SPIRITUAL TUG OF WAR
by Patti Lalonde

Recently we printed a news item in the Omega-Letter in which the British newspaper,THE INDEPENDENT (May 13, 1990), reported on various New Age techniques being used to train managers in Great Britian. Dir. Lynn McGregor of Decision Development claimed that they had to start from scratch with their clientele because they already had preconceived ideas that they had already learned throughout life. McGreogro stated, “with straight-laced businessmen, we have to start from the beginning and explain the advantages of using altered spaces of awareness…As yet, we
are not using our more esoteric training with them.”

Unlike adults, however, children have not yet had a lifetime built around the traditional beliefs of there forefathers. This hit home when a couple of months ago our nephew referred to the yard stick as the meter stick. We were amazed that a whole new generation of youngsters has been educated with the metric system and the yards and inches that we learned in school are something rather foreign to them. Even a simple term like “yard stick” has changed.

It is our conclusion that the same holds true for occultism. We have a whole new generation, with fresh minds, being introduced into hardcore occultism and New Age concepts. By the time they
enter the public school system they have already become familiar with the occult through the cartoons and toys that we will discuss later. When they finally enter the educational system, these
concepts are reinforced because they are learning the same things
in their classroom.

Proverbs 22:6 tells us “to train up a child in the way that he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it.” If we raise our children in biblical principles there will become a part
of their everyday life. In the same manner, if a child is trained up in a different belief system, it will naturally be a part of their everyday life. As the Ciglens pointed out in their article,
“as children become more skilled in using these techniques, they will apply them without guidance when they recognize the need.” And what else is a child to believe if their respected educators are
echoing the same occult practices that their favorite cartoon characters are saying?

OCCULTISM IN THE CLASSROOM

We could of course, fill pages and pages with examples of instances where occult concepts are being brought into the classroom. But for lack of space this would naturally be impossible. After having read Johanna Michealsen’s book, “Like Lambs to the Slaughter,” however, I chose one example that best sums up exactly what is taking place behind parents’ backs.

Reporting on a conference she had attended in June of 1987 entitled “Through Crisis to Transformation”, sponsored by the Unity-In-Diversity World Organization, Johanna notes: “It was Ms.
Monetta’s (a local public school teacher) lecture that captured my interest…Ms. Monetta said…”we do some pretty amazing things: psychic healing, shamanism, crystals, witchcraft-hold ceremonies and stuff, creative visualization, Progoff-intensive journal keeping, meditation in class, either guided or open, and then they write about it….We burn candles and hold a full moon ceremony once a month….I must have divine light around me, because I’ve had no flack from anyone. I’ve never had anything but positive feedback from the parents. One time though, I was conducting a spring equinox for the kids; I mean I had the alter all set up–flowers, candles were lit on the alter-and the principle walked in! Fortunately, he was a new principle and he was thrilled with what we were doing. The focus was on self-affirmations. I was lucky….I have to walk a fine line on the religious issue. Some might say I’ve crossed it.” (1)

By this woman’s own admission the concepts she is teaching her students are indeed witchcraft. The techniques she is sneaking into her classroom are indeed religious. If these techniques were harmless and innocent as New Agers would have us believe, why would they feel the need, as Ms. Monetta did, to hide them from parents and school principals?

But deception is something that New Age educators are quite good at. The disguise the occult terminology with scientific terminology as they themselves would admit among their own peer groups.

As Deborah Rozman in “Meditating with Children” tells teachers; “If you still have trouble with the word ‘Meditation’ when bringing this program to your children, parents, family, school
administrators or board of educators, use alternative terms like Stephanie Herzog (an elementary school teacher) does, such as awareness training, concentration, centering awareness games,
relaxation, holistic learning, creative imagery, etc.”

In Isaiah 5:20-21 God warns: “Woe unto them that call evil good and good evil; that put darkness for light and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter! Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!”

But despite the fact that these instructors know full well that they would face some opposition if the public were fully aware of what was going on, they feel it is their “duty” to continue to deal
with the “spiritual” needs of our youth.

For example, the late Dr. Beverly Gaylean, the developer of Confluent Education, a federally funded program in Los Angeles, “tells us how pleased she was when she visited a first grade class
in which, during a session on dreams, one ‘sprightly 70 year old’ informed the class that she dreamed while floating on the ceiling and watching her body asleep in bed. Needless to say, the other
children were fascinated with her out-of-body experience and couldn’t wait to get home so they could try it themselves.” (2)Dr. Gylean claims that these types of experiences are quite “common to
many young children [and] may well point to a mass unleashing of consciousness in our youth…Yet it takes a wise, affirming adult, such as this teacher (the one in the first grade class) to validate
and expand this experience and encourage its acceptance as normal.”(3)Likewise, Mary Bell, graduate of the Berkeley Psychic Institute Teacher Training Programs claims, “I believe many of the
so-called school failures are children who are trance mediums. When they receive no spiritual education on how to run their bodies, many children begin to fail.

“This failure creates anger and destruction. How many children are classified ’emotionally disturbed’ and spend years with someone trying to educate their bodies when it’s a spiritual problem that
keeps them from succeeding. I see many more educators in the next 20 years becoming more aware of spirit and including spiritual education along with academic education.

“There is a way for educators to learn how to relate to spirit in the classroom without preaching religion. To be able to focus on one’s attention on one main idea or concept for an express period
of time is not the exclusive ability of meditating gurus…Concentration skill have been around curriculum guidelines for a long time. Being ‘one pointed’ can lead not only to creative genius, but communing with God.” (4)

It is almost beyond belief that this is occurring in “Christian America.” It is now becoming cleat that it is not religion that is being thrown out of the public schools, only Christianity. Indeed,
while Christianity is being tossed out the front doors of the schools, every conceivable metaphysical tradition is being rushed in the back doors by these teacher/evangelists to fill the vacuum.

GIFTED AND TALENTED CHILDREN

Gifted and talented children who make up about 5% of the student body (5)are often targeted for special indoctrination programs. And just how is it that teachers are dealing with these specially
gifted children, in a way that is different than the average student? According to Johanna Michealsen, “transpersonal techniques have become so popular in everyday classrooms and the Gifted and Talented sessions is that the gifted children get to do more of it.

