technomage
February 17th 2005, 02:12 AM
Wiccans Use Ritualized Abuse and Sacrifice in their Rituals?
The Accusation
Do Wiccans use human or animal sacrifice in their rituals? Do Wiccans use ritualized abuse?
This accusation stems from two sources: accusations that Wiccans are Satanists, 1 and accusations that Satanists engage in ritual animal and human sacrifices. While it is much more common to see this accusation explicitly directed at (non-Wiccan) Witches and Satanists, there are sources that paint all of these groups with the same broad brush. It is not within the purview or authority of Earthstar Keep to provide an apologia for Satanists or Satanism, but we feel it is still necessary to address this particular story.
Roots of the Accusation
There have been several Christians who accuse "evil Satanists" of horrific acts, including the wholesale slaughter of animals and children for their "dark rituals." Several facets of the story have developed over the years, to the point where many of the victims tell similar, horrific stories of:
* Ritualized, systematic physical and sexual abuse by multiple offenders on multiple victims;
* Being forced to watch animals and other people being sacrificed;
* Being forced to participate in sacrifices;
* Being forced to participate in a mock-marriage, frequently to "Satan.";
* Being forced to participate in ritualized cannibalism (drinking the blood or eating small portions of flesh of the sacrificial victims)
* Threats that if the victim "betrayed" the group, they would, in turn, be sacrificed.
This particular story has been going around for years, and probably got its start with Michelle Remembers, 2 the same book that started the Satanic Ritual Abuse scare in the 1980s. 3 But despite growing evidence that the information presented by the witnesses and "survivors" is unreliable, there are still accusations of ritualized abuse taking place. 4
Oddly enough, this accusation is not new - and one of the first victims of the slander were Christians!
"As for the initiation of new members, the details are as disgusting as they are well known. The novice himself, deceived by the coating of dough (covering a sacrificial infant), thinks the stabs are harmless. Then, it's horrible! They hungrily drink the blood and compete with one another as they divide his limbs. And the fact they all share knowledge of the crime pledges them all to silence. On the feast-day they foregather with all their children, sisters, mothers, people of either sex and all ages. Now, in the dark, so favorable to shameless behavior, they twine the bonds of unnamable passion, as chance decides. Precisely the secrecy of this evil religion proves that all these things, or practically all, are true." 5
Here we have several recognizable elements of the accusation: forcing the initiate to participate in sacrifice; ritual cannibalism; ritual incestuous sex. While it must be noted that Minicus (who was a Christian) may have been creating a "straw man argument" to easily refute, other sources make it evident that these accusations were being spread. Athenagoras did not contend with straw men, but with accusations of "atheism, Thyestean feasts (cannibalism), [and] Oedipodean intercourse (incest)" 6
"The same basic story has continued intermittently in many variations for some 1800 years. The Church used it against the heretics, lepers, Cathars, Knights Templar and Witches during the period 1000 to 1800 AD. Hitler used it against the Jews and Gypsies during the 1930's. The USSR used it against the Jews more recently. A variety of SRA promoters are using it against Satanists, followers of minority religions, men's fraternal organizations, self help groups, etc. today. The stories are almost identical (less the coating of dough)." 7
Defense Against the Accusation
To some, the mere fact that these tales have been used in the past as propaganda is enough to cast doubts on them. For others, more stringent proof is needed - and that proof has been provided by other investigators, including Keith Lanning, 8 a Supervisory Special Agent at the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Bob and Gretchen Passanato, 9 Christian authors and apologists; and Richardson, Best, and Bromley, 10 authors and researchers into the Satanic Panic.
But there are certain aspects of our defense that I would repeat here.
Ethics
Many Wiccan articles defending against accusations of sacrifice cite the Wiccan Rede: "An it harm none, do what you will." By itself this is not sufficient defense, as the Rede is silent on actions that cause harm. 11 However, when Wiccan ethics are taken as a whole, it is easy to see that sacrifice is not only against our ethics, it is repugnant to Wiccans.
Wiccan ethics appear, perhaps, somewhat more flexible than many Christians are used to. Nonetheless, there are certain absolute standards, and certain things that are forbidden: causing deliberate harm is one of them.
