not make them born again."

By the way, the "shuddering" James mentions has to do with the demons fear of God because they KNOW how awesomely holy and infinitely righteous He is--it is not referring to some incapacitating allergy to saying "Jesus is Lord."!!

Satan is the consummate opportunist: he knows that many Christians hold to this unbiblical belief, and he will milk it for all its worth in deceiving them...even sincere, but mistaken Christian exorcists.

The text in 1 John is simpler to explain. One brother said this, "Why would there be that test of discernment in 1 John if he was not wanting us to discern between human spirits and demonic spirits?" Because the issue is discerning between unclean spirits and the Holy Spirit!!! (not discerning 'tween ghosts and demons, or 'tween ghosts and the Holy Spirit!)  They have missed the entire meaning of the passage...and again, done violence to the text.John is not discussing what demons are ABLE  to do or say themselves, but he is giving us doctrinal tests of human teachers regarding the divine/human nature of Christ. If they affirmed the Incarnation, then they were not heretics.Whereas James was accenting right behavior (orthopraxy), John is accenting right belief (orthodoxy) in discerning if teachers were of God or not. And  behind false teaching/teachers is demonic influence.

Bottom line--there is no text in the bible to support the popular notion that demons are unable to verbalize the Lordship of Christ or express a seemingly sincere sounding profession of faith in Jesus. That people are talking to spirits to apply this "test" means they are disobeying God's command to not address the spirit realm. (Deut. 18, Lev. 19,20). Sadly, this can quickly lead to demonic attachment/oppression for Christians who are sincere, but sincerely wrong. It strikes me as odd that a Christian would actually seem to WANT to believe in ghosts.... after all the damage that wretched belief has done...

2. Next, I am sure you have heard of the incident where King Saul visited the medium (not witch) of En-dor, and attempted to summon the deceased prophet Samuel.(1 Samuel 28) Due to space constraints I cannot quote full text here, and I can only give short reply. The point made to me was that this text shows us two things: God sent Samuel on a mission to earth and, so God continues to do that again and again to help people; also, we must not TELL God what He cannot do. The second point was made as a reply to those who say that God does not allow human spirits to be on the earth.Of course that would include me!  Being told that I was TELLING God what He can do, needed a response as well.

I asked if they believed that ghosts were trapped spirits, as that is the common definition of the term. However, as it turns out, they have a very idiosyncratic definition of ghosts. Instead of a ghost being a trapped spirit, they said that ghosts were human souls sent from heaven (like Samuel) to assist humans on earth. That is NOT the common definition...and it appeared to me that these "ghosts" were defined in such a way as to be tailor made to fit in this person's belief system. However, let me reply.

First, all judicious theologians and biblical commentaries on this text insist that this passage is clearly odd and unique, from any vantage point. There is nothing else similar to it in the entire bible. Hence, virtually all commentators on this singular experience rightly point out that we must not use it as a basis for supporting any belief...other than God's judgement.. The main point of the text is simple--God's judgement on King Saul's disobedience.  Beyond that, we must adhere to basic rules of hermeneutics (rules for interpreting the bible properly)--do not construct doctrine based on historical narrative texts, especially ones that are abnormal and that are difficult. It is very unwise to attempt to derive a general principle from this highly unusual  text--namely, that God sends people to earth to help them. Sound interpretive principles have to be followed...clear texts interpret less clear texts, and doctrinal passages interpret historical narratives.... and above all else, do NOT derive any principles from a historical narrative that is highly unusual.

So, we have a very idiosyncratic and personalized definition of a ghost, based solely on this singularly bizarre text.  Does that sound wise to you? One can prove anything from the bible with that approach.

Given the significance of this issue, do you not think that God would have clearly explained that to us in the New Testament epistles IF IT WERE TRUE? God sending heavenly humans to help us is enormously important to know, if is true....don't you think?!  Don't you think God would have prepared us for it as He did clearly re the angels?The notion makes God look like a very inept communicator. My main point is this--red flags should shoot up anytime someone appeals to this singular text in support of their belief in what occurs in the Intermediate state--which is clear in every other regard.

The notion of God sending glorified human souls to assist living humans is usurping the role given to angels. In Heb.1:14 angels are said to be ministering spirits "...sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation." That is the job description of angels. That "base" is already covered...But the way these humans are said to help us sounds exactly like the role given to angels.

As to the point that our position is basically TELLING God what He can and cannot do--I reply...hogwash!  To say that God is all-powerful does NOT imply that he can do everything. His character will not allow Him to sin...He cannot lie, eg. I have,in my book and in this blog, given dozens of biblical reasons why the notion of ghosts is impossible. I'm not telling God what He can and cannot do....He has told us what He will and will not do!! One could use that argument to attempt to justify virtually anything. It seems that any time one is bold and certain of God's promises and truth, someone complains that they are not being humble...hogwash again!

When a man and woman get married they make a covenant before God to be faithful. Within the security of that marriage covenant, they are bound by oath to not do certain things, like adultery. Similarly, we are married to God--we are the Bride of Christ--and HE has given us innumerable blessings and promises which prohibit God from doing certain things as well. He cannot and will not break His covenant vows. To assert that there are no ghosts is simply to recognize His covenant faithfulness as it applies to the Intermediate state.Entering heaven is entering our eternal rest....

Finally, if (for argument's sake) we accept the premise that God does send human spirits to help people, then how can we discern the difference between them and demons? There are no criteria. Remember, we dispensed with the "Jesus is Lord" test...Plus, it puts God in the unacceptable position of speaking out of both sides of His holy mouth. Since He commands us to not speak to dead humans, then why would he send heavenly humans to interact with us and tempt us to sin?

Next week....why are demons inhabiting people-less places?, and one 2 other issues..
                                                                         
Blessings in Jesus....Mark