A study called ‘Teens and Supernatural’ was conducted by a group called Barna Group. The study showed that at least three out of 10 teenagers have used the Ouija board, about eight have read their horoscopes and three had their palms read. Though the numbers are not shocking, the fact is that there is some kind of danger lurking behind this trend.
How widespread is occult culture
According to the scriptures, this powerful world is also known as ‘the powers of darkness.’ The Ouija board is very popular among most of the youngsters. The game was manufactured by the Parker Brothers. Numbers and letters are used around a pointer that move mysteriously and answer the questions asked by the individuals. The manufacturers themselves are not able to explain about the force behind what moves the pointer. The truth is that the game uses spiritual forces that are outside the control of human beings.
Occult is becoming a common component in most of the television programs for the youngsters. When they are exposed to various forms of the culture in the form of witchcraft and other practices, the youth get excited and begin to consider it as an exotic alternative to their mainstream religion. An informal study conducted on teenagers showed that there exists a subculture in almost all the schools that has a touch of occult in various forms. Some of the students were gothic kids influenced by Anne Rice, some were faux vampires and even had outcast kids who spend most of the time in occult. Though the study concluded that the involvement was temporary, some children who got involved seriously had to face tragic consequences.
Common occultic teen activities
Youth can be misled easily. Some of them join various occult cults and engage in dangerous activities. Given below are some of the popular cultic activities that the youth engage in.
1. Gothic music and dress
The gothic movement began in 1981 in London at a nightclub called ‘The Batcave.’ The Goth devotes were black-swathed, pale faced and hair sprayed dwellers of the night. They mostly worshipped imagery, sacrilegious and religious and spooky people and objects. The cult reached heights of popularity when gothic inspired music and attire became filling all over. The Goth movement is still a thriving cult with a lot of teens who have wounded souls and feel alienated in one way or other. They are people who celebrate the death of humanity and hope.
2. Vampirism
According to experts, there are two kinds of vampires. One is the metaphorical type who does things like sleeping in coffins, moving about in the night and wearing fangs etc. The second type is the real vampires who are believed to drink blood and show psychotic characteristics. Some of these fans have known to cross the limits but are usually believed to be people who are actually living in a world of fantasy. Some of them even claim that they possess psychic capacities while some say that they are attacked by wandering spirits. It is the youth suffering from emotional problems who cross the line of limits. According to reports, there are about nine vampire cults in Arizona, most of them led by young adults.
3. Witchcraft
Another notable practice followed by youth is witchcraft. This is very popular among the young people particularly the high school students and the college females. According to Silver Ravenwolf, a self-proclaimed witch, witchcraft is an ‘earth-centered religon focused on raising an individual’s spirituality.’ There are several publications as well that are intended to attract youngsters who are seeking to join a coven. Some of the latest publications include Teen Witch: Wicca for a New Generation written by Silver Ravenwolf. It has an attractive cover that is more than enough to draw in followers.
Tips for parents
1. As parents, you need to have a clear idea about what your children are doing in their spare time. Find out about their friends and their families. If you sense that there is something wrong, then you have to prevent your children from mingling with such friends.
2. Talk to your children about the occult culture and tell them how harmful it can become. You have to educate them about various practices and why they are done.
3. Children turn to such cults only when they are not stable emotionally and have a rebellious nature. So ensure that your children do not belong to such a group or have such characteristics.
4. Check out their interests. Some of them may begin to show some inclination towards these cults after watching some of the movies or reading such books. The best thing to do is to make them understand about these cults and show them the negative aspects.
5. Always be alert about your teens. Know where they are going and whom they are meeting. This will help you to control them to a certain extend and prevent them from falling into bad company.
