THE PSYCHOLOGY OF SATANIC CULT INVOLVEMENT: AN ...

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104 phenomenology of the victim's experience, it is a supernatural discourse and hence has no place within a strictly psychological frame ofreference. Summary In this chapter, demonic possession was defined, and the characteristics of voluntary and involuntary possession discriminated. The symptoms of demonic possession were outlined in detail, and its diagnostic status discussed. Most researchers are ofthe opinion that possession is not a valid psychological syndrome, and that it can be satisfactorily explained in terms of psychological processes related to other recognised psychological disorders. The dissenting opinion that the possession state is indeed a distinct nosological entity was critically discussed. The remainder of the chapter was devoted to a consideration of the various psychological theories of so-called possession states. The pioneering work of the early 'mesmerists', Franz Mesmer, lean-Martin Charcot, and Pierre lanet, was outlined to demonstrate the origin of the theory that possession states were altered states of consciousness induced by psychic splits associated with unconsciOUS ideas. The theory that possession states are symptomatic of organic neurological disturbances was mentioned, and the rival cultural influence model discussed in detail. According to this model, demonic possession is not symptomatic of any psychological syndrome, but is rather a form of social role enactment whereby the deviant behaviour of certain socially marginalised individuals is understood and regulated. The cessation of possession symptoms through exorcism procedures provides a reversal of the demonic induction process, and allows the 'cured' individuals to be integrated back into society. The psychodynamic theory that possession symptoms may be understood as the invasive return of repressed unconscious impulses was briefly presented, and empirical studies supporting this thesis included. The chapter concluded with the parapsychological critique of those intrapsychic theories which attempt to explain possession in terms of unconscious dynamics. The alternative occultic or supernatural model presented concerns the notion that possession results from the psychic infiltration of some malevolent external intelligence. It was concluded that this theory
105 has little relevance to the discipline of psychology, which seeks explanations within the realm ofnatural, rather than supernatural, discourse.
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THE PSYCHOLOGY OF SATANIC CULT INVO
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This thesis is ded
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TABLE OF CONTENTS Abstract Introduc
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PART FOUR: OBJECT RELATIONS, ANALYT
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15.3.3 Experience of satanic cult i
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ii abuse, holding professional conf
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iv personal experience of satanic c
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vi This dissertation spans a number
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Vlll perceptions of Satanic phenome
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1 PART ONE THE EMERGENCE OF DEMO IC
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3 makes the notion of evil possible
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5 / is largely a creation of Christ
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7 J for the Judaeo-Christian belief
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9 Cavendish, 1967, p. 281). The Heb
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11 worship God's creation, man. Lus
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13 In the New Testament, Satan's id
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15 portrayed as an independent evil
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17 perception that heretics were un
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19 witches are subservient (Cohn, 1
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21 the body was divided into 'honou
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23 Cathar monks corrupted the tradi
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25 chief Archon was frequently iden
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27 A number of factors were respons
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29 While there is no doubting the h
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31 19th Century. Satan became a cen
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33 and practised black magic and ca
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35 values and ends, what all these
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37 been known to commit crimes and
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39 much from his character and "dep
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41 1972), stylised rituals, and dra
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43 of Magick: "a way of perfecting
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45 to exist in the same way as God
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47 3.4.8. Charismatic authority Sat
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49 them more vulnerable to assuming
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51 victims may be babies or artific
Page 71 and 72: 53 PART TWO THEORIES OF SATANIC CUL
Page 73 and 74: 55 Two on the rise and fall ofthe d
Page 75 and 76: 57 Satanism is more than the romant
Page 77 and 78: 59 adolescent conflict may interfer
Page 79 and 80: 61 Bourget et al. (1988) documented
Page 81 and 82: 63 Levine and Salter (cited in Ross
Page 83 and 84: 65 unattainable with the patient's
Page 85 and 86: 67 3. The emotional energy and exci
Page 87 and 88: 69 therapeutic function distinguish
Page 89 and 90: 71 description of a danger, identif
Page 91 and 92: 73 reinforcing agencies and influen
Page 93 and 94: 75 5.2.5 The Survivor/recovery move
Page 95 and 96: 77 supporting a history of alleged
Page 97 and 98: 79 the social construction of Satan
Page 99 and 100: 81 falsely 'remembers' as one's own
Page 101 and 102: 83 Each of the above alternative ex
Page 103 and 104: 85 CHAPTER SIX THE PSYCHOLOGY OF DE
Page 105 and 106: 87 the soul" (Ellenberger, 1970, p.