Religious Need
In the Charge of the Goddess, we find the following line:
"Nor do I demand aught in sacrifice, for behold, I am the Mother of all things, and my love is poured out upon earth." 12
Wiccans have no religious need to sacrifice. Combined with Wiccan ethics, sacrifice and ritual abuse is contrary to Wiccan beliefs.
Numbers
Estimates from accusers vary, and many do not state specific numbers. One of the few actual numeric claims I have seen from someone who accused "human sacrifice cults" of killing people was Dr. Al Carlisle of the Utah State Penitentiary System, who estimated "50,000 to 60,000 human sacrifices a year," 13 but this is an older estimate, from 1989. The problem with this estimate is in that year, there were only about 23,000 murders in the United States at all. 14 So we have a situation where the older "estimates" outnumbered all other murders by a factor of almost three. How can we account for this discrepancy? It should be obvious that the estimates are grossly wrong, but while the correction certainly scales back the magnitude of the accusations, it does nothing to stop them.
Evidence
While many of these accusations are general, police can only investigate where specific accusations have been made. The Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance have made a study of thirty-nine multi-victim, multi-offender (MVMO) abuse trials around the world, and has found that almost every case resulting in a conviction has been overturned - mostly due to improper questioning techniques and a complete lack of any physical evidence. Nonetheless, accusations - usually general accusations against unnamed "Satanists" - are still made. 15
The Reasons For the Accusation
Once again, we see the elements and motives of fear and control - fear of "Satanists," and desire to control others. Those who simply believe and repeat the stories I discount: they are not originating the myth, only perpetuating it.
This kind of accusation "dehumanizes" the target: one cannot hear of such atrocities without thinking that the person perpetuating them is irredeemably evil.
The Refutation of the Accusation
As a Wiccan, I have no need or desire to kill or hurt other people. I also have to realize that this is not going to be true of everyone who claims to be Wiccan. You may find someone out there who is doing these things, and who claims to be Wiccan: if you do, you now have the evidence to show them that this is NOT what Wicca is about.
However, if you do find someone who is using ritualized abuse--or any form of abuse--as part of their religion, I would ask you to do two things:
1. IMMEDIATELY report that person to your local law enforcement;
2. Publicize the findings - the court verdict, arrest records, whatever.
The last point is as important as the first. Do not simply publish this information in Pagan journals, or in restricted-distribution periodicals, but publicly. If this type of behavior exists in Wiccan circles, it is vital to warn the people around us of it, and to do our best to bring the perpetrators to justice.
Footnotes:
1: Please see the "Wicca is Satanism? (http://www.theologyweb.com/forum/showthread.php?t=45323)"
2: Padzer and Padzer. Michelle Remembers St Martins Prress: September 1, 1980.
3: The Religious Tolerance (http://www.religioustolerance.org/sra.htm), and the Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satanic_ritual_abuse) articles on Satanic Ritual Abuse are probably the closest to "neutral" sources of information--however, it should be mentioned that while the Religious Tolerance website usually takes a neutral view on religious topics, they take a definite position of advocating against the accuracy of SRA reports.
4: Examples include Chick Tract's "Poor Little Witch." Note, however, that Jack Chick seems to be on the very fringe of Christian extremism.
5: Minicus Felix, Octavius of Minucius Felix, chapter 9. Quoted from Bethancourt, Joe. "The History of Halloween: Myths, Monsters, and Devils"
6: Athenagoras, "A Plea for the Christians," quoted at Crosswalk.com.
7: "How Widespread Is Satanic/Sadistic Ritual Abuse? -- Part 1," quoted from Religioustolerance.org.
8: Kenneth Lanning: Investigator's Guide to Allegations of Ritual Child Abuse (http://www.religioustolerance.org/ra_rep03.htm)
9: Passanato: http://answers.org/m_Satan.html
10: Richardson, Best, and Bromley, eds. The Satanism Scare. New York: Aldine De Gruyter, 1991.
11: Many Wiccans do not share this view, holding the Rede as positive ethics in addition to prohibition against harm.
12: "The Charge of the Goddess," originally attributed to Charles Leland, and re-written by Doreen Valiente.
13: Quoted from secondary sources, including Rowan Moonstone, "Bob Larson Satanism Symposium", and Jack Chick, "Poor Little Witch."
14: Lanning, op cit.
