Examples Of Satanic Panic Hysteria In The Media | The Alternative Religions Forum
20131022 – Satanism is on the rise: expert – “Satanism in South African schools is on the rise and incidents of that has puzzled communities. A learner was sentenced to 10 years for the murder of a friend in Randfontein. Three men and a minor are in court connection with the so-called satanic ritual killing of Kirsty Theologo. Yesterday a 17-year old Cape Town learner appeared at the Bellville Magistrate’s Court for an alleged satanic murder case of a 15-year-old from Ravensmead. Recently distressed learners and educators at Moreri Secondary school in Tseoge Village West of Vryburg in North West are plagued by what is believed to be satanic attacks. There is a visible trend, with the consequences more than just alarming. In our Bloemfontein Newsroom we are joined by the Director of AUKSANO Johan de Beer. They are a trauma centre that counsel people involved in sub-cults including Satanism and devil worshiping.” “Experts are concerned about the spike in acts of Satanism. They say the youth are easily drawn into cults due to various social pressures. The murder of 15-year-old Lee Adams on the Cape Flats last week has sent shock waves across the country. His decapitated body was found in an abandoned school near his home. According to Auksano trauma centre director Johan de Beer, more than three cases of satanism and devil worship are reported in the Western Cape alone every week. Auksano counsels people involved in sub-cults, including Satanism and devil worshiping. De Beer says there is a strong link between occult activities and gangsterism. The SABC’s Newsroom programme, aired live every weekday at 9am on channel 404, spoke to De Beer on Tuesday.”
1) NO proof is offered that the murder was linked to REAL religious beliefs. 2) NO proof that any kind of crimes that can be linked to real religious Satanism or other occult religions even EXISTS or as alleged, is increasing, is offered. 3) De Beer is presented as an “expert” despite having NO CREDENTIALS to warrant such alleged “expertise”. 4) Instead, the youth who is likely to have held beliefs relating to MYTHICAL “satanism” – a myth perpetuated by the SRA hysterics (including AUKSANO and the SAPS ORC of which De Beer was a member) is portrayed as a defacto “satanist” and the difference between the two is never clarified. 5) The religion of Satanism itself is being connected directly with crime as a stereotype. 6) Once this is understood by the reader, it clarifies very much that this sort of reporting is a) UNPROFESSIONAL b) UNETHICAL c) creates an INCOMPLETE picture and d) amount to nothing more than PROPAGANDA for those opposed to religious diversity and freedom. 7) A member of the Alternative Religions Forum noted that Auksano’s website has no credentials anywhere to be found. There’s nothing anywhere there that proves that they have any idea what they’re talking about, so how on earth can they be looked to as “experts”? You don’t hire a “professional chef” without making sure he can cook first, do you? He emailed them asking where are they getting the information that tells them that these crimes are ritualistic or linked to Satanism and such. Unsurprisingly, he never got a reply.
“Satanism in South African schools is on the rise and incidents of that has puzzled communities.” First of all, actual Satanism as a religion is protected by the South African Constitution which outlaws discrimination against people on the grounds of their religious beliefs. Therefore, to be a Satanist or to identify as such publicly is NOT a crime. Secondly, to what “incidents of that” do you refer, SABC? Do you have statistics of ANY crimes proved in a court of law to have been committed by Satanists or to show that there is an increase in numbers of students actually filling out their forms and indicating “Satanist” in the appropriate field for “religion”? No? So then we should accept this as just another example of shoddy journalism which generates interest in itself and pushes up sales and rankings by means of poorly researched and sensation-seeking articles…
