By Reverend Mark Hunnemann
Few terms are more confused and complicated by webs of different cultural ideas, than elementals or elemental spirits. Nevertheless, they are deeply ensconced in the beliefs of the paranormal community. Let me first quote from the inspired apostle Paul in which he actually mentions elemental spirits. Many people do not realize that the bible actually uses this term. However, as we’ll see the bible fills that term with content that is utterly foreign and antithetical to its common understanding today.
4 I mean that the heir, as long as he is a child, is no different from a slave,1 though he is the owner of everything, 2 but he is under guardians and managers until the date set by his father. 3 In the same way we also, when we were children, were enslaved to the elementary spirits of the world. 4 But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.6 And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” 7 So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then kan heir through God.
Paul's Concern for the Galatians
8 Formerly, when you did not know God, you were enslaved to those that by nature nare not gods. 9 But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary spirits of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more? 10 You observe days and months and seasons and years! 11 I am afraid I may have labored over you in vain.(Galatians 4:11..authors partial interpretation and added bold)
ESV — Colossians 2
2 For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at aodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face,2 that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery, which is Christ, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 4 I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments. 5 For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ.
Alive in Christ.
6 Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him,7 rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding min thanksgiving.
8 See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. 9 For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, 10 and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority. 11 In him also vou were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. 13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. 15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities 2 and he put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him. 3 Let No One Disqualify You
16 Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to ia festival or a new moon or a Sabbath.17 These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ. 18 Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions,4 puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind, 19 and not holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God.
20 If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations—21 w“Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch” 22 (referring to things that all perish as they are used)—according to human precepts and teachings? 23 These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.(ESV Colossians 2:1-23)
In three of the four texts, the Greek word is stoicheia. Only in Colossains 2:20 is the Greek slightly different-- ‘stoicheiown’.
In Galatians it refers to what they previously had followed, which for the Jews would have been the Mosaic law and for the Gentiles the basic concepts of their pagan religions. However, the demonic nature and bondage of both are clearly in view.
There is a vast quantity of information and opinions regarding the identity of elementals or elementary/elemental spirits. I haven’t the time to do an exhaustive analysis of FALSE views of elementals. However, below is a sampling of views, and then we shall examine the TRUTH.
According to many, nature is quite mysterious. Some Native Americans believe that an animal of each species houses within it the elemental spirit of that species, and housed within its body is a Mustika Stone/Pearl. They assert that these elemental spirits are often confused with demons due to their disdain of humanity, as the chief culprit in the raping of ‘Mother Earth’and desecrating sacred places. Oftentimes, they allegedly appear at night with burning animal eyes…which I’ve seen credible pictures of from ‘Hostile Haunts’.
There are those who believe that elemental spirits can be categorized according to which element they are related to: earth, wind, air, and fire. Gnomes, fairies, ect can allegedly be traced to one of these four basic elements. Much more could be said about this and other ideas regarding elemental spirits, but suffice it to say that they are generally seen as ‘nature spirits.’ They either infuse nature and/or defend nature, especially from the encroachments of human beings. Alleged sacred places are of particular interest to them.
So, what does God say elemental spirits are? If you’ll notice the term is highlighted four times in the two texts above, from Galatians and Colossians.
STOP! Only the Creator has the vantage point and authority to tell us what these entities are. As always, when it comes to identifying paranormal phenomena, we either humbly bow before God’s revelation, or in autonomous rebellion, we prefer speculation. REVELATION VS SPECULATION. In His kindness and love, God has spoken to us about things we could never know unless He revealed truth about them. Praise God, He has spoken clearly regarding the nature of elementary spirits! No speculation needed. Indeed, it is sinful.
The theme of Colossians is: Christ is Lord over all creation, including the invisible realm. He has secured redemption for all His people, enabling them to participate with Him in His life, death, resurrection, ascension and His fullness.
Paul is complaining that false teachings have been inspired by elemental spirits (stoicheia--Greek) in all four of its usages above. Stoicheia is the underlying force behind the false teaching…. and in ancient texts it was used for spirits in Persian religious texts, magical papyri, astrological documents, and some Jewish texts.
However, the important thing is how it is used in the bible. It is not some abstract principle. It was used as an equivalent in (Colossians) v.10,15 of rulers and authorities…which are Pauline synonyms for demonic forces. The classic text in 2:15 speaks of Christ disarming these rulers and authorities. Stoicheia, then, are clearly demons according to God. They are NOT nature demons—elementals or elemental/elementary spirits are simply another term for demons, just as fallen angels, unclean spirits…and principalities and powers…rulers and authorities. I don’t think this is widely known in Christian demonological circles. Perhaps I’m mistaken.
In Colossians 2:4 Paul states that these stoicheia generated religions often do sound plausible, and in v 23 they have the appearance of wisdom. But its just appearance. Satan does not invent stupid sounding philosophies or religions. Sometimes people do, but Satan knows how to make a lie sound true. v 8 human tradition is not an innocent exercise in God’s eyes…often, there is a confluence of human autonomy and demonic influence.
Indeed, the essence of stoicheia is that, although false teaching is passed down by human tradition (Col. 2:8),it finds its ultimate origin/energizer in demonic forces.
Once again we see demonic collusion. Take a brief survey of the world’s traditional religions or history of philosophy, and one can see a massive coordinated Satanic effort to suppress the truth and exchange a lie in its place (see Romans 1:18ff) The confluence of man’s sinful autonomy and demonic influence has generated countless religions which are sending billions to hell. Stoicheia. We must never mention hell without tears.
The human tradition which is passed down, whether Jewish legalism or paganism, is ultimately traced to demonic influence. If you read the texts above you may be struck with the wide diversity of teaching that Paul is attacking due its denial or minimization of the Person and Work of Christ. Specifically, Paul targets the denial that we are saved by the finished work of Christ on the cross, plus NOTHING. Or, to put it positively, we HAVE EVERYTHING WE NEED IN CHRIST JESUS!! In 2:3 we have all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge in Christ, and the plausible sounding religions are a flat out denial of that.
We are justified by Christ alone…we are able to call the Creator ‘Abba”….we are released from bondage into freedom…we have been brought into union with Christ…all of our sins have been nailed to the cross…the stoicheia were disarmed and paraded as defeated foes of God…the Holy Spirit indwells us, etc. How, then, could we return to the very thing (stoicheia) that brought such bondage in the first place? That is Gods/Paul’s logic.
