Johannes Greber: Communication With the Spirit World
Ken Raines
Johannes Greber was a Catholic priest turned spiritist who translated the New Testament with the help of God's "spirits." His experiences with spirits and their communications with him are related in his book, Communication With the Spirit World, published in 1932. This article examines his experiences as described in his book. The purpose is to compare this spiritist with J. F. Rutherford who, the author believes, was himself a spirit medium. Greber was chosen as he is a well known spiritist to those familiar with the Watchtower Society (Jehovah's Witnesses). (The Society's writers quoted favorably from his New Testament translation for nearly twenty years.) Greber's life is typical of spiritists, both in methods of communicating with spirits and in doctrines.
Communication With the Spirit World
 Johannes Greber (1874-1944) |
In the Introduction to his book Communication With the Spirit World Greber explains the experiences that turned him from Catholicism to spiritism. He begins by asking what happens after death and where we could find the answer:
Who will solve for us the great problem of the Beyond? To whom shall we carry our doubts, in order that we may learn the real truth? Shall we seek it of the various creeds and their ministers? (p. 1)
Since all the churches have different answers to this he states that "it is therefore, idle to look to them for a conclusive answer". He states that there is only one source for reliable information -- the spirits who are there. (p. 2)
He acknowledged that spiritism has a bad name and lamented that it is the churches that are at the forefront of those opposing it. He said he can't understand this as he believes that Judaism and Christianity both were founded by spiritism, that is, by communication with spirits. (p. 3)
He said that the most common objection of the churches to communicating with spirits is that God forbids communication with the dead. But this, he said, refers to trying to communicate with the spiritually dead, what he calls "apostate spirits." This is idolatry and communicating with evil spirits. (p. 4) He claimed that intercourse with evil spirits was forbidden but communication with good spirits was a duty of the Christian as this was the only way to learn the truth:
If, therefore, we, as faithful servants of God, or at any rate, as honest seekers after the truth, try to get into touch with the world of good spirits we are committing no sin, but rather, obeying one of God's commandments; an important commandment, for only through contact with the world of good spirits can we arrive at the truth. There is no other way. (p. 6)
He said the disciples were told by Jesus that He would send "holy spirits" to teach them the truth. He also said that 1 Corinthians 14:12 states we are to seek "the greatest possible number of different spirits of God." (p. 5) This of course is a mistranslation, but Greber goes on to claim that the texts of the New Testament were copied by different individuals and forgery was resorted to by them. "All the ancient documents" were altered including the church Fathers as well as the Bible. (pp. 5-6) About this situation he said:
From these fetters of error mankind can be freed only, if God will send his spirits as heralds of the truth,... (p. 7)
Greber then gives an overview of his experiences with spirits. He says he was a Catholic priest for twenty-five years and believed his religion to be the true one and that:
Of the possibility of communicating with the land of spirits I knew nothing.... Then came a day on which I took, involuntarily, my first step in the direction of coming into contact with the spirit-world,.... Once this step had been taken, I could not, durst not, stop. I was compelled to go on in my search for enlightenment. Cautiously I advanced, keeping in mind the words of St. Paul: "Prove all things; hold fast to that which is good." (1st Thessalonians 5:21)
It was only "that which is good" that I wanted. I was seeking the truth, ready to accept it, whatever the cost. (pp. 7, 8)
The purpose of the book was to describe this spiritistic path to the "truth." He said "The book has been written in a spirit of love for my fellow-men, regardless of their creed or outlook on life". (p. 8) He advised the reader not to simply believe his story but to test it by using the same method. Those who do not travel down the same road forfeit any right to pass judgment on the book he said. Those who do take the same path, he claimed, will have the same experiences he had.
I do not doubt that if an individual follows the same path as Greber by communicating with spirits he will have similar experiences and most likely receive the similar doctrines. But this does not, in my opinion, mean that doing so is the only way to test whether or not this is the right road to go down in the first place, nor does it forfeit anybody's right to pass judgment on it.
