SATANISM: The Acid Test

469 Pages·2013·2.87 MB·English

ABOUT 1
The Alternate Religions & Subcultures
Demystification Project
Presents:
“SATANISM: The Acid Test”
Version 01.01
(MAIN DOCUMENT)
ABOUT
This document was sourced, contributed to, compiled and researched by
volunteer members of the Alternative Religions Forum.
What Is The Alternative Religions Forum?
The group was formed in March 2013 by a number of individuals and
community based organizations concerned about the rise in Satanic Ritual
Abuse claims, misinformation, misrepresentation and related hysteria in South
African civil society and media.
The aim of this group is to set the record straight through activism and
advocacy, and by the provision of factual and educational information about
minority or alternative religions, sub-cultures and communities which are
frequently accused in SRA propaganda of being “Satanism”, and also to
debunk the mythical “Satanism” created and propagated by SRA propaganda,
and to expose “Satanic panic” for its malicious and vindictive lies.
Who Is The Alternative Religions Forum?
Initial membership included the South African Pagan Rights Alliance (SAPRA)
and the South African Vampyre Alliance (SAVA) along with individual activists
in their respective fields:
“United In Our Diversity In Pursuit Of Our Common Interests”
Version 01.00
2 ABOUT
What Is This Document?
This is “The Alternate Religions & Subcultures Demystification Project” – a
document which is intended to clarify misunderstandings about alternative or
non-mainstream religions or sub-cultures which are frequently being conflated
with Satanism; and to clarify confusion around Satanism as a religion itself.
Who Is It For?
EVERYONE, including journalists, ministers, airline pilots, school principals,
teachers, social workers, Dept of Education MEC’s, store clerks, vicars, bank
tellers, CEO’s, cooks, employees, property managers, taxi drivers, priests,
racing drivers, Zulu monarchs, academics, train conductors, street sweepers,
meter maids, employment agents, postmen, nosy neighbors, Councilors,
pastors, shoppers, lawyers, sales assistants, college professors, policemen,
antique collectors, pizza deliverers, politicians, couriers, property owners,
shrinks, employers, evangelists, union reps, shop stewards, soldiers,
managers, buyers, radio DJ’s – and YOU.
Who Is It By?
The information presented was written or collected and compiled by members
of the Project representing Pagan religion, Satanist religion and the Vampyre
subculture. The material was reviewed by representatives of several South
African Pagan bodies, Satanists, and of the local Vampyre subculture.
Numerous other entities around the world have also contributed their input
and endorsement of the content and presentation of this material in its present
form.
Why Does It Matter?
It is a sad and frightening fact that fear and ignorance about the unknown –
specifically about the beliefs and practices of other people frequently leads to
persecution, prejudice and victimization of minority groups. Around the world
there are abundant examples of innocent people who have been wronged,
those who have spent years in prison based not on facts but on prejudiced
views. Children have been counseled until they "recover" memories of sexual
and ritualized torture at the hands of alleged devil worshipers etc. In South
Africa there are currently cases pending where parents feuding over custody
of their children have claimed their opposing former partners are unfit parents
based on their beliefs and religious practices – and the courts demonstrate a
tainted and biased view that says in so many words that the LAW thinks
Pagans are unfit parents who expose their children to "harmful practices", that
Pagan religion IS a harmful practice, and that being a Pagan parent is
grounds to lose custody of your children and that children living in a Pagan
home need therapy. There is unjust, not to mention unconstitutional. The only
logical solution is to educate with the aim of dislodging prejudice.
“United In Our Diversity In Pursuit Of Our Common Interests”
Version 01.00
ABOUT 3
Accreditation & Endorsement
The content of each section of this site and/or document which focuses on a
specific religion or subculture is validated and signed off by representative
bodies or entities within that specific group in order to verify that the content
and manner in which the group is represented or portrayed is true and correct.
In this way as a combined project, we give credence to the material that we
are either jointly or severally the topic of – something that not even a generally
credible, impartial information resource like Wikipedia does.