A summary may go like this: in the fullness of time, the fullness of God took on the fullness of human nature, in order to accomplish/apply the fullness of redemption. Amen!
This should be of intense interest to us today due to the juggernaut of paganism that is steam-rolling through our culture. However, any religion that is not biblical Christianity is stoicheia.
In vvs. 3,8,9 in Galatians, elementary spirits ENSLAVE people, and of course, that is precisely what demons do. The American credo is: I’m spiritual but not religious. That means different things to different people, but it usually means a denial and rejection of the biblical God, and exchanging the Living God for some demonic lie, or stoicheia. However, this libertarian view of religion does not lead to the liberty people are seeking. Rather, it leads to temporal and eternal enslavement and damnation.
It seems to the writer that many folks view elementals or elementary spirits as the epitome of freedom of pristine nature. But as with every Satanic lie, it sounds so plausible and looks so attractive, but it leads to death. Instead of bringing us into a relationship in which we can cry “Abba”, it leads to death dealing deception and delusion.
Ironically, the modern notions of elemental spirits are themselves the creation of elemental spirits!
So, what about the notion that there are spirits that infuse and protect nature? Below is one of the first verses I memorized decades ago regarding the relation of Christ to nature and supernature.
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.(Colossians 1:15-17)
First, we note that Jesus created everything—the cosmos. His creating includes the visible and invisible realms. And just to make sure we get it, God tells us that all angels (probably focusing on being Creator of those angels who later fell) were created through Him.
In addition to creating the universe, He holds it together. Moment by moment the Creator God actively keeps His creation from poofing out of existence. Christ, not some impersonal force, personally pervades all of His creation and sustains all of His creation. God is both omnipresent and immense—He is everywhere present, and all of God is everywhere….not spread out thin like peanut butter on bread.
He is not only the agent of creation but the goal of creation as well—all things were created through Him and FOR Him! Every square inch of the visible and invisible universe is God’s by virtue of His creating it, out of nothing.
One of the more popular notions of the pagan worldview is that there is an impersonal divine spirit that indwells all things, animate or inanimate. This is known as animism. However, the above text is a clear contradiction of that notion. The Holy Trinity is omnipresent, and not some Star Wars type force pervading the universe. Buddhism, Native Americans and the exploding ranks of pagans have bought the stoicheia originated lie of ‘Mother Earth.” God is our Father but the Earth is NOT our Mother! From Genesis 1:1 –Revelation 22 the Holy Creator is utterly distinct from His fallen, but good creation. Paganism seeks to diminish or obliterate the distinction between the Creator and His creation. The creation IS god.
I recently received a text from a Christian friend who celebrated that Buddhists and Native Americans believe that a spirit pervades all nature and rocks are wise and can teach us. Dear friends, as Christians we must think like Christians. (Romans 12:1-2)
Some demons are territorial of alleged ‘sacred places’, and some forests/woods are ‘haunted’ or infested (e.g. Aokigahara…Suicide Forest in Japan). Tragically, this seems to be one place where stoicheia don’t mask their hateful intentions toward mankind. It is curious that many people actually state that elemental spirits ‘act like demons’, but they won’t go the next logical step and call it a demon. Many folks simply have an aversion to calling any spirits a ‘demon’….negative spirit maybe, but not demon.
Paul’s antidote to stoicheia teaching is a passionate defense of the Person and work of Christ..His singular honor and dignity. (see above texts) With a spiritual shock and awe, the miserable, enslaving nature of stoicheia is seen against the backdrop of the wondrous nature of the Second Person of the Trinity and our union with His life, death, resurrection, and ascension. By comparison, any stoicheia derived teaching is pitiful nonsense.
Make no mistake: the Father is not amused with stoicheia religion—He hates it. If He ever has to choose between the singular honor and dignity of His only Begotten Son and our spiritual whims, He will ALWAYS choose His Son. He has made that abundantly clear.
Those who have caught evidence of alleged elementals, which I have seen, show glowing eyes…and this would seem to have animal connection. But categorizing paranormal entities according to appearance is foolish. For example, on Paranormal Lockdown, Nick and crew saw a slithering creature which did not resemble anything any of them had seen before. So, what was his conclusion? “We may have caught evidence of a paranormal entity never seen before.” No. It is a demon Nick. It is stoicheia which may seem plausible to some but is hellish and odious to God.
Stoicheia is a classic case in which God, the Lord of linguistics, chose a word that had been in usage for a long time, and infused it with clear content…demon.
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.
Looking inside the spiritual & literary worlds
Showing posts with label elementals. Show all posts
Showing posts with label elementals. Show all posts
Thursday, September 22, 2016
Thursday, February 12, 2015
Demons and Unclean Spirits...Same Thing?
By Reverend Mark Hunnemann
I do not usually include such long texts but it is needed to show a pattern...a very significant pattern.This is but a small sampling of what occurs throughout the gospels.
Please slowly read these texts. Are you willing to change your mind if the bible is clear and contradicts what you believe? Specifically, are unclean spirits different than demons, as some assert? Is there a distinction between unclean spirits and demons? A careful reading of below texts should answer this question...unequivocally. More later...
Mark 6
v.7 And he called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits (ton pneumaton ton akatharton). 8 He charged them to take nothing for their journey except a staff-no bread, no bag, no money in their belts- 9 but to wear sandals and not put on two tunics. 10 And he said to them, “Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you depart from there. 11 And if any place will not receive you and they will not listen to you, when you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them.” 12 So they went out and proclaimed that people should repent. 13 And they cast out many demons (daimonia) and anointed with oil many who were sick and healed them.
Is there a distinction? (note verses 7 and 13)
Mark 1...
And they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath he entered the synagogue and was teaching. 22 And they were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes. 23 And immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit (pneumati akatharto). And he cried out, 24 “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are-the Holy One of God.” 25 But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!” 26 And the unclean spirit (to pneuma to akatharton), convulsing him and crying out with a loud voice, came out of him. 27 And they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits(pneumasi tois akathartois), and they obey him.” 28 And at once his fame spread everywhere throughout all the surrounding region of Galilee. (please note below on Luke 4:31-37...parallel text)
29 And immediately he left the synagogue and entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. 30 Now Simon's mother-in-law lay ill with a fever, and immediately they told him about her. 31 And he came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and the fever left her, and she began to serve them.