“In Kansas City a teacher handed me a packet of material that had been used as extra work for the brighter students who had finished their regular class work early. Even I could hardly believe my eyes as I looked over the ‘High Action Reading For Study Skills’ excerpts that were designed for third to sixth graders by Modern Curriculum Press. One ‘skill booster’ exercise featured eight pages
on the Ouija board! The second exercise was about Palm Reading Messages in Your Hands,” and the third was called ‘Chicago ESP Detective Irene Hughes.'” (6)

The palm reading skill-booster exercise that fills the child in on the history of palm reading in a brief story. Besides just telling the children about palm reading, however, the skill-booster
exercise encourages them to practice the technique for themselves: “Now that you have learned about some of the lines on people’s hands, you might want to try to read the palm of some of your
friends. Maybe you can answer questions your friends ask you about their futures…Now that you have read about the messages in your palms, try to read the palm below.”

“Of the three Kansas skill-boosters presented to me,” says Michaelsen, “probably the one I found the most shocking was the one on the Ouija Board. The story featured several pictures of two
lovely, elegant, and obviously respectable women, rather like your average mommies-sitting at a table with a Ouija board between them.

“The story was based on the life of Pearl Curran, who in 1913 began receiving transmissions through a ‘magic board’ from a being that identified itself as ‘Patience Worth’. For over 25 years Pearl Curran ‘channeled’ books, poems and play from Patience Worth…[these skill boosters] even tell the children, ‘you might have fun making your own magic board and trying it out with a
friend. There are many ways you can do it.’ They proceed to give easy-to-follow instructions on how to make a simple ouija board, and then add, ‘ask a question and wait to see what happens!”(7)

Manley P. Hall, one of the world’s foremost authorities on occultism described the Ouija board as “a psychic toy.” (8)

But enhancing and encouraging the gifted child’s “psychic” abilities is exactly what these New Age educators have in mind.

Indeed, as reported by Johanna “some teachers are now suggesting that the term gifted needs to be expanded to include children who are ‘psychically gifted.’ IN a recent article entitled “On Being
Psychically Gifted,’ the author, a senior-high-school teacher in Illinois named Susan Field, argues that ‘psychically gifted children..possess valuable gifts that need to be recognized and nurtured.'” (9)

In addition, in a 1983 report entitled “Testing and Enhancing a Gifted Child’s ESP,” Linda Sannita informs us that ‘gifted children often demonstrate a special affinity for the subject (ESP
abilities), perhaps because they often fell different about themselves, possessing abilities which are ‘paranormal’ relative to most other people. Many students..even view psychic powers as
logical extensions of human potential.” (10)

DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS

Another occult game which is being widely used in the gifted children programs, and in the public educational system as a whole, is Dungeons and Dragons.

“Dungeons and Dragons has been heavily promoted in the Gifted Child Today Catalog for its ‘educational merit.’ In fact, D&D has been endorsed by the Association for Gifted-Creative Children because the game encourages the reading of Shakespeare, Tolkein and Isaac Asimov. A version of D&D specially adapted for use in schools has long been a staple of many Gifted and Talented programs across the country.” (11)

Participants of the fantasy game, which was created by Gary Gygax in 1973, are to assume the roles of mythological characters such as sorcerers, warriors, druids, clerics and so on. One player assumes the role of dungeon master who directs the course of the game by placing the characters in confrontation with one another. The dice decides which player wins a confrontation and which player dies.

In order to win a confrontation the player must use his imagination. He can use magic and cast spells; he can murder the other participants, whatever he needs to do to win is fair. As
Stanley Dokupil, writing for the Spiritual Counterfeits Projects notes: “The various D&D Handbooks are liberally laced with occult wisdom and ideas. The Players Handbook and Dungeon Master Guide provide background material as well as specific information on the acquisition and casting of spells and the use of psychic abilities and magic items- – ESP, clairvoyance, influence of animals and weather, potions, scrolls, crystal balls, charms, gems, herbs, etc.

“Mediumistic or occultic powers may be acquired through a process of visualization in which the individual imagines him/her self in actual possession of such power. At some point in the process the dividing line between the purely imagined and the real, disintegrates; the process completes itself and the individual enters the world of unseen occultic forces.”

There has been great debate over the dangers of the fantasy role playing game for a number of years now. But despite suspected links between suicide, murders and D&D, teachers continue to use the game to enhance the reading, math and imaginative skills of their students. For instance, Todd Vercoe of the Toronto Board of Education claimed back in 1985 that “he knows the game has come under fire because it has been lined by some to murders and suicides in the United States and more recently to two murders in Orangeville, Ontario. But that is not going to stop him from
teaching his students to play the game, he says.” (12)

Just one month after Vercoe made this comment, a 16 year-old form Killaloe Station, Canada, shot himself. His father, Andre Cote, claimed his son, Michael, had been involved in the game D&D at the time of his suicide. Mr. Cote said, “he found a poem from Dungeons and Dragons on his son’s bed, directing the player to hide in the woods and ‘forget life, forget light…’ He began to study his
son’s large collection of manuals and modules and said he was horrified at what he found.

” ‘This is a kit for brainwashing,’ he said. ‘It contains instructions to induce homicidal and suicidal mania as part of a game for points. There’s medieval witchcraft and spells which can
really affect young people who haven’t crystallized their personalities.'” (13)

And in Aug. 15, 1983, ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS reported on a trial taking place in which the parents of Irvine Lee Pulling II were contending that Dr. Robert Bracey III, principal of Patrick Henry High School, had negligently allowed D&D to be played at the school and that he was aware of potential dangers posed by the game. As a result, 16 year-old Irvine shot himself after a curse was put on him in the D&D game by another player. The teenager was enrolled in the talented and gifted program at Patrick Henry. Peter W.D. Wright, the family attorney, said the game was used as a reward in the program once the students had completed their classroom assignments. Can you imagine the outrage if these were “Christian ” games?”

A ROSE IS A ROSE IS A ROSE…

Of course, most of the examples we have given are very blatant demonstrations of occultism and witchcraft. But one of the greatest dangers in the public educational system is the techniques being
brought in that have been disguised as simple concentration exercises, scientific skills for relaxing the students, or exercises to boost their self-confidence and self-esteem.

