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!?

That’s given me the willies 🤭

They do seem to have quite a selection of vegetables at their feet, including a rather seasonal pumpkin. And one of them has brought their dog - there seems to be a wagging tail to the top right.

Just adding my little bit to the whole Satan/wiccan/pagan etc side.

A friend's dad is a vicar and a very well read chap. He used to tell me that some of the earliest Christian priests would incorporate magicks into their services and kind of merge the old religions with Christianity as it was a good way to get the locals to switch religions. Often the locals (I can't think of a better non-loaded word) would be used to going to the village wise woman or whoever, so by nicking some of her practices, people would be more open to converting.

Also, a Muslim colleague of mine, that I used to have great chats about religion with, said in Islam they have Satan (pronounced Shay-tahn) who is roughly the same as the Christian Satan. There's a small religious group named way up thread who often get persecuted by various different mainstream religious groups as they are incorrectly thought to worship the Islamic version of Satan. They have been persecuted for thousands of years and as far as I remember, they are almost 'extinct' (Not the right word but I can't think how to say it)

Thanks. This is fascinating. I’ll read it tomorrow as it’s too small without my glasses and I’m in bed now…

Tl;dr version is that some US bloke set up a Satanic Temple in 2013 (unlucky for some) based on compassion and human values. They prick their fingers with diabetic lancets and stuff.

Not convinced anyone involved has any idea who Satan is, or his lack of interest in human rights, but if you go on their website you can buy a box of 4 bottles of hot sauce and a t-shirt.

What does the T shirt say?

“Hail Satan est. 666”

(I’m not making this up).

It looks like pumpkins 😂

Poor op is being ignored in this thread. I think it’s creepy

@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.

🤣🤣🤣

I actually daren't click that video. Dragon butter yes, but not that freaky link

😱😱😱😱😀

Thanks. This is fascinating. I’ll read it tomorrow as it’s too small without my glasses and I’m in bed now…

^^

@vivariumvivariumsvivaria

redannie THat's very interesting, thank you. Angels don't have souls?

I was raised Catholic too, but, not a very good one. I though that an angel was an extra pious, extra good person who'd been promoted to being extra saved after St John did the admin at the Pearly Gates.

I think I may have misunderstood some stuff when I was daydreaming in Mass.

For quite a while women didn't have souls in the RC church.

Isn't it St Peter on the gates? Or does he jut do lock up?

For anyone satan hunting with a Bible near have a look at Eve being tempted in the Garden of Eden.

Off the top of your head what do you think about? Most people think Satan and a a lot will say a serpent or a snake, but that's not quite right.

The punishment is to become a snake but it wasn't one that spoke to Eve.

The Hebrew version uses a word that can mean serpent but can also mean glowing or a dozen other things.

How bizarre

It must have shaken the kids up to come across something like that on a walk and to be threatened.

You should report it to the police. I doubt they'll do anything much but it will be good to have on their radar in case anything else comes up with these people in the future.

It's important to note that the people haven't done anything wrong other than threatening your son. Engaging in "rituals" isn't against the law if it doesn't involve harming others (I haven't watched the video but assume the cuts were administered to themselves).

The police might not get involved in it right now, but it's definitely worth reporting. It could be linked to a cult or something else that is known.

Isn't it St Peter on the gates? Or does he jut do lock up?

Yeah it's Peter on the gate with his list of who's allowed in and who is being yeeted to hell.

Interestingly the number 666 is not the number of Satan it is the number of the beast sent by the devil (I believe an entirely different character) it is the number of a man

Yes the beast appears during the apocalyptic vision so the end of the world. Its the number of man, so the beast could well be man depending on your interpretation but it's not actually satan.

Maybe they were whispering 'Oh my god Seamus Murphy would you look at those weirdos, what are they doing here in Ballybollen Forest? My mum Mary Glancy is going to go mad when I show her this video. I hope she doesn't ring my teacher in Larne High School.'

Brilliant

Someone doesn't have to be a twisted and evil person to practice left-hand-path spirituality- that's quite insulting. I can't imagine you'd think it ok to say stuff like that about people from other religions.

Sorry I've just spotted this bit (migraine reading )

Actually in my experience the only people I've known/closely known of who took this path seriously we're definitely twisted. 2/4 are in prison for vile crimes & both were nasty manipulative arses as were the other 2

& yes I would think stuff like that about other religions if they favour dark views. I hate our so called evangelical neighbour for being a bigoted, misogynistic, homophobic arse 🤷‍♀️

OP, they definitely came across a group of people dabbling in something.
I'd report it to the police because doing whatever it was in broad daylight with kids around it doesn't sound particularly sane behaviour by the participants.

yes I would think stuff like that about other religions if they favour dark views. I hate our so called evangelical neighbour for being a bigoted, misogynistic, homophobic arse

But your neighbour doesn't favour dark views. As far as he's concerned he's right and thats the path to the light. This is the problem with dark and light and good and evil. Everyone interprets it differently

But your neighbour doesn't favour dark views. As far as he's concerned he's right and thats the path to the light. This is the problem with dark and light and good and evil. Everyone interprets it differently

Yes & that's exact what makes it abhorrent, you don't get to choose what is good & right just because it suits your cause. What is acceptable is fairly black & white

What is acceptable is fairly black & white

Not really. It's all open to interpretation.