Further, after completion, external accreditation of specific sections AND of
the project as a whole will be sought from entities who have not participated in
this project directly, regardless of whether they form part of these
communities. A list of bodies giving accreditation or endorsement will be
provided at the end of this document.
Validation Of The Current Version:
This document is designed to be updated and so the current version of the
document or content of the website may vary or be changed from time to time,
as and when new information or newly added alternative religious groups or
subcultures is included. Changes will be kept to a minimum, and the intention
is only to make such changes whenever a new religious group or subculture is
added to the Project, without modifying the content of existing sections on
religions or subcultures, in order to ensure consistency.
To verify whether you have the current version, please consult the Alternative
Religions Forum website at http://alternatereligionsforum.wordpress.com and
go to the “updates” page where changes made to various versions of the
document/website will be listed. The latest version of the document will also
be made available on the website for download, to ensure that you have the
latest copy available.
Terms Of Use:
This document and/or website information resource is made publicly available
at the discretion of the creators. Use, duplication, reposting, mailing and
distribution is free and authorized, provided the contents are preserved as is,
unmodified, and full credit is given to the Project, the Alternative Religions
Forum, and various authors and/or sources as quoted and/or referenced
within the work. Any disassembly, out of context quoting or misrepresentation
of information or statements made within this information resource will be
regarded as unauthorized and as contrary to the work ethics and intent of the
Alternative Religions Forum and this Project and its participating members.
When in doubt that something which is presented as being quoted from this
document and/or website, or if such is done in a manner in which statements
“United In Our Diversity In Pursuit Of Our Common Interests”
Version 01.00
4 ABOUT
or materials are presented out of context, please consult the Alternative
Religions Forum website or inform the Alternative Religions Forum.
Disclaimer:
The Alternative Religious Forum (hereinafter referred to as “the Project”, or
“this Project”) is a joint effort by alternative religions and social sub-cultures
working together on matters pertaining to legality, civil rights and human
rights, and especially matters affecting rights enshrined in the Constitution
and Bill of Rights of South Africa – specifically the rights to freedom of
religion, freedom of association, dignity, freedom of expression, right to
identify without fear of persecution, and the right to be presumed innocent
until proven guilty – as these apply to every other cultural group, individual
under South African law, regardless of any of these factors. Neither this
document, nor any resulting websites, nor any other joint projects of the
Alternative Religions Forum should be taken to mean that this working
relationship is to mean anything more significant than a single-purpose
collaboration by participating entities and/or the communities, subcultures,
religions or belief systems they identify with or as, on the common goals and
perceived issues mentioned in this disclaimer.
The Alternative Religions Forum reserves the right of admission of any
representative body or individual for any religion, sub-culture or lifestyle to the
Project, and also reserves the right to edit or modify the content of this and
other documents, materials as deemed necessary. While quotes of other
existing material are used in this material, ownership is not implied by their
usage and full credit is given to their creators and/or sources. Further, it
should not be assumed that any material presented in this document, website
or project of the Alternative Religions Forum is in any way intended to
promote, advocate or advance by means of recruiting or advertising any of the
religious or sub-cultural groups or alternate lifestyles or identities which form
part of it, nor to harm, slander or otherwise attack the intrinsic beliefs or right
to exist of any religion identified as being employed as a tool or weapon
against them by proponents of disinformation or persecution, or that the intent
in the use of these materials is anything other than a part of the central goals
of this Project, namely: clarification of misinformation in order to prevent
misidentification, and information in order to promote understanding and
tolerance of diversity.
“United In Our Diversity In Pursuit Of Our Common Interests”
Version 01.00
ABOUT 5
MENU
Section: Page:
ABOUT 01
MENU 05
INTRODUCTION 06
SATANIC RITUAL ABUSE (SRA) PROPAGANDA 17
PAGANISM (religion) 198
SATANISM (religion) 264
VAMPI(Y)RE SUBCULTURE 227
CERTIFICATION 433
Addenda:
ADDENDUM A: The Constitution of South Africa
ADDENDUM B: The Promotion of Equality Act (Act No 4 of 2000)
ADDENDUM C: The South African Bill of Rights
ADDENDUM D: The South African Press Code
ADDENDUM E: The South African National Editor’s Forum (SANEF)
ADDENDUM F: Correspondence: SAPRA and SA Press Ombudsman.
