Paganism, as a worldview that exalts self-worship, power, and materialism over transcendent truth. As both an ancient and contemporary worldview, it fundamentally contrasts with the biblical Christian perspective. Paganism can be understood as a set of religious beliefs and practices rooted in polytheism, animism, nature worship, and the occult. While this broad term encompasses a variety of traditions—from ancient Greek, Roman, and Celtic practices to modern New Age spirituality—it is unified by several key beliefs that sharply oppose the teachings of Christianity.
1. The History and Ideology of Paganism
Historically, paganism was the dominant religious framework in most cultures before monotheistic faiths like Judaism and Christianity took root. Ancient pagans worshipped multiple gods often associated with natural forces—such as the sun, moon, and fertility—and engaged in ritual practices intended to appease or manipulate these deities. These practices included divination, sorcery, spirit communication, and sacrifices. Such actions were not only a means to understand the divine but also a way to gain control over fate and secure prosperity, fertility, or victory in battle.
In modern forms of paganism, often revived under labels like New Age or occultism, there remains an emphasis on self-divinization, secret knowledge, and manipulation of spiritual forces. Practices like astrology, tarot readings, spirit guides, and numerology claim to provide insight into the future or the deeper mysteries of existence. These practices assume that human beings can harness spiritual energies to shape their destinies, independent of submission to a Creator.
2. Paganism's View of Human Nature and Purpose
Paganism often holds a high view of human potential and autonomy. Rather than seeing humanity as dependent on a sovereign God, pagan belief systems often suggest that individuals can access hidden knowledge or power within themselves or the natural world. Humanity is seen as part of an interconnected cosmos where divinity is not separate but within all things, a concept often called pantheism (God is everything) or panentheism (God is in everything). This outlook tends to blur the Creator/creature distinction that Christianity maintains, leading to the belief that humans themselves possess divine attributes or the potential to evolve into a god-like state.
Because of this perspective, pagan practices such as divination, astrology, and spirit channeling are seen as legitimate ways to discover personal destiny, gain insight, or even achieve personal transformation. This perspective is profoundly self-centered and subjective, valuing the self's experiences, emotions, and intuitions over any objective truth revealed by a sovereign Creator.
3. Paganism’s Methods of Implementation
In both ancient and modern contexts, paganism seeks to implement its worldview through practices that engage with spiritual realms outside of God’s ordained means (Scripture and prayer to the Father through Christ). In the Old Testament, God condemns practices like divination, necromancy, and idolatry precisely because they represent humanity’s attempt to attain knowledge or power apart from Him. Deuteronomy 18:9-14 explicitly forbids such practices, warning Israel not to imitate the nations they are to dispossess:
“When you come into the land that the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not learn to follow the abominable practices of those nations. There shall not be found among you anyone who burns his son or his daughter as an offering, anyone who practices divination or tells fortunes or interprets omens, or a sorcerer or a charmer or a medium or a necromancer or one who inquires of the dead, for whoever does these things is an abomination to the Lord. And because of these abominations the Lord your God is driving them out before you. You shall be blameless before the Lord your God, for these nations, which you are about to dispossess, listen to fortune-tellers and to diviners. But as for you, the Lord your God has not allowed you to do this.”
These practices, now often labeled as “spiritual” rather than “religious,” are prominent in New Age ideologies and aim to “open minds” and “expand consciousness.” Yoga, meditation on chakras, and kundalini exercises are commonly practiced today to achieve enlightenment or unlock latent divine powers. Tools like tarot cards, Ouija boards, and astrology continue the pagan focus on divination and fortune-telling. The underlying idea is that humans can unlock hidden spiritual power, connect with otherworldly beings, or shape reality itself. But in doing so, they reject the boundaries God has set and open themselves to deception by malevolent spiritual forces.
4. The Biblical and Christian View of Human Nature and Reality
The biblical worldview offers a starkly different understanding of human nature, purpose, and the spiritual realm. Scripture teaches that humans are made in the image of God (Genesis 1:27), distinct from the rest of creation and endowed with the purpose of glorifying their Creator. Humanity’s role is not to manipulate divine forces but to worship and serve God in obedience, humility, and trust.
