Conference hydra::dejavu

    The show was directed toward sensationalism and research was not
    as good as it probably should have been. What I'm basing my opinion
    on are a number of things that will cause trouble for all pageans.
    
    The pentagram used at leadins and fadeouts was the satanicle pentagram,
    but not in the correct position with the point down.  It took Geraldo
    over an hour to actually show a "pentagram" and then it was 
    a "pentacle"(there was no circle around the star).  It was never
    actually said that satanic pentacles and pentagrams are the inverted
    stars with the point downward.
    
    Geraldo stated that Crowley was a satanist and started the movement
    followed by Anton LaVey.  Crowley was a lot of things, but a "satanist"
    he was not.  I do not particularly care for Crowley, but still have
    to defend the facts.  BTW, Aquino grouped all pagaens into the satanic
    side with the statement that "athiests and agnostics" worshiped
    satan. Agnostic, maybe, but "satanic", no.
    
    This is only quick observations that were obvious, but more will
    probably come to mind later.
    
    Some thing else comes to mind.  Zeena Lavey goofed.  Geraldo asked
    her if the women were lying and she returned with "Where's the proof?"
    If it was not true, she should have said that, no, the women probably
    weren't lying, but it was only what they(the women) believed to
    be true.  That does make one start to wonder how much she really
    does know.
    
    	John

    One of the things that kept coming through last night from Aquino(high
    priest, temple of Set) and Anton Levay's daughter( church of Satan)
    was they were not involved in human sacrifice, animal mutilation,
    or ritual sado masochism. My question is-WHAT ARE THEY INVOLVED
    IN? Why the great secrecy,about what they do in their rituals?
    If they are the law abiding citizens they claim to be, surely they
    have nothing to hide. They were given ample opportunity, to refute
    the eyewitnesses, and could only stammer their way, through some
    very weak denials.
    As a Christian, I was gratified to hear the young man on Death row,
    who had been raised by parents who were Satanists, say that the
    only way out of Satanism is through Jesus Christ-it's true!
    Overall- if only a small percentage of what Geraldo presented is
    true(taking into account that in this type of show there are bound
    to be fabrications and distortions) and looking at it objectivelly
    (without the religious hysteria) I think a creditable job was done
    to show, that there is a problem. The solution will depend largely
    on your spiritual orientation.
                                Jim

Disclaimer:  This is just my opinion (with a little ranting
and raving).  

All I have to offer is an opinion.  I cannot stand Geraldo.  When
I think of him, the word 'histrionics' comes to mind.  His shows
are about as informative as supermarket tabloids.  I wished he
would shut up and take his hand off his hip and let someone who
knows something talk for a while, but all he did was interrupt.  I 
thought he was rude, insulting, and shallow in his approach.  He
decided what outcome he wanted and blatantly orchestrated everyone's
part.  No one was allowed to deviate from the planned course.  I 
think he blew it.  He had a chance to produce a really informative
show, a lot of people showed up to share their experiences, and
he chose cheap sensationlism instead.  

It was disturbing, but not surprising, that all occult practices
were lumped under the heading 'satanism;' especially witchcraft.
I felt a shock with they dropped Crowley's name into the ring.  
I wished he let a few key people talk a little more at length.
The woman who's father founded satanism in the U.S. didn't get
a chance to complete a thought.  I would have liked to hear her
disertation on the difference between her view and the
traditional christian view of her religion.  

Of course, I have my beliefs, and I didn't expect much more than
double-speak and lies from her.  I am definitely prejudiced 
against anything to do with THAT religion, and all the nasty
practices Geraldo flashed before our eyes probably IS connected
in some way.  Kinda like the General disowning his troups when
they misbehave, the church elders know it's bad for business to
be associated in the public eye with their unpopular brethren.  

Can you tell I don't like the guy?  I'm thinking of not entering
this because it's nothing but opinion, but I'd like a reality
check.  And, seconding the base note, does anyone have any
knowledge to share?

Karen

    re .2
    
    Note 166.* in the Religion conference has some information on the
    Temple of Set, for those interested in looking. Hit KP7 to add 
    REX::RELIGION to your notebeook.                             
                                                                 
    	- Bill

         For me, perhaps one of the most disturbing (aside from the
    obvious brutalities) things I heard (I turned it off or did other
    things from time to time because the whole thing was rather sickening
    to me) was in the danger or warning signs (to parents...from their
    children):  one of them is if children start to meditate.  Boy,
    is that ever lousy advice!
         I think that Satanists are disturbed people who have twisted
    reality in order to satisfy their own need for control, manipulation
    and domination.  I don't intend to spend much time giving them
    more attention than I have already (maybe in bad judgement) given
    them.  There are lots of sickos in my reality...this is just another
    group.
    
         I suggest that we drop this subject.  I don't like even seeing
    the name of "the devil" in this conference.
    
    
    Frederick
    

    
    I saw the show,and,came away feeling that there definately is a
    serious problem that only hit on the surface,due to trying to cram
    a lot into a short time.I feel the purpose of the show was to alert
    people to what is going on,to wake us up to a real threat to our
    society.I think that purpose was accomplished.
      Whether all of it ties into Satanic cults,was not shown.I think
    any time that this kind of evil occurs,Satan becomes the scapegoat.
    In my opinion,Satan does exist,and,is of an evil nature.I think
    there is more violence today,which can be attributed to several
    factors,not all of them due to Satan.Population,mental disease,
    ignorance,brainwashing,breaking up of the family unit,pressures
    of modern society,bigotry,racism,self centeredness,breakdown of
    community spirit,apathy.I could go on,but,what i am saying is,that
    it is more complex than what was brought out.Our society is in a
    state of internal deteriation,and,we have got to wake up to that.
    We all have a stake in it.I think the program was benificial,and,
    that it will not be forgotten next week.
    
    Peace
    Michael
    

    I am not really a fan of Geraldo but I do have to give him credit
    for his guts, I have seen him do reporting in the past (20/20)
    that is dangerous...
    
    My opinion on the whole thing is numbness....if 1/4 of the information
    is true it is scary. It's interesting, I sat and watched the
    whole program and at the same time switched to the show David on
    another channel about a boy who had 90% of his body burt....I had
    more feeling/emotion for the show David than I did for the Geraldo
    show. I finally realized that I could not intellectually believe
    what I was watching. Could someone really gang rape little children,
    skin them alive, eat their bodies, deficate on them, breed babies
    for sacrifice etc...If we look at history who would have believed
    that a group of people systematically and deliberately organized
    a process and ran it like a business to its smallest detail whose
    sole purpose was the gassing and burning of a whole race of people.
    There were many people in the past and many today that still believe
    it wasn't possible.
    
    I belive that you can intelectually debate and discuss
    this topic forever but in the final analysis the people who are
    presumable acting out these murderous rituals make their own
    interpretations of satanism and kill people regardless of what
    the legitimate leaders of satanism say their purpose is....
    
    The leader of SET said that their book should not be taken literally
    but the boy in prison for murdering his parents said that HE did
    and many people he knows do also....
    
    This morning on the way to work I had a real scary thought, all
    those flyers that I receive in the mail every week identifying
    missing children, where have they all gone? I never stop getting
    them in the mail.
    

    Re .6 (Mike):
    
    >I saw the show,and,came away feeling that there definately is a
    >serious problem that only hit on the surface,due to trying to cram
    >a lot into a short time.I feel the purpose of the show was to alert
    >people to what is going on,to wake us up to a real threat to our
    >society.I think that purpose was accomplished.
     
    And I thought the show was too repititious and could have crammed
    a lot _more_ information into the timespace.  The research was sloppy;
    can you imagine confusing Levi's goat with Satan, for example? 
    Geraldo's reverse-psychology of saying, "_Please_ don't let your
    young children see the next segment!!!_" wore thin, after a while.
    The interminible interview with Charlie Manson ... maybe that was
    Geraldo's journalistic high point, so he played it for what he could.
    
    >In my opinion,Satan does exist,and,is of an evil nature.I think
    >there is more violence today,which can be attributed to several
    >factors,not all of them due to Satan.
     
    I concur.
    
    Re .7:
    
    >My opinion on the whole thing is numbness....if 1/4 of the information
    >is true it is scary.
     
    Well, under any circumstances, it does alert people to possible
    problems.  However, it should be stressed that outside of the argument
    that "all evil comes from Satan; then any evil act is Satanic,"
    that some of the people identified as Satanists by Geraldo did not
    themselves identify their beliefs as Satanic (is Berkowitz a Satanist?
    I dunno; nothing more than the bland statement that he was was
    presented).
    
    > ... I finally realized that I could not intellectually believe
    >what I was watching. Could someone really gang rape little children,
    >skin them alive, eat their bodies, deficate on them, breed babies
    >for sacrifice etc...
     
    The answer, alas, is "yes."  _Is_ Satanism as widespread as suggested
    in the show?  I don't believe so.  However, Satanists can be dangerous
    folk.  Although, until and unless they commit any crimes, the Satanic
    religion is as Constitutionally protected as any other.
    
