Pneumatikos

Publications

In Part 1, I began to discuss the encroachment of pagan religion, particularly in the form of divination, in American society. Today I enter into the area of idolatry.

As a minister, I receive dozens of religious book catalogs each year. Some of the books are way out in left field. The latest fad among feminist theologians is worship of the Goddess or Earth Mother. They claim, falsely, that goddess worship was the original theism, later abolished by patriarchal society. But in Archaeology (Mar/Apr 1992), contributing editor Brian Fagan states, "Whatever its superficial appeal, the Mother Goddess theory is not science but speculation."

Unfortunately, other sectors find an affinity with goddess worship. New Agers accept such ideas readily. One woman I knew had a large picture of a goddess on her wall which she would chant in front of every night. That is clearly idolatry. As we all know, the first two Commandments are, "Thou shalt have no other gods before me" and "Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image or any likeness . . . . Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them . . . ." (Exodus 20:3, 4, 5).

New Agers believe in many spiritual powers, often seeking to communicate with them and even be possessed by them. They believe these spirits are "ancient masters" who will help them achieve godhood. Make no mistake that such activities are extremely dangerous! One's eternal soul is at stake.

While some New Age gurus are fakers, I believe that many are being possessed and used by demonic spirits. Why should an evil spirit tell the truth about its real nature? As Jesus said to the hypocrites, "You are of your father the devil . . . . He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks of his own things: for he is a liar, and the father of them" (John 8:44).

Elsewhere, Jesus warned that "The thief comes only to steal, to kill, and to destroy" (John 10:10). Peter tells us that "your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour" (1 Peter 5:8). Satan often prospers those he can use to destroy others. But in the end, he even destroys his own servants.

In his book, The Satan Seller, Mike Warnke describes how, as a satanic high priest, he often called up demon spirits to go out and do his bidding. This included causing injury to others. Incidentally, he discovered that demons hated being sent against Christians. They have no power over them. Even "backslidden" Christians will cry out to God in their distress, and God hears them.

Demons are very ill-tempered, according to Warnke, and have been known to attack their own human "masters" for failing to perform rituals correctly. Another former satanist tells of being attacked by the very demons he had sent against his high school teacher, a strong Christian. Threateningly, they accused him, "How could you send us out against someone like her?" Demons are no match for one who truly knows God.

In time, Warnke became so strung-out on drugs that he was practically worthless to Satan's cause. Satan rejected him, leaving him almost dead of a drug overdose. But Warnke survived, found the Lord, and is now a well-known evangelist who has brought the gospel to many thousands. Satan is a destroyer. God is a restorer.

Getting back to goddess worship, the idea also appeals to many radical environmentalists. Now I am an environmentalist in the sense that I abhor litter, pollution, and waste. But according to former Secretary of the Interior James Watt, many of these radicals actually worship the earth, its plants and its animals. They are misanthropic ("haters of mankind"), indicting man in general and the Western industrialized nations in particular for crimes against nature. Some advocate radical population control to the point of forced sterilization and abortion, even genocide. Recently, one radical recommended that concerned citizens commit suicide to save the environment, and encourage their friends to join them.

Of course, idolatry and divination have been with us for millennia. But they are enjoying a resurgence which might point toward the end-times. Christians need to be informed, guard ourselves from the deceiver, and wage spiritual warfare against the forces of the Evil One. Most of all, we need to be sure we have a right relationship with the One True God.