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!?

Fwiw, I would have called the police at the time on the basis of the threat to cut heads off and signs of blood being involved. In the best case it is consenting adults involved in a ritual or students in a film project, worst case the two that were bleeding could be vulnerable in the hands of the other two controlling whatever was happening. In my professional life, I have dealt with a number of tragic cases where vulnerable people have been subjected to injuries or even died, in the context of ritualistic behaviour. personally I would want the police to try and work out if everyone involved was ok.
The threats made to the boys were also unacceptable- even if said as a joke.
I am impressed they managed to film, but think I would be warning them how dangerous it can be to try and film something when you a) don’t fully understand what is happening and b) don’t know the intentions or motivations of those involved. The reaction could have been much stronger and they could have ended up in danger themselves.

One the boys says my son’s name

I bet he was a fellow teenager then. Must've been.

Usually satanic type rituals in the woods are done by pseudo goth occult wannabees who have no idea what they are doing. They just pick up a copy of the goetia say or whatever online grimoire and do random rituals out of it. About as effective as a piece of cake.
Serious occultists or wiccans or druids keep well out of sight and train for years to learn their skills. They don't go out and cut themselves in the woods. Sounds like kids or young adults experimenting.

They'll probably just be fucking about, pretending to summon the devil or summat.

Do you live in Midsomer ?

Looks like an episode of Midsomer Murders to me

There were urban legends in the States in the 80's about Satanic groups and child molestation in day care settings, based on "recovered memories" of victims. But it was all debunked. I have met a couple of people who said they were Satanists, but it was kind of a bunch of pretentious gobbledygook that helped them feel superior to everyone else while not fitting in.

I certainly know people who perform rituals in the woods, but they wouldn't be inclined to threaten children.

@TheSpottedZebra No, one of my son’s friends said my son’s name in the video so I don’t want to post it.

@WorraLiberty

How can a couple of boys whispering be even remotely identifying? 🙄

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.'

My friend likes to think she’s a witch and often goes to the woods with likeminded people she thinks are friends to do weird stuff like this

You’d never know at the school gate as she’s otherwise a normal adult female with husband and children

@ImitationofBeing 😆😆 cross post!!

Spooky especially as Halloween is coming up.

I really hate found footage, whether done by a grown woman who thinks it'll get her to go viral or a real filmmaker. The framing's all out.

Anyhow. Tell the kids not to play in the woods. There's a lot worse than some other kids playing dress up in there.

On the plus side, they're clearly not interested in recruiting if they made threats of violence. Glad you've reported. People can practise their beliefs, but threatening to cut heads off is criminal behaviour.

Early Halloween prankster's?

@SoupDragon

The chances of any of us having insider knowledge of satanic forest rituals are quite slim, tbh.

Speak for yourself.

I knew as soon as I posted it, there would be several follow up posts by venerable witches and people with doctorates in paganism/satanic rites. Personally I'm just here for the changing bag thread though

Silly people doing silly rituals. But threatening violence to children is not silly. I’d report to the police.

@Shedbuilder

They’re not allowed to threaten to cut peoples’ heads off.

Can you not remember when you were 14 and you and your mates made shit up?

Of course I can!

Fact remains that what they said is actually illegal.

They may be teenagers making shit up, or they might be arseholes genuinely trying to harness dark forces, but either way they have threatened to kill and OP’s son and his mates were scared. It’s not on and the police need to know.

[quote WitchesInTheWoods]@TheSpottedZebra No, one of my son’s friends said my son’s name in the video so I don’t want to post it.[/quote]
Why? Does he have a completely unique name that no-one else in the UK or the rest of the world has?

And even if someone thought, "Oh I wonder if it's that Dave?" Again, what's the problem?

To be honest, I'd be more worried about other things they might encounter in the woods. There are usually a couple of homeless encampments in the woods near me, and the risk of stepping in somebody's toilet spot is significant.

Maybe this is just a bunch of people who didn't get the memo about the end of the outdoors Rule of Six thing and are finding it increasingly difficult to find new stuff to do.

But the threats of violence, that is indeed worrying.

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 just its another thing to add to the mental load - sorting out the satanists once you've menu planned, located the pe kit and rebuilt the playmobil school for the trillionth time.

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.'

Priceless, thetrainisinthestation.

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.'

@SmellyOldOwls 🤣🤣