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A Minister Speaks Out on the Psychic and the Devil
by J. Gordon Melton
In the late 1960's, the psychic truly came of age as a
major competitor of some forms of Christian faith. No longer
could it be dismissed as foolishness and because of this new
realization the 1960's also saw the birth of a new type of
literature in which fundamentalist Christians attack the
psychic as being "of the Devil."
As a minister of the Gospel I often am called upon to
evaluate this "antipsychic" literature. My interest in
psychic and spiritual healing, as well as church history, is
well known and laymen, having added a new depth to their
faith through experiencing psychic reality are concerned
that their fellow Christians should speak so harshly of
them. At the same time, my non-Christian acquaintances in
the psychic community consider the literature a 20th-Century
form of witch-hunting and ridicule it as an expression of
"Christian love."
The literature of which I speak consists of numerous
pamphlets and a few books, some claiming to be written by
former mediums or psychics now converted to conservative
evangelical Protestantism. A few of these booklets are from
Reformed or Baptist writers but by far the greatest number
represent the Protestant Pentecostal perspective.
(Pentecostals are those Protestants distinguished by a
belief that speaking-in-tongues, or glossolalia, is prima
facie evidence of the baptism of the Holy Spirit.)
Their major argument is that the Bible condemns all
psychic activity and they cite a number of both Old and New
Testament passages (Deuteronomy 18:9-12;I Samual 28;Acts 8;
I Timothy 4:1) to make their point. The material is
accompanied by the warning that these devices of Satan shall
increase in the latter days and are signs of the end of
time. Satan is a major figure in the literature, especially
in the writings of Hal Lindsey, author of several popular
books on prophecy, who seems determined to prove Satan's
existence. The Church of Satan of Anton LaVey, although a
minor force even is occult circles, always is given a large
coverage and the remaining psychic community is wrongly
associated with him and his antiChristianity.
One is tempted to dismiss this literature as the
ravings of people who know little or nothing about their
topics. Even the converted mediums seem to be the ones who
flunked their training courses in basic psychic development.
In fact on a theological level the material is all but
worthless.
When the Pentecostal says that something is "of the
Devil" he really is saying in the strongest possible way
that he does not like it and disagrees with it. But for
someone who does not accept this world view, their is no
common standard to judge the Devil's tastes. I personally
think that cooked carrots are the Devil's favorite food
(with boiled okra running a close second). Who is to prove
me wrong? Certainly not those Devil-worshipping carrot
eaters. Satan's deceit is manifested by his inclusion of
vitamin A in carrots so people will think they are "good"
food!
There is no appeal then from personal taste, just as
there is no appeal from divine revelation. One can only hope
that a new dislike will arise to replace the psychic as the
"Devil's" main manifestation.
On a pastoral level, however, the antipsychic
literature takes on some importance. Almost weekly I hear
from laymen who have been victimized by well meaning if
fanatical acquaintances who challenge them with their devil
theology. It's one thing to read a book. Its quite another
to have a friend or relative say that something you are
doing is satanic and draw a line that places you outside the
church.
Such well meaning but misguided concern is reminiscent
of the Inquisition that tortured people out of loving
concern for their souls andthen killed them quickly lest
they turn again to their sin. It is for these victims that I
write. Hopefully, by discovering answers which will blunt
the major points of the attack on the psychic, they will
find a shield from the barrage of their Christian brethren.
* * * * *
If any central charge can be leveled at the Pentecostal
devil- psychic theory, it is shallow Biblicism. As one of my
Bible teachers warned me, "A text out of context becomes a
pretext." The antipsychic literature is rife with texts out
of context. Typical is the constant repetitions of the
Deuteronomic prohibitions against certain kinds of psychic
activity.
"When thou art come into the land which the Lord thy
God givth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the
abominations of those nations. There shall not be found
among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to
pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an
observer of times, or an enchanter, or a wizard, or a
necromancer. For all that do these things are an abomination
unto the Lord thy God doth drive tham out from before thee."
(Deuteronomy 18:9-12.)
Two problems immediately arise in any modern use of
this text. First it contains several Hebrew words which
appear nowhere else in Hebrew literature and are
untranslatable. They were translated during the rule of
England's James 1 when witchcraft trials were popular and
terms useful in those trials were inserted into the text.
While we know the prohibitions are against certain forms of
divination, we do not know specifically which ones. These
prohibitions must, however, be set within the context of
"accepted" means of divination: dreams (Genesis 41), the
Urim and the Thummin, a Quija board-like device (Exodus
28:30), precognition (Judges 4:4), casting lots (Acts 1:26)
and the psychic experience (I Samual 9, particularly verse
9).
In certain contexts, such as the conflict with
Canaanite religion (particularly the blood-sacrifice cult of
Moloch), practices associated with divination are
prohibited. But in a differing context (Israel's own
religion and in the early church) divination was an accepted
practice (Numbers 27:21, Acts 1:26).
The second problem with the use of this text concerns
its present binding force on the church. While it may be a
matter of argument whether or not the text is binding, it
seems for anyone who accepts the "whole Bible" the commands
surrounding the prohibitions are as relevant as the
divination prohibition.
