Two Great Spiritualistic Deceptions

Eve did not design to rebel against God. However, in believing Satan’s lie, she distrusted God, and so came under the penalty of the law, which is death. We, in the judgment, will be held responsible for believing the truth and using opportunities to learn what is truth.

Satan’s great lie is that disobedience to God does not result in death, but rather will lead to a higher level of existence, and a broader field of knowledge. Had he (the serpent) not received this higher level of existence? Did he not now have the power of speech from eating the fruit? ¹⁰⁾ White, E.G., Patriarchs and Prophets, op. cit., p. 54. He promised them that they would become wise like God.

Satan tempts men to disobedience by leading them to believe they are entering a wonderful field of knowledge. But this is all a deception. ¹¹⁾ Ibid., p. 55.

So, the first use of a medium, to gain man’s attention and then to draw him into rejecting God’s instructions, plunged the human race into sin and under the penalty of death. Satan has used the same pattern of deception since the fall of man. We are warned that the deception of the devil will be world-wide and greatly increased in power at the end of this world’s history. Christ foretold this in Mark 13:22.

For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall show signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect.

In Matthew chapters 24 and 25 we have an enlarged recording of the conversation referenced above in Mark 13. When asked by the disciples about signs of His coming and the end of the age, He not only spoke of certain physical signs, but the real emphasis was on the great deceptions that were to come, so as to lead the saints astray. The parables appearing in these chapters are there to support the message of warning, to not be deceived. He said that even the elect might be deceived. The entire passage of these two chapters is making the point that deception will be almost overwhelming and could cost us eternal life, deception that would cause us to reject salvation through Jesus Christ and follow the Prince of this world, Satan, unknowingly. Paul, too, warned of the great deception to come:

Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world and not after Christ. (Colosians2:8).

E.G. White, in the book Spiritual Gifts Vol. 4, p. 87, refers to this verse as especially referring to the great spiritual deception that is to occur at the end of time.

Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders.” (II Thessalonians 2:9). And no marvel: for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works. (II Corinthians 11:14, 15).

Paul also warned Timothy:

Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils. (I Timothy 4:1).

John, three times in the book of Revelation, wrote about this deception to come:

And he doeth great wonders, so that he makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, and deceives them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which head power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live. (Revelation 13:13, 14).

And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. (Revelation 16:13, 14).

And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. (Revelation 19:20).

Mrs. White adds this warning concerning events of the last days:

The last great delusion is soon to open before us. Antichrist is to perform his marvelous works in our sight. So closely will the counterfeit resemble the true that it will be impossible to distinguish between them except by the Holy Scriptures. By their testimony every statement and every miracle must be tested. ¹²⁾ White, E.G., The Great Controversy, Pacific Press Publishing Association, Nampa, Idaho, (1888), p. 593.

There will be a false revival. Paul, in his second letter to the Thessalonians, points to the special working of Satan in spiritualism as an event to take place immediately before the second advent of Christ. Speaking of Christ’s second coming, he declares that it is

…after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders. ¹³⁾ King James Bible, II Thessalonians 2:9. II Thessalonians 2:9

Present-day religions teach the imminent coming of a Messiah. Satan has done his best to have the world looking for someone other than the Son of God, a different Messiah.

In the book of Revelation, chapter 11, we learn about the rise of spiritualism and militant atheism —“the beast from the bottomless pit,” in the latter part of the 19th century and its dominance in the French revolution. This power did not continue in the position as “head of government” but it did stay alive. It has been an influence in the world ever since and has been growing rapidly. In the last twenty-five years it has actually mushroomed to a place of prominence in the thinking of men. Satan has laid his trap carefully and is preparing to join with the forces of religion in our time. ¹⁴⁾ White, op. cit., pp. 588–589. He has been quietly at work to condition people’s thinking until total control of their minds, and the rejection of God and His law is accomplished. We have seen in recent years the amalgamation of Eastern religions and their spiritualism with occultism of the West. This neo-occultism and neo-paganism has been planting its seeds of thought through the press, radio, schools, television, and in the churches.

