The "Satanic Panic" - did you ever experience this personally?
- Thread starter DeaconKnowledge
- Start date
just like how Pokemon intro song played backwards is a satanic ritual sound, and Monster drink has hidden milf character in there also signifying hell. lol
I am glad I witnessed nothing of sorts.
I am glad I witnessed nothing of sorts.
Yes.
And there's merit to the fear religious people have over secular stuff. So much of it is alluring, so well produced, and often times can better speak to a person than whatever the equivalent form of entertainment is on the religious side. Mostly because they operate strictly at a humanistic secular level, and that's a level we all have to operate in and around everyday.
Personally, I was guilted into throwing away my Marvel series 1 and 2 cards. Destroying all my Marvel comics featuring any character that was themed around spirituality or existed in the spirit realm (bye bye Ghost Rider, bye bye Spawn, so long Thor).
He-Man was off limits. So was She-Ra. And forget about even watching the intro to Dungeons and Dragons or Count Duckula.
Horror films of any type were a no-no (for a while, I would collect the Christian tracts just to get my kicks — lol).
...
One time, my grandfather threw my sister's Tamagachi out the car window because it was the devil. I mean, how else were they able to fit a living animal in that tiny egg?
And there's merit to the fear religious people have over secular stuff. So much of it is alluring, so well produced, and often times can better speak to a person than whatever the equivalent form of entertainment is on the religious side. Mostly because they operate strictly at a humanistic secular level, and that's a level we all have to operate in and around everyday.
Personally, I was guilted into throwing away my Marvel series 1 and 2 cards. Destroying all my Marvel comics featuring any character that was themed around spirituality or existed in the spirit realm (bye bye Ghost Rider, bye bye Spawn, so long Thor).
He-Man was off limits. So was She-Ra. And forget about even watching the intro to Dungeons and Dragons or Count Duckula.
Horror films of any type were a no-no (for a while, I would collect the Christian tracts just to get my kicks — lol).
...
One time, my grandfather threw my sister's Tamagachi out the car window because it was the devil. I mean, how else were they able to fit a living animal in that tiny egg?
Grew up catholic in the north east and I too did not see any of this shit. I may be too young, being born in '84, to have seen any of it though. I do remember an old man, Daryl, used to take all the neighborhood kids to a sort of Bible camp every summer. He'd take us every day for a week, once a summer. We all just went because we got to play games and eat ice cream and we'd come home with mini bibles at the end. That is the only place I could imagine they'd ever talk about the evils of pop culture, but I don't remember them actually doing so. I guess the worst I ever got from my parents was my father telling me that electronic artists aren't real music. He changed his mind on that, realized he was closed minded about it.
Lol, yes. Born in 1980, so I was around for that.
My parents wouldn't let me play Dungeons and Dragons when I first started getting into it because of this crap.
I finally got them to actually sit down and read the Player's Handbook, so they could understand what the game was really like, instead of them just going by what they saw once on Phil Donahue. After that, the conversation was something like:
Dad: So it's really just you and your friends sitting around a table with pencils and papers, rolling dice?
Me: Yes.
Dad: Well I guess that's okay.
...That took months.
My parents wouldn't let me play Dungeons and Dragons when I first started getting into it because of this crap.
I finally got them to actually sit down and read the Player's Handbook, so they could understand what the game was really like, instead of them just going by what they saw once on Phil Donahue. After that, the conversation was something like:
Dad: So it's really just you and your friends sitting around a table with pencils and papers, rolling dice?
Me: Yes.
Dad: Well I guess that's okay.
...That took months.
For awhile my when I was in 1st or 2nd grade my mom was worried that any sort of violence was a pathway into sin. So I literally had to sneak around to watch cartoons like TMNT or GI Joe. By the time Magic: The Gathering came around, though, I think she either realized religion was a crock or that I was beyond saving haha.
No. I was just at the tail end of it. I did live through The Black Attack, The Prime Time, The White Right, The Fakening Awakening, and currently The Trump Dump.
So I was raised in an agnostic home in rural Oklahoma. My mom worked constantly so we never had time for church. And so one summer when I was a kid I went to visit my religious as hell cousins in a nowhere town called Wewoka (not kidding that's the name. Google it.) And this was JUST after the first Harry Potter movie came out. We were driving back to their ranch when I asked "Hey Brandon (my cousin. Same age as me.) Have you seen the new Harry Potter movie?" Because i had the books and my mom took me to premiere. I was completely drowned in Harry Potter.
Well what proceeded was a 30min lecture from my cousins dad that involved how they didn't "worship the devil and his witchcraft" like most people. And that they "don't care if it's Satan worship aimed at kids. It's still Satan worship." I was completely dumbstruck. Growing up in a non religion home I had literally NO IDEA wtf he was talking about. I knew what the devil was, but I had no idea what the devil had to do with Harry Potter. But when I tried to ask what he meant and tried to explain what Harry Potter was he told me he didnt need me to "explain the devil's works to him."
