Aiken Standard - Couple looks to bring hope to those struggling with Satanism

Couple looks to bring hope to those struggling with Satanism
8/3/2008 11:23 PM

By SUZANNE R. STONE

Staff writer

Jeff Harshbarger spent his high school and college years headed in the wrong direction. Now, more than 25 years later, he has written a book and founded a ministry to help others faced with the same decisions.

Harshbarger and his wife Liz co-authored "From Darkness To Light: How to Rescue Someone You Love From the Occult," published in 2005 by Bridge-Logos of Gainesville, Fla. The couple has founded Refuge Ministries and hopes to have Bible study groups formed by this fall.

"I actually was reading Bridge-Logos publications for years and was interested in what they published. They had published a book about a similar topic that I read 20 years ago, 'The Satan Seller,' so I made contact with them and submitted a partial manuscript. They were very supportive," Harshbarger said. "I wanted to tell people my story so people who could relate could make contact with me and Refuge Ministries. We offer help for anyone wanting to come out of the occult."

The book is partly an account of Harshbarger's own commitment to Satanism as an older teen, the collapse of his anti-faith and his journey back to God. It also offers a primer on forms of spiritualism and practical advice on presenting a Christian alternative for young people attracted to those and similar sects.

Harshbarger's tale begins at home in Indiana, where a lack of religious guidance combined with his parents' divorce led him to become a bitter, disaffected teen with an appetite for the sensational, including tales of supernatural phenomena. While in college, he befriended a co-worker at his day job who was already a Satanist. The two made plans to form their own cult and set about recruiting members.

"I was pretty much on my own by the time I was in high school, and I was seeking after spiritual or supernatural experiences," he said. "I was a very typical, angry young man. I was looking to make a name for myself. I was looking for power, for meaning, for a different experience. I wanted out of everything I had been experiencing, because up until then I wasn't experiencing anything that I wanted to. Satanism was popular in the '70s; it was at its height, perfect for an angry teenager."

The group had about 10 members at its height, and Harshbarger found it difficult to remain self-centered as called for in the group's philosophy.

"I found myself very much caring about these kids that were in our group. They would come to me with their problems, their life issues, and I came to be almost a Satanic pastoral counselor to them," he said. "I found myself caring and helping these kids along, and the philosophy wasn't taking root. I wasn't turning into this uncaring, cold-hearted human being. That caused quite a wave in the group, because they saw Jeff is like this when they're teaching us that; there was a level of hypocrisy that caused internal conflict."

Harshbarger's conflict resulted in a suicide attempt about five years after becoming a Satanist. When that failed, he broke with the group and began looking for answers elsewhere. He drifted from church to church with questions and found guidance with a couple who took him into their home in 1981.

"If it wasn't for them, I don't know where I'd be," he said.

Harshbarger abandoned his original college plans when he broke with his group and chose instead to attend Bible college, seeking a grounding in Christian doctrine. He went into the ministry with the idea of creating a counterforce to media popularization of the occult.

"I found it challenging to find help, just dropping in to a church - they weren't prepared to help someone in my condition, with my story. It came at them from left field," he said. "What I wanted to do was have a place set up for individuals such as myself to come, be accepted, be heard and be helped."

Harshbarger does public speaking on college campuses and youth-oriented organizations and is trying to found a church around Refuge Ministries. Information about the ministry is available online at www.refugeministries.cc, and the couple can be reached for inquiries about the ministry via e-mail at info@refugeministries.cc or by phone at 649-9308.

"From Darkness to Light" has a list price of $10.99 and is available at major bookselling chains, amazon.com and Christian bookstores.

Contact Suzanne Stone at sstone@aikenstandard.com.

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Comments

16 comment(s) found!

Posted by: Cassandra On: 8/7/2008

Comment Title: Stormfront Member?
Well now "Bobby", you get to determine who is the "antichrist"? Based on what criteria, may I ask. Obama is a Christian.

Posted by: Rev Jeffrey E Kincaid On: 8/7/2008

Comment Title: corrections
Apologies for the missing letters in my last post. I need a new keyboard and sometimes I find that key stick and I say things like "you town" instead of "your town"

Posted by: Rev Jeffrey E Kincaid On: 8/7/2008

Comment Title: Yet another "former" occultist comes out of the woodwork
I find it amusing and disgusting that these people like Bill Schnoebelen and Harshbarger, and all the others that come out and claim to have been some form of occultist, then offer to lead others from the darkness. Helping the homeless in you town is more in line with Jesus's work. Start a shelter, help the needy, get food to the hungry THAT is the work of Jesus, not writing books and claiming to have been this and that. Christianity is not a bad religion in and of itself. The problem is people like this guy use it to hate others, call names and discriminate. I have read some of the literature proffered by the ACTUAL Church of Satan (a Federally recognized religion by the way) and it is not harmful in any manner. It does teach to be slef reliant, and to stand strong on your own, They also do not see Satan as the "Devil" but rather an archetype. The fact that this guy climed to be a Satanist when he was a teen make him no more a true Satanist, than it makes these the Ku Klux Klan a "Christian" organization. He was teen rebel and dabbler, now he wants to make himself a little money. That is all you have to do you know, write a book, talk about your terrible childhood, claim some unusual religion, of unusual religious group or experience, then say "But I have seen the light! GAWD Has brought me out of the dark, and for 10.99 I can show you as well" I was never a farmer, but I can recognize a cow pattie when I see it.

