Patrick Cooke's The Bible and the Paranormal: What he failed to tell you
by Stephen Yulish PhD
 The issue that I had the most difficulty with was his discussion of hell. He
tried to convince the reader that it was mostly a result of an overbearing
Church trying to control its people with threats of eternal punishment. He
was correct that the Catholic Church in particular used this technique in the
Inquisition, and it was also used by various other denominations to put fear
and trembling into their flock and therefore have control over them. This did
happen and unfortunately still continues to happen today but it does not
negate the concept of hell in Scripture. Jesus himself spoke more about the
ravages of a fiery hell than He did about heaven.
See Matthew 5:22 where Jesus talks of fiery hell also Matthew 5:29-30, 10:28,
16:18 (Gates of Hades), 18:9, 23:33. Also Mark 9:43, 45, 47
Luke 16:19-31 tells of Lazarus and the Rich Man. Lazarus was in Abraham's
bosom (heaven) and the rich man was in the fires of Hades.
No matter that the church used threats of hell to control and even torture and
kill its flock, it does not negate the reality of Hell. It only indicates
to me that many of these self righteous, pharisaical, persecutors will be
there not the poor believing, suffering, persecuted. God will not be mocked.
Finally, Mr.Cooke mentioned that Jesus said that many of us will be able to do
what He did and even greater things (John 14:12). That is true as witnessed by
Peter and Paul being able to raise the dead, but those were His disciples who
believed in Him and were later filled with His Holy Spirit. To infer that this
applies to everyone no matter what their relationship with Christ is
disingenuous.
Thus in summary, I believe that while the Bible does speak of paranormal
activities it also warns us not to participate in them because they are
detestable to the Lord and can even lead to death. Be warned!
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