The supernatural has always attracted the attention of many people of all nationalities on all continents. This inexhaustible, permanent interest invariably influenced myths, religious ideas, folklore and even the ordinary everyday life of every nation. We can study and discuss this entire heritage endlessly. In this article we will touch on this phenomenon only from one side - from the side of the inhabitants of what we usually call “supernatural beings”. A list and description of all such creatures in full would form an entire library, so we will limit ourselves to the most famous and popular creatures in modern culture.
Gnomes
The word "gnome" translated from Latin means underground dweller. These creatures are known in almost all regions of the earth where there are mountains or deserts. The traditional, familiar image of a gnome comes from German-Scandinavian folklore, but is also known among the Slavs (for example, Polish dwarfs are relatives of gnomes). Their own dwarf people, living in mountain dungeons, are also found in the Urals, where they are called either Chud or Chuchka. According to widespread legends, these supernatural beings are engaged in jewelry making, mining of all kinds of treasures and, among other things, have significant knowledge of medicine.
Nature of the gnomes
The word “gnome” itself, according to one version, began to be used in the 16th century by Paracelsus, the famous European doctor and occultist. He used it to designate the spirits of the earth - elementals. The latter are supernatural beings that set the world around them in motion by influencing one of the four primary elements - earth, air, fire or water. So, the spirits, called gnomes by Paracelsus, lived in the element of earth. Later, this term began to denote the entire list of supernatural creatures that, according to legends, live underground and are united by common features - appearance, craft, etc.
Goblins
Goblins are another category of supernatural neighbors of humans. In general, they can be considered as distant relatives of gnomes. They also live underground, in mountain gorges dotted with caves. Like gnomes in many legends, goblins do not tolerate the light of the sun. But if gnomes are representatives of Scandinavian and German folklore, then the goblin is a character from Romanesque culture. These supernatural creatures got their very name from the Old French language.
The appearance of goblins is described in legends very differently. But the constant feature of all of them is incredible ugliness. Goblins are similar to humans and can range in height from thirty centimeters to two meters. When necessary, they know how to turn into beautiful people. But they are always given away by their long ears, claws on their hands and sinister animal eyes. The only exception to the rule is the English hobgoblins, who play the role of cute brownies in British folklore, which we will talk about next.
Brownies
The creatures that are known in Russia as brownies are perhaps the most widespread character in world folklore. Of course, they are described differently and interacted with differently, but everywhere these creatures top the list of supernatural beings. In the Slavic tribes they were also called the Kutny gods. The brownie lives with the family in their home and monitors the housekeeping, safety and favorable atmosphere. However, if the owners are careless, then he can appear as a formidable, frightening creature. There was no consensus on where this guardian of home comfort came from. Someone believed that this was a manifestation of the first ancestor, the progenitor of the clan. Others insisted it was a deceased family member. With the Christianization of Rus', the belief in brownies did not disappear, but the popular opinion began to prevail that it was either a spirit sent by God, or, conversely, a small demon planted by the devil in order to harm the inhabitants to the best of his ability. However, there was also a belief that unrepentant sinners become brownies, whom God sends as punishment to serve people as protective spirits.
Russian brownies
One way or another, the brownie was the one on whom the well-being of the family depended. Therefore, they always tried to build a good relationship with him. It was customary to feed the brownie by leaving a plate of food for him in a special place. The grateful spirit protected the home from thieves, from fire, and warded off troubles and misfortunes. The brownie was especially concerned about livestock, and mainly horses. It was believed that at night he tinkered in the stable, making sure that the horse did not remain hungry or unkempt. Like other supernatural creatures, in Russia it was believed that the brownie could predict the future. For example, if at night you hear roaring, howling, crying and similar ominous signs, then you have to expect trouble. If at night there is quiet laughter, joyful exclamations and the like, then the family will be in for a pleasant surprise.
Some legends also feature female brownies. In some cases, we are even talking about entire families of brownies. However, this is much less common in folklore.
Dragons
Very popular supernatural creatures, the list of which includes hundreds of varieties around the world, are dragons. Currently, their popularity is increasing, thanks to the massive passion for the fantasy genre in art. Legends about supernatural creatures, similar in appearance to huge lizards, cutting through the air and breathing fire, are known literally on all continents among all tribes and peoples. The storyline in them can be very different, and the cultural codes and symbols they carry are accordingly different. In Asia, for example, dragons are the wisest creatures who came down from heaven and gave people knowledge, culture, medicine, taught them magic, agriculture and morality. In the West, on the contrary, they were chthonic monsters, bringing with them only death and destruction. In Christian times, the dragon was often associated with the devil, but at the same time it was a favorite heraldic symbol. A battle with him to save a woman or acquire wealth is a typical plot for European as well as Slavic folklore.
Unicorns
Our list of supernatural creatures continues with such an interesting character as the unicorn. He is usually depicted as a horse with a beautiful straight horn growing from his forehead.
The earliest images of this animal come from India, and their age is estimated at four thousand years. Gradually, this character penetrated from Asia to ancient Greece and Rome. However, there he was considered a very real animal. Such beliefs spread among the Greeks thanks to a doctor named Ctesias, who spent many years in Persia, and upon returning to his homeland in Hellas, described in his writings massive Indian donkeys with a horn growing on their foreheads. This all took place in the 5th century and was later popularized by Aristotle. The traditional equine appearance of the unicorn today was not originally taken for granted. He was imagined with the body of both a goat and a bull, and according to some descriptions, this creature looked more like a rhinoceros.
Unicorns in later legends
In later Western European myths, the unicorn was represented as a ferocious creature, meeting which promised death. But, being the personification of morality and holiness, this creature could only be tamed by a virgin and kept in submission only by a golden bridle. It is not surprising that with the spread of Catholicism, this animal became one of the emblems of the Virgin Mary. His enemies were elephants and lions. The belief in them was so strong in Europe and Russia that as early as the 19th century, naturalistic research was carried out to find out whether supernatural creatures called unicorns actually existed or not. Some European monarchs, including those, were proud that their staffs - attributes of royal power - were made from the horn of this animal. There was even a European market for the purchase and sale of these horns, in which Russian merchants (mostly Pomors) played an important role. Today it has been established that these horns actually belonged to narwhals.
