Thursday, May 14, 2026

Is the Supernatural in the Bible Paranormal?


Christianity, especially the Catholic variety, I've come to realize, is very much part of what secular culture refers to as the paranormal.

 

This realization makes me uneasy. The paranormal of our secular, cultural milieu consists of ghosts, demons, poltergeists, pervasive evil, and vile reports of demonic possession. Generally, Christianity wants nothing to do with any of that...at least the kind of Christianity into which Pam and I were raised—Evangelical verging on Fundamentalism. 


That background made me slow to realize that the Judeo-Christian religion, in both the Old and New Testaments and everyday practice, is permeated with a great deal of paranormal activity. And now that we're Catholic, we've grown used to saints hovering about our heads on an hourly basis. 


As I look back on my life, even my career as a physicist training NASA astronauts, I have always believed in angels and demons, and everything that accompanies both milieus.

 

Despite my sheltered Christian life growing up, the secular world's understanding of the paranormal milieu never shocked me. If I ever thought much about it, which I rarely did, I just thought it was incomplete and immature. As a junior at a Christian college, living in an old campus house that resembled a fraternity, beer and Greek letters over the front door were not allowed unless it was a quote from the Greek New Testament about Jesus making wine. (I always wondered if Jesus ever sampled the wine he made. WDYT? I digress.)  My roommate was a mathematician who became a celebrated professor at a major university. Yet, across the hall was a room full of sociology majors who began experimenting with a Ouija Board. It didn't turn out well for them, and an ambulance was called. I believed in all that stuff as much as the Devil believes in God. He does, but stays away from the Almighty, and I did, but stayed away from the occult. 


But in just the last year, the realization of how Christianity and the paranormal are bedfellows (can I say that?), came to the forefront when I struck a deal with Defiance Press to help with the distribution and marketing of my historical novel, Wizard Clip Haunting (WCH). The first edition (published through my niche entity Nineveh's Crossing) sold several hundred copies in various formats. But something was missing, not necessarily from the novel, but from my ability to reach an audience. It may be too haunting for Catholics and too Catholic for horror fans. 


Lisa Woodward, Director of Publishing at Defiance, quickly recognized the flaw in my thinking. Defiance's motto is: "Rooted in Faith. Driven by Patriotism. Published with Purpose."  I thought my target audience was American historians and Catholics, although I actually knew Catholics were not my audience, since, for the most part, Catholics don't read. I also thought WCH might be part of the horror genre, but I was not a horror consumer and was ignorant of how to approach such readers.


Lisa understood the obvious, of which I was oblivious. WCH is infused with descriptions of historically documented Early American paranormal activity. That the paranormal audience was a vast and large community, I had no idea.

 

Paranormal activity is "purported or imagined phenomena...beyond the scope of normal scientific understanding" (Wikipedia) — telepathy, premonitions, clairvoyance, demonology, exorcisms, ghosts and ghost hunting, occultism, telekinesis, apparitions, spiritism, miracles, precognition, and various poltergeist activity.

 

Being trained as a laboratory and theoretical physicist, and working at NASA, some might conclude that the paranormal was not normal to my way of thinking. But, as I've mentioned, I was also a devout Christian, and the spiritual world was existentially real to me. God, angels, the Devil, demons, contemplation, and prayer were very much part of my life.

 

Thus, I approached the documented historical events surrounding Adam Livingston and his farm (and my WCH fictionalization of them) as real, while the term "paranormal" took on a sense of fantasy rather than reality.

 

Yet, in the past week, in anticipation of my new trilogy edition of WCH to be released by Defiance Press, Lisa launched a pre-publication marketing campaign to an industry I did not know existed. 

 

Paranormal investigations and investigators of the supernatural have flourished for centuries. Most notably, in 1944, Lorraine Rita Moran (16) met Ed Warren (17) at the local playhouse, where Ed was an usher. A year later, they were married. Both Roman Catholics had little trouble believing in spirits and were convinced that people who were weak in their faith would be subjected to demonic influences and even possession. 

