The supernatural powers of man. How to know your supernatural abilities

Incredible Facts

Scientists have proven that the human brain can function at 100% even when solving the simplest tasks. The question arises: what are the possibilities of the human mind? At times, interesting and ambiguous reports appear about phenomena that we do not understand, as well as about people who, in their opinion, have unusual abilities.

In most cases, scientists and various kinds of researchers only state data, and it depends on us whether to believe in a person's superpowers or not .

healing

A healer is a person who is able to see and understand all forms of illness, whether it be physical or psychological deviations from the norm. Such people feel the pain of others.

Almost all traditional healers enjoy biokinesis(ability to manage alien organism) , allowing them to control organic tissue. Thus, they heal themselves and others.

The downside to this ability is that some healers can become so sensitive to others' ailments that they themselves become ill with the same ailment. In addition, one folk healer, having cured his "colleague", may lose his gift forever.

There are many people with such abilities. They usually become doctors or nurses. But still, most people who are able to heal without the use of medications and surgical interventions go into the so-called alternative medicine.

Important! Remember that not all diseases can be cured through methods traditional medicine, while the delay associated with untimely diagnosis and improper treatment can cost the patient his life!

Brazilian healer

Joao Teixeira is a Brazilian healer who treats thousands of people every day. The cure takes place in an extremely interesting way: the healer performs complex surgical operations without medication, while the blood is practically invisible.

Juan is able to cure serious diseases with the help of psychological suggestion. According to the healer, his abilities are due to the intervention of higher beings who use the body of Juan. He believes that he is mediated by the souls of the once deceased healers, doctors or hypnotists.

Russian healer

Juna is a well-known Russian healer, psychic and recognized phenomenon. Her superpowers were investigated by Soviet scientists, who failed to explain this anomaly.

Juna has an extremely strong energy, with the help of which she affects biological field person, fills him with energy and heals the body. Her healing operations are based on non-contact massage (keeping hands at a distance from the body).

American healer

Edgard Casey was probably the most amazing person of the twentieth century. This is a great healer and clairvoyant, thanks to which many people in the world believed in forces and phenomena that are inexplicable from the point of view of science.

All diagnostics and predictions were made by Casey in a state of trance. According to the healer, during a hypnotic sleep, he got into the "Akasha Chronicles" - the energy-information sphere of the Earth, where all the present, past and future of a person are recorded.

Xenoglossia

Xenoglossia is a phenomenon due to which some people can understand foreign languages without previously studying them. There are people who born with such a gift, while many can spend a lot of time and energy on learning foreign languages.

lightning strike

Nikolay Alexandrovich Lipatov from the Vologda region in 1978 he was struck by lightning and miraculously survived, but the miracles did not end there. Unexpectedly for himself and those around him, he became fluent in three European languages.

After the car crash

Gennady Sergeevich Smirnov from the Tula region in 1987, being a pensioner, he was pressed by a truck trailer to the fence, and when he was clamped, he hit his head hard. The very next day he began to speak german, who was completely unknown before.

Clairvoyance

Clairvoyance is the ability to see the unknown. Such people can be in one place and know what is happening in a completely different place at a very great distance.

Clairvoyants see the future, the past, and the present. As a rule, their psychic abilities based on the vision of any episodes from the lives of other people.

Notable clairvoyants

Lev Tolstoy - Russian writer, mystic and clairvoyant, whose desire for holiness and truth became an example for many.

Vanga - the world-famous Bulgarian clairvoyant.

Gurzhdiev - a famous Russian clairvoyant, mystic. He worked for several intelligence agencies at the same time during the Second World War.

Dmitri Ivanovich Mendeleev famous for his chemical table, which is now used by the whole world. However, the story of the creation of this table, which he saw in a dream, is no less interesting.

Important! Today, even the most zealous skeptics do not exclude the existence of the gift of clairvoyance. However, before you go to the clairvoyant, think about the fact that you can be easily deceived, because it's no secret to anyone that in modern world various kinds of divination and predictions are profitable business, and most of the "sorcerers", "magicians" and "fortune-tellers" are ordinary charlatans.

empathy

An empath is a person who feels the emotions of another. This ability is more common in children. , who are very perceptive to the world and the people around them. This power may disappear with age, but there are people who manage to hold the ability all their lives.

