Mormons are always telling us that the witchcraft and ritual magic that the Joseph Smith, Sr., family indulged in was common to most Americans in the nineteenth century. Don't know about others, but my ancestors never engaged in any occult rituals. The Smith family was deeply involved in the occult, to the point where their practices most likely did conjure up demons from the Satanic realm of darkness. Apparently, Joe, Jr., was a special host for these enti ties, and engaged in many magic/occult practices such as astrology, dowsing, crystal gazing, and finally telling ritual "lies" (that which the Bible calls "lying wonders" in 2 Thess. 2:8) which form the foundation of Mormonism. Lucy Mack Smith admitted that the family collectively engaged in occult activities in her book:
"Let not the reader suppose that because I shall pursue another topic for a season that we stopt our labor and went at trying to win the faculty of Abrac [,] drawing Magic circles or sooth saying [sic] to the neglect of all kinds of buisness [.W]e never during our lives suffered one important interest to swallow up every other obligation but whilst we worked with our hands we endeavored to remmember [sic] the service of & the welfare of our souls."
What are magic circles? Here is some information:
The Magic Circle.
A Consecrated Circle in which Great feats of Magical Operations are performed
It is a Sacred space set aside for Ceremonies and Rituals of High Magic. I am not going to go into major detail here. I am going to give you just the basics for your curiosity.
Within the circle one can transcend the physical world and take the mind to deeper and higher levels of consciousness. It acts as a protection barrier from all Evil and unwanted En***ies. From within this Magical Circle the Magician can Invoke and or conjure up any Demon or Angelic being that is desired for their bidding. Now take note that the En***ies are conjured to appear outside of the circle and into the Triangle of the Solomon (Triangle of the Art). The Magic Circle is for the Magician to stand in along with those who might wish to witness a Magical operation as such. The Circle must always be cleansed and Consecrated to make it a Sacred Protection barrier.
Here is the link, and pictures of these magic circles the Smiths were so fond of:
http://www.spellsandmagic.com/Magic_Circle.html
This occult involvement no doubt led directly to the fact that the realm of darkness was able to use Joe Smith as a tool - a tool to attack the Church founded by the Lord Jesus Christ. A tool to produce false revelations. A tool who thought he had done a greater work than Jesus! A tool to sexually stalk young teenage girls and married women, and call it holy! This is what involvement with the occult does to those who involve themselves in it.
Mormonism is an occult religion, and this is why Christians must be equipped to deal with it by the power of the Holy Spirit:
"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." Eph. 6:12.
Mormonism is the fruit of occult contact in the 19th century - and has grown exponentially in a world which has turned its back on the True and Living God, and willingly embraced the lures of the New Age, Eastern Mysticism, and idolatry!