 

In 1952, the Warrens founded the New England Society for Psychic Research (NESPR), which is the oldest ghost-hunting group in New England. And the rest, they say, is history for the cult-like community of paranormal researchers and investigators in the United States.

 

To help attract that crowd, Lisa put a tag line on the cover of my books: "Before Amityville, Before the Warrens...there was Wizard Clip."  If you haven't guessed, "The Amityville Horror" story and the Warrens live at the heart of paranormal investigations. Lisa knew that, but I didn't. 

 

What I did know, but did not associate with "paranormal activity," was all the scientifically unexplained events and stories described throughout Judeo-Christian scriptures and literature. The Bible is filled with paranormal activity. In the Old Testament, we have Noah's premonition to build an ark that took 120 years, the plagues of Egypt, Moses parting the Red Sea, Elijah disappearing into the sky aboard a fiery chariot, the walls of Jericho falling down, Joshua commanding the sun to stand still during a battle against the Amorites, and a host of other strange events. In the New Testament, we have a myriad of miracles performed by Jesus and the Apostles—healings, food production, raising the dead, prophecies, Christ's resurrection, and the vast and pervasive descriptions in John's Revelation. Although a few have tried (Immanuel Velikovsky comes close), scientific explanations are hard to come by. Then, in modern history, we have the apparitions of saints witnessed by thousands, especially Mary; the bilocation of saints like Padre Pio; apparitions of angels like St. Michael (see my documentary, Angel Quest); and an untold number of visions and miraculous answers to prayer. 

 

The merging in my mind of these two seemingly diverse disciplines (science and spirit) was aided by my understanding that there is no contradiction between natural science and the Bible—both are simply different expressions of truth, goodness, and beauty by the same author.

 

Thus, while investigating and writing WCH, everything that happens in the story (at least to me) is scientifically and spiritually cogent. They are all a normal part of reality, though one that science cannot explain. 

 

So, there you are: Wizard Clip Haunting—a case study of paranormal activity in American history.

 

Lisa is lining up interviews for me with podcasters who normally interview paranormal investigators, some who claim to be clairvoyants, mediums, psychics, and animists. I am none of those, all forbidden by Judeo-Christian morals. But I've been forced to reconsider that within the rubrics of Christianity, I am most certainly a paranormal investigator and believer in the supernatural. My YouTube documentary, Angel Quest, is a good example. It was a pilgrimage of investigation into the line of St. Michael monasteries and an investigation into the apparitions and supernatural activities that can easily be classified as angelic paranormal phenomena. 


ADDENDUM

Transcription from an IG post from Amanda Arrows


Why Does Catholicism Look Occult?


[Amanda's post begins with a video of a Catholic Spanish street procession featuring hundreds of robed and hooded men carrying large platforms adorned with heavily symbolic statues on their shoulders. Some men wear tall, pointy white hats; others wear black silk robes and hoods. The caption says it all: "This looks and feels demonic..."]


In rapid fire, Amanda explains:

"I understand I get it, the candles the incense, the relics the priest and robes, the prayers that sound like we might be talking to the dead...if  you have a very basic surface level understanding of Catholicism, I understand your confusion. But the reason why the occult and Catholicism look similar to an outsider is because the occult only imitates what is sacred. Satan does not invent, he counterfeits." (Amanda lifts into view a white mug with an image of Our Lady decoratively imprinted on the front (she sells them...it's a product placement...but Amanda doesn't slow down.) "And the only reason why he has something to counterfeit is because something real exists to begin with. Here's the difference. The occult tries to access or control hidden powers for human gain, but Catholicism is not about control, it doesn't try to control anything. It's about complete surrender, surrendering your entire existence to God through Christ. I'm going to throw out a few examples [with visual inserts]. Candles for the occult are used for magic, but in Catholicism it's (they're) actually a visible prayer. Rituals for the occult are for manipulation; they are for personal gain. In Catholicism, it (ritual) is all about ordered worship [nice pix of the TLM]. The occult may use relics as physical objects, maybe gems something like that, that (supposedly) hold power or they even are seen as enchanted. The relics that we have in Catholicism are honored because of God's work in them. All of that, what I am trying to say, is that the focus is always on God, his authority, his will. And the only reason why it may look similar on the outside is because the occult is always trying to distort the sacred. Why do you think so many horror movies are based on Catholicism, and what we have is sacred? They're distorting it. Catholicism does not borrow from darkness. Darkness looks like Catholicism because it is the counterfeit of what is sacred. If I can sum this whole thing up, it would be a quote from Saint Augustine. He said (paraphrasing), "The human heart was made for God, and when it does not find the real thing, it reaches for substitutes." The occult fills a god-shaped void with darkness, and the Catholic Church fills it with truth, beauty, and light, and only ever points us towards the goodness and grace of God." 