As a rule, empaths aspire to become teachers and consultants, since their calling is to help other people. In essence, an empath can be compared to a good psychologist, and if you add logic to the ability to understand people, then many of us can confidently be called a kind of empath.

Most empaths constantly worry periods of depression caused by the negative emotions of other people taking over them. People with such abilities must learn to block the emotions of others so as not to absorb the negativity of others, and also surround themselves with positive people.

Energy vampirism

Energetic vampire- this is a person who, when in contact with other people, uses their energy (feeds on it), while he does this most often unconsciously.

Such people try to surround themselves with as many friends, acquaintances and colleagues as possible in order totakethey have life force. They are able to read the thoughts of others, which they can use for selfish purposes.

All this makes the energy vampire able to dominate others.

P.S. Today, every second person can be called an energy vampire, since modern life is filled with negative emotions and interacting with people we don't always like. In addition, we have forgotten how to enjoy everyday things: the smile of a child, the bright sun overhead.

pyrokinesis

Pyrokinesis is the ability of a person to cause fire with the power of thought. Also, these people can amplify an already burning flame.

There are two main forms of this power.

fire like heat

A person with this type of pyrokinesis can provoke fire outbreak. Moreover, for each such person, the created fire has an individual visual form. The created flame can burn anyone except the one who creates it.

it very dangerous force which is widespread in last years. People with pyrokinesis have difficulty managing their emotions and may become angry for unknown reasons.

fire like light

This form of pyrokinesis is a fireball of energy that generates light. People who create such energy know how to control their emotions. This energy flow similar to the light of the sun or the light of a light bulb.

Spontaneous combustion in Australia

It should be noted that cases of spontaneous combustion of people are not uncommon. Similar phenomena are regularly recorded that cannot be explained from the point of view of science or physiology.

In the Australian city of Brisbane in 1996, a naked girl ran out into the street screaming wildly. When she calmed down a bit, she said that she had come with her boyfriend to this city for the weekend.

Her friend went to take a bath and she went to bed. Then he went out, lay down next to her in bed and suddenly lit up turned to dust in a minute.

Spontaneous combustion in Peru

The rector of the church in the city of Orellano (Peru) in 1993 read a sermon to his flock. When he began to read about the fiery hyena that awaits sinners in Heaven, he screamed terribly and turned into fire club.

Parishioners in horror rushed to flee from the church. When they returned, they found a completely intact priest's clothes, in which there was only ashes.

Spontaneous combustion in Spain

A resident of Madrid Roberto Gonzalez in 1998 listened to a toast on own wedding, flared up suddenly and in less than a minute turned to ashes. Hundreds of people witnessed the tragedy, but the elements of fire did not affect anyone else and nothing.

The nature of such phenomena studied by scientists has not been established to this day.

Illusionism

An illusionist is a person who can change the structure of molecules in objects. This can be used to mask something.

Some illusionists use consciousness, to create an illusion while others prefer specific items, rather their movement in space. Many people compare illusionists with magicians, since both of them are artists whose main goal is to capture the attention of the viewer and believe in the impossible. But! Illusionists use the subconscious delusions of a person to achieve their goal, and conjurers use sleight of hand. As a result, neither one nor the other (according to scientists) have nothing to do with magic and supernatural abilities.

As a rule, the best illusionists use their gift for personal enrichment and glorification (an example is David Copperfield), or find use for their abilities in psychiatric institutions, trying to help people with mental disorders.

Levitation

Levitation is an ability that allows a person to raise his body above the ground, that is, to fly (such a gift requires a great concentration of strength and energy). However, examples of objects levitating are more common.

medieval levitation

Messages about this mysterious phenomenon have been known since the dark Middle Ages. So, Joseph Cupertinsky, a member of the French Order, was mentioned as "often rising and hanging in the air", causing shock to the public.