Unlike paganism, which often denies or downplays sin, Christianity teaches that all people are sinners by nature (Romans 3:23) and are spiritually dead apart from God (Ephesians 2:1-3). The Bible warns that trying to control or contact spiritual realms apart from God’s ordained means is not only futile but dangerous. Practices like divination and spirit contact open the soul to demonic influence and lead to further bondage, not enlightenment. God’s law forbids these practices for the protection of our souls, as “whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law” (1 John 3:4). This law reflects God’s holy nature and reveals His desire to protect us from spiritual harm.
5. The Superiority of the Christian Worldview
The Christian worldview, rooted in Scripture, better corresponds to reality and the human experience than pagan ideologies. Paganism often falls into self-contradiction and subjectivity, claiming that truth is found within or through mystical means, yet unable to provide a consistent, objective foundation for truth and morality. The Bible, however, offers a coherent account of reality: God is the Creator and sustainer of all things, humans are made in His image yet fallen, and redemption is offered through Jesus Christ alone.
Christianity provides the only true answer to humanity’s deepest needs because it acknowledges the reality of sin and offers a Savior. Paganism, with its focus on self-discovery and empowerment, ignores the problem of sin and the need for redemption. Its practices may promise enlightenment or power, but they cannot change the human heart. The Bible declares that only through Jesus Christ can we receive a new heart and the indwelling Spirit to lead us in truth and holiness (Ezekiel 36:26-27).
Further, Christianity’s vision of the future is not one of endless cycles (as in reincarnation) or self-deification, but of resurrection and eternal life with God. Only the Christian hope offers a meaningful and lasting solution to death and suffering, promising a restored creation where God will dwell with His people (Revelation 21:3-4).
6. Dismantling Paganism’s Presuppositions
Paganism assumes that humans can attain knowledge and power through means outside of God’s revelation. However, the Bible teaches that “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge” (Proverbs 1:7) and that apart from Him, we are lost and enslaved to our sinful desires. Pagan practices are thus not paths to enlightenment but expressions of rebellion against God’s authority, ways in which people “exchange the truth about God for a lie” (Romans 1:25).
In contrast, the Christian faith invites us to come to God in humility, acknowledging our limitations and trusting in His wisdom. God’s revelation in Scripture, unlike the shifting sands of human tradition or mystical insight, is “living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword” (Hebrews 4:12). It reveals the true state of our hearts and points us to the only solution in Christ.
Conclusion
Paganism is ultimately a worldview of autonomy and self-deification, rejecting the Creator and His revealed will. Its practices are not simply harmless or cultural, but a rebellion against God’s holy commands. By contrast, Christianity teaches us to rely on God’s grace, submit to His will, and trust in His revelation. It alone addresses the reality of sin, offers a clear path to salvation, and provides an enduring hope for a future free from suffering and evil.
Rather than retreating in the face of the modern onslaught, Christian should renew their commitment to courageously defend Christian principles within their communities. They shoul;d engage in local governance and create networks of faithful communities. This struggle is essential to preserving Christian ideals amid a society that is descending into moral darkness and authoritarianism.
In sum, the practices forbidden in Deuteronomy 18 and throughout Scripture are not arbitrary prohibitions but protective commands from a loving God who desires our good. As Christians, we are called to “be blameless before the Lord” (Deuteronomy 18:13) and to reject the spiritual deceptions of the world, seeking instead to be transformed by the truth of God’s Word and the power of the Holy Spirit.
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The following are examples of practices associated with paganism, many of which rely on occult influences and spiritual deception that stand in opposition to biblical faith:
Horoscopes - Sun and Moon Worship
Horoscopes, based in astrology, lead people to look to the stars rather than to God for guidance. Deuteronomy 18:9-14 explicitly condemns seeking signs from the heavens, labeling such practices as abominations. By trusting in created things rather than the Creator (Romans 1:25), astrology replaces the sovereignty of God with pagan superstition, drawing people into idolatry and rebellion against God’s authority. Scripture warns that those who pursue such practices are rejecting the true source of wisdom and guidance, thereby inviting God’s judgment (Isaiah 47:13-14).
Yoga - Chakras - Hinduism
Yoga, with its focus on chakras and self-divinization, is rooted in Hindu worship practices. Scripture commands us to worship the Lord alone (Exodus 20:3), and any spiritual exercise that directs one toward self-enlightenment rather than dependence on God violates this command. God’s Word warns against mingling His worship with pagan practices (2 Corinthians 6:16-17), and participating in yoga’s spiritual aspects places believers in direct opposition to God’s holiness, for He will not share His glory with another (Isaiah 42:8).
