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The Satanic Surge
'WorldWatch' by Joseph B. BaityInterest in Wicca, alongside witchcraft and other forms of paganism, has grown to remarkable proportions in modern America, forming part of a broader pattern in which mankind's belief in Satan's literal existence is declining even as involvement in pagan, occultist, and satanic organizations is rising. A 2010 census identified witchcraft as the fourth-largest religion in the country, with approximately 200,000 registered witches and an estimated 8 million unregistered practitioners. This surge is presented as occurring in a seeming contradiction: while fewer Americans profess belief in Satan as a real being—dropping from 68 percent in a 2003 Gallup poll to 57 percent in a 2013 YouGov poll—membership in movements associated with paganism and the occult continues to expand. Wicca and related pagan practices are described as promoting a more indirect, and at times even unacknowledged, form of worship of Satan, in contrast to Satanism, which is thought to embrace him more openly through organizations such as the Satanic Temple and the Church of Satan. This growth in Wiccan and pagan practice is framed as part of a larger cultural shift in which Satan has, in effect, "cleaned up his act," becoming mainstream and even regarded as admirable, cultivated, and appealing. This shift is reflected not only in the rise of pagan religious identification but also in entertainment, such as the television show Lucifer, and in social initiatives launched by satanic organizations, including legal advocacy projects and extracurricular clubs designed to counter evangelical Christian influence in schools. Taken together, the expansion of Wicca and paganism is presented as evidence of Satan's cunning strategy of denying his own existence while simultaneously rehabilitating his image and expanding his influence among mankind. This is connected to warnings found in Scripture (I Timothy 4:1; I John 4:1; II Corinthians 11:14; 2:11) about the deceptive and increasingly sophisticated nature of demonic influence as the age draws to its climactic end. The overarching message urges vigilance and closeness to the Creator in light of this growing influence, while affirming the assurance found in Romans 16:20 that the God of peace will ultimately crush Satan.
America's Goddess (Part Two)
Commentary by Martin G. CollinsWicca occupies a significant place in the broader discussion of goddess worship centered on Lady Liberty, the statue whose dedication speech by President Grover Cleveland explicitly presented her as a peaceful deity greater than the gods of ancient song. This presidential declaration effectively established Lady Liberty as America's own goddess, and that spiritual status has persisted in the nation to the present day. The Wiccan Together website, describing itself as an online community for Wiccans and Pagans, confirms this by stating that Lady Liberty is regarded by many Wiccans and other Pagans as far more than a mere symbol; she is considered a powerful and ancient Goddess capable of guiding, inspiring, protecting, and comforting her followers. Pagans invoke her in rituals aimed at personal or social liberation, and some incorporate her image or statue into household shrines and altars. Wiccans and other occult groups are said to be required to pray to the statue of Liberty on symbolically important days, including patriotic holidays and their eight seasonal occultist Sabbats. On these occasions, offerings such as flowers, coins, special stones, or crystals are left at or in alignment with her feet, accompanied by quiet prayer directed through her image to the goddess she represents. Afterward, whenever the mood strikes or her image is encountered, adherents send forth prayers for freedom, seeking liberation from perceived unjust oppression, whether personal or collective. The underlying intent of these prayers is revealed to be freedom from God's law and way of life, framing Wiccan devotion to Lady Liberty as fundamentally opposed to divine authority. The growth of Wicca is documented through several statistical sources. The Witches' Voice, described as one of the largest and most professional Wiccan websites, estimated in its 2000 press kit that approximately one million Witches, Wiccans, and Pagans existed in the United States, with three million worldwide, while acknowledging that actual numbers were likely higher due to many practitioners remaining hidden. Guy Vestal, CEO of Pagan Internet Industries Inc., similarly found around three million Pagan internet users that same year, suspecting the true total to be considerably larger for the same reason. A 2013 article by Michael Snyder identified witchcraft as the fastest-growing religion in America, tracing Wicca's origins back to ancient Babylon and citing figures of over 200,000 registered witches and approximately eight million unregistered practitioners as of 2011, while noting that Wicca represents only one form of witchcraft among many darker variants also expanding rapidly. Additional claims from Anne Elizabeth Wynn and author Marla Alupoaicei reinforce this trajectory, with Alupoaicei projecting Wicca to become the third-largest religion in America by a certain point, with adherents doubling roughly every thirty months, and noting that networks of Wiccans exist in every major American city. Wicca's veneration of Lady Liberty connects directly to the identification of this goddess with Ishtar, Isis, Athena, and similar deities from various cultures, situating Wiccan practice within a larger pattern of ancient goddess worship that has infiltrated both pagan communities and, more subtly, mainstream Christian denominations, ultimately tying Wicca's growth to broader end-times warnings against idolatry and demon worship found in Revelation.
