Case XXIX: Crystal-Gazing

Case.—Recently I discovered that two of my friends have for some time past been in the habit of attending séances at which crystal gazing was a regular feature. I was greatly shocked at the discovery because both are otherwise good Catholics, and are frequent recipients of the Sacraments. Upon broaching the matter I was more shocked when informed that they had been told that they could without sin keep up their visitation of the house of the séances. I insisted that their action could not from the standpoint of morals be defended. I bluntly stated that they were guilty of sin.

Question.—Am I right in my contention?

Solution.—Crystal gazing is to be reckoned as one of the forms of divination. It is a superstitious practice and as such is an infraction of the First Commandment. The malice of the sin is in this that the devil is called upon to give his aid in the acquisition of knowledge that is secret or hidden. That the devil does help betimes is beyond cavil. Perhaps no mention is made of the devil’s name, but the very use of such inadequate means to come to a knowledge of what is occult, means which have no natural connection with the end in view, and which have not been sanctioned by God, is tantamount to a call upon the prince of evil. Such action is necessarily sinful and grievously so. God is insulted by such friendly intercourse with one who is His enemy, and who has no power except that which is permitted him by God. Our Creator is the keeper of the secrets of the past, present and future, whether of the human heart or of nature. The crystal gazer ignores the God of all knowledge and seeks aid from him whose great desire and constant effort is to displace God in the hearts of men. He will help man to reach the forbidden, if man will help him to unthrone God. Hence there is entailed a form of devil-worship in this evil practice which makes it abominable in the sight of the all-wise and all-holy God. Scripture says “the Lord abhorreth all these things”; so that we must conclude that a penitent cannot be absolved who refuses to give up what is so sinful, and which experience proves is so full of danger to a Christian’s faith. It is difficult to explain how any one with a knowledge of his religion could tell these divinizers that they could continue their evil-doings without falling into sin. Of course if they are not serious believers in the fruitfulness of this uncanny means of attaining knowledge, or attend merely out of idle curiosity or as a pastime or a joke, they are to be excused from mortal sin, but not from venial sin. However, even in this event we must take into account the danger of scandal, which is great if their habit is known, and, what is of more importance, the risk they run of suffering shipwreck in their faith, for, as the wise Augustine once said, the devil is pleased to tempt men to seek the occult so that “they may become more curious and get themselves more tangled in the manifold snares of pernicious error.” You are certainly right in your contention.