The Paranormal

An interesting name for a journal entry, eh?  I venture here to offer some thoughts on the world's, and the church's, fascination with ghosts, demons, UFOs and other paranormal activity.

When one browses through the TV schedule you will find shows like Ghost Hunters, Ghost Hunters International, MonsterQuest, Destination Truth, Haunted History, and even one marketed to kids called The Othersiders.  This is only a thumbnail of the dozens of shows covering the paranormal.

These shows seek to find evidence of paranormal activity using personal experiences and electronic/video equipment to capture activity and either confirm or debunk through evidence.  They have caught some legitimate experiences and very compelling video and audio.

Many of us have had paranormal experiences that we can't explain.  Children are especially susceptible and frequently report things to their parents only to be dismissed with "Oh, you are just imagining things."  I am grateful that my parents, as informed Christians, didn't do this to me growing up.  Because of their understanding, I grew up with an ability to discern, process, and deal with these experiences.

In pastoral ministry, I have often been called to people's homes to pray and "clean out" demonic entities.  Through these dealings, the Scriptures, personal experiences, my parent's teaching, and deliverances of individuals, I have learned much and been blessed to share with others.

I want to state a few beliefs, based on my understanding at this point, that can serve to open up dialogue:

1.  There are no such things as ghosts or aliens.  When someone sees or experiences legitimate entities there are only a few possibilities.  There are 4 types of spirits: human, demonic, angelic, and the Holy Spirit.  Human spirits, when disembodied, do not remain "with us."  Sorry Ghost Whisperer fans...you've been duped. Demonic spirits often parade as humans who are deceased.  This is called a familiar spirit.  It is only mimicking the one that has passed on. 

2.  What some have seen as "alien abductions" are actually demonic, supernatural experiences often under the oversight of Satanists and witches.  These visitations open people up to all kinds of misconceptions about the supernatural and are partially meant to keep them in fear and away from the truth of Christ.

3.  There is only one answer to demonic activity: Jesus Christ.  No amount of "other help" like psychics, mediums, or paranormal investigators will deal with the problems. The believer in Jesus has authority to deal in the spiritual realm with demonic spirits.  As we grow in our understanding of Satan's schemes, our effectiveness in using our authority in Christ increases.

Give me some feedback on this one.  I want to get other's perspectives.

Comments

[Dee]

Interesting post. I think in this country we tend to discount paranormal.

[Carol Mc]

There seems to be an ever increasing interest in all things paranormal. I thought it may die down, but, no, it appears to be increasing. Young Adult book tables are filled with the stuff. Every genre seems to have a paranormal or the supernatural storyline. Blah. I am getting a bit tired of it all. It would appear many authors feel the need to get on board. The movie theatre promos for upcoming movies - the same.

Good Post. Not a lot of dialogue out there speaking the truth.