Kundalini - Hinduism/New Age/Occult/Familiar Spirits
Kundalini involves awakening a “serpent power” believed to reside within the body, an idea steeped in Hindu mysticism. The Bible views such attempts to tap into hidden spiritual energies as inviting demonic influences (Leviticus 19:31; 2 Corinthians 11:14-15). In seeking power outside of God’s provision, practitioners expose themselves to forces that deceive and enslave rather than bring liberation. Scripture is clear: “Do not turn to mediums or necromancers; do not seek them out, and so make yourselves unclean by them” (Leviticus 19:31).
Tarot Cards - False Prophets/Soothsaying/Deception
Tarot cards are tools of divination used to uncover hidden knowledge about the future. God detests such practices, warning that seeking knowledge through fortune-telling is rebellion against Him (Deuteronomy 18:10-12). Tarot cards lead people to trust in lies rather than God’s truth, drawing them away from faith in Christ and toward spiritual deception. In Isaiah 8:19, God explicitly commands His people to seek Him, not mediums or fortune-tellers, lest they fall under His wrath.
Hypnotism - Mysticism/Witchcraft (Submitting Your Will)
Hypnotism requires submitting one’s will to another, relinquishing the self-control that God calls us to exercise (2 Timothy 1:7). In doing so, a person opens themselves to manipulation, potentially inviting spiritual influences that do not honor God. God’s Word is clear that witchcraft and manipulation are works of the flesh, condemned under His law (Galatians 5:20). Such submission is a form of spiritual compromise that dishonors God and threatens spiritual integrity.
Astrology - Sun and Moon Worship
Astrology, like horoscopes, venerates the stars as guides for human life. Scripture condemns astrology as part of idolatrous sun and moon worship (Deuteronomy 4:19), a practice God labels as an abomination. Trusting in the stars instead of God usurps His role as the sovereign guide of our lives, leading people into spiritual blindness and away from the truth. The Bible warns that such practices bring God’s judgment on those who replace Him with created things (Jeremiah 10:2).
Ouija Boards - Occult/Talking with the Dead/Familiar Spirits
Ouija boards are tools of necromancy, condemned in Scripture as an attempt to communicate with spirits or the dead (Deuteronomy 18:11). God views such practices as a severe form of rebellion against Him, opening individuals to demonic influence. Attempting to speak with the dead is not only futile but spiritually dangerous, as it aligns individuals with forces in direct opposition to God. This practice leads away from God’s truth and invites His judgment (Isaiah 8:19-20).
Psychic Readings - Occult/Familiar Spirits
Psychic readings, which rely on contact with “familiar spirits” or guides, are a form of divination explicitly condemned by God (Leviticus 20:6). God’s Word warns that consulting such spirits opens people to deception and spiritual darkness. Rather than leading people to truth, psychic readings pull them into rebellion and idolatry, rejecting God’s guidance in favor of occult knowledge. Those who turn to psychics reject God’s Word and open themselves to the influence of forces that ultimately oppose God’s kingdom.
Numerology - Occult/Soothsaying/False Prophets
Numerology assigns mystical significance to numbers in an attempt to unlock hidden truths, a practice akin to soothsaying, which Scripture condemns as an abomination (Deuteronomy 18:10-12). By trusting in numbers rather than God, numerology denies His sovereignty, leading people to superstition and idolatry. The Bible teaches that all wisdom comes from God alone (Proverbs 2:6), and any practice that seeks hidden knowledge apart from Him is spiritually dangerous and forbidden.
Rosary Beads - Catholic/Sun - Baal Worship/Sol Invictus
The rosary, though used in religious devotion, can easily become a ritualistic object that distracts from genuine worship of God. When used as an amulet or repetitive prayer device, it borders on superstition and idolatry (Matthew 6:7-8). God calls His people to worship in spirit and truth, and practices that involve empty repetition or misplaced reverence can obscure true devotion to Christ and lead to spiritual error.
Palm Readings - Occult/Soothsaying/False Prophecy
Palm readings, a form of divination, claim to reveal a person’s fate through the lines on their hands. This practice is an abomination to God (Deuteronomy 18:10-12), denying His sovereign control over each life. Palm readings lure people into trusting in the occult rather than God, drawing them away from His Word. Scripture is clear that those who seek guidance in this way are rebelling against God’s authority, inviting judgment rather than blessing (Isaiah 44:25).