Part One: Personal Experiences in the Field of Spirit Manifestations
In the first section of Part One of his book ("My First Step Toward Communication with the Spirit World," pp. 15-24) Greber details how he first became enamored with spiritism. He says he was a Catholic priest in a rural German community in 1923 when he was confronted with spiritism.
Greber's Ignorance
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A man stopped by his office one day and asked for his opinion of spiritism. Before he could say anything the man related his experiences at a Bible study. A young boy would slump forward in his seat unconscious and then be pushed back upward in his seat as if from an unseen force. The boy would then answer questions of a spiritual nature. Afterwards he would slump forward again and regain consciousness. (p. 15)
The man asked for his opinion but insisted that before he answered he should come to the meeting and see these things first. (pp. 15-16)
Greber's reaction?
What was I to say? I neither knew nor understood anything about "spiritism", as I heard it called. True, I had occasionally read accounts in the daily papers describing the exposition of mediums and of similar spiritistic swindles,...
I therefore told my visitor frankly that I had no personal experience with spiritism and that I was in no position to pass an opinion on the things he had witnessed. I said, furthermore, that I had grave doubts as to the propriety of my accepting his invitation... for my presence at his gatherings would undoubtedly become generally known speedily. (p. 16)
The man did not accept this excuse saying:
Whom should we laymen look for information except to our spiritual guides, whom we trust to tell the truth. (p. 16)
Greber wrote that:
I could not deny the force of his arguments: he was right.... Consequently, after a little hesitation, I agreed to go to the meeting... (p. 17)
A Spirit Makes Short Work of Greber
After he decided to go, Greber wrote some questions to ask on a piece of paper, religious questions for which he himself had no answer. The meeting started with prayer and as soon as the prayer was over the boy slumped forward and then was raised back upright as by an unseen force. The spirit speaking through the boy asked Greber what he was doing at this meeting. Greber said he was there to learn the truth [!] and to see if the things reported were true. The spirit continued to put Greber on the defensive by asking him questions. He asked Greber if he believed in God. Greber gave what he himself felt was an "inadequate" answer. At this point the spirit, unimpressed by Greber's naiveté said, "I expected something better of you". The spirit apparently expected a more worthy opponent in the priest (some are known for exorcisms of spirits possessing people after all!). The spirit then let Greber ask the questions the spirit said he knew Greber had written down the day before.
The Apostasy and Restoration
The first question Greber asked the spirit was, "why is it that Christianity seems no longer to exert any influence upon the people of today?" The spirit told Greber that the teachings of Jesus can no longer be found in the New Testament documents as these have been tampered with and:
"What you now have are mutilated copies.... Those who were guilty of these mutilations have been punished by God." (p. 19)
When someone present at the meeting asked specifically who did this supposed mutilating of the New Testament the spirit didn't produce any historical evidence but simply said "that does not concern you" and that it was sufficient for them to know that God has punished the "culprits". The "culprits" started to change the texts of the New Testament as early as the first century according to the spirit (again, no evidence was offered to support this remarkable claim by the spirit, nor did Greber require any). Thus, the true teachings of Christ have been obscured for the past two thousand years. The spirit said the time would come when the teachings of Christ would be "restored" to mankind "in their full purity and truth." (p. 20) This spirit of course had arrived on the scene to help set the record straight after 2,000 years. Apparently, the gates of hell prevailed against the Church for 2,000 years more or less and Greber was privileged to receive the real truth from these spirits from heaven.
Greber asked the spirit for an example where the New Testament was changed to promote false doctrines and was told John 20:28. The spirit said it should record Thomas saying to Jesus, "My Lord and my Master" instead of "My Lord and my God" as it exists in all known Greek texts. (p. 21) Thus the first supposed false doctrine corrected by this spirit, like the one who contacted John S. Thompson, was concerning the Deity of Christ. This is not surprising to me. I'm surprised he didn't start with his "a god" mistranslation of John 1:1.
