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!?

I don't think that anyone can explain as there is not enough information to do so. All that posters can do is to speculate, which they have done at length.

Moral of the story: don’t threaten kids with decapitation, and if you want to do bloodletting rituals in public spaces I hope you take all appropriate measure for managing potentially hazardous biological waste.

If it was nothing untoward why were the four people hiding in bushes in a deep part of woodland? Why not just do it in their back garden?

If it was nothing untoward why were the four people hiding in bushes in a deep part of woodland? Why not just do it in their back garden?

It wasn't exactly hidden was it? It was sparse trees and bushes maybe their back garden doesn't have the right atmosphere for the ritual?

@Danzig, yes, I do. I say in my later post I should have added historically, essentially I was talking largely of pre-Christian pagan religions for which archeological evidence certainly has been found and which are mentioned by the likes of Bede. Many modern Pagan practices still reference some of the beliefs in the same deities etc And blood rituals do still exist, as talked about on this thread.

@JesusInTheCabbageVan
Brilliant.

Students on a filming assignment maybe?

[quote silveryslade]**@Danzig, yes, I do. I say in my later post I should have added historically, essentially I was talking largely of pre-Christian pagan religions for which archeological evidence certainly has been found and which are mentioned by the likes of Bede. Many modern Pagan practices still reference some of the beliefs in the same deities etc And blood rituals do still exist, as talked about on this thread.[/quote]
Of course it happened but that doesn't mean it was common.

I'm sure if someone was to make offensive generalisations about Christianity you'd be the first to cry foul.

Looks like druids or witches to me.
They shouldn’t have threatened to hurt the kids, they are obviously out of order doing that but blood magic isn’t what it looks like. This isn’t satanism. It’ll be to link what they are doing to those individuals. Nothing to see here…move along….

I'd actually RING 101 never mind reporting online. What you say they were doing would not be a one off and those people with cuts on their arms might have been there against their will or partly drugged.
You MUST ring the police right now. It might save a life.
BTW, I wouldn't let your son and friends go in those woods again.

WitchesInTheWoods Fucking 101!!!! Threatening to decapitate kids kids is a fucking 999 call. I think your winding is up?

Looks like teenagers filming something for Halloween. Scared off a few nosy kids

I might be alone here but had any of my kids ever come home saying wierdos threatened to cut his head off, I would be on the phone to the police asafp! Why report online? Your child was threatened for goodness sake, you want these people caught surely? Half of the online reports never get answered but a phonecall saying your kid was threatened with death might actually be taken seriously??

@Danzig, I thought it was common. Or at least a large part of religious practice. When you look up what in known through either archeology and writings contemporary to the times of for example the Celts, Norse, Germanic Tribes, Astecs, Druids.

And yes, Christianity certainly centres upon themes of sacrifice (blood and otherwise) in the Old Testament and new. Except the God we worship was a willing sacrifice, through his son Christ, Himself.

I think it's a feature of human societies.

Tell the police they threatened your son and his friend.Just explain to your son that there are some weird people about who are best avoided!

@cushioncovers

If it was nothing untoward why were the four people hiding in bushes in a deep part of woodland? Why not just do it in their back garden?

I don't know anything about this stuff but I imagine being in the woods is possibly the whole point, the woods in question are associated with black magic, UFO sightings etc..

@Divebar2021

Not all rituals are satanic. Looks pretty interesting actually ….I mean weird definitely but interesting.

I think the threat to "cut their heads off" are not generally associated with the kinder side of Wicca

I reckon it’s some kind of LARPing, there’s a group that meet in the woods by us. They always freeze when anyone comes across them which I find disappointing because I’d love to see them in action. (Although if it involved threats to cut my head of I’d be less curious…maybe the threat was part of staying in character?)

As a serving police officer of some 22 years , who survived cancer and am now a practising pagan,( although I am solitary rather than being in a coven). I would definitely report this on the basis of the threat alone.

From a legal point of view a cut sufficient to bleed could be described as an assault occasioning actual bodily harm and could be technically assault, supposed consent or not .

The concerns I have are the threat and the blood ritual . Blood magic stemming from Roman times tends to be of a darker nature than the general Wicca / Witchcraft worship.

This is really alarming!! I’d dispense with 101 and ring 999, a threat to behead has been made

I hope your son and his friends are ok. That would be pretty scary even if they are 14. Let us know what the police say

Four women minding their own business deep in the woods, not hurting anyone, and a bunch of strapping lads arrive.. I have to be honest my first reaction would likely be a jokey threat too, how many kids in the news have been caught with knives etc and doing nasty things? And how many people here would like their leisure activities being watched and filmed with the possibility of being put on youtube for all to laugh at by a bunch of kids? Just another perspective...

If those people wanted privacy they should have gone somewhere that is not public property.
Your son did nothing wrong. His film might be valuable evidence. The police are always asking for dashcam footage it there is an accident. No one gives out to dashcam users for filming other people without anyone's permission.

@JesusInTheCabbageVan ... yep .. you win the Internet today .. made me howl ! ( in a non satanic way)

They are pagans and what your son done was wrong . Would he charge into a building during prayer time ? They were out in the open preaching to Mother Earth and they have been ridiculed on here .