The Occult, Demons, and Free-Will
I wasn't looking for this and usually don't watch videos like this, but it was in a list of suggested videos and caught my interest. And since it's Halloween, I thought it was worth sharing on my other blogs, especially because she's so real, honest, humble, and matter-of-fact about it. (I don't like overly sensationalized stories. And FYI: I haven't watched any other videos of hers but these.)
"Halloween warning from an ex-witch (warning heavy talk)" (26 minutes long)
And even better is her testimony about coming to Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior: "From the occult to Christ" (8 1/2 minutes long). So awesome to see her testimony and her journey of faith!
But what really caught my attention - what made me think to also share this video on my anti-Calvinism blog - is when she said that during a Reiki session, some witches told her that they saw her spirit guides and that the spirit guides want to "help align your chakra about free-will. They want to help you activate, completely, your own free-will to them."
She went on to say, "You know, I was like 'great,' working on that part of my chakras and doing mantras and different things to align with - what I now know is - demons. But the Lord put it into my remembrance today about it being about my free-will. That that's what they were after. They were after my total and utter will, my will. There is power in our will, in man's free-will. God's given us free-will. Do we align our will with the devil, or do we align our will with God? And who we align with is who will use us."
As I listened to her, it made me think of Calvinism's denial of free-will, of true free-will (not their fake kind). The spirit guides, the demons, were after her free-will. And isn't our free-will exactly what Calvinism goes after too?
And it made me think, "Of course, one way to get people to align their wills with demons is to convince them to voluntarily choose it, to actively do it. But if demons can't get people to do that, then maybe they go the opposite route: tricking people into giving up control of their free-will by convincing them that they don't even have it, that there's no such thing as free-will. Kinda like how Satan's best scheme - if he can't get you to worship him - is to convince you that he's not even real, because then we're not on guard against him.
Getting people to deny free-will (that powerful gift and responsibility that God gives us, to choose for Him or against Him, to think and decide for ourselves) might just be another way of getting people to align their wills with demons - because if we don't think we have free-will, then we don't take responsibility for it. We 'give it up' - ultimately and unwittingly letting someone else take responsibility of it for us, letting them lead us as they will while we follow along, convinced that we have no ability to decide for ourselves.
And, obviously, Calvinists will say that they think God controls their wills. But if it's true that God has given us a free-will that we are responsible for (as I believe the Bible teaches), then by denying free-will, Calvinists are denying God's truth and aligning themselves with lies and failing to take responsibility for their wills - and this means that they are aligned with the father of those lies, with Satan, and have given up responsibility for their wills, allowing for the possibility of whoever or whatever to influence and manipulate their wills, even if they didn't mean to and are doing it passively and with the best intentions."
[But demons don't care about our intentions, do they? Demons don't 'play fair.' They take whatever open door we give them, whatever foothold they can find. And their best ploy is to appear as light, as godly.
“For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.” (2 Corinthians 11:13-15)
"Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world." (1 John 4:1)
I'm not saying that all Calvinists are living under Satan's control or that they're unbelievers or anything like that. I think most Calvinists are good, well-meaning Christians who have allowed bad theology to take over. But I also think that Calvinism itself is from Satan, that it's a denial/twisting of God's truth and a destroyer of God's character. And so the farther one delves into Calvinism and the more they give themselves over to it, the more they allow Satan's lies to seep in and pervert the truth and hurt their faith.]
Just thinking out loud here. But it's something to consider carefully, especially since - as she wisely pointed out - "who we align with is who will use us."
So, do you wanna see where aligning yourself with Calvinism might eventually lead to, where demons might take you, some of the real-life destruction it does to hearts, souls, and faith?
From a Reddit post called "Calvinism is disgusting":
"From the Trailer Park Boys wiki: Ray is a self-proclaimed Calvinist ... [who] justifies his lifestyle by stating that if God didn't intend him to use hookers... then the Big Guy upstairs (God) wouldn't have put them on this earth." (SuperJew113)
"... All of these things you have to do [to be saved] according to evangelicals are not biblical. You don't have to repent, you don't have to hear the message, you don't have to believe or have faith... Because yahweh has already decided whether he's going to MAKE YOU have faith or MAKE YOU not have faith." (Sandi_T) [Do you see where Calvinism leads to? Fatalism. "Why bother"-ism. "Who cares"-ism. "Throw the baby out with the bathwater"-ism. Calvinists can't see it, but everyone else can.]
