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November/December 2000

The Rise of Paganism. New waves of occultism for Children. The Harry Potter books.

Dear Friends,

We wish you a blessed Christmas and a happy New Year. "In the beginning was the Word," says the apostle John, "and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God; all things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men." (John 1) Yes, Jesus was Life, eternal life. He vanquished sin and death. He was the door to everlasting joy. - He was Light. He dispelled fear, superstition, selfishness, envy and hatred. He made all things new, giving life to what was dead and light to what was dark. For 2000 years His light has shined in the world and changed it beyond recognition. The Bible calls Him the "Prince of life", the "bread of life", the "water of life", the "light of life", the "light of the world", a "light from above". He came to those who sit "in darkness and in the shadow of death." He came to rescue those who sink in the mire of sin. In Him they find new life, a life on the "rock", the "foundation".

Jesus Christ has also become the foundation of ethical culture. A culture is great or small, rich or poor, depending on how far He has penetrated it. Through Him our own culture, though marred by ungodliness, has ethics unequalled by any other religion. His Spirit makes it possible to "take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." (2 Cor. 10:5) Christians can "demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God." (2 Cor. 10:4-5) True believers have the "mind of Christ," (1 Cor. 2:16) a "sound mind." (2 Tim. 1:7) Where there are many sound minds, there is a superior culture, for its members understand reality on God's terms and know how to act according to His will.

The Rise of Paganism - Occultism for Children.
But with the decline of Christianity our perception of reality also declines. The sound mind becomes an unsound mind. Unsound minds produce unsound actions, and unsound actions cause turmoil. Because Christians have failed to resist ungodliness, humanistic, esoteric, and occult thinking has entered the hitherto Christian cultures. Godless people have targeted especially children and young people with age-old pagan ideas. By way of cartoons, computer games and toys they fill the minds of children with magic, monsters, and extra-terrestrials. 1) "Nurseries are in the tight grip of magicians and monsters," reads a headline in the German evangelical paper 'Topic.' "In the forefront are the Japanese Pokemon monsters, but the next monster wave is already on its way heading for Germany. In autumn the Digimons, digital monsters also from Japan, are to take over... As with the Pokemons the child has to collect 200 monsters in cards or other form. In play-fashion these are trained and sent into battle. Again it is the eternal duel between good and evil beings, in which the human player takes on a sort of magician's role.... As from next year the 'Monster Rangers' will be both on TV and in the toy shops... Children will have to fight with good monsters against evil monsters. Also next year the first part of the film-trilogy 'Lord of the Rings' will come into the cinemas. This phantasy-epic is based on the books of JRR Tolkien. It deals with beings from the beyond, with magical powers. As from early 2001 the German Television children's programme will present 52 half-hour episodes of a series called "satanic-archaeological-ingenius-lying-alcohol-hellish wish-punch" (Satanarchäo-lügenialkohöllischen Wunschpunsch). "This will be a subtle introduction to black magic wrapped in a fairy tale cloak." 2) - There is no need to add that what is happening in Germany today will be in South Africa tomorrow. One psychiatrist warns, that as a result of these toys and visuals, "ever more young people find it difficult to differentiate between reality and phantasy." 3) The Bible says that such preoccupation with occult powers will lead to darkened minds, "dishonourable passions, shameful acts, and all manner of wickedness." (Rom. 1:18-32)

There are other introductions to the occult. The "Harry Potter" books of the English author Joanne K Rowling, for instance, feature an orphaned teen-ager who is studying at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He learns to use a magic wand, cast spells, ride a broom, mix potions, tell fortunes, etc. The Harry Potter books are so popular that the first 3 publications reached a world distribution of 30 million copies. They have been translated into 27 languages in 130 countries. Children have literally become addicted to them. The 4th book: "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire," came out in July 2000, the highest ever first edition of five million copies in England and USA. It tells of the "Triwizard Tournament" between three wizardry schools, English, French, and Bulgarian. The three champions are selected by a magic Goblet of Fire. But mysteriously, the goblet also ejects Harry Potter's name. He is too young for the dangerous tournament and fears that someone wants to kill him. His first task is to fetch a golden egg from under a fierce dragon. The second is to release young hostages held by lake mermaids. The third is to bring back the Triwizard Cup from a dread-filled maze. Harry's fellow school champion Cedric touches the cup first, but it is bewitched and he is killed on the spot by the evil disembodied Lord Voldemort. This villain then transports Harry to a graveyard. He takes some of Harry's blood for a magic potion which allows him, "the dark Lord," to "rise again". Having received his body back, he tries to kill Harry with the help of "death eaters". But the spirits of Harry's dead parents and other Voldemort victims save Harry's life.

