This is a response to "Let's Stop Thinking That Mardi Gras Is All About Naked Women".

Whether we like it or not, we are all influenced by others and our environment. Through word of mouth, social media, magazines, billboards and tv ads, the grip that the world has on us is actually scary. If everyone really told the truth and there was no bias, we would have a clearer sense of what was happening around us. We get caught up in the latest trends and unfortunately, that does not always mean it's a good thing.

There seems to be a fascination these days with Occultism. According to Bibleinfo.com, "Occultism concerns itself with the study and utilization of supernatural influences, powers and phenomena that are normally hidden from the regular physical senses, and are generally considered to be outside the realm of traditional scientific observation."

Occults, people that believe in the mystical energies of the universe, use crystals and other objects to find healing and spiritual enlightenment for guidance in life. These energies can be pendulums, tarot cards, mediums, ritual magic, and sorcery to channel answers from the other side. Over the years it has become trendy to participate in this kind of channeling. For me personally, I do find it fascinating to swing a pendulum back and forth asking it questions about my future or picking up some crystals that help bring me success with love. But, I struggle with the fact that by doing this I am being disloyal to God according to the Bible. The Christian faith will argue that this is a bad thing and detesting to God. Because I am strong in my faith, I want to turn away from all of this, yet have such a curiosity and draw to the "dark magic" of Occultism.

Ever since I was little, I have always been into the paranormal. I found myself watching "A Haunting" on Discovery Channel where real life victims of demonic energy told their stories and how they fought their way out of the chokehold of angry ghosts. I would browse a website called "AngelsandGhosts.com" where people would upload their own pictures and videos of ghosts, angels, orbs, or any figures that seemed to be from another dimension. It completely encapsulated me because it was beyond my understanding as young child yet it completely scared me at the same time.

When Tarot cards became popular on TiktTok, I was immediately intrigued and wanted to believe that these "individualized readings" were actually true. I swear, every time I listened to these mystical readings, they always seemed to match up to with what I was going through in life. Over time though, I noticed how a lot of the readings started to sound the same and very generalized to the point where most people could connect to a reading one way or another. Even though I don't really believe in the readings as much like I used to, I still think its fun to do with friends and play around with the fact that some of it could be telling the truth about my future.

Despite the Bible going against the dark magic that realms when channeling energy from the other side, I still want to have fun and participate in the spooky magic of it all. According to Bibleinfo.com, Deuteronomy 18:9-12 NIV. "When you enter the land the Lord your God is giving you, do not learn to imitate the detestable ways of the nations there. Let no one be found among you who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. Anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord."

For me, it all comes down to being a human being. We all sin, we all make mistakes, we all believe in things that maybe we shouldn't believe in, and we all get curious about things that exist beyond human understanding. I am a believer and that will never change. For I know the power of God will forever be more powerful than the Occult magic. But, my slight obsession for all things spooky will never go away either and I am okay accepting that.