32 That evening at sundown they brought to him all who were sick or oppressed by demons (daimonizomenous). 33 And the whole city was gathered together at the door. 34 And he healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons (daimonia). And he would not permit the demons (daimonia) to speak, because they knew him.
35 And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed. 36 And Simon and those who were with him searched for him, 37 and they found him and said to him, “Everyone is looking for you.” 38 And he said to them, “Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also, for that is why I came out.” 39 And he went throughout all Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out demons (daimonia).
Is there a distinction?
Mark 5...(if you are rushed and can only read one text, please read this one)
1.They came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gerasenes. 2 And when Jesus had stepped out of the boat, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit (pneumati akatharto). 3 vHe lived among the tombs. And no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain, 4 for he had often been bound with shackles and chains, but he wrenched the chains apart, and he broke the shackles in pieces. No one had the strength to subdue him. 5 Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was always crying out and cutting himself with stones. 6 And when he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and fell down before him. 7 And crying out with a loud voice, he said, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me.” 8 For he was saying to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!” (to pneuma to akatharton) 9 And Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” He replied, “My name is Legion, for we are many.” 10 And he begged him earnestly not to send them out of the country. 11 Now a great herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside, 12 and they begged him, saying, “Send us to the pigs; let us enter them.” 13 So he gave them permission. And the unclean spirits (ta pneumata ta akatharta)came out and entered the pigs; and the herd, numbering about two thousand, rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned in the sea.
14 The herdsmen fled and told it in the city and in the country. And people came to see what it was that had happened. 15 And they came to Jesus and saw the demon-possessed man (daimonizomenon), the one who had had the legion, sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid. 16 And those who had seen it described to them what had happened to the demon-possessed man (daimonizomino) and to the pigs. 17 And they began to beg Jesus4 to depart from their region. 18 As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed with demons (ho daimonistheis)begged him that he might be with him. 19 And he did not permit him but said to him, “Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” 20 And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and everyone marveled.
Is there a distinction? (notice the clear and natural transition of terms as the narrative evolves) This one text should resolve the issue once and for all..
The debate continues unabated concerning who/what populates the spirit realm. One argument that I have seen recently is that there is a distinction between unclean spirits and demons. Stated differently, unclean spirits and demons are alleged to not be the same thing--they are different kinds of beings. They may have some similarities, but the alleged dissimilarities are said to be proof of their distinct identities. Usually the bible is used to demonstrate this distinction.Also, one of these beings is said to be stronger than the other. In addition, it is perhaps significant that those who do distinguish between the two, tend to also believe in some forms of trapped human spirits...but that is another story.
So what...what is the big deal? As we have noted before, when dealing with God's Word, we are ordered by God Himself to be as accurate as possible in our interpretation of every text.To mis-interpret is sin...a failure to love God with all of our minds. Second, once you begin multiplying spirit beings confusion is bound to follow. "Is this house occupied by a demon/s or by unclean spirit/s?" Confusion from the outset.(some say that they deal with unclean spirits and demons in the same manner, but that is irrelevant as to our purpose--determining what populates the spirit realm?)
Third, once the multiplying of spirit beings is begun, it is easy to step on the slippery slope of introducing additional beings.(e.g. purgatorial dead, malevolent dead, elementals, etc) But, most importantly, we are simply to be consumed with accurate exegesis and interpretation...handling the precious oracles of God with immense care.
My purpose in this blog is not to analyze the specifics of these texts, but to ask: does the bible differentiate between unclean spirits and demons? Are they different or the same? That is the issue before us.
IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY DONE SO, PLEASE READ SLOWLY THE ABOVE TEXTS FROM THE GOSPEL OF MARK. Btw, I chose these passages almost at random...what you read here is uniform throughout the New Testament, especially the gospels.Next week I think I will deal with what theologians call "progressive revelation", and the Old Testament view of demons and how it is consistent with the NT view, albeit not as clearly or as fully revealed.
Luke 4:31-37 is a parallel passage to Mark 1:21-28. In v 33 (and this is very significant) it states, "And in the synagogue there was a man with a spirit of an unclean demon (pneuma daimoniou akathartou)..." Under inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Luke called this being an "unclean demon" which Mark had called an "unclean spirit". The implications are very significant for our purpose. Also, uncleaness and "demoness" are connected in this one verse..further supporting that unclean spirits and demons were seen by the gospel writers as one and the same being. Is it not common sense to view demons as the epitome of uncleaness? That is a reason why the terms are interchangable.Let me elaborate a bit.
In Mark 1:23,26,27 Jesus comes into conflict with "unclean spirits" (pneumati akatharto...pneuma to akarthton....pneumasi tois akathartois--these are the different forms of the same words in the Greek for an unclean spirit/s) in these verses.
(However, hard on its heels, in v 32, 34, Jesus's ministry is casting out "demons" (tous daimonizomous....daiomonia ...ta daimonia ))
The point being that unclean spirits and demons are one and the same. In this text, the beings react the same whether they are called unclean spirits or demons.
Again, in a parallel text in Luke 4, verse 33 speaks of "unclean demons" 35 they are called " to daimonion" and in v 36 (akathrtos pneumasin)....interchangable. It could not be clearer....unless one does not want to see.
In the classic text of Mark 5, you will have noticed that this poor man is possessed by a being which is first called an unclean spirit/s, but as the story unfolds Mark begins to use "demon" terminology. To me, it could not be clearer--the Holy Spirit uses demons and unclean spirits as synonyms. The bible frequently uses multiple terms for the same being to accent different things. Jesus Himself, had many names/titles but they all refer to one and same Divine Person, accenting different facets of His person and work. Satan has multiple names as well, so why all the fuss about some alleged distinction between unclean spirits and demons? Every judicious commentator on these verses sees demons and unclean spirits as the same thing.
If you read the above passages carefully, then it should be obvious that the various gospel writers used "unclean spirits" and "demons" as synonyms..I have minimized my comments in order to let the focus be on the sacred text.
All of the Greek texts which refer to unclean spirits have some form of...pneumna (spirit) akatharton (unclean), and the texts which speak of demons have some form of (daimon). I try not to overdo the original languages because I don't want to undermine your confidence in the integrity of the English bible translations...in this case the ESV. I just wanted the reader to see in the original how these two terms are used interchangeably. Bottom line--unclean spirits are demons, and demons are unclean spirits.No distinction! It is clear as the noon-day sun.