Levitation in Mexico

There is information that such "flying people" can move long distances unexpectedly for themselves. So, in October 1953, a man in military uniform who spoke to passers-by in a foreign language.

Later it turned out that this was a Filipino who, in a few seconds, was transported from Manila, where he was guarding the governor's palace. The locals were delighted with the balloonist and gave him a warm welcome.

Levitation in India

Such flights did not always end successfully. So, a worker of the Portuguese colony in India in 1655 instantly flew to his homeland in Portugal. For breaking the rules god-given", the Inquisition decided to burn him at the stake.

Interesting Facts! according to some scientific research, levitation is explained by the ability of individuals to reduce their own weight in a way unknown to science. The only thing that scientists cannot understand is how this can be done.

Suggestion

The art of suggestion is the ability to control the minds of others. This is a very dangerous power, because people who possess it are able to influence the actions of others with the power of thought.

Wolf Messing

To give a person certain thought, verbal contact is not necessary, since it affects a person’s thoughts at a distance. This technique was mastered by the hypnotist Wolf Messing.

He could keep a person under hypnosis while being on the long distances from it, hundreds of kilometers away.

Thanks to his extraordinary abilities, Messing gained fame as a magician and wizard. They tried to use his talent powers of the world this for your purposes.

It was because of his hypnotic sessions that he managed to anger Hitler, and even so much that he promised huge money for the capture of the magician.

Wolf Messing said that he acquired the ability of hypnosis through long training. The hypnotist was sure that all people have the ability to inspire thoughts, you just need to develop such abilities in yourself.

Regeneration

Regeneration is a person's ability to heal himself in a short time. Known cases tissue regeneration in sick people without the use of methods of treatment of modern medicine. At the same time, they experience physical pain in the process of regeneration. This ability is explained by the fact that the brain can influence the process of repairing body tissues.

Some sources describe amazing, but unlikely cases of immortality of such people, who allegedly can be killed in only one way: by cutting off the head so that their brain cannot restore the body. Of course, these are all rumors, but as they say, "there is no smoke without fire." Therefore, the question of the existence of people capable of regenerating themselves remains open.

see spirits

Gift see spirits actually very common, but not everyone uses it. Distinguish between harmless spirits and evil spirits. Some mediums can physically interact with ghosts, which is not always safe.

Some people who have this ability are afraid of spirits, others use this and contact with them.

The best mediums

Edmund Gurney (1847-1888) - the author of the book "Living Ghosts", was sure that the soul of a person can appear to other people 12 hours before death and the same amount after. He claimed that such visions are the final astral flight of the dying person.

Sir William Barrett (1844-1925) was 37 years professor of physics at the Royal College of Science in Dublin. He said the following: "I am absolutely convinced that those who once lived on earth can communicate with us."

Oliver Lodge (1851-1940) known for his studies of life after death. He began studying this phenomenon in the 1880s. From 1901 to 1903 he was president of the Society for Psychical Research. Oliver Lodge is also the author of Raymond, or

Life and Death", which deals with contacts with the spirit of his son Raymond, after his death at the front.

Lycanthropy

Lycanthropy is a paranormal phenomenon that causes metamorphosis in the body, due to which a person turns into another creature (most often a wolf). Many werewolves change into only one specific animal.

But! Scientists call lycanthropy special mental state, in which a person, although he considers himself a werewolf, but in fact he is not, because he does not modify his physical form. At the same time, the lycanthrope is extremely dangerous for society, since it shows aggression and indomitable strength.

werewolf stories

According to legend, in the middle of 1760, in one in the central parts of France, a certain beast scared local residents. Cattle and people began to disappear every day. Witnesses described him as a wolf large sizes giving it a name Lou Garou . They tried to shoot him, but the werewolf turned out to be immortal. It all ended with the hunters killing him with a silver bullet right in the heart.

Robert Fortney from Michigan in 1938 encountered creatures that looked like werewolves. As he claimed, five animals attacked him at once. He even shot one of them, but he was seized with horror when the most ferocious beast stood up on its hind legs and looked at him with a grin.

