The following two testimonies may sound like two Christians sharing how they came to Christ. "I was looking for something to kind of fill my heart. Something was missing in my life and I wanted to find myself," said Maurice.

"Having been in my teens fairly recently, as you probably know it's a very trying time where we are reaching out for truth, and truth doesn't necessarily come to everybody in the same way," Austin said.

But these two teens didn’t decide to follow Jesus. No, Austin Bowles and Maurice Driver are talking about how they became devoted witches, or Wiccans. Wicca is an occult religion that is quickly gaining followers, especially among teenagers drawn by the lure of the supernatural.

One teen-aged boy said, "It's something no one else can do. Kind of a fantasy world for everyone."

One young woman in her early 20’s said, "A lot of people are searching for a higher kind of life, I guess. You know, being able to do things that normal people can't do."

That comes as little surprise to Kathi Sharpe, a former witch who is now a born-again Christian and the founder of Ex-Witch Ministries.

Sharpe said, "There's an element of being able to empower yourself through magic that was one of the things that really attracted me."

Kathi believes plot elements that include magic and sorcery are what have propelled Harry Potter to unprecedented fame. Harry Potter is the star of the popular children's books and movies that first appeared in 1999. About 30 million books and two movies later, the Potter craze is still in full swing.

"Harry Potter is a fiction book, but there are real occult elements in it, and it serves to strike an interest in a lot of kids," Sharpe said.

And while not everyone, including Christians, agrees with her on the negative impact of Harry Potter, what can not be disputed is the fact that sorcery and witchcraft are some of the hottest draws for young people.

A 2002 Barna Research study revealed 86 percent of kids watch supernatural-themed movies or television shows on a regular basis. And nearly 66 percent of teens say they have participated in at least one occult-oriented activity.

Experts say that interest in the occult is fed by video games, Internet sites and popular TV shows like "Charmed" and "Angel." Both programs regularly feature plots that revolve around demons and the occult.

And a recent flurry of books about witchcraft are targeted and designed especially for young readers. The book called Teen Witch: Wicca for a New Generation offers how-to instructions for curious kids. And it educates them about the beliefs and practice of sorcery. The book has sold more than 150,000 copies.

Austin said, "A lot of these kids are reaching out for something that is going to bring them God in a way… or the goddess in our terms."

Maurice said, "In Christianity, they are always saying ‘read the Bible,’ because it's like feeding your soul, it's like bread. It's the same with Wicca. The more I read, the more I'm feeding my soul, the more I meditate, the more I'm feeding my soul."

And parents of public school kids may not have a choice when it comes to their child reading controversial books like Harry Potter. "Harry Potter is required reading material in many schools now," Sharpe said.

The books have been promoted by Scholastic Incorporated, a curriculum provider in public schools for the last 80 years, and a company that reaches 32 million students a year.

And many Americans seem to agree with the idea of using Harry Potter books in schools. One woman said, "It shouldn't matter what book it is, so long as you get a child reading. You get them interested in one book, that opens up the door for more books."

Another young woman said, "I think any kind of reading is great. So I think that's definitely a good idea."

But Kathi Sharpe disagrees. She thinks that certain elements of pop-culture, like the Harry Potter products, really do play a role in stirring up interest in witchcraft among children.

And Maurice, as a practicing Wiccan, agrees. "Personally, I think it invokes curiosity, I do think it attracts them," he said.

If you go to large, well-known bookstores, just a few yards away from the Harry Potter display you will probably find a teen witch kit. One box the CBN News found actually converts into an altar and comes with a pentagram, a crystal and other tools, along with a how-to book — all designed to help curious kids on their way to casting spells and officially entering the world of witchcraft.

A young teen-aged girl said, "It would be neat to have [the witch kit]. I mean you get everybody together at a party, ‘Look what I got. Let's try it out.’ It would be pretty cool."

One mother said, "I don't know if I'd buy it because you just said the word witchcraft. I don't know, my son likes magic so, I don't know. If he wanted it, I'd more than likely buy it for him."

Another mom said, "Well, I'm a Christian, and I want my kids to be Christians. But, I don't know, I don't know anything about this... no, learn spells, no. I wouldn't want my kids doing that."

So why are these types of things such a danger for kids? Kathi Sharpe said, "The danger comes because it's Satan's great deception. Wicca is really dressed up to look very pretty."

Kathi says the reality is that occult religions like Wicca lead people away from what the Bible says about Jesus... that he is the only way to God.

When asked if he thought Jesus was the only way to God, Maurice said, "The only way to God, no. He's not the only way."

Austin said, "I believe it is a way. I don't believe it is the only way to truth."

Austin and Maurice say teens today are looking for something different. But Kathi believes different is just another way of saying young people want whatever makes them happy for the moment, without realizing the consequences of turning away from the truth of the Bible.

"For example if they want to be gay or they have a friend who is gay, well, Wicca affirms that and says it's okay to be gay," Sharpe said. "Or if they tend to be pro-choice and they see that the church is being anti-choice, well Wicca says it's okay to have an abortion."

Kathi says the bottom line is simple: what may seem like innocent fun can be a doorway into a dark world. And parents need to arm their kids with the truth.

"They need to be educating their kids," she said. "The same way parents talk to their kids about alcohol, talk to them about drugs, talk to them about pre-marital sex, they need to be telling their kids about the occult."

Source: CBN.com  http://www.cbn.com/CBNNews/News/031119a.asp