The exercises the educators are teaching their students look harmless enough on the surface. However, these exact exercises can also be found in occult writings. What is the difference between a
relaxation skill being exercised in a classroom and the same exercise being used by an individual to enhance psychic skills and produce altered states of awareness in their own private home?
Obviously there is no difference.

For example, the Ciglens of the Halton Board of Education hold workshops to teach these meditative and visualization skills to other teachers. They claim that “physical relaxation is very
important for calming our bodies. Techniques of muscle relaxation, deep breathing and visualization are used to accomplish this relaxed state…After assuming a comfortable position, the children
practice breathing deeply and repeating, ‘I am relaxed’…students learn how to isolate their muscles and, through a process of tightening and releasing muscles individually and in a set of
sequence, relax their bodies. When imagery, seeing the muscles relax in their minds, is added, this technique becomes more effective.”

However, in an article entitled “Life is But A Dream” in the November 1989 issue of OMNI, the authors emphasize that muscle and body relaxation, coupled with breathing exercises and visualization were essential to achieving dream states that ancient Tibetan yogis achieved without ever losing conscious awareness. The authors instruct: “Take a deep breath, let it out slowly, stretch your muscles, and relax. Now imagine that warm currents of mental energy are very slowly moving up from the soles of your feet toward your ankles. Feel the muscles in your feet gradually warming and relaxing as you imagine the currents passing through them, etc…”

As you can see, there is virtually no difference between these exercises. However, the Ciglens claim that their exercise is to relax the children and the OMNI article admits it is to achieve the
altered states of awareness experienced by ancient Tibetan yogis. By any other name a rose is still a rose.

IMAGINE

Often children are told in their imagery exercises to visit a peaceful place where they feel safe. For instance, in the Confluent Education program created by the late Beverly Galyean, the children
are instructed: “Close your eyes and relax. I will lead you in a guided fantasy.

“Imagine…a very beautiful valley…Ahead of you is a mountain…” (14)

Jean Houston, an internationally renowned psychologist and educator, and the director for the Foundation for Mind Research, similarly instructs: “Imagine and experience as vividly as you can
that you are on a mountain top looking for a way down. You see a rocky stairwell winding down around the mountain…..” (15)

And similarly, the Quieting Reflex and Success Imagery program created by Dr. Charles Stroebel, his wife and Maragret Holland, Ph.D., instructs the child to imagine a safe place where they can
go back to any time they want to. But is this place safe?

Conne Zelling, one of the many concerned parents who became involved in having Quieting Reflex and Success Imagery program removed from Pinellas County, Florida public schools sent Peter and I some information on the program. She took a few excerpts from the Instructions to Guidance Counselors manual and made some personal observations about these instructions.

1:”Assure the youngsters that they are always in control of an imagery experience. Should they find themselves in a place or situation they don’t like, they can always go somewhere else.”

Mrs. Zelling: Why would they be someplace they don’t like if they are indeed in control of their own imagery experience?

2.”It is also helpful to build in an escape hatch. Imagery is a powerful tool. Occasionally, children might find themselves in a frightening place.”

Mrs. Zelling: This is an admission of danger and children don’t willfully place themselves in a frightening place.

Mes. Zelling had reason to be concerned. By their own admission, New Age educators of these mind altering exercises, when dealing with their own peer group and in manual meant for their eyes only, emphasized possible dangers. Maureen Murdock, who guides third grade pupils in California through imagery exercises, states: “Occasionally a child will experience a scary image and it is
important to discuss this with him/her or have the child draw or write about the image.” (16)

Furthermore, author Johanna Michealsen observes: “Occasionally you will even find a word of caution about the potential dangers in the material distributed to teachers. In an article entitled ‘A Program Model for Altering Children’s Consciousness,’ published in The Gifted Child Quarterly, the author issues a word of warning in the midst of all the Transpersonal programs that he advocates for altering children’s consciousness in the classroom. In the section on ‘Guided Fantasies,’ he warns the teachers of possible problems: ‘Important! For their protection you should say, somewhere in the beginning, that they are in control and can come out of it at any time they need to – that you are their guide on their mind tour.

” ‘No matter what your religious convictions (or lack of them) it is important to protect them during meditation. For meditation they should each have a personal guide, protector or talisman. It is
something that they can bring to their conscious aid if the experience takes them into strange or frightening territory. You should also be alert to any serious discomfort, crying, or sudden
changes in any of the children and immediately come to their aid. (I have had no problems yet, but I visualize the room as a large golden pyramid. I’d rather be considered crazy and have the kids
safe than scientifically expose them to dangers. The yoga tradition must have learned something in their thousands of years of experience. I defer to them.’

“Evidently he does not see fit to defer them enough to dispense with these ancient occult/religious techniques altogether. Quite apart from the fact that no public school teacher should have the
right to lead our children in religious activities, how many of us would be willing to let our children become the spiritual guinea pigs of some neophyte, self-appointed, would-be-guru who feverishly hopes his ‘golden pyramids’ hold up!” (17)

THE CHILD SHAMAN

In essence, these New Age educators through these occult techniques are training our children to become modern day shamans.

Michael Harner, in his book “The Way of the Shaman,” writes: ‘Shaman is a word from the language of the Tungus people of Siberiam and has been adopted widely by anthropologists to refer to
persons in a great variety of non-Western cultures who were previously known by such terms as ‘witch’, witchdoctor,’ ‘medicine man,’ ‘sorcerer,’ ‘wizard,’ ‘magic man,’ ‘seer’…A shaman is a man
or woman who enters an altered state of consciousness – at will – to contact and utilize and ordinary hidden reality in order to acquire knowledge, power and to help other persons….

“The burgeoning field of holistic medicine, [ed. and we could insert here education or corporate management training programs because the same techniques are being used] shows a tremendous
amount of experimentation involving the reinvention of many techniques long practiced in shamanism, such as visualization, altered states of consciousness, aspects of psychoanalysis,
hypnotherapy, meditation, positive attitude, stress-reduction and mental and emotional expression of a personal will for health and healing. In a sense, shamanism is being reinvented in the West.”
(18)

Now let’s consider that Mr. Harner is not a critic of shamanism but a supporter. In fact, he himself is a shaman. In the introduction to his book, Stanislav Grof, M.D. writes: “Michael Harner is not
just an anthropologist who has studied shamanism, he is an authentic shaman.”