Werewolves
Werewolves are another supernatural creature, the list of varieties of which exceeds all imaginable limits. But they all have one thing in common - they have the ability to transform from people to animals, and vice versa. Most often these are wolves, but in fact there are legends in which heroes turned into birds, fish, and other animals. The difference between werewolf transformations and other magical transformations is that they do this either of their own free will or under certain conditions, but in any case they turn back into people. In Russian mythology, even one of the heroes, named Werewolf, had this ability, according to folk legends, and the prince. Similar stories are extremely popular in Indian, Scandinavian and Celtic mythologies. In addition, the ability for such transformations was almost everywhere assigned to sorcerers and witches. During the Inquisition, the accusation of such an act served as a reason to initiate an investigation into connections with the devil.
Sometimes a distinction was made between werewolves from birth and those who became one for some reason. A werewolf could be born if a person whose mother ate the meat of an animal killed by a wolf during pregnancy, or who bore the curse of werewolf herself. And one could acquire the ability to turn into animals either magically or become an apostate. It was believed that in the latter case a person becomes a werewolf, albeit after death. The latter also include children who died unbaptized. Accordingly, some werewolves experience this ability as a curse, others use it as a magical gift and know how to control this ability.
Ghosts and ghosts
Ghosts are perhaps the only supernatural creatures whose list and photos can be viewed from a strictly scientific point of view. This phenomenon is so unprecedented that it goes beyond the boundaries of myths and legends and is part of everyday life. And these days there are a lot of people, even those who grew up in advanced civilization, but who are confident in the existence of ghosts. Moreover, a huge number of eyewitnesses claim to have had or are in contact with them. We are talking not only about mediums and parapsychologists, but also about specialists within the framework of strict academic science. However, the number of the latter is small. But the number of testimonies, mysterious photographs and videos depicting ghosts is enormous.
According to the most common beliefs, ghosts are the souls of dead people. Why they appear in this world and what their nature is - there is no consensus. But almost no one doubts that the dead appear in the form of translucent silhouettes.
Mermaids
Finishing our list of supernatural creatures are mermaids. In modern culture, this is a very ambivalent character. It must be said right away that beautiful maidens with fish tails are not mermaids, they are sea maidens. Mermaids are girls in completely human form, originating from Slavic legends. In pre-Christian times, they were considered the spirits of rivers, and after Christianization, the belief spread that drowned women who committed suicide became mermaids. They are not accepted in the afterlife, and therefore they are forced to serve their sentence on earth, living at the bottom of the river. The only night when mermaids come ashore is night
Conclusion
As already mentioned, the characters listed above are not all supernatural creatures. The list can be continued to tens and hundreds of thousands of names, if you delve into the beliefs of each people in detail. Those who are curious will no doubt be able to do this and find a lot more new unknown material.
Josh McDowell
World of the occult
Dear reader!
Chapter 1. Occult phenomena
Chapter 2. Astrology
Chapter 3. Demons
Chapter 4. Parapsychology
Chapter 5. Satan and Satanism
Chapter 6. Witchcraft and Witchcraft
Conclusion
Dear reader!
You are holding in your hands a book prepared by the publishing department of the Christian mission “New Life”. I pray that it will answer all your questions, help you grow in your personal Christian life, and give you the opportunity to serve Jesus Christ through your church, New Life (Campus Crusade for Christ), founded in 1951 by Dr. Bill Bright and his wife Wanette at the University of Los Angeles (California) is doing work with Christians around the world to help fulfill Jesus' words in Matthew 28:19: "Go and make disciples of all nations."
We currently have over 40,000 staff and volunteers in 150 countries. Registered in Russia in 1992 as a non-profit organization, New Life helps build and develop a spiritual biblical foundation for life and society. We do this by printing Bibles, Christian literature, and disseminating Bible teaching. We encourage everyone to study the Bible and become active members of their local church.
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Chapter 1. Occult phenomena
In this book we will try to describe the affairs of Satan and the occult kingdom from the point of view of what the Bible says about it, but we would like to paint an objective picture of the state of affairs and avoid sensationalism.
What is "occult"?
The word "occult" comes from the Latin "occultus" and contains the idea of hidden, secret and mysterious objects. David Hoover, author of the book “Answering the Challenge of the Occult,” names three most important characteristics of the occult:
1. The occult deals with secret or hidden objects.
2. The occult involves manipulations and events that supposedly depend on human capabilities that lie beyond the five senses.
3. The occult is associated with the supernatural, with the presence of angelic or demonic forces.
Occultism manifests itself in at least the following forms: witchcraft, magic, palmistry, fortune telling, ouija boards, card fortune-telling, Satanism, spiritualism, demonization, the use of crystal balls. Much more can be added to this list.
Clive S. Lewis once remarked: “There are two equal and opposite misconceptions about demons. Some do not believe in them, others believe in them and have an unnecessary and unhealthy interest in them. The demons themselves are happy with both errors and greet with equal delight the materialist and the lover of black magic ".
A word of warning
We are aware that by informing people about the occult world we may lead some to subjects and activities about which they previously knew nothing. It is not our desire to arouse interest in the realm of the occult to such an extent that it becomes an obsession. Knowing about the tendency of the human race to evil, we should remember the words of the Apostle Paul: “I desire that you be wise in good and simple in evil” (Rom. 16:19).
Flirting with the world of the occult can lead to serious damage - both physical and spiritual. There is a difference between knowing that poison can kill and taking poison to experience something you already know to be a fact. We must be warned about the activities of Satan's kingdom, but not so that we become unhealthy interested in, obsessed with, or infatuated with it.
The supernatural exists
We live in a time when people are looking for answers to basic, vital questions: what is the purpose of life? Is there life after death? Is there evidence for the existence of a supernatural God?
According to the Bible, a supernatural war is unfolding: “Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in high places” (Eph 6:12).
This ongoing spiritual warfare is taking place between the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Satan. One of the purposes of Jesus Christ coming to earth was indicated to us by the Apostle John: “For this purpose the Son of God appeared, to destroy the works of the devil” (1 John 3:8).
Although Scripture clearly testifies that the supernatural is real and that there is spiritual warfare, there are people who would like to demythologize stories about the devil, demons and demonic possession. They insist that the Bible's references to the supernatural are explained by a pre-scientific, survivalist worldview. However, if you remove the supernatural from the Bible, then all its meaning goes with it. John Montgomery, dean of the Simon Greenleaf School of Law and one of today's leading theologians, writes:
“One of my theology professors categorically argued that the demonic in the New Testament should be considered symbolic (symbol of evil, psychosis, sickness, etc.). He was extremely annoyed when I asked him whether we should in this case and Jesus should be considered as a symbol (of goodness, mental and physical health, etc.): after all, in the story about the temptation of Christ in the desert there is a dialogue between Jesus and the devil - and then both of them must be considered either as real or as unreal persons This clearly indicates the difficulty of demythologizing the Satanic in the New Testament. It is closely intertwined with the question of the reality of Jesus and His entire mission."