After this sort of thing the spirit told Greber to meet him at the same place the following night so he could talk to him alone through the boy. After the meeting ended Greber was left with the question of whether the spirit's teachings or the Catholic church's were correct. (p. 24)
The Decision
The next day Greber returned to the same place with the boy. The boy slumped forward, etc. and the spirit again talked to him. Greber asked the spirit who he was and how he spoke through the boy. (p. 25.) The spirit responded by saying:
"You have a right to ask me who I am, for it is your first duty to test the spirits that speak to you and to assure yourself that they were sent by God, since otherwise you might become the victim of evil spirits which would ruin you, body and soul, and which would not reveal the truth, but by lies would guide you to the path which leads over the edge of the precipice. I swear to you before God that I am one of His good spirits, indeed one of His highest spirits, but my name you must not reveal."
Well, I guess that settles it! The spirit said he was a good spirit so it must be so -- he couldn't be an evil spirit lying about all this, would he? It is amazing to me that Greber was this ignorant and gullible. He not only listened to this spirit, but never seriously questioned or challenged the spirit on anything he said such as the corruption of the New Testament documents in such places as John 20:28. He never asked for nor recieved any evidence to support these fantastic claims.
The spirit then offered to teach Greber the real truth of course. He was told not to accept blindly what he was told but to check it out. (pp. 28-29.) Greber was asked by the spirit to gather together with a few unlearned individuals (the spirit seemed to have much success with such) from his parish weekly to expound on the Scriptures, pray, and to pay attention closely to what happens. Doing this, he said, would "corroborate" what he was teaching him through the boy.
The Corroboration of the Truth
Greber got together weekly with a family who approached him and wanted someone to teach them the Scriptures. Spiritist manifestations resulted starting with their fourth meeting. (pp. 31, 32) What happened first was this: Greber began to expound upon a Scripture by teaching the usual interpretation given among "Christian authorities" when one of the boys present "became inexplicably excited" and said to Greber that his interpretation was incorrect and that he was "compelled" to give him the true one. Greber wrote:
With that, he uttered the sentences which had been inspired in him for the elucidation of this passage of the Bible. (p. 33)
The boy then said, "I must write". When asked what he wanted to write the boy said that he didn't know exactly what, but that he was being "compelled" to write by an "irresistible power". The boy wrote "rapidly" once given pencil and paper. At the end of the paper it was signed by the spirit that dictated it to him -- "Celsior". While the group was discussing this, the boy's brother said he could no longer attend the meetings as he could not keep his head still. It was being turned from side to side "against his will".
Greber was informed later by the spirit at his other weekly meeting with the first boy in the city what these experiences at his parish meant. The spirit told him:
"That which you saw in your parish confirms what you are learning from me here. You will witness more. Have no fear for the boy who cannot keep his head still; we are working on him and you will see how the different 'mediums' are prepared for their duties....
You have there at present two kinds of mediums undergoing a course of preparation at the hands of the spirit-world. One is a so-called 'inspirational medium' into whom certain thoughts, determined by the spirit, are instilled with such force, that the medium's own thoughts are completely expelled from him, leaving him wholly within the spirit's power. The medium not only receives all the thoughts from the spirit, but is compelled to write them down or utter them, retaining the full use of his faculties meanwhile....
