Demons
of the Modern World by Malcolm McGrath is an engrossing study of how the childhood
fear of demons, monsters, and other scary fantasy creatures can mutate into
adult accusations of satanic ritual abuse and stories about alien abductions.
Written for the layperson, this study is filled with colorful case studies that
not only make it make it interesting and enjoyable to read, but easy to
understand.

Demons
of the Modern World is a distillation of the author’s research for his
doctoral dissertation. McGrath’s thesis is that historic accusations of
witchcraft and modern accusations of satanic ritual abuse are the results of
the split within the minds of western culture between adult scientific thinking
and childhood symbolic thinking. He posits that children and primitive
societies see the world in terms of mythology, i.e. gods/goddesses,
devils/angels, monsters/demons. He calls this “symbolic” thinking. In the
modern western world, children are taught to sublimate symbolic thinking with
concrete scientific logical thinking, however, the symbolic thinking is only
repressed and can exert its influence during times of stress and/or fear.

Historically speaking, legal
punishment for the usage of harmful witchcraft is as old as humanity itself
however widespread accusations for the usage of any kind of witchcraft or magic
began with the birth of the scientific era. The Salem Witchcraft Trials of 1692
are the best example of the Age of Faith versus the Age of Reason. In a more
contemporary setting, the author focuses on the 1984 California trial of the
McMartin Preschool for satanic ritual abuse. Members of the McMartin family and
their employees were accused of over 300 counts of physical, sexual, and ritual
abuse of preschoolers. The 28-month trial and the follow-up four-year study
revealed that there was no hard evidence of abuse by any of the employees of
the McMartin Preschool. How then did so many counts of abuse accrue? Videotapes
of the testimonies of 400+ preschoolers involved with the case indicated that
the adult interviewers badgered, ridiculed, and used “let’s pretend” to led the
children into giving the expected and desired responses. The author noted that
many of the techniques used are similar to those used with suspected adult
victims of childhood abuse in recovered memory therapy. These methods including
self-hypnosis and guided visualization, tap into the mythological thinking of
childhood fears. Unfortunately, psychotherapists, social workers, and law
enforcement personnel often misinterpret the mythological language and symbolic
images with the harsh light of scientific realism. Their misinterpretations
have led to emotional heartache, familial disruption, false arrests, and even
murder by victims further victimized by bad legal and psychological advice.

On a lighter note, the author
relates how all human can and do continue to use mythological thinking. Every
night human being re-enter the realm of symbolic thought in their dreams and
many adults seek to vicariously re-experience childhood fears in safe and
healthy ways through gothic literature, horror films, science fiction, and even
amusement park rides.

Malcolm McGrath is a doctoral
candidate in political philosophy at St. Antony’s College, Oxford. Demons of the Modern World is his first
book.

Demons
of the Modern World by Malcolm McGrath is an important book. Written for
the layperson it presents an eye-opener review of historic and contemporary
witch hunts and how they are based in childhood separation between scientific
thought and symbolic language. I recommend this book for college and public
libraries. It is a must read for those involved in legal and social service
professions.       

© 2002 Su Terry

Su Terry: Education:
B.A. in History from Sacred Heart University, M.L.S. in Library Science from
Southern Connecticut State College, M.R.S. in Religious Studies/Pastoral
Counseling from Fairfield University, a M.Div. in Professional Ministry from
New Brunswick Theological Seminary, a Certificate in Spirituality/Spiritual
Direction from Sacred Heart University. She is a Licensed Minister of the
United Church of Christ and an Assistant Professor in Library Science at
Dowling College, Long Island, NY. Interests in Mental Health: She is interested
in the interplay between psychology, biology, and mysticism. Her current area of
research is in the impact of hormonal fluctuation in female Christian mystics.

Categories: Ethics, General