    The reportage was shallow, and it contained some inaccuracies. 
    Was it necessary to go that overboard to make a point?  Perhaps,
    but I'm uncertain.
    
    Steve Kallis, Jr.
         

    
    Now,thinking about what you said,Steve,about the use of time.Yes,i
    think the time was focused on the brutality aspect,perhaps for the
    purpose of getting people emotionally involved and outraged,which,in
    my opinion,is the best way to promote action on the part of
    individuals. More time could have been spent on other aspects of
    the problem,but,i think it was designed to be acute for the purpose
    of getting a message across strongly.
      It is hard to accept that I am a member of a race,that would do
    such horrible things to each other.I believe this is part of the
    denial process that a lot of us face,in the face of reality.There
    are a lot of sick people in the world,how can we protect ourselves?
    Obviously,we,as a society are not doing a good enough job.I believe
    we have given some ground to evil,its time to take it back.
    
    Peace
    Michael
    

RE: .7 (ADVAX::Marshall)
    
    First of all:
    
    > ...missing children, where have they all gone?
    
    According to the FBI, almost all of them have been kidnapped by
    relatives in custody disputes.  Most of the remaining are run-aways.
    Some of the very few that are left have had accidents and their
    bodies have not been recovered.  Some (1 or 2 a year?) may have
    run afoul of a psychopath who may or may not identify him/herself
    as a Satanist (or a "Wiccan", or a "Teuton" or a "true Christian").
    
    > if 1/4 of the information is true...
    
    I haven't seen the show yet (it's on tape), but I seriously doubt
    from what has been said that 1/4 of the information is true.
    
    I know ? different categories of people labeled Satanists:
    
    	1) Almost anybody who does not agree with the beliefs of the
    	   labeler.
    
    	2) Any non-Christian.
    
    	3) Occultists.
    
    	4) People who have rebelled against a Christian upbringing and
    	   have attempted to create an Anti-christianity in order to
    	   thumb their noses at their parents.  Although there are
    	   exceptions these folks -- mostly teen-agers -- are pretty
    	   harmless.  They play around with blaspheme, inverted crosses,
    	   saying the Lord's prayer backwards, sex and drugs; maybe some
    	   vandalism.  Perhaps not the safest, socially positive
    	   activities in the world, but not really a major problem unless
    	   you are really bothered by blaspheme (which is your problem,
    	   after all, not the countries -- separation of church and
    	   state).
    
    	5) Sociopaths who identify their psychosis with satanism either
    	   "positively" (using a Satanism as a justification for their
    	   actions) or "negatively" (believing themselves to be compelled
    	   by demons to act as they do).  A problem, but one which would
    	   remain, virtually unchanged, if no one had ever heard of
    	   Satan or satanism.  Other justifications would be found for
    	   the sociopathic behavior -- that is the nature of psychosis.
    
    	6) Traditional Satanists.  There are various cults, in all three
    	   major branches of the Judaic root religion, who identify various
    	   manifestations in the Old and/or New Testaments traditionally
    	   identified as God as the actions of Satan.  Essentially the
    	   feeling is that God is far removed from the Earth, which
    	   ruled by Satan, and so Satan must be propitiated.  I have
    	   never heard of propitiation going beyond animal sacrifice.
    	   The root of these beliefs is Gnosticism, which holds that
    	   Earth was built as a prison to enslave the sparks of the
    	   devine fire (people) and keep them asleep and unaware.
    	   Gnostic belief, however, teaches that one should rise above
    	   these constraints, rather than be propitios to them.
    
        7) "Graduated" versions of 4.  LeVay etc.  Some people start
    	   out in their youth with anti-christianity, and, instead of
    	   dropping it like most, refine and "legitimatize" it.  The
    	   result, which seems more threatening to some because of its
    	   institutionalization, is probably even less sinister than
    	   4.  They've pulled in a bit of 6 and a bit of pagan religions
    	   and formed a really fairly conservative religion whose
    	   rituals are inspired by anti-christianity.
    
    	8) People who have, in their own mind at least, actually sold
    	   their soul to the devil and perform evil (rather than merely
    	   blasphemous) acts and rituals to increase their power.  These
    	   undoubtedly exist, I've even met a few (I think).  I don't
    	   think that there are very many of them, all told.  Individually
    	   they are dangerous, but they are not, in my opinion, a social
    	   problem, like, for example drug-pushers are.
    
    As to why the new "Satanist" churches seek to keep their rituals
    secret, I think that the answer is obvious.  They are attempting
    to create a modern mystery religion out of traditions thousands
    of years old.  The essence of such religions is piecewise revelation
    of ritual as part of a life-long process of initiation.  One
    cannot simply assume that a desire for secrecy means that they
    are doing something illegal or even immoral (by whatever standards).
    Even the most conservative, "strict constitutional
    interpretationalists", would agree that the constitution protects
    their privacy (since it is part of the practice of their religion)
    until or unless there is some meaningful evidence that it is being
    used to cover the violation of the law.
    
    						Topher
    

    Re .10 (Topher):
    
    >> if 1/4 of the information is true...
    >
    >I haven't seen the show yet (it's on tape), but I seriously doubt
    >from what has been said that 1/4 of the information is true.
     
    Actually, since you haven't seen it ... 
    
    There's really less "information" than meets the eye.  The first
    section of the show concentrated on Satanic decorations festooning
    the covers of some Heavy Metal (HM) rock albums, and showed scenes
    of strangely dressed performers and kids in/at rock concerts.  After
    pointing out that the majority of the audiences just enjoy the music,
    and that only a few -- an extremely small percentage -- are into
    Satanism.  Then, he interviewed Ozzie Osborne, who said he wasn't
    a Satanist and didn't consider his music to be.  That is, 20 minutes
    of near-zero information.
    
    >I know ? different categories of people labeled Satanists:
    
    The show was better than average this way.  Although far from rigorous,
    it differentiated between Satanism and other nonChristian beliefs,
    such as Voudoun.
    
    Geraldo did one semi-McCarthyite ploy, more than once.  When dealing
    with Dr. Aquino (head of the Temple of Set), he said, approximately,
    "Dr. Aquino, I know you were cleared of any charges concerning
    [Satanic child molerstation], but for the record, [a young girl]
    identified you as one of the people present [when she was molested]."
    Now Rivera thus blindsided Aquino -- in the same breath he "cleared"
    him while simultaneously associating him in the audience's mind
    with a molestation incident.  If it were a newspaper, it would be
    yellowsheet journalism.
    
    The show also made the point that even if there is no Satan, if
    a Satanist believes there is, and sacrifices (or otherwise commits
    atrocities) on the basis of trying to please him, then, from the
    victims' standpoint, it makes no difference.
    
    Some use in the show, but it could have been done _much_ better.
    
    Steve Kallis, Jr.

    re:10
    
    You seem to have some fair knowledge on this subject but I find
    it hard to believe that -Some 1 or 2? children a year- end up with
    psychopaths with serial killers like john wayne gasey (sp) filling
    his back yard with children, plus the one's we know nothing about.
    
    I still feel the same way about my 1/4 opinion. There were probably
    20-30 deaths, molestations, rapes etc described last night with
    some credible evidence (the boys in prison for murder whose motives
    were attributed by them to their satonic beliefs). So like I said
    if 1/4 is true that means I am discounting 75% of the information
    which I have seen as opposed to you discounting all of it not having
    seen the program.  I do have my doubts about all the groups you
    described seeing that thousands of people have been persecuted and
    died under the banner of christianity. Did the of the church
    do it or did the people do it? 
    

RE: .12
    
    There is certainly John Wayne Gasey (I can't remember the spelling
    either).  I thought about mentioning him, but it seemed too far
    from the subject to assume that someone would wonder about it.
    
    1. Gasey was a single case and, from what I understand, atypical
    in this one regard from the "typical" serial killer (though in
    many ways he is a textbook case).  Most serial killers prefer
    sexually mature victims.
    
    2) Most of the children (though not all) known to be murdered by
    Gassey were young teenagers rather than the preteens and younger
    which figure in the missing children notices.
    
    3) For whatever relevance it has, Gasey did not kidnap most of them,
    as I remember, rather he murdered run-aways.  Bad things happen
    to run-aways, but more almost certainly die in street violence,
    by disease, from exposure, by drugs and by mischance than die at
    the hands of psychopaths.
    
    Gasey almost certainly tripled or more the statistics on the missing
    children killed by psychopaths while he was active (remember that
    that back yard was filled over a period of years).  Another Gasey
    could appear any time, and may well be active now, but they are
    exceptions not a pattern.
    
    According to the FBI, most of the missing children have been kidnapped
    by relatives.  Since it is to the FBI's advantage for people to
    believe that the children are being kidnapped by bogeymen (more
    fear of crime, more money for the FBI) I tend to believe them. 
    Some of those relatives were not granted custody because they were
    abusive or otherwise unfit, so this is a problem.  But it is not
    the same as psychopaths such as Gasey or Satanists kidnapping the
    children to perform violence on.
    
