The Truth About Spiritual Stupidity

The Truth About Spiritual Stupidity
By Brenda Black

A 2006 study of college students, conducted by Bryan Farha at Oklahoma City University and Gary Steward Jr. of the University of Central Oklahoma, reached the same conclusion. Belief in the paranormal – from astrology to communicating with the dead – increases during college from 23 percent among freshmen to 34 percent for post graduates.

That's not surprising considering the downtrend in interest of legitimate religion among coeds as indicated in a braggadocios blog post by John W. Loftus in 2007 at “Debunking Christianity.” He writes: “According to a survey by the Higher Education Research Institute, students entering college are staying away from religion in record numbers. Nineteen percent have no religious preference, and more than 23 percent have not attended a religious service in the last year—a new high in the thirty-nine-year history of the survey.”

But one reader responds to Loftus with his own observations. “As a university student who is a Christian I think I can provide some context here...The fact of the matter is, as any sociologist of religion will tell you, religion is not dying out because of some sort of huge intellectual skepticism towards religion, its simply flat out ignorance. Most university students are basically so uninterested in the matter that they just reside in some sort of fuzzy "I believe in something out there" belief. Its not even an intellectual deism... I've met persons who call themselves atheists who believe in souls, ghosts, aliens and everything else so it doesn't surprise me that such poll numbers would suggest this.”

The numbers indicate people feel compelled to believe in something. How about telepathy? A a national survey of 1,721 people in 2005 found nearly 30 percent think it is possible to influence the physical world through the mind alone. How about holding a séance? More than 20 percent figure it is possible to communicate with the dead. What if we made a reality t.v. show about ghosts? Nearly 40 percent believe in haunted houses. Just think, all of this data is derived pre-vampire craze. So my guess is the numbers are even higher these days.

If, by human nature, we are so predisposed to believe in the supernatural, why is it so hard for people to put their hope in God, the creator of the world? And why are professing Christians dabbling in darkness when He is the Light of the World? In another national survey published in the journal Sociology of Religion in 2009, 1,700 people were queried by a Baylor sociologist who found something revealing. Among Christians, those who attend church very often are least likely to believe in the paranormal. Conversely, those Christians who do not attend church very often (maybe once or twice a year) are the most likely to hold paranormal beliefs. And yet another study published in December 2009 in the Review of Religious Research, showed that those who go to church are much less likely to consult horoscopes, visit psychics, and purchase New Age items. However, among those Christians who do not attend church, there is a much higher level of participation in these phenomena.

Voila! We've hit on a pattern. The more devoted you are to the Lord, the less you have to do with the invisible, mystic, unseen, evil forces. The paranormal may exist, but it is not just another spiritual option. Interest in and participation with such darkness is an abomination to God and Christians should have nothing to do with it!

“Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. Anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord...You must be blameless before the Lord your God.” (Deuteronomy 18:10-13)

The idea that any ol' spirit will do, won't do. “There is one body and one Spirit – just as you were called to one hope when you were called – one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.” (Ephesians 4:4-6)

If you believe in God, have nothing to do with the Enemy and his legions. That's the losing team who was defeated at the cross, yet still trying to destroy us. If you profess the Lord as your Savior, live for Him solely. If you have experimented with evil, turn from the wickedness and cry out to the One True God for forgiveness and protection. Then worship the Lord in Spirit and in Truth. It's your only guarantee to avoid spiritual stupidity.