Superstition - Unbelief/Pagan Roots
Superstition, with its reliance on charms or rituals to ward off misfortune, is rooted in pagan belief rather than trust in God’s providence. Such practices demonstrate a lack of faith and are tantamount to idolatry, as they seek security apart from God. Scripture warns against any practice that denies God’s sovereignty or attributes power to created things (Jeremiah 10:5), as this leads people into spiritual darkness and away from true reliance on the Lord.
Dream Catchers - Native American/Mysticism
Dream catchers, used in Native American spirituality to filter dreams, represent a mystical attempt to control or manipulate the spiritual realm. Such practices are prohibited in Scripture, as they stem from pagan superstition rather than trust in God. Using objects for spiritual protection aligns with occultism, a direct violation of God’s command to seek Him alone for refuge and security (Psalm 91:1-2).
Fengshui - Taoism/Eastern Religions
Fengshui, the Taoist practice of arranging spaces to channel “qi” for harmony, reflects a pagan worldview that relies on spiritual forces rather than God. Scripture warns against trusting in such practices (Isaiah 2:6), as they seek to control circumstances without submitting to God’s will. Fengshui aligns with occultism and denies that God alone orders the world, making it a spiritually dangerous path.
Reincarnation - Occult/Eastern Religions
Reincarnation teaches that souls are reborn in new bodies, contradicting the biblical truth that each person lives once, followed by judgment (Hebrews 9:27). This belief denies the hope of resurrection through Christ and the finality of His atonement, promoting a worldview opposed to the gospel. Embracing reincarnation leads people away from the truth of salvation and the promise of eternal life in Christ, inviting them into spiritual deception.
Spirit Guides - Familiar Spirits/New Age/Occult
Spirit guides, popular in New Age spirituality, are unseen beings that supposedly provide guidance. Scripture condemns seeking such spirits (Leviticus 20:6), warning that those who engage in this practice are turning away from God. Spirit guides often masquerade as benevolent but are deceptive forces opposed to God’s kingdom. Christians are called to be led by the Holy Spirit, not by spirits that seek to manipulate and deceive (Galatians 5:16-17).
In each case, these practices are more than harmless rituals or cultural symbols. They represent a direct defiance of God’s commands and invite His judgment. Scripture treats such practices with the utmost seriousness, calling them abominations that lead people away from the truth and into spiritual bondage. As believers, we are called to trust solely in God’s wisdom and guidance, avoiding all practices that deny His authority or lead us toward idolatry and deception.
Note: Deuteronomy 18:9-14 provides a clear directive against adopting pagan practices, showing that even without the explicitly revealed law of God, the Gentile nations are held accountable. This reflects Paul’s argument in Romans 2, where he speaks of the “work of the law written in their hearts” (Romans 2:14-15) as an internal moral standard God has imprinted upon humanity. The natural law, inherent in all humans, aligns with God's revealed law, underscoring that fundamental aspects of God's commands are universally binding. Thus, God’s moral law is not only a covenant with Israel but also reflects a universal, unchanging standard of righteousness and justice. This standard applies to Gentile nations as well, as they possess an intrinsic understanding of right and wrong given by their Creator, leaving them without excuse (Romans 1:20).
This universal moral law is why God justly drives out the Canaanites, for even their own hearts, created in God’s image, should recoil from such corrupt practices. The judgment they face reflects the holiness of God and affirms that certain moral truths are intrinsic to all humanity, resonating with the God-given conscience within each person. The Canaanites’ acts of idolatry and corruption, which violated this innate law, reveal the rebellion present in the human heart when it turns from God’s ways.
But for all who are caught in these deceptions, there is good news. The gospel of Jesus Christ offers true freedom, forgiveness, and deliverance from all forms of spiritual bondage. Jesus came to rescue sinners, to break the chains of darkness, and to set captives free (Luke 4:18-19). Through His death and resurrection, Christ has overcome the powers of sin and the forces of evil. For all who repent and turn to Him in faith, there is not only forgiveness but also the power of the Holy Spirit to guide them in truth and holiness. “If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:36). No matter the depths of deception, God’s grace is greater, offering a new heart, a new life, and an everlasting hope for all who believe in Christ.