    As for the boys in prison who ascribe their crimes to their Satanic
    beliefs, a number of observations.  It is to their *strong* advantage
    to claim that they did what they did because they *were* Satanists
    but now "I am reformed and wouldn't *think* of doing such a thing
    again."  I take it from the commentary that at least one of the
    prisoners said just this.  Second, as I said before, sociopaths
    *always* have reasons for what they do.  Some ludicrously high
    percentage of death row prisoners and other prisoners accused of
    really violent crime show pretty severe brain damage when anybody
    bothers to check.  Most really violent crime would seem to be due
    to derangement (hope that doesn't push anyones "antiliberal" button,
    but them's the best we got for facts) I would need a lot more evidence
    than their statements that they turned to violence because of Satanism
    rather than that they turned to Satanism as self-justification for
    their compulsion towards violence.
    
    I can't really comment on the show since I haven't seen it.  My
    reaction is based on my knowledge that if I wanted to, and were
    given a reasonable budget, I could go around and build up a
    really frightening case by taking a lot of isolated incidents,
    associating them with a bunch of much more innocent rebeliousness
    and voila -- I have a social problem.  Its not the 1/4 of the
    facts which I dispute -- I wouldn't be surprised that 100% of
    the facts presented (ignoring silly stupidities like saying
    Crowley was a Satanist) were correct.  Its the implications
    that it looks like we were set up to draw from their juxtaposition
    (and which were stated outright in the advertising) that I would
    dispute.  I would be surprised if anything presented (so far I
    haven't heard anything mentioned which wasn't old hat) justifies
    the conclusion that Satanism represents a general, rising, social
    problem in the USA.  The main problem is that this type of
    sensationalism can be used to justify religious persecution which
    will start with the LeVays (I think that's the spelling), and
    may continue on to the pagans, wiccans, voudons and even the
    Jews (you mean you *didn't* know that the passover cup is filled
    with the blood of christian babies? :-( ), atheists and Catholics
    (it is, "well known" in some circles that the Pope is the anti-Christ
    :-( ).
    
    Unless he has some *very* good evidence for a real conspiracy of
    some sort, this is worse than simple sensationalism -- it is
    dangerous enflamatorism.
    
    					Topher

    Whenever you have this sensationalistic approach,there is going
    to be a tendancy for people to overreact to it.For example,my stepson
    came home from school yesterday,and,was complaining about a teacher,
    who told a student that he could not wear a Motley Crew t-shirt,because
    it represented Satan,even though there was nothing on the shirt
    that had anything to do with it.I suspect this teacher had seen
    the program,and,related all hard rock groups to Satan worship.
    
    Peace
    Michael
    

    I agree.  I wonder how much $ Slimaldo Rivera made on this show.
    He is one of those who has sold out to Mammon.
    
    Maybe he should be sentenced to community servic, like doing a show
    on homelessness, mental illness or any of the problems more important
    to our society that a scattering of Satanists.
    
    I'm sure the public would be better served by education about mental
    problems like non-convulsive 'seizures'.  These are more common
    among persons convicted of violence who are remorseful after the
    fact of violence, but not in control during the act.
    
    What the hell is all this depressing stuff on TV lately, Jack-the-
    Ripper, Satanists, stories about people being hurt?  I grew up on
    a farm where we routinely slaughtered animals for food.  I can find
    no 'entertainment' in slice-and-dice shows the city dwellers seem
    to find irresistably fascinating.  It was tough enough raising
    something from birth so we could eat it, but it was survival.
    Maybe William Burroughs was right......
    
    Steve, I'd like to borrow your tape of the Geraldo show so I can
    fast-forward the crap and watch the commercials.  I'd like to 
    know which sponsor to boycott....I have to go throw up now...MWR
    

    I would agree we seem to have gone through a depressing patch lately.
    This stuff is showing up for a variety of coincidental reasons,
    i think:  Halloween, plus the after effects of the writers strike,
    plus this happens to be 100 years after the Ripper was active.
    
    There have been at least for different "ripper" shows in the past
    week.  I am certainly no _fan_ of Geraldo, BUT, as has been pointed
    out, he did confine his attention to criminal events, and "public
    statnists", such as LaVey and Aquino.  He could have gone after
    (and didn't, that I noticed) so many other groups, groups that would,
    be totally (IMHO) totally unconnected with any  definition of
    satanism.
    thanks
    dave pierson

    Oops!  Re-reading the repliew, I see it is Topher who taped the
    show not Steve...Anyway, I wanted to ask.  Has Geraldo Rivera
    ever done an honest day's work in his life?  I can't see him
    with the calluses of a mason or carpenter, orbending his back
    for heavy lifting.  If he didn't have a position in pseudo-
    journalism, would he be on a street corner selling crack?
    
    Who needs this idiot.  We have to be careful to avoid classing
    him in the same profession as Woodard & Bernstein, Edward R.
    Murrow, Cronkite & Severeid.  What shall we call this underclass
    of jouranlists, perjorative adjectives hereby solicited.
    
    Or maybe its just because my wife thinks he's cute?.....MWR
    

    re: -.1
    
         Geraldo is an attorney (as is Howard Cosell.)
    
         That says something, doesn't it?
    
    Frederick
    

    Now that you've reacted, would you like to express your opinions 
    in a way that can do some good?
    
    If you didn't like the show because of its treatment of the subject,
    (for instance, several pagan/wiccan acquaintances of mine are really
    upset at being lumped in with Satanists) write to the local channel
    in your area that aired the broadcast, tell them precisely *why*
    you didn't like the show (sloppy and/or biased reporting, yellow
    journalistic techniques, factual innacuracies, incorrect lumping
    of all non-traditional-Christian practices (such as meditation)
    with Satanism -- any and everything, and be *specific*) and tell
    them you're sending a copy of your letter to the FCC.
    
    And then make good that promise; send that copy of your letter to
    the FCC.  Otherwise the station can just toss your letter in the
    trash with no one else the wiser.
    
    If enough of us are heard, we just might get better reporting,
    programming et al.  But it starts with individual voices/letters.
    
    Marcia

    Re .19 (Marcia):
    
    > ................................... write to the local channel
    >in your area that aired the broadcast, tell them precisely *why*
    >you didn't like the show (sloppy and/or biased reporting, yellow
    >journalistic techniques, factual innacuracies, incorrect lumping
    >of all non-traditional-Christian practices (such as meditation)
    >with Satanism -- any and everything, and be *specific*) and tell
    >them you're sending a copy of your letter to the FCC.
     
    Right church; wrong pew.  If you wish to write to object, there's
    nothing wrong with doing the local channel.  However, you should
    also write to Gordon Manning, Vice President, News, Projects; NBC
    News; 30 Rockefeller Plaza; New York, N.Y. 10112, and/or Ray Lockhart,
    Senior Producer, News, at the same address.   
    
    The FCC is _not_ a good place to write, BTW, since unless what's
    been aired violates their (very flexible, these days) restrictions,
    they can't interfere.  If truth content were one of the criteria,
    then a letter to the agency would be valid; but it isn't.  They're
    only interested in forbidden words and offensive-to-the-public (as
    in pornography) transmissions./
    
    If you intend to write, do the following for best resuklts:
    
    1) Make sure your facts are completely accurate, reviewing a tape
    of the program if possible (there were relatively few Pagan
    references).  _Don't get hung up on terminology_: Wiccans, for
    instance, claim that Witchcraft isn't Satanic; however, some Satanists
    are termed witches by nonWiccans, including anthropologists.
    
    2) Say what you have to concisely, without any name-calling.  Something
    on the order of, say, "I believe Mr. Rivera was wrong to call the
    figure a pentagram, since it wasn't a complete star," would be
    acceptable, where, "The ill-informed Geraldo can't even tell the
    difference on something so simple, like stupidly mistaking a spray-can
    graffiti of an open star for a Satanic pentagram shows the ignorance
    of the show's peurile scriptwriters," would gain you no sympathy
    from the reader.               
    
    3) Say what you have to in your own words.  Do _not_ use a form
    letter (these are discounted as organized stuff) or a multi-
    signature petition (which is counted as a single letter, even if
    30- people sign it.
    
    4) Be polite.
    
    Steve Kallis, Jr.

    
    Re: .19, .20
    
    If you *really* want to get the newtwork's attention, send to them
    a copy of the letter you've sent to the sponsors of the program.
    
    Perry

    Re .21 (Perry):
    
    >If you *really* want to get the newtwork's attention ...
    
    I do enough typos not to throw stones, but I _like_ that one.
    "Eye of newtwork" anyone?
    
    There were several sponsors; if anyone takes that approach, I'd
    suggest indicating on the letter(s) to the appropriate folk at NBC
    that you've carboned the sponsors; then add a short cover note to
    each sponsor indicating you were unhappy with the show (as explained
    in the attached letter) and thus are unhappy with them sponsoring
    it.  As a suggestion, _don't_ threaten to stop using their product(s).
    
    Steve Kallis, Jr.
                     