It was a LONG ass week. I was forced to pray and was forced to go to church with them. They even made me apologize for bringing up Harry Potter to my cousins. And then when they took me back to my mom they gave me a Bible and a book containing biblical tales so that I "could learn the real truth of the world".
I shit you not. That was when i knew I would never be religious and that religious fanaticism was a problem.
Well what proceeded was a 30min lecture from my cousins dad that involved how they didn't "worship the devil and his witchcraft" like most people. And that they "don't care if it's Satan worship aimed at kids. It's still Satan worship." I was completely dumbstruck. Growing up in a non religion home I had literally NO IDEA wtf he was talking about. I knew what the devil was, but I had no idea what the devil had to do with Harry Potter. But when I tried to ask what he meant and tried to explain what Harry Potter was he told me he didnt need me to "explain the devil's works to him."
It was a LONG ass week. I was forced to pray and was forced to go to church with them. They even made me apologize for bringing up Harry Potter to my cousins. And then when they took me back to my mom they gave me a Bible and a book containing biblical tales so that I "could learn the real truth of the world".
I shit you not. That was when i knew I would never be religious and that religious fanaticism was a problem.
My family wasn't really religious (my mom identified as a Catholic, but never went to church) but my mom wouldn't let me play Magic The Gathering because of Satan or some shit. That's the only time I really experienced it.
Yeah but you're a dark arts wizard now. So, they were kind of right.
Mother was a Wiccan, so I was often around people from the Church of Satan, Druids, and Pagans. My grandparents were Baptists and didn't necessarily condone of my mother's "views." I was baptized, against the wishes of my mother (she, begrudgingly, allowed it to happen). There were a few moments where I had experienced people treating us differently: our home was egged several times when I was a toddler, which was due to people not agreeing with my mother's choice of religion. At one point, I was taken to Bible Class (as I wanted to go with friends) and the pastor there asked me to leave and not to return; as I was a "Child of Satan."
Other than those things, I haven't experienced the "Satanic Panic" from choice in media. I do think the term "Satanic Panic" has become a catch-all for any negativity toward Satanism (e.g., Hollywood films depicting Satanists as wrong/evil/etc.). But that's another discussion altogether.
Other than those things, I haven't experienced the "Satanic Panic" from choice in media. I do think the term "Satanic Panic" has become a catch-all for any negativity toward Satanism (e.g., Hollywood films depicting Satanists as wrong/evil/etc.). But that's another discussion altogether.
When I was a kid my mom had this phase. She threw away anything in the house that referenced anything that wasn't Christian. My Mortal Kombat VHS? Gone. The Mask? Gone. Pretty much anything with magic or references to any other religions. I was in middle school. I was an unhappy middle schooler.
Lol, this is basically a condensed version of my experience a few posts above.
Surprisingly no. I played D&D, MTG, and have been listening to metal most of my life. The closest accusation I got was in highschool since most of my wardrobe consisted of black.
None of my family, friends, friend's families, or teachers pushed any religious views on me as a kid thankfully.
None of my family, friends, friend's families, or teachers pushed any religious views on me as a kid thankfully.
In 7th Grade (1987) I was sent home and my mom had to come get me for wearing a Slayer Hell Awaits shirt.
They wanted to suspend me as well but my mom gave them actual hell and they did not do that.
That is just one of many examples. Being a little metal head at that time especially with the imagery of a lot of the bands I liked meant every day there was someone who was offended. If I am being honest that was no doubt part of the appeal.
They wanted to suspend me as well but my mom gave them actual hell and they did not do that.
That is just one of many examples. Being a little metal head at that time especially with the imagery of a lot of the bands I liked meant every day there was someone who was offended. If I am being honest that was no doubt part of the appeal.
Thank God I grew up in a developed country where religion is a private matter. And even the ones who take it more serious don't have any platform to spout there garbage.
My parents are pretty conservative religious and every now and then some even more conservative nut would make them think they needed to ban stuff. So like the Simpsons was out for a bit. But then they watched it and it was funny and all their rules fell apart pretty quick.
I'm actually surprised how... open their minds have been in recent years. We listened to Rush Limbaugh on many family trips as a kid, but my dad is a big excited Bernie supporter nowadays (still pretty conservative Christian though).
I'm actually surprised how... open their minds have been in recent years. We listened to Rush Limbaugh on many family trips as a kid, but my dad is a big excited Bernie supporter nowadays (still pretty conservative Christian though).
Parents took my Magic: The Gathering cards away in middle school because it clearly was a form of devil worship and shouldn't be practiced by Christian. You know, a card game is Satanic. Surprised my parents were ever fine with my younger brother reading Harry Potter.