SPIRIT GUIDES

Interestingly, the “safe place” exercises mentioned earlier, all lead up to the image of a wise person. For example, after the students have reached the top of the high mountain, Dr. Gaylean
instructs the students to ‘look into the sun and as you do the face of a very wise person slowly appears…..Listen to this person speaking….you may engage in a conversation.”

Jean Houston tells the students that once they have reached the bottom of the mountain they will discover a door leading inside the mountain, and a long corridor at the end of which they will find
another door. This door ‘bears a sign: The One Who Knows Health…this is someone who understands all about you….sit down in the chair across from this being and ask both general and
specific questions about yourself.”

The Success Imagery Program suggests that the student imagine their safe place. “Now a figure is coming to you. He is friendly and can be young or old. Speak to this wise person and welcome him in your safe place. Get to know your wise person. You can invite him back anytime.” And if we were to document numerous other exercises being used, the end result would be the same; the introduction to a wise person. But the important point is that any shaman would confess that spirit guides are an essential element to shamanism. “The shaman has at least one, usually more ‘spirits’ in his personal service.” (19)Thus, by introducing their students to a wise person, New Age educators are actually instructing their students to contact their own personal ‘spirit guide.” “Of course,” said Dr. Beverly Galyean, ” we don’t call them that in the public schools. We call them imagery guides.” (20)

“Euphemisms abound when dealing with the subject of spirit guides! Sometimes you’ll hear them called ‘wise person’ or ‘counselor’ or ‘archetypal manifestations.’ Perhaps they’ll be referred to as your ‘Higher Self,’ ‘Divine Master,’ ‘Inner Guide,’ ‘Inner Wisdom,’ ‘Transpersonal Self,’ ‘Ally,’ ‘Imaginary Doctor,’ or even ‘Guardian Angel.’….

“Nevertheless, whatever the label, what we’re talking about here are spirit guides-the kind that no self-respecting spiritualist, medium or shaman would ever want to be caught dead without. As long as you’ve got one, no one, including the ‘Guides,’ much care what you call them.” (21)

Once again, this is further proof that the children are well on their way to becoming contemporary shamans. Michael Harner writes: “The main difference between an ordinary person and a shaman with regard to their guardian spirits is that the shaman uses his guardian spirit actively when in an altered state of consciousness. The shaman frequently sees and consults with his guardian spirit, travels with it on the shamanic journey, has it help him…

“In its essence, the shamanic initiation is experiential and often gradual, consisting of learning successfully how to achieve the shamanic state of consciousness, and to see and journey in that
state; acquiring personal certainty and knowledge of one’s own guardian spirit, and enlisting its assistance while in the shamanic state of consciousness…If you succeed in experiencing the first
three phases listed above, you can probably call yourself a shaman.” (22)

INNER SELF OR A SEPARATE ENTITY

Often New Agers and New Age educator, when dealing with the ‘unenlightened’ or the critic will try to convince us that these entities are part of our own subconscious. This is the version
given by Dr. Michael Sammuels M.D. in his book “The Well Body Book.’ But in other books Dr. Sammuels contradicts this claim.

Author Dave Hunt explains: “His identification of this mysterious and apparently all-knowing and all-powerful entity is contradictory and hardly satisfying. On the one hand, Dr. Sammuels parrots the psychological explanation so popular today in suggesting that this apparent infallible doctor (Imagery Doctor, etc.) that speaks with its own independent ‘inner voice’ is simply one of the many forms which the Infinite Wisdom, allegedly residing in each of us takes in order to communicate with us. Yet in “Spirit Guides: Access to Inner Worlds,” Sammuels seriously declares that his ‘imagery doctor’ is actually his personal ‘spirit guide’ whom he contacted through instructions from ‘Rolling Thunder’, a native American Indian Shaman.”

And despite claims that the inner guides are part of our subconscious there is long standing evidence in occult writings dating back centuries that these beings have long been separate entities. As Michael Harner claims: “Even though the guardian’s power is with you, the guardian moves around at will, constantly entering and leaving your body.”(23)

Similar words to these were echoed by Whitley Strieber in his book, ‘Transformation.” Mr. Strieber’s writings are about his supposed abductions by ETs. But by his own confession in his books,
“Communion” and “Transformation”, Mr. Strieber has had a long history of experimentation with altered states of consciousness through meditation and so forth. The ETs he met with are just
another form of the spirit guides being contacted by shamans. Mr. Strieber writes: On December 23, 1986, at 3:30 A.M. by the clock I woke up and went to the bathroom. When I lay back down in the bed a strange thing began to happen….The sensation of my mind being under pressure got stronger. It was as if I had been entered by an overwhelming powerful force that would not allow me to say anything except the absolute, deepest truth. It felt like an actual, physical pressure, as if some disembodied awareness had gone inside me and there acquired mass, form and force.” (24)

And if this is not convincing enough, consider these words by Ms. Strieber in his book, ‘Communion,’ “The morning after they hypnotic session (March 11, 1986)…I was aware of something new in my mind…I was oppressed by it; there was an acute impression of being watched. Then I began to realize why: I was being watched- there was a face staring at me, the grave, implacable, subtly
humorous face I had come to recognize from hypnosis.

“A vivid image of her had emerged in my mind. It was so real I could almost touch it. This was disturbing and I was eager to expel it, assuming it to be a side effect of the hypnotic session…

“I went into my office and sat on the floor, going deep into a state of meditation…the image had not gone away…it had become far more clear…I think the image was somehow triggered by
hypnosis…

“After the image appeared I did research into eidetic memory (accurate and vivid recall) and found that it is very rare in adults, almost to the point of being non-existent in Western
cultures. What’s more, the descriptions I found of eidetic images did not even begin to correspond to what I was experiencing. People did not report that their eidetic images had a life of their
own.”

Later in the book, Streiber claims: “This may be primarily a matter of visions and chimeras battering at the door of physical reality. They are not simply flickering effects of the mind. Something is
out there, and it wants in.”

