An Historical Document from The Satanic Panic

[GRIMJIM]

@jennlynnjordan on Twitter had a friend unearth this and is planning to scan it more fully. So check her out there to see more.

Feels like a timely reminder of how far things can go, and how bad, things can get!

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

“Oils,” because that lavender essential oil is totally a gateway to ritualistic criminal behavior.

I have a copy of Pat Pulling’s The Devil’s Web, also from about that same time. It’s an interesting and scary read, from a different time.

 

[GRIMJIM]

Not different enough for my liking!

 

[cmad1977]

Hilarious.

 

[Ryujin]

"Characteristics of Teen Involved - Pretty much every teen."

This incident occurred a little north of where I was in high school, at the height of the Satanic Panic. Rather than seeing D&D as an outlet for the accused's psychosis, people who had been busily playing rock albums backwards to find Satanic messages decided that D&D must have made him crazy. The school board I was in, neighbouring his to the south, narrowly avoided the D&D ban that was instituted there.

http://www.theescapist.com/archive-babineau.htm

For additional "reading" I suggest watching "Dark Dungeons", a film based on the Chick Tract by the same name and "Attacking the Darkness", a mockumentary about the making of a surprisingly familiar looking movie. Both available on Youtube.

 

[MNblockhead]

For additional "reading" I suggest watching "Dark Dungeons", a film based on the Chick Tract by the same name and "Attacking the Darkness", a mockumentary about the making of a surprisingly familiar looking movie. Both available on Youtube.

I second this recommendation. For "Dark Dungeons," ZOE actually had Jack Chick's blessing to make the movie. They kept very true to Jack's pamphlet. That was what was brilliant about the project. They didn't need to exaggerate anything to make it come off as ridicoulous.

Not sure if he ever saw the follow-up mockumentary "Attacking the Darkness" that makes it quite clear that ZOE is making fun of the accusations against D&D and other role-playing games.

 

[Ryujin]

I second this recommendation. For "Dark Dungeons," ZOE actually had Jack Chick's blessing to make the movie. They kept very true to Jack's pamphlet. That was what was brilliant about the project. They didn't need to exaggerate anything to make it come off as ridicoulous.

Not sure if he ever saw the follow-up mockumentary "Attacking the Darkness" that makes it quite clear that ZOE is making fun of the accusations against D&D and other role-playing games.

They had to expand on that tiny pamphlet so JR Ralls and the ZOE crew did extensive research on the other various pamphlets, Chick message boards, and plethora of interviews Chick did in order to fill out the run time with accurate information. It certainly didn't hurt that Chris Ode, a long time member of ZOE, is also a Lutheran Pastor. Chris plays Pastor Doug in "Attacking the Darkness."

You'll have to cast a wider net on who the mockumentary lampoons though. Organized religion, even a specific church if you look closely enough. Film makers. Gamers. They take a shot at any group that is represented. When it comes to "Dark Dungeons" they played it absolutely straight. You see in it what you want to see, dependent upon your own viewpoint. That's what I love about it.

 

[dragoner]

"Punkers"

The hilariousness of the 80's. I'm surprised they didn't list having a signed pic of Rozz Williams.

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

I think I spent most of high school accused of being a Satanist. First for playing D&D, then for being a Goth.

"Punkers"

The hilariousness of the 80's. I'm surprised they didn't list having a signed pic of Rozz Williams.

 

[dragoner]

I think I spent most of high school accused of being a Satanist. First for playing D&D, then for being a Goth.

True, and the "Satanic Panic" did more to boost D&D's popularity more than anything else, it virtually guaranteed that a huge number of kids were going to check it out. Same with the PMRC, put that sticker on an album and it would go gold.