Page 107 and 108: 89 6. When the party vomits up stra
Page 109 and 110: 91 occurs without any cult particip
Page 111 and 112: 93 Pfeifer interprets the relativel
Page 113 and 114: 95 7. Unusual impact on others: oth
Page 115 and 116: 97 simply a form ofhysteria. He app
Page 117 and 118: 99 belief systems, and the impact o
Page 119 and 120: 101 enemies by having the demoniac
Page 121: 103 possession and hysteria. A hypo
Page 125 and 126: 107 psychic disturbance which captu
Page 127 and 128: 109 the ambivalent impulses ansmg f
Page 129 and 130: III both neurosis and religion have
Page 131 and 132: 113 Freud noted similar totemic asp
Page 133 and 134: 115 ritual element in both obsessio
Page 135 and 136: 117 Despite this suggestion that de
Page 137 and 138: 119 melancholia" and the Devil had
Page 139 and 140: 121 What he is rebelling against is
Page 141 and 142: 123 hides behind a civilised veneer
Page 143 and 144: 125 theory of the superego, and res
Page 145 and 146: 127 7.3 Freudian interpretation in
Page 147 and 148: 129 the hostile castrating father b
Page 149 and 150: 131 PART FOUR OBJECT RELATIONS, ANA
Page 151 and 152: 133 CHAPTER 8 KLEINIAN PSYCHOANALYS
Page 153 and 154: 135 of Klein's object relations the
Page 155 and 156: 137 of the bad object and the infan
Page 157 and 158: 139 fantasies and splitting defence
Page 159 and 160: 141 which the self is identified wi
Page 161 and 162: 143 This combination of negative fe
Page 163 and 164: 145 feelings of resentment and depr
Page 165 and 166: 147 Summary Although Freud portraye
Page 167 and 168: 149 fantasies, i.e. mental represen
Page 169 and 170: 151 The positive aspects of the ori
Page 171 and 172: 153 However, through a process of p
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155 Fairbairn, by deliberately empl
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157 Since the joy of loving seems h
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159 differentiation of experience i
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161 Implicit in Kernberg's emphasis
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Identification also occurs through
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165 CHAPTER 10 AN INTEGRATED OBJECT
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167 child is confronted with the re
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169 These individuals typically exp
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17\ forces. Certain individuals in
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173 Where dependence on internal go
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175 Meltzer (1979) employs the conc
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177 Chasseguet-Smirgel does not dis
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179 The implication ofthis is that
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181 structured around mythological
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183 of oral sadistic impulses. The
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185 CHAPTER ELEVEN e.G. JUNG AND TH
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187 Religion appears to me to be a
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189 "redeeming" quality, rather tha
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191 Not only were the gods dragged
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193 experience, and we turn now to
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195 The child is guided by the powe
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197 In lung's model of mind, even m
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199 fact that we may identitY with
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201 1. In the first subtype, corres
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203 Possession, in this sense, is a
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205 If ever we are disposed to see
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207 depends on the strategies that
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209 possessive symptoms, such as pe
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211 gives psychological life its dy
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213 demonic spiritual aspect in Chr
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215 When attempting to relate objec
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217 12.2 The role of fantasy in psy
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219 experience of their real parent
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221 Even if the meaning conferred u
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223 12.5 The ego and the self in ob
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225 12.6 An archetypal object relat
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227 consciousness, before it IS onc
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229 most individuals, those drawn t
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231 objective of exploring the mean
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233 reVIew suggests that a theoreti
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235 1. It lays bare prior conceptio
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237 without generating an unmanagea
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239 components of internal object r
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241 I. Identification of significan
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243 3. General interpretation of sa
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245 should be testable by other rea
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247 thus defensively split offfrom
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249 S's split-offand dissociated ps
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251 Her status as a "Bride of Satan
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253 S once witnessed Satan's materi
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255 be a crazed, perverse, and unju
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257 triumph, S's oedipal victory ca
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259 from his identification with th
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261 S's grandiose belief that he ha
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263 S, now identified with the prev
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265 the reported actual qualities o
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267 original family interactions (3
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269 S's hallucinatory perception of
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271 This situation perpetuated S's
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273 rejected by women until now, th
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275 himself to be a willing recepta
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277 based on the triumphant fantasy
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279 split-off negative self represe
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281 14.5.3. Experience of satanic c
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283 Satan, the more destructively S
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285 previous manic elation was repl
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287 contaminating bad internal obje
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289 socially withdrawn child, who h
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291 gratification, reversed the tra
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293 which S's ego could not assimil
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295 After being arrested for exhibi
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297 identifying with his destructiv
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299 S's ceremonial initiation comme
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301 that he and his demons were hel
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303 When the spirits were commanded
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305 interacting with self represent
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308 attractive. For individuals who
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310 Satanism's status as an aggress
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312 Satanic activity, however, does
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314 The second phase of individuals
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316 aggravated by the children's ho
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318 14.2.5. Motives for leaving Sat
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320 his family. These interpersonal
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322 reactions may be understood as
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324 continues to project both good
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326 their own internal world - in o
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328 CHAPTER FIFTEEN DISCUSSION Intr
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330 Although the realist and constr
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332 argues in this regard that narr
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334 form, happens prior to satanic
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336 maternal object plays no role i
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338 to peer groups and teachers wit
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340 about... being destructive, des
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342 heroic rebellion which matches,
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344 identity of Satan is echoed by
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346 experience a sense of euphoria
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348 The question of whether the Sat
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350 propitiatory act in-that the vi
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352 Identification with the pervers
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354 The magician prepares himself b
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356 An important characteristic of