Thus anyone who wishes to use this text as literal
command today should also be prepared to stone stubborn
children (Deuteronomy 21:18), keep the feast of booths
(Deuteronomy 16:13) and accept polygamy (Deuteronomy 21:15).
As these verses show, this whole section of Deuteronomy
consists of legalisms which have little or no relevance
today and were only valid in the context of Israel's
struggle with the Canaanites.
* * * * *
A major complaint of conservative Christians is that
liberal Christians see them as being all alike, failing to
recognize significant differences of doctrine and lifestyle
exist amoung Holiness people and Pentecostals, Billy Graham
and the Reverend Ike, Baptists and Plymouth Brethren,
Wesleyans and Reformed. Conservatives strongly deny any
association with the weird and radical fringe that is part
of their movement, such as those fundamentalists who espouse
bigoted racial theories of the donning of ascension robes or
free sex practices.
Likewise the psychic community resents the naive and
ignorant lumping of psychic research and parapsychology with
healing, meditative practices with witchcraft, yoga with
hypnotism, astrology with the tarot, or Spiritualism with
satanism and black magic. Such an approach to the psychic is
the lowest form of the polemic.
While interests in the psychic often lead toexploration
of a number of areas, most people in the field have one or
two central concerns. (My own interests are psychic and
spiritual healing, prayer and meditation) While one learns
about many things one's involvement usually is in the
specific area that is most rewarding personally.
Pentecostal claims that involvement in the psychic
leads to possession are plainly false. Such involvement by
people who are emotionally unstable or who have immoral
motives can lead to possession-like phenomena, especially
when such people dabble with automatic writing, Quija boards
or seance activity. But such phenomena are no more prevalent
than those caused by speaking-in-tongues which also affects
the deep levels of the psychic. Any kind of psychic activity
-glossolalia included - can and does lead to possession
phenomena in the unprepared and unstable (see "The dangers
of Psychic Development" by Harmon H. Bro, October-November
1970 Fate.)
Finally, the central problem of the antipsychic
material is its orientation towards the negative, toward
evil and the devil. Such a book as Hal Lindsey's "Satan Is
Alive and Well" and Derek Prince's works on the demonic are
psychologically dangerous literature. They are major causes
of the phenomena they seem most to abhor. A simple
psychological principle is at work. As Aldous Huxley
explains in "The Devils of Loudon", "No man can concentrate
his attention upon evil or even upon the idea of evil and
remain unaffected. To be more against the devil than for God
is exceedingly dangerous. Every crusader is apt to go mad.
He is haunted by the wickedness which he attributes to his
enemies; it becomes some sort a part of him.
Prince, Lindsey and cohorts are pouring their energy
into fighting Satan. They are creating an atmosphere in
which it is the "in thing" to be freed from a possession.
Lonely, bored and highly suggestible people are only too
happy to respond with the called-for symptoms. At a mass
meeting if you produce a paper bag, someone will be happy to
regurgitate a "demon" for you.
Theologically, I sympathize with the Pentecostals.
Their leaders and writers certainly recognize the
theological attack the psychic represents for them. For
years they have been telling their followers that tongues
and healing "miracles" represent a direct supernatural
activity and are a self-authenticating sign of the Holy
Spirit. Considering tongues an outward sign of the baptism
of the Holy Spirit within is crucial to the Pentecostal
position. And psychic research applied to the "supernatural"
activities often results in a denial of their
supernaturalism. If non-Pentecostals and even non-Christians
can do these things, their value as a sign of baptism is
ended.
Pentecostalists denounce non-Christian phenomenon as
"counterfeit miracles." Discussing healing, one Pentecostal
writer says, "We can see that this gift, like all the other
gifts of the spirit, can be either from God or from Satan.
The counterfeit must be in appearance as good as the real
thing, otherwise it would not fulfill its aim." When Jesus
was accused of working satanic miracles (see Mark 3:20-26)
his reply was that a house divided cannot stand, a rejoinder
that still is valid.
The idea of "counterfeit miracles" is as much a problem
to the Pentecostals as it is to the psychic, moreover. If
counterfeit miracles exist, than no instance of speaking-in-
tongues can be considered a sign of the baptism of the Holy
Spirit until is has been tested. Like all Christian
experience the baptism is signified only if the fruits of
the spirit follow. Anyone can speak in tongues or be a
channel for miraculous healings. Only those persons filled
with the Spirit can bring forth love, patience and kindness
(Galatians 5:22). Pentecostals have no corner on the fruits-
of-the-spirit market.
In conclusion,involvement in the psychic clearly is
valid for the Christian, provided that involvement is done
in a same self- conscious context. I bid my Christian
brethren cease their harsh words and uninformed polemics.
Let us unite against our mutual psychic enemy, the perverted
phenomena that can wreck a life as surely as can alcohol or
narcotics. Allegiance at any particular theological
principle should not keep us from that fellowship we all
desire.
Reprinted with permission of FATE Magazine.