Those who want to remove so-called myths from Scripture find themselves faced with an “empty gospel” devoid of transformative power. Our response to these attempts is one of gospel truth and includes Satan's struggle against them, God's supernatural intervention, and His final victory. The world of the occult is real, and the almighty Spirit of God is real too!
Occult deception
Recognizing the reality of the supernatural, we should not attribute all inexplicable phenomena to it. There are many manifestations that dress up in the clothes of the supernatural, but in fact are only trickery. Those who commit them trick people into believing in their “supernatural” nature.
In an excellent book entitled "The Deceivers," Danny Corem and Paul Meyer show many phenomena that are mistaken for the supernatural. The authors explain the difference between what is truly supernatural and what is actually deception:
"What is the difference between occult and pseudo-occult phenomena? Occult phenomena are phenomena related to the actions of supernatural forces, their consequences and knowledge about them. As many believe, an example of the manifestation of occult forces is demonic possession. But this manifestation itself is visible, and the force behind it no. We can see the effects of possession, but we cannot see the actions of demons. Pseudo-occult phenomena only seem to be caused by mysterious, supernatural forces, but in fact they are caused by physical and mental causes.
The purpose of this book is to show the difference between the occult and the pseudo-occult. It is very dangerous to approach them with the same standard. One man, who was known to have performed a number of acts of exorcism on several possessed people, wanted to try his hand at one teenage girl. He tied her to a chair so that she would not hurt herself and began his manipulations. It turned out that the girl was not possessed by a demon, but had schizophrenia and needed the help of an experienced psychiatrist. She was naturally traumatized by what happened, and her condition became worse than before meeting this person."
Needless to say, you need to be experienced enough in this area to consider this or that phenomenon as demonic. While not all Christian authors consider such phenomena to be hoaxes, like Korem and Meyer, the latter clearly demonstrated the need to be very careful in classifying many unexplained phenomena as occult.
Explosion of the occult
Occult activity is growing rapidly these days. Martin Ibn, former administrative secretary of the Parapsychological Foundation and author of Satan's Snare and The Dangers of the Occult, characterizes the growing interest in occult phenomena as follows:
"Occult practice and psychic phenomena have gripped millions of Americans today... Two mass stimuli are contributing to such development. One of them is the cultivation of drugs: it awakens interest in this area as a "non-drug flight" achieved through meditation and similar methods, and as well as the ability to enhance the drug-induced sense of the power of consciousness over matter and events. Secondly, a whole series of popular films caused a series of waves of involvement in occult and pseudo-occult practices. the rise of witchcraft: The Exorcist brought demonic possession and exorcism to millions of people, and many other films and television shows have been linked to this theme.
It is clear that the occult has now permeated every level of our society. Everywhere you look, from the media to the grocery store, you encounter literature on the occult and its influence in one form or another. Everyone can find a horoscope for weight loss and a horoscope for improving their sex life.
Bible and occult
“When you enter the land that the Lord your God is giving you, then do not learn to do the abominations that these nations did. You shall not have anyone who makes his son or his daughter through the fire, a soothsayer, a fortuneteller, a sorcerer, a sorcerer, a charmer, one who calls forth spirits, a magician, and one who inquires of the dead, for everyone who does this is punishable before the Lord, and for these abominations the Lord your God will drive them out from before you. Be blameless before the Lord your God, for these nations whom you are driving out. They listen to fortunetellers and soothsayers: but the Lord your God has not given you this” (Deuteronomy 18:9-14).
The New Testament similarly condemns such acts (see Gal. 5:20). In the city of Ephesus, many who practiced occultism believed in Jesus Christ and abandoned occult practice: “And of those who practiced sorcery, quite a few gathered up their books and burned them in the presence of all...” (Acts 19:19).
Another encounter with the occult is described in Acts 13:6-12:
“Having walked the entire island as far as Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Judean, named Barijesus, who was with the proconsul Sergius Paulus, a wise man. This, calling Barnabas and Saul, wished to hear the word of God: and Elymas is a sorcerer - for that is what his name means - resisted them, trying to turn the proconsul away from the faith, but Saul, who is also Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit and fixing his gaze on him, said: O, full of all deceit and all villainy, son of the devil, enemy of all righteousness, will you stop seducing! from the straight paths of the Lord? And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you: you will be blind and you will not see the sun for a time. And suddenly darkness and darkness fell upon him, and he, turning here and there, looked for a guide, then the proconsul saw what had happened. “I believed, marveling at the teaching of the Lord.”
“The false prophet who called himself Barijesus (Son of Jesus) actually tried to prevent the ruler Sergius Paulus from believing - and the punishment of blindness immediately followed. Walter Martin made some subtle observations on the material of the quoted passage, pointing out five characteristic features of those who resist God:
1. They are associated with Satan and have some supernatural powers.
2. They are false prophets.
3. They seek to influence people politically and religiously, especially those in positions of power (verses 6, 7).
4. They seek to turn away those who desire to hear the word of God from those who teach it and oppose these latter (verse 8).
5. They deliberately seek to turn potential converts away from the faith, and this is their main goal (verse 8).
Chapter 2. Astrology
The two most burning questions that haunt a person are: “Who am I?” and “what will happen to me in the future?” How many people wake up at night longing for their future, wanting to know what will happen tomorrow! Astrology claims to answer these two key questions. It offers daily horoscopes that predict the future of each person. “What is your sign?” is suddenly heard in a casual conversation. The ancient occult art of astrology has become very popular in our modern culture.
What is astrology?
Astrology is an ancient teaching that states that the position of stars and planets has a direct impact on people and events. It is assumed that a person's life path can be predicted by determining the position of the stars and planets at the moment of his birth. The diagram drawn up for this is known as a “horoscope”. Rene Noorbergen explains how a horoscope is compiled:
"For each individual horoscope, the starting point is the moment of birth. Together with the latitude and longitude of the place of birth, this forms the starting data for the astrological chart. But everything is not so simple: you need to take into account a factor called “true local time.” This is “true” time is calculated by adding or subtracting 4 minutes for each degree of longitude of your birthplace, counting east or west from the center of the time zone in which your birthplace is located. The next step is to convert this "true" time to "sidereal" or sidereal time. time‚ This is done with the help of ephemeris - reference tables showing the position of the planets in relation to the Earth...