Let's take a relatively recent case. Truck Driver Scott On August 27, 2005, he reported a strange incident on the radio, and the director of the company, Jan Punnett, had already told everyone about what had happened. Moving along the highway, the driver saw some animal tormenting a dead deer on the side of the road. According to him, the beast was not like any known: a mixture of a wolf and a monkey.

To date, such a wide popularity of lycanthropy is facilitated by a huge number of films about werewolves and vampires.

Telekinesis

Telekinesis is the ability to move objects with the power of the mind. This ability requires an understanding of energies, which few people can learn.

This people concentrate on the object, which encourages it to move without being touched. People who know how to learn telekinesis practice a lot and do not stop there. They can even do this all their lives and not really master this ability.

Telekinesis in France

The recorded case of telekinesis occurred with a French woman Angelique Cotten at the age of 14. On January 15, 1846, she and three of her friends were embroidering. Suddenly, the embroidery fell out of the hands of the girls, and the lamp flew into a corner.

Her friends did not hesitate to blame Angelica for what had happened, since strange events often occurred in her presence: furniture moved away or chairs flew around the room.

Telekinesis in Russia

The most famous case of telekinesis in the history of Russia is called the "Kulagina phenomenon". In the sixties of the last century, experiments were carried out with the participation of Ninel Sergeevna Kulagina , which made objects move and changed the trajectory of their movement.

It's no secret that people are always interested in the unknown. The most mysterious creatures arouse genuine interest, and also influence legends and folklore. 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 in 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 vampire ancient rome.

Ultimately shtrigs are dead mythical creatures, but using the life force of the killed families, prolongs its 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 with 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 wielding black magical powers, 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 black dogs are also mentioned, which were sacrificed to call 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 guide to afterworld. 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 folk stories different peoples 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 reservoir. 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. Are in connection with evil spirit, and when a person is sick, they appear next to him in the form 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. different 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.

As a result of my communication with people who are fond of esotericism, occultism and other, as they call them, supernatural things, I noticed that they divide the world into natural, i.e. in their understanding, knowable with the help of science and supernatural, in the explanation of which science is powerless. Such an approach, alas, speaks of a complete misunderstanding of the essence of what science actually does and what it is all about. Therefore, in this article I would like to explain it.

First of all, it is necessary to refute the common misconception that science explains anything. This is not so and it is absolutely not included in its functions. Indeed, what is an explanation in the common sense? This is just a reduction of something new or incomprehensible to a form in which this new or incomprehensible becomes familiar and thereby creates the illusion of understandability. For example, in the past, many people wondered why bodies fall down and all sorts of philosophical explanations were invented for this - bodies fall because. everything came from the earth and therefore stretches back, as well as many other similar profound philosophical explanations that have no practical meaning.

With the advent of Newton's theory of gravitation, the fall of bodies to the ground began to be explained by the action of gravity, and this explanation, which became familiar over time, was firmly rooted in the minds of people. But if you look closely at this explanation in itself ( those. without patterns identified by Newton and recorded by him in mathematical form), you can see that it is no better than the philosophical explanations that existed before Newton. And, it should be noted that Newton himself was perfectly aware of this.

So to the question, what kind of force is this and how can this gravitational force be transmitted through empty space, he answered - "I do not invent hypotheses!" It follows that major achievement Newton was not what he called or explained ( by the way, as a smart person, he didn’t explain it at all) a phenomenon in which bodies fall down and are attracted to each other ( would he call it instead of gravity, for example "longing bodies for each other" or somehow the essence of this would not change), but the fact that he deduced certain patterns clothed by him in a mathematical form, with the help of which he, having certain information ( mass of bodies, distance between them, etc.) could give correct predictions. Thus, the main goal of science is to give, on the basis of available data, the most accurate forecasts possible at the present time, and it is absolutely unimportant in what area.