    
      Looks like Geraldo has made a lot of people upset. I personally
    feel that if you don't agree with what he believes, there's no need
    to get mad, unless he steped on your turf:-). If you want to get
    mad, get mad because there's a lot of OUR children strung out on
    drugs, alcohol, teen suicide ETC. and there's NO-ONE that seems
    to care. I didn't see the movie, but from what I was told, he brought
    out a lot of things thats not really reconized. Maybe he didn't
    bring the message across like most of you feel that he should have;
    but at least *TRY* to hear what he's trying to say.
    
    
    LORENZO
    

    
    Lorenzo,
      A lot of times its not a matter of not caring,i believe a lot
    of people care.The real frustration is not being able to do anything
    about it.As the old saying goes "you can lead a horse to water but
    cant make him drink".I have four sons,i care enough to tell them
    of the dangers,and,be an example myself.But,they dont listen too
    often,and,i havnt the power to control their lives at their age,and,
    so i see them making some big mistakes,and,i grieve for them.Things
    are getting out of control,and,a lot of people are trying to do
    the best they know how,to find answers.Sometimes there are no answers.
    
    Peace
    Michael
    
     

    Re .23 (Lorenzo):
    
    Hi!
    
    > ... I didn't see the movie, but from what I was told, he brought
    >out a lot of things thats not really reconized. Maybe he didn't
    >bring the message across like most of you feel that he should have;
    >but at least *TRY* to hear what he's trying to say.
             
    I think that what upset a lot of people was that rather than trying
    to make a _solid_ case for the potential dangers associated with
    Satanic activities, Geraldo Rivera went strictly for the
    sensationalistic aspect.  A less splashy, more in-depth program
    (after all -- the man had a two-hour time slice) would have increased
    its credibility.  (e.g., 20 minutes on Heavy Metal music -- with roughly
    1/4 of that crowd shots???  What did that prove?)
    
    Had I been organizing the program, I'd have given a background on
    Satanism, maybe something along the line of what the Rev. Montague
    Summers did, show its development and spread through the Medieval
    period, and then relate that to what's happening now.  That could
    be done tightly in 15-20 minutes and give people some foundation
    on the subject.  I might spend another five minutes on the witch
    hysterias in Europe and the colonies (including Matthew Hopkins
    and the Continental activities).  _Then_ I'd go into whatever
    indicators there are that Satanism is flourishing (and there are
    sufficient for that), and then recount the crimes.  I would have
    fewer guests so that I could spend more time with each in interview.
    
    The show, as presented, was not much of a public service.  From
    more than one person, I've heard the reaction, "what a lot of
    b*llsh*t!", ascribing all the activities mentioned on the show to
    "a few nuts."
    
    Constitutionally, Satanism is as protected a religion as any other.
    However, being aware that Satanism isn't just a plot device for
    horror films might help people protect themselves and their loved
    ones against any untoward acts that organized Satanists might have
    in mind.
    
    If the program's rebroadcast, Lorenzo my friend, I hope you catch
    it.  Its message, that Satanic acts can be harmful and dangerous,
    was _diluted_ by Geraldo Rivera's style and histrionics.
    
    Steve Kallis, Jr.
    

Maybe we should all get together and ask for 'equal time'...  

    DEJAVU SPEAKS OUT, FILM AT ELEVEN...


;-)))))) Terry

    RE: GERALDO
    
          Seems like poetic justice of a sort, doesn't it?  Geraldo
    got a broken nose yesterday during "violence" that broke out
    during taping of a show (featuring "skin-heads" [aka "punks"]
    and black leaders.)  Incidentally, the show will apparently
    be aired within the next couple of weeks.
    
    Frederick
    

    I have to admit I got a real charge out of seeing the footage
    of the incident on the news last night (I don't usually watch
    TV news, I prefer All Things Considered and the newspapers, but
    the "headlines" mentioned that it was coming up, so I watched).
    I feel a bit guilty about enjoying it, and its not my usual
    entertainment, but the (as Frederick said) poetic justice of
    a "confrontational journalist" ("journalist" very much in additional
    quotes) getting caught in the cross fire of his instigation (he got hit
    by a chair which had probably been thrown at someone else) was just too
    satisfying.
    
    					Topher

    re: .27 (Frederick)
    
    >>	White punks are dopes.
    
    	I thought this file taught us not to generalize or classify
    	an entire group.  If we try to allow spiritual or religious 
    	groups the freedom of personal expression, let's allow it to 
    	others as well.
    
    	C.
    

    I must admit I got a bit of an unholy giggle out of
    the incident.  I guess it's sort of poetic justice -
    that's what he gets for sticking his nose where it
    doesn't belong!

    re: .29
    
         Sorry, Carla to upset you...actually, what prompted that
    title was Geraldo's use of the word "punk" (which he uses
    quite a lot!)  Then I remembered the Tubes song "White Punks
    on Dope" and did my little transforming/transposing number in
    the interest of humor.  There really wasn't meant to be anything
    disparaging in that.  I agree with what you say...however, in the
    context of the Geraldo show, I think you would understand that
    the white "punks" (skin-heads) who were vilifying the blacks 
    (for the simple reason that they *are* black) "DESERVE" to be
    called "dopes."
    
         That's it.
    
    
    Frederick
    

    Reply to .27, Fredrick,
    
    No. No. Your title should be "White Punks on Geraldo." B^)

I understand that Geraldo was the only one injured during the melee.......

    I think Geraldo was classified quite nicely when Entertainment
    Tonight hired him.
                
    And the chair throwing incident reminded me of Al Capone being 
    imprisoned on income tax evasion.   Right punishment, wrong crime.
                                          
    I didn't watch it, so I can't comment on it, but from the replies
    it ranks right up there with Mr. Capone's vault and Fox's Ripper
    program.  It seems another case of misinforming the public in
    favor of ratings.
    
    Better to watch your PBS guide and hope they air a more responsible
    show.  Unfortunately, less people will view that one.
    
    							Don

    Latest word on some other networks is that Jeraldo won't be doing
    anymore specials.

    
    I heard he is going to do one more special on "WHAT HAPPENS TO KIDS
    WHO GET SENT OUT OF THE ROOM DURING AN GERALDO SPECIAL!!" 
    
    (stolen from Howard Stern "Radio personality")
    
    Craig

    
    taken from The Weakly "oops!" I mean The WEEKLY WORLD NEWS DEC 20,
    1988.
    
    	GERALDO MADE ME KILL...
    	Young satanic slayer watched TV show, then stabbed mom, cops
    	say!
    
    		"A devil-worshiping weirdo, who claims he got the
    		courage to kill from Geraldo Rivera's TV show on
    		Satanism, sneaked up behind his mom and slit her
    		throat."
    
    	The story goes on to say...
    
    		"The suspect had slipped into the evil world of the
    		occult a few years ago after playing Dungeons and
    		Dragons, the popular medieval fantasy game."
    
    	ect,ect...
    
    		"He is being held in an isolation cell without bond."
                                                                     
    			
    	also.......in case that wasn't enough...
    
    		"John Lennon is preparing to make an earth-quaking comeback
    	from beyond the grave and go on tour with a sensational album
    	crammed with new songs."
    
        craig

    The following article was in the December 5, 1988 Newsweek, page
    29 [copied without permission]

			Networking to Beat the Devil
		But are the `Satan sleuths' really on to something?

    We now know Satan helps TV networks competing for audience shares:
    Geraldo Rivera's recent special on satanic cults was the highest-
    rated two-hour documentary in history.  Could he also help police
    officers competing for a leg up in their careers?  Chicago police
    detective Robert Simandl thinks investigating satanic crime may be a
    growth industry.  He calls it "the crime of the '90s," and he's led
    more than 200 seminars for law-enforcement professionals on how to spot
    the earmarks of the occult in everything from church burglaries to
    child abuse.  Each day he gets a dozen calls from colleagues around the
    country perplexed over headless hens, spray-painted pentagrams -- and
    worse.

    It's hard to say whether criminal acts by satanic cults are actually on
    the increase.  Should figures include murders by isolated sickos who
    think the Devil made them do it?  Vandalism by anomic Ozzy Osbourne
    fans?  Rivera's video inquisition found ritualistic murders at an
    all-time high, yet Kansas City police say Satanism had nothing to do
    with a torture and sexual-abuse case to which Geraldo devoted a quarter
    hour.  But this much is certain: police increasingly share information
    on crimes with satanic overtones.  Today an informal network of over
    1,000 officers and counselors keeps current by phone, newsletter and
    seminar.

    A big draw on the satanic-crime circuit is Sandi Gallant, a 25-year
    veteran of the San Francisco police department.  Her audio tape on
    ritualistic murders is used by police nationwide -- though she claims
    to know of only three such cases in San Francisco since 1980.  Most
    "satanic" crimes, she says are the work of people who are already "a
    few bubbles off center" -- or rebellious adolescents trying to get a
    rise out of their elders.  Not all Satan sleuths are this low-key --
    especially not those whose interest is tied to born-again Christian
    convictions.  Larry Jones of the Boise, Idaho, police department is
    head of the Cult Crime Impact Network (his newsletter reaches 1,500
    readers); he thinks cops should investigate "mockery of the Christian
    sacraments, " and fears "upper level" Satanists have infiltrated the
    criminal-justice system itself.  "I don't mean to sound paranoid," he
    says, "but the walls have ears for us now."