When this data is received - and this is no more difficult to do than solving a geometry problem for the seventh grade - then you have all the data to compile your horoscope. It consists in constructing an “ascending” line at the points corresponding to the nine-hour intervals of the inner circle of the horoscope, with the help of which you can “read” the various zodiac “houses” that control your life and destiny.”
How is this justified?
Michael Van Busknrk explains how astrologers justify this practice:
“The future of every person can supposedly be predicted, since astrology affirms the unity of all things. This is the doctrine that the Whole (i.e., the entire Universe taken as a whole) is somehow similar. Parts (i.e., any of its individual component or person) and the part is a small reflection of the whole (macro-microcosmic model). The position of the planets ("macro") affects the person ("micro") and causes him to react accordingly. This makes a person a "cosmic pawn" whose actions. predetermined and unchangeable."
R. Noorbergen concludes: “If you believe in astrology, then you must accept the point of view that you are either “luckily born” or “unluckily born.” The stars tell us not only predict the course of our lives, but also cause events ‚which must happen in it‚ They encourage and compel...”
The incongruities of astrology
The claims of astrologers were subjected to scathing criticism from the scientific community. In September 1976, 186 prominent American scientists, including eighteen Nobel laureates, spoke out against the “pretentious claims of astrological charlatans,” pointing out, among other things, that there is no scientific basis for the assumption of the predictive and determining role of the stars in relation to human life. The following are some reasons why the practice of astrology should be rejected as unscientific and unbiblical.
The problem of authority. Astrologers are victims of their own system. They cannot be the authority to explain their own world. If everything is predetermined by the signs of the zodiac, then how can astrologers escape from this fatalism and be objective observers of it?
What if astrologers themselves are predestined to explain everything using astrology. They are deprived of the opportunity to explain their system if they themselves are pawns of this system.
Systems that contradict one another. The problem of authority in astrology can be visualized if we take into account that there are many astrological systems that are diametrically opposed to each other. Western astrologers would interpret the horoscope differently than a Chinese astrologer.
Even in the West, there is no unity of interpretation among astrologers: let us at least remember that some count eight and not twelve zodiac signs, while others count fourteen or even twenty-four.
Considering that astrologers use different systems, the same person can go to two astrologers and receive completely opposite recommendations for the same day! This is not only a possibility, but a reality: contradictions are often found in astrological predictions in daily newspapers.
Geocentric position. Astrologers work on the assumption that the planets revolve around the Earth, known as the "geocentric theory." The fallacy of this theory was shown by Copernicus, who proved that the planets revolve around the Sun and not around the Earth (“heliocentric theory”).
Since astrology is based on a geocentric theory rejected by science, it cannot be considered reliable. If the initial position is false, then all its consequences are false, even those helplessly reinterpreted on the basis of modern knowledge.
Unknown planets. One of the main inconsistencies in astrology concerns the number of planets in our solar system. Most astrological charts assume that there are seven planets (including the Sun and Moon)
In ancient times, they did not know about Uranus, Neptune and Pluto because they are not visible to the naked eye. Consequently, astrologers based their system on seven planets, which they considered to revolve around the Earth. Since then it has been proven that the center of our planetary system is the Sun, not the Earth, and that there are three more planets in it.
Twins. A constant source of difficulty for astrologers is the birth of twins. If two people were born at the same time in the same place, then they must have exactly the same fate. Alas, this is not so, and experience shows that two people born at the same moment can live two completely different lives. For one it may be quite successful, for another it may be a disaster. The difference in the fates of the twins shows another flaw in the astrological theory.
Geographical limitation. A serious problem with astrology is related to the limitations of its geographical horizon. Astrology originated in countries close to the equator, and it did not take into account those who live in latitudes where certain zodiac signs do not appear at the appropriate times.
Michel Gauquelin points out: "Astrology, having originated at relatively low latitudes, did not suggest the possibility that any of the planets could not be visible (at high latitudes) for several weeks at a time."
And since this is so, one of the supporting pillars of astrology is collapsing. As Van Buskirk points out, “from a scientific point of view, astrology cannot be based even on its own assertion that the microcosm is influenced by the macrocosm unless one of the microcosms (man) living above the 66th parallel is not influenced by the macrocosm.”
Lack of scientific verification. Perhaps the most compelling argument against astrological predictions is that they have no scientific significance, Paul Couderc, an astronomer at the Paris Observatory, after studying the horoscopes of 2817 musicians, came to the following conclusion:
"The position of the Sun has absolutely no significance for music. Musicians are born randomly throughout the year. No sign of the zodiac or faction favors or harms them. We conclude: the assets of "scientific" astrology are zero, just like commercial ones. Maybe it's sad, but it's true."
Wrong starting point. Another significant inconsistency of astrology is that horoscopes are based on the time of birth, not conception. Since all hereditary factors are determined at conception, it would be logical to assume that the planets begin to influence a person’s fate immediately from the moment of conception.
Constellation shift. The unscientific nature of astrology is also confirmed by the phenomenon of precession, or shift of constellations. Kenneth Bowe dwells on this problem in detail:
"Ancient astronomers did not know about precession and therefore did not take it into account in their systems. Originally, the twelve signs of the zodiac corresponded to twelve constellations with the same names. But due to the procession over the past 2000 years, the constellations have shifted by about 30 °. This means that the constellation Virgo is now under the sign of Libra, the constellation of Libra is under the sign of Scorpio, etc. Consequently, if a person was born on September 1, then astrologers place him under the sign of Virgo (the sign of the Sun for this day), but in reality the Sun at this time is in the constellation Leo, Thus, there are two different zodiacs: one moves slowly (sidereal zodiac), the other is motionless (tropical zodiac), which zodiac should we start from?” .
Bible and astrology
The Bible warns against trusting astrologers and astrology:
“You are tired of the multitude of your advice; let the watchers of the heavens and the astrologers and the foretellers of the new moons come forward and save you from what is about to happen to you. Here they are, like stubble,” the fire will burn them: they have not delivered their souls from the flames... no one will not save you" (Isaiah 47:13-15).
