Can someone explain what my son saw?

[WitchesInTheWoods]

My DS (14) and his friends went for a walk deep in the woods yesterday. They came across four people standing in a circle with candles and markings on the ground. Two were dressed in all black, very smart, like priests. The other two were in normal clothes and were bleeding from their arms. My son said he saw them cut themselves, they were mumbling something inaudible while the two in all black held their arms in the air and chanted. When they realised they were being watched one of the people in black told the boys they were going to cut their heads off if they don’t leave. I know it’s true because one of the kids filmed it and I’ve watched it. Wtf!?

@Shedbuilder

In an emergency like this, dial 666. That'll do the trick.

Not much blood to be seen in the pix. Very disappointed.

😭

Must admit, most of my angel based knowledge comes from Good Omens

Could you not mute the audio in the video?

It's a black magic ritual by the sounds of it, blood letting is warned against with white magic, so they are up to no good whether you believe in it or not. I'd be wary of my kids being alone in woods with anyone of the mentality to want to perform black magic rituals. You don't have to believe in it to know that makes those people pretty twisted

*Must admit, most of my angel based knowledge comes from Good Omens

In some of the lore Satan/Lucifer aren’t even the same entity. In fact in some interpretations Satan isn’t even a distinct entity but leaning on the Hebrew meaning of Satan being adversary it refers to both the adversarial (or shadow aspects) in both god and humanity.

Good Omens was a little bit of perfection…

I'm Christian and don't really understand the difference between black and white magic. To want to use magic rather than good works/faith/prayer/encouragement to influence life is acting independently of God (according to my belief). Beyond that how is it decided what is black or white magic? Is there such a division amongst practitioners?

@JesusInTheCabbageVan

This is a parenting forum populated largely by frazzled, middle class premenopausal women. We've been excitedly arguing about a second hand changing bag in a charity shop for several weeks now. The chances of any of us having insider knowledge of satanic forest rituals are quite slim, tbh.

🤣 Love this

Go on OP, mute the audio and post it all for us 🙏

Yes please mute and share!!

@silveryslade

I'm Christian and don't really understand the difference between black and white magic. To want to use magic rather than good works/faith/prayer/encouragement to influence life is acting independently of God (according to my belief). Beyond that how is it decided what is black or white magic? Is there such a division amongst practitioners?

Magic is magic. It is neither black nor white.

It’s a tool that can be used for good or ill. Like a knife can.

All magic is used to cause change, usually to the benefit of the wielder. Yes even “white” magic. If I cast to get the job I want then someone else will lose out. They may be in more need of it than me so my actions, on the surface of it totally harmless, will indirectly cause harm to that person.

Even the freezer spell so beloved of the “white witches” is actually anything but white…

@JesusInTheCabbageVan

This is a parenting forum populated largely by frazzled, middle class premenopausal women. We've been excitedly arguing about a second hand changing bag in a charity shop for several weeks now. The chances of any of us having insider knowledge of satanic forest rituals are quite slim, tbh.

This made me chuckle Jesus...

@Elphame, yes, that's how I understand things. Cultural differences (amongst people of differing beliefs and none) alone will mean people have very different perspectives over what constitutes 'harm' or 'bad', according to my understanding, anyway.

I'm Christian and don't really understand the difference between black and white magic.

Well, as always, black is bad, white is good, innit. Hence, "black magic", "white magic", etc.

Also see "white lie", "white hat" ("ethical" hacking), etc.

Probably a bunch of media students making a film

@HereForThis, according to who though? As you have alluded to in your post there are cultural and individual differences over what is seen as good and bad. This is at its most obvious when you compare modern consensus with historical over the years. Shows up very starkly with the language which is deemed acceptable...

@Handsoffstrikesagain

‘For those who understand, no explanation is needed. For those who do not understand, no explanation is possible.'

according to who though?

Based on how it's still used in society, I'd say according to society. There's lots more examples of it. It's quite obvious.

@HereForThis, which society and when?

And I would say there are always going to be grey areas. As even within a single society there is rarely complete consensus in all situations.

Black and white is a very simplistic view of the world. Most adults know everything is much more nuanced than that.

I'm not sure what we're talking about anymore.

There's no denying that black magic (as well as many other things with black as a prefix, like 'black hat hacker' as opposed to 'white hat hacker') is seen as the bad kind. And white magic (as well as...) is seen as the good or harmless kind.

I didn't make the rules. Just stating the obvious, I thought.