We also got to watch a Metallica video in church once to point out that any form of rock music was demonic. None of those drums or guitars because they are of the devil.
We also got to watch a Metallica video in church once to point out that any form of rock music was demonic. None of those drums or guitars because they are of the devil.
Yeah...basically I was told that this specific episode was a ploy by evil, satanic forces to convince me that a "sinful" property like the X-Men had some kind of moral value.
Yeah for a few months I couldn't do Pokemon then after my parents divorced I could play the games at my dad's house. By that point I had lost interest in the cards and show, but was very glad to play the games again. Also Harry Potter books I had to read at my dad's house or at school. My teacher questioned me on it one time, like "I thought you aren't allowed to read Harry Potter." I told her my dad let me and my mom didn't, and she did not press it. She probably just found it odd. It's funny thinking back on that.
Nope. I grew up in the northeast, my mom is Catholic, and my dad is pretty non-religious. The only thing my parents ever had a problem with was excessive violence, and even then if they saw me playing something like DOOM or Resident Evil they'd have a talk with me about it to make sure I knew that it wasn't real, etc. Once they saw that I was fine they didn't care. None of my friends were religious either so none of this stuff ever came up.
My dad is like this to this day.
Worship music can only sound a certain way.
If you're interested in hearing more about the Satanic Panic, check out this episode of the You're Wrong About podcast...
It's one of the few podcasts I listen to regularly.
It's one of the few podcasts I listen to regularly.
Had a teacher in high school that chastised this group of girls in class for being excited about the first Harry Potter film coming out. The teacher had a young daughter and when the girls asked if he was taking his daughter to see the movie, he responded with "Harry Potter is Satanic, my church has banned it".
Teacher had a Star Wars X-Wing on his desk and I asked, "do you let your kids watch Star Wars? How about the Wizard of Oz?"
He grumbled and told me to drop it.
Dude got arrested this year for having child porn on his computer.
Teacher had a Star Wars X-Wing on his desk and I asked, "do you let your kids watch Star Wars? How about the Wizard of Oz?"
He grumbled and told me to drop it.
Dude got arrested this year for having child porn on his computer.
Yeah, it was pretty dumb. Non-Christian content was evil. Media with Christian content was simply a ploy to trick you into supporting the "sinful" entertainment industry. You literally couldn't win.
Born in '88, grew up in an Evangelical Christian Church. Never got to read Harry Potter.
(so yes, totally)
edit: Shit, I never got to watch The Simpsons, The Lion King, and much more. I don't even understand how I got to watch Star Wars.
(so yes, totally)
edit: Shit, I never got to watch The Simpsons, The Lion King, and much more. I don't even understand how I got to watch Star Wars.
Ah yeah this was big in Latam countries IIRC. We still have a huge conservative and religious demographic, so for plenty of parents (brainwashed by religion) these all were products of the devil, luring children away from being productive and leading them into the way of laziness.
I remember back then when I watched Dragon Ball and saw the 666 on Videl's car, I thought to myself "they might be right". Of course I didn't know better at the time and that they were simple references to Mr. Satan's family names being based on the devil, but just that.
Luckily my parents weren't like this and didn't restrict me from consuming media others thought to be satanic.
I remember back then when I watched Dragon Ball and saw the 666 on Videl's car, I thought to myself "they might be right". Of course I didn't know better at the time and that they were simple references to Mr. Satan's family names being based on the devil, but just that.
Luckily my parents weren't like this and didn't restrict me from consuming media others thought to be satanic.
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Growing up as a Jehovah's Witness basically anything and everything was demonic or Satanic. The Smurfs, Lucky Charms, Harry Potter, Pokemon, Yugioh, anything anime, the Matrix, hard rock metal music, Yoga, meditating, you know name it. So of course that led to a lot of guilt associated as a kid when I would engage in these things and then go to Church only to be told that God hated people who did the things he displeased.
People laugh off this sorta thing but it can be pretty damaging to a kids development, carrying that guilt forward in life until they finally are able to break out of that original way of thinking and reasoning.
People laugh off this sorta thing but it can be pretty damaging to a kids development, carrying that guilt forward in life until they finally are able to break out of that original way of thinking and reasoning.
Not really. My parents weren't very religious at all and the only time I had been to church as a kid was with a friend and his mom. We had to go before my friend's birthday party, but his dad just sat in the van listening to a baseball game on the radio.
I do remember one time I was wearing a BMX shirt from the brand Little Devil that depicted a skeleton holding a scythe and my dad casually warned me that some people might get the wrong idea, but I just shrugged it off and said I've worn it before and didn't have any problems.