Tuesday, March 3, 2026

Purim, Persia, Esther and Operation Epic Fury

My wife, Pam, sent the following image to me—a page marked up from her Living Bible years ago. I've added the red highlights on March 2, 2026. Contemporary history will tell the full story.  Operation Epic Fury began on February 28, 2026, the same date we find beginning in Esther, Chapter 9.  CLICK ON THE IMAGE TO ENLARGE AND READ IT EASIER.




Thursday, February 12, 2026

Why the Epstein Files are Heavily Redacted and Potentially Protecting Predators

 Many online sleuths accuse AG Pam Bondi and the DOJ of protecting predators by redacting their names from various Epstein files released documents.  Here is an explanation from (please note) typically liberal leaning news sources like PBS and NPR. The following text is a Google (also liberal) AI output.

Based on the Epstein Files Transparency Act and Department of Justice (DOJ) protocols as of early 2026, the legal reasons for redacting names of suspected sex abusers—even when they are not victims—include protecting personal privacy, safeguarding active investigations, and complying with narrow statutory exceptions.
While the law prohibits redactions solely to prevent embarrassment or protect the reputation of public figures, the following legal grounds allow for names to be blacked out: (PBS)
1. Protection of Victims and Minors
  • Preventing "Collateral" Identification: In some cases, suspected perpetrators are redacted because their names are inextricably linked with the personally identifiable information (PII) of a victim.
  • Protecting Victim-Participants: Some individuals who were trafficked or abused as minors (and are thus victims) were later forced to act as participants in trafficking. Redacting their names often falls under the legal requirement to protect victims.
  • Privacy Rights: The law permits redaction to avoid a "clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy".
2. Safeguarding Active Investigations
  • Ongoing Prosecutions: The DOJ is legally allowed to withhold information that could jeopardize active federal investigations or pending prosecutions.
  • Cooperating Witnesses: Redactions are used to protect the identities of individuals currently cooperating with law enforcement.
3. Statutory Exceptions and Privileges
  • Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM): The law specifically bars the release of any materials depicting the sexual abuse of children.
  • Attorney-Client/Work-Product Privilege: Approximately 200,000 pages were reportedly redacted based on various legal privileges, including documents reflecting attorney-client communications or legal strategy.
  • Information Authorized to be Secret: Some information is withheld if it was authorized to be kept secret in the interest of national security or foreign policy.
Controversy over Redactions
Lawmakers (including Reps. Ro Khanna and Thomas Massie) have criticized the DOJ for over-redacting, noting that names of suspected "co-conspirators" or "enablers" were initially redacted despite the transparency law, although some of these redactions were later removed after congressional review. The DOJ has acknowledged that in the massive volume of documents, some redaction errors occurred, in some cases accidentally revealing the identities of victims.



Monday, December 8, 2025

The Rewards of Perseverence

Parable of the Sower by Jacopo Bassano
Below is an interpretation of the Parable of the Sower derived from Dr. Tim Gray’s Reflection on the Gospel reading for 29 Sept 2025 (Luke 8:4-15).

I have heard this parable hundreds of times. I understood the literal metaphor that described the different types of soil, or groups of persons who are exposed to the Gospel and either reject it (the first three sowings), or accept it (the fourth sowing). 

