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The Kingdom of the Occult
The Kingdom of the Occult delivers the timely followup to Dr. Martin's best-selling The Kingdom of the Cults This book takes Dr. Walter Martin's comprehensive knowledge and his dynamic teaching style and forges a strong weapon against the world of the Occult-a weapon of the same scope and power as his phenomenal thirty-five year bestseller, The Kingdom of the Cults (over 875,000 sold). Chapters Witchcraft and Wicca, Satanism, Pagan Religions, Tools of the Occult, Demon Possession and Exorcism, Spiritual Warfare, etc. Features
752 pages, Hardcover
Published October 21, 2008
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May 10, 2024
NOT REALLY A ‘WALTER MARTIN BOOK,’ BUT NEVERTHELESS QUITE VALUABLE
Walter Ralston Martin (1928-1989) was perhaps the originator of the modern evangelical "countercult" ministry, having founded the Christian Research Institute in 1960, and acting as host of the "Bible Answer Man" radio program. Jill Martin Rische is the eldest daughter of Dr. Martin, and is on the staff of Olive Tree Ministries, and has participated in several radio shows. Kurt Van Gordon is the director of Jude 3 Missions and the Utah Gospel Mission.
It is unfortunate that Walter Martin, during his lifetime, only recorded twelve audiotapes on the Occult, as well as one videotape. His contribution to this book is thus largely limited to transcriptions of some of his personal experiences with demons, exorcism, etc.
The Introduction to this 2008 by Jill Martin Rische states, “I remember my father pacing the foyer of our home, leafing through a notebook of references on the occult. It had always been in the back of his mind to write a companion volume to ‘The Kingdom of the Cults,’ but something always prevented him from beginning the new project… When my husband… and I began Walter martin Ministries in 1998, we talked about the things we hoped to accomplish, and ‘The Kingdom of the Occult’ was at the top of the list. I never thought I would be the one to do it… And then … [our] agent Steve Laube brought up the pressing need for a book on the occult, and Kurt Van Gordon, my father’s gifted researcher … seemed the perfect fit for a coauthor… we must be ready not only to proclaim the gospel, but to DEFEND it. And that is exactly what my father, Kurt and I have done in this book. [This book] is a unique blend of ideas. My father’s work on the occult provided the foundation… We edited transcripts from his lectures and sections of his writing, adding our chapters… where necessary. Whenever possible, his words remain verbatim… Many of the case studies in this book reflect my father’s experiences in dealing with the occult…”
They explain in the first chapter, “It is the purpose of this book to investigate this dimension of darkness and to examine its influence in America and throughout the world… Our approach to the subject is threefold: (1) HISTORICAL ANALYSIS of key facts connected with the rise of the occult, (2) THEOLOGICAL EVALUATION of the occult’s major teachings, and (3) APOLOGETIC CONTRAST from the viewpoint of biblical theology, with an emphasis on exegesis and doctrine.” (Pg. 2)
They state, “The Emerging or Emergent Church movement began with foundational questions such as
‘Who is God?’ and ‘What is our purpose here?’ It flourished by incorporating some questionable worship practices historically associated with Catholic mysticism, then wandered into the realm of the occult by actively dismantling biblical authority. Over the last decade, its confusing message has spread through evangelical denominations at a rapid pace. Protestants, dissatisfied with the average church service, went looking for something ‘new’ and ventured, in some cases, into the realm of the secret or hidden things---the world of the occult. In the Emerging Church, chanting, prayers stations, and rituals supplant simplicity in worship.” (Pg. 37)
They suggest, “Why would human beings, created in the image of God, turn to anything created and fostered by the devil? First and foremost, the lure of the occult is the direct result of a revolt against science and technology, and against the age in which we live. People are tired of testing and validating truth by the empirical method. In their revolt against this system, they are looking for something OUTSIDE of our known reality. Second, there is a rebellion against materialism… Third, there is a rejection of religion in general. Many people believe it to be responsible for the world’s problems, and they turn away from Christianity in particular because the Church is in an age of apostasy… Finally, another reason lies in the human heart’s fascination with the mysterious and the unknown… occultism offers them this tantalizing lure: Come into the world of the occult and find what the Church cannot offer: secrets and mysteries to meet the needs of the day.” (Pg. 39, 41)
