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Traditional Christianity is
being aban–
doned for other
forms of
"worship."
Oriental religions, witchcraft, the occult,
so-called Christian
"sects/ '
and outright
paganism hove drawn thousands
from
the mainstream churches. WHY
are
people turning to the mystical in
an
age
priding itself
on
scientific and
material knowledge?
TheNewFad:
MYSTICIS
and the
OCCULT
by
lester
l.
Grobbe
"DOUBLE,
double, toil and
trouble, Fire buen, and caul–
dron bubble."
Almost everyone has heard
these
lines
from Shakespeare at one time or
another. Accompanying
is
always the
nocturnal image of severa! black–
cloaked, vile-looking old hags, stirring
the contents of a frothing, seething,
squat íron kettle in the middle of thick
woods.
But if you met a "real" witch oo the
street, the chaoces are you would never
recognize her. The unimposíng lady
next door or the attractive secretary in
your office could belong to a coven and
attend
esbat
(
coven meetings) regular!
y
without being discovered.
Occult
in
the
Open
Witchcraft is only one of many new
forros of "worship" attracting thou–
sands of new converts each year. Astrol–
ogy, spiritism, occultism, ouija boards
(they have outsold Monopoly sets),
Tarot cards, and other associated items
are big business. The fact that com-
mercial businesses have capitalized on
them attests to their present popularity.
What was once discussed only in
hushed whispers with a nervous glance
over the shoulder is now paraded before
the public eye. In the MiddJe Ages,
hundreds of thousands died as a result
of being accused of witchcraft, devil
worship or sorne other such practice.
(At
the
famous Salero trials in 1692, 23
were executed as witches.) Now self–
professed witches write books and news
magazine columns.
The names of two "psychics" (Edgar
Cayce and Jeanne Dixon), have become
household words. Popular movies in–
elude
Rosemary's Baby,
in which a
young woman has a child by a demon,
and
On a Clear Day Y
011
Can See For–
eve1',
which makes reincarnation a cen–
tral core of
the
plot.
Jesus freaks - about which a popu–
lar book has been written called
J
eJIIs
ls
My
Trip-
gurus, Zen Buddhism, nec–
romancy, spiritualíst churches, and di–
recting one's life by the stars have all
found their niche in our modern society.