Recently one of my students who had graduated from the seminar where I was teaching returned to speak about his church planting experiences. I asked him what had he not learned in Seminary that he really needed in his ministry? His answer was He did not learn how to combat the evil spiritual forces that he met every day.
Dr. Philpott has seen the need to inform the modern-day Christian of the need to understand the powers of this dark world and the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. This book is a must for all who are ready to understand that the church today is involved in spiritual warfare. If our battle against the enemy is to be won, we need to better understand Satan and his methods. This book will help in informing the interested believer of the enemy and his methods.
~ Professor William Wagner
Founder Global Strategy Forum
The Philpotts give overviews of a wide variety of occult practices popular in the culture today and provide a biblical response to each. Christians can benefit from reading about these, because in order to share the truth of Christ, we should be prepared to come across people with these views. The book can also be handy as a reference on specific topics. These subjects are not discussed much in the church, and many congregants are unaware of the views that go along with them, so the Philpotts have provided a needed and useful service with this book.
~ Marcia Montenegro, Christian Answers for the New Age, and former professional astrologer
It is my privilege to encourage Christians and non-Christians alike to read this book. It will open your eyes to the many seductive avenues that Satan uses to lead people astray and away from the True Living God of the Bible.
It has also grieved my heart to see my fellow Christians who are ignorant of the dark spiritual realm. I believe a large degree of the deception we see in the church today is the result of a lack of deep biblical instruction – both from the pulpit and in one’s private study of the Scriptures. If we are not armed with the infallible, inerrant, unchanging Truth from the Bible, we are prone to fall for lies and half-truths.
I know Pastor Philpott to be a learned teacher, as well as a kind servant of Christ, who cares deeply about others’ spiritual conditions.
This book is a great tool for unmasking many forms of “spirituality” – ones that even many Christians embrace today – to their detriment.
Sharon Dutra, Be Transformed Ministries
Author of Be Transformed; New Beginnings, and Fishers of MenPathways to Darkness Kent A. Philpott, MDiv, DMin Katie L. C. Philpott, MDiv Earthen Vessel Publishing Exposing the Dangers of Contemporary Spiritualities
Pathways to Darkness:
Exposing the Dangers of Contemporary Spiritualities
©2023 by Kent and Katie Philpott
All rights reserved.
Earthen Vessel Media, LLC
San Rafael, CA 94903 www.earthenvesselmedia.com
ISBN: 978-1-946794-38-3 print
978-1-946794-39-0 eBook
Library of Congress Control Number: 2023944807
Cover and interior design by KLC Philpott
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information retrieval system, without the written permission of the author or publisher, except by a reviewer who wishes to quote brief passages in connection with a review written for inclusion in a magazine, newspaper, internet site, or broadcast.
All Biblical Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved.
Contents
Introduction 9
The Core Issue 12
Medium Tyler Henry: Is This Real? 14
Yoga and Meditation 18
Psychic Empath 34
Mindfulness or Mindlessness? 41
Reiki 50
Akashic Records 62
Kundalini Awakening 69
Third Eye Awakening 78
Life Coaching 85
Ancestral Medicine 92
Tarot 111
Channeling and Mediumship 118
Sarah Young: Jesus Calling 124
Crystal Healing 127
Astrology 134
The Ouija Board 140
Wicca: Witches among Us 149
Power through Communion? 168
Richard Rohr and the Enneagram 172
Shamanism 181
SanterÍa: From Slavery to Slavery 203
Islamic Mysticism 223
Christian Mysticism 235
Soul Confusion 245
A Collection of Short Articles 253
How Demonization Occurs 267
How to Recognize that You Have a Demon 274
One Last Word 276
Bibliography 278
A Mighty Fortress Is Our God
Martin Luther
VERSE 1
A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing
Our Helper He, amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing
For still our ancient foe doth seek to work us woe
His craft and pow’r are great, and, armed with cruel hate
On earth is not his equal
VERSE 2
Did we in our own strength confide, our striving would be losing
Were not the right Man on our side, the Man of God’s own choosing
Dost ask who that may be? Christ Jesus, it is He
The Lord of hosts His name, from age to age the same
And He must win the battle
VERSE 3
And though this world with devils filled should threaten to undo us
We will not fear, for God hath willed His truth to triumph through us
The Prince of Darkness grim, we tremble not for him
His rage we can endure, for lo, his doom is sure
One little word shall fell him
VERSE 4
That word above all earthly pow’rs, no thanks to them, abideth
The Spirit and the gifts are ours through Him who with us sideth
Let goods and kindred go, this mortal life also
The body they may kill; God’s truth abideth still
His kingdom is forever