The Truth About Ghosts, Spiritism, and the Danger of Magical Religion

In a world filled with ghost stories, fantasy novels, and near-spiritual experiences, our culture is increasingly drawn to the idea that the dead linger among us, offering guidance or comfort. Popular media—from Harry Potter and The Lord of the Rings to The Spiderwick Chronicles and Goosebumps—normalizes communication with spirits, ghostly visitations, and magical knowledge of the unseen world. But while these stories are fiction, a deeper concern arises when such spiritual ideas form the foundation of a real-world religion. This is precisely what we find in the origins of Mormonism.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) was founded by Joseph Smith, a man deeply involved in folk magic, divination, and the use of seer stones. Smith practiced “glass-looking”—placing a stone in a hat and peering into it to find buried treasure. Historical documents show that he was charged in court for fraudulent activities related to this practice (Vogel 2004, Quinn 1998). He used the same seer stone not only to look for treasure but later to “translate” the Book of Mormon—purporting to receive divine revelation through the very same occult medium.

Biblically, this should give us grave concern. God has spoken clearly about such practices. In Deuteronomy 18:10–12 (NLT), God commands: “Do not let your people practice fortune-telling, or use sorcery, or interpret omens, or engage in witchcraft... or call forth the spirits of the dead. Anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord.” The use of stones, occult devices, or attempts to contact the unseen world outside of God’s direct revelation through Scripture is not a mark of Christian practice—it is paganism in disguise.

Many Latter-day Saints are unaware of the occult roots in their religion. Yet if the foundation is magical and the methods forbidden by God, can the fruit ever truly be called Christian? Jesus Himself said, “A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit” (Matthew 7:18, NLT). Smith’s use of folk magic is not a minor detail—it directly contradicts the holiness and sufficiency of God's Word and Spirit.

When the Bible speaks about spirits, it is not affirming popular beliefs about ghosts or communication with the dead. Hebrews 9:27 (NLT) declares, “Each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment.” The dead do not linger. They do not watch over us or return to guide us. The idea of a spirit who remains behind to help or warn loved ones is both fictional and theologically dangerous. This applies to modern ghost stories, but it also applies to claims of spiritual visitations, such as Smith’s alleged visions of Moroni, an ancient dead man said to appear as an angelic guide.

Scripture offers no category for such beings. The Apostle Paul warns that “even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:14). What Joseph Smith experienced was not a visit from a righteous being—but very likely a demonic deception. The Book of Mormon itself, coming through these means, cannot be regarded as divine. Galatians 1:8 gives us a clear biblical litmus test: “Let God’s curse fall on anyone, including us or even an angel from heaven, who preaches a different kind of Good News than the one we preached to you.”

Even when presented in fiction, the ideas of spirits, lingering souls, and magical interaction with the dead blur the lines of spiritual truth. Harry Potter’s ghosts, Goosebumps’ vengeful spirits, and Tolkien’s dead oath-keepers may serve as compelling plot devices—but they train the mind to think in ways that are contrary to Scripture. While fiction is not inherently sinful, when it begins to shape our theology—especially when combined with real-world magical beliefs—it opens the door to serious spiritual error.

This is not merely about differing interpretations. It’s about spiritual authority. Christianity stands on the Word of God, which is “breathed out by God and profitable for teaching” (2 Timothy 3:16, ESV). Biblical Christianity rejects any attempt to seek truth through seer stones, spirit guides, or so-called heavenly messengers that bring "another gospel." Mormonism’s foundation in glass-looking and divination is not a peripheral issue. It disqualifies the movement from being considered part of the Christian faith.

True comfort in grief, true spiritual power, and true revelation do not come through ancestral apparitions or seer stones. They come through Jesus Christ alone, who conquered death and gives eternal life to all who trust in Him. The Bible does not leave us wondering about what happens after death or how to commune with God. It points us away from magic and mysticism and toward the finished work of the cross. “There is one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5, NLT).

To our LDS friends, we plead in love: reconsider the roots of your faith. Look not to seer stones or folk traditions but to the Holy Scriptures. Reject the ghost stories of magical religion and receive the living Christ, who alone saves, speaks, and reigns forever.

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Sources:

The Holy Bible, New Living Translation. Tyndale House Publishers, 2015.

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. Crossway Bibles, 2001.

Rowling, J.K. Harry Potter Series. Bloomsbury Publishing, 1997–2007.

Stine, R.L. Goosebumps Series. Scholastic, 1992–1997.

Tolkien, J.R.R. The Lord of the Rings. George Allen & Unwin, 1954–1955.

Lewis, C.S. The Chronicles of Narnia. HarperCollins, 1950–1956.

DiTerlizzi, Tony, and Holly Black. The Spiderwick Chronicles. Simon & Schuster, 2003–2009.

Vogel, Dan. Joseph Smith: The Making of a Prophet. Signature Books, 2004.

Quinn, D. Michael. Early Mormonism and the Magic World View. Signature Books, 1998.

MacArthur, John. The MacArthur Bible Commentary. Thomas Nelson, 2005.

Sproul, R.C. Everyone’s a Theologian: An Introduction to Systematic Theology. Reformation Trust, 2014.