They say, “This is the objective of all Spiritists: to penetrate by psychic phenomena another dimension of reality---and other dimensions of reality DO exist. There is a dimension known at the throne of God and a dimension known as hell. Ephesians 2:2 describes a dimension known as the domain of the ‘prince of the power of the air,’ the god of this age. And finally, humans inhabit a space-time continuum, so there are four dimensions that God has revealed… just because our senses cannot perceive them immediately does not mean that they do not exist.” (Pg. 43-44)
They critique the notion that the ‘rising saviors’ of the Pagan world (e.g., Osiris, Dionysus, Mithra) influenced Christianity’s account of Jesus: “The ‘rising saviors,’ when examined individually have virtually nothing in common. Any similarities between them and Jesus Christ usually prove to be part myth, part imagination… The Mediterranean Basin is a small geographical area, and Neolithic cultures shared contact and exchanged cultural elements through this contact… the Savior myth can be seen as a common belief emerging from the similar nature of human beings, a diffusion of knowledge from a central base… and the direct result of the distortion of biblical prophecy.” (Pg. 112-113)
They say of what they call ‘Hollywood Kabbalah’: “[It] began as the philosophical creation of former insurance salesman Shraga Feivel Gruberger, who … married his ex-secretary, and changed his name to Philip Berg… Rabbi Berg … took the essence of traditional Kabbalah and combined it with his thoughts and ideas, producing a New Age version of Kabbalah embraced by Hollywood stars and millions of their fans… the Kabbalah Centre in Los Angeles … [is] a marketing jackpot of blessed water, red string, and baby sheets with Hebrew lettering… In addition to Berg’s disputed teaching authority and a doctorate whose source is difficult to trace, there is the constant barrage of spiritual literature flowing from the Centre, whose authorship and intent is unclear… The Hollywood Kabbalah … is a study in contrasts: New Age ideas and thoughts intertwined with the mysticism and tradition of the Zohar…” (Pg. 151-156)
They critique Reincarnation: “The problem with [the idea of déjà vu] is that psychologists confirm that the subconscious mind records everything you see, and almost everything you hear… although you are not consciously aware of it. Later on, these fragments of information are associated with something similar to it… and immediately an image pops into your conscious mind with the thought: ‘I have been here before.’ … The root of this teaching is essentially… [that] all the injustices in the world can only be resolved by cyclic reincarnation, which will give everyone a fair shake in the end. But God… can be perfectly fair without authorizing reincarnation… there are people in this world who are what they ARE because God permitted it to be so. It was not a judgment based on their past lives... [Of] documented and verified cases of people recounting their previous lives in detail… the solution to this problem lies with an intelligent, supernatural being… SATAN HIMSELF… He wants people to believe in past lives so they accept reincarnation rather than the Word of God.” (Pg. 178-180)
They observe, “The New Age movement today must be recognized for what it is: the ancient world of the occult presented in new terminology… Although the New Age publicly stands against the narrow way of Christianity, they still have a tendency to copy it. They reinterpret the church’s sacred symbols, but they despise the meaning that God attached to them… They offer an endless chain of saviors and avatars who arrive in the world with the purpose of enlightenment, but none offers a final solution to man’s sins as Jesus did.” (Pg. 199-200)
They critique astrology: “Horoscopes are still based upon the falsified concept that the earth is the center of the solar system… The influence of the planets must be true for ALL people... Certain populated northern regions like Siberia, Sweden, the arctic regions, or Alaska… have no ‘sun plane’ … since the sun never crosses the horizon during [some] times… the equinox is moving a full 30 degrees zodiacal sign every 2,180 years… Each sign now takes on its preceding sign due to the equinox shifting… The sun does not spend equal time in each zodiacal sign. It spends six days in Scorpio, for example, and forty-seven days in Virgo. When a horoscope is cast for the beginning or end of the longer constellations, it is counted as the neighboring sign instead of the actual sign it is in. This makes the horoscope a sham… twins, triplets, and other multiple births… quite often… [have]a strikingly different character… yet they are born at the same time and place…” (Pg. 284-287)
