Encounter with ESP
“FOR many years I had read the Watch Tower Society’s warnings about getting involved with ESP,” writes a young woman from New York state. “But I somehow never thought those warnings applied to me. Something happened, though, that changed this.
“I had always been interested in primitive peoples and their customs. Because of this, I spent considerable time reading about their superstitions, incantations, spells and so forth. I even dabbled in a little self-hypnotism. Eventually I found myself being able to predict what would come in the morning mail. I could tell what each piece would be, whom it was from and to whom it was addressed. I began to have ‘feelings’ about events that had not yet occurred.
“Of course, I felt uneasy about this, because I remembered reading experiences and warnings regarding such things in the Watchtower and Awake! magazines. Finally, I realized I could not serve the demons and Jehovah at the same time. (1 Cor. 10:21; Acts 16:16-18) I prayed to Jehovah, increased my personal Bible study and stopped reading books having to do with witchcraft or the supernatural. It was a struggle, as I felt oppressed, as if something was trying desperately to control my mind. Many times I was thrown into depressions. I was unable to do schoolwork without a struggle.
“Yet, I knew that I could not afford to lose this battle. Once lost, I knew it could mean my life. After spiritually strengthening myself, I began to feel a lightening of these attacks of depression, but I continued to strengthen myself even more by prayer and Bible study. The words at 1 Thessalonians 5:17 became a part of me—‘Pray incessantly.’ Gradually I began to feel stronger; no longer was it such a struggle to keep my mind on right things. The battle had been won!
“Now that this is over, I have not gone back to the reading of such books that started the whole problem. I often help my classmates to be on guard against ESP, hypnotism, Ouija boards and other forms of spiritism. Having gone through a most unpleasant experience, I can see more than ever the importance of heeding the warnings given in Watch Tower Society’s publications.”