“United In Our Diversity In Pursuit Of Our Common Interests”
Version 01.00
6 SATANIC RITUAL ABUSE (SRA) PROPAGANDA
INTRODUCTION
This a public document and information site giving concise and detailed
explanations of
a) some of the different religions, subcultures and lifestyles which
ignorant people confuse with Satanism (such as Paganism etc) and
b) a detailed explanation and clarification of what Satanism REALLY is
as a religion. What is true, and what is false? What are the different
types of Satanism?
c) dismantles the media-created phenomenon called “Satanic Ritual
Abuse” or SRA propaganda which creates an unrealistic expectation of
what Satanism is as a religion and uses it as a sensationalist tool to
boost reader-interest and therefore, sales.
Why Are Non-Satanists & Others Working
Together To Seemingly Defend Satanism?
The answer to this question is both simple and complex at the same time. The
participants, or the groups or religions they represent in this Project are NOT
working together in order to defend Satanism. It is their common need for the
rights enshrined in the Constitution which they are defending. The relation to
Satanist religion in this matter comes in where specific parties are comparing
or confusing them and their beliefs WITH Satanism.
We as participants in the ARF Project are working together to defend the right
of every individual under South African law to the freedoms of belief,
association and expression, because we believe that these rights are under
attack, endangered by the spread of malicious misinformation, the seemingly
deliberate association of religious belief systems with purported criminality
and the expectation that while no religion is illegal in South Africa, those who
associate with particular forms of religion or subculture, will automatically
result in criminality.
We believe that the paradox in such an assumption that a religious belief will
unwaveringly result in criminal behavior is unacceptable within the operational
parameters of ANY organ of state in South Africa, and the prosecution of such
assumption and propagation of related material against alternative religions
and identity groups or subcultures is incompatible with the SA Constitution,
the Bill of Rights, Act no 4 of 2000, and the Press Code respectively.
The sustained violation of the rights of any one group despite the legal
protections in place to protect the rights of all groups indicates that the rights
as designated by these protections are not secure for ANY group, belief or
any associated individuals.
“United In Our Diversity In Pursuit Of Our Common Interests”
Version 01.00
SATANIC RITUAL ABUSE (SRA) PROPAGANDA 7
All religions and belief systems as defined in the Constitution and Bill of
Rights of South Africa are supposed to have EQUAL protections under the
law from persecution, incitement to hate, and from being falsely portrayed as
harmful or dangerous from the viewpoint of other religions which may even be
viewed as competitive in relation to each other.
We believe that the situation we have in South Africa is essentially a form of
“captive market” where organs of State have, through the presence and
influence of the personal religious beliefs of State officials, been brought
under the influence of the proselytizing views of a fundamentalist minority
group within a majority religion in this country, which holds narrow and
intolerant views about other religious and sub cultural groups.
We believe this has resulted in an unfortunate situation where
misunderstanding and religious discourse, both internally and externally by
the release of woefully inaccurate statements and policies which affect the
ways in which these organs interact with the public and these minority groups,
is causing a great deal of discomfort, unhappiness and dissatisfaction on the
part of alternative religious and sub cultural minorities, who believe they have
legitimate reasons to fear being persecuted on these apparent
misunderstandings and/or the religious intolerance of state bodies (such as
the SAPS ORC). To us it is becoming increasingly worrying that these bodies
are clearly being managed not by the Constitution nor restrained or defined by
the Bill of Rights, but by the personal religious convictions and opinions of
their members and/or supervising authorities.
All religions are protected by the law in South Africa, which is secular, and all
people in South Africa who abide by the law are allowed to believe what they
choose and to practice according to those beliefs within the law.
From our collective point of view, this is not being practiced, and there are
numerous instances where since the changes brought about in 1994 and the
inception of the new Constitution of 1996, the rights of alternative religious
minorities have been repeatedly violated either by direct action, or omission of
action, of bodies of the State within the context of this Project.
