The "Occult"

A more value-neutral term is "paranormal". The term paranormal has become an umbrella term which includes extra-sensory perception, ghosts, unidentified flying objects, crop circles, alien abductions, poltergeists, Atlantis, Lemuria, reincarnation, and various other studies. None of these are necessarily either positive or negative; they just are. People who study the paranormal, the magical, and the mystical are in the vast majority of instances simply trying to help their own spiritual development, and are trying to learn how to help others through processes like aura cleanings, tarot readings, etc.

The term "occult" has become as heavily weighted with negativity as the term "homosexual". It tends to remind one of the same kind of mentality that has come up with negatively-weighted and prejudiced terms to describe people of different color, national origins or religion.Small minds fear that which is different, and assume that which is different is evil. What is evil they decide must be either completely controlled or, preferably, destroyed, all of which has led to some of the darkest episodes in human history.