DEMONS

And just what is this something that wants in? It’s obvious to the Christian that they are demons. But New Agers, doctors instructing their patients to contact their imaginary doctor, educators
encouraging their pupils to contact their wise person and so forth, would deny the existence of angels or demons, God or the Devil. Perhaps these people would do well to heed the words of Whitley Strieber, who himself suggests that these beings could be demons. Remember as you read this that Mr. Streiber is a proponent of contacting these beings. He claims:

“All of these beings…fit the ancient notions of demons, angels, and ‘little people.’ I reflected that the greater part of my knowledge had come from the gray beings. The word demon is derived
from the Greek daimon, which is roughly synonymous with soul. The daimon was the part of a person that could gain knowledge and become transformed….

“This led me to something else I had noticed about the visitor (alien abduction) experience. From the experiences of people like Mrs. Sharp and from dozens of the letters that were pouring in, it
was clear that the souls was very much at issue. People experienced feeling as if their souls were being dragged from their bodies. I had an incident of total separation from my body. More than one
person has seen the visitors in the context of near death experience.

“‘We recycle souls,’ they had said.” (25)

CHANGE AGENTS

Strieber continues, “The visitors – if I am right about them – represent the most powerful of all forces acting in human culture. They may be extraterrestrials managing the evolution of the human
mind. Or they may represent the presence of mind on another level of being. Perhaps our fate is eventually to leave the physical world altogether and join them in that strange hyper-reality from
which they seem to emerge.

“What is interesting to me now is how to develop effective techniques to call them into one’s life and make use of what they have to offer….The most effective technique seems to be simply to
open oneself.” (26)

This growing trend to make contact with spirit beings is explained by Jacques Vallee in his book ‘Dimensions’:

“As a society, we are developing a great thirst for contact with superior minds that will provide guidance for our poor, harassed, hectic planet. I think we may be ready to fall into a trap, perhaps
a kind, benevolent pitfall. I believe that when we speak of UFO sightings as instances of space visitations [ed. just another form of contact with demons] we are looking at the phenomenon on the
wrong level. We are not dealing with successive waves of visitations from space. We are dealing with a control system…

“I propose that there is a spiritual control system for human consciousness and that paranormal phenomena like UFOs are one of its manifestations….

“What could a paranormal phenomenon control? I suggest that it is human belief that is being controlled and conditioned.”

Unfortunately, New Ager educators who feel that what they are doing is beneficial to the child and to society as a whole, are in reality preparing their students for the delusion coming upon the
world, hinted at by Vallee and prophesied in God’s Word in II Thes. 2:11.

Children are being indoctrinated with the same occult philosophy that will play a major role in the rule of the Antichrist. We are told in Daniel 8:25 that “he shall cause craft to prosper.” And we
are told on II Thes. 2, that he will deceive the world with signs and lying wonders. But all of these shall seem natural to our youngsters who have already been familiarized with these teachings.

TEL-A-VISION

As we mentioned at the beginning of this special report, cartoons play a major role in introducing our youth to the occult. It is preschoolers, of course, who spend the most time glued to the
television screen. And according to TV Guide, “an estimated 20 million North American youngsters between the ages of 5 and 11 tune in every Saturday morning to animated kiddie fare.” (27)

But over the years there has been a great debate as to whether or not TV actually influences the behavior of its viewers.

Before we proceed any further, I feel that we should present some of the convincing evidence that television does indeed have an affect on behavioral patterns.

First of all, logically speaking, I would have to question why media moguls such as Ted Turner would waste their time and money creating programs like Captain Planet to influence youngsters to
make the world a better place.

And I would have to question why Ronald McDonald and Children’s Charities would foot a $2-million bill to air “Cartoon All-Stars to the Rescue” on virtually every television station in North America to educate youth on the dangers of drug abuse, if the program wouldn’t influence any way. It just doesn’t make sense.

On the one hand we have the media telling us that their programs have nothing to do with copycat murders, violent rapes and so forth. And then on the other hand we have people like Mark Freedman (creator of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) tell us that their characters do indeed influence our behavior. Freedman has now introduced a new character, Zen, for children’s programming. Could his name have come from “Zen Buddhism?”

“The Turtles are pure entertainment,” says Freedman, “while Zen’s reason for being is his ecological message…It’s important, since the characters have such a magical hold over kids, to use them in the right way.” (28)

Now, either television influences our behavior or it doesn’t. It seems that the media wants to take the credit for the “good” influences but claims innocence for the “bad.” It appears now,
however, from scientific study that TV does indeed have a power over us. According to a recent government study, children start imitating what they see on television as early as 14 months of age.
(29) According to the article, it appears that a baby at 14 months of age can remember how a toy was manipulated on TV and the following day repeat the same actions when given the toy. Andrew
Meltzoff, a psychologist at the University of Washington, concluded that “television may influence early development of speech, language and social skills more than has been thought.”

CENSORSHIP AT HOME

As Christian parents it is necessary to censor our child’s viewing of television programs if we have a TV in our home. TV, as we just pointed out, is not just an inanimate object that has no control
over our thoughts and behavior. And let me add as an aside that the brainwashing does not end with youngsters. Teens and adults are also susceptible to the message of the television as well.

A few years ago, our nephew was asked my his Sunday school teacher what he would do if he had been trapped in a lion’s den as Daniel was. Without hesitation he said he would put on his golden ring and call Hercules. Needless to say, his cartoon viewing was severely curbed. Similarity, Phil Phillips writes in his book, “Turmoil in the Toybox:”

“I am reminded of several instances when parents realized unfortunately not until after some damage was done, of toys’ (based on cartoon characters) effects on children. Some of these include”

“A mother and her young son were riding in the car and were listening to a sermon on the radio. The minister started to pray, ‘Our Lord God, Master of the universe…’ The little boy jumped up
from the back seat of the car and said, ‘Mommy, God isn’t the master of the universe, He-Man is’…”Once my father was ministering at a church and he mentioned my ministry. Briefly, he also mentioned He-Man. After the service, a little boy was seen in the parking lot running in circles while holding his He-Man action figure in his hand. He kept repeating, ‘He-Man has more power than Jesus, He-Man has more power than Jesus.'”

OCCULTISM IN CARTOONS

Now that we have determined that youngsters are indeed influenced by what they watch on TV, let us learn just what it is that they are being taught by their favorite cartoon heros. A few years ago
Peter and I spent some time video recording popular Saturday morning cartoons like, He-Man, She-ra and the Smurfs. Since these cartoons still all popular fours years later, we will again report
on some of our findings at that time. We also recently rented some popular Children’s videos from a local video outlet and watched current cartoon programs. Once again, as with occultism in the
classroom, we could fill pages and pages with examples of the occultism we witnessed in children’s programming. But due to limited space we must summarize some of our discoveries.