We find another similar instruction in Jeremiah 10:2: “Do not learn the ways of the Gentiles, and do not fear the signs of heaven, which the Gentiles fear.” Elsewhere in the Bible it says, “Lest when you look up to heaven and see the sun, the moon, and the stars, and all the host of heaven, you are deceived and worship them and serve them” (Deuteronomy 4:19).
In the Book of Daniel, astrologers are compared with those who are devoted to the truth and the living God. Its first chapter tells about Daniel and his three friends, who turned out to be ten times higher and wiser than astrologers and occultists (see Dan 1:20), because they served the living and true God, and not the stars. When the king had a dream, the wise men and astrologers could not explain it - only God had the answer, for only He alone can reveal the future (see Dan 2:27-28).
It is abundantly clear from the Bible that God severely condemns all forms of astrological practice because it seeks to penetrate into the future through occult means and not through the Word of God.
Chapter 3. Demons
The Bible teaches about the existence not only of the devil, but also of a large number of his servants, demons, or evil spirits. Initially, these demons were holy, but together with their leader Satan, they fell away from God. Their end will be eternal damnation when God judges Satan and his host at the Great White Throne Judgment (Rev 20:10-15).
Here are some characteristic properties of demons indicated in the Bible.
1. Demons are disembodied spirits. “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places” (Eph 6:12).
2. Initially, demons were in agreement with God. “And the angels who did not keep their dignity, but left their own habitation, he will keep in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day” (Jude 6).
3. Demons are numerous. “For Jesus said to him, “Get out of this unclean spirit,” and he asked him, “What is your name?” And he answered, “My name is Legion, for we are many” (Mark 5:8-9).
4. Demons are organized. “...He does not cast out demons except by the power of Beelzebub, the prince of demons” (Matthew 12:24).
5. Demons have supernatural power, “They are the spirits of demons that work signs: they go out to the kings of the earth of the whole world, to gather them to battle on that great day of God Almighty” (Rev. 16:14).
6. Demons know about God. “And so they cried out: What have You to do with us, Jesus, the Son of God, You have come here before the time to torment us” (Matthew 8:29)
7. Demons are allowed to roam the earth and torment non-believers. “When the unclean spirit comes out of a person, he walks through dry places, looking for rest, and does not find it, then he says: I will return to my house from where I came. And when he comes, he finds it unoccupied, swept and tidied up, then he goes and takes with him seven others spirits that are more evil than themselves and enter and live there: and the last thing for that person is worse than the first" (Matthew 12:43-45).
8. Demons often cause illness and physical damage, “When they came out, they brought to Him a mute man possessed by a demon, and when the demon was cast out, the mute began to speak...” (Matthew 9:32-33).
9. Demons can possess and control animals. “Jesus immediately allowed them. And the unclean spirits came out and entered into the swine: and the herd rushed down a steep place into the sea, and they were about two thousand: and they were drowned in the sea” (Mark 5:13).
10. Demons can possess and control people. “...And certain women whom he healed of evil spirits and diseases: Mary, who was called Magdalene, from whom came seven demons” (Luke 8:2).
11. Demons can cause madness. “And when He came out of the boat, He was immediately met by a man who came out of the tombs, possessed by an unclean spirit: he had a dwelling in the tombs, and no one could bind him even with chains... Always, night and day, in the mountains and tombs, he shouted and beat himself against the stones" (Mark 5:2-3, 5).
12. Demons know that Jesus Christ is God. “In their synagogue there was a man possessed by an unclean spirit and cried out: “Leave what You have to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth!” You have come to destroy us! I know You who You are, the Holy One of God" (Mark 1:23-24).
13. Demons tremble before God. “You believe that there is one God; you do well: and the demons believe and tremble” (James 2:19)
14. Demons spread false teaching, “But the Spirit speaks clearly, that in the last times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons” (1 Tim. 4:1).
15. Demons oppose the people of God, “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places” (Eph 6:12).
16. Demons are trying to destroy the Kingdom of Christ, “Be sober, watch, because your adversary the devil walks around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Pet. 5:8).
17. God uses the works of demons to fulfill His divine plans. And God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and among the inhabitants of Shechem, and the inhabitants of Shechem did not submit to Abimelech" (Judges 9:23).
18. God will judge the demons at the Last Judgment, “For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but bound them in chains of hellish darkness, He delivered them up to be condemned to judgment...” (2 Pet 2:4).
Manifestations of demonic attacks
(demonic attack)
Based on the stories of the New Testament about demonic possession and other sources, it is possible to outline some of the phenomena that are observed during a demonic attack.
A. Personality change
It concerns consciousness, moral character, behavior, appearance
B. Physical changes
1. Unnatural strength
2. Epileptic convulsions, foam on the lips
3. Loss of coordination of movements, falling
4. Clouding of consciousness, insensitivity to pain
B. Mental changes
1. Glossolalia - understanding unknown languages (a false gift, the opposite of the biblical one)
2. Unnatural knowledge
3. Psychic and occult power: clairvoyance, telepathy, prophecy, etc.
D. Spiritual changes
1. Hatred of Christ and fear of Him: blasphemy and regret for him in a state of depression
2. The Damaging Effect of Prayer
Chapter 4. Parapsychology
Parapsychology is a modern branch of science or occultism, depending on who turns to it, its goal is to put on a strictly scientific basis a number of supernatural phenomena traditionally classified as occult. Parapsychology tries to give scientific respectability to what has not yet been accepted seriously,
One of the most widely known areas of parapsychology until now has been extrasensory perception. Traditional witchcraft related to supernatural phenomena has also received some kind of scientific or “paranormal” justification.
"However, many new communities of witches and wizards avoid the word "supernatural" and prefer to talk about "supernormal" or "paranormal" phenomena. The laws of magic are seen as real, within the purview of modern science, but the emphasis is on pragmatic knowledge and practical use magical laws, and not on their scientific analysis and assessment. It can be said that in this sense there is a certain secularization of magic and its adaptation to the modern scientific, naturalistic worldview, so what was previously described in the literature on occultism as supernatural psychic powers. "Now becomes an example of extrasensory perception that can potentially be replicated and studied in a psychologist's laboratory."
In Parapsychology and the Nature of Life, John Randall writes:
"In the 1960s, parapsychology achieved a significant victory in its 90-year struggle for scientific recognition. On December 30, 1969, the Parapsychological Association was officially admitted as an affiliate member of the most prestigious organization of American scientists, the American Association for the Advancement of Science. the Advancement of Science)... For the first time in its difficult history, parapsychology was recognized as a full-fledged scientific field. Now parapsychologists could present their work to the scientific community without fear of being ridiculed and rejected simply because of their subject of research."