What many in science take for explanations is actually either a description of the technique by which these predictions are actually made, or a description of the mental constructions or models by which this predictive technique was developed. With understanding as such, neither one nor the other has anything in common. So, for example, the laws of quantum mechanics contradict ordinary human logic, and therefore it cannot be said that anyone understands them or can explain them. But this in no way prevents us from using all the same laws of quantum mechanics to predict the results. scientific experiments with a high degree of accuracy.

In fact, one can say that any theory is the more scientific, the more accurate predictions within the theoretically possible maximum accuracy it gives. In other words, science is what works. From this point of view, Einstein's theory of relativity is better than the classical Newtonian theory only in that it gives more accurate predictions and this is most pronounced at speeds approaching light. As a result of the above, it becomes clear why the scientific approach to increasing, say, fertility, expressed in the use of fertilizers, etc. better than the occult, expressed in offerings to all sorts of gods of fertility and all sorts of religious rituals. It's only better because it's much more productive.

Productivity is determined by statistical studies. And if statistical studies have shown that offerings to fertility gods and various religious rituals would be more effective than the methods currently used by science, then the above-mentioned "supernatural" methods would be recognized in the scientific community as completely scientific and would cease to be supernatural due to this recognition .

Another thing is that the scientific approach is a very pedantic and meticulous thing, and therefore many studies would be carried out determining, for example, the relationship between various types of offerings to the gods of the harvest and the percentage increase in the yield as a result of this. After that, in the end, as a result of numerous experiments, a summary table would be compiled, in which there would be clear recommendations to which deity, in what form, what and when offerings should be made in order to achieve the most favorable ratio of resources spent and time to the harvest obtained. .

As for the same rituals, many dissertations would certainly have been defended, in which, for example, the dependence of the harvest on the duration of ritual chants, etc., would be considered. Those. in this case, the same painstaking scientific work without any admixture of mysticism or anything supernatural. From all that has been said, it follows that the very principle of the organization of science makes such a concept as "supernatural" meaningless. either something has a place to be and works, and then science deals with it, or this something simply does not exist, and then there is nothing to talk about.

True, there is one frequently encountered objection from supporters of the supernatural, that in its field there are still things that work, but, nevertheless, are not recognized by science. For example, we can talk about healing through prayer, etc. To begin with, I would like to give the following example. Suppose we find some savage and teach him how to drive a tractor. At the same time, we will justify all the necessary actions for driving as rituals necessary to please, for example, some spirits that actually live in this iron beetle. We will also tell the savage that before and after driving, he must read a special prayer composed by us and perform a ritual dance, otherwise the spirits can break out of the iron beetle and kill him.

Thus, we have a ritual system that works fine - a tractor is driven by a savage, but which is not fully scientific. And now we will find out why. It's all about the well-known Occam's razor, which does not order to multiply entities beyond necessity and with the help of which science cuts off everything superfluous that does not affect the final result. In fact, the tractor would drive fine even without the prayers and ritual dances of the savage, and in general the idea that spirits are sitting inside the tractor is in no way necessary for its operation, in contrast to at least a superficial understanding of the diesel engine and the principles of driving. Likewise, healings through prayer, various states of religious trance and ecstasy, etc. are perfectly described within the framework of psychosomatics, placebo studies and other traditional areas of science.

And finally, let's consider the last objection of the supporters of the "supernatural", which boils down to the fact that many, including world-famous scientists, were not alien to the fascination with the supernatural. In fact, if you look closely, you can understand that there is no contradiction in this. It is only necessary to pay attention to the fact that it was in those areas in which the above-mentioned scientists strictly followed the scientific approach that they achieved results that made them world famous scientists. It can hardly be expected that a person who has an outstanding talent and sound mind in one area will have an equally outstanding talent in all other areas. So a person who is an outstanding physicist may well carry complete nonsense in the field, for example, biology or economics, well, or get involved in something occult. But he will receive outstanding results in the field of physics only as long as he does not deviate from scientific approach, which consists in identifying patterns that make it possible to give the most accurate predictions possible at the moment based on the available data.