For years the West has been seeing changes in that which is taught in schools, even to an open attack on the Creator God. In the entertainment industry, we see efforts to change the views of people by devaluating Christian concepts and elevating atheistic and paganistic ideas. This same shift is seen in music, games, comic books, movies, environmental movements, and in the special focus of this book, that of health and healing.

Chapter 4 in The Aquarian Conspiracy titled “Crossover: People Changing” lists a number of medical disciplines that Ferguson refers to as points of entry and “psychotechnologies,” to facilitate change in a person’s world view. They include: biofeedback, autogenic training, music in combination with meditation and imagery, psychodrama, self-help programs such as 12 step of AA, all forms of meditation, yoga, EST, Silva mind control, dream journals, Arica, Theosophy, Science of Mind, A Course in Miracles, all body disciplines and therapies, Tai Chi Chuan, karate, Sufi stories, koans, whirling dervishes, etc., etc. In the chapter on Changeover further explanation is made as to the steps involved in a change—transformation of an individual. Step one, is experimenting with an entry point. Step two, is exploring further the entry point and possible additional ones. This going deeper into the healing technique in search of something enticing, actually a beginning of breaking the grip of one’s deeply established core values, and allows for a change to a new set of guide lines (pantheistic) for one’s life. Step three, integration, wherein the individual trusts an inner guru. Contact with an inner guide, an inner child, or as C.J. Jung says “the divine child.” This is a stage where contact is made with demons—fallen angels. Step four, conspiracy, (def. to breathe together) discovering additional sources of power and the ways to use it, such as self-healing, healing others, and attempting to heal society, a conspiring for renewal. Is it any wonder that the New York Times referred to the book The Aquarian Conspiracy as the New Age Bible?

In II Kings l, it is written that Ahaziah, king of Israel, fell and sustained serious injury. He sent a messenger to inquire of Baalzebub, god of Ekron, as to whether he would recover from his injuries. God sent Elijah the prophet to intercept the messenger of the king as he traveled toward Ekron. Elijah sent him back to the king with the question:

Is it because there is no God in Israel that you go off to consult Baalzebub the god of Ekron? (II Kings 1:3 NIV).

A captain and fifty soldiers were sent to arrest Elijah and to bring him to the king. When they attempted to arrest Elijah, fire from heaven consumed them. The king sent another fifty, who suffered the same fate. The captain of a third group pleaded with Elijah not to allow fire to consume them, and God told Elijah to go with the captain to see the king.
As Elijah faced the king he repeated the question,

Is it because there is no God in Israel that you go off to consult Baalzebub the god of Ekron? (II Kings 1:3 NIV).

Elijah told him that because of this inquiry of Baalzebub he would not recover from his injuries but would die. We must be very careful not to be found “inquiring of the god of Ekron” regarding our physical status. Many sincere Christians are deceived by Satan and are indeed inquiring of the god of Ekron.

In the same manner do men and women dishonor God when they turn from the Source of strength and wisdom to ask help or counsel from the powers of darkness. If God’s wrath was kindled by Ahaziah’s act, how does God regard those who, having still greater light, choose to follow a similar course? ¹⁶⁾ White, E.G., The Review and Herald, Jan. 15, (1914); White, E.G., Prophets and Kings, The Review and herald Publishing Assn., Hagerstown, MD, (1917),pp. 211,212.

As we turn our attention to the advancement of spiritualism into the field of health and healing, let us look again to God’s messenger, Ellen White, for guidance in appraising various treatment methods. Those who have been persuaded by apparent achievement of the false sciences will praise them and point out the apparent good they have accomplished, yet without understanding the power that is behind these sciences and the extent of deception.

… but it is a power which will yet work with all signs and lying wonders–with all deceivableness of unrighteousness. Mark the influence of these sciences, dear reader, for the conflict between Christ and Satan is not yet ended. ¹⁸⁾ White E.G., Mind, Character, Personality, Vol. 2, Southern Pub. Assn., Nashville, TN, (1958), p. 712.

Ellen White spoke of three popular therapies of her day, warning of their connection to spiritualism, that of phrenology, psychology, and mesmerism. Let us take a brief glimpse at each of these mind cure therapeutic methods.

