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Something Wiccan This Way Comes -- Interview Part I

Wicca, Witchcraft

Hello everyone, and welcome to a fascinating interview week here on the Voice of Prophecy. I’m Connie Jeffery. We’re so glad to welcome our good friend, Steve Wohlberg, pastor, author, radio-TV personality and director-speaker of End Time Insights. He’s tackled the topic of a growing and frightening phenomenon called Wicca witchcraft that is attracting a whole new generation. What’s behind it all? Steve’s brand new book, HOUR OF THE WITCH, is a shocking expos of the supernatural world of Wicca. And this week, we’re offering Steve’s book to our listeners in response to your donation of $15 or more. Here’s our request line if you’d like a copy: 1-800-872-0055. Again, 1-800-872- 0055. I’ll be sure to give those numbers out again, and also have mail and internet information for you in about 10 minutes, so have your pencil handy. But now let's join Lonnie and our special guest.

LONNIE: Welcome, Steve Wholberg, to our broadcast studios, we’re glad to have you back

STEVE: Thanks Lonnie, it’s good to be here.

LONNIE: Wicca, Witchcraft, Harry Potter; all kinds of strange phenomena are happening, and you kind of waded into this arena in your particular pastorate. Why is it important? That is what we are talking about this week.

STEVE: I Started out…Well, I was commisened by Amazing Facts to write a little book about Harry Potter, and that began my research, and the more I delved into this topic, I became aware of the fact that it’s not just Harry Potter, but that it’s Wicca Witchcraft itself that is really growing around the country. There was a program on NPR radio that we talked about the growth of Wicca Amongst teenagers, and it talked about the many kids who are out there hiding spell books and alters under their beds, and they’re dabbling into this new religion that is becoming very fascinating to kids all over the country.

LONNIE: When we think of Witchcraft, we think of Halloween and all of that dark stuff, but what is White Magic?
STEVE: Right, when most people think of Witchcraft, they think of witches flying on broomsticks, and stuff that is very ancient. Right now, it’s got a new force. Wicca Witchcraft has been putting on a friendly face, they call it White Magic, and they basically believe that they can tap into the forces of nature, the energies, spirits of nature, and channel them toward good purposes. My conviction is based upon the Bible that people who get into this don’t realize that there are supernatural forces of evil out there, and when they don’t believe in a real Devil, they are opening themselves up to the real forces of a real Satan.

LONNIE; and this has really become your passion, hasn’t it? You’ve written books on this, you’re a radio-TV personality, but has the mainstream media caught there eye to this yet?

STEVE: Sure, there’s no question about it. And I guess my real passion is Jesus Christ, and I’m looking at the world through the eyes of scripture And I see trends taking place. In the last few years there have been a number of movies that have come out that talk about witchcraft. There’s one called The Craft, and another called The Witches of Eastwood, another called Practical Magic, then of course the books and movies of Harry Potter. You have television programs like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Sabrina the Teenage Witch, and Charmed…

LONNIE: But aren’t these so innocent? It appears to be almost comedy.

STEVE: That’s the impression that is given. Many movies, books and TV shows are being written for kids talking about the while witch phenomenon and people just think that’s innocent and harmless and fun. But when you read the Bible, Witchcraft is not innocent, fun…

LONNIE: Maybe older people wouldn’t fall for this cistern or sewer, but the kids might. I’m holding in my hands here, 3 different books; Silver Raven Wolf’s series, and the list goes on. You would think that Witchcraft is largely built around fiction, and fiction books, but are these non-fiction books?

STEVE: These are Non-fiction books. A lot of people who read the fiction books think that it is all just fantasy, but many of them don’t realize that there is a whole slew of books that are out there, that are becoming more and more popular that talk about the real thing. For instance, if somebody goes onto Wal-Mart.com, and just types in the word Wicca, you will find a whole list of books, recent books written by real Wicca authors, which are talking about real Witchcraft.

LONNIE: For older generations, what is Wicca?

STEVE: Wicca, what they say, is a nature religion. They don’t believe in the Devil, they don’t believe in the Christian God. It believes that nature has inherent power and that people can learn how to tap into the forces of nature, and the spirits and gods of nature. They then believe that they can channel these forces to do good things. This is a religion the seeks to give people empowerment, it claims to give them spiritual energy and strength, and supernatural power to accomplish things. It’s very appealing to people to think, hey, I could have power and accomplishment, and I could cast spells and work potions, and learn how to manipulate reality. It’s appealing to our fallen human nature, because we want to be our own little gods. We want to have our own spiritual powers apart from the God of heaven.

LONNIE: So, this is where you see some dangers creep up?

STEVE: Oh yes! Because…I believe personally and I’m sure you do too, that we are living in the final days of earth’s history and Jesus is coming soon and people are searching for answers that many people… Well, many people are disillusioned with the Bible and they are searching for other spiritual paths to bring fulfillment. Wicca is becoming extremely successful, and so they are dabbling into this as an alternative.

LONNIE: So let’s stop for a second and contemplate. Do you think that the battle between good and evil is heating up somewhere out there in the Nethers, because it’s so close to the end of the world?

STEVE: I do, and the Bible even talks about it. It talks about a woman and her sorceries, and how she will deceive many people, and how many people will fall. The Bible says that at the end of time sorcery will destroy all nations. So these movies and books that people think are so harmless are really just distractions that are leading us down the wrong path. It’s a clear and definite culture trend that is slowly desensitizing our nation into its sorceries.

LONNIE: And this is seen particularly in Revelation 13 and so forth, where it talks about the dragon and all the talk about Satan’s last great battle as he and the world push to the end.

STEVE: This whole movement is just one of the tentacles of Satan’s plan, and we must be prepared and ready, or we ourselves may very well be deceived and swept up in the journey downwards.

LONNIE: What would you have to say to those who just say, well, it’s the in thing and everybody’s doing it?

STEVE: I would say that those who dabble into Wicca, you may think that it is just innocent fun, but as many people have found out, it ultimately leads to the Devil and Satan controlling your life. But through Jesus we can find a better, stronger power that will overcome all evil, and in the end we will be on the right side…

CVJ Thank you so much, Steve. Yes friend, we’re living in the final days of history, and it’s just critical to be able to recognize this end-time deception of sorcery.