Every so often I read a warning on the internet by a wise priest, warning of ever dabbling in the occult as it can open a portal to demonic activity. Such counsellors also say that exorcisms because of diabolical possession, though rare, are on the increase, alongside the need for prayers of deliverance to combat lesser forms of satanic activity and oppression.
This does not come as a surprise. Humans are spiritual beings and when this side of human nature is not fulfilled by belief in Christian revelation and acceptance of the authority of the Church, it will find other, darker outlets.
Even within Christianity, there can be an unhealthy, superstitious focus on searching for “signs.” On a train once from Edinburgh to London, I was cornered by a friendly lady who proceeded to ask me if I knew about the “blood moons” prophecy in the Bible. My heart sank; the journey from Edinburgh to London takes four hours and I could see I was in for a long harangue.
On another occasion, I was told in no uncertain terms that if I did not repeat a certain prayer to Our Lady at a certain time every day, I would be cursed. A magical ritual had replaced faith in Christ.
I mention this as I have been dipping into Hitler’s Monsters: a Supernatural History of the Third Reich by Eric Kurlander. It is extraordinary, though not surprising, that a western country as advanced in scientific understanding and progress as Germany was in the 20th century could also, between 1920-1945, have been so prey to irrational beliefs and intellectual lunacy. (more...)
This was the worldview I encountered in my undergraduate years. The Hippie culture is largely a media myth.
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