The need for scientific research in this area is beyond doubt. However, approaching parapsychology as a science, one should find the most correct explanation for all the data and find out whether in this case we are talking about deception, occult phenomena or a truly paranormal experience.
In most cases, one of the results of parapsychological research is a decrease in motivation to study the Bible. Indeed, the paranormal and supernatural are often considered in them completely isolated from the biblical basis. In an interesting introduction to Religion and the New Psychology, Olson Smith tells the story of a young woman he met while doing parapsychological research at Duke University:
"She was a reserved, intelligent girl from the Mid-South. She came to Duke intending to do religious work: in the Methodist church of her home town she was a "local preacher" and often went to the pulpit. At the university she took up a number of sciences and lost much of her She abandoned the idea of getting involved in religious activities and fell into a kind of gloomy agnosticism.
In the course of her work in psychology, she discovered parapsychology—“venturing beyond psychology”—which is the focus of this book. It was a science into which she poured her whole soul, for it dealt with the same spiritual world, the same spiritual forces as in her former, uncritical faith: in other terms, by other methods - but it was that same thing. The emotional vacuum created by the loss of her religious faith was filled: her new faith (though I don’t think she called it that) satisfied her both intellectually and emotionally. Her work in the parapsychology laboratory became a kind of religious service for her."
Smith offers a rather interesting explanation for the change that happened to this woman; he comments on the loss of Christian faith and the emergence of “parapsychological faith” as follows:
"It seems to me that her story is typical of millions of nominal Christians today. Her faith was shaken by her mastery of the scientific method (although it was shaken by many other causes) - a development that did not benefit very many people. But one must master the scientific method - the achievements of science are too great to ignore.
The significance of parapsychology to these millions is that it now uses scientific methods and leads people towards the spiritual world rather than away from it."
Scientists generally agree that the same phenomena can be considered both occult and parapsychological. However, many of them reject the biblical interpretation of such phenomena, considering them demonic. Often the new science of parapsychology discredits the biblical interpretation of facts.
For example, in the book Life, Death and Psychical Research, the authors question the biblical warnings against “sorcerers” and “summoners” found in Deuteronomy. They believe that this passage does not prohibit the use of psychic (demonic) gifts in general, but that this prohibition was only a historical and traditionalist interpretation of the church; the modern interpretation gives biblical sanction to some, in fact, to all types of paranormal manifestations.
For example:
“The Deuteronomistic prohibition (Deuteronomy 18:9-12) is often seen by the superstitious, ignorant and fearful people as a reason to oppose truly scientific psychic research conducted by Christian scientists. In the past, innocent people were persecuted as sorcerers and witches or possessed by the devil. Others those who believed that his powers were of sacred origin were tortured to death.
This attitude continues to this day. Those who seek to demonstrate their psychic gifts are threatened with God's curse. Christians who delve into paranormal research are reminded that this is contrary to the teachings of the Bible and are prohibited from “getting involved” in these matters.”
While it is true that innocent people have been accused in the past (remember the Salem Witch Trial), it would be a logical fallacy to conclude that Christians' historical interpretation of this passage of Scripture is incorrect; in fact, both history and the actual interpretation of the Bible testify in favor of their position.
Extrasensory perception
Extrasensory perception (ESP) is very popular today, ESP means recognizing something without the aid of the senses.
Lynn Walker writes about ESP:
"Extrasensory perception is a term that denotes the ability to know anything without the help of the senses. It includes precognition, which is sometimes called "future ESP": telepathy - the transmission of human thoughts without the participation of the senses; clairvoyance - knowledge of objects or events outside of sensory communication with them."
It's no secret that people are always interested in what is unknown. The most mysterious creatures arouse genuine interest, and also influence the legends and folklore of different countries and peoples.
In this article, we invite you to familiarize yourself with the least known creatures, however, no less scary and frightening. Whether they are mythical is up to you to decide.
There are two alternative versions of the appearance of the Wendigo.
- Based on the first, it is believed that the brave warrior sold his soul in order to protect his tribe from an impending threat. After the tribe was saved, he went into the forest and was never seen again.
- Another version says that the Wendigo began to lose his human appearance due to the use of black magic, and was also a cannibal. Either way, this monster eventually appeared.
Many compare it with, but outwardly it is completely different from. And the behavior of the Wendigo has significant distinctive features.
The growth exceeds the statistical average, but it cannot be called huge. However, he is very thin. According to some descriptions, it is clear that sometimes some parts of the body may be missing due to frostbite: toes, the tip of the ear or nose. The body is covered with matted hair, or may be completely bald.
Wendigos love to stalk their prey. When they overtake a lonely traveler, they begin to scare him by making sounds. When the person begins to look around in search of the source of the sound, the wendigo attacks.
You won't be able to escape because wendigos are very fast and resilient. As a rule, no one manages to survive an encounter with this monster.
The only way to kill this monster is to stick an iron or silver blade into the heart.
The folklore of every country is filled with stories of reborn people who received new abilities. One of these creatures was the shtriga, or strix.
Being human from birth, they turned into human beings due to the harmful habit of eating human flesh.
In the Middle Ages, shtriga referred to witches. It is possible that they could be a type of vampire of Ancient Rome.
Ultimately, shtriga are dead mythical creatures, but by using the life force of slain families, they prolong their existence.
You can kill a monster only with a hot iron while eating.
Draugs or Draugr
Like the shtriga, they were originally human. But after death they turned into the living dead. 
The draugs live in the cemetery, next to the Viking graves. Approaching any settlement, they sow fear and death, destroying everything in their path.
Surprisingly, draugs are mentioned in some books. For example, "The Saga of the Men of the Sandy Shore" tells the story of Thorolf.
Being a draugr, he killed people, after which the valley was empty. Draug are also mentioned in The Saga of the Sand Valley People.
These monsters love to inhabit the tombs of rich people, thus protecting their property from thieves.
Draugs are strong, have pale skin, and are also capable of increasing in size. Having killed a person, the monster first drinks his blood and then begins to eat him.
It is believed that draugs appear in the form of smoke, freeing themselves from their graves.
Icelandic legends say that the only way to kill a draugr is to cut off its head, then burn it and scatter its ashes over sea water.