They argue, “‘The Secret’ (a book launching turned media blitz) builds on Wallace Wattles’s 1910 book, ‘The Science of Getting Rich.’ Rhonda Byrne, the producer of ‘The Secret’ movie and book, was influenced by Wattles… ‘The Secret’ focuses on the so-called law of attraction, which claims that our thoughts, feelings, words, and actions ATTRACT things into our lives. It’s the rebirth of more New Age philosophy, nicely packaged with mysterious overtones, and disseminated worldwide by Oprah, Inc… Oprah’s support … enables Byrne and other popular authors … to actively teach the principles of ‘The Secret.’” (Pg. 341)
Of occultic ‘miracles,’ they suggest, “Human beings are surrounded by another dimensions of reality that … is as real as anything material, and it is capable of penetrating this dimension… and of doing things contrary to the laws that govern it… Yes, the devil can move objects; the devil can communicate; the devil can do unusual things… His parlor tricks do not match the power of God.” (Pg. 346)
They acknowledge, “From a biblical viewpoint, it could be granted that intelligent life exists beyond earth, thus making it extraterrestrial. The realm of God and His heavenly creation includes creatures that are nonearthly beings, which are briefly mentioned in the Bible. Since they exist beyond the earth and are intelligent beings, they can be referred to as extraterrestrial. [Ps 103:20, 104:4; Isa 6:2; Ez 1:5, 10:12-15; Rev 4:6, 5:6] The Bible also speaks of created creatures that are demonic beings, which are also, in the real sense, nonearthly and extraterrestrial. A wide difference exists between what ufologists believe are extraterrestrial planetary beings and what the Bible describes as demonic beings, but several UFO researchers have arrived at the conclusion that demons may play a role in some of the sightings and the apparent contacts with extraterrestrials, based upon the message content from these beings.” (Pg. 365)
They point out, “Although European history provides a large number of Middle Age confessions recorded during the period of the infamous Witch hunts, most were either falsified or extracted by torture… Critics who challenge the legitimacy of these stories or confessions do not explain why Satanism was not at least real to come degree, even though the details of what took place could have been embellished, much like an automobile accident is real, but the details leading up to it may conflict… there were some true confessions, but the exact number remains a mystery.” (Pg. 403-404)
They summarize, “The Holy Spirit defines the methodology of the occult quite specifically in [Acts 13:10-11], and it is something that should never be forgotten: 1. The occult always withstands or opposes the gospel. 2. The occult always seeks to turn people away from faith in Jesus Christ, never toward the faith. 3. The occult is full of all deceit or subtlety. 4. The occult is a child of the devil. 5. The occult is the enemy of all righteousness. 6. The occult is a perverter (or a changer) of the right ways of the Lord.” (Pg. 643-644)
They propose, “when you evangelize and defend the faith, you must also communicate your concern; you must show your love. It should be translated into DAILY LIFE…Do what Paul did: encourage your listeners without insulting their intelligence… People will disagree with you, but your grounding in the Word of God and your knowledge of the subject will stand you in good stead…. Finally, do not be afraid to resort to biblical sarcasm, when necessary. REPROOF is a term you find all through Scripture.” (Pg. 674-675)
Although this is hardly a ‘Walter Martin book,’ it nevertheless contains a great deal of material, that goes far beyond what Martin dealt with prior to his death. It will be of great interest to Evangelicals and other Christians wanting a reference book on the occult.
Walter Ralston Martin (1928-1989) was perhaps the originator of the modern evangelical "countercult" ministry, having founded the Christian Research Institute in 1960, and acting as host of the "Bible Answer Man" radio program. Jill Martin Rische is the eldest daughter of Dr. Martin, and is on the staff of Olive Tree Ministries, and has participated in several radio shows. Kurt Van Gordon is the director of Jude 3 Missions and the Utah Gospel Mission.
It is unfortunate that Walter Martin, during his lifetime, only recorded twelve audiotapes on the Occult, as well as one videotape. His contribution to this book is thus largely limited to transcriptions of some of his personal experiences with demons, exorcism, etc.
