Most have heard of the term channeling. It has become increasingly popular on TV and radio, especially with the arrival of the "New Age" movement. This is a modern version of mysticism with roots in Hinduism, Buddhism and occultism. Some famous actors and actresses have promoted this new take on some very old religious practices.

Those who do the channeling claim they are receiving information or commands from a divine or unknown source. In effect, they say, they are like a radio receiving a signal from a transmitter.

On TV and radio shows, the channeler, or medium, has one or more spirits enter his mind, and then he becomes the "mouthpiece." Through the medium, the spirit then offers information, advice or predictions on almost any subject imaginable, from the present condition of a departed loved one, to medical counsel, financial advice or even how to improve one's love life.

Who is speaking through the channeler? The spirits claim to have varied identities. Some say they are the spirits of the dead, sometimes of famous persons, such as Napoleon, Winston Churchill, the so-called Virgin Mary and even Jesus Christ. Others claim to be aliens of extraterrestrial origin.

In reality, there is not much that is new about the "New Age" movement. Mediums were used to consult with the dead from the dawn of history. They were used in Babylon, Egypt, India, China, Asia Minor, Greece (which had the famous oracle at Delphi) and even by the native North and South American Indians.

Although some of the so-called channelers clearly are frauds—and the famous magician Harry Houdini spent 30 years exposing such fakes—in other investigations researchers could not detect any fraud. The late Lord Dowding, who commanded the British Air Forces during the Battle of Britain in World War II, conducted many rigorously supervised laboratory experiments with psychics and found some indeed passed the tests as being genuine.

This is why the Bible constantly warns us not to participate in any type of "channeling" that requires one to open his or her mind to these spirits. Instead, the Scriptures say, "gird up [hold tightly] the loins of your mind" (1 Peter 1:13). Instead of exposing our minds to foreign sources, we should keep the natural barriers of our minds well protected from any outside spirit influence.

The apostle Peter adds: "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith . . ." (1 Peter 5:8-9). That's good advice! GN