THE TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES

The hottest cartoon on the market today are the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles; Leonardo, Michelangelo, Raphael and Donatello. I rented one of the latest cartoon-version videos entitled “The
Incredible Shrinking Turtles.” At first I didn’t expect to find much. From the wording on the back cover it appeared that it would be just a bunch of turtles fighting the criminal element. However,
I was at my findings.

At the beginning of the movie, the Ninja Turtles are playing games in Central Park. Suddenly, Nown, an alien from Dimension X falls from the sky into a lake. The turtles pull the drowning alien from the water, but to late. Before Nown dies, however, he tells the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles that in his fall, he lost a crystal which broke into three pieces; The Eye of Zarnoth. Nown tells the
Turtles that they must find all three pieces before someone else because, “When the three pieces are joined, the possessor will have power undreamed of in your world.”

We see here in the Eye of Zarnoth, subtle reference to the all- seeing or strong eye so relevant to occult seekers. The imaginary eye located in the forehead, when opened through transpersonal
techniques such as meditation and visualization, will open up a whole new reality of powers to the individual, according to occult teaching.

Also, we see in this episode of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, an introduction to a popular New Age teaching that there is one source of power in the world which can be used for either good or
evil; the same as “the force” which was popularized in the Star Wars films of George Lucas.

Anyhow, the rest of the film is a race between the Turtles and the villain, Shredder, for the three pieces of the Eye of Zarnoth. Eventually, however, Shredder gains control of all three pieces of
the crystal, also a New Age sources of power, and attaches the Eye of Zarnoth to his helmet, where the third eye of occult philosophy would be located. Shredder, being a villain, of course uses his
newly-gained power for evil purposes.

In a struggle with the Turtles for the crystal, Shredder loses his helmet and it is discovered by Blodget, a news reporter who has just lost his job. Blodget takes the helmet home, puts it on his
head and then sits on his sofa wondering what to do next with his botched up life. “What am I going to do now,” Blodget asks his cat, Mortimer. Mortimer hands him a cassette tape: “How to Fix Up Your Messed Up Life.”

Skeptically, Blodget decides to listen to the tape, which tells him: ‘Yes, you too can achieve your dream of a better life through the power of positive wishing. Do you yearn to own a luxury
limousine? It can be yours of you simply put your mind to it.” Suddenly, beams begin to emanate from the Eye of Zarnoth on the helmet on Blodget’s head and he finds himself sitting in a
beautiful limo. “It works! And to think I was about to return these tapes and ask for my money back!” says Blodget.

What child wouldn’t want to be able to make any of his/her dreams come true by just using their mind through the power of “positive wishing?” It’s a very tempting concept for a young child with so many wants and desires. Of course, we could just write it off as a cartoon, but then these ideas are reinforced at school. And, one doesn’t have to stretch the imagination too far to see parallels of
the teachings of ‘positive wishing’ that are being shoved down America’s throat today.

THE THUNDERCATS

The Thundercats is another popular cartoon viewed Saturday morning by millions of youngsters across North America. The Thundercats are described as “brave and courageous cat-like humanoids.” In the episode “Exodus” the Thundercats witness the destruction of their planet by a band of hideous mutants from the planet Plundar. The Thundercats are forced to seek a new home.

Before the characters enter their “suspension capsules” to head for the Third Earth, Jaga, the oldest of the group tells the child Liono that he is destined to be the leader of the Thundercats. Jago
tells Liono, “There is something you must see. The most important part of your heritage. This is the mystic Sword of Omens and the source of our powers. The Eye of Thunder.” Once again, as in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoons, the Thundercats also make reference to the all-seeing eye of occultists. In this instance it is called the Eye of Thunder. Liono picks up the Sword of Omens and says, “Jaga, the sword is alive. And there are holes in the hilt. But I don’t see any eye.”

Jaga: “The Eye sleeps until needed, Liono. And these are not merely holes that you see in the hilt. Looking through these magic apertures will give you the sight beyond sight.”

Liono: “But if I do need the Eye, how can I make it wake up and let it know?”

Jaga: “There will be no need. The Eye will know when it is needed before you do.”

Now that Liono is informed of the secrets of his powers, the Thundercats enter their suspension capsules to head for Third Earth. Of course, the mutants, the villains of the Thundercats
program, follow the Thundercats in search of the Third Eye of Thunder to use it for their own evil purposes. Once they reach Earth, the mutants, in search of a spot to build their fortress,
discover a pyramid surrounded by four obelisks, prominent symbols of occultism and mythology. A voice emanates from the pyramid bidding them to enter. Inside the pyramid, the mutants come face to face with Mum-Ra who has known the power of the Eye of Thunder for thousands of years. Mum-Ra’s name of course is derived from occult background. Ra was an Egyptian sun god who is still worshiped today by witches and neopagans. Overpowering the Mutants, Mum-Ra forces them to join him in gaining control of the Eye of Thunder, in an ongoing battle aided by supernatural powers with the Thundercats.

THE VISIONARIES; ‘KNIGHTS OF THE MAGICAL LIGHT’

In the video entitle, “The Power of The Wise” youngsters are told by the narrator: “It is a time when magic is more powerful than science. And only those who control the magic control destiny. They were the visionaries.”

As the narrator tells the story, New Age symbols race across the screen: a wizard with a crystal ball, demons, beams pulsating from a third eye, unicorns and so on.

In this episode, Leoric, the leader of the Spectral Knights is turned into a frail, old man by the evil powers of Darkstorm, the leader of the Darkling Lords.

The mission of the Spectral Knights is to find a way to restore youth to Leoric’s decrepit body. But where do they begin to look? Their guardian spirits will tell them, of course. Each of the
Spectral Knights has a power staff with a picture of an animal on their staff. They also have a portrait of the same animal (known as a power animal in shamanism) on their breastplates. And each
Spectral Knight can transform himself into this creature when they need extra strength or speed.

One of the Spectral Knight’s spirit is conjured forth with the following incantation: “A whim, a thought, and more is sought. Awake my mind, thy will be wrought.”