"As an ex-Christian who used to be a Calvinist, what alarmed me is that all the fears about satan applied to god... [Calvinists] ascribed so many characteristics to god that could be applied to satan that made them seem indistinguishable." (from 'deleted') [This comment is right on. Satan wants people in hell; Calvi-god wants people in hell. Satan deceives people; Calvi-god deceives people. Satan is glorified when people sin; Calvi-god is glorified when people sin. Satan can't be trusted; Calvi-god can't be trusted. Etc. And so I ask: Where is the line between Satan and Calvi-god? Is there one?]
"I remember as I was leaving my faith, I thought 'If God exists, then he let my parents waste thousands on private Christian education, let me be baptized and study his word and be confirmed, let me have periods of doubt and repentance, all when he knew that I would be damned to hell.' Even when I was still a Christian, he knew that I was damned and he never helped me." (Uriah_Blacke) [Heart! Breaking! Can you see - do you really understand and grasp - the very real damage this terrible theology does to people!?! It convinces them to embrace the idea that they are non-elect and there's nothing they can do about it. What a sure way to get people to resign themselves to hell!]
From CALVINISM: does it scare you? : r/Christianity (reddit.com):
"I have been studying a lot about [Calvinism] and I'm getting into a big crisis in my head about my salvation and about whether God loves me or not. I am a Christian girl since birth, I had experiences with God where I felt his love and care for me, I heard his voice teaching me and correcting me many times. But finding out about calvinism made me question my faith really bad like, wondering about the morality of God and things like that. I'm afraid that this is pushing me far away from Him. It's crazy that we can live a life of devotion, prayer, study, tears, repentence, mission and in the end going to hell because God wanted so. Does it scare you?..." (moonppix) [Of course, she is right that our good actions/behavior won't save us - because only our belief in Jesus, choosing Him as Lord and Savior, is what saves us - but she's clearly distressed thinking that she might ultimately be one of the non-elect, with no chance to be saved. Sad. Hopeless.]
"My parents used to say 'even the cutest baby is a dirty rotten sinner.' It was somewhat of a joke in our family, but also definitely what we all believed. I’m turning 30 this year and I still have trouble turning down the volume on this narrative about myself. It has led to issues in my friendships, with my partner, and now, with my parents... I have deconstructed to the [point] of agnosticism... This has crippled my emotional growth as an adult in ways..." (foreverlanding)
And others responded:
"I often wonder how different I might be had I not been raised with the teachings of total depravity. Like maybe I wouldn’t have had to spend the first 20 years of my adult life developing some semblance of confidence and self-worth. Maybe depression wouldn’t have almost killed me in my 20s. I’m not saying that my life would have been perfect and totally free from mental health issues, but it’s hard not to wonder what might have been different had I not been raised in such a toxic religion." (Starbucksname)
"The [Calvinist] concept of total depravity is so completely toxic. I'm still unlearning this as well. It does make me angry sometimes thinking about how absolutely f*cked up it is to teach children they are inherently awful just for being... The system is designed to make you feel like a POS just for being a human. I'm 37 now and am agnostic after trying really hard to believe until about 2ish years ago. I feel more hopeful and free without the church." (eab1728)
"Agreed. Total Depravity isn't the "Good News" espoused in Reformed circles... Reformed doctrine never allowed me to truly accept my own self-worth; it robbed me of dignity and replaced it with constant, grating guilt. And it's utterly worthless in the face of real hardship... I am a universalist now, which couldn't be further from Reformed doctrine. And honestly, what a relief." (come_heroine)
"It definitely did stunt you. How were you to develop empathy or self compassion in such an environment?? I am also working on recovering from this." (auntgoat)
"While I've moved past Calvinism, I'm still undoing the damage from it every day. I probably will be for the rest of my life. It's not easy recalibrating your mind from something that so profoundly effects the way you view everything." (IceWicket) [Very well said! Very sad, but very well said.]
