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SATANIC, OCCULT, RITUALISTIC CRIME:
A LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSPECTIVE
NOTE: This article was completed after the
killings in Matamoros, Mexico, became know
in April, 1989. There is nothing known to
the author about this case which changes the
opinions and recommendations set forth
in this article.
By: Kenneth V. Lanning
Supervisory Special Agent
Behavioral Science Instruction and Research Unit
FBI Academy
Quantico, Virginia 22135
June 1989
(SUBMITTED FOR PUBLICATION)
Introduction
The belief that there is a connection between satanism and
crime is certainly not new. In fact, one of the oldest theories
of crime causation is demonology. Heightened concern about
satanic or occult activity has appeared periodically throughout
history. Concern in the late 1970s focused primarily on
"unexplained" deaths and mutilations of animals, and in recent
years has focused on child sexual abuse and the human sacrifice of
missing children. In 1999 it will probably focus on the impending
"end of the world."
Today, satanism and a wide variety of other terms are used
interchangeably in reference to certain crimes. This discussion
will analyze the nature of "satanic, occult, ritualistic" crime
and focus on appropriate LAW ENFORCEMENT responses to it.
Recently a flood of law enforcement seminars and conferences
have dealt with the occult. These training conferences have
various titles, such as "Occult in Crime," "Satanic Cults,"
"Ritualistic Crime Seminar," "Satanic Influences in Homicide,"
"Occult Crimes, Satanism and Teen Suicide," and "Ritualistic Abuse
of Children."
The typical conference runs from one to three days and often
includes many of the same presenters and instructors. A wide
variety of topics are usually discussed during this training
either as individual presentations by different instructors or
grouped together by one or more instructors. Typical topics
covered include the following:
1. Historical overview of satanism, witchcraft, and paganism
from ancient to modern times.
2. Nature and influence of fantasy role-playing games, such
as Dungeons and Dragons.
3. Lyrics, symbolism, and influence of rock and roll, Heavy
Metal, and Black Metal music.
4. Teenage "stoner" gangs, their symbols, and their
vandalism.
5. Teenage suicide by adolescents dabbling in the occult.
6. Crimes committed by self-styled satanic practitioners to
include grave and church desecrations and robberies,
animal mutilations, and even murders.
7. Ritualistic abuse of children as part of bizarre
ceremonies and human sacrifices.
8. Organized, Traditional, or Multigenerational satanic
groups involved in organized conspiracies, such as taking
over day care centers, infiltrating police departments,
and trafficking in human sacrifice victims.
9. The "Big Conspiracy" theory, which implies that satanists
are responsible for such things as Adolph Hitler, World
War II, abortion, pornography, Watergate, Irangate, and
infiltration of the Department of Justice, the Pentagon
and the White House.
During the conference, these nine areas are linked together
through the liberal use of the word "satanism" and some common
symbolism (pentagrams, 666, demons, etc.). The implication often
is that all are part of one continuum of behavior, one big problem
or some common conspiracy. The information presented is a mixture
of fact, theory, opinion, fantasy, and paranoia, and because some
of it can be proven or corroborated (desecration of cemeteries,
vandalism, etc.), the implication is that it is all true and
documented. The distinctions between the different areas are
blurred even if occasionally a presenter tries to make them. This
is complicated by the fact that almost any discussion of satanism
and witchcraft plugs into the religious belief systems of those in
the audience. Faith, not logic and reason, controls the
religious beliefs of most people. As a result, some normally
skeptical law enforcement officers accept the information
disseminated at these conferences without critically evaluating
it or questioning the sources. Little said at such conferences
will change the religious beliefs of the attendees. Such
conferences illustrate the ambiguity and wide variety of terms
involved in this issue.
Definitions
The words satanic, occult, and ritualistic are often used
interchangeably. It is difficult to precisely define Satanism
(with a capital S), and no attempt will be made to do so here.
However, it is important to realize how the word satanism (with a
small s) is used by many people. Simply put, for some people,
satanism is any religious belief system other than their own. The
Ayatolla Khomeini referred to the United States as the "Great
Satan." In the British Parliament, a Protestant leader called the
Pope the anti-Christ. In a book titled prepare For War, the
author, Rebecca Brown, M.D., has a chapter entitled "Is Roman
Catholicism Witchcraft?" Dr. Brown also lists among the
"doorways" to satanic power and/or demon infestation the
following: fortune tellers, horoscopes, fraternity oaths,
vegetarianism, yoga, self-hypnosis, relaxation tapes, acupuncture,
biofeedback, fantasy role-playing games, adultery, homosexuality,
pornography, judo, karate, and rock music. Dr. Brown states that
the rock music "was a carefully masterminded plan by none other
than Satan himself." The ideas expressed in this book may seem
extreme and even humorous. This book, however, has been listed as
serious recommended reading in law enforcement training material
on this topic.