The other medium who has not yet entered into activity is in the first stage of preparation. I mean the boy who could not keep his head still at your last meeting and who was frightened as a consequence. He will become a 'speaking medium'; his own spirit will be expelled from his body and the latter will be occupied by another spirit which will speak through it. This state is called a "trance".... The development of a 'full trance' or a 'deep trance' medium is not a pleasant sight, but it is necessary.... In order that the medium's mother may not be frightened unnecessarily by what takes place, it will be best for her to keep away from the meetings for the time being." (pp. 36-37)
Greber stated that the boy who was becoming a writing and inspirational medium progressed rapidly and gave "important truths" that were contrary to the boy's and Greber's beliefs as Catholics. This boy would write down the thoughts inspired into his mind. The developing "speaking medium" boy's "physical condition" while undergoing his development was "alarm-inspiring" to Greber. He said if he wasn't warned about its unpleasantness beforehand, he might not have had the courage to see it through. (p. 38) The spirit that eventually spoke through this second boy in Greber's parish swore as well that he was a good spirit, despite the "alarm-inspiring" way he took possession of the boy. (p. 39)
Greber was told by the spirit speaking through the boy in the city that different spirits would speak through the developing 'speaking medium' from his parish, including evil ones. This would educate Greber on the different spirits and how the evil ones can become perfect (and thus be saved)! (pp. 39-40)
A great variety of spirits did speak through the speaking medium at his parish from "high spirits" that praised God to former murderers. Some were "undergoing great suffering" and these Greber said "implored our help in heart-rendering words, beseeching us to pray with them". There were some that even lied to him. (p. 41) Greber stated that he tested the original spirit speaking through the boy in the city by checking out his words and predictions. All of them turned out to be true. He gave several examples such as the spirit's claim that Greber's church was built (appropriately?) on an old cemetery. He learned the same night he was told this that it was true.
Greber Goes to New York
At the end of part one of the book Greber relates his moving to New York City and meeting with other spiritists and mediums. (pp. 54-55) He stayed with a German couple who both became mediums during his stay. One of them became an 'inspirational medium'. Greber recounted one spiritistic meeting where:
... she herself was compelled by an invisible power to take the pencil and write.... she knew what she was writing.... the thoughts to be written down were forcibly instilled into her. She was, therefore, an "inspirational medium", like the boy,... (p. 55)
Part Two: The Laws Governing Communication by Spirits With the Material Creation
An Ode to 'od'
The first section of part two of the book (pp. 71-96) deals with the so-called "odic" or "vital force" that is used by spirits when working with mediums. Numerous pages are devoted by the spirit communicating to Greber explaining the "od" that exists as part of everything from stones to humans and how it is used by the spirits. It is tedious and boring to me and is typical spiritistic twaddle. Condensation of "od", according to Greber's spirit, was responsible for "spiritistic manifestations," which apparently referred to the "ectoplasm" manifestations.1 The spirit said that the odic manifestations were "obstructed by heat and light". This is why spiritistic seances that included these manifestations where held in the dark. The spirit said:
"It is therefore childish and a sign of your profound ignorance in such matters, to ridicule the fact that many spiritistic phenomena can be produced successfully only in the dark. Some of your scientists even assert that darkness is insisted upon only because it facilitates the concealment of 'spiritistic humbug'." (p. 91)
The spirit's description of the od and its relation to humans and especially mediums sounds similar to the Golden Age's occult beliefs.2 In one instance the spirit said the od vibrates or radiates in a way that sounds like the theory behind the ERA devices promoted by the Society. The spirit told Greber:
"Od flows through all parts of terrestrial bodies and radiates beyond them to a certain distance. This radiation which surrounds terrestrial bodies has been called 'aura' by your scientists. Everything in creation has such an odic aura.... The odic aura surrounds the material body like a halo.... This force manifests itself by vibrations of the od.... All thought and volition are expressed in the corresponding odic vibrations, set in motion by the spirit, as the bearer of the od.... A sage of ancient times observed: 'Everything is in a state of flux'. He should have said: 'Everything is in a state of vibration'.... You will see at once that the harmony in odic vibrations stands for beauty, health, happiness, peace and good fortune, whereas discord in such vibrations must be the cause of ugliness, sickness, suffering and unhappiness." (pp. 79-80)
That these spiritistic "vibrations" and "aura" had a similarity with the "vibrations" and spiritism of the ERA devices and theory was mentioned by Roy Goodrich. He said he wrote to several doctors whose articles appeared in The Golden Age on the ERA and related about the occult/spiritistic nature of the ERA. He said one doctor, in trying to substantiate the claims for ERA, suggested he read a book on the human aura from which he was sure Dr. Abrams got his whole ERA idea!3
Mediums
The next section (pp. 107-120) has a more detailed discussion of the various kinds of mediums. The first medium mentioned by the spirit is of the "table rapping" variety. These, at seances, "tip" or "rap on" tables and the like. The spirit said seekers after God should shun such communication with these spirits as they are done by the lowest kind of spirits.