"This is a screenshot from an email that I sent to my mom when I was 12 years old, simply titled "distressed"... I'm so angry that I was taught that I was completely bad, simply by being human, and I deserved to be tortured by the Creator for all of eternity, AND I COULD DO NOTHING ABOUT IT. All I could do was pray to God and hope that he had mercy on such a miserable, worthless, depraved wretch such as twelve-year-old me. I lived with a phobia of hell until the cage of my mind opened when I was 22, and I could finally think for the first time in my life..." (why-homo-sapien) [In the email, she (I'll assume 'she' for now) is telling her parents that she is distressed, that she is praying and reading the Bible but nothing is happening. She's looking for assurance that she's saved, that she's one of the elect. And the father replies that she should not give up, should keep asking God to show her the way, and he says that only God can save her, only God can awaken her dead spirit and make her alive, that she can't do anything to save herself. So essentially, it's "Do something about it, but you can't do anything about it, and so wait to see if God convinces you that you're one of the elect." So confusing. So biblically off-track. Biblically, we are supposed to do something if we want to be saved: choose to believe in Jesus, to put our faith in Him. We decide that! We do that! It's our responsibility, the one job God gave us to do! And anyone who does so will be saved. And obviously, this 12-year-old girl wants to do that and needs help doing it. But because Calvinists believe that we can't do that (that we can't choose to want/seek God or believe in Jesus but that God has to cause it to happen and He will only cause it to happen to the elect, and so if you're not elect, you can't do anything about it and there's no hope for you), the father has no real advice to offer the girl, no help in leading her to Christ, even though she's clearly aching for it, seeking it, reaching for it. Calvinists deny what the Bible has already shown us is the way to be saved, that we use our free-will to choose Jesus as Lord and Savior - and they replace it with their idea of "elect and non-elect to salvation, and God decides which one you are." And so, replacing free-will with Calvinist election, they can offer no more help than "wait and see." No wonder the kid is distressed! And since there's no such thing as "Calvinist election," no one can ever find assurance that they're one of the Calvinist elect. It's a wild goose chase they'll spend the rest of their lives on.]
"Suddenly realising that the way God is portrayed in Calvinism was the same way my abusive parent was treating me (I do it because I love you, you should be grateful, etc), and the idea that we would condemn a parent for doing something but it's ok for God, like we have lower standards for God, just seemed so ridiculous I knew there was no way I could ever go back to that again" (Friendly_Caramel6374)
"Imagine believing this. Imagine teaching your children this [quote from Paul Washer]: The moment when you take your first step through the gates of hell, the only thing you will hear is all of creation standing to its feet and applauding and praising God because God has rid the earth of you. That’s how not good you are." (toomanycatsbatman)
And in reply to that, someone said: "A few years ago I was wondering why my self-esteem was so crap and then suddenly realised that the people who taught me to hate myself were my parents, through the medium of calvinism :)" (pktechboi)
"Hello. I can’t believe I found this sub and I have so many questions for y’all because I’m starting to question Calvinism.
I would first like to say that I still very much believe in God so please be respectful of that as I’m still having a hard time navigating other things to the point that it’s led me into depression.
Before I was introduced to Calvinism, I was not in any other specific denomination. I just started to believe in God and the Bible. During this time, my faith was so strong, I had so much joy and felt fulfilled in life. I had a deep compassion for people and loved serving others in any way that I could. I honestly felt like I had a personal relationship with God.
