Is there something supernatural. The supernatural exists

It's no secret that people are always interested in the unknown. The most mysterious creatures are of genuine interest, and also influence the legends and folklore of different countries and peoples.

In this article, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with the least known creatures, however, no less scary and frightening. Whether they are mythical is up to you.

There are two alternative versions of the appearance of the wendigo.

1. Based on the first, it is believed that a brave warrior sold his soul in order to protect his tribe from an impending threat. After the tribe was saved, he went into the forest and was never seen again.
2. Another version says that the wendigo began to lose its human appearance due to the use of black magic, and was also a cannibal. In any case, this monster appeared in the end.

Many compare it with, but outwardly it is completely different from. And the behavior of the wendigo has significant distinguishing features.

Growth exceeds the average, but you can’t call it huge. However, he is very thin. According to some descriptions, it is clear that sometimes parts of the body may be missing due to frostbite: toes, the tip of the ear or nose. The body is covered with matted hair, or may be completely bald.

Wendigo love to hunt down their prey. Overtaking a lonely traveler, they begin to frighten him by making sounds. When the person begins to look around for the source of the sound, the wendigo attacks.

It will not be possible to escape, because wendigo are very fast and hardy. As a rule, no one manages to survive after meeting with this monster.

The only way to kill this monster is to stick an iron or silver blade through the heart.

The folklore of every country is filled with stories of reborn people who have received new abilities. One of these creatures was the shtriga, or strix.

Being people from birth, they turned into because of the addiction to eat human flesh.

In the Middle Ages, shtriga belonged to witches. It is possible that they could be a kind of vampires of Ancient Rome.

Ultimately, shtrigi are dead mythical creatures, but by using the life force of slain families, they prolong their existence.

You can only kill a monster with a red-hot iron while eating.

Draugs or Draugrs

Like shtrigi, they were originally human. But after death, they turned into the living dead.

The draugs live in a cemetery, next to the graves of the Vikings. Approaching any settlement, they sow fear and death, destroying everything in their path.

Surprisingly, draugs are mentioned in some books. For example, "The Saga of the People from the Sandy Shore" tells about Thorolf.

Being a draugr, he killed people, after which the valley was empty. Draugs are also mentioned in the Saga of the Sand Valley Men.

These monsters love to inhabit the tombs of rich people, thus protecting their property from thieves.

Draughs are strong, have pale skin, and are able to grow in size. After killing a person, the monster first drinks his blood, and then begins to eat him.

It is believed that draugs appear in the form of smoke, being released from their graves.

Icelandic legends say that the only way to kill a draugr is to cut off its head, then burn it and scatter the ashes over the sea water.

These mythical creatures prefer to live near the sea coasts. Freed from the graves, they are looking for victims among the sailors.

They can take on many different forms, causing people to be scared to death. For example, instead of a head, algae grow.

Nautical legends say that draugs can take the form of stone or seaweed. Before you step on something like that, you need to spit on it.

If the draug gets on the ship in the form of a stone, then the ship is doomed to death along with the entire crew. And sometimes draugs can be harbingers of death.

ghouls

The word "ghouls" comes from Arabic myths and refers to demons. They lived in cemeteries, and according to legend, they are the descendants of the Iblis.

Iblis are genies who have an analogue in Christianity - Satan. Iblis harass women, and if they succeeded, then ghouls appeared.

Iblis could wander the earth, since Allah thus tested people: whether Iblis could sow immorality and vice in their heads.

According to some reports, ghouls are those living in the desert, capable of taking the form of hyenas or other animals.

Luring the wanderers deep into the depths, the ghouls ate them. They gave preference to children, but sometimes they did not disdain the dead.

They most often take the form of werewolves, but can take the form of any creature they kill, including humans and animals.

In order to renew their appearance, they shed their old skin like snakes.

In appearance, it is impossible to distinguish whether it is a real person or a shapeshifter.

The only thing that gives them away is the glow of the eyes, which can only be seen on video frames or photographs.

Familiars. Black Dogs

Witches with black magical abilities give birth to peculiar animals - familiars.

These mythical creatures are connected to the master by demonic bonds or magic.

European witches prefer cats, weasels, toads or owls. Shamans use a totem as a familiar.

Black dogs can also be familiars of black witches.

An old English legend tells of Black Shaq, who foreshadowed death by his appearance. In 1577, A. Fleming described his appearance in the book Strange and Terrible Miracle.

The dogs appear in bright flashes of light, just as they disappear, but the place is chosen exclusively for witchcraft.

Japanese legends also mention black dogs that were sacrificed to bring rain. In Asia, the blood of black dogs was considered a powerful talisman.

Reaper

To summon this creature, you need an altar, as well as a number of magical items for the ritual: human blood and a special cross.

After the Reaper appears, he takes the life of the one who called him to restore balance.

The reaper is not a demon, it's just the appearance of death, which was called the psychopomp.

They served as a kind of guide to the afterlife. Charon in Greece, Valkyries in Norway, Anubis in Egypt, and so on. Some shamans, for example, are psychopomps themselves.

Reapers have power over time and people's minds. It can change the vision of the world, of the person himself.

The appearance of the Reaper is different for each individual case, but it is generally accepted that he appears in rags or funeral clothes.

There is speculation that Peter Pan was some kind of guide to the afterlife, as the book describes how he accompanied the children on their journey after death.

Lycanthropy

In the Middle Ages, this phenomenon was associated with sorcerers who wore magical clothes or a belt.

As they are also called, they covered the body with a potion, put on a special belt and turned into a wolf with great strength and endurance. Later, the myth of the magic belt gradually disappeared.

Now it is read that werewolves can turn themselves on a full moon. It is not known how much of this is fiction, but the Roman writer left one story that told real events involving a werewolf.

In many folklore stories from different nations, there is an opinion that werewolves are exiles, vicious people.

In Armenian folklore, there is a mention of women who were possessed by a spirit for their sins. They could turn into wolves and were forced to kill their own children.

In North America, there is a legend about a lu-garoo who came from France. After conversion, this creature turned into a monster for 101 nights in a row, and during the day it experienced torment and suffering. Most often, they were expelled by people, which angered the lu-gara, contributing to bitterness and murder.