In books, lectures, handout material, and conversations, the
author has heard all of the following referred to as satanism:
Church of Satan Stoner Gangs New Age
Ordo Templi Orientis Heavy Metal Music Astrology
Temple of Set Rock Music Channeling
Demonology KKK Transcendental Meditation
Witchcraft Nazis Holistic Medicine
Paganism Scientology Buddhism
Santeria Unification Church Hinduism
Voodoo The Way Mormonism
Rosicrucians Hare Krishna Islam
Freemasonry Rajneesh Orthodox Church
Knights Templar Religious Cults Roman Catholicism
At law enforcement training conferences, witchcraft,
santeria, and paganism are frequently referred to as forms of
satanism. It may be a matter of definition, but these three
things are *not* forms of traditional Satanism. The worship of
lunar goddesses and nature and the practice of fertility rituals
is not satanism. Santeria is a combination of 17th century Roman
Catholicism and African paganism. The occult simply refers to the
action or influence of supernatural powers or some secret
knowledge of them, and it is not the same as Satanism nor is it
necessarily evil.
Many individuals define satanism from a totally Christian
perspective, using this word to describe the power of evil in the
world. With this definition, any crimes, especially those which
are particularly bizarre, repulsive, or cruel, can be viewed as
satanic in nature. Yet, it is just as difficult to precisely
define satanism as it is to precisely define Christianity or any
complex spiritual belief system.
What is Ritualistic Crime?
The biggest confusion, however, is over the word ritualistic.
During law enforcement training conferences on this topic,
ritualistic almost always comes to mean satanic or at least
spiritual. Ritual can refer to a prescribed religious ceremony,
but in its broader meaning refers to any customarily repeated act
or series of acts. The need to repeat these acts can be cultural,
sexual, or psychological as well as spiritual.
Cultural rituals could include such things as what a family
eats on Thanksgiving Day or when and how presents are opened at
Christmas. The initiation ceremonies of fraternities, sororities,
gangs, and other social clubs are other examples of cultural
rituals.
Since 1972, the author has lectured about sexual ritualism,
which is nothing more than repeatedly engaging in an act or series
of acts in a certain manner because of *sexual* need. In order to
become aroused and/or gratified, a person must engage in the act
in a certain way. This sexual ritualism can include such things
as the physical characteristics, age, or gender of the victim, the
sequence of acts, the bringing or taking of specific objects, and
the use of certain words or phrases. This is more than the
concept of M.O. (Method of Operation) known to most police
officers. M.O. is something done by an offender because of a
need. Deviant acts, such as urinating on, defecating on, or even
eviscerating a victim, are far more likely to be the result of
sexual ritualism than religious or "satanic" ritualism.
From a criminal investigative perspective, two other forms of
ritualism must be recognized. The Diagnostic and Statistical
Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-III-R) defines Obsessive-
Compulsive Disorder (OCD) as "repetitive, purposeful, and
intentional behaviors that are performed in response to an
obsession, or according to certain rules or in a stereotyped
fashion." Such compulsive behavior frequently involves rituals.
Although such behavior usually involves noncriminal activity such
as excessive hand washing or checking that doors are locked, in
some cases this compulsive ritualism can be part of criminal
activity. Ritual can also stem from psychotic hallucinations and
delusions. A crime can be committed in a precise manner because a
voice told the offender to do it that way or because a divine
mission required it.
To make this more confusing, cultural, religious, sexual, and
psychological ritualism can overlap. Some psychotic people engage
in excessive religiosity and hear the voice of God or Satan
telling them to do things of a religious nature. Psychopathic
offenders who feel little, if any, guilt over their crimes may
need little justification for their antisocial behavior. As human
beings, however, they may have fears, concerns and anxiety over
getting away with their criminal acts. It is difficult to pray to
God for success in doing things that are against His Commandments.