One might ask: What is the difference between this and other fairy tales? In traditional fairy tales the evil witch, dragon, or giant, is always vanquished. Good always conquers evil. The hero trusts in God and wins love through goodness and courage. - The readers of Harry Potter books, however, get a concentrated diet of goblins, ghosts, hexes, and spells without any reference to right and wrong. Magic and occult practices, fearful and creepy things, are presented as normal. Though there are good and evil characters in the story, there is, as concerns the magic itself, no dividing line between good and evil, beauty and ugliness, light and darkness. The child is lulled into accepting the abnormal as normal, and is ultimately in danger of drifting into Satanism. Significantly, practising Wicca witches in the USA are delighted with the Harry Potter books. "If somebody wants to write about us as being fun, interesting, magical people," said one, "we don't mind that at all." 4)

Much of this occultism has pseudo-Christian traits. For instance the most powerful of the 151 Pokemon monsters are "Mew" and "Mewtu". Mew is claimed to possess almighty mental power. He is described as being from the beginning. Mewtu is a copy of Mew cloned from his eyebrow. He is evil and wants to rule the world. He fights against Mew and his good Pokemons. Mew is clearly patterned on God and his angels, while Mewtu parallels Satan and his demons. In the film version they fight over control of the future of the world. "God" is not able to overcome "Satan". The Pokemon trainer Ash dies in battle. But the tears shed for him by good and evil Pokemons alike raise him to life again. As with Harry Potter's Lord Voldemort, the magic tears/potion effect a "resurrection".

Through toys, games, and entertainment children thus learn to accept and live with monsters, with fear, nightmares, and spiritual darkness. Through enticing stories they are shown that magical beings can be manipulated to help and save them. Deprived of Christian teaching at school, bombarded with occult teachings, how can the next generation grow up into sane and God-fearing adults? How can the heirs of a Christian civilisation walk in the Light when they have been raised on a diet of darkness? The Bible says: "Do not be deceived; God is not mocked, for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap." (Gal. 6:7) Though you and I do not sow wrong seeds ourselves, we allow others to sow them. Occult seeds are sprouting in little souls and will make them "futile in their thinking". (Romans 1:21) Parents must therefore protect their children's souls and watch over their minds. They must implant the love of God into their hearts. They must heed their baptismal vows to "bring up their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord." (Eph. 6:4) They must guard their little ones against evil influences and teach them with all urgency the law of God and salvation of Christ, the only living Lord. (Deut. 6:4-19)

Jesus Christ is the "power of God and the wisdom of God," (1 Cor. 1:24). "In him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily." (Col. 2:9) His Gospel is "the power of God for salvation." (Rom 1:16) Though being God, He became Man to bring this salvation to mankind. He removes the guilt of our past. He gives victory over our sin. He sets the prisoner free. He gives sure hope of eternal life. This is what the angel meant when he said: "Be not afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which will come to all the people; for to you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord." (Luke 2:10)

May God give you His light and life this Christmas season, and may you enjoy love, joy and peace in the New Year.
O may we keep and ponder in our mind God's wondrous love in saving lost mankind!
Christ, who was born upon this joyful day, around us all his glory shall display.
Saved by his love, unceasing we shall sing
Eternal praise to heaven's almighty King.

May God bless you richly,
D. Scarborough.

Footnotes:
1) See also: P Phillips, Turmoil in the Toybox, 1986; J & H Gardiner, How safe is my Child, 1991; K. O'Brien, Innocence Corrupted, 1992; to name
but 3 publications on the spiritual dangers to children.
2) Topic No. 9/2000
3) The Japanes psychiatrist Takahashi, commenting on the increasing degradation of Japanese youth, says that 60% of Japanese high school pupils have
sunk into a comic and video world, and video games have inspired crime. The Japanese Government intends tightening up the law, encouraging
moral admonition, and concentrating anew on teaching Confucianism.
4) Jane Raeburn, 35, a writer in Wells, Maine, who has been practising Wicca for 10 years.