    *Disturbed kids*: Even Simandl, who's wary of sensationalizing his
    specialty, talks of a shadowy "international network" of Satanists
    behind drug dealing and child pornography.  [I wonder if he is
    confusing Satanism with the rather debased form of Santeria which
    is said to be rather popular with certain segments of the Latin
    American drug-traffickers.  In that case even if we grant the label
    (which I would not) the religion "justifies" the crimes which would
    almost certainly be committed anyway, rather than in any sense
    causing or encouraging them. TC]  But Patrick Hayes, an investigator in
    Jasper County, Mo., prosecutor's office, is skeptical.  His recent work
    on the supposedly satanic murder of teenager Steven Newberry [photos
    of Newberry and of Hayes holding the murder weapons -- baseball bats --
    accompany the article. TC] turned up nothing spookier than disturbed
    kids and heavy-metal songs with nasty imagery.  And Anton La Vey, head
    of the Church of Satan, dismisses both petty vandalism and more
    sensational "satanic" crimes as the work of troubled minds.  "The
    Hebrew word `Satan' means `the opposite' or `the adversary'," he
    says.  "It's the spirit of discovery, freethinking and rebelliousness.
    What's happening today is not Satanism.  It's totally sick and
    distorted.  A nut is a nut."

				David Gates with Tim Padgett in Chicago and
				Pamela Abramson in San Francisco. 

From:    Joseph Teller 
To:      All                                      Msg #125, 29-Oct-89 08:25pm
Subject: Satan in the Suburbs
 
Living here in Northern Massachusetts, home of the supposedly
open minded folk of the East coast and spending my spare time
running a Pagan BBS, I thought we were comfortably far off from
the recent media blitzs of National tv, the Christian Networks
and the recent controversey in CA with the OTO. Then I opened
up the local sales-flyer paper we get each week, The Minuteman
Chronicle Sunday, circulation of 101,672 in the Lowell/Billerica
region, to a blood Dripping headline:
 
        Satan in The Suburbs
 
To one side was the green blobed quote:
 
       "Look at me, Satan's Child. Born
        of evil, thus defiled. Brought to
        Life through satanic birth. Come
        look at me and I'll show you
        things that will open your eyes...."
          Fron the song 'Possesed' by the group Venom.
 
Blazened in spectacular four color newsink, were a listing of
Symbols:
    An Anhk (labeled as Egyptian ANCH Cross, and with a
           sidelabeling of 'The Cross of Satan represents Life')
    A Peace Symbol (labeled as The Cross Of Neri, and with a
           sidelabeling of 'Cross upside down with the arms
           broken')
    A Dagger, upright (labeled as 'The Sword of power' and a
           sidelabeling of 'Aggressive force used in Satanic
           rituals')
 
This in a local shoppers flyer, distributed for free to all the
homes in the area (Oct. 29th, 1989 date on issue) that usually
has local town meeting results, real estate ads and the weeks
grocery coupons - in otherwords no real hard news or 'bad news'!
Mouth agape I read on... 2 full pages of the paper's worth of
print (in a paper of only 36 pages, 22 of which are fully ads)
claiming expose, local devil worshipers suspected, how to id a
devil worshiper etc...My stomache turned at their misinformation
and obvious madness of all this.
   THis area supports an ADF proto-Grove, a Wiccan Group, the
college is about to allow the formation of a Pagan STudents Group
and two very visbile (media wise) Masonic Temples, and a population
that is less than 50% Christian (We have in the area a large
immigrant population from the Orient which sport their own beliefs
and places of worship). This sort of 'reporting' should not even
begin to be visible here...
   I want people here, and thru the Nets, to see the sort of
material thats showing up, and see why we must start pulling our
groups and selves together into a true feeling of community and
protect ourselves before we are all destroyed seperatley or
forced to do as was done before and slip back into the shadows
to hide from these fanatics....My next few posts will be from
this paper, which is published by Beacon Communications, 20 Main
ST., Acton MA 01720, editor Bill Lindsay. If anyone wants to help
sway them by writing to the editorial department, they insist you
send them full address info and a phone number you can be reached
thru. Perhaps a flood of letters from us each time the media does
this sort of thing will help bring some changes....
 
 
 
---
 * Origin: NPI I (617-593-0081) Lynn, Mass. (Opus 1:101/192)
 
 
From:    Joseph Teller 
To:      All                                      Msg #126, 29-Oct-89 08:27pm
Subject: Satan in the Suburbs II
 
[Minuteman Chronicle Sunday Oct 29th, 1989]
 
       SATAN IN THE SUBURBS
by Elizabeth Banks, Senior Reporter
 
Alchol and drug abuse is no surprise in area high schools, but
police are now confronted with troublesome evidence of satanism
in some suburban communities.
   Dead animals in Acton, graffiti in Maynard, heavy metal music
blaring themse of Satan and the occult - all these are evidence
of cults and devil worship, say area police.
   But, there are signs parents can look for, and some teens are
more susceptible than others to the rituals of satanic worship,
according to Wesley Simons, director of Burlington's Community
Life Center, a teen counseling center.
   Teenagers most prone to satanism, Simmons said in a recent
interview, are those who have no close relationship with either
family members or friends. And, he added, "These are angry kids."
   Anger and isolation are the two characteristics, Simons stated,
"that predispose an association withh angry acts."
   Another sign, SImmons warned, is involvement with "Overtly
satanic acts" such as the use of symbols, rituals, animal killings,
reading occult books, listening to heavy metal music, and 
sometimes, playing the fantasy game "Dungeons and Dragons."
   "Emotional factors feed this behhavior," Simmons stressed. If
the emotional problems are not present, he added, teenagers may
just "dabble" with the symbolism of satanism such as the satanic
alphabet, heavy metal music, or related games.
   Even with strong close relationships heavy involvement could
happen, Simmons said, but "most likely it won't happen."
   Cult practices and satanism are not limited too teenagers,
police say. Because satanic acts are performed in secrecy police
often lack concrete evidence of criminal acts. However, police
now say that abducted childeren or runaways may be victims of
satanic rituals used as a guise for sexually abusing children.
   One case, reported last March by Lowell police, involved a
cult of local 13 and 14 year-olds. Two members reportedly drove
two recruits to a New York town where they were subjected to 
satanic rituals involving bloodletting and animal sacrifices.
   In other suburban communities police report evidence of satanic
worship ranging from graffiti on buildings depicting satanic
symbols to shrines in wooded areas, to animal mutilations. While
most incidents go no further than graffiti and are perceived as
harmless, there are enough isolated incidents of more serious
activities to concern police in some towns.
   "Its here," said Inspector Ken Duane, Chelmsfords juvenile
officer, simply said "We have no actual documented facts, but we've
found little shrines in the woods with rocks and candles." There
was also one isolated incident of a mutilated dog he said.
   Duane reports dealing with teenagers involved in satanic
activites, but extreme involvement does not take place "to a huge
degree. Police," he added "definately see a connection between
drug use and satanic worship. Anyone on drugs is capable of
anyuthing."
 
    [Continued NEXT posting...]
 
 
 
---
 * Origin: NPI I (617-593-0081) Lynn, Mass. (Opus 1:101/192)
 
 
From:    Joseph Teller 
To:      All                                      Msg #127, 29-Oct-89 08:29pm
Subject: Satan in The Suburbs III
 
[Continued from last post]
 
   Recently, there was "talk" of organizing a satanic group
between Chelmsford and Tyngsboro teens, Duane said. But police
managed to break up the groups and "get some of the leaders
off the streets."
   "We also see a connection between Heavy metal music and
drugs," he stated. "These kids wear black T-shirts with Satanic
symbols," Duane said.
   In Chelmsford, as in many other suburban communities, satanic
graffiti is evident throughout the town. Police, Duane said, do
not know id it should be taken seriously, or if teens"are just
fooling around."
   Acton police also report signs of satnaic activity. Suspicions
began when animals began disappearing and mutilated animals were
discovered. But none of this, police say, could be directly
related to satanic activity.
   Again, while no direct proof exists, graffiti is presently
located at ACton-Boxborough Regional Hhigh School depicting the
numbers 666, the sign of Satan. In other areas of town, police
have located upside down crosses.
   In Burlington, Simmons reports counseling two local teens
involved in satanism. While he believs neither was seriously
involved, one was "into" "Dungeons and Dragons".
   There are also reports of suspicious graffiti in Billerica,
Lexington and Maynard.
   The Rev. Gary Heikkila of Maynard's Mission Evangelical Church
began investigating satanism after receiving a "strange letter".
This letter, he said, "talked about finding a mutilated animal
in the Gardner area and otehr things that seemed far out, but
worthy oof investigation."
   Convinced that many Christians are ignorant of Satanic worship.
Heikkila spoke with cult experts in preperation for a speech
which he would later deliver to the Maynard Community.
   Through his research, Heikkila said he learned "that Satanism
is much more than Halloween. These people have violent impulses
that prey upon angry, powerless people who lead secret lives and
are attracted to heavy metal music," he said.
   "I'm convinced that satanisim is linked to pornography, child
abuse and murder," Heikkila stressed.
   Further study of satanic worship put Heikkila in touch with a
cult expert in Dallas. "Various types of satanism are on a 
meteoric rise," he was told. "Satanism is predicted to be the
cult of the 90's," he added.
   THrough his church, Heikkila said a local woman came to him
and said she found paraphernalia involved in satanic worship in her
grand-daughter's closet. And, he learned of covens meeting in
Boxboro.
   "There are definately telltale signs," Heikkila continued.
Teenagers involved in satanism report keeping a "Book of Shadows".
These he explained contain suicide notes.
   Some young people, Heikkila cnotinued, are preoccupied with
death, while others have satanic symbols either tattoed or cut into
their skin with razors.
   Particularly troubling to Heikkila is the influence of the Church
of Satan, organized in California in 1966 by Anton Lavey, also
known as the Black Pope. This church, Heikkila said, "is amazing -
its almost like science fiction - but its very real."
     [Continued NEXT Post]
 
