Blackpainter

One of my favorite Zeitgeist critics, Muertos, was at it again. Yesterday he wrote a blog about a (religious) group in South Africa called Destini. Muertos adopted the meme somewhat of a 'cult-hunter' and it seems he is stepping out of the confines of the Zeitgeist target zone. But don't think for a moment that is unintentional. First let me say that I don't know a thing about a Destini organization. I've heard a vlogger on YouTube comment about it a couple of months ago and remark that they were about 'equal money,' whatever that is. Maybe more interesting to note is that some people were already making connections between the Zeitgeist Movement and Destini.

From what I've read so far about Destini, and I'm taking Muertos' critique at face value, is that they adopted many strange elements. Bernard Poolman seems to be the leader of this group and [I quote from Muertos] "presents himself as some sort of bizarre horned creature...!" Ok, that's weird. The group also engages in channeling apparently, that is communicating with entities from the afterlife, of which I'm skeptical about. A number of followers shave their heads which I suppose is also somewhat disturbing. To be honest I don't know if this Destini is a cult. I simply don't know enough about them nor am I particularly interested in finding out.

What is of interest to me is the correlation(s) Muertos makes. While it seems that his blog is about this Destini group and to some extent it is, it is in fact (at least in my opinion) more about making associations. The weirdness of the Destini group is constantly compared to the Zeitgeist Movement. That is the whole motivation of the article and nothing else.

Does the Zeitgeist Movement have creepy leaders displaying horned attributes? No, not at all yet Muertos is far better candidate but I'll get to that later. Does the Zeitgeist Movement engage in channeling or New Age rhetoric? Nope, it's about applying the scientific method for social concern. So far Muertos got exactly squad. What's left is the 'conspiracy theory' angle but this subject is so diverse and widespread that Muertos has to be far more specific. Muertos' claims about the Zeitgeist Movement being a conspiracy group is also severely contested. There are also many ZG members who are not into conspiracy theories at all but Muertos has a track record of lumping everyone together so his argument is equally invalid.

The methodology here, employed by Muertos, is to paint a negative picture on that which he simply disagrees with. Honest debate and valid arguments don't cut it for his taste so he has to resort to something else. The main tactic here is simply to marginalize and discredit. Guilty by association is a constant factor in most of his writings. That's what his blog about the Destini group is really about, making the connection and subsequently painting the negative image on something else. Now, I'm going to copy Muertos' methodology for a change and see what I can come up with just for the fun of it.


All the pictures you see in this blog are taken from a video belonging to Muertos. It can be found on his YouTube channel and it's about a trip he made to Toronto 3 years ago. The video is titled "Toronto II: The Revenge!" Muertos, meaning Dead in Spanish, apparently is into hard rock and he hangs out with some weird characters but than again he fits that bill himself judging from the pictures. Mr Dead is also making some weird hand gestures in the photograph on the top of this article. The two fingers up has an occult meaning, it's a satanic sign.

Metal Muertos wears almost exclusively dark clothing, highly similar to what the Columbine shooters wore. Next to his Satanic hand signal Muertos has some Satanic friends. In the middle picture (above) one of his buddies is wearing a pentagram and when you watch the video, Muertos specifically zooms in on the pentagram, obviously deliberately highlighting that dark symbol. Enough circumstantial evidence already that Muertos is a Satanist. Yet what is printed on the clothing that Muertos wears? The text in the top picture is partly obscured by a beer bottle but does it say 'black oath?' Muertos took an oath to darkness?

His Satanic friend in the middle picture has weird text on his shirt as well. This also brings me back to the evil leader of the Destini cult Bernard Poolman who according to Muertos "presents himself as some sort of bizarre horned creature." I gotta ask Muertos, what's the problem? Your Satanic friend wears a horned creature on his shirt and you do as well in the picture below! Are you that much of a hypocrite? Apparently you like displaying horned creatures. Maybe that's what Satanists do? And what's that symbol you have for necklace. Is that a upside down cross or some other weird rune symbol? You're really into the occult!


Ok, so much for my Muertos methodology. See how easy it is to marginalize and discredit? Maybe the ultimate irony here is that Muertos is an educated man. He wrote books, worked as a lawyer and right now teaches at an American university. Even pure academia is by no means a 'get out of jail free' card. Dirt can be found on anyone if you really search for it and are willing to use it in creative ways. Maybe educating yourself goes beyond information? It's what a person does with that information? Maybe we don't ought to paint black but white?

Cheers, Muertos.