When they first get into it - the Occulted Tradition - that I have witnessed , (if not born to it?) the leaders create a dissonance in the followers like this : "we are atheists", "when in a ritual we believe in the gods" so there is a contradiction. That contradiction perhaps enhances the subjects ability to be controlled and drives them deeper into disassociation and trance?
In my traditions the ritual that the dark / left-handed do, absolutely "bear fruit" - just as ordinary prayer does; depending upon the faith of the performers and how well they perform the rituals - it will yield a result - but not always as they expect, The things they do have absolute effect, if or if not you believe it, regardless.
If you are someone who loves G-d you are not going to be afraid since you know it's BS compared to the power of G-d.
Their dark "magic" is weak - very weak. They do it for material gain and are covered in ignorance.
They don't use that "Magick" though, to try to take over the world: They use normal practical things like the Internet nets, money, Propaganda; murder, lies betrayal - they have a whole tool box and they have to work very hard..
Just like good people don't use prayers to grow food, They till the ground, these evil disgusting creeps only use their rites to scare folks and to blackmail.
The effects are subjective - but real. As I believe.
"Mysterious are the ways of Karma" And they've got some 'thunderbolt karma" on it's way
In my opinion "Instant Karma" song by "John Lennon" was a mockery; and then when he supposedly was killed [p.s. fake death] that was even more of a mockery- because he was playing the role of a good guy and beloved with the anti-war generation.
So they thought that was funny. The man who made the song about Karma, who was a good man [as presented] was struck down. That's the kind of drama they think is funny - because it mocks good people who do good actions.
The mock Karma because they are so arrogant and deluded they think it's funny to laugh in the face of Fate. That's why they scare others with the "Boogy man" - because it is actually their own fate which they are afraid of.