 
 
---
 * Origin: NPI I (617-593-0081) Lynn, Mass. (Opus 1:101/192)
 
 
From:    Joseph Teller 
To:      All                                      Msg #128, 29-Oct-89 08:31pm
Subject: satan in the suburbs IV
 
[Continued From Last Post]
 
Laveys teachings are "absolutely contrary to everything Christins
would accept." he continued. "(Lavey) teaches Satan is the best
friend the church has ever had."
   And, according to Heikkila, bookstores report Lavey's Satanic
Bible sells out shortly after shipments are received.
   Taking his research to Gardner, Heikkila made contact with a
musician from a heavy metal or black metal band. The band, he
said is involved in satanism and the music reflects it.
   Because Heikkila was disturbed by what he learned was 
happening in his own and surrounding communities, he delivered a 
speech about satanic worship. Shortly after, he reports, someone
attempted to burn down his church. During their investigation,
police found gasoline and matches next to the church building.
   While there is no proof that satanists were involved in the
arson attempt, Heikkila also reports receiving threatening 
letters.
   "I recieved some unsigned letters saying some terrible things
would happen," Heikkila said. "I would shudder to think about
them happening."
   Police urge anyone, whether a parent or concerned citizen, to
report signs of possibl satanic worship. In response to what is
seen as a growing national problem, an organization called BADD
(Bothered About Dungeons & Dragons) was founded in 1983 by Pat
Pauling, whose son killed himself after becoming involved in the
Fantasy game.
   The organization provides a reading and resource list as well
as information about preventive programs in "teen devil worship"
information can be obtained by writing BADD Inc PO Box 5513,
Richmond VA 23220.
   Additional information is available from the National Coalition
on TV Violance, c/o Thomas Radecki, MD PO BOX 2157, Champaign IL
61820.
   Locally anyone with information about cults or seeking 
information about cults and satanic worship may call the Cult
Victimization Hotline in Concord at (508) 369 5437.
 
******************************************************************
   Theres more folks - this was just the largest of the articles,
all done up by the same reporter and the same sources of info as
mentioned herein....agains, maybe a real letter writing campaign
might help, not only to the paper, but to the organizations they
are plugging so they understand that we aren't satanists! Any other
suggestions are welcome too! I'll try to post a few more from this
batch of misinformed and unsubstantiated articles (with lots of
photos too - all of Graffitti for various rock groups including
Aerosmith! can't include these here,but they're not much to look
at).
 
 
 
---
 * Origin: NPI I (617-593-0081) Lynn, Mass. (Opus 1:101/192)
 
 
From:    Joseph Teller 
To:      All                                      Msg #129, 29-Oct-89 08:32pm
Subject: Satan in the Suburbs V
 
[More From The Minuteman Chronicle Sunday]
 
SIGNS, SYMBOLS and SIGNIFICANT DATES
------------------------------------
By Elizabeth Banks, Senior Reporter
 
   As a tool in recogniziong and identifying possible satanic
behavior, a chart depicting satanic signs and symbols is available
from BADD INC or the National Coalition on Tv Violence.
   Also available is a list of satanic holidays and magic colors.
 
   According to these organizations signs of Satan include a
horned hand - the satanic salute - the numbers 666, the letters
FFF,or a lightning bolt. And Satan is sometimes written backwards
in "ancient writing" where 'A's are written as triangles.
   The traditional "peace sign" in satanism is the symbol of the
Cross of Neri. An upside down cross, often associated with Heavy
metal music, symbolizes a denial of Christianity.
   Another "common" symbol is a five pointed star. Two points
represent devil horns and the remaining three symbolize the denial
of the Christian Trinity.
   For members of covens, simple lines and arrows, often painted on
traffic signs, point the way to secret meetings. One area police
officer reports seeing such directional signals and several
suburban towns.
   Particularly appealing to some teenagers, are satanic alphabets
derived from the ancient runes. Using these alphabets, satanic
worships can communicate in secret.
   In satanism the most meaningful holiday is ones own birthday.
THis date is revered by other cult members.
   In order of importance other significant holidays are : 
Halloween (Oct 31) May Eve (April 30) the Summer Solstice (June 22)
and the Winter Solstice (Dec 22). One tehse days, police report
using extra surveillance for signs of satanic worship and rituals.
   Colors are also found to play a role in the occult. Black, often
the color of ceremonial robes, means darkness, sorrow, evil or the
devil. Red, symbolizing blood, can also mean energy, or physical
life. Green is a soothing color, depicting nature and vegitation.
 
******************************************************************
   And so the misinformation goes on. Is there any way to deal 
with this drivel legally? Its obnoxious, stirs the people up
against the wrong folk and is about as far off as they can get
from what satanists believe...
 
[Wonderland BBS 508-663-6220 Pagan information Network]

From:    the Bard 
To:      All                                      Msg #390, 29-Oct-89 12:16pm
Subject: Satanism as media hype.....news article:
 
From the Phoenix Gazette 24 June, 1989 SCAPEGOAT: Satanism scare is mostly
hype, expert on cults says.... by Michelle Bearden 
    Judging by Satan's popularity in news accounts and police reports  
these days, you'd think Satan had been elected to Congress or won the 
Pulitzer Prize.   
    But it's not true, says J. Gordon Melton, director of the Institute  
for the Study of American Religion in Santa Barbara, Calif. and one of  the
country's leading experts on cults. In fact, there is no suge at all  in
Satan's popularity.   
    "The only surge we're seeing is the spread if mis-information,"  
Melton says. "Malicious, suspicious, and ritualistic acts are being 
attributed to satanism, and people are buying into it."  
    Melton has launched a one-man crusade to get what he considers the  
truth out to the public. Using an extensive survey he completed in 1986  as
his guide - "The Evidences of Satan in Contemporary America" - Melton  makes
his case frequently before groups and in interviews.   
    Most misinformation regarding satanism comes out of police agencies,  
Melton maintains. That's because, in the absence of true satanic groups,  law
officials have to blame "something concrete," he says.   
    "What we've got is creation of imagination, paranoia, and general  
ignorance," Melton says. "We've got wild speculation and jumps in logic.  
What we don't have is the truth."  
    "One story perpetuates another, and, before long, 'experts' in  
police departments are conductng seminars on a topic they don't really 
understand."  
    At the Phoenix Police Department, police spokesman Andy Hill says  
the agency analyzes every incident that has satanic overtones. He blames  a
majority of these crimes on "kids caught up in experimentation."  
    "It's safe to say that most of it isn't hard-core. We're usually  
delaing with copycat crimes," he says. " I wouldn't consider satanism a  big
problem here in Phoenix. We know it exists, but it's more  underground than
anything else."  
    According to Melton, only three established satanic cults exist: The  
Church of Satan, a San Fransisco based group headed by founder Anton  LaVey; a
splinter group, the Temple of Set, also in San Fransisco and  headed by
Michael Aquino; and the Church of Satanic Liberation in New  Haven, Conn., led
by Paul Douglas Valentine.   
    Total membership in all three groups is "probably less than 3,000,"  
Melton says. Those followers are the true satanists, and their numbers 
haven't varied much in the last two decades, he says.   
    Many of the acts blamed on satanism are committed by teen-agers who  
are bound together by drugs and violence rather than demons. While they  may
use satanic imagery in their deeds, Melton says they are "play- acting" the
role of worshipping the Prince of Darkness.   
    "It's true we're hearing a lot of satanic referneces in today's  
music, but that's pure commercialism," he says. "Just because your 
teenagergets wrapped up in certain rock'n'roll doesn't mean he's into  the
occult."  
    Some of the conclusions that support Melton's studies to combat the  
theory of international satanic conspiracy include:  
     
    * The existence of a large number of nonconventional religions, such  
as cults, that have nothing to do with occultism, much less satanism.   
 
    * The growth of witchcraft as a new religion and how it is confused  
with satanism. Melton labels contemporary Wicca as a nature religion  that
places great emphasis upon the preservation of life and non- violence.   
 
    * Reports of cattle mutilations, which ignore the facts that most  
are mistaken observations of predator damage.   
 