20000917 – Die duiwel is los oor swart klere Skoolmaats bang vir meisies, maar hoof weet nog van niks – De Wet Potgieter – Rapport, Pretoria – “‘n Groep meisies van die Hoerskool Montana in Pretoria jaag hul skoolmaats behoorlik die skrik op die lyf met aansprake dat hulle sataniste is. ‘n Onderwyser het ook al na die groep van vyf leerlinge verwys as die “swart siele”. Besorgde ouers het Rapport genader oor die groep se bedrywighede en se hulle is bekommerd dat hul kinders in ‘n web van “heksery en die okkulte ingetrek” kan word. “Wat my slapelose nagte gee, is dat daardie groepie al groter word,” se ‘n ma wat anoniem wil bly om haar kind te beskerm. “Ons weet daar is ‘n God, maar ons haat Hom,’ spog die groep glo by die skool. Haar vriendin spog openlik dat sy ‘n “pagan” (‘n heidin) is en trots is daarop. “Toe sy nou die dag in die bus sit en rook, het ek gesien haar hande is met ‘n lemmetjie of iets stukkend gesny,” se een van die skoolkinders. Die groep het op Loslitdag soos seer vingers op die skoolterrein uitgestaan met die swart klere wat hulle aangehad het. Hulle dra ook altyd na skool swart klere. Rapport het ‘n onderhoud met ‘n groep skoolkinders oor die bedrywighede gevoer om vas te stel of dit net ‘n gier is of ‘n ernstiger betrokkenheid by die okkulte. Volgens die kinders gee die meisies hulle behoorlik die koue rillings. Wanneer een van die groep voel hulle is deur ‘n medeleerling te na gekom, probeer hulle glo om klossies hare van die kind in die hande te kry om – soos hulle se – ‘n vloek oor die kind te kan uitspreek. Een meisie se een van die groep het nou die dag langs haar in die skoolsaal gestaan terwyl hulle gewyde jeugliedere gesing het. “Sy het kliphard allerhande godslasterlike opmerkings gestaan en maak,” se die kind Van die kinders voel egter die groep is net daarop uit om aandag te trek. “Ek dink hulle is net ernstig op soek na liefde,” het een van die meisies opgemerk. Volgens die kinders noem die groep hulself die “Cradle of Filth”. Hul skooltasse en huiswerkboeke dra okkultiese embleme en van musiekkunstenaars soos Marilyn Manson, Kurt cobain en embleme uit die gewildie televisiereeks The Crow. “Wat my veral die horries gee is dat hulle jou nooit reguit in die oe kyk as ‘n mens met hulle praat nie,” se een van die kinders. “Hulle vermy oogkontak en kyk altyd grond toe.” Mnr. Wim Thuynsma, hoof van die skool, se hy weet nie van enige kinders by die skool wat by satanisme betrokke is nie. “Dit is sekerlik moontlik en ons ondersoek sulke goed as ons daarvan hoor, maar niemand het nog by my kom kla nie.” “As ek swart klere dra, is dit nie te se ek is ‘n satanis nie,” het hy bygevoeg. Dit is vir hom moeilik om op te tree teen kinder wat skool toe kom en hul werk doen. “Ek kan so ‘n kind mos nie sommer in die buitenste duisternis wil uitwerp nie.” Kapt. Rietta Everton, seksiehoof van die polisie se afdeling okkultverwante misdade, se sy sal graag met die lede van die groep wil gesels en probeer om hulle te help. Dit is ook vir haar belangrik om vas te stel of hulle uit nuuskierigheid met satanisme op die skouer rondloop “of reeds vasgevang is in die kloue van die donker wereld”. Everton waarsku dat dit deesdae moeilik vir skoolhoofde is om op te tree teen sulke praktyke, want satanisme as sodanig is nie ‘n misdaad nie. “‘n Streng hoof kan sulke kinders skors, maar loop gevaar om probleme te kry met die onderwysdepartement se godsdiensbeleid,” se Everton. Elke skool is egter geregtig om ‘n beleid met “skoolwette” op te stel waaraan die kinders hulle moet onderwerp. “In so ‘n geval kan probleemkinders soos sataniste voor die keuse gestel word: As jy nie belang stel in die skool se regulasies nie, is jy nie meer welkom hier nie.” Everton waarsku ook dat die misbruik van dwelms nou saam met satanisme loop. Kinders word sonder hul medewete dwelms ingegee en betrek by sataniese seksorgies. Daar word foto’s en video’s geneem waar sulke kinders bedwelmd aan seksorgies deelneem. Hulle word daarna vir die res van hul lewe daarmee afgedreig. “Satanisme is ‘n geloof wat geskoei word op seks, misdaad en moord,” se Everton. Vrees en onderlinge wantroue is nog ‘n kenmerk van satanisme. Everton se mense moet net daarteen waak om nie elkeen wat graag swart klere dra, as ‘n satanis of duiwelsaanbidder te beskou nie. Wanneer kinders egter swart klere dra en aan skoolmaats vertel hulle haat God en is lief vir Satan, moet die gevaarligte begin flikker. dpotgiet@rapport.co.za”
1) This is another example of Afrikaans-culture-focused propaganda perpetuating falsehoods, myths and stereotypes including the wearing of black clothing, the “evils” of rock music, linking of “sex orgies” and drug abuse to “satanism”. 2) In most cases such as this, typical teenage rebellious behavior is linked with convenience to “legend tripping” or mythical “satanism”. 3) This sort of reporting does nothing more than to encourage paranoia and fearfulness in parents who are uneducated about real occult religions and their practices.