You can kill them with silver: a bullet or a blade. But it is possible to cure lycanthropy. If you kill the progenitor, the one who turned the werewolf, then all those infected by him will be released.

Volkolak existed in Slavic mythology. They could become of their own free will. Most often, sorcerers turned into werewolves to enhance their abilities.

An evil spirit from old Russian mythology. He was several centimeters tall, his body was covered with black hair, and his head was bald. Anchutka had no heels.

There is an opinion that it is impossible to pronounce his name aloud, otherwise Anchutka will instantly appear in front of you.

Residence, as a rule, a field, a bathhouse or a pond. The main condition is proximity to people, but away from other supernatural beings.

Field anchuts are the most peaceful. Bathhouses and swamps have a perky disposition, they joke evilly, endangering a person's life.

Marsh anchutes grab swimmers by the legs and try to drown them, while bathing anchutes frighten people with strange sounds or appear in terrible images.

Anchutki can be invisible. They move quickly and are afraid of iron and salt.

Shakers and Navi

Shakers - causing diseases. Most often mentioned in conspiracies.

Represented as 12 ugly women. They are associated with evil spirits, and when a person is sick, they appear next to him in the guise of a devil.

Navi - the spirits of death. Ancient Russian creatures that send diseases to both people and cattle. Their involvement in disasters was not ruled out.

At night they roam the dark streets, killing all travelers. The only way to escape from the Navi was not to leave the house, protecting it with amulets.

An infinite number of creatures and monsters are present in various myths and religions. Differing in appearance and abilities, they always created problems for people, and most often killed them.

Of course, the existence of each has not been proven, so believing in them or not is entirely your choice.

Law of energy conservation

Even the most inveterate skeptics and materialists must remember the law of conservation of energy, which never disappears into nowhere. All the information that a person accumulates throughout life, all his feelings and emotions - this is energy. As we used to say, soul. And after death, the human soul, as a clot of energy and information, finds itself in an energy flow that is around the earth. But, as we all know, the stronger the information, the stronger the feelings, the stronger this energy. Therefore, it often happens that even after death, a person is felt on this earth. Everything is explained very simply: he is either too attached to one of the living and his feelings are so strong that even after death energy remains, or he experienced severe stress and emotions before his death, so the energy also significantly increased in size and became tangible.

Non-materialists believe that human energy does not just exist, it also has a mind. That is, the soul is, in fact, the person. And the body is just a shell, like any earthly clothing. Their opinion is confirmed by the appearance of the dead in their dreams, visions and so on. On the other hand, it is difficult to say that such manifestations of otherworldly essence can absolutely confirm the presence of reason in the so-called soul. Perhaps, when we see and feel something, it is our subconscious that simply draws energy from the global flow of information. But nevertheless, the fact that human energy and energy does not disappear into nowhere, and in special cases it can even become visible, is still worth recognizing. In addition, the reality of the appearance of otherworldly entities called souls is confirmed by a huge number of people. Moreover, some of them believe in otherworldly forces, while others are skeptical. Therefore, people describe what they see in different words, but the meaning always remains the same - the dead come to them, moreover, as relatives and friends, as well as completely unfamiliar personalities, about whom they, even with great desire, could not draw information from the energy shell of the earth.

Mythical undead

There are many stories, myths and legends about various otherworldly creatures and substances. Each of us has been familiar with goblin, brownies, mermaids, werewolves, vampires and so on since childhood. But are these creatures a product of folk fantasy or are they really real? Firstly, it is worth thinking about the fact that every nation of the world has its own legends and myths. But if you do not pay attention to the different names of creatures and some differences in their descriptions, all stories about the other world describe several dozen such creatures. For example, in any mythology there are stories about a creature that is very similar to our brownie or goblin. In the lakes of all countries and peoples, beautiful girls must live, bringing death to those who catch their eye. And if such a large number of people from different parts of the world describe such creatures, then perhaps they still exist, because thousands of people cannot fantasize in the same way.

In addition, unlike the dead, people see similar entities much more often. Almost every one of us has experienced at least one story related to some otherworldly creatures throughout our lives. In fact, as psychics say, such entities also have energy. They appear at the moment when there is a strong surge of energy. Let's say some kind of mass murder happens, many people experience pain and fear, and so on. In this case, at the place where the incident happened, a strong energy imprint is formed, as it were, which does not disappear for many years and frightens people. Of course, this bunch of energy can be not only bad, but also good. If you constantly imagine a certain entity, like, for example, your angel, endowing it with the qualities of a helper and protector, in the end, you can really have a positive energy substance near you that will protect you and help you achieve what you want.

But if all this is just energy, then why do people see similar creatures? Perhaps the point here is that such entities once had real prototypes. After all, it is not known what was on our earth before. There are suggestions that there was an intelligent race with the remnants of the representatives of which our distant ancestors met. Perhaps this race possessed certain technologies that were mistaken for supernatural powers, perhaps they mutated, so our mythological characters look like women with fish tails and men with a horse body. Of course, this is just a theory, but it may well have the right to life, if you look at the supernatural from a more materialistic point of view. And that is why the descendants of those first people see supernatural entities in similar images. They simply select the most suitable images from their past and connect them with energy entities that have always existed on any planet and in any dimension. Due to the fact that a large number of people begin to give this or that entity a certain image, over time it really begins to look they just mix.

That is why, returning to the question of belief or disbelief in otherworldly forces, one thing can be said: the energy and energy of everything that is on this earth is very powerful. It simply cannot fall into nowhere and be dispersed in the world, since there is such a thing as memory. In the meantime, we remember who we are, our energy simply cannot crumble into a thousand pieces and scatter throughout the universe. In addition, human memory can endow energy with tremendous power. It is the memory of a blunder that becomes the core for the creation of various negative entities. So, to believe or not to believe in the other world is your choice.

Photos from open sources

Mysterious and incomprehensible events constantly occur in all corners of the planet. (website)

However, not all of them are world famous. Only the most amazing supernatural cases become the subject of conversation among the inhabitants of all countries. So, everyone knows about the American Area 51, where the military studied an unidentified flying object shot down by them with an alien corpse on board, or about the Egyptian pyramids, near which trees grow several times faster, and the water clears itself.

