The Occult-Suicide Connection

 

I have often written upon the "occult explosion," or "occult invasion," or "occult revival" in society since Vatican II. It is like an explosion because it is dangerous and leaves much damage. It is like an invasion because it is coming at us from all angles, and in ways most wouldn't expect. It is a revival insofar as (based on my research) there is more occult activity (both proportionately and in sheer numbers) since the days of the Old Testament. Recently, I came across this article, written in 2017, which demonstrates exactly this point. The website containing the article is non-religious, and well worth reprinting here:

As occult practices are on the rise, contemporary theologians become increasingly interested in psychology, with many Christian authors wrestling with the question of how demons can influence mental disorders.

It is only fair to say, people with psychological problems should receive psychological treatment: and indeed the majority of therapists will point blank refuse to link depression with virtually any form of witchcraft, magic or occult involvement. But an increasing number of theologians appear less inclined to accept occultism as an innocuous pastime.

So, the question is: Can we screen episodes of mental illness from, literally, the devil's work?

While many forms of depression result from a chemical imbalance, it is usually a combination of events and a variety of long-term or personal factors, rather than one immediate issue that breed anxiety and depression. And as any mental disorder goes, it will be medical practitioners and therapists who administer treatments upon tracing the root cause of the problem.

But whereas it may be difficult to tell whether certain patterns of depressive behavior are innate or inherited, the article published last week in Open Theology suggests, a contact with the Satanic and occult rituals may trigger off psychopathological reactions. Psychopaths are generally less likely to suffer from typical depressive disorders, but drawing upon an extensive research, Dr. Zlatko Sram from Croatian Center for Applied Social Research argues, that people who practice black magic or have otherwise occult bondage in their history are particularly susceptible to comorbidity of depression and psychopathy.

The author conducted a survey on over one thousand participants and found strong evidence that people suffering from depression and psychopathy simultaneously are attracted to satanic practices as a means of obtaining magical power and control over their destiny—regardless of their sex or ethnic origin. The research categorized different esoteric practices that spanned from psychic séances, through black magic, to engaging with an occult society or reading books and magazines dealing with esoteric and occult issues. Psychopathy and depression were significantly predictive of "satanic syndrome" in individuals who had been subjected to the occult involvement, suffering bouts of depression and mental disorders nearly twice as often compared to the rest of society. Given the nature of the satanic syndrome, namely the fact that it is measured by specific occult practices, the author suggests to verify the scale of the problem in psychiatric hospitals and clinics.

This key correlation yields new perspective on the early-onset depression. "This is an important study in that it takes ontological claims seriously and supports the real possibility that demonic forms of bondage may be linked to psychopathology as [...] evil forces can interfere in human behavior." comments Prof. Ralph W. Hood from University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.

(See medicalxpress.com/news/2017-01-occult-depression-psychopathy.html; Emphasis mine). 

I have discovered in my research a strong correlation between occult involvement and suicide that cannot be denied. I can't help but think that as young people get into occult practices, it has been driving up the suicide rate. According to a 2021 study conducted by The Springtide Research Institute, the following was discovered:

Springtide’s survey showed that 51% of its sample population, aged 13-25, engage in “tarot cards or fortune telling.” Of that percentage, 17% practice daily, 25% once a week, 27% once a month and 31% less than once a month. (See springtideresearch.org/post/news/in-the-news-gen-z-doubles-down-on-spirituality-combining-tarot-and-traditional-faith). 

Those are scary numbers. Next, consider the suicide statistics concerning young people from jasonfoundation.com:

• Suicide is the SECOND leading cause of death for ages 10-24

• Suicide is the SECOND leading cause of death for college-age youth and ages 12-18 

• More teenagers and young adults die from suicide than from cancer, heart disease, AIDS, birth defects, stroke, pneumonia, influenza, and chronic lung disease, COMBINED

• Each day in our nation, there are an average of over 5,240 suicide attempts by young people grades 7-12

The connection between occult practices and suicide was made as far back as the 1970s. M. Lamar Keene (d.1996) was a charlatan medium for many years.  He made a living by defrauding others. He wrote his tell-all book about it in 1976 entitled The Psychic Mafia. Keene coined the term "true-believer syndrome" which refers to people who continued to believe in a paranormal event or phenomenon even after it had been proven to have been staged. The book was published by Prometheus Press founded in 1969 by atheist philosopher Paul Kurtz. It is dedicated to publishing books that promote an anti-supernatural (Naturalist) worldview. 

I bring this up because, despite being a complete and total fraud, Keene nevertheless believed in God and occult phenomena. I deduce that at least part of that reason is that he saw the effects of the occult up close and personally. Sadly, many people dismiss the occult as chicanery, or a positive spiritual quest. As Keene found out for himself, it is neither. In his public confession he wrote that all the mediums he knew, either personally or through others, ended their lives tragically. 