I do not usually include such long texts but it is needed to show a pattern...a very significant pattern.This is but a small sampling of what occurs throughout the gospels.
Please slowly read these texts. Are you willing to change your mind if the bible is clear and contradicts what you believe? Specifically, are unclean spirits different than demons, as some assert? Is there a distinction between unclean spirits and demons? A careful reading of below texts should answer this question...unequivocally. More later...
Mark 6
v.7 And he called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits (ton pneumaton ton akatharton). 8 He charged them to take nothing for their journey except a staff-no bread, no bag, no money in their belts- 9 but to wear sandals and not put on two tunics. 10 And he said to them, “Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you depart from there. 11 And if any place will not receive you and they will not listen to you, when you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them.” 12 So they went out and proclaimed that people should repent. 13 And they cast out many demons (daimonia) and anointed with oil many who were sick and healed them.
Is there a distinction? (note verses 7 and 13)
Mark 1...
And they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath he entered the synagogue and was teaching. 22 And they were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes. 23 And immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit (pneumati akatharto). And he cried out, 24 “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are-the Holy One of God.” 25 But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!” 26 And the unclean spirit (to pneuma to akatharton), convulsing him and crying out with a loud voice, came out of him. 27 And they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits(pneumasi tois akathartois), and they obey him.” 28 And at once his fame spread everywhere throughout all the surrounding region of Galilee. (please note below on Luke 4:31-37...parallel text)
29 And immediately he left the synagogue and entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. 30 Now Simon's mother-in-law lay ill with a fever, and immediately they told him about her. 31 And he came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and the fever left her, and she began to serve them.
32 That evening at sundown they brought to him all who were sick or oppressed by demons (daimonizomenous). 33 And the whole city was gathered together at the door. 34 And he healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons (daimonia). And he would not permit the demons (daimonia) to speak, because they knew him.
35 And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed. 36 And Simon and those who were with him searched for him, 37 and they found him and said to him, “Everyone is looking for you.” 38 And he said to them, “Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also, for that is why I came out.” 39 And he went throughout all Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out demons (daimonia).
Is there a distinction?
Mark 5...(if you are rushed and can only read one text, please read this one)
1.They came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gerasenes. 2 And when Jesus had stepped out of the boat, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit (pneumati akatharto). 3 vHe lived among the tombs. And no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain, 4 for he had often been bound with shackles and chains, but he wrenched the chains apart, and he broke the shackles in pieces. No one had the strength to subdue him. 5 Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was always crying out and cutting himself with stones. 6 And when he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and fell down before him. 7 And crying out with a loud voice, he said, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me.” 8 For he was saying to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!” (to pneuma to akatharton) 9 And Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” He replied, “My name is Legion, for we are many.” 10 And he begged him earnestly not to send them out of the country. 11 Now a great herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside, 12 and they begged him, saying, “Send us to the pigs; let us enter them.” 13 So he gave them permission. And the unclean spirits (ta pneumata ta akatharta)came out and entered the pigs; and the herd, numbering about two thousand, rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned in the sea.
14 The herdsmen fled and told it in the city and in the country. And people came to see what it was that had happened. 15 And they came to Jesus and saw the demon-possessed man (daimonizomenon), the one who had had the legion, sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid. 16 And those who had seen it described to them what had happened to the demon-possessed man (daimonizomino) and to the pigs. 17 And they began to beg Jesus4 to depart from their region. 18 As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed with demons (ho daimonistheis)begged him that he might be with him. 19 And he did not permit him but said to him, “Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” 20 And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and everyone marveled.
Is there a distinction? (notice the clear and natural transition of terms as the narrative evolves) This one text should resolve the issue once and for all..
The debate continues unabated concerning who/what populates the spirit realm. One argument that I have seen recently is that there is a distinction between unclean spirits and demons. Stated differently, unclean spirits and demons are alleged to not be the same thing--they are different kinds of beings. They may have some similarities, but the alleged dissimilarities are said to be proof of their distinct identities. Usually the bible is used to demonstrate this distinction.Also, one of these beings is said to be stronger than the other. In addition, it is perhaps significant that those who do distinguish between the two, tend to also believe in some forms of trapped human spirits...but that is another story.
So what...what is the big deal? As we have noted before, when dealing with God's Word, we are ordered by God Himself to be as accurate as possible in our interpretation of every text.To mis-interpret is sin...a failure to love God with all of our minds. Second, once you begin multiplying spirit beings confusion is bound to follow. "Is this house occupied by a demon/s or by unclean spirit/s?" Confusion from the outset.(some say that they deal with unclean spirits and demons in the same manner, but that is irrelevant as to our purpose--determining what populates the spirit realm?)
Third, once the multiplying of spirit beings is begun, it is easy to step on the slippery slope of introducing additional beings.(e.g. purgatorial dead, malevolent dead, elementals, etc) But, most importantly, we are simply to be consumed with accurate exegesis and interpretation...handling the precious oracles of God with immense care.
My purpose in this blog is not to analyze the specifics of these texts, but to ask: does the bible differentiate between unclean spirits and demons? Are they different or the same? That is the issue before us.
IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY DONE SO, PLEASE READ SLOWLY THE ABOVE TEXTS FROM THE GOSPEL OF MARK. Btw, I chose these passages almost at random...what you read here is uniform throughout the New Testament, especially the gospels.Next week I think I will deal with what theologians call "progressive revelation", and the Old Testament view of demons and how it is consistent with the NT view, albeit not as clearly or as fully revealed.
Luke 4:31-37 is a parallel passage to Mark 1:21-28. In v 33 (and this is very significant) it states, "And in the synagogue there was a man with a spirit of an unclean demon (pneuma daimoniou akathartou)..." Under inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Luke called this being an "unclean demon" which Mark had called an "unclean spirit". The implications are very significant for our purpose. Also, uncleaness and "demoness" are connected in this one verse..further supporting that unclean spirits and demons were seen by the gospel writers as one and the same being. Is it not common sense to view demons as the epitome of uncleaness? That is a reason why the terms are interchangable.Let me elaborate a bit.
In Mark 1:23,26,27 Jesus comes into conflict with "unclean spirits" (pneumati akatharto...pneuma to akarthton....pneumasi tois akathartois--these are the different forms of the same words in the Greek for an unclean spirit/s) in these verses.