A negative spiritual belief system may fulfill their human need
for assistance from and belief in a greater power. Compulsive
ritualism (e.g. excessive cleanliness or fear of disease) can be
introduced into sexual behavior. Even many "normal" people have a
need for order and predictability and therefore may engage in
family or work rituals. Under stress or in times of change, this
need for order and ritual may increase.
Ritualistic crime may fulfill the cultural, spiritual, sexual
and psychological needs of an offender. The ritual behavior may
also fulfill basic criminal needs to manipulate victims, get rid
of rivals, send a message to enemies, and intimidate co-
conspirators.
The important point for the criminal investigator is to
realize that most criminal ritualistic behavior is not motivated
simply by satanic or religious ceremonies. At some conferences,
presenters have attempted to make a big issue of distinguishing
between "ritual," "ritualized," and "ritualistic" abuse of
children. These subtle distinctions, however, seem to be of no
significant value to the criminal investigator.
What is Ritualistic Abuse of Children?
It is not an easy question to answer. Most people today use
the term to refer to abuse of children that is part of some evil
spiritual belief system, which almost by definition must be
satanic.
Dr. Lawrence Pazder, author of 'Michelle Remembers, defines
ritualized abuse of children as "repeated physical, emotional,
mental, and spiritual assaults combined with a systematic use of
symbols and secret ceremonies designed to turn a child against
itself, family, society, and God." He also states that "the
sexual assault has ritualistic meaning and is not for sexual
gratification."
This definition may have value for academics, sociologists,
and therapists, but it creates potential problems for law
enforcement. Certain acts engaged in with children (kissing,
touching, appearing naked, etc.) may be criminal if performed for
sexual gratification. If the ritualistic acts were in fact
performed for spiritual indoctrination, potential prosecution can
be jeopardized. The mutilation of a baby's genitals for sadistic
sexual pleasure is a crime. The circumcision of a baby's genitals
for religious reasons is most likely NOT a crime. The intent of
the acts is important for criminal prosecution.
The author has been unable to precisely define ritualistic
abuse and prefers not to use the term. It is confusing,
misleading, and counterproductive. Certain observations, however,
are important for investigative understanding.
Not all spiritually motivated ritualistic activity is
satanic. Santeria, witchcraft, voodoo, and most religious cults
are not satanism. In fact, most spiritually or religiously-based
abuse of children has nothing to do with satanism. Most child
abuse that could be termed ritualistic by various definitions is
probably physical and psychological rather than sexual in nature.
Not all such ritualistic activity with a child is a crime.
Almost all parents with religious beliefs indoctrinate their
children into that belief system. Is circumcision for religious
reasons child abuse? Does having a child kneel on a hard floor
reciting the rosary constitute child abuse? Does having a child
chant a satanic prayer or attend a black mass constitute child
abuse? Does a religious belief in corporal punishment constitute
child abuse? Does group care of children in a commune or cult
constitute child abuse? Does the fact that any acts in question
were performed with parental permission affect the nature of the
crime? Many ritualistic acts, whether satanic or not, are simply
not crimes.
When a victim describes and investigation corroborates what
sounds like ritualistic activity, several possibilities must be
considered. The ritualistic activity may be part of the excessive
religiosity of a mentally ill, psychotic offender. It may be a
misunderstood part of sexual ritualism. The ritualistic activity
may be incidental to any real abuse. The offender may be involved
in ritualistic activity with a child and also may be abusing a
child, but one may have little or nothing to do with the other.
The offender may be deliberately engaging in ritualistic
activity with a child as part of child abuse. The motivation,
however, may be not to indoctrinate the child into a belief
system, but to lower the inhibitions of, to control and
manipulate, and/or to confuse the child. In all the turmoil over
this issue, it would be a very effective strategy for any child
molester to deliberately introduce ritualistic elements into his
crime to confuse the child and therefore the criminal justice
system.
The ritualistic activity and the child abuse may be integral
parts of some spiritual belief system. In that case, the greatest
risk is to the children of the practitioners. But this is true of
all cults, not just satanic cults. A high potential of abuse
exists for any children raised in a group isolated from the
mainstream of society, especially if the group has a charismatic
leader whose orders are unquestioned and blindly obeyed by the
members. Sex, money, and power are most often the main
motivations of the leaders of such cults.
What Makes a Crime Satanic, Occult, or Ritualistic?
Some would answer that it is the spiritual beliefs of, or
the membership in, a cult or "church" by the perpetrator. If that
is the criteria, why not label the crimes committed by
Protestants, Catholics, and Jews in the same way? Are the
atrocities of Jim Jones, in Guyana, Christian crimes?
