An indication of turning to demons for help in order to influence the surrounding world by their force can be found in later times. Thus, for example, "the Karaites16 Salmon ben Yerusham at the beginning of the tenth century A.D. reproached the mystic rabbinists for claiming to magically cure diseases, calm storms, pacify wild animals, and have mysterious names by means of which women can be bewitched."17

For the sake of fairness, it should be noted that all this flourished to an even greater degree among other peoples (for example, among the Chaldeans and Hindus), since no other peoples of the ancient world had such a restraining principle as the Law of Moses, which was given by God no later than the middle of the second millennium (about 1494) before the birth of Christ.

Mention of magic and sorcery can also be found in the Holy Books of the New Testament, such as the Acts of the Holy Apostles and the Apostolic Epistles, for example: "The works of the flesh are known; they are idolatry, sorcery, enmity, quarrels, envy... heresy" (Gal. 5:19-20). In the Greek text, the term "?????????" already mentioned, which means "sorcery, sorcery, sorcery," is used here. In the narration about the results of the preaching of the Apostle Paul in Ephesus, it is said that many of the Jews and Greeks, who had previously practiced sorcery (sorcery), believed in Christ: "And of those who practiced sorcery, quite a few gathered together their books, and burned them before all" (Acts 19:19). In the Greek text just quoted, the term "sorcery" is denoted by the word "?? ????????," which is translated as "magic, sorcery, sorcery."

FIGHT AGAINST SORCERY

IN CHRISTIANITY

The fact that with the help of demons it is possible to cause various atmospheric phenomena, heal physical diseases, at the same time bringing irreparable harm to the soul, as well as cause various diseases in others, has been known at all times. That is why, in the period of the establishment of Christianity, the Holy Fathers were forced to adopt special conciliar decrees on this matter, which can be found in the collection called the Nomocanon, as well as in the Alphabetical Syntagma of Matthew Vlastar starting with the letter "M" or in chapter 175 of the commentaries of John Zonaras.

Thus, for example, the influence on people and nature is spoken of in the 13th canon of the Nomocanon, located at the end of the Great Trebnik18 (I give it in my translation. — Author): "A sorcerer, who is also a sorcerer, if he does a husband and wife by sorcery, let them not copulate (the modern term: "turning away") or make a storm by sorcery, let him not commune for 20 years according to the 65th and 72nd canons of Basil the Great."

The harmful influence (damage) that sorcerers exert on the body and soul of a person with the help of demons (or rather, demons who use sorcerers) is stated in the 14th canon of the Nomocanon: "The sorcerer and the worshipper are one and the same (one is). Enchantment (i.e. inducing damage. – Author) is a spell with the invocation of demons to perform a certain act to harm other people, such as: weakening of the limbs (observed in paralysis. – Author), prolonged illness, as well as to chain a person to bed for life, or so that a person would live a bad life, or so that he would become disgusted with life, and so on. Sorcerers and wizards are called idolaters."19

We read on the back of the same sheet that sorcerers (magi), or, in modern terms, sorcerers and psychics, can heal with the help of demons: "Magi are those who supposedly summon "beneficial" demons for a good purpose, but they are filthy murderers and liars." And further, in the 16th canon, we read: "Those who bring a sorcerer (read: a sorcerer or a psychic, even on TV. — Author.) in their home to the sick for the sake of healing by sorcery, let them not commune for five years according to the 24th canon of the Council of Ancyra."20 This category also includes people who spent many hours in front of the TV in the hope of healing promised by A. Kashpirovsky and similar psychic sorcerers.

"PASSIONS" ON SORCERY

NOWADAYS

Indeed, most of our contemporaries turn to sorcerers for help in illnesses, who most often call themselves non-traditional healers. It is about these cases that the above-mentioned 16th canon of the Nomocanon speaks. But "beneficent demons", healing one thing, invariably cripple another. Some "healers", in order to gain the trust of patients, use Orthodox icons, prayers and even a cross during their sessions, but at the same time they imperceptibly commit some blasphemous actions, as in the case of the Spirit-bearing Greek elder Paisios of the Holy Mountain (1924-1994). This is how he describes it: "During her séances, the sorceress takes a cross in her hands and sings various church hymns. For example, she sings "O Mother of God, Virgin, rejoice..." and, having reached the words 'Blessed is the Fruit of Thy womb,' she spits next to the cross, that is, in this way she blasphemes Christ, and therefore the tangalashka (as the elder called the demon – Author) helps her."21