Undoubtedly, in such a large and eventful country as Russia, there were also many paranormal events that struck the imagination not only of the Russians themselves, but of all earthlings. Therefore, many of us may ask a natural question: what supernatural phenomena that happened directly to our people are best known abroad?

Tunguska meteorite

This amazing event took place in the days of the Russian Empire. On the morning of June 30, 1908, in the region of the Siberian river Podkamennaya Tunguska, there was a colossal explosion with a capacity of fifty megatons of TNT equivalent, which is comparable to the power of the largest hydrogen bomb. As a result of the explosion, trees were knocked down on an area of ​​over two thousand square kilometers, and windows flew out in houses within a radius of several hundred kilometers from the epicenter.

Photos from open sources

The event, accompanied by an intense glow of the sky, was recorded by all the observatories of the planet. According to the official version, it exploded over Siberia, but for some reason its fragments were not found. Many experts suggest that it was not the meteorite that was to blame, but Russia's testing of secret weapons, or the experiments of the legendary physicist Nikola Tesla, or the tricks of aliens. To this day, this incident is shrouded in a veil of mystery, and world scientists are still breaking their heads over it.

Soviet cosmonauts, as pioneers of space research, had a hard time, because due to the imperfection of the equipment, emergency situations arose very often. Space flights were further aggravated by the fact that our stargazers suffered from aliens who flew up to them at close range. Many Soviet cosmonauts who returned from orbit reported that unidentified flying objects were approaching their ships.

The supernatural has always attracted the attention of many people of all nationalities on all continents. This inexhaustible, permanent interest invariably influenced myths, religious ideas, folklore, and even the ordinary everyday life of every nation. It is possible to study and discuss all this heritage indefinitely. In this article, we will touch on this phenomenon only from one side - from the side of the inhabitants of that which we usually call "supernatural beings". A list and description of all such creatures in full would make up a whole library, so we will limit ourselves to the most famous and popular creatures in modern culture.

Gnomes

The word "dwarf" in Latin means an underground inhabitant. These creatures are known in almost all regions of the earth where there is a mountainous area or desert. The traditional, familiar image of a gnome comes from German-Scandinavian folklore, but is also known among the Slavs (for example, Polish dwarves are relatives of gnomes). Their own dwarf people, living in mountain dungeons, is also found in the Urals, where they are called either a miracle or a bunch. According to popular legends, these supernatural creatures are engaged in jewelry making, mining of all kinds of treasures and, among other things, have significant knowledge in medicine.

The nature of the gnomes

By itself, the word "dwarf", according to one version, began to be used in the 16th century by Paracelsus, the famous European doctor and occultist. He used it to designate the spirits of the earth - the elementals. The latter are supernatural beings that set the world in motion by influencing one of the four primary elements - earth, air, fire or water. So, the spirits, called gnomes by Paracelsus, just lived in the elements of the earth. Later, this term began to denote the entire list of supernatural beings living, according to legend, underground and united by common features - appearance, craft, and so on.

Goblins

Goblins are another category of supernatural neighbors of humans. In general, they can be considered as distant relatives of the dwarves. They also live underground, in mountain gorges dotted with caves. Like the dwarves in many legends, goblins do not tolerate the light of the sun. But if the gnomes are still representatives of Scandinavian and German folklore, then the goblin is a character from Romanesque culture. These supernatural creatures got their very name from the old French language.

The appearance of goblins is described in legends very differently. But the invariable feature of all of them is an incredible ugliness. Goblins are human-like, ranging in height from thirty centimeters to two meters. When necessary, they can turn into beautiful people. But they are always given away by long ears, claws on their hands and sinister animal eyes. The only exception to the rule is the English hobgoblins, who play the role of cute brownies in British folklore, which we will talk about next.

Brownies

Creatures that are known in Russia under the name of brownies are perhaps the most common character in world folklore. Of course, they are described in different ways and interacted with in different ways, but everywhere these creatures top the list of supernatural beings. In the Slavic tribes, they were also called kutny gods. The brownie lives with the family in their home and monitors the economy, security and a favorable atmosphere. However, if the owners are negligent, then he can also appear as a formidable, frightening creature. There was no consensus about where this keeper of home comfort comes from. Someone believed that this is a manifestation of the first ancestor, the progenitor of the genus. Others insisted that it was a deceased family member. With the Christianization of Russia, faith in brownies did not disappear, but opinions began to prevail among the people that it was either a spirit sent by God, or, conversely, a petty demon inhabited by the devil in order to harm the inhabitants as much as possible. However, there was also a belief that unrepentant sinners become brownies, whom God sends as a punishment to serve people as spirit protectors.

Russian brownies

One way or another, the brownie was the one on whom the well-being of the family depended. Therefore, they always tried to build good relations with him. It was customary to feed the brownie, leaving a plate of food for him in a special place. The grateful spirit protected the dwelling from thieves, from fire, averted troubles and misfortunes. The brownie was especially concerned about livestock, and mainly about horses. It was believed that at night he was busy in the stable, taking care that the horse did not remain hungry or unkempt. Like other supernatural beings, in Russia it was believed that the brownie could predict the future. For example, if at night you hear a roar, howling, crying and similar ominous signs, then you have to wait for trouble. If at night there is a quiet laugh, joyful exclamations and the like, then a pleasant surprise awaits the family.

In some legends, female brownies also appear. In some cases, we are even talking about entire families of brownies. However, this is much less common in folklore.

dragons

Dragons are very popular supernatural creatures with hundreds of varieties all over the world. Currently, their popularity is increasing, thanks to the mass passion for the fantasy genre in art. Legends about supernatural creatures, similar in appearance to huge lizards, cutting through the air and breathing fire, are known literally on all continents among all tribes and peoples. The storyline in them can be very different, and the cultural codes and symbols they carry are correspondingly different. In Asia, for example, dragons are the wisest creatures who descended from heaven and gave people knowledge, culture, medicine, taught them magic, agriculture and morality. In the West, on the contrary, they were chthonic monsters, carrying with them only death and destruction. In Christian times, the dragon was often associated with the devil, but at the same time it was a favorite heraldic symbol. The battle with him for the sake of saving a woman or acquiring wealth is a characteristic plot for European as well as Slavic folklore.

