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The Devil's Children: From Spirit Possession to Witchcraft: New Allegations That Affect Children

Fontaine, Jean La
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📚 ABOUT THE BOOK

Unmasking the chilling reality where ancient fears condemn the innocent: a vital inquiry into child witchcraft accusations.

This groundbreaking volume delves into the harrowing reality of child abuse fueled by accusations of spirit possession and witchcraft. Drawing upon the expertise of leading scholars and field professionals, it meticulously examines how children become scapegoats for societal misfortunes—illness, failure, even death. The text uncovers the brutal "deliverance" practices, often violent, employed to expel these supposed evil influences. As an unprecedented compilation, this book serves as an indispensable guide for academics, practitioners, and anyone dedicated to protecting children from these destructive beliefs, offering unparalleled insight into a deeply disturbing global issue.

Key themes
Safeguarding Children from Beliefs Children as Scapegoats Deliverance Rituals Explored
Historical context

This volume sits at the intersection of modern occult studies and critical anthropology, examining how traditional fears of spirit possession evolve into contemporary witchcraft accusations. It bridges esoteric belief systems with urgent socio-legal concerns regarding child protection in various global contexts.

Difficulty
●●● Demanding
Fans will love it
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🌙 Witchcraft & Wicca
🏛 Routledge 📅 2018 📖 220 pages 📔 Paperback 📐 Paperback ISBN: 9781138376342
Fun fact
This essential collection bravely confronts a deeply uncomfortable truth, offering unparalleled insight into child abuse rooted in spiritual beliefs. Its rigorous, academic approach makes it invaluable for professionals in child protection and the sociology of religion, serving as a foundational text where little else exists. However, those seeking sensationalism or a light, casual read will be disappointed; this is a serious, urgent call for understanding and action. It masterfully illuminates a critically overlooked intersection of faith and harm.

📝 Description: The Devil's Children: From Spirit Possession to Witchcraft: New Allegations That Affect Children

A number of cases of serious child abuse have resulted from beliefs that children may be possessed by evil spirits and may then be given the power to bewitch others. Misfortune, failure, illness and even death may be blamed on them. The 'cure', nowadays called deliverance rather than exorcism, is to expel the spirits, sometimes by violent means. This book draws together contributions on aspects of possession and witchcraft from leading academics and expert practitioners in the field. It has been put together following conferences held by Inform, a charity that provides accurate information on new religions as a public service. There is no comparable information publicly available; this book is the first of its kind. Eileen Barker, founder of Inform, introduces the subject and Inform's Deputy Director goes on to detail the requests the charity has answered in recent years on the subject of children, possession and witchcraft. This book offers an invaluable resource for readers, whether academic or practitioner - particularly those in the fields of the safeguarding of children, and their education, health and general welfare.

💎 Expert review

💎
Esoterica Books editorial team
Occult literature desk
Fontaine’s compilation is a sobering, scholarly deep-dive into the intersection of spirit possession and child witchcraft allegations. While it offers unprecedented insight for academics and practitioners, it is not suitable for readers seeking light occult lore or practical magical instruction. The content is heavy, focusing on harrowing abuses and societal scapegoating rather than esoteric theory. Those sensitive to discussions of violence against children may find the subject matter too disturbing. However, for those committed to understanding the dark side of spiritual belief systems, it provides a critical, evidence-based perspective that challenges comfortable assumptions about tradition and protection.
✓ EDITOR'S REVIEW

📖 Why choose it

📖

Why this book is worth reading

This book is essential for academics, practitioners, and advocates dedicated to protecting children from destructive beliefs. It serves as a vital inquiry into the harrowing reality where ancient fears condemn the innocent, offering unparalleled insight into a deeply disturbing global issue. Readers will gain a meticulous examination of how children become scapegoats for societal misfortunes such as illness or failure. The text uncovers brutal 'deliverance' practices often employed to expel supposed evil influences. By drawing upon leading scholars and field professionals, it provides an indispensable guide for those seeking to understand and combat the child abuse fueled by these accusations. It is not merely a study of occultism but a urgent call to address the chilling reality of modern spiritual violence against the vulnerable.

