SERMONETTE # 7                                     24 April 1985
First Church of
Computer Science

                   "The Road to Endor"

PART I

Many have traveled the road to Endor.   This  is  the  road  of  no
return.  Metaphorically speaking "Endor" means participation in the
occult arts of magic.  The name Endor is mentioned  in  the  bible.
It  was  a  village  where  a  spirit  medium  or  "witch" resided.
Peasants and kings came  to  consult  with  this  woman  who  could
fortell  the  future  and conduct seances, in the hope of getting a
"reading" or "speaking to the dead" (necromancy) [sic]. She was a good
woman  and obviousely a sincere believer in her practices which she
considered a gift of God.  An account is given  of  her  in  a
meeting  with  the  King of Isreal (King Saul)(I SAM 28:7-25).  She
was not faking the  phenomenon  that  is  mentioned  in  the  Bible
passages.    She  actually did summon the dead prophet Samuel.  The
result of the seance fortold the death of the king  and  his  sons.
The  medium  knew  that the worshipers of Jehovah were forbidded to
partake in these services and she was certain she would  be  killed
as  an  example  to  any  others who would practice her arts, these
supposed works of Satan and his demons.

Johoveh God knew that the occult  or  "dark  mysteries"  were  very
dangerous  and unless one was fully informed, it would be hazardous
to one's health both mentally and physically.    This  was  why  he
definitely  forbade  the chosen people to dabble in the occult that
would do irreparable damamge via the "Road to Endor"(DEUT 18:9-13).

An example is the ouija board in which  vile  messages  have  "come
through"  to the circle working the mechanism.  This indicates that
the energy behind the planchetta is of a demonic nature  whether  a
subconcious  projection  of  the  lower  ego  of the sitters is the
source or whether it is  a  demon  emanation  outside  the  circle.
These  spirits  have  manifested  in  many unexplaned phenomena as:
markings of the  skin  or  walls,  usually  comprised  of  mystical
symbols containing blood, and includes bleeding from wounds that do
not exist (stigmata).  In psychiatry this is labeled  auto-hypnotic
hysterics.

In  spiritist  circles  there  are  manifestations  of  "rappings",
"materializations",    "trance-voice   possesions",  "a  flourecent
substance of vapor called ectoplasm emitted from the medium.    The
medium  is  seated  in trance in a corner behind a curtain called a
"cabinet".  This cabinet is secured by guards to prevent any abrupt
shock.    This  substance,  ectoplasm, can take the form of persons
either living or dead, which includes saints or indians  which  are
usually  refered to as guides or as in the bible, familiar spirits.
There are teleportations and levitations of persons or  objects  to
the  confoundment  of  men  of  science.    All  this  besides  the
phenomenon of the "taking on of conditions"  of  the  physical  and
mental  ills of other.  These are other manifestations of a endless
catagory:  Clair Gustience - clear smelling, Clair Audience - clear
hearing,  Clair  Voyance  -clear  seeing,  DeJa  Vu  - past recall,
Psychometry  -information  from  objects,  Tele-kenesis  -   moving
objects  from  a  distance,  Telepathy  -  reading  feelings from a
distance,  Apportation  -  teleporting  objects,  Teleportation   -
teleporting  the  body,  Astro Projection - out of body experience,
Spirit Photography  -  images  of  spirits  on  undeveloped  paper,
Automatic  Writing  -  writing  under  trance.   Some of the less
sophisticated  variety  are  Witchcraft,  UFO-ology,  numerology,
astrology,  mesmerism,  phrenology,  chirography, and card reading.
In a short word they can all be summed us as  ESP.    So  obviously
this  could  lead  to  extreme physical and mental deterioration to
both the mediums, who excert tremendous  energy  in  producing  the
phenomena, plus the draw on the sitters who are called "batteries".
They are a necessary part of the dispersion of energy  directed  to
the  medium  to  bring  forth the phenomena of the seance.  This is
usually accomplished only under subdued red lighting.  The  medeium
puts  her  whole  life in the hands of a familiar spirit who is the
equivalent of a "high soul" that has access to the world beyond  or
the  astro  heaven  world,  where the so called dead reside.  These
dead ones can communicate  to  the  living  and  give  comfort  and
important  information  to  ther  loved ones and the sitters in the
circle.  This is the explanation of the modern Endor.   It  usually
ends  up  like  King Saul, in death.  The warning writing is on the
wall.

Satan, the great deceiver, comes as a glorious "angel of light" and
is  it  any  wonder  that his ministers also appear as ministers of
God.  Many exorcisms are  nothing  more  than  "Satan  casting  out
Satan"  which leads to the ultimate deception that he is indeed the
minsiter of God.  Jesus warned us that even  the  elect  whould  be
deceived  if possible by the craftiness of the ancient serpent that
he identifies as the master deceiver Lucifer  ("angel  of  light"),
the protective angel of the Garden of Enden who rebelled againt his
creator Jehovah God in the beginning.  Jesus speaking of this rebel
tells  us  he a liar and the father of all lies.  He was a murderer
from the beginning and never was of the truth (II COR 11:14-15, REV
12:19, JOH 8:44

Although there is much fraud involved  in  most  spiritist  groups,
some  are  legitimate  and  cannot be denied or explained by men of
science who have observed and tested them thoroughly.    The  great
excape  artist Houdini in his search for truth exposed many fakers,
but he himself admitted to the  reality  of  paranormal  phenomena.
Sir  William  Crooks  an  electornics  genius  definitely witnessed
unbelievable levitation by a meduim friend named  D.D.    Home.  he
seemingly  contradicted  all natural laws of gravity.  In broad day
light in front of witnesses, including Crooks, he floated  out  the
window  of  a high office building and then floated back in.  There
were no strings attached.  Was this of God or of the Devil?


 To be continued.


AFFIRMATION:  I will be on guard against all pyschic phenomena that
does  not  conform to the Word of God, the Holy Bible, which is the
only safe road that leads to life, instead of death.


PASTOR : Michael A. Tanous


COPYRIGHT (c) 1985 by Michael A. Tanous