Posted by: Geminate On: 8/6/2008

Comment Title: Heaven or Hell
You either serve The Only Living God, or you serve Satan. There is nothing else. That which is not of God, is of the Devil. Miracles or Magic, Heaven or Hell.

Posted by: Stacy On: 8/6/2008

Comment Title: Seriously?
Satanists are one of the less harmful religions IMHO. I'm more terrified of zealot Christians and zealot Muslims. Oh hell - any of the Abrahamic religions where zealotry is involved. That's a whole lot scarier in my book (because millions more have died in the name of the Abrahamic deity than all the "occult" religions/philosophies out there combined). The Satanists are kittens comparatively.

Posted by: Warlock Bloodfire On: 8/6/2008

Comment Title: Total Religious Slander
Just what we need--another book slandering Satanism from a so-called "ex-Satanist". Just like in the 1980s. Satanism is a *legal* religion and one shouldn't lump brain-dead rebellious teens in with a religion based on making the most of one's life here and now. Folks should actually try to read and comprehend The Satanic Bible (Anton LaVey), The Satanic Scriptures (Peter H. Gilmore) and the articles at churchofsatan.com before assuming they know what Satanism is. Likewise, the "occult" overall should not be lumped in with Satanism, as Satanism sees most of it as a bunch of baloney sold to suckers, much like all spiritual religion.

Posted by: Kevin Medcalf On: 8/6/2008

Comment Title: Where's the tolerance?
The guy's book only lists for $10.99, and he is probably trying to help people. I haven't read the book, and it might contain bad theology, but if you are going to attack people for for selling books, you better include all the left-wing fanactics in your category of greed. Let's see, hmmm, 'Judge not, lest you be judged!"

Posted by: David Underwood, FRC On: 8/5/2008

Comment Title: Christian occultist
Just because this guy was stupid enough to become a satanist doesn't mean all occultists are also satanists. If you are going to try to "save" people from satanism then you need to change the name of your book and stop lumping all occultists in with ignorant teens that are trying to rebel.

Posted by: Jay On: 8/5/2008

Comment Title: Yet again...
we have another bible thumper showing us just what thier faith is worth...the almighty dollar.

Posted by: Julia On: 8/5/2008

Comment Title: Yep, that's what I thought.
After looking at his website, he's indeed lumped all into the Satan bin. Typical Christian viewpoint: everything non-Christian is evil and must be destroyed. Is it any wonder so many of us just keep hidden from known Christains; it's safer that way....

Posted by: Julia On: 8/5/2008

Comment Title: I suggest therapy.
Seems he needed counsoling to work out his anger issues as a Satanist more than finding god. Since the article is fague on this -but does seem to subtley hint to it- is Mr Harshbarger lumping all non-Christian faiths into the Satan bin? If so then all we have here is yet another battle cry against non-Christian faiths. Lord save me from your followers.

Posted by: Dana On: 8/4/2008

Comment Title: Anyone got a match?
If this person thinks he's going to relight the fires of the Satanic Panic episodes of his youth, he may want to consider first by lighting that new book he wrote... It sounds to me like he was trying to control other people, and didn't quite get the knack of it, so he's now trying a soft shoe approach. He'll pray on those with naive ears and spread "his truth" until some person of another religion gets hurt. Look out.

Posted by: Aiken Avenger On: 8/4/2008

Comment Title: Interview with an Ex-Satanist
Of his Satanist days, Jeff says, "I was looking to make a name for myself." Well, you STILL are! And you STILL have an "appetite for the sensational." Satanism is not a huge problem. Good luck finding all the churches of Satan. And even better luck finding those "struggling with Satanism." Where will you find these lost souls? At a Marilyn Manson concert? The heavy metal section of the record store in the mall? All you're interested in is getting on TV and in the newspaper by trying to combat "devil worshippers" and Satanists. Will vampires be next?

Posted by: Ivy On: 8/4/2008

Comment Title: Gee...
I thought the antichrist was "Wendy" in those awful Wendy's ads. Fast food is the gateway to Hell!!!!

Posted by: Ralph M. On: 8/4/2008

Comment Title: This doesn't make sense...
Satanism doesn't say you aren't allowed to help people. What it DOES say is that you're supposed to help people who DESERVE your help and people who will not take advantage of you by walking all over you based on your level of generosity.

Posted by: Bobby On: 8/4/2008

Comment Title: Great
Now help those people that back the antichrist obama

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