:: In.a.Mirror.Dimly ::

On certain occasions when I’ve served with my in-law’s prison ministry, I’ve met some men who were entangled in the occult and all sorts of dark magic. Their conversion experiences were dramatic, spiritual encounters with Jesus. They remind me that Christianity is dealing with real spiritual powers.

I recently learned about Kristine McGuire who is a former “Christian witch.” She wrote about her experiences with the occult in a book entitled Escaping the Cauldron: What You Should Know About the Occult.

I think Kristine raises some issues that are worth considering. The little that I’ve learned about spiritual warfare has been beneficial in my own Christian walk.

Christine offers a perspective that is beyond anything I’ve ever encountered, which speaks to a void in our Christian discourse today. My interview follows. Enjoy!

Tell us a little bit about your background and how you ended up writing a book about Christianity and the occult.

I grew up in the church and accepted Jesus as my savior when I was six years old at Vacation Bible School and spent my childhood, youth, and early adulthood very involved in church, reading the Bible, and trying to be a good Christian. However, at the same time I was also very drawn to things in the occult…ghosts, witches, psychics. I had two ambitions as a child: Grow up to be a missionary or a Gypsy Fortune Teller. Clearly I was conflicted!

As I got older and learned the Bible forbids activities associated with the occult I began to feel very guilty for being interested and a kind of tug-of-war began in life. On the one hand I wanted to be not just a good Christian but a “perfect” Christian, but I still was very drawn to anything paranormal. I loved the horoscopes, wanted to learn the tarot, etc.

After college I got married to a Christian man and when our children were born we were raising them to be Christians but life wasn’t easy. We struggled in many areas of our lives and I came to believe that I wasn’t “good enough” for God. Over time I became depressed, angry, resentful and gave into the yearning. I delved into the occult, spending eight years as a witch, medium, and ghost hunter. Believe it or not I even spent several years as a Christian Witch, adapting magick into a form of Christian belief. Thankfully God wasn’t about to let me go and eventually I repented of my sin. He fully restored my life and my marriage (which went through five years of separation and near divorce).

Why did I write a book about Christianity and the occult? As a former witch and medium I have been made very aware of the influence of the occult not only in our culture but in the church as well. The church has spent years ignoring things like witchcraft and the paranormal but in the interim interest has grown. There are Christians going to psychics and mediums, forming ghost hunting groups, incorporating mysticism into their Christian walk, and who have questions about the supernatural. I wrote Escaping the Cauldron to hopefully address some of those issues.

You say that you were a “Christian witch.” How was that possible?

We have teachers who “de-construct” the Bible, Christians who interpret scripture to fit their particular belief, and the ever popular notion of being “spiritual but not religious”. Christian Witchcraft isn’t impossible if you don’t subscribe to traditional Christianity. In fact, there was a recent Pew poll which suggested 60% of Christians “combine” other beliefs with Christianity, including Eastern religions, New Age, and mysticism. The process is called syncretism. When I was a Christian Witch I considered my beliefs to be Christian and expressed those beliefs through witchcraft. It was my way of life and spiritual identity.

I don’t think a lot of folks think of the occult as a serious threat. What does the average Christian need to know about the occult?

Take a look at the amount of television programming focusing just on ghosts, ghost hunting, mediums, psychics, and the paranormal. Check out the books targeting children and teens which have supernatural themes. Media can have an impact on how people think but it also can be a reflection of cultural beliefs and interests. When you take into account that a majority of Christians don’t read the Bible, have no idea what it says about occult activities, and then consider the amount of dabbling in the occult which occurs (particularly among teens), I’d say it’s past time for the church to take notice.

How have you seen the occult mix with Christianity and how did you untangle them?

Unhealthy interest and seeking out angel experiences or communication, mixing ghost hunting with deliverance ministry, contemplative or centering prayer, “portals” and out of body experiences to heaven, etc. The best way to untangle occult ideology mixed with Christian teaching or belief is to understand what the Bible teaches about these things. If you have to stretch or “interpret” scripture to make something fit then its time to take a closer look or leave it behind altogether.

What have your experiences taught you about spiritual warfare? Do you pray differently?

I’ve learned that we really do have authority in Jesus name and have no reason to be fearful. I’ve learned to press in close to the Lord in prayer and trust that He always has my back. It doesn’t mean life is easy but He gives me strength to stand firm in faith. Do I pray differently. I pray with more confidence.

What are some of the responses of readers to your book?

The responses to the book have been overwhelmingly positive. What’s been very interesting are the emails I receive telling me about personal experiences people have had and can’t explain, the questions they ask. Christians want to understand more about spiritual warfare, ghosts, mediums. They want to know why God has forbidden spirit communication because it seems so “good”. They want to know if it’s okay for a Christian to be a ghost hunter.

I have been thanked for sharing what I know about the occult and how it affects Christians. One thing people have said is they’d prefer one big book rather than a series of smaller books so I’m currently working on an expanded edition of Escaping the Cauldron (hopefully to be available in October) which will also include discussion questions, a glossary of occult words, etc.

Where can readers learn more about your book?

People can find Escaping the Cauldron on my website Kristine Remixed or look for it on ‘>Amazon, where it’s available in both paperback and Kindle.

What are you blogging about these days on your web site?

I blog about many topics. Sometimes I’m inspired by a conversation or something that’s going on in my life. I write about Christians and the occult, particularly when someone sends me a question which can be addressed to a larger crowd. I also write about marriage, prayer, I review books. Lots of stuff! Come check it out

Thanks Kristine for sharing your journey with us!

One last note…

Before we move on to the comments, I’d like to note that while I agree with Christine on many things, I’m a big supporter of contemplative prayer. Perhaps Christine and I are talking about two different forms of it, I’m not an expert. However, I wanted to make sure my own position is clear on that point because it’s an important part of my own Christian walk.

Alright, Christine has given us a lot to talk about. What do you think we need to know about the occult? How does this stuff relate to spiritual warfare?