RE: Arizona Republic editorial
From the _Arizona Republic_ Weds. 27 Nov 1991

     SATANISM'S ABUSES PUT IT BEYOND THE BOUNDS OF TOLERANCE
                                            By Gregory Smith

Mr. Smith is a refrigeration engineer and free-lance writer who lives in
Phoenix.

  Animal dismemberment, blood drinking, torture of children, reports of
human sacrifices and strange and deviate rituals held late at night.
  No, the preceeding sentence does not describe an old horror movie,
aberrant book or the new off-Broadway play; it speaks of today's news
reports.
  And it troubles me.  It scares me.  It repulses me.  It makes me fear
for not only for my own family members and pets, but also for the safety  of
the neighbor's child, the elderly lady down the street or even the cow  in the
field.
  Satanism.  Even the word sounds evil to me.  However, there are some
people of great political might, who would say that the practice of  Satanism
is an expression of religious freedom.  Everyone should have the  freedom of
religious preference as well as the right to worship whomever  they choose -
or so say the defender's of Satan worship.  They would tell  us that how,
where, and in what manner someone chooses to practice his  religion is none of
our business.
  I think it is.  I think that when a so-called religion uses torture,
sacrifices - humans and animals - and abuses children to accommodate its  god,
it has passed the bounds of religious freedom and entered into the  realm of
criminal conduct and cultism.
  And I believe something needs to be done about it.  Some law needs to
be passed.  Some person of courage needs to speak against this Satanic
cultism.  Some line must be drawn that would seperate what is religious
freedom from what is cultism and criminal conduct.  Where a religion  causes
pain, suffering, abuse or death of any living creature, the so- called
worshipers should be prosecuted.
  The mere fact that a religious order demands abuse of any kind to
living creatures should be enough for the authorities to monitor or  restrict
the practice of that religion, without waiting for some type of  cruel death
to occur.  The citizens of this nation (most of them,  anyway), in my opinion,
would feel a bit safer if some restraints were  put on the growing cult
culture in this country as well.
  I am not advocating the "Big Brother" approach to religious orders.  I
don't suggest that the police attend all religious meetings.  I merely
suggest that if a particular group or order is known to employ cruelty,  abuse
or the death of some creature in the practice of its worship,  action be taken
before these offenses occur.
  I don't pretend to know all the causes of this growing cultism in our
nation.  Perhaps many things combine to cause it: drug abuse, family
disintegretion, the poor and hypocritical showing of our TV evangelists,
poverty, despair, parental neglect, music that feeds on our hate and
depravity.
  I only know it troubles me.  It worries me.  It repulses me.  It scares
me.  And it should frighten you as well.

                        ------------------


---
 * Origin: *DEUS EX MACHINA-BBS FREE ATENVELDT-(602)439-8070*  (Opus 1:114/29)
=-=-=-=-=-=-=
      To:  The Bard                   Message #:  2882
    From:  The Bard                   Submitted:  04 Dec 91 14:02:00
 Subject:  Az Republic editorial (co     Status:  Public
Received:  No                             Group:  CULT_WATCH (19)

RE: Az Republic editorial (comment)

 tB>     SATANISM'S ABUSES PUT IT BEYOND THE BOUNDS OF TOLERANCE
 tB>
 tB>                                            By Gregory Smith
 tB>
 tB>  Animal dismemberment, blood drinking, torture of children,
 tB>reports of human sacrifices and strange and deviate rituals held late at
 tB>night.
 tB>  No, the preceeding sentence does not describe an old horror
 tB>movie, aberrant book or the new off-Broadway play; it speaks of today's
 tB>news  reports.

        And, as usual, no solid proof is offered......

 tB>  Satanism.  Even the word sounds evil to me.  However, there
 tB>are some
 tB>people of great political might, who would say that the practice
 tB>of  Satanism is an expression of religious freedom.  Everyone
 tB>should have the  freedom of religious preference as well as the
 tB>right to worship whomever  they choose - or so say the defender's
 tB>of Satan worship.  They would tell  us that how, where, and in
 tB>what manner someone chooses to practice his  religion is none
 tB>of our business.

        Well, the Constitution seems to say so....

 tB>  I think it is.  I think that when a so-called religion uses
 tB>torture,
 tB>sacrifices - humans and animals - and abuses children to accommodate
 tB>its  god, it has passed the bounds of religious freedom and entered
 tB>into the  realm of criminal conduct and cultism.