The second group of mediums are the "writing" and "inspirational mediums":
"Whenever messages from the spirit-world through writing are set down by a person, you speak of him as a 'writing medium'. The manner in which the writing is accomplished differs widely in the case of the various writing mediums. In one instance the thoughts may be inspired into the medium and written down by him; he is therefore sometimes known as an 'inspirational medium'. Another's hand may be guided at the same time that the words he writes are inspired into his mind. All the while he is fully conscious of his actions.... Others again know only that they are writing, but are quite ignorant of what they set down. Still others write in a state of utter unconsciousness; they know neither that they are writing nor what they are writing." (p.109)
"Direct writing," the spirit said, was when a spirit materializes a hand that writes the message down. There are also mediums who draw or paint material in a similar manner. This would include John Ballou Newbrough who not only wrote Oahspe by automatic writing, but did some automatic paintings for the book.4
The third group of mediums are what the spirit called "planchette mediums" which are writing mediums that use a board with an alphabet on it, i.e., a Ouija Board. (p. 110)
The fourth kind of mediums were called the most important kind. These are the "speaking mediums". These are the same as the trance channelers in current New Age circles. (p. 111) The spirit said that you need to know whether the spirits that speak through these mediums are good or evil. This is done "by making them swear in the name of God, to their identity". (p. 112.) In other words, like the ones Greber listened to, they must claim to be good spirits. The spirit said, "A good spirit will take this oath, an evil one will not". (p. 112)
The fifth kind of medium was called an "apport medium" by the spirit. These are deep trance mediums that are used to materialize and de-materialize objects. (pp. 112-113)
The sixth kind are "materialization mediums". These mediums are used to materialize the spirit itself to humans by use of all the odic force of the medium. (pp. 113-4)
A seventh medium is a "physical medium" which allow spirits to move objects about. These are evil spirits and Greber's spirit said that good spirits do not "stoop to these tricks".(p. 115) These are like the table tipping variety of spirits. Another group that are considered mediums are those who have clairvoyance and clairaudience. These the spirit said, are not true mediums although they have mediumistic powers. It is the person's own spirit that has a "gift" for these things. The spirit then gives supposed examples of this in the Bible. (pp. 116-120)
The Development of Mediums
The next section of the book deals with how these various mediums are developed. (pp. 121-138) At times mediums are contacted by obviously evil spirits. This is explained by Greber's spirit as an attempt by them to divert the training of a medium from becoming a medium for good spirits! (p. 132) The evil spirits are allowed to enter mediums by a "controlling spirit" to allow those present at a seance to "learn how to comport themselves in their presence". (A "controlling spirit" is a "good spirit" that controls séances.) (p. 133)
The laws governing séances and the development of mediums can also be done by individuals themselves. (p. 136) The spirit said that contact with the spirit-world can never harm anyone as long as a person puts himself under God's protection and seeks only that which is good. (p. 137)
"On the other hand, spiritism is certainly injurious if, in its pursuit, God is disregarded; if everything is done under evil influences; ... if prayer is neglected. In this way, step by step, you fall in evil ways,... you are led by the evil spirits to stray from the path of truth.... Many mediums who engage in the lower forms of spiritism suffer mental and physical breakdown." (pp. 137-138)
Because of this, the spirit told Greber:
"Therefore, warn your fellow-men against participating in spirit-communication which serves no higher ends. Instruct them in spirit-communication of a good, divinely sanctioned nature, for this should be practiced by everyone. It is man's only path to the truth, and is the shortest road that leads to God." (p. 138)
Biblical Accounts of Mediums and of Schools for Mediums
The next section (pp. 139-155) deals with what most spiritists say concerning the Apostles and prophets of the Bible -- they were spirit mediums. The "school of the prophets" mentioned in the Old Testament was actually a "school of the mediums"! (p. 141) These were actual places or schools where prophets learned to become spirit mediums.