As I became encouraged to study the Bible on a more deeper level, a friend introduced me to Calvinism and invited me to her church. Their teachings started to 'logically' make sense to me and it seemed very intellectual which I liked. After about a year, I realized that the people at this church came off as very uncompassionate and unloving towards anyone that didn’t agree with their doctrine. They were always heresy hunting, and would give us a list of Pastors that we shouldn’t listen to... they were crossing out people for the littlest of things that it started becoming too much, and like a witch hunt. They always emphasized on preaching the gospel but it’s like they really didn’t care about people’s salvation as much as they cared proving people wrong through their constant arrogant and prideful theological debates. I still can’t wrap my head around the concept of the elect. I started to grow cold towards people and definitely no longer had that compassion I once had. I noticed that I personally felt farther away from God and like I couldn’t have a personal relationship with Him anymore because of all the things I started learning. [Very insightful! Information about God can replace a relationship with God. And bad information can destroy it.] The church always made you feel like a depraved wretched sinner undeserving of anything. So, I didn’t even bother praying anymore, plus if everything was predestined anyway then it felt useless for me to pray. I had become depressed and cold hearted, and I don’t feel as if I like the Calvinist God. I feel no relationship to Him and I’m just turning into a person I don’t want to be. There’s so many questions that run through my mind about Calvinism, but I have no one who understand enough to tell all my feelings to. It confuses and frustrates me... Has anyone else experienced similar feelings and how did you get through it?" (Ash_Dav_1990)
In response to that:
"... It took me over 2 years to deconstruct, I had to completely stop going to church and I even stopped reading the Bible for sometime because I could only read it through a reformed lens and it was causing too much pain and doubt..." (lilywhisperer)
"I went through a similar realisation. I felt I couldn't express my love for others or God within the confines of Calvinism..." (ParkingHat)
"Many of us who have left Calvinism have felt the same things you have, especially that isolating coldness from and towards others... As for how I managed to get through the mess that Calvinism made in my own life, I left Christianity entirely. I understand you are a still a believer in some sense, so I won't comment much beyond that I now place an extreme, but equal, mistrust upon all humans claiming to speak or act for a deity. This is a measure to not only ensure fairness, but to also practically protect myself and my family from liars and frauds..." (DoubtingCastle) [Sadly, it sounds like DoubtingCastle put his faith in men instead of in God Himself, and so when men let him down and proved unreliable, he took it out on God instead.]
"Your story sounds so similar to my own. Except it was my youth pastor who introduced some of us to John Piper's sermons. I thought of myself as a Calvinist for one week. One solid week of the worst cognitive dissonance I've ever had. I couldn't even see the beauty of a sunset anymore. Then I consciously decided that even if Calvinism were true, I would want nothing to do with it. I decided that I would rather stand with the non-elect than suffer worshiping something that would purposefully create people as 'vessels of wrath' for the sake of gaining glory for itself. I find no love in that." (MusicBeerHockey) [Does this not crush your heart, seeing what Calvinism does to tender, trusting, young people? In a church!?!]
"Everything you say resonates. There is a ton of manipulation within Calvinism, that becomes so blatantly obvious once you’re on the outside. My best piece of advice is to give yourself permission to ask questions. Embrace your doubts. (I know you are a believer, so I am talking about your doubts about what Calvinism teaches: you are 'wicked' and 'depraved,' for example. Or 'we have the only real truth.') Give yourself permission to question that. Calvinism, in my experience, really is like a cult. ...and what’s gravely missing is freedom and compassion. I wish you all the best, and I emphatically second the advice of seeking a secular therapist - and be proud of it!..." (No_Orange_9968) [In this case, Calvinism has caused people to recommend secular counselors for spiritual problems. What an opening for Satan!]
"I know I’m responding a little late to this post, but I just wanted to say I have some of the same experiences. I was introduced to Calvinism by my friend. At first, I was unconcerned with it. I believed what I believed without any labels. I always thought my Calvinist friend was arrogant with his knowledge but I sort of ignored it. However, I later got into Calvinism and I became the same way: cold-hearted and arrogant. I became what I disliked my friend for... At most, I’m on the road to deconstruction. If I don’t completely deconstruct, I still want to hang onto some of the morals of Christianity. I wish you the best on your journey as well." (from 'deleted')
"Calvinists tend to be pretty extreme that 'they have the right interpretation of the bible' and have the attitude 'we're right, you're wrong.' I have also experienced a lot of unloving behavior from this crowd... I also ended up leaving the faith..." (caleb-auer)
From (with a few minor spelling and punctuation corrections) I have posted on another Group as well. I NEED SOMEONE TO EXPLAIN Calvinism to me because what I understand of it is scaring me!!! : r/Christians (reddit.com):
"Okay.... so I have just watched a sermon from Paul Washer (which I thought was one of the most amazing sermons I have ever seen). That man has a fire for Christ that cannot be extinguished. But for the first time, I found out what Calvinism is. And I am scared to death!!! So if I am not elected by God to be saved, I will not be saved??? No matter how much time I devoted to prayer, how many times I have been broken by his feet have, how many hours I spent learning scripture, how many days I "thought" I was talking to my best friend. It was all just a lie??? I come in heaven just to realize I was never elected??? And get thrown into hell because the day I was born I was already doomed from the beginning??? And my whole faith is just one big hoax???" (Dingus_bellator1027) [That's some serious struggling going on right there! And Calvinism can offer no real hope, no real help, no real comfort other than "wait until you die to see if you won the salvation lottery or not".]
