Could Religious Disaffiliation Drive People Toward Occult Practices?

Most of the religiously unaffiliated do believe in a higher power but have questions about their faith and don’t trust those in the churches, which could lead them into occult practices.

PUBLISHED ON

January 15, 2025

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By this point, most people have heard of the term “nones,” which refers to religiously unaffiliated individuals who claim to be agnostic, atheist, or “nothing in particular.” Have you ever considered that religious disaffiliation might be the very first step a person might take on the path to getting trapped in occult practices? 

A 2023 Pew Research Center study surveyed approximately 11 thousand U.S. citizens and found that 17 percent of “nones” identified as atheists, 20 percent as agnostics, and 63 percent as holding no particular religious beliefs. According to the 2024 National Public Opinion Reference Survey (NPORS), “nones” comprise 28 percent of adults in the United States, a number which has increased from 16 percent in 2007. On the other hand, the number of practicing Christians continues to steadily decrease, dwindling from 90 percent in 1972 to 64 percent in 2020. These two data sets together could very well hold a major insight into those who lean into occult beliefs and practices. 

To understand the journey that a person makes into the occult, let’s consider: What does that first step look like? According to the study data set from Pew Research in 2024, a religiously unaffiliated person might hold any of the following ideations within their worldview that makes them susceptible to curiosity toward occult practices:

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  • I question a lot of religious teachings. (60%)
  • I don’t like religious organizations. (47%) 
  • I had a bad experience with religious people. (30%)
  • I don’t see a need for religion in my life. (41%)
  • I believe in God or a higher power. (70%)
  • I believe in a higher power, but it’s not the God of the Bible. (56%)

We’ve laid the groundwork for why a person might step away from organized religion. This data suggests that most of the religiously unaffiliated do believe in a higher power but have questions about their faith, don’t trust those in the churches, and believe in something that they want to define for themselves—away from a church institution or the Bible. So, where might this lead? Let’s go deeper.

Spiritual but not Religious: Beliefs and Practices

Although “nones” claim atheism, agnosticism, or just plain nothing, it appears that 49 percent of them assert that spirituality is important to them and consider themselves spiritual. The question becomes this: Without an authority to help guide a person toward a true expression and practice of faith in God, what do they believe and practice? Without an authority to help guide a person toward a true expression and practice of faith in God, what do they believe and practice?Tweet This

A religiously unaffiliated individual might hold these beliefs:

  • I believe what is essential to being spiritual is being connected with something bigger than myself. (64%)
  • I believe there is something spiritual beyond the natural world, even if I can’t see it. (63%)
  • I believe in the soul or spirit in addition to my human body. (67%)
  • I believe that animals have spirits or spiritual energies. (60%)
  • I believe that nature, such as mountains and rivers, have spiritual energy. (54%)
  • I believe that certain objects like jewels and stones have spiritual energy. (29%)
  • I believe that graveyards, cemeteries, and memorial sites have spiritual energy. (47%)

A religiously unaffiliated individual might observe these practices:

  • I center myself and spend time in nature to connect with my true self. (42%)
  • I have a shrine at home with jewelry and crystals that I use for spiritual purposes. (29%)
  • I practice yoga or meditate to connect with something bigger than myself. (54%)

None or New Age: Questions to Consider

Given this data, what is the level of risk “nones” have for occult engagement? As you reflect upon this question, here are some key considerations:

  • 16% of “nones” pray weekly. How are they praying, and to whom?
  • 64% believe that to be spiritual they must connect to something larger than themselves. How do they pursue this task?
  • 63% believe there is something spiritual beyond the physical. What sources of information do they seek to inform them of the nature of the spiritual realm?
  • Many believe that animals, nature, inanimate objects, and places hold spiritual energy. Into which kinds of spiritual practices do these beliefs lead?
  • 42% recognize the belief in a “true self.” What is their belief regarding the nature of one’s true self and how does this belief impact their actions?
  • 29% have shrines at home for spiritual purposes. What practices are they conducting through the shrine to attempt which spiritual goals?

The reality is that most of the beliefs described above can easily tip a person into the New Age and draw a person into occult practices. Let’s get to the bottom of this now.