The Occult
Sermon by Martin G. CollinsWicca surfaces as a central case study in the broader examination of the occult and the New Age movement's Old Babylonian religious roots. Neo-paganism, of which Wicca is the primary expression, is identified as the fastest-growing religion in North America, with practicing witches in the United States multiplying dramatically from 20,000 in 1972 to over 768,400 by 1999, and worldwide estimates reaching 3-5 million. This growth is presented as evidence of Satan's repackaged Babylonian deception spreading through society, particularly targeting children and teenagers. The teenage witch phenomenon is explored through the writings of the late Scott Cunningham, author of numerous books on witchcraft and magic, who is described as one of the most dangerous Americans ever born because he spurred this trend among youth. Quotes from young practicing witches reveal how Wicca is marketed as gentle, loving, and healing magic centered on attuning oneself with nature, the seasons, and the four elements, honoring a goddess and God, and practicing open-mindedness by incorporating pagan deities from Scandinavian, Celtic, Native American, and Egyptian traditions. This packaging is identified as Satan's craftsmanship in deception, making the practice appear innocent while it actually pollutes minds. Notably, while Wiccans claim tolerance toward other religions, hostility toward Jesus Christ and Christianity is consistently present in their literature, revealing the true target of this deception. A key deceptive tactic examined is the distinction some witches draw between "white magic" (performed for benevolent purposes) and "black magic" (performed to harm), with many Wiccans specifically labeling their practice "white witchcraft" for what is described as obviously deceitful reasons. This distinction is exposed as illegitimate, since a black or white lie remains equally a lie regardless of its label. The book Wicca: Satan's Little White Lie, written by a former high priest in the Druidic Craft of the Wise, is cited as evidence exposing this deception from within the movement itself. Wicca's practices are directly connected to the nine occult abominations condemned in Deuteronomy 18:9-14, since witchcraft and sorcery are described as a major part of the emerging neo-pagan one-world religion. The craft's foundation in earth worship is shown to bring practitioners into contact with demons, since demons stand behind paganism generally, and Wiccans specifically believe they draw power from the elements of earth. Ultimately, despite claims of neutrality or benevolent intent, Wicca is identified as originating from Satan, the father of lies, rather than from any neutral natural force, making it part of the broader deceptive system that God calls an abomination and that will ultimately be judged.
May Day: A Pagan Sabbath
Sermon by Charles WhitakerMay Day has become a cardinal day for worshipping demons and the greenery of the earth. It is one of Satan's eight pagan holidays that displace God's Holy Days.
God and Gender
'Prophecy Watch' by Richard T. RitenbaughGender-neutral language in Bible translations is a spill-over of radical feminism, which also endorses goddess worship and other non-Christian practices.
The Falling Away
'Prophecy Watch' by David C. GrabbeOne of Paul's prophecies foretells of a falling away shortly before Christ's return. The coming apostasy is worldwide in scope and will put pressure on all.
Purpose-Driven Churches (Part 5)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughPurpose-driven churches experience exponential growth through tolerating any belief. These churches would sacrifice any doctrine if it stands in the way of growth.
A Christian Nation?
CGG Weekly by Richard T. RitenbaughA new atheistic force is arising, and it is using its dominance of the culture and the courts to drive Christianity out of the temples of our civilization.