William Slade, who was famous for reading minds, became mad and died in a Michigan insane asylum. The medium Margery died as a hopeless drunkard. Wherever he looked, the same picture presented itself: mediums invariably ended their pitiful existence with an even more pitiful death. He was totally crushed by the whole mediumistic syndrome — by the deceit, commonplace depravity, thoughtless drunkenness, and narcotic dependency.  

According to theologian Jone, "Spiritism claims to be able to communicate with the spirit world and endeavors to establish such commerce with it. Although spiritism is for the most part fraud, still the intention alone to enter into communication with spirits is gravely sinful. Therefore, it is mortally sinful to conduct a spiritistic seance or to act as a medium." (See Moral Theology, [1961], pg. 100; Emphasis mine). Even the intention to make contact with spirits is mortal sin. Satan hates each individual human, as do his demons. They will not help, but hurt all the more, anyone foolish enough to get involved with them by occult practices. 

This observation is substantiated by many.

•  Dr. Nandor Fodor, the author of the well-documented Encyclopedia of Psychic Science (1974): "Curiously enough, mediumism, if suppressed, will manifest in symptoms of disease … Once the practices are accepted, the disease disappears."

•  The renowned psychic Edgar Cayce is another clear illustration. Joseph Millard writes that, in fact, he was a pitiful marionette of the forces of the other side (See Edgar Cayce: Mystery Man of Miracles,  [1967]). 

• An earlier medium, Raphael Gasson, wrote the following from personal experience: "Many have suffered greatly because they started investigating into this thing (occult work as a medium), and have eventually been brought to distraction when they have attempted to free themselves from it. Homes have been broken up, suicide and lunacy have afflicted those who were once in it, and have dared to seek deliverance from its power. Those who have found that deliverance, give thanks to God for His grace and mercy" (The Challenging Counterfeit, [1966], pg. 134).

• Occultist and "guru" Sri Chinmoy, a "spiritual counselor" at the United Nations, comments that many sorcerers and others having dealings with spirits were strangled or otherwise killed. He was personally familiar with several such occurrences (Astrology, the Supernatural and Beyond, [1973]). 

Why Suicide?

Suicide will often follow the despondency induced by alcohol, drugs, depression, and other vices that come along with occult practices. Sometimes it comes without passing through drugs or alcohol. Mediums and the teachings of the demons working through them (and the teachings of the charlatans who make sure they say the same as the others) state that that this life is not the end (annihilation), and that there is no final judgment. If this life is simply too difficult or unpleasant, why not take a way out? Why not enter a world you have been promised is far more glorious? Death, after all, is claimed to be a friend. In fact, the spirits may encourage this. I have read many cases where allegedly “loving” spirits have deliberately induced emotional dependence upon their advice and then at a moment of weakness encouraged their contact to commit suicide. (See, e.g., The Satan Trap: Dangers of the Occult, [1976]).  

Consider the number of people who, unfortunately, go to a medium to find out about "where a deceased loved one is now," or want to receive "messages" from them. All of the mediums will tell the grieving person who has lost someone that the deceased are "fine and happy." Of course, this is what we would all like to hear, but how is it possible that all people died within the True Church in the state of sanctifying grace? Hell and damnation are never even considered as possibilities. 

Many times there is a deliberate attempt by the demons to induce suicide in an unwary person. If people are trying to leave the occult, they are told they will never be able to and that the only escape is to take their own life. Or they may become enamored with blissful descriptions of the wonders of the “next-life” and be lovingly urged to “come join us," or to be reunited with a deceased loved one. 

Former witch Doreen Irvine was subjected to repeated pres­sures to take her own life in her attempt to escape from witchcraft. (See Doreen Irvine, Freed From Witchcraft, [1973], pg. 121). Another individual noted that “many attempts have been made to lead me astray and to cause me great physical and mental harm…. On numerous occasions these spirits sought verbally to convince me that suicide was the only answer.” (See Merrill Unger, What Demons Can Do to Saints, [1977], pg. 54). 

The Satan Trap: Dangers of the Occult, describes four cases of people who were told to commit suicide by the spirits (i.e., demons) they con­tacted. The first case involved a husband and wife who joined a psychic develop­ment class to help their chronically sick child:

The instructions of the “spirit doctors” regarding the treatment of her sick child, she thought quite foolish, but her husband, who believed unswervingly in the reality of these experiences, wished to carry them out in every detail. Things came to a head when the leader of the circle expelled the young woman, thus sharpening the conflict in her marriage. The young wife, thoroughly confused, divided between faith and doubt, attempted to apply the mediumistic practices she had learned during the séance. She began to write automatically and suddenly heard voices demanding that she take her own life. She was barely prevented from throwing herself from a balcony while saying “it was a force that I had to obey.”

