The Occult Debate Issue #2: Dabbling In Music. Games and the Occult - Contagion or Adolescent Maturation? A great deal of controversy exists about how dabbling in heavy metal music, fantasy role playing games and the occult affects youth. On one hand, contagion theory proponents feel dabbling in any or all three can and often does lead to serious involvement with occult activity and sometimes with occult crime. On the other hand, adolescent maturation theory proponents believe dabbling Is a normal, transitional part of growing up.

Hypothesis: Dabbling in heavy metal music, fantasy role playing games and/or the occult lead to serious Involvement in occult activity and sometimes with occult crime. Proponents feel that dabbling in heavy metal, role playing games and/or the occult can be contagious, leading to more serious, perhaps criminal and life-threatening involvement. While participation doesn't cause such behavior, it strongly contributes to anti-social and even criminal activity. Sandi Gallant of the San Francisco Police Department describes an escalation effect whereby some youth dabble for a short time as non-criminal practitioners of Satanism, and other youth gravitate to serious criminal activity on behalf of their Satanic commitment: "Peer attention to the subculture goes from curiosity to entertaining; entertaining to devout interest; devout interest to conversion; and from conversion to entwining supernatural pre-occupation with major personality psychopathologies." (Gallant, 1986.) Dr. Lawrence Trostle of the Claremont Graduate School conducted a study with 66 adolescent volunteers who live in East Los Angeles; 33 volunteers were self-identified stoners "with a reported preference for heavy metal rock music." His study "does offer support, albeit preliminary, to the suppositional position that a segment of today's youth are being influenced by witchcraft and the occult sciences and that heavy metal rock music is directly correlated with this identification. Further research is needed to establish if this association is widespread or unique to this sample." (Trostle, 1986.) Paul King, M.D., Director of Adolescent Services at Charter Lakeside Hospital in Memphis treats drug-involved adolescents and has conducted several studies about links between involvement in heavy metal and Satanism. In his 1985 testimony before the U.S. Senate, Dr. King stated, "Heavy metal portrays the power and glory of evil. Adolescents with emotional and/or drug problems which I treat every day, become further involved in delinquent behavior, violence, acts of cruelty and Satan worship...Young people who are seeking power over others through identification with the power of evil find a close identification. The lyrics become a philosophy of life. It becomes a religion." (King, 1985:129, 130.) Patricia Pulling, Director of Bothered About Dungeons & Dragons (B.A.D.D.) and private investigator [Note: though she has a PI license, she isn't a PI], strongly feels that D&D, heavy metal, and movies portraying occult type rituals have contributed to the "growing number of adolescents who have committed murder, suicide and other anti-social behaviors directly related to their involvement in these practices. More surprisingly, many of these youngsters had no evidence of other psychological problems until they began to immerse themselves in the occult and began participating in mock rituals to gain a sense of power." (Pulling, 1989.) Menconi Ministries Research Analyst, Dave Hart's heavy metal studies have led him to believe that "Music does not hypnotize our children or turn them into zombies. The music does not make our kids commit suicide, get pregnant, do drugs, drink booze or become rebellious... Simply stated, the music is not so much a problem as it is a symptom. It is symptomatic of deeper feelings - the hurts and fears that young people experience, often secretly. Rock music relates to those feelings. It identifies the inner turmoil, reinforces the alienation, and offers solutions in rebellion, promiscuous behavior, mindless escapism, violence and even death and suicide." (Hart, n.d.:12.)

Supporters of the Contagion Effect Bothered About Dungeons & Dragons , Inc. (B.A.D.D.) Patricia Pulling, Director P.O. Box 5513 Richmond, VA 23220 (804) 264-0403 B.A.D.D. educates[sic] the public about the harmful effects of entertainment violence by publishing materials, presenting seminars, and providing referral services. [Note: B.A.D.D. is fraudulent and not to be considered a valid source of information.] Dave Hart, Research Analyst Menconi Ministries P.O. Box 969 Cardiff by the Sea, CA 92007 (6 19) 436-8676 Working from a "Christian perspective," Dave Hart's materials and presentations can be tailored for any group needing basic background information on heavy metal groups and involved youth. Parents Music Resource Center 1500 Arlington Blvd. Arlington, VA Provides information and gives Congressional testimony about heavy metal influences, and has produced a video tape entitled, "Rising to the Challenge."