The Introduction to this 2008 by Jill Martin Rische states, “I remember my father pacing the foyer of our home, leafing through a notebook of references on the occult. It had always been in the back of his mind to write a companion volume to ‘The Kingdom of the Cults,’ but something always prevented him from beginning the new project… When my husband… and I began Walter martin Ministries in 1998, we talked about the things we hoped to accomplish, and ‘The Kingdom of the Occult’ was at the top of the list. I never thought I would be the one to do it… And then … [our] agent Steve Laube brought up the pressing need for a book on the occult, and Kurt Van Gordon, my father’s gifted researcher … seemed the perfect fit for a coauthor… we must be ready not only to proclaim the gospel, but to DEFEND it. And that is exactly what my father, Kurt and I have done in this book. [This book] is a unique blend of ideas. My father’s work on the occult provided the foundation… We edited transcripts from his lectures and sections of his writing, adding our chapters… where necessary. Whenever possible, his words remain verbatim… Many of the case studies in this book reflect my father’s experiences in dealing with the occult…”
They explain in the first chapter, “It is the purpose of this book to investigate this dimension of darkness and to examine its influence in America and throughout the world… Our approach to the subject is threefold: (1) HISTORICAL ANALYSIS of key facts connected with the rise of the occult, (2) THEOLOGICAL EVALUATION of the occult’s major teachings, and (3) APOLOGETIC CONTRAST from the viewpoint of biblical theology, with an emphasis on exegesis and doctrine.” (Pg. 2)
They state, “The Emerging or Emergent Church movement began with foundational questions such as
‘Who is God?’ and ‘What is our purpose here?’ It flourished by incorporating some questionable worship practices historically associated with Catholic mysticism, then wandered into the realm of the occult by actively dismantling biblical authority. Over the last decade, its confusing message has spread through evangelical denominations at a rapid pace. Protestants, dissatisfied with the average church service, went looking for something ‘new’ and ventured, in some cases, into the realm of the secret or hidden things---the world of the occult. In the Emerging Church, chanting, prayers stations, and rituals supplant simplicity in worship.” (Pg. 37)
They suggest, “Why would human beings, created in the image of God, turn to anything created and fostered by the devil? First and foremost, the lure of the occult is the direct result of a revolt against science and technology, and against the age in which we live. People are tired of testing and validating truth by the empirical method. In their revolt against this system, they are looking for something OUTSIDE of our known reality. Second, there is a rebellion against materialism… Third, there is a rejection of religion in general. Many people believe it to be responsible for the world’s problems, and they turn away from Christianity in particular because the Church is in an age of apostasy… Finally, another reason lies in the human heart’s fascination with the mysterious and the unknown… occultism offers them this tantalizing lure: Come into the world of the occult and find what the Church cannot offer: secrets and mysteries to meet the needs of the day.” (Pg. 39, 41)
They say, “This is the objective of all Spiritists: to penetrate by psychic phenomena another dimension of reality---and other dimensions of reality DO exist. There is a dimension known at the throne of God and a dimension known as hell. Ephesians 2:2 describes a dimension known as the domain of the ‘prince of the power of the air,’ the god of this age. And finally, humans inhabit a space-time continuum, so there are four dimensions that God has revealed… just because our senses cannot perceive them immediately does not mean that they do not exist.” (Pg. 43-44)
They critique the notion that the ‘rising saviors’ of the Pagan world (e.g., Osiris, Dionysus, Mithra) influenced Christianity’s account of Jesus: “The ‘rising saviors,’ when examined individually have virtually nothing in common. Any similarities between them and Jesus Christ usually prove to be part myth, part imagination… The Mediterranean Basin is a small geographical area, and Neolithic cultures shared contact and exchanged cultural elements through this contact… the Savior myth can be seen as a common belief emerging from the similar nature of human beings, a diffusion of knowledge from a central base… and the direct result of the distortion of biblical prophecy.” (Pg. 112-113)
They say of what they call ‘Hollywood Kabbalah’: “[It] began as the philosophical creation of former insurance salesman Shraga Feivel Gruberger, who … married his ex-secretary, and changed his name to Philip Berg… Rabbi Berg … took the essence of traditional Kabbalah and combined it with his thoughts and ideas, producing a New Age version of Kabbalah embraced by Hollywood stars and millions of their fans… the Kabbalah Centre in Los Angeles … [is] a marketing jackpot of blessed water, red string, and baby sheets with Hebrew lettering… In addition to Berg’s disputed teaching authority and a doctorate whose source is difficult to trace, there is the constant barrage of spiritual literature flowing from the Centre, whose authorship and intent is unclear… The Hollywood Kabbalah … is a study in contrasts: New Age ideas and thoughts intertwined with the mysticism and tradition of the Zohar…” (Pg. 151-156)
