Let’s face it, dark forces are often—perhaps more often than not—behind “viral” public personas and their “charisma.”

One is led to ponder that when a person or thing bolts suddenly to prominence of a nearly inexplicable magnitude.

The best recent example (need she any introduction?): the performer Taylor Swift.

Taylor Swift has curiously surrounded herself with the occult, simultaneous with a rise in total media dominance.

Nowhere, even in the now-totally fragmented profligate array of media (professional and amateur), can one go without seeing her brand.

Concert jammed with tens of thousands in Argentina? Swift. Music video at a television award? Swift. Championship football game (and soon Super Bowl)? Swift. Swift and boyfriend. Swift, Swift. Magazines and newspapers? Podcasts? Swift. Social media (Twitter, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube)? And now politics?

This near-omnipresence, one must point out, seems adjoined to spiritual elements.

Notice how Taylor recently went beyond mere mega-stardom after a video of her praying it up in a witchy way and having her sidekicks adorned in the robes of druids. Fame is one thing, but why the sudden astronomical notoriety?

One can look to the Bible for explanations. Satan is “ruler of this world,” “prince of the power of the air,” and a major test of life is the test of the desert. That is, the devil can grant us great worldly success and does so if we sell our souls to his kingdom or at least compromise.

As we all know, especially approaching Lent, Satan offered Jesus whatever He might desire—any kingdom—if the Lord would follow him.

One of those kingdoms is the entertainment industry (it’s said Lucifer had been an angel in charge of music), and Taylor’s eyes have it. Her costumes have it. Her dominance has it. She may be a very good person, a kind person, God alone will judge, but one can fret that she is unknowingly deceiving our young.

Many are those who have similarly blasted into public prominence due to the dark false charisma of the enemy. Elvis? He had one of the world’s largest collections of occult books and saw “UFOs” throughout his life. John Lennon? Two alien visitations. (Widow Yoko Ono once released an album if her own called “Yes, I Am A Witch.”)

Michael Jackson?

One of his closest friends was psychic Uri Geller.

And what about that Rolling Stones song, “Sympathy for the Devil”?

The list is long.

And the charisma is as potent as it is persistent.

The most extreme example was Hitler, who, as a youth, had fits of epileptic-like trance, embraced occult symbols, complained of seeing a dark figure in his bedroom, and ended up possessing an entire nation.

We have folks who do the same, and this is not in reference to Swift but others who are equally or more deceived and deceptive (bewitching even the elect). Focus on money (as in those mega-churches) or lust or hatred, and success is viral.

It’s not to judge Swift herself as evil or good or (as with most of us earthlings) in-between. We all have “logs” in our own eyes. Best to consider those before looking for “specks” in the eyes of others.

But this poor woman is dabbling with stuff she does not understand.

As one perceptive blogger complained on Reddit:

“In light of the absolutely unprecedented number of records being shattered this week, and also the literal chokehold Taylor Alison Swift seems to have on the world right now, I think it’s time we let the cat out of the bag and talk about the sinister side of the Swiftian kingdom that we have been collectively sweeping under the rug for eras now.

“Simply put, Taylor Swift is a witch … and I can prove it.

“The Midnights album is a brazen move from Swift, who’s been quietly manifesting supreme god-like powers for years now through repeat “releases” of her own brand of magick spells and incantations to her growing hoard of banshees (more commonly known as “swifties”).

“But Taylor has been actively trying to tell the world she is a master of the dark arts since 1989 (the album, but I think this is also open to interpretation). With songs like Blank Space openly conjuring a purported ‘next mistake’ through mystical chants of ‘magic, madness, heaven, sin.'”

Most upsetting: her video called “Willow.”

Said Newsweek (making light, of course, at the occult innuendoes): “The 12-time Grammy Award winner has been fending off sorcery and witchcraft rumors for the past several weeks as she travels the world on her sixth concert tour. While critics have slammed the singer, accusing her of promoting witchcraft, fans have shared viral TikTok clips describing Swift as looking like she’s doing a spell with her coven during performances of the song ‘Willow.'”

“In Taylor Swift’s ‘Willow’ music video, she includes occult worship, a troubling practice being normalized in culture across numerous forms of media,” says Movieguide, a family guide to movies and entertainment in general.

“The “Willow” music video follows Swift as she tries to connect with her lover. Something always stands in their way, and they are forced to escape to different time periods where they attempt to connect again. The scenes for the first two verses find Swift in a forest and a 1920s bar before the third scene takes place during cult worship around a campfire. The inclusion of the campfire witchcraft scene is confusing, as it was unnecessarily added onto lyrics it has zero relevance to. Nonetheless, it provides another worrying example of the way witchcraft and pagan worship are being pushed into pop culture and becoming normalized.  Swift has continued to tie witchcraft to this song during her Eras Tour, donning ritualistic garb while performing the song, and having her backup dancers wear capes.”

That’ll do it, Taylor.

Just watch that what you’ve sold isn’t a piece of your soul, dear mega-superstar. And the fragmented souls of tens of millions of your obsessed (hear the “hiss” in that verb?) fans.

[Let us pray: Lord Jesus, open the eyes of the youth of our time. Rescue them from the enemy. Help Taylor change and lead the young onto the right path, not the pagan one, not the irreligious, anti-religious, or anti-Christian one. Saint John Bosco, intercede for youth, and you rescued so many young in your day. Lord, help our dear children at this time of such darkness, confusion, and deception.”]

[resources: Michael Brown online retreat, 2/10]