Question 91 – Is conjuring up spirits dangerous?

We venture into another very popular and cherished branch of occultism – spiritism. While it has various forms and shades, it can be defined as an attempt to contact the dead or other spiritual entities. Modern spiritism is relatively young (19th century), yet the attempt to contact the deceased has been known since ancient times. And it's not surprising. Almost everyone experiences the dreadful weight of death. People we love dearly may be here today and gone tomorrow. We miss them greatly; we grieve sorrowfully, longing to be with them, to hear their voice one last time, to resolve unsettled relationships, to know how they are doing.

Alongside these feelings, there are thousands of stories (some of which I know from my own family) about an alleged deceased person appearing to a family member or strange events occurring at the moment of their death (a picture falling off the wall, a clock stopping, lights turning on, etc.). Sometimes, elderly couples even agree on a sign they will give one another after death—if "something exists after death," they vow to return and deliver the agreed sign. Many people, therefore, turn to spiritistic practices based on these apparitions and phenomena. Is it possible? Does the spiritual world allow contact with those who have preceded us in death? And if so, are attempts to establish these contacts safe?

People try to explain the experiences and phenomena associated with spiritistic séances in various ways. From those who believe they are communicating with the souls of the deceased, to those who argue it is merely our subconscious or some form of information field, all the way to skeptics who explain everything as hallucinations or fraud. However, when you examine all these phenomena in the light of the Bible, it becomes evident "where the wind blows from."

Under What Circumstances and How Are Spirits Summoned?

Popular locations for these séances are places where alleged spirits frequently reside—sites of unnatural deaths, cemeteries, castles, old buildings, etc. Some seek spirit summoning out of curiosity, while in other cases, séances are recommended by some alternative healers who believe that many of our problems or illnesses stem from our attachment to the deceased, whom we refuse to "let go to the other side." Thus, they cause us problems, and it is necessary to "release" them. Finally, people turn to spiritism in cases of so-called poltergeists (also known as "noisy spirits", or haunting spirits), which manifest in homes through moving furniture, strange sounds, and other unnatural phenomena.

There are many motivations for these fear-inducing activities, as well as various methods for carrying them out. For example, several people may gather around a round table, choosing a so-called medium through whom the summoned spirit is supposed to communicate, and by candlelight perform various rituals of summoning. Various objects are used, such as spirit boards (commonly known as Ouija boards), glasses, etc.

After the spirit is summoned, the medium often enters a trance, which may be accompanied by various unusual bodily manifestations, sounds, speaking in a different voice, and even supernatural occurrences (levitation, furniture falling, eerie sounds, sudden changes in room temperature, etc.).

Subsequently, a "spirit" purportedly announces itself, replying to the questions posed by those present. This apparent spirit often provides information that the medium could not possibly know, thereby gaining the trust of those involved. At the conclusion of this séance, the spirit is supposedly "dismissed," and the session is ended.

How Do Christians View This?

The question should be posed differently—how does God Himself view this? He says:

"Do not turn to mediums or necromancers; do not seek them out, and so make yourselves unclean by them: I am the Lord your God." (Leviticus 19:31)

The answer here is uncompromising—God explicitly forbids this practice in many passages. Based on the testimony of the Bible, as well as many personal experiences of former and current spiritists, we can quite reliably assert that the same demonic world lurks behind these phenomena, which holds a dominant role in magic and occultism. To support this claim, I will use a few insights. I will use statements and advice from esoteric practitioners themselves (not just religious texts). In a discussion on the article "How to Summon Spirits?", one of them (Bigbiz) admitted:

"I do not recommend summoning spirits. Most likely, you will only manage to summon a demon pretending to be a spirit." [4]

Experienced spiritists are well aware that the entities they communicate with are often very dangerous. Yet they believe there are also benevolent entities among them and that it requires the right technique and esoteric knowledge to summon them safely. However, they do not realize they are living in deception, even in cases where they manage to summon a "friendly" spirit. Let us delve into several reasons why spiritism is a highly dangerous game.

1) The Dead Cannot Communicate

When a person dies, their non-physical self continues to exist, but God has prohibited them from freely existing with the ability to contact this world. Rather, a demonic entity needs a legitimate pretext before God to enter into communication with humans. The ideal case is a spiritistic séance, where the human invites it themselves. Thus, demons gain the right to enter the lives of séance participants, particularly the so-called medium. Through the medium, it is therefore not the dead communicating, but demons pretending to be them.

