This is a very interesting topic, and quite controversial! There are truly godly people who recommend the Harry Potter books – saying they have Christian themes within them – and those who thoroughly oppose them. (I once wrote a negative review of the first 5 books titled, “REFLECTIONS OF A FORMER OCCULTIST, NOW THOROUGHLY CONVERTED TO CHRIST, ON HARRY POTTER”. I have yet to review the last.)

I am using that book as a culturally accepted presentation of witchcraft. I know nothing of D&D, save that the role-playing villainous characters, or even “good” characters who cast spells, is akin to role-playing adultery, etc – in my view. Ditto with the ouija board and its direct demonic activity.

But what about the books and movies which do not require such participation? (I am still pondering the view that acting per se is sinful – a view I saw espoused here on PB – and do not know.)

To me, who grew up in the sixties, with the drugs, Eastern spiritual paths, occult teachings (as in Theosophy, etc) functioning and being conscious in the spiritual or psychic realms is the cultural context I live in; in other words, the secular world of mere material reality is as a cardboard prop in denial of God’s world, with its angelic creatures, demonic invaders, and humans who ally themselves with God or His adversaries.

When I read the Lord of the Rings trilogy – as a Christian, but backslidden – it was a visionary work of sorts, even though an artistic literary production, and in the fantasy genre.

The reality I live in is not the “mere material reality” of many unbelievers. I live in, and participate in, the Global Arena of Consciousness, which is located on Apokalypse Field outside the gates of Eden. There is much occult stuff that goes on here – please note, “occult” comes from a Latin root which means simply hidden from view, as in occult carcinoma or occult blood in the stool, and could as easily apply to the hidden prayers and spiritual warfare of a saint as it could to a demonic practitioner, except for the common usage which refers it only to the demonic. But this is not how I use the term!

The world I occupy is filled with two kinds of people, the unregenerate, and the regenerate – or, in modern parlance, the living dead – zombie, vampire, werewolf – those covered with wondrous skin coverings but within are progeny of the Devil; and the children of light, daughters and sons of the Most High God, filled with His Spirit, and in fierce spiritual combat with the living dead, whom they nonetheless seek to win over to the Light. In the global arena – or the world stage – all manner of voices lifted up, as though a great gladiatorial combat of spiritual warriors, seeking to establish vision of the truth, of the real. Except for the politicians and military – who impact the physical realm greatly – most of the voices lifted up are in the occult and mental regions. This is the world I – and I must say we all, conscious of it or not – live in.

In our literature and film we love to project out of us the spiritual horror of the unregenerate – we as a species – and not own that inwardly this is our own reality. Vampires are but those who psychically drain the vitality of their fellows – sometimes mutually – and the werewolves are those who rage and devour the emotional lives of others. They are of the same line, only they have different feeding styles.

So this talk of occult stuff infiltrating the church is sort of misperceiving the reality. We live in the midst of the occult regions – and where the prime deception is the “New York Times mentality” of a proper world ordered and material in essence – with the task of the people of God being to give discernment of the true and the false in the occult. To herald the One who came into our world a Champion of Light, and rescuer of those turned monsters by the ancient and dread sting of death.

I personally believe there is a new age of presentation of the Gospel coming, one which does not deny or suppress the occult, but exposes it from within, revealing the horror, and the glory. And the church will be seen as a glorious entity dwelling in the midst of dark powers – Christ's own community of saints, the haven of the lost seeking His rescue.

__________________
Steve Rafalsky
Elder, International Evangelical Church (Reformed)
Limassol, Cyprus

"I am set for the defense of the gospel" (Philippians 1:17)

"Strengthened with all might, according to His glorious
power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness..." (Colossians 1:11)