15: Fortunately, such accusations specifically against Wiccans are increasingly rare. However, they do crop up from time to time.
The Accusation
Do Wiccans use human or animal sacrifice in their rituals? Do Wiccans use ritualized abuse?
This accusation stems from two sources: accusations that Wiccans are Satanists, 1 and accusations that Satanists engage in ritual animal and human sacrifices. While it is much more common to see this accusation explicitly directed at (non-Wiccan) Witches and Satanists, there are sources that paint all of these groups with the same broad brush. It is not within the purview or authority of Earthstar Keep to provide an apologia for Satanists or Satanism, but we feel it is still necessary to address this particular story.
Roots of the Accusation
There have been several Christians who accuse "evil Satanists" of horrific acts, including the wholesale slaughter of animals and children for their "dark rituals." Several facets of the story have developed over the years, to the point where many of the victims tell similar, horrific stories of:
* Ritualized, systematic physical and sexual abuse by multiple offenders on multiple victims;
* Being forced to watch animals and other people being sacrificed;
* Being forced to participate in sacrifices;
* Being forced to participate in a mock-marriage, frequently to "Satan.";
* Being forced to participate in ritualized cannibalism (drinking the blood or eating small portions of flesh of the sacrificial victims)
* Threats that if the victim "betrayed" the group, they would, in turn, be sacrificed.
This particular story has been going around for years, and probably got its start with Michelle Remembers, 2 the same book that started the Satanic Ritual Abuse scare in the 1980s. 3 But despite growing evidence that the information presented by the witnesses and "survivors" is unreliable, there are still accusations of ritualized abuse taking place. 4
Oddly enough, this accusation is not new - and one of the first victims of the slander were Christians!
"As for the initiation of new members, the details are as disgusting as they are well known. The novice himself, deceived by the coating of dough (covering a sacrificial infant), thinks the stabs are harmless. Then, it's horrible! They hungrily drink the blood and compete with one another as they divide his limbs. And the fact they all share knowledge of the crime pledges them all to silence. On the feast-day they foregather with all their children, sisters, mothers, people of either sex and all ages. Now, in the dark, so favorable to shameless behavior, they twine the bonds of unnamable passion, as chance decides. Precisely the secrecy of this evil religion proves that all these things, or practically all, are true." 5
Here we have several recognizable elements of the accusation: forcing the initiate to participate in sacrifice; ritual cannibalism; ritual incestuous sex. While it must be noted that Minicus (who was a Christian) may have been creating a "straw man argument" to easily refute, other sources make it evident that these accusations were being spread. Athenagoras did not contend with straw men, but with accusations of "atheism, Thyestean feasts (cannibalism), [and] Oedipodean intercourse (incest)" 6
"The same basic story has continued intermittently in many variations for some 1800 years. The Church used it against the heretics, lepers, Cathars, Knights Templar and Witches during the period 1000 to 1800 AD. Hitler used it against the Jews and Gypsies during the 1930's. The USSR used it against the Jews more recently. A variety of SRA promoters are using it against Satanists, followers of minority religions, men's fraternal organizations, self help groups, etc. today. The stories are almost identical (less the coating of dough)." 7
Defense Against the Accusation
To some, the mere fact that these tales have been used in the past as propaganda is enough to cast doubts on them. For others, more stringent proof is needed - and that proof has been provided by other investigators, including Keith Lanning, 8 a Supervisory Special Agent at the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Bob and Gretchen Passanato, 9 Christian authors and apologists; and Richardson, Best, and Bromley, 10 authors and researchers into the Satanic Panic.
But there are certain aspects of our defense that I would repeat here.
Ethics
Many Wiccan articles defending against accusations of sacrifice cite the Wiccan Rede: "An it harm none, do what you will." By itself this is not sufficient defense, as the Rede is silent on actions that cause harm. 11 However, when Wiccan ethics are taken as a whole, it is easy to see that sacrifice is not only against our ethics, it is repugnant to Wiccans.
Wiccan ethics appear, perhaps, somewhat more flexible than many Christians are used to. Nonetheless, there are certain absolute standards, and certain things that are forbidden: causing deliberate harm is one of them.