        And, if this person would read the laws, he would find that such
        actions are covered already, -outside- of religious freedom.

 tB>  And I believe something needs to be done about it.  Some law
 tB>needs to
 tB>be passed.  Some person of courage needs to speak against this
 tB>Satanic  cultism.  Some line must be drawn that would seperate
 tB>what is religious  freedom from what is cultism and criminal
 tB>conduct.  Where a religion  causes pain, suffering, abuse or
 tB>death of any living creature, the so- called worshipers should
 tB>be prosecuted.
 tB>  The mere fact that a religious order demands abuse of any kind
 tB>to
 tB>living creatures should be enough for the authorities to monitor
 tB>or  restrict the practice of that religion, without waiting for
 tB>some type of  cruel death to occur.  The citizens of this nation
 tB>(most of them,  anyway), in my opinion, would feel a bit safer
 tB>if some restraints were  put on the growing cult culture in this
 tB>country as well.

        I suppose the author would include those "Christian" sects that
        let their children -die- rather than take medical treatment?

 tB>  I am not advocating the "Big Brother" approach to religious
 tB>orders.  I
 tB>don't suggest that the police attend all religious meetings.
 tB> I merely  suggest that if a particular group or order is known
 tB>to employ cruelty,  abuse or the death of some creature in the
 tB>practice of its worship,  action be taken before these offenses
 tB>occur.                                    ^^^^^^

        AHA! A brand new idea in jurisprudence, and worthy of George
        Orwell and the totalitarian states! Lock 'em up just in case they
        -might- commit a crime! (Orwell called it "Crimethink."

        I have no love for those who might be cruel to animals or children.
        I have seen too much of both.....but I cannot see the abrogation of
        my, or anyone's, civil rights under the Constitution as a solution
        to this "problem."

		To:  The Bard                   Message #:  2884
	 From:  Bjorn Meaddranker          Submitted:  04 Dec 91 23:26:00
 Subject:  Danger to us all....          Status:  Public
Received:  No                             Group:  CULT_WATCH (19)

	 Some on here have intimated and outright stated that they fear
the pagan elements of our comunity.  At least one has equated many of the
non-Christian religions with Adolph Hitler and Nazi Germany.

  Folks here is the real danger.  It may not be as obvious as others
but I suspect that the obvious ones we will avoid.  It is the one like this
where hysteria is whipped up and laws are passed to "save us" that will
eventually get us.  The Bard has pointed out, and quite correctly that laws
already exist to protect us from these people.  The minute they break the law
they should be prosecuted.  Not for their religious beliefs but for their
actions.  I would be willing to defend a Satanists' right to his beliefs and
his right to worship, right up to his breaking the law.  I can't imagine
having one for a friend or volentarily associating with one, but he has his
rights.  If I deny him his rights who will garantee mine?  If you won't defend
my rights, what or who garantees yours?  Remember Adolph Hitler worked exactly
that way.  Deprive a small insignificant group of their rights and every one
ignored it.

 When it became their turn everybody ignored them.  Today it is the
Satanist, tomarrow the Wiccan, the next day the Morman, the day after perhaps
it will be the Baptist.  Feel this is far fetched?  Re-read that editorial.
															Bjorn Meaddranker


=-=-=-=-=-=-=
		To:  Derek Steiger              Message #:  3079      3076 <Thread>3084
	 From:  Bjorn Meaddranker          Submitted:  05 Dec 91 13:24:00
 Subject:  the myth builders             Status:  Public
Received:  No                             Group:  CULT_WATCH (19)

 > Although some satanist are just amatures looking for power
 > trips.. there are those who are highly intelligent, sophisticated,
 > and not stupid enough to leave any tracks!
 >

 How, with modern forensic(sp.) science, can you not leave tracks?  The
modern police departments have tools that are very close to impossible to
fool.  You can type blood back to one individual +- .01% chance of error from
a drop of blood.  There are modern records and database interactions that are
eliminating the holes in society and sealing up cracks in record keeping.  I
would think that is this were wide spread as Mr. Larson supposes there ought
to be a stream or flood of individuals being captured everytime a new tool
comes on line.  Have you seen this?  I sure haven't.  It is almost impossible
to prove something doesn't exist, but Mr. Larson ought to be able to bring
forth one iron clad, garanteed, unshakeable case.  I haven't seen it.  He
seems to specialize in rumor, inuendo, and smear.  If these things he publicly
claims have any factual foundation how come he hasn't gone to the local law
enforcement agencies?  I think the answer is "He ain't got diddly" to quote my
grandfather, and he knows it.  But the rumor mongering and gossiping (that's
what it is folks, it ain't news) is making him a fair amount of money and
power, so expect him to keep doing it.
														  Bjorn Meaddranker