(However, hard on its heels, in v 32, 34, Jesus's ministry is casting out "demons" (tous daimonizomous....daiomonia ...ta daimonia ))
The point being that unclean spirits and demons are one and the same. In this text, the beings react the same whether they are called unclean spirits or demons.
Again, in a parallel text in Luke 4, verse 33 speaks of "unclean demons" 35 they are called " to daimonion" and in v 36 (akathrtos pneumasin)....interchangable. It could not be clearer....unless one does not want to see.
In the classic text of Mark 5, you will have noticed that this poor man is possessed by a being which is first called an unclean spirit/s, but as the story unfolds Mark begins to use "demon" terminology. To me, it could not be clearer--the Holy Spirit uses demons and unclean spirits as synonyms. The bible frequently uses multiple terms for the same being to accent different things. Jesus Himself, had many names/titles but they all refer to one and same Divine Person, accenting different facets of His person and work. Satan has multiple names as well, so why all the fuss about some alleged distinction between unclean spirits and demons? Every judicious commentator on these verses sees demons and unclean spirits as the same thing.
If you read the above passages carefully, then it should be obvious that the various gospel writers used "unclean spirits" and "demons" as synonyms..I have minimized my comments in order to let the focus be on the sacred text.
All of the Greek texts which refer to unclean spirits have some form of...pneumna (spirit) akatharton (unclean), and the texts which speak of demons have some form of (daimon). I try not to overdo the original languages because I don't want to undermine your confidence in the integrity of the English bible translations...in this case the ESV. I just wanted the reader to see in the original how these two terms are used interchangeably. Bottom line--unclean spirits are demons, and demons are unclean spirits.No distinction! It is clear as the noon-day sun.
"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.
Sunday, August 17, 2014
Act of Smudging - Witchcraft Ritual
So the question that gets asked to the Exorcism Ministry quite frequently is “Is it okay if I were to smudge my house to remove “negative energies?” During this blog we hope to help you discover the “Biblical Truth” of what the Holy Bible states regarding this pagan ritualistic act practicing witchcraft.
Yes you read that correctly. Smudging is Witchcraft. First of all so all of you understand Sage will NOT work to cleanse a Demonic location. In the previous blogs, we made reference to the fact that it is the Fallen Angels who are posing as the culprits. In other words as Jesus Christ said recorded in Matthew 7:15 (KJV) “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.”
So let’s look at this in a different aspect shall we. Say you are walking home and a group of creepy individuals begin to stalk you, yelling threats and insults at you as they quickly close the distance between yourself and them. Would you run over to a rock or a mailbox and beg it to protect you from these individuals?
Of course not, that wouldn't make any sense would it. A mailbox doesn't have ears to hear you asking for help, and a rock doesn't understand language, right? So why would you use a plant to battle Demonic forces? This plant does not comprehend you are in trouble and need of protection. Wouldn't it make sense that if you’re in trouble you would seek the help of someone who is stronger than those who want to harm you?
Who is bigger than the darkness and the bumps in the night? God is, specifically his one and only son, Jesus Christ who beat death and rose again to eternal life with decisive victory.
Isn't it logical, that if you are having issues with the infestation or heavy oppression in a house you would ask someone who already beat them and is much greater source of protection? The request to a greater and stronger force, such as God (i.e. Jesus Christ) to protect you from an ancient evil rather than a few smoldering leaves?
Now, there are many who burn sage because that's what everybody on the ghost hunting/paranormal shows are doing. The other aspect is, one of the many dubious "experts" on the paranormal told them to do this and naively they “obeyed” without so much as a second guess to find out if this is correct.
So then what is it you are doing when “smudging?” You are engaging in Nature Worship – Paganism. The act of burning this plant with the hopes of “clearing” a place of Demons becomes an act against what the Ministry of Jesus stood for. Thus, reciting words in addition to this act of burning the plant to create “smoke” becomes an offering of homage which is not from Christ. This very act of paganism becomes known as Witchcraft.
Requesting a plant to give you or someone else protection from forces of evil is just absurd. Nature worship is as old as the hills so I won't spend much time explaining it, but for those who don't know what it is Google nature worship.
Basically doing this act boils down to worshiping the creation instead of the creator. In addition to this just not being an effective way to protect yourself from the Demonic (realize Ghosts don’t exist – Ecclesiastes 9:5, 6 & 10), you are adding insult to injury.
By practicing this act of nature worship you are saying to the Demons, "I don't need God." This is like trying to put out a fire with gasoline. This also makes one open to attack by Evil from the spirit realm, because you openly mock God (Galatians 6:7)
The act of rejecting God and taking it upon yourself, thinking you have the power to attempt to fix the mess or that you know better, opens the gateway for all types of Demonic attacks into your life. This allows one to become proud enough to say "I have the power ~ I will fix this." This how you make yourself vulnerable. A little plant that goes good with beef or lamb is not going to do the trick and has no power over Demons.
Now if you are seeking a Priest or Pastor to perform a simple Exorcism on your house (because confirmed diabolical actions are present) and you tell the Priest or Pastor that you smudged, many of the clergy will refuse to help you. Why? You’re a practicing pagan by your actions of plant usage to ward off Demons.
The data used to write this article was taken during Exorcism’s with a reformed Wiccan, turned Christian. This person went on to tell me in a frank manner that during the numerous years that they were a practicing “good” witch, they burned bushels of the stuff and it never did a thing for protection against Evil even when manifesting near her.
The only time in her life did she receive any protection from the Demonic realm began just about a year ago after she came to learn the truth about God. Believe her when she stated “I tried everything and looked for protection but absolutely none of it was ever effective in keeping me safe, except the word of God.”
So the moral of the story is this you either ask Jesus Christ for help or you try your luck with the “elementals” with the Demonic, as well as whatever else is out there masquerading as Mother Nature and her "elementals".
Regardless of how convincing or sincere people can be, mixing a little nature worship into their watered down faith in God is dangerous. Just remember this: "No man can serve two masters” (Luke 16:13; Matthew 6:24).
For Christians, in name only, who practice this act of smudging, who feel it is not an issue to do a little nature worship you need to be reminded of God's thoughts regarding this very dangerous act: read Isaiah 44:14-20. The mighty King was to be chopped down much like Lucifer fell from Heaven. Yes, we are under authority of the true King Jesus, thus we are righteous in his eyes. So as we can see the only way to defeat evil is with the name of Jesus Christ, not using false items or occult practices.