We assert that publicized perpetual and seemingly deliberate misidentification
and conflation of crimes, criminal acts and religious propaganda with the
religious beliefs or cultural identities of law abiding citizens BY other religious
authorities AND ESPECIALLY BY figures representing the STATE, results in
alienation, rejection and persecution in all its forms, or increased likelihood of
these for those who identify with or who are perceived to be, adherents of
these minority religious or sub cultural identity groups.
We believe that individuals who break the law by doing harm to others should
be prosecuted and punished by secular law – SECULAR LAW to fit
SECULAR CRIMES – regardless of their religious affiliations, and that those
religious identities along with all those who identify with them and do not
break the law, should not be victimized by inaccurate, biased or hostile
reporting and in broad-spectrum assaults by uneducated State officials which
“United In Our Diversity In Pursuit Of Our Common Interests”
Version 01.00
8 SATANIC RITUAL ABUSE (SRA) PROPAGANDA
together encourage needless fear, incitement to hate, and hysteria around
these religions.
NO religion should be regarded as UNTOUCHABLE in the media or in the
context of the law, least of all while others clearly do not enjoy that status or
anything close to it. In this country, newspapers print bold headlines of alleged
“Satanist murders” etc every time some kind of crime is connected to an
occult religion, real or imagined – but NEVER, for example, is a similar crime
committed by a Christian or a Hindu etc described in the press or by the
SAPS as a “Christian murder” or a “Hindu crime”. The impression is thus
created and fostered that only certain crimes in which the perpetrators are
affiliated or perceived to be affiliated to particular religions, are “harmful
religious practices”, while others are somehow inexplicably, miraculously,
exempted from this.
The issue of solving crimes and the interests of pursuing justice for victims will
not be served by persecuting religions or religious beliefs, spreading false
information about religions especially from the point of view of any other
specific religion, undermining the constitutional rights of people to hold
whatever faith or beliefs they choose, or by proselytizing Christianity and
allowing those who do, to continue trampling on the rights of others with the
apparent consent and tacit support of the State and underpinning entities
such as the Broadcasting Complaints Commission, SA Human Rights
Commission, Press Ombudsman etc.
Why is there a need for this information?
1) The problem:
a) Currently there is a perceived rise in cases of so-called “Satanic Panic”
or “Satanic Ritual Abuse” being alleged and sensationalized as
propaganda in the media and even by representatives and officials of
the South African government in the form of the MEC for Education
and representatives of the SAPS and its ORC unit.
b) Broad generalizations are made in the form of accusations of
“Satanism” being applied to violent crimes NOT related to Satanism,
and against other minority religions, sub-cultures, and in extreme
cases, against anything which is not perceived to be Christian or part of
or in line with the Christian religion and its dogma.
c) South Africa is a uniquely multi-cultural country, where traditional
ethnic beliefs are commonly mistaken for “devil-worship”, “witchcraft” or
“Satanism”, and where allegations and even mere suspicion can lead
to the death of innocent elderly people living in rural areas. Allegations
and suspicion are therefore sufficient in practice to result in the murder
of someone by members of their own community and family, and a
huge role in this tragedy is played by the dominant religions in this
“United In Our Diversity In Pursuit Of Our Common Interests”
Version 01.00
SATANIC RITUAL ABUSE (SRA) PROPAGANDA 9
country, in that unfortunately, many religions as part of the Abrahamic
tradition have drawn upon their theology of spiritual evil and
eschatology as a means of providing support for misunderstanding,
stereotypes, and even violence and persecution.
d) Less deadly forms of persecution are found in pre-existing Colonial
laws which are intended to suppress ethnic religion (referred to as
“witchcraft” in the missionary sense) today still cause a legislative
hangover for alternate religions such as Satanism and Paganism
respectively, and which largely result in the view that these religions
are somehow threatening and a danger to society at large – while
South Africa’s new Constitution of 1996 enshrines religious freedom
and lays the foundations for a secular state founded on mutual
tolerance and equality. This appears to be actively undermined by
Abrahamic religious zealots who constantly work to reassert their
influence in South African law-making and social justice which has
been lost since 1996.
