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Race, women and health · Claim record

Witness publications do counsel the destruction of possessions connected with spiritism. The 1995 study book Knowledge That Leads to Everlasting Life told readers to 'get rid of anything having spiritistic uses or overtones', including 'gifts received from practicers of spiritism', and a Questions From Readers ruling of April 2006 said it is 'imperative' for anyone harassed by demons 'to get rid of all objects related to spiritism'.

Claim ID claim-attitudes-spiritism-objects-counselConcerns 15 April 2006Explicit statement
Explicit statement · 15 April 2006 Verified

Witness publications do counsel the destruction of possessions connected with spiritism. The 1995 study book Knowledge That Leads to Everlasting Life told readers to 'get rid of anything having spiritistic uses or overtones', including 'gifts received from practicers of spiritism', and a Questions From Readers ruling of April 2006 said it is 'imperative' for anyone harassed by demons 'to get rid of all objects related to spiritism'. Knowledge That Leads to Everlasting Life, 1995The Watchtower, 15 April 2006Unseen Spirits—Do They Help Us? Or Do They Harm Us? (brochure), 1978

The organisation’s position or later explanation: The 1978 brochure Unseen Spirits gives the same counsel while arguing from Jeremiah 10:2-5 and Isaiah 44:14-20 that such objects have no power in themselves and should not be feared: 'just as a scarecrow cannot talk or walk or help or hurt anyone, the same is true of the images that men make and call sacred'.

Show the evidence (3 sources)
Primary JW publication Verified

Knowledge That Leads to Everlasting Life, “Chapter 12: Resist Wicked Spirit Forces”

1995 · pp.114-115 · par. 14 · Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania

“Even if you have not practiced spiritism, get rid of anything having spiritistic uses or overtones. This includes books, magazines, videos, posters, musical recordings, and objects used for spiritistic purposes. Also included are idols, amulets and other items worn for protection, and gifts received from practicers of spiritism.”

A study book used for Bible studies with new adherents. The paragraph applies the example of the Ephesians of Acts 19:19 and is followed by an experience from Thailand in which a couple 'got rid of objects associated with spiritism' and were relieved of demon harassment.

Official source

Provenance and verification note

Confidence note. Chapter read on the Watchtower Online Library on 19 September 2026; the page marker in the page's own HTML falls inside the second quoted sentence, after 'This includes books, magazines,', so that sentence runs from page 114 on to page 115.

Corroborated by. src-hlth-w-2006-0415-qfr-demon-relief

Notes. This formulation extends beyond a person's own former practices to gifts received from spiritists. It does not mention second-hand goods, house contents or purchases generally.

Accessed. 19 September 2026 · Source ID. src-hlth-kl-1995-ch12-get-rid

Primary JW publication Verified

The Watchtower, “Questions From Readers”

15 April 2006 · p.31 · Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania

“It is imperative for such ones to get rid of all objects related to spiritism. This includes books, magazines, movies, material from electronic sources, music recordings that have spiritistic overtones, as well as amulets or other items worn for “protection” or linked to spiritistic practices.”

A ruling answering 'If a person is being harassed by the demons, what can he do to get relief?' The answer combines prayer, Bible study and the disposal of spiritism-related objects, citing Acts 19:19 and Deuteronomy 7:25, 26.

Official source

Provenance and verification note

Confidence note. Full item read on the Watchtower Online Library on 19 September 2026; the page marker in the page's own HTML places it on page 31. Located through the 2006 annual index entry 'Relief from demon harassment, 4/15'.

Corroborated by. src-hlth-kl-1995-ch12-get-rid

Notes. The most recent Questions From Readers ruling located on this subject.

Accessed. 19 September 2026 · Source ID. src-hlth-w-2006-0415-qfr-demon-relief

Primary JW publication Verified

Unseen Spirits—Do They Help Us? Or Do They Harm Us? (brochure), “With Full Faith Take Action Now”

1978 · pp.41-42 · pars. 81-82 · Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania

“If we want Jehovah's friendship and protection we must break all connections and associations with spiritism in its many forms. That includes disposing of any objects that relate to spiritism. ... And God's Word shows that, just as a scarecrow cannot talk or walk or help or hurt anyone, the same is true of the images that men make and call sacred.”

The brochure urges readers to destroy objects connected with spiritism, citing the burning of the magical books at Ephesus in Acts 19:19, and at the same time argues from Jeremiah 10:2-5 and Isaiah 44:14-20 that such objects have no power of their own and should not be feared. The two quoted sentences are in paragraphs 81 and 82; the section runs on to page 47.

Official source

Provenance and verification note

Confidence note. Full section read on the Watchtower Online Library on 19 September 2026; the page markers in the page's own HTML place the first quoted sentence on page 41 (par. 81) and the second on page 42 (par. 82) — no page-43 marker intervenes. The ellipsis marks an omission of about 180 words. An earlier version of this record gave the second page as 44; that was wrong.

Corroborated by. src-hlth-kl-1995-ch12-get-rid, src-hlth-w-2006-0415-qfr-demon-relief

Notes. This is the publication the Watch Tower Publications Index 1930-1985 cites at 'Demonism — destroying objects related to: us 41-42, 44-47'.

Accessed. 19 September 2026 · Source ID. src-hlth-us-1978-destroy-objects

Claim page Correct or update

A direct link to this claim is https://jwtruth.org/evidence/claim-attitudes-spiritism-objects-counsel/. Every source above opens the original document or the best available copy. If you believe the wording, date or context is wrong, report an error.