Some would answer that it is the presence of certain symbols
in the possession or home of the perpetrator. What does it mean
then to find a crucifix, Bible, rosary, etc., in the home or
possession of a bank robber, embezzler, child molester, or
murderer? If different criminals possess the same symbols, are
they necessarily part of one big conspiracy?
Others would answer that it is the presence of certain
symbols such as pentagrams, inverted crosses, and 666 at the crime
scene. What does it mean then to find a cross spray painted on a
wall or carved into the body of a victim? What does it mean for
a perpetrator to leave a Bible tied to his murder victim? What
about the possibility that an offender deliberately left such
symbols to make it look like a "satanic" crime?
Some would argue that it is the bizarreness or cruelness of
the crime: body mutilation, amputation, drinking of blood, eating
of flesh, use of urine or feces. Does this mean that all
individuals involved in lust murder, sadism, anthropophagy,
urophilia, and coprophilia are satanists or occult practitioners?
What does this say about the bizarre crimes of psychotic killers
such as Ed Gein or Richard Trenton Case, both of whom mutilated
their victims as part of their psychotic delusions?
A few might even answer that it is the fact that the crime
was committed on a date with satanic or occult significance
(Halloween, May Eve, etc.) or the fact that the perpetrator claims
that Satan told him to commit the crime. What does this mean for
crimes committed on Thanksgiving or Christmas? What does this say
about crimes committed by perpetrators who claim that God or Jesus
told them to do it? One note of interest is the fact that in
handout and reference material collected by the author, the number
of dates with satanic or occult significance ranges from 8 to 110.
This is compounded by the fact that it is sometimes stated that
satanists can celebrate these holidays on several days on either
side of the official date or that the birthday of a practitioner
can be a holiday. The exact names and exact dates of the
holidays and the meaning of symbols listed may also vary depending
on who prepared the material. The handout material is often
distributed without identifying the author or documenting the
original source of the information. It is then frequently
photocopied by attendees and passed on to other police officers
with no one really knowing who says it is valid or from where it
came.
Most, however, would probably answer that what makes a crime
satanic, occult, or ritualistic is the motivation for the crime.
It is a crime that is spiritually motivated by a religious belief
system. How then do we label the following true crimes?
a. Parents defy a court order and send their children to an
unlicensed Christian school.
b. Parents refuse to send their children to any school
because they are waiting for the second coming of Christ.
c. Parents beat their child to death because he or she won't
follow their Christian beliefs.
d. Parents violate child labor laws because they believe the
Bible requires such work.
e. Individuals bomb an abortion clinic or kidnap the doctor
because their religious belief system says abortion is
murder.
f. A child molester reads the Bible to his victims in order
to justify his sex acts with them.
g. Parents refuse life-saving medical treatment for a child
because of their religious beliefs.
h. Parents starve and beat their child to death because
their minister said the child was possessed by demonic
spirits.
Some people would argue that the Christians who committed the
above crimes misunderstood and distorted their religion while
satanists who commit crimes are following theirs. But who decides
who is misinterpreting a religious belief system? The individuals
who committed the above-described crimes believed that they were
following their religion as they understood it. Religion was and
is used to justify such things as the Crusades, the Inquisition,
Apartheid, segregation, violence in Northern Ireland, India, and
Lebanon.
Who decides exactly what "satanists" believe? In this
country, we can't agree on what Christians believe. At many law
enforcement conferences 'The Satanic Bible' is used for this, and
it is often contrasted or compared with the Christian Bible. 'The
Satanic Bible' is, in essence, a 150-page paperback book written
by one man in 1969. To compare it to a book written by over 30
authors over a period of thousands of years is ridiculous, even
ignoring the possibility of Divine revelation in the Christian
Bible. What satanists believe certainly isn't limited to other
peoples' interpretation of a few books. More importantly, it is
subject to some degree of interpretation by individual believers
just as Christianity is.
The fact is that far more crime and child abuse has been
committed in the name of God, Jesus, and Mohammed than has ever
been committed in the name of Satan. Most people don't like that
statement, but few can argue with it.
Although defining a crime as satanic, occult, or ritualistic
would probably involve a combination of the criteria set forth
above, the author has been unable to clearly define such a crime.
Each potential definition presents a different set of problems
when measured against an objective, rational, and constitutional
perspective. Each offender in a group may have a different
motivation for the crime. The author has discovered that the