Unicorns

Our list of supernatural creatures continues with such an interesting character as a unicorn. He is depicted, as a rule, in the form of a horse with a beautiful straight horn growing from his forehead.

The earliest images of this animal come from India, and their age is estimated at four thousand years. Gradually, from Asia, this character penetrated into ancient Greece and Rome. However, there he was considered a very real animal. Such beliefs spread among the Greeks thanks to a doctor named Ctesias, who spent many years in Persia, and upon returning to his homeland in Hellas, described in his writings massive Indian donkeys with a horn growing on their foreheads. All this took place in the 5th century and was later popularized by Aristotle. The traditional equine appearance of the unicorn today was not originally taken for granted. He was represented both with the body of a goat and a bull, and according to some descriptions, this creature looked more like a rhinoceros.

Unicorns in later legends

In late Western European myths, the unicorn appeared as a ferocious creature, a meeting with which promised death. But, being the personification of morality and holiness, this creature could only be tamed by a virgin and kept in submission only by a golden bridle. It is not surprising that with the spread of Catholicism, this animal became one of the emblems of the Virgin Mary. His enemies were elephants and lions. Belief in them was so strong in Europe and Russia that as early as the 19th century, naturalistic studies were carried out to find out whether supernatural beings called unicorns really exist or not. Some European monarchs, including those, were proud that their wands - attributes of royal power - were made from the horn of this animal. There was even a European market for the sale and purchase of these horns, in which Russian merchants (mostly Pomors) played an important role. Today it has been established that these horns actually belonged to narwhals.

Werewolves

Werewolves are another supernatural being, the list of varieties of which exceeds all conceivable limits. But they all have a common feature - they have the ability to turn from people into animals, and vice versa. Most often these are wolves, but in fact there are legends in which heroes turned into birds, fish, and other animals. The difference between werewolf reincarnations and other magical transformations is that they do it either of their own free will or under certain conditions, but in any case they turn back into people. In Russian mythology, even one of the heroes named Werewolf had this ability, according to folk legends, and the prince. Similar plots are extremely popular in Indian, Scandinavian and Celtic mythologies. In addition, the ability for such reincarnations was almost everywhere assigned to sorcerers and witches. During the time of the Inquisition, the accusation of such an act served as a pretext for initiating an investigation into connections with the devil.

Sometimes they distinguished werewolves from birth and those who became such for some reason. That person could be born a werewolf, whose mother during pregnancy ate the meat of an animal killed by a wolf, or bore the curse of werewolf herself. And to acquire the ability to turn into animals, one could either magically, or become an apostate. It was believed that in the latter case, a person becomes a werewolf, however, after death. The latter are joined by children who died not baptized. Accordingly, some werewolves experience this ability as a curse, while others use it as a magical gift and know how to control this ability.

Ghosts and ghosts

Ghosts are, perhaps, the only supernatural beings whose list and photos can be viewed from strictly scientific positions. This phenomenon is so unprecedented that it goes beyond the boundaries of myths and legends and is part of everyday life. And today there are a lot of people who even grew up in the conditions of an advanced civilization, but, moreover, are confident in the existence of ghosts. Moreover, a huge number of eyewitnesses declare that they had or have contact with them. We are talking not only about mediums and parapsychologists, but also about specialists who are within the framework of strict academic science. However, the number of the latter is small. But the amount of eyewitness testimony, mysterious photographs and video footage of ghosts is overwhelming.

According to the most common belief, ghosts are the souls of dead people. Why do they appear in this world and what is their nature - there is no unity of opinion. But practically no one has any doubts that the dead appear in the form of translucent silhouettes.

Mermaids

Finishing off our list of supernatural creatures are mermaids. In modern culture, this is a very ambivalent character. It must be said right away that beautiful maidens with fish tails are not mermaids, they are sea maidens. Mermaids, on the other hand, are girls of a completely human appearance, originating from Slavic legends. In pre-Christian times, they were considered the spirits of rivers, and after Christianization, the opinion spread that drowned women who committed suicide become mermaids. They are not accepted for them in the afterlife, and therefore they are forced to serve their sentence on earth, living at the bottom of the river. The only night the mermaids come ashore is at night

Conclusion

As already mentioned, the characters listed above are far from all supernatural beings. Their list can be continued up to tens and hundreds of thousands of names, if you delve into the beliefs of each people in detail. The curious will no doubt be able to do this and find much more new unknown material.

Josh McDowall

World of the occult

Dear reader!
Chapter 1 Occult Phenomena
Chapter 2. Astrology
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Conclusion

Dear reader!

You are holding in your hands a book prepared by the publishing department of the New Life Christian Mission. I pray that she will answer all your questions, help you grow in your personal Christian life, and give you the opportunity to serve Jesus Christ through your church, New Life (Campus Crusade for Christ) founded in 1951 by Dr. Bill Bright and his wife Vanette at the University of Los Angeles (California)‚ does work with Christians around the world‚ helping to fulfill the words of Jesus in Matthew 28:19: "Go and make disciples of all nations."

We currently have over 40,000 employees and volunteers in 150 countries around the world. Registered in Russia in 1992 as a non-profit organization, New Life helps build and develop a spiritual biblical foundation for life and society. We do this through the printing of Bibles, Christian literature, and the dissemination of Bible teaching. We encourage everyone to study the Bible and become active members of the local church.

I want you to join us. May God bless you in Christian growth and service for Him.

Dan Peterson, Director, New Life

Chapter 1 Occult Phenomena

In this book, we will try to describe the affairs of Satan and the occult kingdom in terms of what the Bible says about it. In doing so, we would like to paint an objective picture of the state of affairs and avoid sensationalism.

What is "occult"?

The word "occult" comes from the Latin "ocsultus" and contains the idea of ​​hidden, secret and mysterious things. David Hoover, author of "Answering the Challenge of the Occult," lists three essential characteristics of the occult:

1. The occult deals with arcane or hidden things.

2. The occult involves manipulations and events that supposedly depend on human capabilities that lie beyond the five senses.

3. The occult is associated with the supernatural, with the presence of angelic or demonic powers.

Occultism manifests itself in at least the following forms: sorcery, magic, palmistry, fortune telling, ouija boards, fortune-telling on cards, satanism, spiritualism, possession, the use of crystal balls. Many more can be added to this list.