2) God Forbids This Practice

"And when they say to you, "Inquire of the mediums and the necromancers who chirp and mutter," should not a people inquire of their God? Should they inquire of the dead on behalf of the living?" (Isaiah 8:19)

There are several biblical passages where God uncompromisingly forbids consulting the dead. On the contrary, He calls us to consult Him alone and resolve our life's situations and circumstances only with Him. He offers us an understanding and loving embrace, desiring that we not seek substitutes elsewhere—knowing that they are deadly traps for us.

3) Demons Also Possess Knowledge About the Dead

Many healers, occultists, and spiritists often gain blind trust from people precisely because they possess information they could not know themselves. They have knowledge of us or those we inquire about. We must realize we are dealing with immensely intelligent beings existing outside our space and time. They know all the essential things about us and our deceased ancestors. Additionally, they intuitively know what answer to give in order to make us believe we are genuinely speaking with our loved one. The demon seeks to gain trust and lure you into deeper contact, which can lead to severe possession. Demonic influence, however, is likely upon you from the moment you participate in a "successful" séance.

4) Apparent Spirits Lie

When you compare the statements of these "spirits" with reality, you often find that they lie or mock you. Let us hear from the spiritists themselves:

"A mischievous spirit may visit you; do not take everything the board tells you seriously." [5]

"I remember séances where the glass moved as if greased, but the spirit was just mocking us and making things up. That happens quite often…" [6]

5) The Fruits of Séances Are Often Bitter

Participation in spiritistic séances sometimes feels like gambling with one's own life. Many people have lost their sanity during séances and ended up in a psychiatric ward. Many more, however, encounter various problems later. Sometimes people experience sudden depression, hear strange sounds, feel an indescribable sense of oppression, have nightmares, see ghosts and are haunted by them, fall into various addictions, feel compelled to commit suicide, etc. In other cases, the demonic influence manifests itself, for example, in the darkening of one's mind to God's gospel. Participants in spiritism, as well as other occultists, are often almost immune to the good news about the Lord Jesus Christ. There are several known cases where such individuals wanted to devote themselves to God, but they couldn't. They couldn't even pray, as "something" controlled them and didn't allow it.

There are a great many negative consequences of opening up to demonic entities, from milder ones to very severe ones. It always depends on many circumstances, the power of the spiritist, and the level of openness of those participating in spiritism. To emphasize my warning, I again offer warnings from the occultists themselves:

"Summoning spirits is not just an ordinary game. It is a contest with the spirits of the deceased. Things could get out of hand, and you may never rid yourself of spirits tormenting your life, or worse, they could ruin your health." [7]

"If you don't know what you're doing, then don't do it. Working with entities is the riskiest area in magic. In the best case, it won't work for you. In the worst case, you can create a connection that you can't easily break, and nightmares may only be the beginning." [4]

"Summoning spirits is a very dangerous matter... I've already dealt with more than one case in my practice where girls attracted serious trouble for themselves in this way. Mostly, the lowest spiritual entities communicate with people, passing themselves off as others… They often remain with those who summon them and cause them problems or lead them astray. They can convince you with some nonsense that they know more than you, and then they'll just cheerfully lie to you and have a great laugh. And the person won't even notice. That's the best-case scenario. In the worst case, a summoned spirit could threaten a person's health or push them towards suicide." [8]

These occultists believe that one needs to master this craft and that it is necessary to properly dismiss spirits. All of this is, however, a deception; no dismissal in the occult sense exists. A demon can falsely relieve pressure and leave for a while, but later on, it returns, causing problems that we often do not associate with its initial influence. Thus, spiritism is one of many of Satan's deceits.

In Occult Literature, You Will Not Read That Deliverance and Complete Freedom from Negative Influence Is Possible – Through the Sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ. He Himself Is the Head of All Authorities and Powers; He Can Break Any Bonds, Curses, and Demonic Possessions. He Is the Solution for Those Who Have Been Deceived by Spiritism. More on Deliverance from Demonic Bondage in Question No. 99.

Why Only in the 19th Century?

Some might wonder why Satan only came up with this tactic in the mid-19th century. In reality, people have communicated with the spiritual world since ancient times; however, it usually required (black) magic. Now, this condition has been removed—connections can be made even if you are, for example, an atheist. Perhaps this was a response to a new wave of materialism that began to dominate the world of the time. Under the influence of the emerging theory of evolution and various philosophies celebrating matter, people stopped believing in the spiritual world. Demons lost their "clientele" because people stopped visiting witches, so they adapted. The form may have changed, but the essence has remained the same for thousands of years…

Summation

Summoning spirits is a very dangerous spiritual activity through which demons, by deception, gain the right to intervene in the lives of séance participants. Sometimes, they may even help, but they exact a bitter price for it. God offers us another way—let us ask Him and seek fulfillment for all our needs only in Him, not the dead.