Inquiring of God as Recorded in the Holy Writ
In this section (pp. 162-174) the spirit advocates what Greber said in his introduction to the book, that the Biblical injunction against "talking with the dead" (necromancy) means communicating with the spiritually dead, that is, with spirits who have forsaken God and are separated from Him. (p. 162) This is communicating with evil spirits according to this spirit (who swore to Greber that he was a good spirit). The spirit said:
"Whoever, therefore, aspired to belong to God's people, might not have relations with the spirit-world which had forsaken Him. Nor might they 'inquire of the dead', for to do so was to commit high treason to God and to desert the truth. For truth was not to be found among the 'dead', 'The dead know nothing'. What they speak is falsehood and imposture, calculated only to lead the faithful astray." (p. 167)
Part Four: Messages From the Spirit-World Concerning the Great Problems of Religion
Part four (pp. 257-429) of the book is the longest section and deals with doctrines, or the teachings of the spirit as contrasted with traditional Christian teachings, with a special emphasis on contrasting them to Catholic teachings.
These teachings are very similar to Jehovah's Witnesses' views. Quotations from this section of the book can be found in the 'Doctrines of Demons' article in this issue so I have not included these here.
God
The first section (pp. 259-265) concerns the doctrine of God. God, the spirit says, is a Spirit. However, God has a shape as do all spirit beings. (p. 260) Therefore, God is not Omnipresent as traditionally believed. (p. 261)
Greber's spirit seems to teach, like many in the occult, that God exists as a space bound entity. He apparently has to travel through space to "visit" other parts of the universe. This sounds like the "ancient astronaut" concept of God of Dione and Von Daniken, the teachings of the "fallen angel" behind Angels and Women, and of course, Rutherford and the Watchtower Society (Jehovah's Witnesses).
God keeps in touch with the rest of the universe by His "power" or "force" that emanates from Him. (p. 262) He is not Omniscient in the traditional sense either. He does not know the future. He apparently is not only space-bound in a body, but is time-bound as well. This would mean God did not create the space/time of this universe but is subject to it Himself. (p. 262)
The spirit's proof of this?
"You know that I am telling you the truth in this, as I have done in all else. You have had plenty of proof of the fact that I am a truthful spirit. For this you have my oath, taken in the name of the Almighty, the true God." (p. 263)
I guess this is supposed to settle it again. Of what value though are his statements and oaths if he is a lying spirit? The spirit justifies this doctrine on rationalistic grounds. He confuses Omniscience with predestination, that is, if God can see the future, the future actions of humans are predestined and not made with a free will.
God's Creation
The next section (pp. 266-280) deals with God's creation. Greber is told that spirits come in male and female. (p. 267) Since there are males and females in the spirit-world, there is sex in the spirit-world! (p. 282)
Jesus is said to be the first created "son of God". (p. 267) The second "son of God" is "Lucifer" the "Light-bearer". (p. 267) Christ and Lucifer are therefore "brothers". (p. 271) God created Christ and then all (other) things were created by and through Christ. (pp. 267-268) Adam was once a "high prince in heaven" before coming to earth.
The spirit also said that demons or fallen angels can and will be saved. This would occur after a process of spiritual evolution by reincarnation. Even Lucifer will be saved and be like his "brother" Jesus. (p. 297) It was his brother Jesus who volunteered among God's angels to make the first attempt to save mankind. In fact, He "begged" God to be the first. If He failed, God would've sent other spirits until the mission was accomplished. (pp. 297-298)
The spirit said that angels came to earth in a materialized human form, impregnating women on earth prior to the Flood. (p. 302) Joseph was a deep trance medium that a holy spirit used to impregnate Mary. This is how Jesus was conceived! (pp. 311-312) Jesus Himself had mediumistic powers. (p. 320)
On Matthew 27:52, 53 that speaks of an apparent resurrection during an earthquake at Jesus' death the spirit said that this was another example of the text of the New Testament being falsified. (p. 348) After His resurrection, Jesus materialized in human form.