    * The dicovery of common symbols, such as an inverted cross,  
pentagrams, and bloody altars, which lead investigators to conclude that 
satanic activity has taken place. However, no evidence of any conspiracy 
involving the kidnapping and transportation of children for ritual  purposes
has emerged.   
 
    * Fantasies of people who make "confessions" of their involvement on  
satanic cults.Typically, they cannot supply independent corroboration of  the
stories.   
 
    Moreover, a good portion of the mis-information on satanism - which  
Melton says is really a "parody of religion" - comes out of evangelical 
Christian publishing houses. With that bias, "it;s easy to see how 
misinformation breeds," he says.   
    Melton contends that open satanic groups pose no public threat. If  
there is cause for concern, it would be the small, ephemeral satanic  groups,
mostly consisting of young adults or teenagers and possibly led  by
psychopaths or sociopaths.   
    "These are the groups that cause immediate danger to themselves and  
society at large. That's where police should be concentrating their  efforts,"
he says. "In the meantime, we've got to get out of this  satanic mentality and
get our labels straight."  
 
                                  -trans. 29 Oct 1989 by the Bard  
 
                        ***********************  
 
 
---
 * Origin: <Deus ex Machina-BBS Free Atenveldt! 602-439-8070>  (Opus 1:114/29)

    Re ..39 (Mikie? feedthrough):
    
    Oddly, I was transcribing the selfsame article when someone beat
    me to it.
    
    A few observations on the text:
    
>   Another sign, SImmons warned, is involvement with "Overtly
>satanic acts" such as the use of symbols, rituals, animal killings,
>reading occult books, listening to heavy metal music, and 
>sometimes, playing the fantasy game "Dungeons and Dragons."
 
    We'll hit the symbol portion a bit later.  However, "rituals"
    is so loose I wonder howcome nobody's blamed the Brownie Scout 
    initiation (or marriage ceremony, for that matter) on Satanic
    infiltration.  Also, if "reading occult books" is an overtly Satanic
    act, how _do_ those experts on Satanism become experts without com-
    mitting an overtly Satanic act?  [Actually, that's tongue in cheek
    as their lack of knowledge of Satanism is evident in their pronounce-
    ments.]
    
>........ Because satanic acts are performed in secrecy police
>often lack concrete evidence of criminal acts.
 
    First, if "satanic acts," no matter how abhorrent, are noncriminal
    (as many are), there would be no evidence of criminal acts, no matter
    how hard one looked; and second, if they're secret enough, how does
    anyone know they've even happened?
    
> ............................................... However, police
>now say that abducted childeren or runaways may be victims of
>satanic rituals used as a guise for sexually abusing children.
 
    Then that isn't Satanism, but phony Satanism.  And???
    
>........... "We have no actual documented facts, but we've
>found little shrines in the woods with rocks and candles."
 
    Which could be from any of several practices.  Unless, as _wasn't_
    stated, the shrines were clearly Satanic.
    
>   Acton police also report signs of satnaic activity. Suspicions
>began when animals began disappearing and mutilated animals were
>discovered. But none of this, police say, could be directly
>related to satanic activity.
 
    I've noted before my belief that Satanists can be dangerous folk.
    However:
    
    There have been reports of animal mutilations in Satanic rites.
    There have also been reports of animal mutilations at reported
    landing sites of UFOs.  There have been some reports of animal
    mutilations involved with some of the Sasquatch sightings.  Some
    of the alternate religions (e.g., Santeria and Voudoun) can have
    animal sacrifices, which, to the untrained eye can look like animal
    "mutilations."  Since the police coukdn't tie the animal mutilations  
    in Acton directly to Satanism, if they believe they are connected,
    it would be helpful to know upon what they've reached the conclusion.
    
>   THrough his church, Heikkila said a local woman came to him
>and said she found paraphernalia involved in satanic worship in her
>grand-daughter's closet. And, he learned of covens meeting in
>Boxboro.
 
    Again, it would be useful to find out what made the material the
    grandmother found qualify as Satanic.  As far as "covens meeting
    in Boxborough ... I note the reporter disdn't say "Satanic covens,"
    which implies all covens are Satanic.
    
>   "There are definately telltale signs," Heikkila continued.
>Teenagers involved in satanism report keeping a "Book of Shadows".
>These he explained contain suicide notes.
 
    Perhaps Satanic Books of Shadows are different from those kept by
    Wiccans, Santerians, and others.  What's important here is that
    by implication anyine keeping a Book of Shadows is thusd a Satanist.
    
>   And, according to Heikkila, bookstores report Lavey's Satanic
>Bible sells out shortly after shipments are received.
 
    Less than three miles from Heikkila's church is a Royal Discount
    Bookstore that happens to sell the Lavey book.  From what I've seen
    on my visits there, that book doesn't seem to move very fast.
    
>..................................... he delivered a 
>speech about satanic worship. Shortly after, he reports, someone
>attempted to burn down his church. During their investigation,
>police found gasoline and matches next to the church building.
>   While there is no proof that satanists were involved in the
>arson attempt, Heikkila also reports receiving threatening 
>letters.
>   "I recieved some unsigned letters saying some terrible things
>would happen," Heikkila said. "I would shudder to think about
>them happening."                                      
 
    While I have no doubts about the sincerity of Rev. Herikkila, I
    do wish the reporter had been shown at least one of the unsigned
    letters so that we could have some idea of their content.
    
>   The traditional "peace sign" in satanism is the symbol of the
>Cross of Neri.
 
    The actual "peace sign" was a combination of the semaphore
    representation of two letters: "N", an upside-down V [^] and
    "D," ,a vertical line [|].  These stand for "Nuclear Disarmament."
    
>   Another "common" symbol is a five pointed star. Two points
>represent devil horns and the remaining three symbolize the denial
>of the Christian Trinity.
 
    Nothing about the star having to be inverted.  As written, anyone
    owning an American Flag may be in serious trouble.            
                                                      
>   In satanism the most meaningful holiday is ones own birthday.
>THis date is revered by other cult members.
 
    This one baffles me.  Say that a teenager, Joe Szchlocker, has a
    brithday on the 3rd of March.  I can see, symbolically, why _he_
    might hold it special, but why would other cult members???
    
>   In order of importance other significant holidays are : 
>Halloween (Oct 31) May Eve (April 30) the Summer Solstice (June 22)
>and the Winter Solstice (Dec 22).
 
    I always understood that _the_ biggie for Satanists was May Eve
    (aka Walpurgisnacht).  
    
    Interestingly, I called the reporter and tponted out the origin of the 
    peace symbol.  Her response was, approximately,  "Well, that's where
    _it_ originated, but the Satanists use it as the Cross of Neri for
    their own purposes."  I responded that this could mislead parents
    into believing a child wearing a peace symbol was a Satanist when
    he or she might not be.  The reporter (who asked whether I
    "represent[ed] a group," indicated that it wasn't her intention
    to start a panic.  HGowever, she added, "Satanists use ordinary
    symbols to mask their secret activitoes." [Approximate quote.] 
    This puts it in the _can't_ win category: if you can show that,
    for instance, the Ankh had no connection with evil (Aapep and Set
    never were depicted with it, as far as I can tell, where Hathor,
    Thoth, Bast, and Re were), the response cvould be something like,
    "but that just goes to show how insidious Satanists can be."
    
    There may be a follow-up article in the Beacon Communication regular
    papers.  I trust it'll be somewhat more accurate.
    
    Steve Kallis, Jr.

    I find this quite surprising indeed how this kind of unsubstantiated
    material can actually be accepted to be printed in a major newspaper.
    
    My biggest concern is the sources of the information. Where does this
    Wesley Simmons character (director of Burlington's Community Life
    Center) suddenly have the qualifications to say what is and what isn't
    Satanism? In the same light, how does inspector Ken Duane, juvenile
    officer in Chelmsford, suddenly become and expert on religious
    practices?
    
    Who are the Acton and Lowell police to say that they can judge
    someone's religion even with evidence? They are only responsible for
    investigating criminal behavior, and there wasn't any such activity
    specifically stated in the article substantiated by evidence.
    
    ...and of course we come to the austere perception of Gary Heikkila of
    Maynard's Evangelical Church, who supposedly "spoke with cult experts"
    (and yes, we have the right to know who they are) and "through his own
    research" decided he was qualified to pass judgement on people not
    believing in his faith. As is typical with many fundamentalist christians,
    their self-appointed righteousness causes as much insidious behavior as
    those they are accusing.
    
    Are people so gullible as to print this type of un-qualified,
    opinionated literature? Apparently so. What is most distressing is that
    it is overly general, blatently discriminating, and violates freedom of
    religion.
    
    If we can, let's have these people clarify their sources of expert
    opinion, and make sure that criminal behavior is clearly seperated
    from religious practice. Certainly, if criminal behavior can be proved
    with evidence, then prosecution is in order, but to blatently connect a
    relegious practice with criminal behavior puts us back in the 17th
    century.

    Re .42:
    
    >I find this quite surprising indeed how this kind of unsubstantiated
    >material can actually be accepted to be printed in a major newspaper.
     
