How Witchcraft Became the Newest Trend in Wellness
By Movieguide® Contributor
Capitalizing on promises of power and control, witchcraft and occultist practices have become America’s latest wellness trend with frightening consequences on the country’s spiritual health.
On the backs of popular witchy shows and movies such as BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER and THE CRAFT, witchcraft has slowly but surely worked its way into the public consciousness. During the pandemic, its popularity exploded as real-life witches across social media promised power and control during a time of global uncertainty. These promises have attracted millions and by 2022, the hashtag WitchTok amassed over 30 billion views on TikTok.
Mainstream celebrities have now celebrated and endorsed these occultist practices, encouraging even more people to believe that not only is witchcraft beneficial to their wellness but it is safe. This is, however, not the case. The Bible strongly condemns any sort of practice of the dark arts.
“‘Do not turn to mediums or seek out spiritists, for you will be defiled by them. I am the Lord your God,’” The Lord says in Leviticus 19:31, adding in the next chapter, “‘I will set my face against anyone who turns to mediums and spiritists to prostitute themselves by following them, and I will cut them off from their people.’”
Not only are practitioners of the occult opening themselves up to the forces of Satan but they are also defiling themselves in the sight of the Lord and rejecting Him as their God. While many people nowadays might turn to witchcraft for peace and freedom from their mental health problems, they will only find more oppression and darkness down that road.
Many people who have practiced witchcraft and occultism in the past but have since found freedom in Christ are now sharing their experiences and warning others against falling for Satan’s lies.
“I remember when I started practicing witchcraft, I was very curious about it,” said Jenny Weaver, a former witch turned born-again believer. “I saw it as a means to have power, in a powerless world. I remember getting books about spells and going into the new age store and purchasing bundles of sage, crystals, and all of the things you would do to cast spells. But I’ll tell you, it took a turn for the worse.”
“I had such a fear that gripped my life. It crippled me. The next thing that I knew, I was seeing things, hearing things, and I was being tortured by demonic spirits that had come in through the use of witchcraft. It was a very scary time,” Weaver continued. “I didn’t even want to close my eyes to wash my face. I was that terrified. If you think that it is innocent I am telling you it will take you down a road you do not want to go down. And I had to ask the Lord Jesus Christ to forgive me.”
Nevertheless, as occultism continues to grow in mainstream popularity, more and more media is being made around it. Disney, for example, released a show in 2020 following a witch who fights in the demon realm. The creators of the show believe portraying a story like this better helps children live out their imaginations.
October is often the most popular time for occultism to hit mainstream media. Parents should be extra careful with the shows and movies they are allowing their children to watch and ensure they combat any occultist beliefs that might be taking root in their kids’ minds, replacing them with the truth and freedom found in the Bible.
Movieguide® previously reported:
Former witch Jenny Weaver warns parents about the pagan origins of Halloween, explaining how the celebration is aimed to conjure a response from the dead.
Halloween’s roots date back to an Irish pagan holiday named Samhain, during which pagan worshippers believed that the dead and demonic were at the height of their power and could enter into the world of the living.
“The first form of Trick or Treat, Samhain, assembled souls of the dead on October 31st,” Weaver explained on Instagram. “[The pagan worshippers] were freeing them to return to their homes and their families to entertain them…If the spirit did not find an acceptable welcome, the spirits would cast spells or cause other problems for the family that was alive…They opened the door to the demonic realm.”
Like many holidays—or holiday celebrations—this pagan practice was Christianized by early missionaries, turning the night of October 31 into All Hallow’s Day, a time of preparation for All Saints’ Day on November 1, a celebration of past saints.
Despite the Christianization, Weaver warns that Halloween’s pagan, demonic roots mean that a celebration of the holiday cannot be justified, especially because the popular ways of celebrating Halloween today are not designed to prepare participants to celebrate All Hallow’s Day.