When Raising Teens, the Devil Is Indeed in the Details

Had Wormwood's first assignment been Syko Sam McCroskey, his task would have been much easier. The minion would have been a hero of the underworld and the letters from his Uncle Screwtape would have beamed with pride.

C. S. Lewis' book, The Screwtape Letters -- a series of letters from a senior devil advising a junior demon on claiming the soul of a young man -- describes how we allow evil to enter our lives. Sometimes it's the little, insignificant things we do that permit evil to gain a foothold. But sometimes people just open the front door and invite it right on in.

While it can't be proved that Satan does exist, events such as what happened in Farmville last month make a pretty strong case that the prince of hell could be real.

In today's enlightened era, many believe that the concept of Lucifer is an outdated idea -- no more frightening or dangerous than the boogeyman. In the preface of The Screwtape Letters, Lewis wrote: "There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. One is to disbelieve in their existences. The other is to believe, and to feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them. They themselves are equally pleased by both."

The events in the small college town last month shook many to the core. As details continue to emerge, the story grows ever grimmer. Americans across the country have been shocked to learn of the sleazy style of music known as horrorcore. A sub-genre of hip-hop, the dark music focuses around such topics as cannibalism, suicide, murder, rape, and a definitely unhealthy interest in Satanism.

Fans of horrorcore claim the music is just a release. Sorry, but no, I don't buy it. Jogging is a release. The glorified, gorified images of Satan and the song lyrics praising evil that are splashed on the pages of horrorcore Web sites would have, in an earlier day, constituted devil worship, plain and simple.

Razakel, a female horrorcore artist who goes by the name of "Queen of the Wicked (expletive)," was a friend of the slain girls, Emma Niederbrock and Melanie Wells. The two teens had done online promotional work for the artist and were referred to as her "unholy apostles."

Razakel says she will never use the slayings in her music, but she also told the Associated Press, "We rap about it and it finally happens. It should be like a slap in our face, right? Well, no -- (expletive) happens."

Someone should point out to the young lady that a lot more than a four-letter word happened. Four brutal murders were committed, inspired by sick lyrics.

Don't blame the music? OK, then what about the people the music attracts? Can we blame them? That's probably not fair, either. But it is fair to ask what it is about the music that attracts young people. And it is fair to ask if allowing an emotionally troubled child to indulge in this music is not unlike allowing a child with a compromised immune system to hang out in a hospital emergency room.

Is it more than a coincidence that neither Emma nor Melanie -- nor McCroskey, for that matter -- had high school diplomas? They had all dropped out.

Two beautiful, albeit confused, teenagers and a mother and father are dead and a young man is behind bars.

As we try to grasp the horror of it all, a hundred more questions come to mind: Why would parents let a 16-year-old daughter listen to that filth? How could parents let their 16-year-old daughter invite a 20-year-old man she met over the Internet into their home? Why would parents drive two teenage girls and an unknown 20-year-old more than 600 miles to a horrorcore concert?

Anyone who has raised teenagers knows how hard it can be. If you haven't had a teen turn your home into an emotional war zone at least once, count yourself lucky.

It can be tempting to give in to their demands just to keep the peace. As parents, crossing those turbulent waters of adolescence with three sons, my husband and I can testify that giving in makes matters only worse. The concept of "just this once" does not exist for an adolescent. Cave once and that becomes the expected norm, and only makes it that much harder to stand your ground the next time.

When teens are engaging in activities that are inappropriate, parents have to step up and say no. Set and keep boundaries. Teens need them, and despite loud protests, they want them.

We have survived teenagers. They grow out of it. One day they come to like and appreciate their parents again. It's amazing what a year or two of college can do.

Of course Mark Twain summed it up well: "When I was a boy of fourteen, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be twenty-one, I was astonished how much the old man had learned in seven years."

If you have a teenager, give that kid a hug. He may pretend to recoil in shock, but he'll also appreciate it.

No one ever said raising children would be easy. And if your children are healthy and happy, let them see you say an extra prayer of thanksgiving to God -- you know, the Good Guy.

Contact Robin Beres at (804) 649-6305 or .