The Roots of Modern Occultism

To begin with a quote from the faithful Bavarian theologian and pastor Hermann Bezzel (1861 – 1917): “Genuine piety rejoices in that, that dependence on God is happiness.”

What is Occultism?

Before we talk about the roots of modern occultism we first need to define the word itself. And right here we have a problem. We may ask ten people and get eleven different answers. Every one gives an answer according to his or her opinion or point of view. Occult supporters present a different argument than Bible believers, and a secular oriented person believing in neither, may stay unimpressed altogether.

Occultism, lat. OCCULTUS, “occult: 1, beyond the bounds of ordinary knowledge; mysterious; 2, not disclosed, secret; 3, communicated only to the initiated; 4, … pertaining to, certain reputed sciences, as magic, astrology; (witchcraft) etc.; 5, hidden from view…. 7, the supernatural; 8, anything occult; 9, to hide.” Maquerie Dictionary.

A look through the magazine Esoteric, (the deeper knowledge of east and west) gives one a pretty good overall view of today’s occultism. To give a personal definition I may say Occultism views a dependence on God as misfortune.

Evolution and Occultism

Evolution, or the step by step development of nature and mankind form an indispensable part of occultism.
The Jesuit Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, often called “Father of the New Age” remonstrates:

“Evolution… is a general condition to which all theories, all systems, all hypotheses must bow… a light illuminating all facts, a curve that all lines must follow.” – Dave Hunt, Occult Invasion, p. 18.

“In our theological reasoning we must incorporate… the theory of… evolution, … reincarnation…our working together with modern sciences is of utmost importance.” Freely translated from German into English, The Occult Digest, January 1931.

Ken Wilber in his book The Atman Project says it loud and clear: “If men and women have ultimately come up from amoebas, then they are ultimately on their way towards God.” – Dave Hunt, Occult Invasion, p. 20.

The leading Freemason W. L. Wilmhurst declares: “ the evolution of man to Superman – was always the goal of antique mysteries (occult teachings)… Man, who had emerged from the earth developing through the lower realms of nature into his present rational status, must complete his evolution by becoming a god-like being to unite his consciousness with “Omniscience”. – Chr. Bird, Fruitful Searches, in New Realities, March 1982, p. 59.

“New Age leader Robert Muller, for many years Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations, expresses much the same: “I believe that humanity … has a tremendous destiny to fulfill and that a major transformation is about to take place in our evolution.”… Decide to open yourself … to the potential of the human race, to the infinity of your inner self, and you will become the universe … at long last your real, divine, stupendous self.” – Dave Hunt, Occult Invasion, p. 19.

In Paradise

“Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden; But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.” Gen. 3: 1-5.

The Central Idea in the Whole of Occultism really is this:
We take life in our own hands, in other words we do not need to be dependent on God. We manage fine ourselves. When God influences our lives then we have to break loose from His influence. When we have achieved this then we are free people. And being free we don’t need God, period. Because we do not need God, we are in the end “God” ourselves. – Remember the totally contrary statement from Hermann Bezzel: “… dependency on God is happiness.”

The Bible does not say when God had created Adam that He promised him to become like God! This was rather Satan’s deceptive promise to Eve!

Independence from God really means to be separated from Him:
“And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever: therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken.” Gen. 3:22-23.

In this context it is interesting to mention “that in religions around the world the serpent has consistently been portrayed as the symbol of perennial wisdom and eternal life. There can be no doubt that the serpent, who came to Eve, is identified everywhere (except in the Bible) with the occult and is honored as embodying that mysterious force which occultists of all kinds seek to enlist in the accomplishment of their desires.” – Dave Hunt, Occult Invasion, p. 109.
As a warning against the dangers of modern occultism read the following Bible text: “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after God.” Col. 2:8.

History of Occultism

“Ancient handed down sources (for the occult) are found in the Mithra-cult, in the Iris-cult of Ancient Egypt, in the Weda of India, in Greek doctrines… in the cult of Cebele and Dionisos. Also Celtic and Teutonic cults play a part. The most important branches in occultism which developed at the emerging of Christendom are Gnosis, the Jewish Kabala, and Alchemie.” – Antholzer, p. 18.

What is Gnosis?

Gnosis: Greek – Knowledge

“Knowledge of spiritual truths reputedly possessed by the ancient Gnostics, who believed them to be essential to salvation.” Encarta Concise Dictionary.

Simon Magus was known as one of the first greatest Gnostics; probably the same mentioned in Acts 8: 9-13
“But there was a certain man, called Simeon, which beforetime in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one: To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God. And to him they had regard, because that of long time he had bewitched them with sorceries. But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. Then Simeon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done.”

Gnosticism flourished during the second and third centuries after Christ. Today it flourishes again full scale within the frame of the New Age movement.” – Antholzer, Maechte der Bosheit, p. 19.

What is the Kabala?

The term “Kabala” encompasses the whole of mystic and esoteric traditions of Judaism. It is assumed that the Kabala developed after Gnosticism and was influenced by the same.

The goal of the Kabala is to develop an alternative system of Bible interpretation, based on certain reading techniques, available only to initiates. These reading techniques deal with the determination of secret names of God, of angels and demons. The names of demons are taken as sacred words which are to lend extraordinary power to those who are capable to pronounce them correctly, power to create and to destroy.” – Ibidem, p. 20.

What is Alchemy?

“The term Alchemy is a collective term of all those esoteric doctrines which deal with the example of possible transformation of ordinary metal into precious metal (gold) just like the transformation of an infidel (person) into a spiritual minded person. These transformations are only possible with the help of the “Stone of the Wise” (Arabic: ALKIMIYA). Generations of famous alchemists worked preparing this stone, called “the Great Work.” The psychologist and alchemist Carl Gustav Jung fostered a special interest in this branch of science.” – Ibidem, p. 20.

Dependence on God

A personal connection with God includes a total surrender into His hands and complete trust in God’s leading. The believer yields himself to the full control of the Holy Spirit who then is able to work mightily in him. Remember the quote from Bezzel: “Dependence on God is happiness.”

This surrender to God’s leading happens through faith in Jesus Christ. The well known text in Romans 8:28 reveals much: “And we know that all things work together for good in them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose.” But sad to say too many people are reluctant to entrust their lives to the full control of God. Their faith is shallow for after all they want to make the decisive steps themselves.

Humanism

Humanism contributes a significant part to the success of modern occultism.
“Belief in a human-based morality, as system of thoughts that is based on the values, characteristics, and behavior that are believed to be best in human beings, rather than on any supernatural authority.” – Encarta Concise Dictionary.

Classical antiquity was taken as model for humanism. This is important to know, because we must consider that the ancient pagan Greek way of thinking was from the beginning already of occult character. Remember the above statement: To be independent (from God) is a classic sign of occultism.

By taking a superficial look at humanism, Christians may find good points because the improvement and care of human life and tolerance, respect and equality are also Christian values.

However there is a major difference: Humanism has like its model – classical antiquity – no place for God and Jesus Christ. Everything is accomplished by human efforts period. Man wants to make himself completely “independent” of God.

In some respect humanism resembles Christianity but it is an antichristian philosophy (ideology) with a Christian scarf around.

Despite the similarities, in truth the whole of humanistic ideology is used as a helpful tool of argument against biblical truths. (According to Meskemper, p. 65).

In humanism we find the central idea of the serpent in Eden: “Ye shall be as gods.”

End of Part One.
To be continued.

Article by Helmut Welker, Germany,
Translated by Edda Tedford, Canada.