Essay/Term paper: Satanism

Essay, term paper, research paper:  Religion

Welcome to the hidden world of Satanism, where evil is embraced, not feared. According to a 1989 "Seventeen" survey, Satanism is believing that Judeo-Christian religions suppress man"s natural urge to seek out pleasure. Followers follow the devil and turn toward evil for pleasure. Teenagers are affected greatly by Satanism. There are many methods used to lure young people into joining satanic groups. The first initial approach is inviting a young person to a meeting on a certain topic, appealing to the their curiosity. The goal of this is to psychologically manipulate the teen during the meeting. Another approach is to have a party which offers alcohol or drugs with the same goal as the meeting. This method seems to promise the unrestricted fulfillments and desires. Blackmail and the promising of supernatural powers could also be used to lure teens into Satanism. Every group uses a different method, but most of them seem to work. There are several factors that put teenagers at risk for Satanism. These include low self-esteem, alienation from peer groups, and curiosity about sex and drugs. Some people even think that poor parenting at an early age can cause the child as a teen to become involved in Satanism. The first problem is emotional withdrawal from parents. The second reason is being exposed to violence or being the victim of a violent act. Since Satanism uses forms of violence, such teenagers do not find it repulsive . The third parent-child interaction that involves risk is the parents demanding strict religious observance while not following the rules themselves. Here are some of the questions that teens can ask themselves to see if they are becoming involed in Satanism. The more that are answered yes the more that teen is at risk. 1. My parents often ignore me. 2. I want to experiment with drugs, but I am afraid of being caught. 3. I was physically or sexually abused as a child. 4. I have been robbed or beaten up. 5. It is not unusual to see violence in my neighborhood. 6. My parents make me go to church. 7. Adults so not seem to understand my taste in music. 8. My parents have given me too many rules. 9. I don"t feel good enough about myself to ask a special boy/girl on a date. 10. I enjoy playing Dungeons and Dragons or similar board games. 11. A lot of emphasis is placed on religion in our house, but my parents don"t practice what they preach. 12. I feel good when I can do something outrageous that disturbs adults. For some Satanism is nothing more than a game, for others it"s a way of life, but for most it"s their worst nightmare come true. No one knows how many Satanists there are out there cutting off heads or sacrificing infants, that is why its so hard to tell if you are becoming lured into it, so remember to take precautions and be careful with what you get into.