Religious hate propaganda
Inter-faith hatred:
one story, many versions, all groundless
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Background:
One of the most insidious symbols in world religions is the number two.
This is particularly true in the case of monotheistic religions like
Christianity and Islam, which have personified evil in the form of a
quasi-deity, Satan who wanders the earth seeking those that he may devour.
Many people have adopted a dualist concept first created in
Zoroastrianism -- once the main religion of Persia.
They see the world as a battle between two forces: one all good and
the other all evil.
Dualists view the universe as consisting of pairs of opposites, like
spirit/body, good/evil, creator/created, and ultimately us/them. Some consider themselves, their religion, their denomination,
their religious leadership, sometimes even their race, their gender, their
sexual orientation, their nationality, etc. as pure and good. They have a tendency to view
those who are different as representing evil. If one's own religion and
faith group is viewed as good and of God, then other religions -- and even other faith groups
within one's own religion -- may be seen as evil and of Satan.
If the "others" are considered evil, they are often demonized. There are
no limits to the depths to which the others are sometimes accused of sinking.
A piece of propaganda concerning the ritual abuse and murder of children has been circulating for thousands of years. Down through the
centuries,
it has been told in many different versions by people who are probably quite
unaware of its history and of its false nature. It was untrue in Rome in the third century CE; it was
untrue during the Nazi era in Germany during the 1930s; it was untrue in Texas
and elsewhere during the 1990s. It will be untrue in its next reappearance, whenever
and wherever it resurfaces.
Pagan propaganda against Christians circa 200 CE:
A description of a nonexistent Christian Ritual murder circa 200 CE by a
Roman writer:
"…I hear that they adore the head of an ass, that basest of creatures,
consecrated by I know not what silly persuasion, a worthy and appropriate
religion for such manners. Some say that they worship the genitals of their
pontiff and priest ... An infant covered over with meal, that it may deceive
the unwary, is placed before him who is to be stained with their rites: this
infant is slain by the young pupil, who has been urged on as if to harmless
blows on the surface of the meal, with dark and secret wounds. Thirstily - O
horror! they lick up its blood; eagerly they divide its limbs. By this
victim they are pledged together; with this consciousness of wickedness they
are covenanted to mutual silence ..." 1
Nazi propaganda against Jews, 1934:
Lies concerning ritual abuse of children by Jews were propagated by
German Nazis as justification for the Nazi
Holocaust:
"The suspicion under which the Jews are held is murder. They are charged
with enticing Gentile children and Gentile adults, butchering them, and
draining their blood. They are charged with mixing this blood into their
mass's unleavened bread and using it to practice superstitious magic. They
are charged with torturing their victims, especially the children, and
during this torture they shout threats, curses, and cast spells against the
Gentiles ..." 2
For more information on anti-semitic propaganda, see our menu on "Blood
libel, host desecration, ritual murder, & other largely anti-semitic fables."
Christian propaganda against Neopagans, 1999:
A year 1999 article in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram in Texas states:
' 'This is war,' thundered the Rev. Jack Harvey of nearby Killeen, who
has vowed to run the witches off base. Harvey, who has announced a Labor Day
'march against wickedness,' sees no difference between
Wicca and devil
worship or voodoo. He has instructed that at least one member of his
congregation carry a handgun at services – 'in case a warlock tries to grab
one of our kids'."
" 'I’ve heard they drink blood, eat babies. They have fires, they probably
cook them. This is unbelievably wrong,' said Harvey, who repeatedly pounded
his desk during an interview at Tabernacle Baptist Church ..." 3
For more information on examples of Christian propaganda against Wiccans, see
the section of our Wiccan menu titled: "Christian-Wiccan
relationships."
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Christian propaganda against Satanists, 2005:
David Carrico of Followers of Jesus Christ Ministries allegedly wrote:
"Satanists believe that the life force of the sacrificial victim is in
the blood. Partaking of the blood is believed to empower and add longevity
of life. Child victims have related accounts of how the cult members would
always drain and save the blood of their victims in apple juice jars, pans,
bottles, and pots. The very young children are sometimes introduced to the
taste of blood gradually by mixing it with milk, formula, punch, and other
beverages. Eventually, with increases in blood content in these drinks, the
child victim will be able to drink the blood without dilution. ..."
"The trauma to child victims, resulting from this type of forced
participation in satanic rituals such as these is immeasurable. ..."
"Three priests in the cult stand, with glasses in hand, waiting for the
child to cut the victim. When the blood would begin to flow, it was drained
into each of the three glasses. The child was then placed in a suspended
cage and made to observe the victim being crucified upside down on a cross
and burned. Then the child was forced to drink the blood offered by the
priests and was then placed on a table and tortured sexually by all the
members as a reward." 4
For more information, see our section on the
Satanic Ritual Abuse hoax.
Christian propaganda against the Masonic Order:
C.A.R.E. is a conservative Christian group specializing in allegations ritual
abuse. Their web site describes the 1993 conviction of
Peter Hugh McGregor Ellis, 35, a former day care employee, in Christchurch,
New Zealand.
"Children who attended Christchurch Civic Creche described bizarre
sexual abuse with references to frightening rituals. The children allege
they were removed from the day care facility and transported to other
locations, including a cemetery and a Masonic lodge, where they were abused
by adults dressed in black and white and wearing masks. In addition to their
reports of being used for pornographic purposes, the children described
being abused within a circle; chanting and participating in mock marriages;
being tied up and confined in cages and boxes buried beneath the ground;
being penetrated with needles and sticks; witnessing the torture and killing
of animals; being drugged; being forced to hurt other children; having blood
poured over their heads; and consuming what they believed was human flesh."
5
After a government inquiry and investigative report
by Lynley Hood published as "A City Possessed," most New Zealanders now
believe that Ellis is innocent of any wrongdoing. 6 Ellis'
conviction appears to have been mainly caused by invalid child interview
techniques -- a problem found in many dozens of other
multi-victim, multi-offender accusations of ritual abuse. A Google search
for masonic ritual abuse returns over 7,000 hits.
Most are short on specifics and long on vagueness.
References used:
The following information sources were used to prepare the above report in
the year 2000, and update it since. The hyperlinks are not necessarily still active today.
- Marcus Minucius Felix, "Octavius."
- Julius Streicher, editorial in "Der Stuermer," newspaper of the German Nazi
Party, 1934-MAY.
- Article in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram newspaper on 1999-AUG-07, in which a
local Baptist leader was reacting to the U.S. Army's decision at Fort Hood , TX,
to allow Wiccan troops to practice their Earth-based religion on the base.
- "Satanic Ritual Abuse," excerpted by Followers of Jesus Christ Ministries
from David Carrico, "The Egyptian-Masonic-Satanic Connection," (2005).
-
"Satanic Ritual Abuse? Prove it!," C.A.R.E. Inc., at:
http://www.care1.org/
- Lynley Hood, "A
City Possessed," Longacre Press, (2001), 672 Pages.
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