Clive S. Lewis once remarked: “There are two equally and opposite misconceptions about demons. Some do not believe in them, others believe and have an unnecessary and unhealthy interest in them. ".

word of warning

We are aware that by informing people about the occult world, we can push some into subjects and activities that they previously knew nothing about. It is not our desire to arouse interest in the realm of the occult to such an extent that it becomes an obsession. Knowing about the inclination of the human race to evil, one should remember the words of the Apostle Paul: "I desire that you be wise in good and simple in evil" (Rom. 16:19).

Flirting with the world of the occult can lead to serious damage - both physical and spiritual. There is a difference between knowing that poison can kill and taking poison to experience what you already know to be a hard fact. We must be alerted to the activities of the satanic kingdom, but not to become morbidly interested, obsessed, or infatuated with it.

The supernatural exists

We live in a time when people are looking for answers to basic, vital questions: what is the purpose of life? Is there life after death? Is there evidence for the existence of a supernatural God?

According to the Bible, a supernatural war is unfolding: "Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against authorities, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spirits of wickedness in high places" (Eph 6:12).

This continuous spiritual warfare is unfolding between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of Satan. One of the purposes of Jesus Christ's coming to earth is indicated to us by the Apostle John: "For this reason the Son of God appeared, to destroy the works of the devil" (1 Jn 3:8).

Although Scripture clearly testifies that the supernatural is real and that spiritual warfare is going on, there are people who would like to demythologize stories of the devil, demons, and demon possession. They insist that the Bible's references to the supernatural are explained by a prescientific, surviving worldview. However, if you remove the supernatural from the Bible, then the whole meaning of it will go with it. John Montgomery, dean of the Simon Greenleaf School of Law and one of the leading contemporary theologians, writes:

"One of my professors of theology categorically argued that the demonic in the New Testament should be regarded as symbolic (a symbol of evil, psychosis, sickness, etc.). He was extremely annoyed when I asked him that we should not in this case and consider Jesus as a symbol (of goodness, mental and physical health, etc.): after all, the story of the temptation of Christ in the wilderness also includes a dialogue between Jesus and the devil - and then both of them must be considered either as real or unreal persons "This clearly points to the difficulty of demythologizing the satanic in the New Testament. It is closely intertwined with the question of the reality of Jesus and his entire mission."

Those who want to remove so-called myths from Scripture find themselves faced with an "empty gospel" devoid of transformative power. Our response to these attempts is in gospel truth and includes Satan's struggle against them, God's supernatural intervention, and His ultimate victory. The world of the occult is real, and the almighty Spirit of God is real too!

Occult Deception

Recognizing the reality of the supernatural‚ we should not attribute to it all inexplicable phenomena‚ There are many manifestations that dress up in the clothes of the supernatural‚ but in fact are only swindle. Those who do them deceive people into believing in their "supernatural" nature.

In an excellent book entitled The Deceivers, Danny Korem and Paul Meyer show many phenomena that are mistaken for the supernatural. The authors explain the difference between the truly supernatural and what is actually a hoax:

"What is the difference between occult and pseudo-occult phenomena? Occult phenomena are phenomena related to the actions of supernatural forces, their consequences and knowledge about them. According to many, an example of the manifestation of occult forces is possession. But this manifestation itself is visible, and the power behind it No. We can see the effects of possession‚ but we cannot see the actions of demons‚ Pseudo-occult phenomena only appear to be caused by mysterious‚ supernatural forces‚ but are actually caused by physical and mental causes.

The purpose of this book is to show the difference between the occult and the pseudo-occult. It is very dangerous to approach them with the same standard. One person who was known to have performed a series of exorcisms on several possessed people wanted to try his hand on a teenage girl. He tied her to a chair so that she would not injure herself, and began his manipulations. It turned out that the girl was not possessed by a demon, but was sick with schizophrenia and needed the help of an experienced psychiatrist. She‚ naturally‚ was traumatized by what happened‚ and her condition became worse than before meeting this man"

Needless to say, one must be experienced enough in this area to view this or that phenomenon as demonic. While not all Christian authors consider such phenomena to be a hoax, like Korem and Meyer, the latter have clearly demonstrated the need to be very careful in referring many unexplained phenomena to the occult.

Explosion of the occult

Occult activity is growing rapidly these days, Martin Ibn, former administrative secretary of the Parapsychological Foundation and author of "Satan's Trap" and "The Perils of the Occult", characterizes the growing interest in occult phenomena as follows:

"Occult practice and psychic phenomena have gripped millions of Americans today... Two stimuli of a mass character contribute to this development. One of them is the cultivation of drugs: it arouses interest in this area as a "non-drug flight" achieved through meditation and similar methods‚ and as well as the possibility of enhancing the drug-induced sense of the power of consciousness over matter and events.Secondly, a whole series of popular films caused a number of waves of involvement in the occult and pseudo-occult practices.With the advent of the film "Rosmery's Child", which depicts the birth of a devilish child, there was a sharp The rise of witchcraft practice: The Exorcist showed demonic possession and exorcism to millions of people, and many other films and TV shows are connected to this theme.

It is quite obvious that the occult has now penetrated all sections of our society, everywhere you look, from the media to grocers, you encounter in one form or another with the literature on the occult and with its influence. Everyone can find a weight loss horoscope and a horoscope to improve their sex life.

bible and occult

“When you enter the land that the Lord your God gives you, then do not learn to do the abominations that these peoples did. summoner of spirits, magician and questioner of the dead, For everyone is mereok before the Lord, who does this, and for these abominations the Lord, your God, drives them out from before your face. Be blameless before the Lord, your God. they listen to soothsayers and soothsayers: but the Lord your God has given you something else" (Deut 18:9-14).

The New Testament likewise condemns such acts (see Gal. 5:20). In the city of Ephesus, many who were engaged in occultism believed in Jesus Christ and abandoned the occult practice: "And of those who practiced sorcery, quite a few, having gathered their books, burned them before everyone ..." (Acts 19:19).

Another encounter with the occult is described in Acts 13:6-12:

"Having gone through the whole island to Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, named Variesus, who was with the proconsul Sergius Paul, a reasonable man. “- resisted them, trying to turn the proconsul away from the faith,” but Saul, who is also Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit and fixing his eyes on him, said: O, full of all deceit and all villainy, son of the devil, enemy of all righteousness! from the direct paths of the Lord? I believed, marveling at the teaching of the Lord."

