Disarming the Powers of Darkness ONLINE

Chapter Ten of my book Disarming the Powers of Darkness is now online!

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Occult Indoctrination...in the Church

Dear Eric,

I want to encourage you to continue to sound the alarm about Harry Potter and all other forms of occultic indoctrination that is infiltrating our culture. I had to battle a minister in my "former" church about trivializing the occult with middle school children. He was performing occultic readings by a psychic as a "fun attention-getter skit" at the beginning of Wednesday night activities. He didn't see how that could possibly be misconstrued as anything other than a joke even though several children were chanting "ohm" and using the hand motion associated with occultic meditation while this skit was being performed. He was extremely abusive when I challenged him about this. I took it all the way to the top with the administration of this very large church, and was belittled and accused of being ignorant and uncharitable. The administrative pastor (second to the senior pastor) said that I was the only one who had a problem and he endorsed this method wholeheartedly. He said he thought it was just like what Johnny Carson did on his TV show.

It's understandable when the world mocks us, but when those we call brothers and sisters in Christ show such disdain and vehemently denounce us, it boggles the mind. I comfort myself with two thoughts: 1) God will either show them the error of their ways or hold them accountable, and 2) it is entirely possible that they are deceived because they do not belong to Christ and are simply "church attendees", or in my case, wolves in sheep's clothing. Either way, we are called to be Bereans and to stand with our armor on. I commend you for your stand and I want you to know that I'm right there beside you.

In the Service of our Savior,
Cheryl (Georgia)

Double Standards...

Eric,

My family is trying to figure out all the double standards of the church these days and my father e-mails me your news letters to help decipher it all. I've been a Christian for 30 years (I'm 41) and have been concerned with the compromise of our local churches for quite some time. I would like to receive your news letter directly because of the helpful information. You are in our family prayers.

Jodie (Pennsylvania)

Former Christian...

I can't believe the right wing, fundamentalist, old world view, propaganda you put out in your letters. Please take me off your mailing list.

Thank you,
A former christian, now homosexual agnostic (Jesse)

Entertaining Spirits Unaware... an eye opener

I just read your book "Entertaining Spirits Unaware" for the second time. It is such an eye opener. Although I have always been spiritually aware of Satan's hidden agenda, I have bought into his lies and the idea that if so-and-so watches it, it must be OK. I have never been too popular for my convictions on certain video games, cartoons, movies, etc. By allowing a "little bit of compromise here and there", I have been in rebellion against God. Reading your book again has challenged me to walk in holiness regardless of what others in the church or my family may say or think!! Thank you for taking such a stand on the TRUTH!!

Jessica (Arizona)

Piercing and Tattoos

(Mary Ellen writes after reading "Harry Potter Isn't Going to Go Away") The same is true regarding the body piercing being accepted & glorified in the churches today. The Bible is very clear on this too in that our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. Yet I hear all the time that those with piercings will be able to go where "we" or others can't (or won't be able to go). Last I knew, it was the Holy Spirit that draws individuals to a personal relationship to Jesus.

As a former "everything" from occultist to Muslim to everything else, I am now a mother of seven children (six sons, one daughter) and I haven't wavered in the truth that the world is looking for something different in us.

Blessings,
Mary Ellen

AMEN Mary Ellen !!!

I also believe that whole piercing/tattoo craze is nothing but a desensitizing set up for the coming mark of the Beast. You can probably tell that I am not ranting and paranoid. I'm just pointing out a truth. The Enemy is preparing the hearts, minds and bodies of those who'll be deceived at some point in the future.

Bless you!
Eric

Swearing Oaths?

Hello my name is Oleg and I've got a quick question. The Bible says not to swear in any way. I understand that but what should you do if you want to be a fireman or a doctor? They have to take oath. What does the bible say about oaths? Is it okay to take if it's necessary to take for your career?

Greetings Oleg!

You have asked a very sticky and problematic question. I will do my best to answer biblically and logically.

I know that some Christians may not see this the way I do but let me lay out what I believe.

The guiding passage on the swearing of oaths is found in Matthew 5.

34 But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne: 35 Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King. 36 Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black. 37 But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.

When Jesus admonished Believers not to swear at all in Matthew 5, His caution in v. 34-35 can be seen as a warning not to bring condemnation down on one's self by obligation to do something or to perform something that was impossible or improbable for a person to fulfill. People in Jesus' day went about swearing to all sorts of things which they then later failed to fulfill. The same is obviously true today. In addition, when a person swear's "by God" on an issue, what they are saying may be completely outside of what God's will is for a given situation.