From the Reddit post "Verily verily I say unto thee, f*ck this sh*t!" which starts with this quote from Kevin DeYoung (which can also be found in his article on limited atonement): "Jesus did not die for every sinner, but for His own people. The Good Shepherd gives His life not for the goats, but for the sheep":
"This was a huge factor in my own deconversion. Even if this was an actual literal proven fact, there's no way I could love and worship a being who did/does this." (from justalapforcats)
"Welp, that takes a lot of pressure off of me as an atheist. I won't worry about whatever Jesus did, because he didn't die for me anyways." (from chucklesthegrumpy)
Miss_an100 responds to that with "...When I realized our own judicial system treats us better than this sadistic god, I was out. 30 years of my life. Sure, there were good memories. But the weight of it all sure took a toll on me eventually. Thankful I can breath a bit more easy now not worrying if I have committed the unpardonable sin. I’m certain I have 100x over. ;) ..."
For another story, click here to read a reprint of a Facebook post from one man on the destruction Calvinism did to him as a child. So sad.
And finally, from Election and Suicide : r/Calvinism (reddit.com) (mature content on that post, must verify you are 18 to enter it)
"I have recently discovered the doctrine of election and I believe that I am not elect. I don't have any spiritual fruit and I hate God with all my heart. My question is, at this point is it right to want to die? Might as well go to hell now instead of later. I do not want to kill myself (I never will hopefully) but I cant see a reason to live when my end destiny will be the same." (from 'deleted') [Heart! Breaking!!!]
The gut-wrenching, faith-destroying, hope-suffocating, soul-killing fruit of Calvinism!
Take warning from all of this, because it could someday be you or your kids or your family and friends.
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Bonus, just for fun: Here's what I included on my other blog in today's post:
So it's Halloween time again, huh? Is it just me, or has there been a big increase in the amount of Halloween decorations in people's yards?
I don't decorate for Halloween, nothing more than maybe a few pumpkins. But a neighbor and I were talking the other day, and she inadvertently stumbled on what I think would make the best Halloween decoration. Something truly terrifying. And if I had more guts, I'd maybe consider doing it someday.
She was reading out loud some reported quotes from famous atheists just before their death, and I thought Now that would make a scary Halloween display in your yard, a collection of tombstones with atheist quotes on them!
Quotes such as these:
David Strauss, who spread German rationalism to erase people's belief in God: "My philosophy leaves me utterly forlorn! I feel like one caught in the merciless jaws of an automatic machine, not knowing at what time one of its great hammers may crush me!"
Thomas Paine, atheist writer of The Age of Reason: "Stay with me, for God's sake; I cannot bear to be left alone. O Lord, help me! Oh God, what have I done to suffer so much? What will become of me hereafter? I would give worlds if I had them, that The Age of Reason had never been published. O Lord, help me! Christ, help me!... No, don't leave; stay with me! Send even a child to stay with me; for I am on the edge of hell here alone. If ever the devil had an agent, I have been that one."
Sir Thomas Scott, atheist chancellor of England: "Until this moment I thought there was neither a God nor a hell. Now I know and feel that there are both, and I am doomed to perdition by the just judgment of the Almighty."
Anton LeVey, author of the Satanic Bible: "Oh my, oh my, what have I done, there is something very wrong... there is something very wrong..."