"A false prophet" who called himself Variesus (Son of Jesus) actually tried to prevent the ruler Sergius Paul from believing - and the punishment of blindness immediately followed. Walter Martin made several subtle observations on the material of the quoted passage, pointing out five characteristics of those who resist God:

1. They are associated with Satan and have some supernatural powers.

2. They are false prophets.

3. They seek to influence people politically and religiously, especially those in positions of power (verses 6, 7).

4. They seek to turn those who desire to hear the word of God from those who teach it, and oppose the latter (verse 8).

5. They deliberately seek to turn potential converts from the faith‚ and this is their main purpose (verse 8).

Chapter 2. Astrology

The two most burning questions that haunt a person are: "Who am I?" and "what will happen to me in the future?" How many people wake up at night yearning for their future‚ wanting to know what will happen tomorrow! Astrology claims to answer these two key questions. It offers horoscopes for every day, in which the future of each person is predicted. "What is your sign?" is suddenly heard in a casual conversation. The ancient occult art of astrology has become very popular in our modern culture.

What is astrology?

Astrology is an ancient teaching that states that the position of the stars and planets has a direct impact on people and events. It is assumed that a person's life path can be predicted by determining the position of the stars and planets at the time of his birth. The scheme drawn up for this is known as a "horoscope". How a horoscope is drawn up, explains René Noorbergen:

"For each individual horoscope, the starting point is the moment of birth. Together with the latitude and longitude of the place of birth, it forms the initial data for the astrological chart. But everything is not so simple: you need to take into account a factor called "true local time". This is "true" time is calculated by adding or subtracting 4 minutes for each degree of longitude of your birthplace‚ counting east or west from the center of the time zone your birthplace is in. The next step is to convert this "true" time to "sidereal"‚ or sidereal time‚ This is done with the help of ephemeris - reference tables showing the position of the planets in relation to the Earth...

When this data is obtained - and it is no more difficult to do this than solving a geometry problem for the seventh grade - then you have all the data for compiling your horoscope. It consists in building an "ascending" point by point, corresponding to nine-hour intervals of the inner circle of the horoscope, with the help of which you can "read" the various zodiac "houses" that control your life and destiny"

How is this justified?

Michael Van Busknrk explains how astrologers justify this practice:

"The future of any person can allegedly be predicted, since astrology affirms the unity of all things. This is the doctrine that the Whole (i.e., the entire Universe, taken as a whole) is somehow similar. Parts (i.e., any of its individual component or person)‚ and the part is a small reflection of the whole (macro-microcosmic model). The position of the planets ("macro") affects the person ("micro") and causes him to react accordingly. This makes a person a "cosmic pawn" whose actions predetermined and unchangeable."

R. Noorbergen concludes: "If you believe in astrology, then you must accept the point of view according to which you are either "happily"" or "unhappily born." The stars tell us not only predict the course of our life, but are also the cause of events ‚ which must take place in it‚ They induce and compel...".

The inconsistencies of astrology

The claims of astrologers have been subjected to scathing criticism from the scientific community. In September 1976, 186 eminent American scientists, including eighteen Nobel laureates, spoke out against the "pretentious claims of astrological charlatans", pointing out, among other things, that there is no scientific basis for the assumption of a predictive and determining role of stars in relation to human life. The following are some of the reasons why astrological practice should be rejected as unscientific and unbiblical.

The problem of authority. Astrologers are victims of their own system. They cannot be the authority to explain their own world. If everything is predetermined by the signs of the zodiac, then how can astrologers escape from this fatalism and be objective observers of it?

What if the astrologers themselves are predestined to explain everything with the help of astrology. They are deprived of the opportunity to explain their system if they themselves are pawns of this system.

Systems that contradict one another. The problem of authority in astrology can be visualized if we take into account that there are many astrological systems that are diametrically opposed to each other. Western astrologers would interpret the horoscope differently than the Chinese astrologer.

Even in the West, there is no unity in interpretation among astrologers: let us recall, for example, that some number eight, and not twelve signs of the zodiac, and others fourteen or even twenty-four.

Given that astrologers use different systems, the same person can go to two astrologers and get completely opposite recommendations on the same day! This is not only a possibility, but a reality: contradictions are often found in astrological predictions in daily newspapers.

geocentric position. Astrologers start from the assumption that the planets revolve around the Earth, known as the "geocentric theory". The fallacy of this theory was shown by Copernicus, who proved that the planets revolve around the Sun, and not around the Earth ("heliocentric theory").

Since astrology is based on the geocentric theory rejected by science, it cannot be considered reliable. If the original proposition is false, then all its consequences are false, even helplessly reinterpreted on the basis of modern knowledge.

unknown planets. One of the major inconsistencies in astrology concerns the number of planets in our solar system. Most astrological charts are based on the assumption that it has seven planets (including the Sun and Moon)‚

In ancient times, Uranus‚ Neptune and Pluto were not known because they are not visible to the naked eye. Hence‚ astrologers based their system on seven planets which they considered to revolve around the earth. Since then, it has been proven that the center of our planetary system is the Sun, and not the Earth, and that there are three more planets in it.

Twins. A constant source of difficulty for astrologers is the birth of twins. If two people were born at the same time in the same place, then they must have exactly the same fate. Alas, this is not so, and experience shows that two people born at the same moment can live two completely different lives. For one, it can be quite successful, the other can be ruined, The difference in the fate of the twins shows another flaw in astrological theory.

Geographic limitation. A serious problem of astrology is connected with the limitedness of its geographical horizon. Astrology originated in countries close to the equator, and it did not take into account those who live in latitudes where certain signs of the zodiac do not appear at the prescribed time periods.

Michel Gauquelin points out: "Astrology, originating at relatively low latitudes, did not suggest the possibility that none of the planets could be visible (at high latitudes) for several weeks in a row."

And since this is so, one of the supporting pillars of astrology collapses. As Van Buskirk points out, "from a scientific point of view, astrology cannot be based even on its own assertion that the microcosm is influenced by the macrocosm if one of the microcosms (man) living above the 66th parallel is not influenced by the macrocosm."