These mythical creatures prefer to live near sea coasts. Freeing themselves from their graves, they look for victims among the sailors.
They can take on different guises, scaring people to death. For example, algae grows instead of a head.
Sea legends say that draugs can take the form of stone or seaweed. Before you step on something like this, you need to spit on it.
If a draugr gets onto a ship in the form of a stone, then the ship is doomed to destruction along with the entire crew. And sometimes draugs can be harbingers of death.
Guli
The word "ghouls" comes from Arab myths and refers to demons. They lived in cemeteries, and according to legend they are the descendants of the Iblis.
Iblis are genies who have an analogue in Christianity - Satan. Iblis harass women, and if they succeed, then ghouls appear.
Iblis could wander the earth, since Allah was testing people in this way: whether Iblis could sow immorality and vice in their heads.
According to some reports, ghouls are living in the desert, capable of taking the form of hyenas or other animals.
Luring the wanderers deeper, the ghouls ate them. They gave preference to children, but sometimes they did not disdain the dead.
They most often take the form of werewolves, but can take the form of any creature they kill, including humans and animals.
In order to renew their appearance, they, like snakes, shed their old skin.
It is impossible to distinguish by appearance whether it is a real person or a shapeshifter.
The only thing that gives them away is the glow in their eyes, which can only be seen in video footage or photographs.
Familiars. Black Dogs
Witches with black magical abilities have peculiar animals - familiars.
These mythical creatures are connected to the owner by demonic bonds or magic.
European witches prefer cats, weasels, toads or owls. Shamans use a totem as a familiar.
Black dogs can also be familiars to black witches.
An old English legend tells of the Black Shack, who foreshadowed death by his appearance. In 1577, A. Fleming described its appearance in the book “A Strange and Terrible Miracle.”
The dogs appear in bright flashes of light and disappear, but the place chosen is exclusively magical.
Japanese legends also mention black dogs that were sacrificed to bring rain. In Asia, the blood of black dogs was considered a powerful talisman.
Reaper
To summon this creature, you need an altar, as well as a number of magical objects for the ritual: human blood and a special cross.
Once the Reaper appears, he takes the life of the one who summoned him to restore balance.
The Reaper is not a demon, it is simply the appearance of death, which was called a psychopomp.
They served as a kind of guide to the afterlife. Charon in Greece, Valkyries in Norway, Anubis in Egypt and so on. Some shamans, for example, are psychopomps themselves.
Reapers have power over time and people's consciousness. It can change the vision of the world, of the person himself.
The appearance of the Reaper is different for each individual case, but it is generally accepted that he appears in rags or burial clothes.
There is an assumption that Peter Pan was a kind of guide to the afterlife, since the book describes how he accompanied children on their journey after death.
Lycanthropy
In the Middle Ages, this phenomenon was associated with sorcerers who wore magic clothes or a belt.
As they are also called, they covered their body with a potion, put on a special belt and turned into a wolf with enormous strength and endurance. Later, the myth of the magic belt gradually disappeared.
It is now read that werewolves can turn themselves during the full moon. It is unknown how much of this is fiction, but a Roman writer left one story that told real events involving a werewolf.
In many folklore stories of different nations, there is an opinion that werewolves are outcasts, vicious people.
In Armenian folklore there is a mention of women who were possessed by a spirit for their sins. They could turn into wolves and were forced to kill their own children.
In North America there is a legend about loup-garou, who arrived from France. After conversion, this creature turned into a monster for 101 nights in a row, and during the day experienced torment and suffering. Most often, they were expelled by people, which angered the lou-garou, contributing to bitterness and murder.
You can kill them with silver: a bullet or a blade. But it is also possible to cure lycanthropy. If you kill the progenitor, the one who turned the werewolf, then all those infected by him will be freed.
In Slavic mythology there was Volkolak. You could become one of your own free will. Most often, sorcerers turned into werewolves to enhance their abilities.
An evil spirit from old Russian mythology. He was several centimeters tall, his body was covered with black fur, and his head was bald. Anchutka had no heels.
There is an opinion that you cannot say his name out loud, otherwise Anchutka will instantly appear in front of you.
The place of residence is usually a field, a bathhouse or a body of water. The main condition is proximity to people, but away from other supernatural beings.
Field anchutki are the most peaceful. Baths and swamps have a perky disposition, they joke evilly, putting a person’s life in danger.
Swamp anchutki grab swimmers by the legs and try to drown them, and bath anchuts scare people with strange sounds or appear in scary images.
Anchutki can be invisible. They move quickly and are afraid of iron and salt.
Shakers and Navya
Shakers - causing diseases. Most often mentioned in conspiracies.
They appear as 12 ugly women. They are associated with evil spirits, and when a person is sick, they appear next to him in the guise of a devil.
Navya are the spirits of death. Old Russian creatures that send diseases to both people and livestock. Their involvement in disasters was not ruled out.
At night they wander through the dark streets, killing all travelers. The only way to escape from Navya was not to leave the house, protecting it with amulets.
An endless variety of creatures and monsters are present in various myths and religions. Differing in appearance and abilities, they always created problems for people, and most often killed them.
Of course, the existence of each has not been proven, so whether to believe in them or not is entirely your choice.
For 13 seasons of the Supernatural series, we have been enjoying the company of charismatic brothers surrounded by various wickedness, angels and demons. And where there is mysticism in the plot, there will definitely be something interesting in the filming itself, the stories and the real lives of the actors. For fans of the series, we have collected the most interesting facts about Supernatural.
Photo: commons.wikimedia.org / BeatlesOriginals
Filming
According to Eric Kripke's idea, the series should have lasted no more than 3 seasons. After the stunning success, the end was pushed back to season 5, where the storyline seemed to be coming to a logical conclusion. But a continuation followed and at the moment we are talking about the release of the 14th, final season. The series will consist of exactly 300 episodes.
2. 16 instead of 22
The third season of the series was released in 2007. This is the only season where there are not 22 episodes, but only 16. This happened due to a strike of writers demanding that the union increase deductions.
3. Kripke is the boss of everything
The producers' first idea was a storyline - a couple of journalists collect urban legends and publish them in the newspaper's "Unnatural" column. But with the arrival of Eric Kripke, the storyline grew into a travel film. According to his plan, each small town tells its own story. And after the director and and - there was no doubt - the duet must be brought to the fore.
Thanks to Kripke, the famous “Supernatural”, the Winchester family and their faithful companion appeared.
