Press Releases 2013

In 2011 shortly after the Van Eck “Graveyard Murder”, Danie Krügel, who is an associate of Auksano, called the crime a “Satanic murder”. The murder was widely referred to as such in many publication and on television news – all these sources turned out to be dead wrong as more information emerged during the trial. Even Kobus Jonker went so far as to say the crime was “not Satanism”.

South Africa seemed to be entering another new phase of Satanic Panic hysteria and “Christian Therapy” organization, Auksano, took this opportunity to engage in evangelism. In Die Burger and Volksblad, they took the opportunity to warn against the “dangers of Satanism and the Occult”. These publications consulted Barbara and Johan De Beer as “experts” on the Occult”.

The media went to great lengths to try and prove that the Van Eck case was “Satanism”, perhaps nudged on by information from Auksano. In an extremely biased episode of Etv’s 3rd Degree, Auksano’s Johan De Beer warned against Satanism and the Van Eck murder was unquestioningly linked to “satanism” – Auksano and Etv was wrong. Yet, a strong bias against minority beliefs or philosophies particularly the Occult and Satanism became apparent.

On 22 October 2013 on SABC’s Newsroom program, DSTV channel 404, Johan De Beer was yet again consulted as an “expert” concerned about a “spike in cases of Satanism”. The SABC ignored the fact that Auksano is an evangelical Christian organization, the question of bias apparently never occurred to them.

In the interview De Beer confounds “the occult” with “Satanism” as if these two terms are equivalent, a common ploy of Christian anti-occult crusaders.

Apparently, De Beer can also not tell the difference between “legend trippers” and the real religion or philosophy of Satanism. All of De Beer’s and Auksano’s so called cases of Satanism seem to refer to the actions of “Pseudo-Satanists” or “Legend Trippers”. Yet, De Beer is simply continuing on the poor track record of the SAP’s (Later SAPS’s) Occult Related Crimes Unit. He was also a member of the ORCU. Adherents had to be “born-again Christians” and they “spotted Satanists” because their religious views made them prone to such activity. A simple look at the SAPS’s Occult Related Crimes page will reveal how loosely defined their “satanism” truly is. The SAPS also ignored the example of law enforcement overseas, for instance the 1991 Lanning Report of the FBI warns against men with religious agenda’s thinking they are “engaging the forces of darkness” and seeing “Satanism” and signs of evil where there are none.

There is nothing in any of the literature of either Laveyan (Atheistic) Satanists or Theistic Satanists that require the kinds of actions attributed to “Satanists” in these recent murders. The perpetrators in these crimes are what academics such as Bill Ellis and Jeffrey S. Victor would call “legend trippers”. Interestingly, “legend trippers” act out on the “Christian myth of Satanism” a vast international conspiracy where Satanists have to engage in criminal activities to please their master Satan, who is believed to exist in quite literal terms. This is the kind of Satanism warned against by organizations such as Auksano and it is this information “legend trippers” draw upon.

To add to Auksano’s already poor track record they still accept the fraudulent and discredited “Satanic calendar” as authoritative (Please see the Alternative Religions Forum’s STAT document for a thorough debunking of this fraud). They published an article on Harry Potter and Paganism claimed to be “well researched information”, yet they make numerous fraudulent claims including that “Harry Potter is Witchcraft 101”. J.K. Rowling does have a good knowledge of some actual occult lore and mythology referenced in the books – but it is still used in a fictional context. The lore that the mandrake root screams when pulled out of the ground is made reference to and yet in the story it appears in a very literal fantastic context as one example.

They can’t even get the name of the leading villain right and give it as Voldimare – which makes one wonder if they have actually read the books/watched the films or if they are relying on other secondary sources with equally fraudulent information.

Since when in any occult system does a wand represent a “phoenix tail feather”? No known Occult path claims this. Where did they get this information from?

The phrases in Latin in Harry Potter are simply just Latin phrases, referring to expected effect. How can these be “real spells”? Does Auksano and the author of the article really believe that if I say “Expecto Patronum” I am going to conjure a patronus made out of light? That is not how real magic is even remotely expected to work.

Their information on meditation “to get what you want” and “resulting in new birth” is dead wrong. Meditation is about disciplining the mind and concentration. Since when in any extant lore has Thor been known as a horned god? They are also wrong to claim that cute demons and conical hats (stereotype of witch) are tools on Wiccan altars.

Auksano clearly knows nothing about the Occult or Satanism. Why would they be relied upon to give expert testimony and why would they be consulted as “occult experts”?

As for the notion of the Satanic gangs, it is ONLY in articles where De Beer is consulted where a clear link is made between these gangs and Satanism. Does he want such a connection to exist because he believes in the literal nature of the devil and “Satanism conspiracy theory”? Gangs such as the BTK’s and the 666’s are called “Satanic”. Are they simply called this because they use some stereotypical elements associated with Satanism such as the number 666?

De Beer first heard of these gangs in 1995/96 so this was well after Satanic Panic hit South Africa in the 80’s and early 90’s. The Occult Related Crimes Unit had plenty of time to warn against their constructed and imagined “Satanism”, whereas the Satanic Bible (representing actual Satanism was banned till 1994!). So where did these gangs get their ideas for Satanism? I highly doubt they had internet access as early as 1995 and I highly doubt they imported the Satanic Bible. They got their information from Christian anti-Satanism crusaders and they acted on the stereotypical elements of devil-worship warned against by these cult-cops and anti-occult crusaders!

If these gangs use Satanic trappings, they remain legend trippers and they do not confirm the “Christian Myth of Satanism”.

Auksano should be approached with skepticism and they should not be consulted as “experts” on the Occult. What they are spreading is their own personal religious agenda.

 

References:

On “Satanic gangs” –
http://www.auksano.org/wiki/index.php?title=Rise_of_the_666_Gangs

On Harry Potter and Paganism – 
http://www.auksano.org/wiki/index.php?title=Harry_Potter_-_Kiddies_Witchcraft_101_or_mere_modern_fantasy%3F

SABC consults Johan De Beer –
http://www.sabc.co.za/news/a/a0011080418cc0c99590b5df33f99ede/Satanism-is-on-the-rise:-expert

 

Report by F. Fumarola
Executive Member: SAPRA