The Lord's warning in v. 36 is different then His warning in v. 34-35 however. It is akin to taking what is commonly referred to as a "blood" oath. How do we know? Jesus says do not "swear by thou head." This is the type that occultists swear. It gives a sort of legal right for other humans (and demonic forces alike) to bring harm to you if you fail at keeping whatever it is you swear. More so, the moment you swear an oath, the penalty of which is your own life, you have sinned against God's word and are game for the Enemy's intrusion in your life circumstances. "Blood" oaths give the Devil spiritual authority to operate in a person's life. It is such oaths that have bound and brought deception, spiritual blindness and demonic curses into the lives and homes of Freemasons.

Now, about your situation. Often people call "affirmations of duty" or "affirmations of truthfulness" an "oath." This is probably a poor choice of terms to call these affirmations an oath. Since they are not swearing on one's "head" then the cost of one's physical or spiritual safety as related to the "oath" is never in question. We affirm an "oath" of sorts when we repeat the Pledge of Allegiance at the presentation of our country's flag here in the United States. Though it may be questionable to some Christians to do so, we also merely affirm to tell the truth in court proceedings when the judge instructs that a witness be "given the oath" or "sworn" in. Though lying in a court case can bring the penalty of perjury into play, Christians should confidently tell the truth in ever occasion for to do otherwise is obvious sin. Thus, in the case of what to do before taking the witness stand in court we are merely affirming to do what we would be doing anyway - regardless of any act of the justice system which "swears" us in before we testify.

Christians should delineate between a "death" or "blood" curse and the simple affirmation that they will perform particular acts (such as fire fighting or police work) to the very best of their ability. This is equal to giving your word as a human being. On the other hand, a death or blood oath brings curses which put you under the condemnation and spiritual control of other humans in a way the Satan can gain what is sometimes a catastrophic foothold in the person's life.

I think there are a few important points here.
- Never get in over your head with a promise that you can't perform
- Make a decision to always be truthful in every situation
- Don't get overly legalistic with the term "oath"
- Steer completely clear of any oath that puts you or your family/home in a compromising position spiritually

Bless you my friend. I hope this gives you a little more input on this issue. May I add that I am open to any information which you might come across on this issue which might sharpen my position. Thanks for being in touch if the Lord should bring anything of the such your way.

Eric
www.ericbarger.com

Saddened by anti-Mormon email...

I am writting to infom you of how saddend i was to read an email you have posted on to the internet. (Eric's note: read the email here.) It is relating to the girl who is becoming a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I am not saddend by the girls decision, in fact i am happy to here she is chosing for her self to lead the life she wants to lead, in stead i was saddend by your remarks and the remarks of her Uncle. While you may not share the veiws of the girl, and her boyfriend, and for that matter a large amount of others, i do not feel that this gives you the right to talk like that about the church. If she were converting to Islam, Catholisism or any other denomination would you have been quite so outraged?

I myself am convert to the LDS faith and i have never felt so much joy and happyness that i feal through my membership. I love the Lord Jesus Christ with all my heart and i love his Father too. I know that i never had the kind of happyness i did before i joined, and that im so much happier than all of my friends and family that are not members of the church. I know that i am living in a good way, and that what im doing and not doing is clean and heathy for me. I do not go out getting drunk, high or smoke which are all very bad for ones system. I on the other hand love those around me, help in anyway i can wether it be giving people lifts, visisting them or any other act of service i can do for them. I am a strong member of my community and i feel blessed with what the Lord has given to me. I know that most if not all of the belssings in my life have came from my membership within the LDS chruch.

If you notice i have not sprouted any negative and hurtfull "facts" about you or any other person or faith. I would not do such a thing. This is because of one of the 13 Articles of Faith that I hold so dear, which states:

"We calim the privilage of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same preivilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may."

I hope you bear this in mind the next time you decied to critized someone else for what they believe or how the wish to live their life.

Kind Regards
Vicki (Aberdeen, Scotland)

Hi Vicki,

Yes Vicki, I would be equally disturbed should anyone join any cult, world religion or spiritual group (Islam, Catholicism, etc) that does not lead one to eternal life and true salvation. It really doesn't matter if you think I have a right to point out the fallacy of Mormonism or not. The Bible DEMANDS that I do so and for that single reason, I must. I don't care what sounds right to a culture like ours. It is what IS right according to the Word of God. That doesn't mean that I aim to offend anyone but the truth often offends people. This is especially true in a culture where virtually anything has become acceptable. When someone (like me) stands up and calls right "right" and wrong "wrong" it is going to bother some people. Apologetics and comparative religions (what our ministry does) have a tendency to shake people up. If somebody (like me) comes along and points out unbiblical doctrines or heresies by which others have become deceived it can indeed make people uncomfortable. Anyone who who gives answers for faith that unmask Satan's often sweet sounding lies sticks out because people want to believe what they want to believe - not what is actually biblically accurate, spiritually healthy and actually truthful.

