There is a dark preoccupation with sinister subject matter focused straight at the children. The orientation is to all things related to the occult and dark themed characters—fairies, witches, warlocks, wizards, vampires, pirates, monsters, and psychics. Horror themed books and horoscopes for kids are all available to them. You can find these themes in all media forms: online, books, software, video gaming, magazines, movies, advertising, television, music lyrics, theme parks, and even museum exhibitions, and it is all available to children. Educators use these dark themes to promote “reading” to children, all the while, also educating children about things derived from the occult and other dark themes.
Books for kids seem to not be worthwhile unless they are about dark subject matter, horror, or the irreverent. Subjects such as righteousness and goodness are just not being popularized as much by the mainstream secular markets. It is hard to tell the good guys from the bad guys, because even the heroes in the current stories can take the role of a wizard or a vampire and they have some measure of the darkness which is glorified.
In our library summer reading club program with something like 20,000 local kids participating, multiple companies donate funding and slick brochures are produced and then several books are promoted for summer reading. Books highlighted for children to read over the summer focused on witches, fairies, wizards, and enchantresses.
It is all innocent fun and we are just trying to promote reading—don’t be so prudish, you may say… Well when did such dark material creep under our detection? In our public library, under Christian book titles for children you will find total 757 titles. When you search the topic heading wizard you will find 692 titles. Search witches and you find 1,200 titles, search horror and you will discover 3,521 titles, and 100 titles will be found under the heading witchcraft alone. I even ran across a book for kids on how to have a young witch sleepover party. Some of the titles are much darker and pervasive—describing chants, spells, sorcery, and divinations that children can learn to do.
Let’s see what the Bible says: Deuteronomy 18:9-13 is about detestable practices: 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 one 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 from before thee. Thou shalt be perfect with the LORD thy God.
Did you read that verse? This is the Holy Word of God and you might need to read it again. I think the Bible is clear about God’s position here on these matters. So we have our children sliding down a slippery slope which is getting steeper and steeper—and no one seems to be paying attention. It is just kid stuff and it’s all in good clean fun—or is it? I know that witches have been a subject matter for kids for many years, but the books out there for kids are much, much darker then they have ever been. Check it out for yourself. I think you will be surprised if you have not taken notice of this purposefully dark shift aimed at our children. I do not know what the answer is—but I believe it is a matter of serious prayer. Our children’s very innocence is at stake. The enemy has found an easy entrance into the back doors or our safe havens and homes.
Matthew 18:6 says: But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.
One of the most current hailed characters in the history of children’s literature I believe directly insults and baspheme God. And, why not? God hates wizards and abhors the occult. God hates leading children astray and aiding and leading them to sin and toward evil. This famous character has a lightning bolt on his forehead and uses the name “Potter.” When the Bible speaks of God, “lightning” is often associated with Him as in the following verses. The same holds true for God being described in the Bible as the great “Potter.” Now imagine, if you will, how unhappy God is that children are being filled with subject matter that glorifies and promotes the occult, witchcraft, and wizards.
God as the Lightning:
Exodus 19:16-17: And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that was in the camp trembled. And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet with God; and they stood at the nether part of the mount.
Job 37:3: He directeth it under the whole heaven, and his lightning unto the ends of the earth.
Psalms 77:18: The voice of thy thunder was in the heaven: the lightnings lightened the world: the earth trembled and shook.
And here in particular Jesus talks about how God dealt with Satan:
Luke 10:18: And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.
God as the Potter:
Psalms 2:9: Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.
Isaiah 29:16: Surely your turning of things upside down shall be esteemed as the potter’s clay: for shall the work say of him that made it, He made me not? Or shall the thing framed say of him that framed it, He had no understanding?
Romans 9:21: Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honor, and another unto dishonor?
Some other comments in the Bible about God’s hatred for witchcraft and sorcery:
2 Chronicles 33:6: And he caused his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom: also he observed times, and used enchantments, and used witchcraft, and dealt with a familiar spirit, and with wizards: he wrought much evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger.
Micah 5:12: And I will cut off witchcrafts out of thine hand; and thou shalt have no more soothsayers:
Galatians 5:19-21: Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envying, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
Perhaps a good rule to go by for deciding what materials or programs you and your children can feel comfortable with can come from the Lord’s Prayer and Matthew 6:10: Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in Heaven. If you can see yourself watching a TV show or reading a particular book in Heaven or at church, then it probably is safe. If you cannot imagine hearing a particular song in Heaven or playing a specific game at church is it right for you, now?
You may say, “Wow, this is totally crazy and impossible.” Here is the challenge…if you think you want to spend eternity in Heaven (and I hope you do), then why is it not practical to avoid the kind of materials you know you should not be exposed to right now?
The world’s fascination with the occult is its admission that people are drawn to that sense that there is something more than the temporal world in front of us. If only people could see that it is God who is the source of all the things they are longing and looking for in their souls. People sense there is more, but sadly, they are being pulled to the wrong, poor substitute for God in the occult. Satan can only pervert God’s creation and only God can create anything. Turn to God in Who you can have all your spiritual longings met.
Source: Excerpt from the new book: InLove with the Whirlwind–When God Takes Your Heart by Storm