I do remember one time I was wearing a BMX shirt from the brand Little Devil that depicted a skeleton holding a scythe and my dad casually warned me that some people might get the wrong idea, but I just shrugged it off and said I've worn it before and didn't have any problems.
My mom wouldn't let me watch Labyrinth when the movie came out as a kid. The reason was that he was "weird". I always thought it was because she thought it was satanic (growing up in the 80s I did hear about this concept a lot), but not as an adult I think it was likely because of vaguely homophobic reasons.
Yep I was 10 years old in 1990 and my mom swore Ozzy Ozbourne was trying to recruit me to be a satanist or something.
And as I got older, she banned Metallica from her house because she heard from her friends they had a song which forced kids to commit suicide and join the devil in hell.
This song. There is a part at the end of the song where a woman's voice says softly " Say yes... or at least say hello..." Over and over. My mom went nuts when she heard it lol.
And as I got older, she banned Metallica from her house because she heard from her friends they had a song which forced kids to commit suicide and join the devil in hell.
This song. There is a part at the end of the song where a woman's voice says softly " Say yes... or at least say hello..." Over and over. My mom went nuts when she heard it lol.
Back in my pre-atheist days, I was heavily involved in the local church. ANd I was a tabletop roleplayer. WHich was frowned upon. But when a workmate tattled I was planning on going to a Vampire LARP to the preacher I was later told they had held prayers for my soul, and asked Jesus to make sure I wouldn't go.
I never went anyway because going 90 kilometers to another town to participate in something I had little real interest in wasn't really my idea of fun..But Preacher-dude felt it was a moral victory to make sure I didn't go full-blown Satanist.
I never went anyway because going 90 kilometers to another town to participate in something I had little real interest in wasn't really my idea of fun..But Preacher-dude felt it was a moral victory to make sure I didn't go full-blown Satanist.
My mother thinks horror games are a thing of the devil and back in the day used to say that Ranma 1/2 was a terrifying concept because it could "turn kids gay" or something like that (she has grown a lot more accepting and empathic over the years).
I wish I was around so I could troll religious nutcases.
Me: "I have this book that talks about the devil, incest, betrayal, murder, and exploitation. What do I do?"
Religious Nutcase: "Burn the book!"
Me: "Alright!"
*throws the Bible into the fire*
Me: "I have this book that talks about the devil, incest, betrayal, murder, and exploitation. What do I do?"
Religious Nutcase: "Burn the book!"
Me: "Alright!"
*throws the Bible into the fire*
I grew up in a mid size suburb in Texas, but even then I still ran into these types of people a lot. The family across the street from me was like that. When they got mad at me or something else they were trying to protect the kids from, they'd call it 'the devil', lol. I recall being kicked out from their house a lot and that being used.
My best friend growing up had a dad like that too. Wouldn't let him play Resident Evil 2 because he thought it was satanic. We had to convince him it wasn't (man was a doctor too, lol). He ended up playing and liking the game eventually. The guy also hated Halloween. Said it was satanic. Every year he would put up a sign on his door saying 'No Halloween here.' Dude ended up being a molester of one of his kids, I shit you not.
My best friend growing up had a dad like that too. Wouldn't let him play Resident Evil 2 because he thought it was satanic. We had to convince him it wasn't (man was a doctor too, lol). He ended up playing and liking the game eventually. The guy also hated Halloween. Said it was satanic. Every year he would put up a sign on his door saying 'No Halloween here.' Dude ended up being a molester of one of his kids, I shit you not.
My Ex and her mother were brainwashed by their church to believe that a bunch of any and everything popular in the 90s-00s were evil and a product of Satan. This ranged from Pokemon, Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Gargoyles, Yu-gi-oh, Digimon. Basically, anything a millennial would identify with their childhood that had a slight edge or referenced magic or another religion was banned by their church.
Her mother was all types of crazy and would constantly say disgusting and outdated remarks like "God made Adam and Eve not Adam and Steve" or my favorite "I didn't come from no monkey, God created all creatures as they were." I would always do a major eye roll whenever we got into any discussion about anything progressive. Glad i'm out of that relationship lol
Her mother was all types of crazy and would constantly say disgusting and outdated remarks like "God made Adam and Eve not Adam and Steve" or my favorite "I didn't come from no monkey, God created all creatures as they were." I would always do a major eye roll whenever we got into any discussion about anything progressive. Glad i'm out of that relationship lol
When I was kid my moms friends were convinced Pokemom were satanic.
My mom was also convinced horror movies and music or movies with a lot of swearing brought evil spirits into the house.
In high school going through my mall-goth phase my mom said my dog dying was contributed to my Victoria Frances posters and the music I listening to.
My mom was also convinced horror movies and music or movies with a lot of swearing brought evil spirits into the house.
In high school going through my mall-goth phase my mom said my dog dying was contributed to my Victoria Frances posters and the music I listening to.