Voltaire, anti-Christian atheist: "I have swallowed nothing but smoke... I am abandoned by God and man.." And his nurse said, "For all the money in Europe, I wouldn't want to see another unbeliever die! All night long he cried for forgiveness."
Charles IX, French king who massacred the French Huguenots (over 100,000 people) because of their love for Christ: "Asleep or awake, I see the mangled forms of the Huguenots passing before me. They drop with blood. They point at their open wounds. Oh! That I had spared at least the little infants at the bosom! What blood! I know not where I am. How will all this end? What shall I do? I am lost forever! I know it. Oh, I have done wrong."
Sir Francis Newport, head of English Atheist Club: "You need not tell me there is no God, for I know there is one, and that I am in his presence! You need not tell me there is no hell. I feel myself already slipping. Wretches, cease your idle talk about there being hope for me! I know I am lost forever! Oh, that fire! Oh, the insufferable pangs of hell! Oh, that I could lie for a thousand years upon the fire that is never quenched, to purchase the favor of God and be united to Him again. But it is a fruitless wish. Millions and millions of years will bring me no nearer the end of my torments than one poor hour. Oh, eternity, eternity forever and forever! Oh, the insufferable pangs of Hell!"
David Hume, atheist philosopher, cried out "I am in flames!"
Wouldn't that be the scariest Halloween decoration ever!
And now to lighten things up a bit, some songs from Carman that I've shared on other Halloweens, a bit campy, but fun and full of spiritual truth and wisdom:
A Witch's Invitation - Love this one!
Satan, Bite the Dust - I wouldn't go around challenging Satan, but Carman's making a good, important point here about the power of God compared to the power of the devil.
No Monsters - Carman knows the power of Jesus's name!
God's Got an Army - Been stuck in my head all morning
Revival in the Land - Are you on your knees in prayer for our country?
The Courtroom - Interesting
The Champion - This will always be one of his best!
Radically Saved (Live) - The whole hour-plus show. This is one of the first albums I got of his. And it's still one of my favorites.
Radically Saved (just the song)
Jericho, the Shout of Victory - Encouraging!
This Blood is for You - A powerful song. Satan is a defeated foe. And Jesus's blood - His death for you - is your salvation, your protection. You cannot fight the enemy in your own name. But you can fight - and win - in the name of Jesus, by the power of His blood.
No Way, We Are Not Ashamed - Say it loud and proud!
Oh, and you gotta watch these two from Crowder (love it!): Run Devil Run and Crushing Snakes
And once again, since it's Halloween, here's a link to "My story of Demonic Harassment" which partly explains why I take this stuff so seriously. And here's the post "War Rooms, Praying Scripture, and Spiritual Warfare" with lots of links to resources.
And a link to "Starting your own relationship with Jesus (And why we need Him!)".
And two short videos on how to become a Christian:
From Pastor Greg Laurie: "Becoming a Christian" (4 minutes long)
And from Pastor Tony Evans: Salvation Through Jesus Christ (2 1/2 minutes long)
Yes, it's that simple! Eternal life, salvation, is that simple to get. All of the work has been done for you by Jesus Christ on the cross. And all you have to do is accept it.
[Keep in mind that it's not the prayer that saves you, the words you say. It isn't a "magic spell." What saves you is your choice to believe in Jesus, your decision to make Him your Lord and Savior, to believe that He is God and that He came to earth to die on the cross and rise again to pay the price for your sins so that you can live, so that you don't have to pay the price for your sin. You can live eternally in heaven because of what He did for you on the cross. And all you have to do is accept it, believe it. If you will believe (if you will accept it as truth, even if you don't "feel it" yet) that Jesus is God, that He died for your sins, that you are a sinner and that you need Him to save you, if you will turn from your old life and embrace Him as Lord and Savior, you will be saved.]
If you knew today was your last day alive, would you be ready to face tomorrow?
[Atheist quotes taken from Famous Last Words That You Won’t Soon Forget - Adventist Review - Adventist Review and Finding Faith Too Late: Last Words of Famous Atheists - Preach It Teach It.]
