The Occult

Presidential Trail Into the Occult

The occult is mainstreaming into American society. The evidence is easily seen in the over abundance of paranormal television shows, the extremely popular movies in theaters like "Twilight", "New Moon", and "Harry Potter".

But the occult phenomena isn't simply relegated to the realm of fantasy, it is mainstreaming into the hearts nd homes of everyday Americans. Frighteningly, the occult has also been worming its way into some of the lives of some our most prestigious government officials. One group that has been affected by occult practices is the presidents of the United States.

One of the very first presidents on the trail to the occult was Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln's wife, Mary Todd Lincoln was grief struck by the premature deaths of three of her sons. In her grief, she turned to mediums to conduct seances in the White House in an attempt to reconnect with her deceased children. Mary Todd's seances were held on a regular basis. While we are never told of her success in contacting her sons, she did persuade our 16th president to attend at least one seance.

Another president that used the occult to predict the future of his presidency was Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Roosevelt made regular appointments to have his future read by the world famous psychic Jeanne Dixon. Dixon correctly predicted the favorable result of WWII. Much to Roosevelt's horror, she also predicted his impending death in Hot Springs Georgia.

While Richard Nixon did not dabble in the occult as far as we know, it was his famous trip to Red China that opened the door for the practice of alternative medicine in the United States. During the trip, his press secretary became violently ill with appendicitis and had to have immediate surgery. Doctors used acupuncture to reduce pain during the operation. Reports of this procedure hit the headlines of many of the nations largest papers and magazine who in turn, ran large stories regarding the use of alternative therapies. This served to popularize their use.

Finally, Nancy Regan was well known for consulting an astrologer during her husbands 8 years in the White House. She prohibited the president from signing important documents and treaties if her psychic forecaster felt that the astrological signs were not favorable.

It is so easy to become unintentionally involved in the occult. It may start with something as simple as reading a fortune cookie or the daily horoscope and blossom into something else entirely. Many who have seen occult based movies report to have been bothered by nightmares and worse during months and even years following a visit to their local theater. Scores remember being "spooked" when they saw the glide on the Ouija Board begin to spell out words revealing private information. Who doesn't remember all the Call 1-900-psychic" phone numbers.

People are hungry for spiritual truth. They want an encounter with a "higher power". Many want assurance for the future, some want contact with deceased loved ones. Spiritual contact outside of the parameters established in the Bible are really encounters with the demonic. Satan is the great deceiver and one of his greatest deceptions is that spiritual and emotional needs can be met outside of Christ. Galatians 6:7 warns us to stay away from Satan's lies, "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap".

God has a better plan for your life. Curious about the future, the future is in God';s hands. Jeremiah 29: 11 reminds us, "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future". Do you miss a family member or a friend who has died? God understands your pain and offers the comfort that only He can give. 2 Corinthians 1:3,4 reminds us that, "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God".

God loves us. He not only has the answers you are desperately seeking for, He is the answer you are seeking for. There is a familiar chorus that says this very thing. "Jesus is the answer for the world today. Without Him there is no other, Jesus is the way." Jesus said, "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. . . " (John 14:6). If your feel lost on the pathway of life, you don't have to turn to the occult to find answers, you can turn to Christ. He is all the answer you need.