Phrenology emerged in the 1800’s and taught that by feeling the shape of the skull, a person could determine the character and personality of an individual. Phrenology also included mind therapy, by pressure placed on certain areas of the skull it was believed that the personality traits and mental makeup could be changed. It was a pseudoscience that taught phrenology as psychological insight and self-knowledge, all originating from within. It contributed to the popular psychology of the nineteenth century and functioned in the same way as psychoanalysis permeated psychology of today. In the mid-later 1800’s phrenology in the USA became part of a counter-culture movement as distinguished by new dress styles, communes, mesmerism (hypnotism), and revival of herbal remedies. It did not make successful inroads into regular medical thought. (See encyclopedia—phrenology)

In the 1800’s and early 1900’s, the term, “psychology”, had a somewhat different meaning than it does today. Noah’s 1828 dictionary defines it thus: n. [gr. Soul, and discourse.] A discourse or treatise on the human soul. Or the doctrine of the nature of the soul.

Popular psychologist of the 1800’s and early 1900’s presented a theory of the “subconscious mind” and focused inward to self-love, self-acceptance, self-improvement, self-worth, self-esteem, self, self, etc., and based their therapeutic methods upon this foundation. Some of the more influential psychologists were believers in the occult and had connection with spirits. Jung had a spirit guide by the name of Philemon. Their “mind cure” theory was to look within our minds to find solutions to life stresses and problems, rather than pointing them to the greatest healer of the mind—Jesus Christ the Divine Son of God. These psychologists, some of who were connected to the spirit world, might use mind altering methods, such as hypnosis, including cocaine, in analysis and therapy to their patients.

Today, psychology is generally considered a science of the mind and human behavior, and has gained some understanding of mental processes, yet it suffers from a solid standard which allows many theories and approaches to mind cure. It is often practiced in a way that presents the same dangers as in the past. (See chapter 19— Psychology)

Mesmerism referred to a therapeutic approach to health that was patterned after the teachings of a Dr. Mesmer who lived in the late 1700’s and early 1800’s. He was a graduate of the Medical School of Vienna. He was also an astrologer and believed in the association and sympathy of the cosmos, earth, and man. He started his medical practice, after graduation from medical school, by using magnets in an attempt to treat disease. This was an ancient practice that repeatedly, over many centuries came and left the field of medicine. Eventually he found that by just placing his hands over a body, he could get the same response that he did with magnets. This practice evolved into what is now known as hypnotism. In many encyclopedias, Mesmer is called the father of hypnotism, a method of mind cure. Mrs. White gave strong warnings against its use.

This entering in of Satan through the sciences is well devised.
Through the channel of phrenology, psychology, and mesmerism,
he comes more directly to the people of this generation and works
with that power which is to characterize his efforts near the close
of probation. The minds of thousands have thus been poisoned and
led into infidelity. ¹⁹⁾ Ibid., p. 711.

We have reached the perils of the last days, when some, yes, many,
‘shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and
doctrines of devils.’ Be cautious in regard to what you read and how
you hear. Take not a particle of interest in spiritualistic theories.
Satan is waiting to steal a march upon everyone who allows himself
to be deceived by his hypnotism. He begins to exert his power over
them just as soon as they begin to investigate his theories. ²⁰⁾ Ibid., p. 718.

John, in the Biblical book of Revelation, chapter sixteen, has warned us that spirits of demons will be the method and power by which the world will be brought together to place all men under one system (Satan’s), at the end of time. John also points out that there will be another very small group that will not accept the control by this spiritistic power, and they keep the commandments of God and have the faith of Jesus.

This book Exposing Spiritualistic Practices in Healing has been written to expose this spiritistic power as it works through health and healing. The scope of this deception is so large and so many different deceiving methods are used that it is impossible to cover them all, so I have focused on revealing the foundation from which the many counterfeit healing methods explain their power and origin. With a reasonable understanding of these principles, it is possible to determine for oneself whether a particular healing modality is real or spiritistic. First it is needful that we look at God’s system of health and healing and understand its principles so that we may be able to recognize the counterfeit. The next chapter identifies God’s system, and the beneficial effects of following its principles are substantiated by contrasting the results with that of the counterfeit.