Archdiocese warns against #CharlieCharlieChallenge

The Archdiocese of Singapore has released the following statement on the viral “#CharlieCharlieChallenge”:

“From time immemorial, people have always had an interest in or fascination for the spiritual realm, whether it be deities or demons.

Human beings have a natural curiosity to know the future, to acquire special powers and knowledge, and many would take much risks in pursuit of this. However, invoking the power of demons and evil spirits to satisfy our curiosity is not consonant with the practice of our Catholic faith, which puts our trust in God alone.

Moreover, the Bible tells us that one of the reasons for Jesus’ coming to earth is to free us from the oppression of the devil (1 Jn 3:8). So it flies against the cause of God’s salvation for us to empower demons to take control of our lives by wantonly invoking them to show their hand. Let us not underestimate the power of these spirits. What might appear to be child’s play could well end up with disastrous consequences.

It is not surprising that in a secularised world where God and the spiritual world are not acknowledged, many are ignorant of the reality of the work and the existence of evil spirits. All the popes in recent times have warned of the deception of the Evil One, by making us believe that he does not exist so that we need not be on guard.

Ignorance of the reality of the Evil One and reducing it to mere superstition is very much promoted in a world that only believes in science and technology. Many make light of the reality of evil spirits as seen in the way Halloween is celebrated in many parts of the world, i.e., merely as a fun activity. Those who invite the spirits consciously are willingly asking them to take control over their faculties, resulting in spiritual bondage.

Our advice is for parents to be mindful of what their children engage in, especially on the Internet, lest they fall prey to activities that might put them in the way of forces that are beyond anyone’s control.”