Rushing Toward Gomorrah? Millennials are Abandoning Religion for Satanism and Astrology

Enter any given high school and you will encounter students wearing all black clothing, makeup and accessories often featuring Satanic or Wiccan imagery. Such is the morbid ensemble of the "Goth culture", a subculture marked by rebellion against authority, rejection of morality and experimentation, whose adherents typically embrace death metal, drugs and all things occult. "Goths" may celebrate their contrarianism by reveling in vice and flaunting convention.

Not all millennial’s share in the Goth culture’s tastes or sentiments, but increasing numbers have abandoned Christianity in favor of Satanism, witchcraft, the occult and astrology. Since the turn of the century doubt about God has grown steadily among millennials. Their rejection of Judeo-Christian morality and concomitant embrace of moral relativism has left many millennials searching for meaning. Dr. Joseph Atkinson of the St. John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage explains:

Within the last 40 years or so society has soundly rejected this Judeo-Christian understanding (of human dignity) and replaced it with an increasingly materialistic one. Just look at the evidence: we destroy human life in the womb and think nothing of it, we kill the aged for convenience. The uniqueness and giftedness of man and woman as man and woman is rejected... 

The repudiation of Christian principles has led to our current culture where each individual arrives at his own personal moral code, accountable only to himself. In such an environment, competing visions of reality vie with others for supremacy. Atkinson observes: "There are competing visions of reality that seek to form society with the all too serious consequences which we do not like. Sadly, in the West at least, these forces often reject the spiritual dimension to life itself."

The Goth's search for meaning in that which is dark and diabolical is a counterfeit vision, diametrically opposed to Christianity's call to love. The Goth phenomena reflects the prevailing cultural zeitgeist among millennials. To wit; Pagan student groups are becoming more prevalent on college campuses across the country. More than one-third of millennials now say they are unaffiliated with any faith, up 10 percentage points since 2007. Many of these unaffiliated, or so called "nones", identify as agnostic or atheist, and dabble in alternate beliefs. Thus, astrology, spiritualism and witchcraft are growing pursuits and lucrative business: "Whether it be spell-casting, tarot, astrology, meditation and trance, or herbalism, these traditions offer tangible ways for people to enact change in their lives," observed Melissa Jayne, the owner of the "Metaphysical Boutique," in Brooklyn, New York.

The Kingdom of Darkness and Forbidden Power

The prophet Isaiah declared, "Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness..." (Isaiah 5:20) As more and more millennials forsake religion in favor of witchcraft, superstitious magic and the like, the effect on society will be stark. The coarsening of our culture will continue apace. Violence and attacks on human dignity will proliferate. The evidence is clearly seen in the dramatic rise of exorcisms and demonic activity. The occult, devil worship, and New Age rituals provide gateways for evil that may lead to demonic attachment and possession. (See here, here, here and here.)

Bishop Donald W. Montrose's pastoral letter, "Spiritual Warfare: The Occult Has Demonic Influence," speaks directly to the dangers posed by such activity. He writes, "If you want to live in the Kingdom of God, renounce horoscopes and all other means of fortune telling. Any playing cards, Ouija boards, or other things used for fortune telling should be destroyed." Bishop Montrose explains that:

"Witchcraft or superstitious magic is used to produce effects that are beyond the power of man. These effects may be good or bad and are brought about by the use of magical words or gestures, or the use of magical herbs, powders, liquids or similar things. There is often a specific invocation of the devil. Physical evils are directed against individuals because of hatred or jealousy. We have all heard about sticking pins in dolls, the evil eye, the eating of cursed food or drinking a liquid, that through the power of darkness is to cause harm, sickness, or death. This is witchcraft. Today, witches can be found almost everywhere, and often they are presented in a positive light. ...everyone involved in false worship, seeking forbidden knowledge, or using forbidden power should be absolutely avoided."

Even if the battle against Satan concerns all men and all times, there is no doubt that Satan's power is felt more intensely during certain periods of history when the sinfulness of a society is more evident. Fortunately, there is reason for hope. The late Father Gabriele Amorth confronted evil almost daily as the Vatican's chief exorcist. He stated that, "The believer who lives in the presence of the Trinity and is certain of its life within himself knows that he also has a mother, God's own Mother, who ceaselessly helps him. He knows that he can always count on the help of the angels and of the saints. It is also clear that the believer must be faithful to God and must fear sin. This is the basis of our strength... If sometimes our weakness leads us to fall, we must immediately pick ourselves up with that great gift of God's mercy: repentance and confession."