 

But Gray makes it so much more personal and applicable to me in my current situation.

 

The fourth sowing.

Of the fourth sowing, Matthew writes: “...they are the ones who, when they have heard the word, embrace it with a generous and good heart, and bear fruit through perseverance.” (NAB)

 

The Three Metaphor Representations

(1) The seeds represent proclamations of truth. (2) The sower represents the people proclaiming truth (the Good News). (3) The soil represents the people who hear the truth. 

 

1st Level Meaning

Hearers of the word must persevere through trials with good and generous hearts if they are to bear fruit (and be saved). 

 

2nd Level Meaning

The trials or obstacles hearers must persevere through are described by the first three sowings:

 

a. The time and effort it takes to imbue faith in one’s own life in the midst of a pagan society’s bombastic lies and corruption  (the birds of the sky that eat the seeds).

 

b. The time and effort it takes to defend oneself and grow roots in times of persecution and avoiding falling away from the faith (the rocky ground where roots could not grow and faith withered for lack of moisture).

 

c.  The time and effort it takes to weed out anxiety, worry, destructive distractions, worldly pleasures, and false promises (the thorns and thistles that choke off the seed’s growth).

 

This is where it got personal with me. But after years of spending most of my retirement savings developing, producing, and distributing media, I can measure little effect, influence, or revenue. 

 

I believe many, many people (in various industries) are in similar predicaments. 

 

It’s here that the Parable of the Sower may have some meaning. 

 

3rd Level Meaning

Sowers of the word must persevere through trials with good and generous hearts if they are to bear fruit and be a positive influence on the lost. 

 

4th Level Meaning

The trials or obstacles sowers must persevere through are described by the first three sowings:

 

a. It takes time and effort of the sower to influence faith in another’s life, especially in the midst of a pagan society’s bombastic lies and corruption  (the birds of the sky that eat the seeds).

 

b. It takes time and effort of the sower for their efforts to take root in times when the sower’s efforts are hampered by persecution and their faith is challenged (the rocky ground where roots could not grow and faith withers for lack of moisture).

 

c.  It takes time and effort to weed out the sower’s own anxiety, worry, destructive distractions, worldly pleasures, and false promises (the thorns and thistles that coked off the seed’s growth).


Wednesday, November 5, 2025

Early Reviews for TIGER's HOPE

Here are three early reviews for my short Catholic Edge novel, Tiger's Hope. My thanks to those below and the 15 others who promised to read and review it.  To read more about the novel based on real events, watch the two trailer videos, or to purchase here's the LINK or click on the image at right.

Absolutely Beautiful and Unforgettable.

Tiger’s Hope is one of those rare novels that stays with you long after you finish it. It’s raw, emotional, and deeply human — a story about faith, love, and what it truly means to be a mother. Tiger, a blues singer who can’t have children, finds herself caught in a heartbreaking IVF mix-up that tests everything she believes in. The story moves from tragedy to grace with such honesty that I found myself crying one chapter and smiling the next. Stanley D. Williams writes with warmth, wisdom, and a cinematic touch that makes every scene come alive. The ending is powerful, redemptive, and beautifully earned. If you love stories about hope, courage, and the mysterious ways love finds us, you’ll fall in love with Tiger’s Hope.
—Henry Ede

 

Good Story and IVF Eye Opener

Tiger's Hope handles a difficult and controversial subject with true-to-life characters, woven through an engaging plot that Williams brings to a masterful climax. This book is unique if for no other reason than it tackles the much-debated topic of in-vitro fertilization and does so with great realism. Tiger's Hope is at once entertaining and provocative.
—Dr. Miller

 

Good Characters & Plenty of Twists

Tiger's Hope is an engaging novel about a hot-button topic in today's news--IVF. Along with telling a good story composed of many twists and turns in the plot, it also does a good job explaining the IVF procedure which I daresay most people are unaware of and its far-reaching consequences. The author includes the moral and religious aspects of IVF intertwined in a good read. It is a solid story and is highly informative. It's scary to think that it was based on real life events!
—CL