Lack of scientific verification. Perhaps the most compelling argument against astrological predictions is that they have no scientific value. Paul Couderc, an astronomer at the Paris Observatory, after studying the horoscopes of 2817 musicians, came to the following conclusion:

"The position of the Sun makes absolutely no difference to music. Musicians are born randomly throughout the year. No zodiac sign or faction favors or harms them. We conclude: the assets of "scientific" astrology are zero‚ as well as commercial ones‚ Maybe it's sad, but it's true."

Wrong starting point. Another significant inconsistency in astrology is that horoscopes are based on the time of birth, not conception. Since all hereditary factors are determined at conception, it would be logical to assume that the planets begin to influence the fate of a person immediately from the moment of conception.

Constellation shift. The unscientific nature of astrology also confirms the phenomenon of precession or shifting of the constellations. Kenneth Bowe elaborates on this issue:

"Ancient astronomers did not know about precession and therefore did not take it into account in their systems. Initially, the twelve signs of the zodiac corresponded to twelve constellations with the same names. But due to the procession over the past 2000 years, the constellations have shifted by about 30 °. This means that the constellation Virgo is now under the sign of Libra, the constellation of Libra is under the sign of Scorpio, etc. Therefore, if a person was born on September 1, then astrologers place him under the sign of Virgo (the sign of the Sun on this day)‚ but in reality the Sun at this time is in the constellation of Leo‚ Thus‚ there are two different zodiacs: one moves slowly (sidereal zodiac)‚ the other is motionless (tropical zodiac)‚ From which zodiac should one proceed? .

bible and astrology

The Bible warns against trusting astrologers and astrology:

"You are weary of the multitude of your counsels; let the watchers of the heavens and the astrologers and the forerunners of the new moons come out and save you from what must happen to you, here they are, like straw" , the fire will burn them: they did not deliver their souls from the flame ... no one will not save you" (Isaiah 47:13-15).

Another similar instruction is found in Jeremiah 10:2: "Learn not the ways of the Gentiles, and fear not the signs of heaven, which the Gentiles fear." Elsewhere in the Bible it says, "Looking up into the sky, and seeing the sun, the moon, and the stars, and all the host of heaven, you should not be deceived and bow down to them and serve them" (Deuteronomy 4:19).

In the Book of Daniel, astrologers are compared with those who are devoted to the truth and to the living God. Its first chapter tells of Daniel and his three friends who were ten times taller and wiser than astrologers and occultists (see Dan 1:20) because they served the living and true God and not the stars. When the king had a dream, the magicians and astrologers could not explain it - only God had the answer, for only He alone can reveal the future (see Dan 2:27-28).

It is quite clear from the Bible that God severely condemns all types of astrological practice, as it seeks to penetrate into the future by occult means, and not through the Word of God.

Chapter 3

The Bible teaches about the existence of not only the devil, but also a large number of his servants - demons, demons, or evil spirits. Initially, these demons were holy, but together with their leader Satan, they fell away from God. Their end will be eternal judgment when God judges Satan and his host at the judgment of the Great White Throne (Rev 20:10-15).

Here are some characteristic properties of demons indicated in the Bible.

1. Demons are incorporeal spirits. "For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood‚ but against principalities‚ against authorities‚ against the rulers of the darkness of this world‚ against spirits of wickedness in high places" (Eph 6:12).

2. Initially the demons were in agreement with God. "And the angels who did not keep their dignity, but left their dwelling place, he keeps in eternal bonds, under darkness, for the judgment of the great day" (Jude 6).

3. Demons are numerous. "For Jesus said to him, Get out, unclean spirit, out of this man. And he asked him, What is your name? And he answered and said, My name is legion, because we are many" (Mk 5:8-9).

4. Demons are organized. "... He does not cast out demons except by the power of Beelzebub, the prince of demons" (Matthew 12:24).

5. Demons have supernatural power, "These are demonic spirits, doing signs: they go out to the kings of the earth of the whole universe, to gather them for battle on that great day of God Almighty" (Revelation 16:14).

6. Demons know about God. "And behold, they cried out: What have you to do with us, Jesus, Son of God, you have come here before the time to torment us" (Mt 8:29) ‚

7. Demons are allowed to roam the earth and torment unbelievers. “When an unclean spirit comes out of a person, it walks through waterless places, seeking rest, and does not find it then says: I will return to my house, from where I came out. spirits more evil than themselves, and having entered, dwell there: and the last thing for that man is worse than the first" (Mt 12:43-45).

8. Often demons cause sickness and physical injury‚ "When they were going out, they brought to Him a mute demon-possessed man‚ And when the demon had been cast out, the mute began to speak..." (Mt 9:32-33).

9. Demons can possess and control animals. "Jesus immediately allowed them. And the unclean spirits went out and entered into the pigs: and the herd rushed down the steep into the sea, and there were about two thousand of them: and they drowned in the sea" (Mk 5:13).

10. Demons can possess and control people. "...And some of the women whom he healed of evil spirits and diseases: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons went out" (Luke 8:2).

11. Demons can cause insanity. "And when He came out of the boat, immediately a man came out of the tombs met Him, possessed by an unclean spirit: he had a dwelling in the tombs, and no one could even bind him with chains ... Always, night and day, in the mountains and tombs," he shouted and struck against stones" (Mk 5:2-3, 5).

12. Demons know that Jesus Christ is God. “In their synagogue there was a man possessed by an unclean spirit, and he cried out: “Leave what is to you, Jesus of Nazareth! You have come to destroy us! I know you who you are, the Holy One of God" (Mk 1:23-24).

13. Demons tremble before God. "You believe that there is one God; you do well; even the demons believe, and tremble" (James 2:19)‚

14. Demons Spread False Teaching, "But the Spirit clearly says that in the last times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons" (1 Tim 4:1).

15. Demons oppose God's people, "For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against authorities, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spirits of wickedness in high places" (Eph 6:12).

16. Demons are trying to destroy the Kingdom of Christ‚ "Be sober‚ watch‚ because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour" (1 Peter 5:8).

17. God uses the deeds of demons to fulfill His divine purposes. And God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and between the inhabitants of Shechem, and the inhabitants of Shechem did not submit to Abimelech" (Judges 9:23).