They critique Reincarnation: “The problem with [the idea of déjà vu] is that psychologists confirm that the subconscious mind records everything you see, and almost everything you hear… although you are not consciously aware of it. Later on, these fragments of information are associated with something similar to it… and immediately an image pops into your conscious mind with the thought: ‘I have been here before.’ … The root of this teaching is essentially… [that] all the injustices in the world can only be resolved by cyclic reincarnation, which will give everyone a fair shake in the end. But God… can be perfectly fair without authorizing reincarnation… there are people in this world who are what they ARE because God permitted it to be so. It was not a judgment based on their past lives... [Of] documented and verified cases of people recounting their previous lives in detail… the solution to this problem lies with an intelligent, supernatural being… SATAN HIMSELF… He wants people to believe in past lives so they accept reincarnation rather than the Word of God.” (Pg. 178-180)
They observe, “The New Age movement today must be recognized for what it is: the ancient world of the occult presented in new terminology… Although the New Age publicly stands against the narrow way of Christianity, they still have a tendency to copy it. They reinterpret the church’s sacred symbols, but they despise the meaning that God attached to them… They offer an endless chain of saviors and avatars who arrive in the world with the purpose of enlightenment, but none offers a final solution to man’s sins as Jesus did.” (Pg. 199-200)
They critique astrology: “Horoscopes are still based upon the falsified concept that the earth is the center of the solar system… The influence of the planets must be true for ALL people... Certain populated northern regions like Siberia, Sweden, the arctic regions, or Alaska… have no ‘sun plane’ … since the sun never crosses the horizon during [some] times… the equinox is moving a full 30 degrees zodiacal sign every 2,180 years… Each sign now takes on its preceding sign due to the equinox shifting… The sun does not spend equal time in each zodiacal sign. It spends six days in Scorpio, for example, and forty-seven days in Virgo. When a horoscope is cast for the beginning or end of the longer constellations, it is counted as the neighboring sign instead of the actual sign it is in. This makes the horoscope a sham… twins, triplets, and other multiple births… quite often… [have]a strikingly different character… yet they are born at the same time and place…” (Pg. 284-287)
They argue, “‘The Secret’ (a book launching turned media blitz) builds on Wallace Wattles’s 1910 book, ‘The Science of Getting Rich.’ Rhonda Byrne, the producer of ‘The Secret’ movie and book, was influenced by Wattles… ‘The Secret’ focuses on the so-called law of attraction, which claims that our thoughts, feelings, words, and actions ATTRACT things into our lives. It’s the rebirth of more New Age philosophy, nicely packaged with mysterious overtones, and disseminated worldwide by Oprah, Inc… Oprah’s support … enables Byrne and other popular authors … to actively teach the principles of ‘The Secret.’” (Pg. 341)
Of occultic ‘miracles,’ they suggest, “Human beings are surrounded by another dimensions of reality that … is as real as anything material, and it is capable of penetrating this dimension… and of doing things contrary to the laws that govern it… Yes, the devil can move objects; the devil can communicate; the devil can do unusual things… His parlor tricks do not match the power of God.” (Pg. 346)
They acknowledge, “From a biblical viewpoint, it could be granted that intelligent life exists beyond earth, thus making it extraterrestrial. The realm of God and His heavenly creation includes creatures that are nonearthly beings, which are briefly mentioned in the Bible. Since they exist beyond the earth and are intelligent beings, they can be referred to as extraterrestrial. [Ps 103:20, 104:4; Isa 6:2; Ez 1:5, 10:12-15; Rev 4:6, 5:6] The Bible also speaks of created creatures that are demonic beings, which are also, in the real sense, nonearthly and extraterrestrial. A wide difference exists between what ufologists believe are extraterrestrial planetary beings and what the Bible describes as demonic beings, but several UFO researchers have arrived at the conclusion that demons may play a role in some of the sightings and the apparent contacts with extraterrestrials, based upon the message content from these beings.” (Pg. 365)
They point out, “Although European history provides a large number of Middle Age confessions recorded during the period of the infamous Witch hunts, most were either falsified or extracted by torture… Critics who challenge the legitimacy of these stories or confessions do not explain why Satanism was not at least real to come degree, even though the details of what took place could have been embellished, much like an automobile accident is real, but the details leading up to it may conflict… there were some true confessions, but the exact number remains a mystery.” (Pg. 403-404)
They summarize, “The Holy Spirit defines the methodology of the occult quite specifically in [Acts 13:10-11], and it is something that should never be forgotten: 1. The occult always withstands or opposes the gospel. 2. The occult always seeks to turn people away from faith in Jesus Christ, never toward the faith. 3. The occult is full of all deceit or subtlety. 4. The occult is a child of the devil. 5. The occult is the enemy of all righteousness. 6. The occult is a perverter (or a changer) of the right ways of the Lord.” (Pg. 643-644)
They propose, “when you evangelize and defend the faith, you must also communicate your concern; you must show your love. It should be translated into DAILY LIFE…Do what Paul did: encourage your listeners without insulting their intelligence… People will disagree with you, but your grounding in the Word of God and your knowledge of the subject will stand you in good stead…. Finally, do not be afraid to resort to biblical sarcasm, when necessary. REPROOF is a term you find all through Scripture.” (Pg. 674-675)
Although this is hardly a ‘Walter Martin book,’ it nevertheless contains a great deal of material, that goes far beyond what Martin dealt with prior to his death. It will be of great interest to Evangelicals and other Christians wanting a reference book on the occult.
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