Christ's Teaching and Modern Christianity
This is the last major section of the book. (pp. 353-427) Greber explains the focus of the section by recalling the first question he posed to the spirit which was why Christianity has so little influence upon man today. He said he received a more detailed explanation of why this was the case later. This chapter is the spirit's further explanation given to Greber at a later date.
The churches do not have much influence because the ministers are no longer in contact with holy spirits like the early church. (p. 357) They believe no new truth needs to be communicated today through spirits. (p. 360) Instead of being guided by holy spirits, the doctors of divinity, etc., have given in to listening to deceitful spirits in fulfillment of 1 Timothy 4:1-2. (p. 358) Thus the teachings of the churches, such as the Trinity, eternal punishment and so on are the teachings of demons:
"Into the places of the good spirits stepped the Powers of Evil, whose chief concern it is, to obscure and to reverse the truth.... Thus it came that since the time when communication with God's spirit-world as the sole road to the truth was dispensed with, errors of the most varied and far-reaching nature have crept into Christianity. Century by century conditions grew worse. Truth after truth was contaminated by error.... Do you wonder that a Christianity so adulterated and disfigured has ceased to exert an influence on mankind?" (pp. 358-359)
The spirit then attacked the Catholic church and its claims such as Papal infallibility. (pp. 359-363) He next compares the "true" teachings of Christ and the early church as compared to the false doctrines of the churches of today. (pp. 364-366)
The spirit said that forgery was resorted to by individuals to insert doctrines such as the deity of Christ in the New Testament. He mentions such passages as Romans 9:3, 4; Titus 2:13; Philippians 2:5, 6; 1 John 5:20 and John 1:1 where this occured. (pp. 366-369) The spirit also denied the doctrines of eternal punishment, the resurrection of the flesh and the Catholic doctrines of transubstantion, celibacy and confession to priests. (pp. 370-386)
Conclusion
Greber concludes his book on pages 429 to 432 with some reflective thoughts on his experiences. He says on page 431 that he himself had no mediumistic powers or gifts such as clairvoyance and had never been in a trance.
He ends his comments by saying it is not "imperative" that one seek communication with the spirit world because:
Whoever believes in God and relies upon Him, whoever obeys God's will according to the best of his knowledge, will arrive at God.
"Did God Really Say...", Said the Snake
He says again that the only way to see if your religious convictions and doctrines are correct or not is by communication with "holy" spirits. These spirits will tell you of course that the God's Word has been mutilated and they are here to mercifully de-mutilate it for you so it teaches the real Truth for the first time in 2,000 years.
Same as it ever was.
Notes
1 See "Ectoplasm" in The Encyclopedia of Occultism and Parapsychology, 3rd edition, pp. 485-490.
2 For example, their promotion of the "Radio Solar-Pad". This supposedly radiated back into the body the same "vital force" that the body itself radiated according to Rutherford's doctor. This concept is the same "vital force" or "od" (also called "odic force") of spiritism. It also is the same or at least similar to what is called the human "aura" in occult circles (the spirit communicating to greber also said it was the same as that called an "aura"). See The Golden Age, June 23, 1920, pp. 606-607. Compare with "Od (Odic Force or Odyle)," "Reichenbach, Baron Karl von," and "Ectoplasm" in The Encyclopedia of Occultism and Parapsychology, 3rd edition, pp. 1210-1211, 1404-1406, 485-490.
3 Roy Goodrich, Demonism and the Watchtower (Fort Lauderdale, Florida: Back to the Bible), 1969, p. 3. This will be documented when the ERA subject is taken up again later in this journal. See, "The ERA Ouija Board, (Part 1)" in JW Research, vol. 2, no. 1, pp.7-15.
4 See JW Research, vol. 2, no. 2, p. 3. Newbrough reportedly painted with both hands at once in total darkness. See Encyclopedia of Occultism and Parapsychology, 3rd edition, p. 126 under "Automatic Drawing and Painting".
