The Conditionalist Faith of Our Fathers, vol. 2

V. Current Pagan Counterpart of Western Occult

Black Africa’s contemporary counterpart of the current occult manifestations of the West was graphically portrayed by investigator Robert Coughlan in a 1961 Life magazine article. It appeared under the title “Black Magic: Vital Force in Africa’s New Nations,” with the subtitle reading, “Today’s presidents and kings still pay homage to the ancestral rituals of witchcraft and sorcery.” Africa’s devotion to magic is, he says, entirely serious, profoundly affecting the masses. In fact, Africa is characterized by a “Christianized magic involving such embellishments as ecstatic trances, ritual chants and speaking-with-tongues.” ⁷⁰ CFF2 1214.3

1. ANIMISM BASED ON IMMORTAL “INNER SELVES.”

In black Africa-Ghana, the Belgian Congo, Bakuba, Buganda, the Ivory Coast, and former French Africa-magic is experiencing a marked resurgence. Its rootage is in animism, meaning “soul,” and is described by Coughlan in this way: CFF2 1215.1

“Animism, as the basic belief is often called from the Latin word anima meaning soul, holds that all things alive or lifeless-a stone, a tree, an animal-have not merely a visible self but an inner, essential self that makes them what they are. These inner selves are conscious; they have feelings, and-within a logical range of relative strengthsthey can take revenge if they are disturbed.... CFF2 1215.2

“Believing in this universal inner reality, the African naturally takes human immortality for granted. After physical death, the human soul goes to heaven for a while but then returns to reside in or near the family but until it is reincarnated in the same family group as a baby. In African society the new child does not ‘take after’ his late relative; he is that relative. While awaiting reincarnation, ⁷¹ souls expect to be honored ceremonially and to be notified of matters affecting the welfare of the group. If treated with proper reverence they bring luck. If neglected or offended, they punish the living by causing misfortune.” ⁷² CFF2 1215.3

This is current pagan animistic reincarnation-very active and very powerful. CFF2 1215.4

2. COMMUNICATION BETWEEN VISIBLE AND INVISIBLE

Stating that the African believes that “the spirits of dead chiefs have a crucial role” in contemporary affairs, Coughlan explains: CFF2 1215.5

“With such a busy and complex pantheon, the African faces a chronic problem in communications between the visible and invisible worlds Even the chief. the interpreter between the tribe and the gods, often needs the help of specialists. These may include priests who are in the service of some particular god, trance-mediums through whom the spirits speak, and soothsayers who answer difficult questions and foretell the future.” ⁷³ CFF2 1215.6

That, of course, is pagan Spiritualism in resurgence. CFF2 1216.1

3. ROLE OF TRANCE-MEDIUMS AND SOOTHSAYERS

Citing Sir James G. Frazer, well-known “investigator of primitive beliefs,” ⁷⁴ and Prof. Geoffrey Parrinder, “authority on Africa religion,” Coughlan tells how “the sorcerer sometimes has animal allies and subhuman assistants.” Then he adds: CFF2 1216.2

“Threatened from every side with the forces of evil, the African would live in constant fright except for the countervailing forces commanded by the witch doctor or nganga. Outsiders tend to confuse the witch doctor’s role with that of the sorcerer, but actually it is almost always the opposite: his magic is protective, beneficent and ‘white,’ whereas that of the sorcerer and witch is ‘black.’ (The terms are those applied by the Africans themselves and have nothing to do with skin color.) For obvious reasons the nganga is a man of prestige in the community, almost the equal of the chief. Frequently he is a trancemedtum, almost always a soothsayer.” ⁷⁵ CFF2 1216.3

Then comes this significant statement:
“The psychological mechanism involved is the same as that which accounts for the spectacular ‘cures’ associated with hypnosis and faith healing in other societies.” ⁷⁶ CFF2 1216.4

Such are some of the comparisons and the contrasts in different continents. Thus the prevalence of the occult is worldwide. With the situation in Protestantism we are already well aware. CFF2 1216.5