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John Safran vs The Occult

By: John Safran
Narrated by: John Safran
Free with 30-day trial

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  • Summary

  • John Safran has fallen in with the wrong crowd, again. He has spent months among sorcerers, satanists, and exorcists and he's spilling the beans in a new podcast.

    Forget gentle white witches and tarot card readers. John packs his bag and fearlessly heads off to places where black magic leads not only to exorcisms but... murder. He flies to the US and investigates a gang who murdered a teenage girl for disturbing their satanic shrine. He sails to remote islands in Vanuatu, where laws have been passed to quash witchcraft and contravening them can lead to a public hanging or exile. Back in his hometown of Melbourne, he spends time with a Muslim professional who, convinced she is possessed by spirits, seeks an Islamic exorcism.

    John discovers that a belief in Black Magic can hold people together, and tear people apart. But why, in this world of science and rationality, are so many around the world still fearful of dark spirit realms? And what are police and psychologists meant to do to rein all this in?

    This is an Audible Original Podcast. Free for members. You can download all 5 episodes to your Library now.
    ©2019 Audible Australia Pty Ltd (P)2019 Audible Australia Pty Ltd
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Episodes
  • Ep. 1: Trump and El Bestia

    Ep. 1: Trump and El Bestia
    Nov 18 2019

    John travels to Los Angeles in pursuit of MS-13, a dangerous transnational street gang rumoured to have Satanic roots. He’s determined to find out whether their dark origin story is true and if, to this day, the gang kills in the name of the Devil.
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    40 mins
    Free with 30-day trial
  • Ep. 2: The Gang Murder Squad

    Ep. 2: The Gang Murder Squad
    Nov 18 2019

    John flies to Texas to take a closer look at a Satanically motivated gang murder in Houston. The police found a Satanic shrine and everything! John is taken to the evidence room of the Houston Police Department to better understand the disturbing details of the incident.
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    28 mins
    Free with 30-day trial
  • Ep. 3: The Rasa and the Witches

    Ep. 3: The Rasa and the Witches
    Nov 18 2019

    In the US, Occult practises were hidden away in dark attics. So John heads to a Pacific Island nation where spirits and sorcery play a far greater role in society - even being recognised by the Constitution. In Vanuatu, John meets the family of two accused sorcerers who were killed by an angry mob. Can John find out what really happened, when no one is willing to talk?
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    32 mins
    Free with 30-day trial
Social Sciences Occult
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What listeners say about John Safran vs The Occult

Average Customer Ratings
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  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
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Profile Image for Anonymous User

Interesting subject matter, excellent sound design

This was such a great podcast. excellently produced and sound design is really immersive and subtle.
Its pretty spooky and interesting to hear the way the occult has entered the lives of people across the world. listening to the final ep I've got chills!

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Profile Image for Anonymous User

John Safran you've done it again.

His talent for finding stories is only matched by how listenable he is. Who would have predicted that a whinging guy from St Kilda would give a great explanation on Satan worship in US gangs.

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Profile Image for Anonymous User

Very interesting

Was great. VERY interesting content by John Saffran. I was engaged the whole way.

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1 person found this helpful

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Profile Image for Angelina

Interesting

Not really my type of listening but it surprised me by how captivating it was and quite hard not to continue listening. Good work

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Profile Image for Tim Chuma

great series

you don't need to have read his other books to follow this or even be that in to religion.

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Profile Image for William Valo

Series 2 please

A typical John Safran story: the boy from East St Kilda managing to ingratiate himself with weirdos, where he oscillates between being curious and being baffled, while always trying to tease out the beliefs that underpin the human experience. Only complaint is that it was too short! Last episode was not a great one to finish on either, Eagerly awaiting another installment

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Profile Image for Jessica Armstrong

Bummer

Really enjoying this. Bummer about the rampant fat phobia in 3: The Rasa and the Witches.

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Profile Image for Jessica

Not overly interesting or informative

This briefly covered a weird hybrid of Satanist-Christians, 2 Fijian alleged sorcerers and one woman's experiences with a Jin. If you want to learn nothing about any of the belief systems related to these, have a listen. Otherwise, probably avoid and do a quick Wikipedia search on any of the topics. You'd get more information in a couple of minutes of doing that then you will in this entire podcast.

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Profile Image for Anthony

What is the audio-book version of "unputdownable"?

Whatever that word is, that is what this podcast was. Funny, clever amd all the rest. Loved it.

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Profile Image for Matt Leach

Safran the demon hunter

So good. It’s funny, poignant, investigative... pure Safran. More! We need more!! Would definitely recommend.

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