As a former witch (and medium, and ghost hunter), I have become a little more observant of objects or things around me which may have ties to occult practices.
Case in point—I’ve already mentioned in a previous post my surprise at finding books, objects, and people at ICRS 2012 with a connection to New Age philosophy, paranormal belief, etc.
Truthfully, I shouldn’t have been so naive to think the industries which support the church have been tainted (as I’ve been warning people about the subtle influence of the occult in the church for years).
I decided to look up the item which truly bothered me. The glass pieces with scripture verses etched onto them. Most people think they are pretty harmless. An interesting token or trinket carried in a pocket as a reminder.
For me, it was not scripture which came to mind but rather the various sets of rune stones I used during the years I practiced witchcraft.
Runes are used as a form of divination (future casting). Stones or glass pieces are etched with a letter from a Germanic alphabet (which predates the adoption of the Latin alphabet) called futhark. There are three of these alphabets which can be employed, but the runes I used were the Elder Futhark. Each letter has a name and meaning used to determine the outcome of a reading.
So for me, seeing those “Life Force Stones” took my thoughts to runic divination.
There is also the possibility of using those stones as a type of talisman of protection or to “draw” an expected outcome into your life based on the scripture verse used even if people are doing it unaware. Later, when I decided to check into the company marketing these stones I discovered they also etch New Age/New Thought stones, Unity and Church of Science stones, Wicca stones, Wisdom stones, Angel Stones, Zodiac Stones (which is astrology), along with any number of museums, zoos, (which are obviously not related to the issue I’m addressing) etc.
Yet, they advertise themselves as a Christian company.
Another example—last year I walked into a boutique which is sponsored by an international ministry. As I was perusing the items on the tables and shelves I noticed an item which was listed as a bookmark. What I saw was a pendulum not unlike the many which used to be in my possession. Very discretely, I went to the young woman manning the counter and explained my past as a witch to her and pointed out what the “bookmark” actually was. She told me the ministry had created the bookmarks themselves without understanding what it might suggest to someone with an occult background. The young woman said she would see if they could come up with another design. I never went back to check if they took my concerns for what was being displayed seriously. I might do so today.
This is my point.
Christians are not aware of these items or what they mean but they need to be. What kind of message does it send to a person who is struggling with a temptation toward the occult or is otherwise actively involved in some form of witchcraft when these objects are prominently displayed in a Christian book shop?
In a society which is becoming more accepting of witchcraft, the supernatural, and the paranormal the church MUST be aware of what the objects, language, and beliefs entail.Biblical discernment is key. Otherwise, we end up with a situation where Christian retailers are selling occult items as “Jesus Junk” and people are bringing these items into their homes and lives unaware of the spiritual reality of what it truly represents.
About Kristine McGuire