See additional scripture for support to this claim that “any false worship” is NOT sanctioned by God or his son Jesus Christ.
Exodus 34:14 "For you shall worship no other god..."
Exodus 20:3 "Thou shalt have no other gods before me."
Luke 4:8 "...Jesus answered.... Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
1 Samuel 12:24 "...serve him in truth with all your heart..."
Exodus 20:5 "Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them..."
Exodus 23:24 "Thou shalt not bow down to their gods, nor serve them, nor do after their works...."
Rev. Bradley Luoma, Exorcist Minister
Yes you read that correctly. Smudging is Witchcraft. First of all so all of you understand Sage will NOT work to cleanse a Demonic location. In the previous blogs, we made reference to the fact that it is the Fallen Angels who are posing as the culprits. In other words as Jesus Christ said recorded in Matthew 7:15 (KJV) “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.”
So let’s look at this in a different aspect shall we. Say you are walking home and a group of creepy individuals begin to stalk you, yelling threats and insults at you as they quickly close the distance between yourself and them. Would you run over to a rock or a mailbox and beg it to protect you from these individuals?
Of course not, that wouldn't make any sense would it. A mailbox doesn't have ears to hear you asking for help, and a rock doesn't understand language, right? So why would you use a plant to battle Demonic forces? This plant does not comprehend you are in trouble and need of protection. Wouldn't it make sense that if you’re in trouble you would seek the help of someone who is stronger than those who want to harm you?
Who is bigger than the darkness and the bumps in the night? God is, specifically his one and only son, Jesus Christ who beat death and rose again to eternal life with decisive victory.
Isn't it logical, that if you are having issues with the infestation or heavy oppression in a house you would ask someone who already beat them and is much greater source of protection? The request to a greater and stronger force, such as God (i.e. Jesus Christ) to protect you from an ancient evil rather than a few smoldering leaves?
Now, there are many who burn sage because that's what everybody on the ghost hunting/paranormal shows are doing. The other aspect is, one of the many dubious "experts" on the paranormal told them to do this and naively they “obeyed” without so much as a second guess to find out if this is correct.
So then what is it you are doing when “smudging?” You are engaging in Nature Worship – Paganism. The act of burning this plant with the hopes of “clearing” a place of Demons becomes an act against what the Ministry of Jesus stood for. Thus, reciting words in addition to this act of burning the plant to create “smoke” becomes an offering of homage which is not from Christ. This very act of paganism becomes known as Witchcraft.
Requesting a plant to give you or someone else protection from forces of evil is just absurd. Nature worship is as old as the hills so I won't spend much time explaining it, but for those who don't know what it is Google nature worship.
Basically doing this act boils down to worshiping the creation instead of the creator. In addition to this just not being an effective way to protect yourself from the Demonic (realize Ghosts don’t exist – Ecclesiastes 9:5, 6 & 10), you are adding insult to injury.
By practicing this act of nature worship you are saying to the Demons, "I don't need God." This is like trying to put out a fire with gasoline. This also makes one open to attack by Evil from the spirit realm, because you openly mock God (Galatians 6:7)
The act of rejecting God and taking it upon yourself, thinking you have the power to attempt to fix the mess or that you know better, opens the gateway for all types of Demonic attacks into your life. This allows one to become proud enough to say "I have the power ~ I will fix this." This how you make yourself vulnerable. A little plant that goes good with beef or lamb is not going to do the trick and has no power over Demons.
Now if you are seeking a Priest or Pastor to perform a simple Exorcism on your house (because confirmed diabolical actions are present) and you tell the Priest or Pastor that you smudged, many of the clergy will refuse to help you. Why? You’re a practicing pagan by your actions of plant usage to ward off Demons.
The data used to write this article was taken during Exorcism’s with a reformed Wiccan, turned Christian. This person went on to tell me in a frank manner that during the numerous years that they were a practicing “good” witch, they burned bushels of the stuff and it never did a thing for protection against Evil even when manifesting near her.
The only time in her life did she receive any protection from the Demonic realm began just about a year ago after she came to learn the truth about God. Believe her when she stated “I tried everything and looked for protection but absolutely none of it was ever effective in keeping me safe, except the word of God.”
So the moral of the story is this you either ask Jesus Christ for help or you try your luck with the “elementals” with the Demonic, as well as whatever else is out there masquerading as Mother Nature and her "elementals".
Regardless of how convincing or sincere people can be, mixing a little nature worship into their watered down faith in God is dangerous. Just remember this: "No man can serve two masters” (Luke 16:13; Matthew 6:24).
For Christians, in name only, who practice this act of smudging, who feel it is not an issue to do a little nature worship you need to be reminded of God's thoughts regarding this very dangerous act: read Isaiah 44:14-20. The mighty King was to be chopped down much like Lucifer fell from Heaven. Yes, we are under authority of the true King Jesus, thus we are righteous in his eyes. So as we can see the only way to defeat evil is with the name of Jesus Christ, not using false items or occult practices.
See additional scripture for support to this claim that “any false worship” is NOT sanctioned by God or his son Jesus Christ.
Exodus 34:14 "For you shall worship no other god..."
Exodus 20:3 "Thou shalt have no other gods before me."
Luke 4:8 "...Jesus answered.... Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
1 Samuel 12:24 "...serve him in truth with all your heart..."
Exodus 20:5 "Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them..."
Exodus 23:24 "Thou shalt not bow down to their gods, nor serve them, nor do after their works...."
Rev. Bradley Luoma, Exorcist Minister
Thursday, December 5, 2013
Kids, Cartoons & the Occult
By Reverend Mark Hunnemann
Thirteen years ago, my kids and I moved into a rental house after my ex-wife and I separated. The landlord informed me that my children (8, 10, 12 at the time) could paint their walls any way they wished--just so it was covered when we moved. One day I came home and my eldest had some friends over who were signing their names on the wall. It looked pretty cool to me...especially with all the flourishes here and there connected with some of the signatures.Perhaps you may be questioning the wisdom of my actions--all I can say is that they were hurting (as was I) and at the moment it seemed okay
Fast forward a few months, and the deputy with the Sheriff's Dept.exiting my house looked at me as if I was some moron for allowing "gang graffiti" to be plastered on my daughter's wall. It turns out that some of her friends were into the "blood" and "crip" mega-gangs, but I was totally in the dark as to the significance of the "creative expression" I had allowed. It was a horribly difficult time for my family, and I had not been discerning enough. If only I had recognized the significance of these symbols, I could have protected my daughter from the thuggish peer pressure she came under, which caused her (and the whole family) much anguish.