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TV series Supernatural season 14 will consist of 20 episodes, instead of the usual 23. Is this a sign of the approaching end of the series? At this point, Supernatural has indeed reached the rarefied airwaves in television history. Detractors might say that the series is no longer as high quality as it was in its glory days, but not many shows are lucky enough to last even two full seasons, much less 14.

Perhaps the biggest contributor to Supernatural's support is the absolutely unwavering support of its dedicated fans. The fans went along with the heroes of the series through good and bad times, and show no signs of changing anytime soon. After more than a decade on the air, Supernatural is still at the top of the chart when it comes to the CW's highest airings, and that's very rare with other shows.

Will Supernatural season 14 be the last?

However, all good things must come to an end, and eventually this must happen with Supernatural as well. Some fans may be happy to see Sam and Dean Winchester continue their adventure into the Middle Ages, but it looks like this might be too far a bridge. Now, according to TV Line, Supernatural season 14 will only consist of 20 episodes, slightly short of the CW's usual 23 episodes. Could this be a sign that the series created by Eric Kripke is ending? Maybe.

While the three-episode cut might not seem like a huge change - and for most shows it probably won't be very remarkable - Supernatural has always stuck to 23 episodes per season since season 7. That's a long time to maintain a consistent picture. to then suddenly deviate from it. In fact, the only season of Supernatural that was shorter than season 14 was season 3, which was only 16 episodes long. But there was a reason for that - the shortened season was caused by a Hollywood writers' strike.

Are there any other reasons why Supernatural Season 14 has fewer episodes?

To be fair, Supernatural season 14 is shorter than previous seasons, maybe for a more mundane reason. The show's stars Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles are married and fathers of families, perhaps they just decided to ask The CW for more free time than they used to get in order to spend more time with their families.

However, both men have said in the past that 300 episodes will be good number to finish Supernatural, and season 14 will come close to that mark. Can the writers and producers of Supernatural tell The CW that they're ready to end the series, and plan to do so with a longer but busier season? It's possible, and the fact that The CW turned down a comment on a reduced TV Line order seems curious.

The supernatural usually has a significant presence at San Diego Comic-Con, so it might be revealed next month why. Supernatural season 14 shorter than the previous ones.

Josh McDowell

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‚ Registered in Russia in 1992 as non-profit organization‚ "New Life" helps to 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" names three the most important characteristics 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, 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 if 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 needs to 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 classifying many unexplained phenomena as 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."

"The 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 religious‚ especially those who have 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 (v. 8).

5. They deliberately seek to turn potential converts from the faith‚ and in this they the main objective(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 ancient teaching which states that the positions of the stars and planets have a direct influence on people and events. It is assumed that life path man 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 prominent American scientists, including eighteen Nobel laureates‚ spoke out against the "pretentious statements of astrological charlatans" ‚ pointing out, among other things, that there is no scientific basis for the assumption of the prognostic 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 the victims of their own system. They cannot be the authority to explain them. own world. If everything is predetermined by the signs of the zodiac, 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, for another it can be ruined, The difference in the fates 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 his attendants are 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 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, you 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. And when he comes, he finds him unoccupied, swept and cleaned, then he goes and takes with him seven 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 Teachings "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 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 on the Last Judgment“For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but bound them with the bonds of hellish darkness, handed them over to be watched 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 a strictly scientific basis whole line supernatural phenomena, traditionally attributed to the occult, Parapsychology tries to give scientific respectability to what has not been taken seriously until now.

One of the most widely known branches of parapsychology has hitherto been extrasensory perception. Some kind of scientific or "paranormal" justification was received and related to supernatural phenomena traditional witchcraft.

"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 reproduced and explored in a psychologist's laboratory."

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 of 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 her Methodist church hometown she was a "local preacher" and frequently took to the pulpit. At the university, she took up a number of sciences and in many ways lost her former uncritical faith. She gave up the idea of ​​engaging 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 devoted. 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 in this woman, the loss of Christian faith and the emergence of "parapsychological faith" he comments 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 that refers to the ability to know anything without the help of the senses. It includes providence (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.