e) The largest Abrahamic religion in South Africa is evangelical
Christianity, and fundamentalist adherents of this group openly conduct
hostile media misinformation campaigns against minority groups, and
groups directly affected by rights in the Constitution and the Bill of
Rights, including but not limited to: the right of freedom of religion, the
right to self identification, culture, freedom of association, LGBTI civil
and human rights enshrined in the Constitution, and indulge in the
portrayal of these groups through various forms of propaganda, as a
danger to society and specifically (and most irrationally) to their own
rights to practice their own religion.
f) A major problem for alternative religions today is the direct involvement
of evangelical Christian protagonists spreading misinformation and
influence over government and government departments – the SAPS is
a prime and worrisome example as it acts and makes its own policies
in direct contradiction to the SA Constitution and Bill of Rights while
other organs of State look on without taking any form of action to
address either the unconstitutionality of these or addressing the very
real fears and concerns of non-Christian citizens.
2) Broad issues which this Project intends to address:
a) The broad acceptance of unqualified “experts” inciting hostility
from partisan religious opposition to those groups targeted. The
tendency of individuals in mainstream Abrahamic religions, specifically
evangelical Christianity, to nominate themselves as “experts” and
“authorities” on “the occult” and “Satanism” et al, with the sole purpose
of identifying, persecuting or defaming any aspects of society or the
behavior of individuals – even individuals outside their scope or
groupings, without having any or all of the facts about those individuals,
and/or the things they are accusing them of.
“United In Our Diversity In Pursuit Of Our Common Interests”
Version 01.00
10 SATANIC RITUAL ABUSE (SRA) PROPAGANDA
b) The vast majority of these individuals have no experience with, nor
have ever been involved in or trained by anyone within the groups they
oppose, but attempt to qualify themselves solely by formal or informal
entities within the context of their own religious views. This raises the
question of the validity in a secular and legal sense of whether the
material used to provide such partisan training within a closed group is
accurate, impartial or even remotely based on experience, fact or if it is
needlessly biased or tainted by misunderstanding, assumption or upon
the dogmatic viewpoint of the hostile group using such training to
cause harm to perceived opposing ideologies or religions and their
members.
c) This most frequently results in self-proclaimed “witch-hunters” accusing
people they don’t know of things they don’t understand or know
anything about at all – and which just as frequently results in innocent
people being sidelined, marginalized, defamed and persecuted by their
communities, in the work place, and often, even worse. This socially
reckless, irresponsible and uncontrolled criminal practice which is
technically protected by loopholes in freedom of expression laws
specifically designed to protect Christian religion from answering on
hate-crime charges, frequently does lead to displacement or death,
especially in rural areas.
d) The tendency of these self-proclaimed and unqualified “experts” on
“the occult” and “Satanism” to go on self-appointed “crusades” to “warn
people” about “dangerous occult practices” in a way which violates the
Constitutional rights of other religions and those who follow them –
specifically where they are taken out of the context of an internal
dogmatic circumstance (such as a private sermon or presentation) and
disseminated using public mass-media, including providing these
frauds with public platforms to indulge their craft in which other
religions and their tenets, faiths, followers, and their practices are
wholly misrepresented, slandered and defamed under the guise of truth
and fact and under the banner of their own specific partisan religious
views – and taken as factual by somnambulant audiences because of
their supposed “qualifications” as “experts” in “the occult” and
“Satanism” – and also because of the general public ignorance of these
topics. What exacerbates this still further is when government bends its
will to serve these frauds and charlatans in aiding them to spread their
message of ignorant fear and hysteria, and betrays its mandate to
protect ALL members of the public under the guidelines of the
Constitution by giving prejudiced support for one specific religion over
the rest who are being unfairly maligned.
As a refreshing alternative to Evangelical misrepresentation of the
Western esoteric tradition, see Philip Johnson and Gus diZerega,
“Beyond the Burning Times: A Pagan and Christian in Dialogue” (Lion,
2008), edited by John W. Morehead.
“United In Our Diversity In Pursuit Of Our Common Interests”
Version 01.00