Suddenly, a guardian spirit containing a third eye appears from the Spectral Knight’s power staff. The guardian informs them that the secrets they are seeking are contained in the waters of the eternal  spring on the slopes of Shadow Mountain. ” You will know it by rainbow (also a popular New Age symbol) flowers growing nearby.”

Later in the program, Leoric also uses an incantation to conjure up his guardian spirit for words of wisdom: “Whispered secrets of a shattered age. I summon you. Renew this sage.”

“The Great Owl of Wisdom” appears to Leoric and tells him: “You are brave but not wise. For there is a power in wisdom over which this age has no dominion.”

Confused by the words of The Great Owl of Wisdom, Leoric becomes discouraged. In an attempt to comfort Leoric, Farrell says, “Leoric, The Wisdom has got to be inside you somewhere.” It is this
very belief that fuels the human potential movement which believes that all power is within us and that if we can find it we can rediscover our divinity.

HE-MA: THE MASTER OF THE UNIVERSE

This cartoon has been around for some time now. But as we mentioned earlier, it is still quite popular today.

The opening epilogue of each He-Man episode states: “Narrator: amazing planet in the heavens. This is Eternia, a land of sorcery and magic. There are powerful forces at work throughout the land.
But no place is as magical and mysterious as Castle Gray Skull. Within these walls are mystical secrets and powers beyond imagination.

“Sorceress: I am the Sorceress of Gray Skull. The powers of Gray Skull have been given to a mortal, He-Man, to protect the planet.

He-Man: “I am Adam, prince of Eternia, defender of the secrets of Gray Skull. Fabulous secret powers were revealed to me the day I held my aloft my magic sword and said, ‘By the power of Gray Skull, I am the power.'”

Besides the demonic overtones of He-Man with its sorcery, magic, Snake Mountain, Skeletor and so forth, we are reminded of Genesis, chapter 3. Eternia obviously represents Eternity and Adam is the name of the first man created by God. Interestingly, in the He-Man program, fabulous secret powers would be revealed to them if they would partake of the forbidden fruit. It is also interesting that this imposter Adam discovered his secret by realizing “I am the power.” This is the central teaching of the New Age, the promise of Satan in the Garden of Eden, the basis of the prophesied one-world religion of the antichrist and the very decision that cost Adam and Eve their place in the presence of God. Is it just coincidence that such powerful symbols are being given our children?

Occult techniques are a common feature of He-Man cartoons. The Sorceress is known to speak to the other characters through telepathy. Skeletor watches the daily events in Eternia through a
crystal ball. Orco, a demon like wizard, levitates objects and uses incantations and spells.

At the end of each episode, the Sorceress tells young viewers: “I see the hour grows late. Night is falling over our world. Enemies lurk behind every shadow and evil thrives under the cloak of
darkness. I am needed…I must go as Zoar the falcon to keep watch over Eternia and help the one whose appearance was foretold in legend. The remarkable hero who is the most powerful man in the universe – He_Man.”

It reminds me of another whose coming was foretold also; the Antichrist: to whom those whose names are not written in the Lamb’s Book of Life, will bow down and worship as God. Are our children being prepared for such an event?

SHE-RA

She-Ra, we are told, is the sister of He-Man and also gains her powers through Castle Gray Skull. She-Ra travels around on a rainbow-colored, winged unicorn; both prominent New Age symbols.

Johanna Michealsen, in “Like Lambs to the Slaughter'” notes about She-Ra’s winged unicorn: “Either the writers of ‘She-Ra’ are profoundly knowledgeable of ancient Hermetic lore or else they
stumbled upon a remarkable coincidence when they named She-Ra’s steed, ‘Spirit.’ According to the Book of Lambspring (1625), a rare Hermetic tract, ‘the unicorn will be (i.e. represents) the spirit at all times.’ When Princess Adora (as in ‘adore:’ to worship…) raises her sword and cries out ‘For the honor of Gray Skull!’ she becomes She-Ra as a serpentine stream of energy swirls around her. She then directs the energy beam from the crystal in her sword toward the crystal embedded in Spirit’s headdress, and Spirit becomes ‘Swift Wind,’ a winged unicorn..In Greek mythology the winged horse was a symbol of the sacred king’s or hero’s journey to heaven…The winged horse was also a symbol of divine inspiration and immortality.” (30)

Johanna continues in her observation of the She-Ra program: “On occasion She-Ra goes to the Crystal Castle to speak to ‘Light Hope,’ a beam of radiant light that speaks to her in a deep,
Godlike voice. Light Hope is always seen emanating from the middle of a large triangle on the ground. Around the triangle is a large circle. In ritual magic, the circle is a symbol of protection or
containment. Everything inside the circle is safe and protected from the intrusion of any evil or demonic beings. The circle is an ancient symbol for God, as it is timeless, without beginning or end. For many people in the New Age it also represents the Mother Goddess. The triangle (a representation of the Trinity), when placed within the circle, becomes a Thaumaturgic (magic) Triangle,
one of the most powerful occult symbols in ritual magic for the conjuration of demons. The final punch lines comes at the end of every She-Ra program in a moral little ditty: “For the honor of
love, we have the power. So can you.'” (31)

Now, some parents who take time to preview what their children are watching may censor these blatantly occult programs. Instead, they will let their youngsters watch the more cute and cuddly cartoons like the Care Bears, Teddy Ruxpin, or the Smurfs. However, oftentimes the more innocent looking programs can be just as dangerous as the Visionaries or the Thundercats.

THE SMURFS

For example, “the Smurfs have been around now since September of 1981 and show no signs of calling it quits. The six-through eleven- year-olds made it NBC’s number one runaway hit in its first season breaking all kinds of Nielsen records for Saturday morning viewing.” (32)

Much of the Smurf’s pastime is spent in avoiding the sinister plots of Gargamel, the evil sorcerer. Papa Smurf himself is a great wizard and regularly comes to the aid of the little Smurfs with his
own spells and incantations.

In one episode of the Smurfs, Gargamel consults the spirit of the Great Book of Spells for a way to capture a Smurf. ” ‘Speak the incantation, oh rude one!’ commands the irritated voice that issues
forth from the pages of the now-open book…The spirit gives him detailed instructions, which include the following: ‘Draw a pentagram on the ground.’

