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Recently, as a special treat, I took my two children to a toy store in Moncton and told them that they could each pick out a toy for themselves.

As they ran excitedly up and down the aisles, looking for that one special item, I moseyed through the store, looking at train sets, Leap Pads, Thomas the Train sets, and many other toys.

After a few minutes, I found myself in the board game section. There, to my shock and dismay, amidst the games of Operation, Battleship, and Snakes and Ladders was a pile of Ouija Boards.

For those of you who may not be familiar with a Ouija Board, it is a "game" where the players seek to contact spirit entities for guidance.

I felt my stomach tighten within me as I imagined innocent children being lured into the occult by this dangerous "game" at a place where children should be safe -- a toy store.

Later on in the day, as I reflected on this experience, I realized that perhaps I should not have been so surprised to see a Ouija Board in a toy store. After all, this incident is but one reflection of a culture that has become obsessed with the occult.

A growing number of people today are consulting fortunetellers, mediums, horoscopes, and Ouija Boards, seeking guidance and information on what the future may hold for them.

So, why are these practices so dangerous? After all, what harm can playing a simple board game, consulting a medium, or reading a horoscope do?

There are at least four reasons why you should avoid these pursuits: First, God forbids Christians to engage in these kinds of practices. Deuteronomy 4:19 warns against seeking direction from the sun, moon, and stars (astrology). In Leviticus 19:31, God commands: "Do not turn to mediums or seek out spiritists, for you will be defiled by them. I am the Lord your God."

And a somber warning is given in 1 Chronicles 10:13 where we are told: "Saul died for his unfaithfulness which he committed against the Lord . . . He consulted a medium for guidance." The fact that the Bible condemns such practices should be reason enough for Christians to avoid them.

The second reason we are to avoid occult practices is because they constitute a rejection of God. In the spirit world, Christians are to seek guidance from God and God alone. Similarly, we are to entrust our future to Him. To seek guidance or information from spiritual entities other than God constitutes a blatant rejection of God.

The third reason we should avoid occultic pursuits is as disarmingly simple as it is frequently rejected. There are indeed such beings as evil spirits who are seeking to entrap and ultimately destroy anything that has been created in God's image.And that means you and that means me.

To put it as simply as I can, these activities are dangerous because they attract the demonic.

The fourth reason we should avoid dabbling in the occult is related to the third reason. Human beings are inherently ill-equipped to handle encounters with occultic realities. The occult is hazardous because we are spiritually and morally fallen creatures and as such are ill-equipped to deal safely with the spirit realm.

Ultimately, our knowledge of the spirit world is miniscule. Neither do we have the ability to protect ourselves from whatever nasty things exist there.The history of the occult reveals that entering the spirit world is equivalent to walking unprotected through a minefield. If you wouldn't do the latter, don't do the former.

So, what should you do if you have dabbled in the occult (or even if you've plunged in headfirst)?

First, you need to commit (or recommit) your life to Jesus Christ. The greatest protection any person can have is the Spirit of God dwelling within him.

Next, you need to renounce all occultic involvement.

How do you do that?

Read Acts 19:11-20. In these verses, we're told that many of the people in the city of Ephesus had "practised magical arts." But when they came to faith in Christ, they brought their occultic books together and burned them publicly.

It takes courage and determination to take such a bold step but it is essential for your spiritual well-being.

Finally, if you've become so mixed up in the occult that you can't extricate yourself, don't try to fight the battle on your own. Get help from mature Christian friends or a biblically-based church. It may be embarrassing to confess your involvement, but it can result in your receiving much-needed support.

Remember, the Bible says: "Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you" (James 4:7-8). Yes, you have the support of God Almighty and He is willing and able to free you from the snare of the occult.

n Richard Jackson is senior pastor at First Moncton United Baptist Church. His Religion Today column appears every fifth week on the Faith Page.