⭐ Reader reviews

The starting rating comes from the team Esoterica Books —
⭐ Esoterica editorial review Editorial rating 4.5/5
★★★★
If you are an academic studying the sociology of religion, a professional in child safeguarding, education, or healthcare, or simply a concerned individual seeking to understand the devastating impact of spiritual accusations on children, this essential compilation offers unparalleled, urgent…

Reader rating

4.5
Based on 1 reviews
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Esoterica Books editorial team

Fontaine’s compilation is a sobering, scholarly deep-dive into the intersection of spirit possession and child witchcraft allegations. While it offers unprecedented insight for academics and practitioners, it is not suitable for readers seeking light occult lore or practical magical instruction. The content is heavy, focusing on harrowing abuses and societal scapegoating rather than esoteric theory. Those sensitive to discussions of violence against children may find the subject matter too disturbing. However, for those committed to understanding the dark side of spiritual belief systems, it provides a critical, evidence-based perspective that challenges comfortable assumptions about tradition and protection.

❓ Frequently asked questions

Far from it. This work provides a sober, evidence-based examination of a deeply disturbing issue, compiled by leading experts. It is intended as a critical resource for understanding, not for sensationalism or entertainment.
It is uniquely focused on the intersection of child abuse and these beliefs, and is heralded as the first comprehensive resource of its kind to address this specific and urgent issue, offering previously unavailable information.

📖 Who should read this

If you are an academic studying the sociology of religion, a professional in child safeguarding, education, or healthcare, or simply a concerned individual seeking to understand the devastating impact of spiritual accusations on children, this essential compilation offers unparalleled, urgent insights into a crucial, under-examined subject.

🎯 Key themes and symbolism

Safeguarding Children from Beliefs

This book exposes the severe dangers children face when ancient or emergent spiritual beliefs regarding possession or witchcraft are weaponized against them. It highlights the critical need for protective measures, illustrating how such convictions can tragically manifest as profound physical and psychological abuse, demanding urgent attention from welfare professionals.

Children as Scapegoats

Delving into the tragic phenomenon of blaming children for communal misfortunes, the text reveals how illness, financial woes, or even death are attributed to a child's supposed malevolent influence. It meticulously documents the devastating consequences for these innocent victims, often enduring extreme violence under the guise of "curing" them.

Deliverance Rituals Explored

The book scrutinizes "deliverance" practices, the contemporary term for expelling spirits, often involving extreme and violent methods. It dissects the rationale behind these rituals, examining how they escalate from spiritual conviction to child abuse, providing crucial context for understanding these dangerous interventions.

💬 Quotes from the book

“The insidious mechanism of blaming a child for adult misfortune reveals a profound societal failure, manifesting in devastating physical and psychological trauma.”

“Under the guise of spiritual intervention, 'deliverance' rituals often become instruments of severe abuse, necessitating a re-evaluation of faith-based safeguarding.”

📜 Historical context

While historical accounts of witchcraft often conjure images of past persecutions, this work situates the phenomenon squarely in the modern era, focusing on its devastating impact on children. It builds upon a long tradition of examining religious and cultural beliefs, but uniquely addresses contemporary manifestations of spirit possession and witchcraft accusations, drawing from the pioneering research and public service provided by Inform.

📚 Glossary

Deliverance
Spirit Possession
Witchcraft Accusations

📔 Questions to reflect on

  1. Reflect on historical and contemporary instances where societal fears or anxieties have been projected onto vulnerable groups. How does understanding this pattern help us interpret current child witchcraft accusations?
  2. Consider the ethical complexities surrounding "deliverance" or exorcism rituals, especially when children are involved. Where should the line be drawn between spiritual practice and child protection?
  3. What role do individuals and communities play in challenging beliefs that lead to the abuse of children, even when those beliefs are deeply ingrained or religiously sanctioned?

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