The hexagram symbol on the right depicts the mandala of an important Tibetan Buddhist female deity.
I was having a discussion with a former tantric Buddhist practitioner, and it got me thinking about the popular notion that all roads lead to God and that it doesn’t matter whether or not one has practiced in occult traditions as long as they are trying to live virtuous lives. This idea is comforting to many, but from a theological standpoint, it is deeply flawed. Not all spiritual paths lead to God, and certain practices, no matter how well-intentioned, can take people further away from Him rather than closer.
The Illusion of “Enlightenment”
Many believe that high-level Buddhist teachers or gurus have a special ability to perceive the karma of others. This belief leads followers to trust their guidance blindly, assuming they possess supernatural wisdom. But from a theological perspective, what these figures claim to see and know is not divine insight but a form of spiritual deception. The power they wield does not come from God but from spiritual forces that oppose Him.
The very concept of enlightenment in Tibetan Buddhism is fundamentally at odds with Biblical teachings. In this system, enlightenment is not about growing closer to God, but about achieving a state of being that makes one a vessel for spiritual forces that are hostile to Him. The gurus who have attained the so-called spiritual height of “enlightenment” have not reached divine truth but have instead become “perfectly possessed” by the spirits that fuel the tantric path.
The Reality of Spiritual Pacts
Participation in tantric initiations is not merely symbolic. The promises made in these rituals have serious spiritual consequences. When one makes commitments during empowerments, even unknowingly, they are entering into agreements that give authority over their soul to forces that do not serve God.
This is not a matter of personal interpretation. The laws governing these spiritual transactions are real, and those who understand the theology behind them recognize that they operate within a strict legalistic framework. The idea that someone can engage with these practices while remaining spiritually “safe” is misguided. The demons involved do not care whether a person understands what they have agreed to; once the ritual is completed, the spiritual consequences are set in motion.
The False Hope of Virtue Alone
A common misconception in modern spiritual thought is that simply being a good or virtuous person is enough to secure salvation. But righteousness apart from God does not lead to eternal life. If someone is actively engaging in spiritual practices that align with forces opposed to God, no amount of virtue can undo that.
As written in Deuteronomy 18:10-12, “There shall not be found among you anyone who burns his son or his daughter as an offering, anyone who practices divination or tells fortunes or interprets omens, or a sorcerer or a charmer or a medium or a necromancer or one who inquires of the dead, for whoever does these things is an abomination to the Lord.” Tibetan Buddhism’s reliance on occult rituals, divination, and spirit invocations falls into this category.
This is why it is crucial to educate people about these realities. Many well-intentioned individuals are being led into spiritual traps without realizing it. They are promised wisdom, peace, or power, but in reality, they are binding themselves to forces that seek to separate them from God permanently.
The good news is that no one is beyond redemption. Those who have unknowingly or knowingly engaged in these practices can still turn back to Jesus Christ, who alone has the power to break these spiritual bonds. The key is to recognize the deception, reject it, and seek salvation in Christ alone.
Our responsibility is to share this knowledge with others, so they, too, can be set free. It is not enough to hope that people will figure it out on their own. We must share the truth and help guide others away from deception and into the light of God’s salvation.
Tantric Deception 