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358 (5) The experience oflosing rel
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360 However, merely expelling the d
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362 them. Christians need God, they
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364 has a posItIve existence, as lu
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366 Despite Jung's reference to the
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368 consequently become more alluri
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370 CHAPTER SIXTEEN CONCLUSION The
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372 again" Christians, fervently an
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374 According to occult theory, the
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REFERENCES Abend,S. & Porder, M. (1
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Denzin, N. & Lincoln, Y. (1994) Int
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M. Galanter (Ed.) (1982) Cults and
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Jacobi, Y. (1959). Complex, Archety
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Klein, M. (1946) Notes on some schi
Page 404 and 405:
Mulhern, S. (1991) Satanism and psy
Page 406 and 407:
Russell, J. & Wyndham, M. (1992) Wi
Page 408 and 409:
Westen, D. (1991a) Social cognition
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10. Dad would say that everything i
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school. I was one ofthe pack. and e
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to get three people involved, and t
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accepting the blood ofthe animal. S
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spirit to go to places, you can wat
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Ifamily, things like that. Did it w
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89. Well, I wanted to get out. I wa
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103. After the demon left it felt l
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Interoersonal context Fantasy Self
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Interpersonal context Fantasy Self
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Interpersonal Context Fantasy Self
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out. 8. And so all this was forming
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father". 22. I didn't say nothing b
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Satanic Bible and we used his book
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why don't you be that person he sho
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to you, to get close to you. He cre
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don't like them. They think they ha
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death or reaping. They bring in cer
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age, and a very high sexual vitalit
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some aren't. Some of these spirits
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It's the fastest way for a man to d
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eferred to the Christian church as
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my mouth and they died I didn't hav
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comes walking into the house - J sa
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mutual agreement. There's certain t
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the grim reaper, J terminatedpeople
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man, a real man, and He'll stand up
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Interpersonal Context Hears mother
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Interpersonal Context Identifies wi
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Interpersonal Context Unlike other
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Interpersonal Context {Jod experien
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APPENDIX 3 (a) SUBJECT THREE E is a
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17. The more I got involved in it t
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How did being a Satanist effect you
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animals, but also for my fellow man
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... you had to cut yourself. I used
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normalpsycho wardat the hospital. 7
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suppose that's part of the compulsi
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E derived pleasure from being cruel
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The collective satanic in-group Non
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E's avoidance of further human sacr
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E acknowledges that, in the light o
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APPENDIX 4 (a) SUBJECT FOUR S is a
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17. Anyway, it began I was nineteen
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their Satanic identity secret. I di
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53. Through using black magic there
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and obeyed him, like a teacher, wer
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serious (laughs). 83. After a long
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99. f love attending church ... get
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S experienced his self-declared The
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S's friend presented himself as liv
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S's satanic membership gave him a n
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S invited demonic possession m orde
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S, feeling cleansed of all internal
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11. I wasforced to keep the demon a
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you". 31. I must Slry I felt a lot
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49. I could only see my real mother
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68. My demon screamedat me, calling
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had to write out. 83. Then they put
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employment. attend rituals, 99. Dad
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everybody, and then suddenly change
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130. Relationships in the coven wer
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about what I was involved in. I'd d
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andeveryone likes you. But I was, I
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was exhausted I couldn't walk prope
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and God supremely powerful. 201. No
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S's pet animals start following his
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S's parents' disclose that his birt
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Satanism gave S power, material goo
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Believing that Lucifer wished him t
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Love was absent from S's satanic I
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The horror of S's satanic I cannot
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S was called up for compulsory I do
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The spiritual battle inside of S ma
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S's spiritual battle ended at the p
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communicate with. 10. As we got old
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28. I then got involved with a bike
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46. I only came to realise later th
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very good about it, as through the
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little to do with each other. By th
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91. To make matters worse, they wer
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choice I hadever had to make in my
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and not relying on your own strengt
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APPENDIX 6 (B) SUBJECT SIX : Signif
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After S's esoteric quest led him to
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S believed that his satanic activit
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S invited demonic possession By inv
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After becoming a Christian S feared
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Despite his Christian conversion S
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APPENDIX 7 (A) SUBJECT SEVEN S is a
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Iofme. One Imndred percent terrifie
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other me a bit. It was the kind oft
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48. The lust ... no one said "Don't
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What was your relationship like wit
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your body. You accept it as part of
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90. My body felt cold, but empty. I
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had decided to leave, and the other
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APPENDIX 7 (B) SUBJECT SEVEN: Signi
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S had a Catholic upbringing, but ne
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S's hatred ofpeople, and consequent
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As a Satanist, S experienced a sens
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S experienced himself to be a host
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When the spirits were commanded to
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