Religious Need
In the Charge of the Goddess, we find the following line:
"Nor do I demand aught in sacrifice, for behold, I am the Mother of all things, and my love is poured out upon earth." 12
Wiccans have no religious need to sacrifice. Combined with Wiccan ethics, sacrifice and ritual abuse is contrary to Wiccan beliefs.
Numbers
Estimates from accusers vary, and many do not state specific numbers. One of the few actual numeric claims I have seen from someone who accused "human sacrifice cults" of killing people was Dr. Al Carlisle of the Utah State Penitentiary System, who estimated "50,000 to 60,000 human sacrifices a year," 13 but this is an older estimate, from 1989. The problem with this estimate is in that year, there were only about 23,000 murders in the United States at all. 14 So we have a situation where the older "estimates" outnumbered all other murders by a factor of almost three. How can we account for this discrepancy? It should be obvious that the estimates are grossly wrong, but while the correction certainly scales back the magnitude of the accusations, it does nothing to stop them.
Evidence
While many of these accusations are general, police can only investigate where specific accusations have been made. The Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance have made a study of thirty-nine multi-victim, multi-offender (MVMO) abuse trials around the world, and has found that almost every case resulting in a conviction has been overturned - mostly due to improper questioning techniques and a complete lack of any physical evidence. Nonetheless, accusations - usually general accusations against unnamed "Satanists" - are still made. 15
The Reasons For the Accusation
Once again, we see the elements and motives of fear and control - fear of "Satanists," and desire to control others. Those who simply believe and repeat the stories I discount: they are not originating the myth, only perpetuating it.
This kind of accusation "dehumanizes" the target: one cannot hear of such atrocities without thinking that the person perpetuating them is irredeemably evil.
The Refutation of the Accusation
As a Wiccan, I have no need or desire to kill or hurt other people. I also have to realize that this is not going to be true of everyone who claims to be Wiccan. You may find someone out there who is doing these things, and who claims to be Wiccan: if you do, you now have the evidence to show them that this is NOT what Wicca is about.
However, if you do find someone who is using ritualized abuse--or any form of abuse--as part of their religion, I would ask you to do two things:
1. IMMEDIATELY report that person to your local law enforcement;
2. Publicize the findings - the court verdict, arrest records, whatever.
The last point is as important as the first. Do not simply publish this information in Pagan journals, or in restricted-distribution periodicals, but publicly. If this type of behavior exists in Wiccan circles, it is vital to warn the people around us of it, and to do our best to bring the perpetrators to justice.
Footnotes:
1: Please see the "Wicca is Satanism? (http://www.theologyweb.com/forum/showthread.php?t=45323)"
2: Padzer and Padzer. Michelle Remembers St Martins Prress: September 1, 1980.
3: The Religious Tolerance (http://www.religioustolerance.org/sra.htm), and the Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satanic_ritual_abuse) articles on Satanic Ritual Abuse are probably the closest to "neutral" sources of information--however, it should be mentioned that while the Religious Tolerance website usually takes a neutral view on religious topics, they take a definite position of advocating against the accuracy of SRA reports.
4: Examples include Chick Tract's "Poor Little Witch." Note, however, that Jack Chick seems to be on the very fringe of Christian extremism.
5: Minicus Felix, Octavius of Minucius Felix, chapter 9. Quoted from Bethancourt, Joe. "The History of Halloween: Myths, Monsters, and Devils"
6: Athenagoras, "A Plea for the Christians," quoted at Crosswalk.com.
7: "How Widespread Is Satanic/Sadistic Ritual Abuse? -- Part 1," quoted from Religioustolerance.org.
8: Kenneth Lanning: Investigator's Guide to Allegations of Ritual Child Abuse (http://www.religioustolerance.org/ra_rep03.htm)
9: Passanato: http://answers.org/m_Satan.html
10: Richardson, Best, and Bromley, eds. The Satanism Scare. New York: Aldine De Gruyter, 1991.
11: Many Wiccans do not share this view, holding the Rede as positive ethics in addition to prohibition against harm.
12: "The Charge of the Goddess," originally attributed to Charles Leland, and re-written by Doreen Valiente.
13: Quoted from secondary sources, including Rowan Moonstone, "Bob Larson Satanism Symposium", and Jack Chick, "Poor Little Witch."
14: Lanning, op cit.
15: Fortunately, such accusations specifically against Wiccans are increasingly rare. However, they do crop up from time to time.