18. God will judge the demons at the Last Judgment‚ "For if God did not spare the angels who sinned‚ but‚ having bound them with the bonds of hellish darkness‚ handed him over to watch for judgment for punishment..." (2 Peter 2:4).

Manifestations of demon attacks

(demonic attack)

According to the stories of the New Testament about demon possession and other sources, it is possible to outline some of the phenomena that are observed during a demonic attack.

A. Personality change

It concerns consciousness, moral character, behavior, appearance

B. Physical changes

1. Unnatural strength

2. Epileptic convulsions‚ foam on the lips

3. Loss of coordination of movements‚ fall

4. Blurred consciousness‚ insensitivity to pain

B. Mental changes

1. Glossolalia - understanding of unfamiliar languages ​​(a false gift, the opposite of the biblical one)

2. Unnatural knowledge

3. Psychic and occult power clairvoyance, telepathy, prophecy, etc.

D. Spiritual changes

1. Hatred of Christ and fear of Him: blasphemy and pity for him in a state of depression

2. The damaging effect of prayer

Chapter 4

Parapsychology is a modern branch of science or occultism, depending on who addresses it, Its goal is to put on strictly scientific ground a number of supernatural phenomena, traditionally classified as occult, Parapsychology tries to give scientific respectability to what has not yet been accepted seriously,

One of the most widely known branches of parapsychology has hitherto been extrasensory perception. Some kind of scientific or "paranormal" rationale has also been given to traditional witchcraft related to supernatural phenomena.

"However, many new communities of witches and sorcerers avoid the word 'supernatural' and prefer to speak of 'supernormal' or 'paranormal' phenomena. The laws of magic are seen as real‚ within the purview of modern science‚ but the emphasis is on pragmatic knowledge and practical use. magical laws, and not on their scientific analysis and evaluation.It can be said that in this sense there is a certain secularization of magic and its adaptation to the modern scientific, naturalistic worldview, So what was previously described in the literature on the occult as supernatural psychic forces ‚ is now becoming an example of extrasensory perception that could potentially be replicated and explored in a psychologist's lab."

In Parapsychology and the Nature of Life, John Randall writes:

"In the 1960s, parapsychology won a significant victory in its 90-year struggle for scientific recognition. On December 30, 1969, the Parapsychological Association was officially admitted as an affiliate member of the most prestigious organization of American scientists - the American Association for the Advancement of Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science). the Advancement of Science)... For the first time in its complex history, parapsychology was recognized as a full-fledged scientific direction.Now parapsychologists could present their work to the scientific community without fear of being ridiculed and rejected only because of their subject of research. "

The need for scientific research in this area is undeniable. However, approaching parapsychology as a science, one should find the most correct explanation for all the data and find out whether in this case we are talking about deception, occult phenomena, or really paranormal experience.

In most cases, one of the results of parapsychological research is a decrease in motivation to study the Bible. Indeed, the paranormal and supernatural in them are often considered completely isolated from the biblical foundation. In an interesting preface to Religion and the New Psychology, Olson Smith tells the story of a young woman he met while doing parapsychological research at Duke University:

"She was a discreet, intelligent girl from the Mid-South. She came to Duke intending to do religious work: in the Methodist church of her hometown she was a "local preacher" and often went to the pulpit. At the university she took up a number of sciences and lost much of her her former uncritical faith, she abandoned the idea of ​​becoming involved in religious activity and fell into a kind of gloomy agnosticism.

In the course of her work in the field of psychology, she discovered parapsychology - "the perilous transgression of psychology" - to which this book is dedicated. That was science, where she put her whole soul, because it dealt with the same spiritual world, about the same spiritual forces, as in her former, uncritical faith: in other terms, by other methods - but it was that same thing. The emotional vacuum created by the loss of her religious faith was filled: her new faith (though I don't think she called it that) satisfied her both intellectually and emotionally. Her work in the laboratory of parapsychology became for her a kind of religious service."

Smith offers a rather interesting explanation for the change that has taken place with this woman. He comments on the loss of the Christian faith and the emergence of a "parapsychological faith" as follows:

"It seems to me that her story is typical of millions of nominal Christians today. Her faith was shaken by mastering the scientific method (although she was shaken by many other reasons) - such a development did not benefit very many people. However, you need to master the scientific method - the achievements of science are too great to be ignored.

The significance of parapsychology for these millions lies in the fact that now it uses scientific methods and leads people in the direction of the spiritual world rather than away from it.

Scholars generally agree that the same phenomena can be considered both occult and parapsychological. However, many of them reject the biblical interpretation of such phenomena, considering them to be demonic. Often the new science of parapsychology discredits the biblical interpretation of facts.

For example, in the book Life, Death and Psychical Research, the authors question the biblical warnings against "sorcerers" and "calling spirits" found in Deuteronomy. They believe that this fragment does not prohibit the use of psychic (demonic) gifts in general, but that this prohibition was only a historical and traditionalist interpretation of the church, while the modern interpretation gives a biblical sanction to some, in fact, to all types of paranormal manifestations.

For example:

"The Deut. 18:9-12 prohibition is often regarded by superstitious, ignorant, and fearful people as a reason to oppose genuinely scientific research into the psyche by Christian scientists. In the past, innocent people were persecuted as sorcerers and witches or possessed by the devil. Others those who believed that his powers were of sacred origin were tortured to death.

This attitude continues to this day. Those who seek to manifest their psychic gifts are threatened with God's curse. Christians who delve into paranormal research are reminded that this is contrary to the teachings of the Bible, and they are forbidden to "get involved" in these matters.

While it is true that innocent people have been blamed in the past (think of the "Salem Witch Trials"), it would be a logical fallacy to conclude that Christians' historical interpretation of this passage of Scripture is wrong; in fact, both history‚ and proper interpretation of the Bible testify in favor of their position.

extrasensory perception

Extrasensory perception (ESP) is very popular today, ESP means recognizing something without the use of the senses.

Lynn Walker writes about ESP:

"Extrasensory perception is a term for the ability to know anything without the help of the senses. It includes precognition, which is sometimes called the "ESP of the future": telepathy - the transmission of a person's thoughts without the participation of the senses; clairvoyance - knowledge of objects or events out of sensory connection with them.