In the second and third incidents, two married sisters attempted suicide as a result of séance practices and automatic writing. Both were hospitalized at the psychiatric clinic at Freiburg. In both cases “schizophrenic tendencies seemed to be apparent.” In the case of one of the sisters, “eventually she heard spirit voices, not only while engaged in automatic writing, but everywhere all the time. These voices grew louder and more emphatic. They commented upon her behavior; gave her meaningless orders that she tried to resist; and alternated between quiet or vulgar and destructive tones.

When she entered the hospital, the patient at first refused to provide any information whatsoever. She maintained that the spirits had ordered her to remain silent. Also, at the behest of one spirit, the patient once tried to cut her wrist with a piece of glass.

In the fourth case, that of a 25-year-old teacher, mediumistic psychoses devel­oped after automatic writing. She was eventually urged to sacrifice her life, threw herself into a river, and was “rescued much against her will.” The book notes that oftentimes even mediums “find themselves led astray by the suggestions of allegedly high level discarnate entities.” (pgs. 232-236). 

Such examples are not surprising. In the Bible, demons are presented as inflicting numerous physical and psychological ailments upon their victims. Many of these parallel today’s cases of channeling. While it must be stressed that most illness is not demonically produced, the array of symptoms suggest the possibility of a virtual monopoly over the workings of the human mind and body: skin disease (Job 2:7), destructive and irrational acts (St. Matthew 8:28; Luke 8:27), deafness and inability to speak (St. Mark 9:25; St. Luke 11:17), epileptic-like seizures (St. Matthew 17:15; St. Mark 9:17-18, St. Luke 9:39), blindness (St. Matthew 12:22), tormenting pain (Apocalypse 9:1-11), insanity (St. Luke 8:26-35), severe physical deformity (St. Luke 13:11-17). Demons can also give a person supernatural strength (St. Luke 8:29) or attempt to murder them (St. Matthew 17:15-18).

Suicide is the best means for a demon to damn a soul. Driving them to the depths of despair, those in the occult, having already committed mortal sin, will now die in that state. 

Church Teaching on Suicide

Suicide is either direct or indirect, according to both the intention and mode. A person who kills himself from knowledge and choice makes the act direct. The mode is direct if what is done tends by its very nature to cause death (e.g., taking a lethal dose of cyanide). Someone who is mentally ill would only kill himself indirectly. The mode is indirect if that which is done tends from its nature to another end, i.e. to struggle with a criminal wielding a gun. It is wrong to assume that all people are mentally ill, and the suicide is only indirect (although one is free to assume a majority may be psychologically disturbed). 

 Direct  suicide is always a mortal sin that deprives the person of ecclesiastical burial unless they were able to give signs of repentance before death (See Canon 1240, section 3). If the person who attempts suicide is unsuccessful, they are subject to various penalties pronounced in Canon 2350, section 2. If it is doubtful that the person killed himself, the doubt is decided in the decedent's favor that he did not, provided there would be no scandal. 

Suicide is a grave sin for three (3) reasons:

1.It is a most grave offense against the rights of God. The act usurps God's authority over life and death. "Thou, O Lord, hast the power of life and death." (Wisdom 16: 13). Human life has intrinsic worth because it comes from God, and God wills the salvation of all. The Second Person of the Blessed Trinity took on a human nature and died for humanity, to give all a chance to get to Heaven. 

2. It is a grave offense against society. A community has the right to be benefited by the lives of their members. It has a demoralizing effect on those who loved the person. People valuable to society would rashly kill themselves in a fit of depression thinking they are not valuable. Even members of society not able to contribute in any substantial, material way would deprive others of an example of fortitude, or the opportunity to show charity and mercy to the needy. 

3. It is a grave offense against the natural law. You cannot "love thy neighbor as thyself," unless there is love of self (not inordinate). Those who kill themselves to escape pain and miseries, incur the greater evils of death and moral cowardice, to be followed by eternal damnation--the greatest of all evils and suffering.  

(Material above condensed from theologians McHugh and Callan, Moral Theology, [1930], 2: 117-123).

Conclusion

It is nothing short of lunacy to risk one’s life (both temporal and eternal) by tampering with the occult. Christ told us, "And fear ye not them that kill the body, and are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him that can destroy both soul and body in hell. " (St. Matthew 10:28). The occult can lead to untold problems and ultimately suicide. Suicide kills both body and soul.