THE PSYCHOLOGY OF SATANIC CULT INVOLVEMENT: AN ...

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projected counterpart of the bad paternal part-object, namely the idealised paternal partobject,
which made S feel like a strong, worthy, and cared-for son. His identification with
this idealised self representation, dissociated from the historical experience of being a
rejected, hated and helpless child, gave him self-confidence, made him socially adept, and
attracted a range offriends (35). After years ofloneliness, rejection, and worthlessness, S
had reached a point where self-worth, power, and the longed-for experience of parental
love seemed to lie in an occult, patriarchal, spiritual cult, as yet undisclosed to him.
14.6.2. Process of satanic involvement and initiation
S began socialising with members of alternative youth subcultures who, unbeknown to
him, were Satanists (28). Recognising his spiritual interests, S's new acquaintances
sought to persuade him that spiritual fulfilment lay in serving Lucifer, the spirit of light,
and that the opposing dark, powerless Christ figure appealed only to the indolent and
morally inferior (29,30,31). This dualist division between good and bad spiritual
ideologies, effectively reversing traditional Christian moral polarities, was confirmed by
S's spirit guide (32). S became initiated as a Satanist, after signing a pact with Satan in his
own blood, desecrating Christian symbols, and committing himself to destroying the
Christian enemy (38,39,56). The dualistic satanic ideology reinforced S's splitting
defences by idealising one paternal part-object (Satan), and denigrating the other (God).
S, having felt rejected and alienated all his life, was gratified by the ready acceptance of
fellow Satanists (41). Satanism gave him a sense of power, control, and purpose, and
provided him with the answers to all his spiritual questions (42,43). This grandiose sense
of self, the polar opposite of his childhood self experience, derived from narcissistic
identification with the new idealised paternal part-object, Satan, thereby allowing S to feel
powerful, controlling, and all-knowing.
Carnal gratification, emphasised in the cult activities, expressed the hedonistic philosophy
that Satan approved of worldly pleasure, and that abstinence carried the negative
implication of self-denial (51).
This ideology, which endorsed unbridled instinctual
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