NEW SEASON OF "PLAYING WITH FIRE" BROUGHT TO YOU BY: Christian Solidarity International (CSI) , a Christian human rights organization that advocates for and helps victims of religious persecution, enslavement, victimized children, and victims of natural disasters. Riaan Swiegelaar was a practicing witch, psychic, and Satanist, living his life deeply embedded in the occult. Then, an earth-shattering encounter with Jesus changed everything. Swiegelaar's story went viral in 2022 after he left his post as a reverend with the South African Satanic Church (SASC), and became a Christian. The global attention wasn't something he was expecting. "I didn't anticipate at the time that it's going to go that wide," he said, noting he was almost immediately "under scrutiny from around the world" as he navigated his newfound faith. "It has been an interesting two years, indeed." Since becoming a Christian, Swiegelaar sought deliverance, coped with the demonic, and is now helping others who are on a similar journey out of the grips of Satanism. But the process has been a long journey. *** NEW SEASON BROUGHT TO YOU BY: Christian Solidarity International (CSI) , a Christian human rights organization that advocates for and helps victims of religious persecution, enslavement, victimized children, and victims of natural disasters. *** "After I had my encounter with Christ and after I was saved, I was fully involved with certain practices," he said. "I was still doing readings for people … because I thought, 'No, I'm sure it's OK.'" But Swiegelaar was soon convicted by the Holy Spirit and found himself going for more deliverance and finding freedom and healing from these practices. In an appearance on "Billy Hallowell's Playing With Fire" podcast, he explained how he rose up the ranks of Satanism, noting he had a background in theology and the occult and was practicing witchcraft and psychic mediumship when he came into the movement. "A lot of people who join Satanism — and this was also my experience with members of that organization ... people join in it on different types of labels depending on their background and understanding," he said. As for Swiegelaar's experience as a Satanist, he said he "saw a lot of things happening" and was profoundly "deceived." "When I initially got involved in Satanism, I remember the first time I read the Satanic Bible … it appeals to people that are very wounded and broken … and feel like they are the odd ones out," he said. "It is written in that way for a reason. … You can define your own version of what divinity is." At first, Swiegelaar saw God as energy and Lucifer as a force in each human being, though that later changed as he began to experience a very different dynamic. "I had a few encounters where I actually saw different faces of the enemy," he said. "It became extremely real." While many Satanists consider themselves to be atheists, he said there's often more to this story than meets the eye, as this idea that the devil doesn't exist is purportedly sometimes a tactic or even a misconception among new Satanic congregants. "A lot of Satanists who initially get involved with Satanism from an atheistic point of view, most of them don't believe that the devil exists," he said, noting, though, that manifestations sometimes change so that people start to see these beliefs are, indeed, rooted in reality. "The time when ... things become very real with Satanic rituals and stuff, you're so deep into it that it's difficult to come out." With the "wool over" some people's eyes, Swiegelaar said it can feel impossible to get out or abandon Satanism, with the dynamics becoming "extremely destructive." Some, he said, are even pushed to the brink of suicide. He said part of his own job centered on trying to convince the public there is no devil. "[The] devil wants to deceive people to think there's no Satan," Swiegelaar said, noting this impacted his efforts to play into this dynamic. "That is part of that very agenda that I'm talking about. It is simply that. Unfortunately, there [are] some people in media who do know the truth, because they are Satanists themselves." One of the most deceptive and surprising elements of Satanism, he said, is that there's a stereotype or expectation of what Satanists should look like. But rather than appearing strange or fitting that dynamic, Swiegelaar said many Satanists are police, teachers, and others who would otherwise be seen as normal. Yet he said some of the activities within Satanism are far outside of the mainstream. From black masses to the observance of monthly minor practices, Swiegelaar said he was very involved in commemorating Satanism and even running these rituals. "In terms of animal sacrifices, yes, certainly that happens," he said. "I've been involved in that." Swiegelaar also had much to say about babies, Satanic ritual abuse, the drinking of blood, and other disturbing occurrences — practices he had purportedly witnessed or been involved in.