4. Why Kansas?
The writer and producer chose Lawrence, Kansas as the location for the Winchester family because of the town's proximity to the legendary Stull Cemetery. After all, many interesting legends collected by Kripke over the course of 10 years are associated with him.
5. Who would have thought
Before the script, already known to us, was approved, the following story options were proposed for the pilot episode:
- the brothers were raised by their uncle and aunt;
- Sam's girlfriend became a Demon;
- Dean was a serial killer and killed his father (according to Sam, that’s why he left to study);
— the brothers’ father dies in Jessica’s house.
6. I demand rock!
In addition to music written specifically for the series, the show uses a large number of original recordings by rock bands. This was expensive, because using them is not cheap, and Kripke was eager to leave if he was not allowed to use them. Some tracks are taken from Kripke's personal collection. A fan of his work, what can I say.
7. Kripke will not forever?
After the release of the fifth season, Eric left the project. This fact terribly upset fans of the series, although the screenwriter promised that he would continue to participate and suggest interesting ideas to the new team.
8. The Real from Supernatural
All the sites based on the plot of the series were created by the authors in real life. Now all these addresses are redirected to the official resource of the film studio. Dean's real phone number was also used. He could be seen in the episode about the ghost rider. You could call there and hear a message left by Ackles, the same as in the film.
9. Book cult
12 books were written based on the plot of the series from 2007 to 2013. These are novels written by different authors.
10. Anime
In 2009, one season of the anime series was filmed at the Japan Film Studio, containing 22 parts. Padalecki voiced Sam in English in all episodes; Ackles was only able to take part in the last couple of episodes.
11. Exorcism
The series uses real exorcism texts. They are taken from the texts of Psalm 67 (68) and the Romanesque ritual, which was prohibited in the 14th century, although some parts of this ritual are taken from the Bible.
Characters
12. Fathers and sons
In real life, actor D.D. Morgan, who played the father of the Winchester brothers, is only 12 years older than his “serial” eldest son Ackles. But the difference between the “brothers” both in the plot and in life is the same, 4 years.
13. Winchesters or Harrisons
Kripke is a Harrison Ford fan and wanted a family of hunters to have the last name Harrison. However, the real Sam Harrison lived in Kansas and a legal issue forced him to change his last name. Things didn’t go smoothly with the Winchesters either; Jack Winchester was found alive (that was the original name of Sam and Dean’s father), the character had to change his name, and that’s how John Winchester appeared.
14. When the result exceeded expectations
Many of the characters we love were intended to be cameo characters. These include:
- Bob Singer - was supposed to appear in one episode;
— Crowley (Mark) was considered a guest character until season 10;
- Misha Collins never dreamed that Castiel would last this long and be included in the main roster;
— Mark Pellegrino – Lucifer, included in the main team only in season 12.
15. King of Hell
Crowley is the only mystical character who is not one in real life. Aleister Crowley is a real person, occultist, researcher and, according to many sources, Kabbalah practitioner, creator of the Thoth Tarot deck. Of course, Alistair was a member of the most famous occult organizations. Therefore, his British persona came in handy for the role of the colorful king of hell.
16. Sam or Dean
Ackles originally auditioned for the role of Sam, but after re-reading the script, he decided that Dean was more congenial to him. Ackles took part in the casting of actors for the role of Sam.
17. Castiel (Castiel)
There is no mention of such an angel in Christian scripture, but there is in Kabbalistic scripture, where Cassiel is the strongest angel and is not able to appear before a person in his true form, because it kills mere mortals.
Creatures
18. Demons
All demon characters (except for the one mentioned by Crowley) are mostly taken from occult, cabalistic and esoteric writings, some are taken from Christian scriptures, mythology of different countries. In particular, Kabbalah, the Book of Enoch, the Old Testament, myths and legends of Scandinavia, Greece, Rome.
19. Leviathans
According to Scandinavian mythology, leviathans are huge sea monsters that live at the bottom of the Mariinsky Trench. In other words, the snakes of Jormungandr, bringing the end of the world. They were slightly stylized in the series, but the essence of their existence was preserved.
20. Monsters
Most of the monsters are taken from legends, tales, mystical, occult books. But there are also those whose origins are the work of the authors of the series.
21. Dwellers of Heaven
Among those known to us from the Bible are the Archangels, Angels, Seraphim, Nephilim. Apparently, reapers who collect souls and direct them to their destination for distribution can also be classified as divine beings.
22. Other entities
Among the many creatures the brothers met along the way, there are various fairy-tale characters, ghosts, lost souls and entities from other cultures of our big planet.
I would like to note that the Supernatural series is not just an entertainment show. He introduces us to the mythology of different countries, eras and religions.
Photos from open sources
Mysterious events that defy rational explanation constantly occur in all corners of the planet. (website)
However, not all of them receive worldwide fame. Only the most amazing supernatural cases become the subject of conversation among residents of all countries. So, everyone knows about the American Area 51, where the military studied an unidentified flying object they shot down with an alien corpse on board, or about the Egyptian pyramids, near which trees grow several times faster, and the water purifies itself.
Undoubtedly, in such a large and eventful country as Russia, there were also many paranormal events that captured the imagination of not only the Russians themselves, but also all earthlings. Therefore, many of us may ask a logical question: what supernatural phenomena that happened directly to our people are best known abroad?
Tunguska meteorite
This amazing event took place during the Russian Empire. On the morning of June 30, 1908, in the area of the Siberian river Podkamennaya Tunguska, a colossal explosion with a capacity of fifty megatons of TNT occurred, which is comparable to the power of the largest hydrogen bomb. As a result of the explosion, trees were toppled over an area of over two thousand square kilometers, and windows flew out of houses within a radius of several hundred kilometers from the epicenter.
Photos from open sources
The event, accompanied by an intense glow in the sky, was recorded by all observatories on the planet. According to the official version, it exploded over Siberia, but for some reason its debris was not found. Many experts suggest that it was not a meteorite that was to blame, but Russia’s testing of a secret weapon, or the experiments of the legendary physicist Nikola Tesla, or the tricks of aliens. To this day, this incident is shrouded in mystery, and world scientists are still scratching their heads over it.
Soviet cosmonauts, as pioneers of space research, had a hard time, because due to imperfect equipment, emergency situations arose very often. Space flights were further aggravated by the fact that our astronauts suffered from aliens who flew close to them. Many Soviet cosmonauts who returned from orbit reported that unidentified flying objects were approaching their ships.