I am not certain what email you are referring to as we have encouraged thousands of people to flee Mormonism.

Here is why.

It is really quite simple. If the Jesus of the Mormon Church was indeed the Jesus of the Bible then the Mormon Church would be a vehicle in which one could find salvation. However, the Jesus of Mormonism is NOT the historical, Biblical Son of God. Thus, Mormonism teaches and believes in a "Jesus" who is unable to save and whose entire premise is based upon the teachings of a false prophet named Joseph Smith.

You need to read the warning the Apostle Paul gave about "different Jesus'" who would come to deceive. Read it in II Corinthians 11:3-4.

To accomplish the introduction of this new false Jesus, Mormonism demands that people abandon the prophetically tried and true Jesus of the Bible. The switch comes when Joseph Smith claims to be adding to the Biblical story, sort of filling in the gaps via the instructions of the angel he called Moroni. On the surface (and without thorough investigation) Mormonism may sound similar to the authentic Christian story. But once you analyze the stark differences, the Mormon Jesus is clearly not the Biblical Jesus and Mormonism is not authentic Christianity. The heresies of Mormonism can only be justified if one follows Smith's leading and tests the Bible by the teachings of The Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants and The Pearl of Great Price which are all many centuries newer than the Bible, instead of the other way around. To any truthful investigator transposing the Bible as ultimate authority and replacing it with Smith's teaching is completely backwards and is frankly laughable. The Bible - the oldest and ONLY inspired document - commands us to test any and every "new" revelation by it to make certain that it actually came from Almighty God. When one does this the BOM and other Mormon texts are woefully lacking.

Mr. Hinckley - your current "prophet" - did himself separate the Mormon Jesus from the Christian (read that Biblical and historical) Jesus when he stated:

“In bearing testimony of Jesus Christ, President Hinckley spoke of those outside the Church who say Latter-day Saints ‘do not believe in the traditional Christ.’ (He said) ‘No, I don't. The traditional Christ of whom they speak is not the Christ of whom I speak. For the Christ of whom I speak has been revealed in this the Dispensation of the Fulness (sic) of Times...In this dispensation, the Lord has declared that this Church is the only true and living Church upon the face of the whole earth.’”
- LDS Church News Archives, Saturday, June 20, 1998 reporting on Hinckley’s speech to 6,600 missionaries assembled in Paris. (Originally reported at: http://www.desnews.com/cgi-bin/libstory_church?dn98&9806210091. Article currently appears at: http://www.ldschurchnews.com/articles/31188/Crown-of-gospel-is-upon-our-heads.html)

This comes in line with what Milton Hunter wrote too:

“The appointment of Jesus to be the Savior of the world was contested by one of the other sons of God.

He was called Lucifer, son of the morning. Haughty, ambitious, and covetous of power and glory, this spirit-brother of Jesus desperately tried to become the Savior of mankind.”
- Milton R. Hunter, The Gospel Through the Ages, p. 15 (First Council of The Seventy)

Oh how I wish (for the sake of every Mormon) that the Mormon Jesus was indeed the Biblical Jesus and was capable of saving souls from eternal judgment. But because the Mormon Jesus is a counterfeit, I must and I will continue to warn you and whom ever else I can to turn from the Mormon Church and find salvation in the REAL Jesus.

The trail of broken and deceived lives that Joseph Smith left behind represent an eternal tragedy. The truth is that those who have trusted Joseph instead of the Bible are destined for the same destruction that he is experiencing in Hell at this moment. The only remedy to avoid this outcome is to repent and accept the Jesus of the Bible as Lord and Savior.

I pray that you will examine the BIBLE alone and find that the Mormon Church is not an avenue to eternal salvation when examined under the light of God's infallible and eternal Word.

I do not wish to engage in an extended debate with you. I have plenty on my website concerning Mormonism to help any honest seeker of truth. However, I will be glad to be here for you if you should ever want to honestly interact and seek the freedom and joy that only Jesus Christ - the crucified and risen Lord - can bring.

God bless you!

Eric Barger
Take A Stand! Ministries
www.ericbarger.com

Eric

Concerning your article "Harry Potter isn't going to go away"... you are RIGHT!!!

I was also fired from a Methodist church pre-school, that I had taught for ten years, because I was telling a friend of mine at the public library that "Harry Potter promotes witchcraft" and someone was listening to that conversation and reported me to the board of the Methodist church where I was teaching pre-school. I was brought before the board and told I could not talk to anyone, anywhere about my personal thoughts about "Harry Potter" because I represented that Methodist church and they see nothing wrong with it. I was ask to not teach there at the end of the school year because of my "Harry Potter" view.

Lucy (Missouri)

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