Letter XXI - New Age Spirituality & the Occult
My Dear Rottmouth, As we delve deeper into our strategies, it is time to address the rising influence of New Age spirituality and occult practices, which have begun to see a revival, a revival spurred on by those feminist friends of ours. These trends present enticing alternatives to traditional religion, offering us an excellent opportunity to lead our patients further away from the Enemy’s teachings.
New Age beliefs are particularly effective because they often masquerade as enlightened, progressive, and inclusive. They draw individuals in with promises of personal empowerment, spiritual awakening, and connection to the universe. Encourage your patient to explore these beliefs, presenting them as more sophisticated and spiritually evolved than the Enemy’s traditional teachings.
The allure of New Age spirituality lies in its flexibility and lack of absolute truths. Promote the idea that spirituality is a personal journey, unique to each individual, and that there is no single path to enlightenment or truth. This will lead your patients to reject the notion of objective truth and moral absolutes, which are foundational to the Enemy’s teachings. By embracing relativism, they will become more susceptible to our influence and less anchored in any solid spiritual or moral framework.
Encourage your patient to experiment with various New Age practices—meditation, crystals, astrology, energy healing, yoga, and the like. These practices can provide a sense of spiritual fulfillment without the demands and discipline of traditional religion. They can also lead to an obsession with self and personal experience, further distancing your patient from community and selfless service.
The occult, with its promises of hidden knowledge and power, is another avenue we must exploit. The idea of tapping into mysterious forces and gaining control over one’s destiny is immensely appealing. Encourage your patients to delve into practices such as tarot reading, numerology, and communication with spirits. These activities can create a fascination with the supernatural that distracts from the Enemy’s teachings and opens the door to deeper spiritual deception.
One of the most effective aspects of New Age and occult practices is their focus on personal empowerment and self-deification. Convince your patients that they are divine, that they possess within themselves all the power and knowledge they need. This will foster a sense of pride and independence that makes them unlikely to seek the Enemy’s guidance or submit to His will. It also draws them ever so near to us, and it is in these practices that we may take possession of them,
Social media and popular culture are powerful tools in this endeavor. They are replete with influencers, celebrities, and content that glamorize New Age and occult practices. Encourage your patients to follow these trends and see them as modern, sophisticated alternatives to the “outdated” and “restrictive” teachings of traditional religion. The more they see these practices normalized and celebrated, the more likely they are to adopt them.
Additionally, present traditional religion as intolerant, judgmental, and irrelevant. Emphasize the scandals, hypocrisies, and failures of religious institutions, painting a picture of a system that is corrupt and oppressive. This will make New Age beliefs appear more attractive by comparison, as they often emphasize personal freedom and acceptance.
Promote the notion that all spiritual paths lead to the same destination. This idea of universalism undermines the Enemy’s claim to be the sole source of truth and salvation. By convincing your patients that it doesn’t matter what they believe as long as they are sincere, you erode their commitment to the Enemy’s teachings and open them to a myriad of falsehoods.
Encourage your patients to seek spiritual experiences that are emotionally and sensually gratifying. The Enemy’s path often involves sacrifice, discipline, and humility—qualities that are unappealing to those seeking immediate fulfillment and personal exaltation. By focusing on experiences that provide immediate gratification and a sense of personal power, you can keep your patients ensnared in superficial spirituality.
In our next correspondence, we will discuss a medical technology that deserves its own letter, as it can be a subtle yet powerful tool to serve our purposes.
Your affectionate uncle,
Wormwood