Similarly, many kids' TV programs or cartoons, have the signature of Satan written all over them--but like me, most parents are blissfully unaware of the danger. Many even approve of the shows because of their intelligence and creativity. They have not been trained by their pastors to know what to look for. I dearly want to save parents from the anguish...to equip you to know what to look for, without being legalistic or reactionary to everything that expresses imagination.
With Christmas coming, If you were to tour the aisle of any toy store, the occult is ubiquitous....and the same holds true in children's TV programming. In the past, I have not addressed children's issues much, but I need to.
Let me state at the outset that imagination is one of God's most wonderful gifts to us as His image bearers. So, I do not wince at every funny looking creature on animated cartoons. However,what I saw, and heard, on the Legend of Korra on Nickelodeon the other day was truly expressive of a hellish, demonic, and New Age-ish worldview, being thrust upon our unsuspecting and non-discerning kids/parents. I hope that by analyzing it, then it will give you the tools to analyze/discern other kids shows.
The Legend of Korra has been hailed as a critical and commercial success. In 2012 it had the highest number of viewers, and Scott Thill stated that it "is the smartest cartoon on TV." It has been praised for how it deals with difficult sociopolitical issues--like social unrest and terrorism.The reason I chose "Legend.." is because it's intelligence and impressive animation (Japanese), expands its appeal to a large age span. From 7--17 (at least) young folks are drawn to this show like bees to honey.
Remember, worldviews are formed by watching such shows.
Set in a fictional universe, some people can manipulate/bend either fire, earth, water, or air.Only the Avatar can bend all four elements, as well as maintain peace and balance in the world. There are four kingdoms which express one of these four elements, and the Avatar cyclically reincarnates in each of the four kingdoms. Korra, the current Avatar, is a 17-year-old young woman from the Southern Water Tribe. She has the spunk and all the issues that come with being 17 that enhance her appeal and make her "totally awesome."
Without going into the whole plot--there are 52 episodes planned for this year--let me mention some occultic principles that I picked up on in watching just one episode.
1. Avatars --rooted in Hindu mythology, the meaning of the word avatar is "the descent of a deity to the earth in an incarnate form or some manifest shape...the incarnation of a god or wise person who possess psychic powers to defeat their enemies. In New Age thinking, Jesus is usually thought of being just one of many avatars that have visited us.
2. Portal--Korra decides to keep the portal between the human and spirit realm open so that they (we) can co-exist and learn from each other. Being able to open and close this other dimensional door--and encouraging contact between respective residents-- was particularly disturbing to me.
3. Spirit guides-- are seen as benevolent spirit creatures who guide humans when they enter the spirit realm. Looked like flying puppy dogs....
4. Earth, air, fire, and water are the 4 elements which comprise reality and are subject to human and spirit manipulation. In the paranormal community there is much discussion of "elementals"...an alleged form of spirit force/entity, usually connected with nature.Wicca, witchcraft, and other occult systems often appeal to these four elements in their incantations or rituals, which are nature focused.
5. Cosmic consciousness or collective unconsciousness-- was mentioned in the show as the Ultimate Reality which all things participate in (do you see the intelligence level?!) This notion was popularized by Freud's successor, Carl Jung, who espoused occultic beliefs. Tapping into this source will empower avatar and us....usually via mind-emptying meditation.
6. Dualism or yin/yang --in this episode, mention was made that neither light nor dark, good or bad, could be banished forever...both are equally ultimate.
7. Reincarnation--Korra is yet another reincarnation of the avatar.
8. Spirit communication--spirit realm is populated by a multiplicity of good and bad, positive and negative beings....which humans can communicate with.
9. Harmonic convergence-- (again, see what I mean re intelligence level?)...explicitly mentioned in show, where the animation "showed" the earth reaching this new evolutionary advance in which energies are set in balance, "so that a New Age is evolved."
Gone is the majestic, holy Creator.....gone is a definitive defeat of evil, sin, and Satan on the cross......gone is the distinction between Creator and His creation.....gone are all seven aspects of a biblical worldview. This is a thoroughgoing, comprehensive pagan worldview served up in animated wonderment for our children to feast on the beast....all in the comfort of home.
The Legend of Korra is an intelligent and visually stimulating TV cartoon that is destroying our young people. It has become an integral part of the spiritual pandemic of fascination with the paranormal. In a sense, it is worse than the ghost-hunting shows because it is: specifically targeting the most defenseless (our children); and it presents a "total pagan package", as every aspect of a biblical worldview is blatantly denied and it's pagan antithesis is affirmed. And all of this in a very appealing presentation/medium.
Let me remind you that there is no such thing as an "innocent interest in the occult", even if it is not acted out in behavior. From my observation, our country has become so overrun with demonized darkness, that mere fascination MAY cause one to become demonically oppressed. You no longer have to trek into the jungles of Africa to experience wholesale spiritual darkness. Just in my lifetime, we have cast off the common grace spiritual restraints (which made overt demonic activity rare), and are rushing headlong into the abyss--which has caused overt demonic activity to explode.
Please do not allow the tyranny of the urgent to crowd out the massively important...the protection of our children and grandchildren. God knows the "me generation" has done enough damage already. That you are reading this, is a sign that you care. Please let us all lovingly communicate this danger in the spheres in which God has placed us.
ps...as a voluntary "homework assignment", please take a pad of paper and write vertically the seven components of a biblical worldview. Then pray and get comfy, and watch one of these cartoons. Be on the lookout for comments or images that indicate what their reply would be to all 7 questions of a worldview, and compare it with the biblical worldview.
(ultimate reality?, nature of reality?, what makes us human?, nature of history, source/nature of ethics? purpose of life?, afterlife?)