Defining the New Age and the Occult

The New Age is a belief system that fuels a narcissistic approach to practical living, in which the practitioner integrates a personal selection of occult modalities that seek to serve the self. The New Age promotes the lie that physical and mental practices yielding positive feelings and thoughts equate to spiritual growth or salvation. The ultimate goal of the New Age practitioner is to actualize the self and maximize human potential.

The occult is a way of life centered upon the goal of revealing hidden knowledge and harnessing hidden power through mental and physical ritualistic practices fueled by satanic signs and wonders. Typically, a person engaging in New Age beliefs leans into the occult, which is to say, witchcraft.

Witchcraft is the attempt to control, manipulate, or generate a desired result by means of invocation (to call in) and/or evocation (to call forth) of demonic spirits (whether knowingly or unknowingly) plus ritualistic practice.

Analyzing the Pursuit of New Age and Occult Worldviews Among “Nones”

To effectively analyze the pursuit of the occult within a religiously unaffiliated individual, I would assess the practices they are doing and what they believe about the goal of those practices. If they are pursuing mental and physical practices and conflate that with spiritual growth or development, that’s a red flag that a person is functioning inside a New Age worldview, whether they realize it or not. 

Next, I would assess if they are engaging in witchcraft, specifically if they are invoking or evoking information, knowledge, power, comfort, healing, or attempting to make contact with any non-corporeal entities. Unfortunately, these practices can severely damage a person spiritually and can lead to demonic oppression or even possession. Most people are not aware that they are channeling demons. They simply believe they are being “spiritual” and doing practices that open themselves up to their “true selves,” a “higher power,” or anything else they’ve been led to believe is advantageous for their spiritual practices.

Finally, I would seek to understand their beliefs around God’s biblical promises, His protection of those who love Him, and God’s inheritance that we receive through baptism. If there are theological gaps here, a person might be functioning inside a New Age or occult worldview—again, whether they realize it or not. The truth is, the New Age and the occult twist the concepts of promises, protection, and inheritance to lead a person away from the person of Christ for salvation and into the destructive and delusional worldview of the self as savior, guard, and guide.

What Do We as Christians Do with this Information?

At a base level, we are called as Christians to love the Lord with all our heart, soul, and mind, and to love our neighbor as ourselves. When it comes to “nones,” we can do this practically in three major ways. 

  • Be Receptive and Compassionate. If you have a “none” in your life, make sure to be receptive to their thoughts and experiences. These people usually have church trauma and this has created a barrier between them and Christianity. If you can extend grace and compassion, this can build rapport and establish you as a safe and caring person in their lives to help them process what has happened to them. We are built to seek the Lord, and they are on a journey of discovery. Being available to them, even if you disagree with their spiritual beliefs, can create an environment where if they begin to question their false beliefs and practices, they might reach out to you first.
  • Have Boundaries. In the same breath, you need to make sure that you are not compromising your beliefs. You can be receptive and compassionate without agreeing with what they believe or practice. Make sure to not appear complicit but instead approach situations and conversations as a caring observer. If there are occult practices occurring, set a firm boundary and leave the situation. You can be compassionate toward loved ones without condoning or abiding occultism.
  • Set the Proper Christian Example. In addition to being clear about what you are not okay with engaging in, demonstrate a positive pursuit of God. This doesn’t mean throw your beliefs and practices in people’s faces. This means walk your faith out and follow Jesus. 

Love the Lord with all your heart, soul, and mind.

Editor’s Note: The author’s book Freedom From Darkness: A Roadmap to Deliverance from Spiritual Bondage and the Occult highlights personal testimonies, practical steps for deliverance, and the powerful role of the Church in combating evil. It can be ordered from Sophia Institute Press.

Author

  • Teresa Yanaros, a degreed journalist, is dedicated to addressing the growing trend of disaffiliation with religion, where many turn to “spiritual but not religious” ideologies, leading to New Age and occult practices. Earlier in her career, Yanaros was a successful author and speaker, exploring modern American spiritualism and attempting to reconcile it with Christianity before experiencing a radical deliverance from occult deception. Now, she coaches ex-New Agers returning to Christ and provides Catholics with the tools to resist cultural traps. Through her growing ministry of online resources, classes, YouTube videos, and her blog SpiritSanctified.com, Yanaros helps Christians stand firm against deception. In her book Freedom From Darkness, she offers a practical roadmap that explains how people become ensnared in the occult and provides a path to freedom through repentance, conversion, and the sacraments.

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