“The pentagram is a five pointed star considered to be one of the most powerful tools of conjuration in magical rites. The pentagram with one point upward is used by witches and other neopagans as a symbol of man and the divine power he has over the universe.” (33)

In the Smurf’s video movies, “The Magic Flute,” the magical flute falls into the hands of a thief. Once again, whoever controls, in this instance, the flute, has power over all others. Pee Wee and
John must reach the land of the Smurfs to ask them how to break the spell of the magic flute. They consult a wizard to learn how to successfully accomplish their mission:

Wizard: “No one knows the road that leads to the Land of the Smurfs. However, there is one way to get there…by a method called psychokinesis…it’s a method by which I duplicate your personality and transfer it to another place.”

Pee Wee: “What are you going to do to us?”

Wizard: “Nothing much. You will just be going into a sleep…and you will wake up in the land of the Smurfs…look into my eyes; sleep deep.”

This is so obviously a combination of hypnosis with the “deep sleep” instructions and astral projection with a “duplicate personality” being transferred to another place while the body remains behind. Once again, children are being introduced to occult concepts that will be reinforced when they finally reach the public school.

THE CARE BEARS

Another group of cuddly and cute cartoon characters are those adorable Care Bears. One of the popular themes of various Care Bear programs is self esteem. On the back cover of their “Feeling Good” video children are instructed” “All hearts on deck…Come aboard with The Care Bears…Feel good and watch bad thoughts sink while self-confidence sets sail!”

In II Timothy 3:1-2 we read “that in the last days perilous times shall come. For me shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful,
unholy.”

The problem, according to Scripture, is not that man does not love himself or that he lacks self-esteem. The problem is that man loves himself to much. And here we have toddlers learning “selfism” so popular in the New Age because that is what The Care Bears are telling them.

Also, “Media Spotlight” noted: “The Care Bears stare is an intense concentration through which the Care Bears focus the energy in their torsos in order to produce a “force” to overcome evil with
which they are confronted on their missions. If this sounds a bit Eastern and mystical, we needn’t be surprised.” (34)

TEDDY RUXPIN

Another cute and cuddly character that parents allow their preschoolers to watch is Teddy Ruxpin. What could be wrong with this adorable Teddy Bear?

In “Come Dream With Me Tonight,” a series of six lullabies for tots, Teddy Ruxpin invites his fans to join him in his Airship and glide away through the starry night sky for some adventures in
Dreamland. And this is what Teddy Ruxpin tells them: “If our dream’s a good one, and if our dreams are right, then imagination can be real if we will dream tonight…And if our dream’s a good
one, and if we see it through, then the wondrous dreams we dream tonight, someday just might come true…

“There is a place that I know well. I can invite you too. It isn’t far from where you are; not just quite in view. You just believe in fairy tales and things that wizards do, and you will get there
easily and I’ll be there with you.

Just close your eyes and you will find treasure. Just close your eyes and you will move across the sky. We’ll fly in my lullaby. So, quiet now and I will tell you a little tale or two. And I’ll let my
song take you along into a land that’s new. You just have to believe in teddy bears; that’s not so hard to do. And you will get there easily and I’ll be there with you.” It makes me shudder to think that toddlers, just like perhaps their older brothers and sisters in school, are being told to contact their wise person; in this instance who take the shape of teddy bears to adapt to the younger minds of preschoolers. Just like their older brothers and sisters, preschoolers are told that they can have whatever they want just by wishing for it. Once again, what child would not be enticed by the thought of having whatever they desire just by believing that it will come true?

OCCULTISM IN TOYS

Most of these cartoons we have discussed have corresponding toys and action figures that are sold to millions of parents at their youngster’s bidding across North America. Back in 1986 Dr. Thomas Radecki pointed out in an article for “The Christian Reader” (July/Aug) that about 85% of the toy companies were funding cartoon programming. The same, of course, could be claimed today. All one has to do is flip through the TV guide and take a tour through the children’s toy department to see that this is indeed the case.

After watching their favorite cartoon hero practice telepathy or cast a spell with a simple incantation, children will indeed imitate these animated figures while playing with their corresponding toys in their very own home.

As Phil Phillips wrote in “Turmoil in the Toybox” “When a child watches a cartoon and then plays with a toy connected to that cartoon, he is no longer projecting himself into the toy. Instead,
cartoons have programmed the child to play with the toys in a certain way. He has been told what character the action figure has, as well as the figures abilities, personalities and talents.”

So, what is therefore taking place in millions of homes is that youngsters are running around repeating incantations that they have heard and perhaps including some of their own. They are practicing telepathy and “psychokinesis”. And they are perhaps believing that “He-Man” had more power than Jesus.

HOLY LIVING

God, of course, abhors the very witchcraft that New Age educators and media entertainment programmers are feeding these youngsters. And as Christians, God expects us not to partake of this idolatry.

“When thou art come into the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations. There shall not be found among you any that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For all that do these things are an abomination unto the Lord: and because of these abominations the Lord thy God doth drive them out before thee.” Deut. 18:9-12

As a Christian parent perhaps you are wondering how you can protect your children from the occult influences so readily available in the secular world. It is not enough to write letters to toy
manufacturers, media trend setters or the National Education Association. Remember, these people are deceived and believe that what they are doing is best for society and the world. In some ways and in some areas, it may help to protest and boycott, but we are not guaranteed that it will be so. God told us that in the last days things would wax worse and worse. And this is a sign that
Christ’s soon return is eminent.

The way is being paved for the delusion of II Thes. and the rule of the Antichrist. We must remember that “we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rules of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” Eph. 6:12

May years ago Aristotle notes that “Imitation is natural to man from childhood…he is the most imitative creature in the world, and learns at first from imitation.” (35) If we want to protect out
children from the evils of this world, we must educate ourselves on what the evils of this world are. Take an interest in what your children are learning from their teachers if they attend a public
school. Take an interest in what their favorite cartoon characters are telling them.

And most importantly, if you want to protect your children, what better way is there than to live a holy life yourself which your youngsters can “imitate.” As Johanna Michealsen said, “You can’t
share truth with your children of you don’t know what it is. You can’t show your child how to resist the devil if you yourself have not first learned how to submit yourself to God.”

Commit yourselves as Joshua did so long ago with these words: “But as for me and my house, we shall serve the Lord.” Joshua 24:15