What Do You Say?
Some people believe videos games, movies and TVs open portals for demons to enter our homes when we watch horror shows and movies. Candace Cameron Bure, a devout Christian actress, is one celebrity who is concerned about what she identifies as portals into our homes.
She may have had Ephesians 4:24 in mind when she spoke recently during the “Candace Cameron Bure Podcast.” The verse says, Do not give the devil a foothold.
Joining her during the show were her son Lev, 25, and pastor and writer Jonathan Pokluda. Pokluda is lead pastor at Harris Creek Baptist church in Waco, TX, and author of the best-selling Welcome to Adulting and other books.
Bure first gained prominence as a child actor, when she appeared in the television comedy “Full House.” She also appeared in “Fuller House” on Netflix more recently and is well-known for starring in numerous made-for-television mysteries on the Hallmark channel. She has since left that network in favor of Great American Family.
The actress is an outspoken Christian who gave her life to Christ at age 12. She is married to former pro hockey player Val Bure, and they have three grown children.
Bure recently said she doesn’t want her adult children or anyone else to watch scary movies in her home. She sees television and horror movies as opportunities for people to open portals for demons.
Demonic Content
“Like if you’re watching this or playing this video game, or whatever, there’s a portal that could let stuff inside our home,” she said.
Pokluda agreed, saying the devil tries to disguise demonic content. Satan wants you to tell yourself that you won’t be affected by it, the pastor said. He added that he knows actors who have performed actual spells while making movies.
“They’re like real spells,” Pokluda stressed. “I’ve heard witches actually sound the alarm saying, ‘Hey, this is not okay, guys. You’re messing around with stuff. You don’t know what you’re messing around (with).’”
Pokluda has been a devout Christian since his early 20s. He is married, and he and wife Monica are the parents of three children. The couple’s mission is to “inspire young adults to radically follow Jesus Christ and unleash them to change the world.
Demons in Culture
What should we make of demons? Do they really exist? Can televisions really open portals for demons?
People in some cultures – such as Muslim, Pakistani, Indian and Hindu – believe in the existence of demons, as do some Christians. And Americans are increasingly drawn to movies, television shows, video games and other entertainment about evil spirits and other supernatural entities.
In the past few years, a growing number of films have featured demon-related plots. A short list includes Annabelle (2014), Demonic (2015), The Witch (2015), Annabelle: Creation (2017), The Nun (2018), The Exorcism of God (2021), Prey for the Devil (2022), The Nun II (2023) and The Exorcism (2024). The list could go on and on and on….
A 2023 independent film especially goes to the heart of Candace Cameron Bure’s fears. The film is Late Night with the Devil, which concerns a late night talk show host who inadvertently unleashes evil into American homes when his Halloween special “goes horribly wrong.”
Biblical Demons
The Bible portrays demons as fallen angels who oppose God, which is probably one reason Bure opposes horror movies. Other Christians disagree with the actress, saying demons are symbols of evil rather than real entities.
1 Timothy 4:1-2 says: Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, through the insincerity of liars who consciences are seared….”
James 2:19 tells us: You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe – and shudder!” And Luke 4:33-37 recounts the story of a man possessed by a demon. Christ orders the demon to come out of the man, and the demon does so.
Negative Effects
Whether or not demons are real, Candace Cameron Bure has raised an issue that warrants discussion. Watching horror movies and television shows and playing certain video games can have negative effects, according to some mental health experts.
Scary entertainment can frighten young children and other susceptible people by putting terrifying images in their minds. It can disrupt your sleep, induce paranoia, increase anxiety, and make violence entertaining.
“Even the post-horror euphoria some feel is activating, not relaxing,” according to Dr. Pamela Rutledge, director of the Media Psychology Research Center. She says that the euphoria may put you on an emotional roller coaster that disrupts sleep.
But she also says horror-based entertainment can help some people release anxiety and other negative emotions and fears. She is quoted in Healthline as saying, “Generally, people who watch horror films tend to enjoy them for a variety of reasons, so for most viewers, it is a positive impact.”
Psychology professor Nancy Forbes explains that watching horror shows releases “our fight or flight center of the brain…. You expend all of that energy with the fearful emotions and there is kind of a release of some sort that could result in a sort of relaxed state afterward. Maybe.”
Even Demons Believe in God – and Tremble
God tells us to focus on whatever is pure, excellent or praiseworthy in Philippians 4:8, and I try to follow that teaching.
Personally, I live my life without giving much thought to demons. I’ve given them more thought in the last few days than I have in years. And that’s only because I decided to write about them after reading Candace Cameron Bure’s concerns that horror shows may open portals to demons.
I’m not a fan of horror movies and shows and never have been. Why waste an hour or two of my life watching garbage? I have other more positive things to occupy my time. I also don’t use Ouija boards, attend seances or cast spells on people. Those forms of entertainment have never interested me or been part of my life.
More importantly, I’m a Christian who believes God is greater than any evil entities that may exist, and the Bible repeatedly says he is my protector.
I know that evil exists. At times, it seems to overwhelm our world. But I have a strong faith in God and am convinced he will prevail.
The New Testament book of James expresses my thoughts quite well. It says, You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe – and tremble (James 2:19).
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