Thirteen years ago, my kids and I moved into a rental house after my ex-wife and I separated. The landlord informed me that my children (8, 10, 12 at the time) could paint their walls any way they wished--just so it was covered when we moved. One day I came home and my eldest had some friends over who were signing their names on the wall. It looked pretty cool to me...especially with all the flourishes here and there connected with some of the signatures.Perhaps you may be questioning the wisdom of my actions--all I can say is that they were hurting (as was I) and at the moment it seemed okay
Fast forward a few months, and the deputy with the Sheriff's Dept.exiting my house looked at me as if I was some moron for allowing "gang graffiti" to be plastered on my daughter's wall. It turns out that some of her friends were into the "blood" and "crip" mega-gangs, but I was totally in the dark as to the significance of the "creative expression" I had allowed. It was a horribly difficult time for my family, and I had not been discerning enough. If only I had recognized the significance of these symbols, I could have protected my daughter from the thuggish peer pressure she came under, which caused her (and the whole family) much anguish.
Similarly, many kids' TV programs or cartoons, have the signature of Satan written all over them--but like me, most parents are blissfully unaware of the danger. Many even approve of the shows because of their intelligence and creativity. They have not been trained by their pastors to know what to look for. I dearly want to save parents from the anguish...to equip you to know what to look for, without being legalistic or reactionary to everything that expresses imagination.
With Christmas coming, If you were to tour the aisle of any toy store, the occult is ubiquitous....and the same holds true in children's TV programming. In the past, I have not addressed children's issues much, but I need to.
Let me state at the outset that imagination is one of God's most wonderful gifts to us as His image bearers. So, I do not wince at every funny looking creature on animated cartoons. However,what I saw, and heard, on the Legend of Korra on Nickelodeon the other day was truly expressive of a hellish, demonic, and New Age-ish worldview, being thrust upon our unsuspecting and non-discerning kids/parents. I hope that by analyzing it, then it will give you the tools to analyze/discern other kids shows.
The Legend of Korra has been hailed as a critical and commercial success. In 2012 it had the highest number of viewers, and Scott Thill stated that it "is the smartest cartoon on TV." It has been praised for how it deals with difficult sociopolitical issues--like social unrest and terrorism.The reason I chose "Legend.." is because it's intelligence and impressive animation (Japanese), expands its appeal to a large age span. From 7--17 (at least) young folks are drawn to this show like bees to honey.
Remember, worldviews are formed by watching such shows.
Set in a fictional universe, some people can manipulate/bend either fire, earth, water, or air.Only the Avatar can bend all four elements, as well as maintain peace and balance in the world. There are four kingdoms which express one of these four elements, and the Avatar cyclically reincarnates in each of the four kingdoms. Korra, the current Avatar, is a 17-year-old young woman from the Southern Water Tribe. She has the spunk and all the issues that come with being 17 that enhance her appeal and make her "totally awesome."
Without going into the whole plot--there are 52 episodes planned for this year--let me mention some occultic principles that I picked up on in watching just one episode.
1. Avatars --rooted in Hindu mythology, the meaning of the word avatar is "the descent of a deity to the earth in an incarnate form or some manifest shape...the incarnation of a god or wise person who possess psychic powers to defeat their enemies. In New Age thinking, Jesus is usually thought of being just one of many avatars that have visited us.
2. Portal--Korra decides to keep the portal between the human and spirit realm open so that they (we) can co-exist and learn from each other. Being able to open and close this other dimensional door--and encouraging contact between respective residents-- was particularly disturbing to me.
3. Spirit guides-- are seen as benevolent spirit creatures who guide humans when they enter the spirit realm. Looked like flying puppy dogs....
4. Earth, air, fire, and water are the 4 elements which comprise reality and are subject to human and spirit manipulation. In the paranormal community there is much discussion of "elementals"...an alleged form of spirit force/entity, usually connected with nature.Wicca, witchcraft, and other occult systems often appeal to these four elements in their incantations or rituals, which are nature focused.
5. Cosmic consciousness or collective unconsciousness-- was mentioned in the show as the Ultimate Reality which all things participate in (do you see the intelligence level?!) This notion was popularized by Freud's successor, Carl Jung, who espoused occultic beliefs. Tapping into this source will empower avatar and us....usually via mind-emptying meditation.
6. Dualism or yin/yang --in this episode, mention was made that neither light nor dark, good or bad, could be banished forever...both are equally ultimate.
7. Reincarnation--Korra is yet another reincarnation of the avatar.
8. Spirit communication--spirit realm is populated by a multiplicity of good and bad, positive and negative beings....which humans can communicate with.
9. Harmonic convergence-- (again, see what I mean re intelligence level?)...explicitly mentioned in show, where the animation "showed" the earth reaching this new evolutionary advance in which energies are set in balance, "so that a New Age is evolved."
Gone is the majestic, holy Creator.....gone is a definitive defeat of evil, sin, and Satan on the cross......gone is the distinction between Creator and His creation.....gone are all seven aspects of a biblical worldview. This is a thoroughgoing, comprehensive pagan worldview served up in animated wonderment for our children to feast on the beast....all in the comfort of home.
The Legend of Korra is an intelligent and visually stimulating TV cartoon that is destroying our young people. It has become an integral part of the spiritual pandemic of fascination with the paranormal. In a sense, it is worse than the ghost-hunting shows because it is: specifically targeting the most defenseless (our children); and it presents a "total pagan package", as every aspect of a biblical worldview is blatantly denied and it's pagan antithesis is affirmed. And all of this in a very appealing presentation/medium.
Let me remind you that there is no such thing as an "innocent interest in the occult", even if it is not acted out in behavior. From my observation, our country has become so overrun with demonized darkness, that mere fascination MAY cause one to become demonically oppressed. You no longer have to trek into the jungles of Africa to experience wholesale spiritual darkness. Just in my lifetime, we have cast off the common grace spiritual restraints (which made overt demonic activity rare), and are rushing headlong into the abyss--which has caused overt demonic activity to explode.
Please do not allow the tyranny of the urgent to crowd out the massively important...the protection of our children and grandchildren. God knows the "me generation" has done enough damage already. That you are reading this, is a sign that you care. Please let us all lovingly communicate this danger in the spheres in which God has placed us.
ps...as a voluntary "homework assignment", please take a pad of paper and write vertically the seven components of a biblical worldview. Then pray and get comfy, and watch one of these cartoons. Be on the lookout for comments or images that indicate what their reply would be to all 7 questions of a worldview, and compare it with the biblical worldview.
(ultimate reality?, nature of reality?, what makes us human?, nature of history, source/nature of ethics? purpose of life?, afterlife?)
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