HOW WIDESPREAD IS THE OCCULT?

Hunt and McMahon (America, ….): Today’s world confronts a strange and growing paradox that could very well mark a pivotal point in human history. Even as the scientific and technological advancement which ushered in the space age is accelerating at an exponential rate we are witnessing far and away the greatest occult explosion of all time. The evidence seems to indicate that something of unusual historic significance is in process. Primitive pagan religious practices that were generally confined to underdeveloped Third World countries (and were regarded in the West with suspicion and ridicule only a few years ago) are now being embraced by increasingly millions of enthusiasts worldwide.

Hunt and McMahon (America,….): The present revival of sorcery is evident in modern trends in art, psychology, medicine, education, the military, business, music, and especially in the media, from children’s television cartoons to major feature films.

Larson (Satanism, The Seduction of America’s Youth): Teenagers today grow up in a world saturated with satanic symbols and suggestions – black metal music, Dungeons and Dragons, horror movies, occult emblems, and diabolical paraphernalia. Some parents mistakenly presume it’s harmless, that kids will grow out of it.

Lindsey (quoted from article in New York Times by Hunt and McMahon): Representatives of some of the nation’s largest corporations, including IBM, AT&T, and General Motors, met in New Mexico this summer [1986] to discuss how metaphysics, the occult and Hindu mysticism might help executives compete in the world marketplace….. a thread of alternative thought….. scholars say is working its way increasingly into the nation’s cultural, religious, social, economic, and political life. On one level, they say, it is evidenced by a surge of interest in new metaphysical religions, mediums, the occult, reincarnation, psychic healing, Satanism, “spirit guides,” and other aspects of supernatural belief.

Johnston (The Edge of Evil): Victoria on Vancouver Island, British Columbia is one of the major centers for religion, witchcraft and the occult in the world. Every major religion in the world is represented, for instance, Saltspring Island has one of the largest Buddhist monasteries in the western hemisphere. The island has the highest percentage of Transcendental Meditation practitioners per capita of any place in the world. Every cult you can imagine has a representative office or headquarters here. Tarot card reading and table strolling fortune-telling of all sorts is expected in Victorian restaurants. Major tourist attractions such as the Crystal Garden, routinely offer seminars in ESP. The native Indian population is particularly dedicated to traditional spirit worship and spirit dancing.

Hunt and McMahon (America,….): The last time anything approaching this mass flight from reason to mysticism occurred was in the 1920’s and 1930’s. It was very likely this great occult resurgence in Western Europe, and particularly in Austria and Germany, which helped to set the stage for Germany’s acceptance of Nazism. Some historians, in fact, have referred to Hitler as “Occult Messiah.”

Carr (The Twisted Cross): Occultism has had more to say about politics in the twentieth century than has hitherto been recognized. For example, the Adolph Hitler connection is obvious. However, an awful lot of nineteenth century western and central and eastern European politics were involving people who were ardent occultists. The Rasputin thing in Russia is an example. Most of the French hierarchy in the late nineteenth century were occultists.