    Well, I'd hardly call _The Minuteman Sunday Chronicle_ a major newspaper.
    
    >My biggest concern is the sources of the information. ...
    
    Sounds like some of it comes from the "File 18" type sources, discussed
    in RELIGION.
    
    >...and of course we come to the austere perception of Gary Heikkila of
    >Maynard's Evangelical Church, who supposedly "spoke with cult experts"
    >(and yes, we have the right to know who they are) and "through his own
    >research" decided he was qualified to pass judgement on people not
    >believing in his faith.
     
    I believe that this ought to be pondered over.  A Satanist is, ipso
    facto, someone who counts Old and New Testaments at the very least,
    as sacred texts.  Hence, for a Christian minister, the qualification
    of _identifying_ a Satanist isn't out of the question.  However,
    a more important question is how any person of the cloth obtains
    information about what constitutes authentic Satanic behavior. 
    Without the sources, it's hard to tell when one speaks of finding,
    say, "Satanic paraphenalia," when such paraphenalia aren't detailed.
    
    >Are people so gullible as to print this type of un-qualified,
    >opinionated literature? Apparently so. What is most distressing is that
    >it is overly general, blatently discriminating, and violates freedom of
    >religion.
     
    Does it violate freedom of religion?  It says Satanism is growing
    (debatable).  It tells parents how to look for signs of Satanic worship
    on the part of children (note that many of the details are wrong).
    
    >.................... Certainly, if criminal behavior can be proved
    >with evidence, then prosecution is in order, but to blatently connect a
    >relegious practice with criminal behavior puts us back in the 17th
    >century.                 
     
    And even proving "criminal behavior" may be difficult.  Steering
    clear of Satanism, if I buy a chicken to eat and behead it cleanly
    myself, am I guilty of "animal cruelty"?  Legally, no.  Now suppose
    someone buys a chicken so as to cut off its head as part of a Voudoun
    rite.  Is the act illegal?  No.  Now, if I _steal_ a chicken to
    eat, that's criminal.  But it's chicken theft that's the crime,
    not whether I eat it or sacrifice it.  These are murky waters.
    
    Steve Kallis, Jr.

    A Christian talk show host in Denver has receintly written and
    conducted shows on the Satanic problem. Bob Larsen's programs are heard
    on some 400 smaller stations.
    
    I think his show with "real Satanist" was aired Nov 4th. Also this
    weekend in Denver some of the local churches put on a $95 per person
    seminar. I've received no reports as to the seminar's content yet.
    
    Denver may see another wave of hysteria if the seminar content was
    corrupted.

    Re .43:
    
    >>I find this quite surprising indeed how this kind of unsubstantiated
    >>material can actually be accepted to be printed in a major newspaper.
    >Well, I'd hardly call _The Minuteman Sunday Chronicle_ a major newspaper.
    
    My perspective may not be large enough, but I was stating this based on
    the circulation of 101,672. One hundred thousand people as *alot* of
    people. So, although this may be comparitively small in relation to
    national newspapers, it is still a significant circulation in New England.

    >>My biggest concern is the sources of the information. ...
    >Sounds like some of it comes from the "File 18" type sources, discussed
    >in RELIGION.

    ...you've got me there Steve. I don't know what "File 18" type sources
    are.
    
    >>...and of course we come to the austere perception of Gary Heikkila of
    >>Maynard's Evangelical Church, who supposedly "spoke with cult experts"
    >>(and yes, we have the right to know who they are) and "through his own
    >>research" decided he was qualified to pass judgement on people not
    >>believing in his faith.
    >I believe that this ought to be pondered over.  A Satanist is, ipso
    >facto, someone who counts Old and New Testaments at the very least,
    >as sacred texts.  Hence, for a Christian minister, the qualification
    >of _identifying_ a Satanist isn't out of the question.  However,
    >a more important question is how any person of the cloth obtains
    >information about what constitutes authentic Satanic behavior. 
    >Without the sources, it's hard to tell when one speaks of finding,
    >say, "Satanic paraphenalia," when such paraphenalia aren't detailed.

    I agree, Steve. However, it is to be realized that it should not be
    assumed that just because someone is a christian minister, it automatically
    means that they fully understand the faiths of other christians, or
    christian-related religions, which in this case, is satanism. In other
    words, there are many off-shoots of christianity, and being a minister
    does not qualify one to be an expert in all of them.

    Indeed, what I am focussing on is whether Gary Heikkala is qualified
    to judge who is a satanist and who isn't. Your point well taken is but
    another factor in revealing Gary Heikkala's statements to be unsubstantiated.

    >>Are people so gullible as to print this type of un-qualified,
    >>opinionated literature? Apparently so. What is most distressing is that
    >>it is overly general, blatently discriminating, and violates freedom of
    >>religion.
    >Does it violate freedom of religion?  It says Satanism is growing
    >(debatable).  It tells parents how to look for signs of Satanic worship
    >on the part of children (note that many of the details are wrong).

    Of course, others may have a different opinion, but in my humble opinion
    the article is structured in such a way as to provoke people into equating
    ritualistic practices with criminal behavior, without stating the evidence.
    Also, it influences readers into connecting certain symbols, which have
    been around long before christianity, with satanism, and with criminal
    behavior.

    This violates freedom of religion by influencing people to identify ritualistic
    practice as that which is automatically labelled as being connected with criminal
    behavior, and ensites such people to be legally justified in stopping
    any ritual practice from occurring.
    
    >>.................... Certainly, if criminal behavior can be proved
    >>with evidence, then prosecution is in order, but to blatently connect a
    >>relegious practice with criminal behavior puts us back in the 17th
    >>century.                 
    >And even proving "criminal behavior" may be difficult.  Steering
    >clear of Satanism, if I buy a chicken to eat and behead it cleanly
    >myself, am I guilty of "animal cruelty"?  Legally, no.  Now suppose
    >someone buys a chicken so as to cut off its head as part of a Voudoun
    >rite.  Is the act illegal?  No.  Now, if I _steal_ a chicken to
    >eat, that's criminal.  But it's chicken theft that's the crime,
    >not whether I eat it or sacrifice it.  These are murky waters.
    
    This indeed is exactly one of the major problems with this article.
    Not only does it not provide evidence for criminal behavior, but it
    does not make clear what crimes are supposedly being committed. Only
    vague connections of suicide and game-playing are made, which has little
    to do with a religion.

    It is important to recognize sensationalist articles for what they
    are; misinformation used to brain-wash people to discredit others.
    
    What are the crimes here that are being stated in the article? I
    only see at most cruelty to animals and possible possession of a
    controlled substance (illegal drugs). Neither of these have been
    substantiated by any evidence or by sighting recent violations
    or arrests. These aren't even made clear in the beginning of the
    article. It seems to me that this type of article is more geared
    toward religious oppression than anything else.
    
    Regards,
    
    Sergei

    Information on "File 18" is in topic 192 in AITG::Religion.

    re .45 (Sergei):
    
    >>Well, I'd hardly call _The Minuteman Sunday Chronicle_ a major newspaper.
    >
    >My perspective may not be large enough, but I was stating this based on
    >the circulation of 101,672. One hundred thousand people as *alot* of
    >people.  ....
    
    Well, yes, but that "circulation" is something of a phony figure.
    As it happens, the _Chronicle_ is a small tabloid that is included
    with advertising circulars, delivered free, and hung on doorknobs
    in plastic bags.  In short, it's a giveaway; most people don't read
    its features.  What is interesting, however, is that enough did
    so that the (weekly) _Assabet Valley Beacon_, published by the same
    folk, might run a follow-up article.
    
    >Indeed, what I am focusing on is whether Gary Heikkala is qualified
    >to judge who is a satanist and who isn't. Your point well taken is but
    >another factor in revealing Gary Heikkala's statements to be 
    >unsubstantiated.
    
    On the basis of what was reported, it's almost impossible to say.  A
    good occultist probably could, or a specialist in demonology.  Those
    don't grow on trees.  My own suspicion is that he probably hasn't
    sufficient background (there's a review of _Out On a Limb_ he authored,
    entered here in DEJAVU, that leads me to that suspicion).
    
    >This violates freedom of religion by influencing people to identify ritualistic
    >practice as that which is automatically labeled as being connected with criminal
    >behavior, and incites such people to be legally justified in stopping
    >any ritual practice from occurring.
     
    Er, that's not a _violation_.  If a law is proposed (or worse, is
    passed) defining "ritualistic behavior" as Satanism and banning
    it, then that would be a violation.
    
    >This indeed is exactly one of the major problems with this article.
    >Not only does it not provide evidence for criminal behavior, but it
    >does not make clear what crimes are supposedly being committed. Only
    >vague connections of suicide and game-playing are made, which has little
    >to do with a religion.
     
    _The_ major problem with the article is that it can breed paranoia
    and a form of xenophobia.  It employs scare tactics that can't 
    even be pinned down.  For instance, "runic alphabet" writing: the
    Runes were used in ancient Norse writing; a form of them is used
    in some fortunetelling schemes (as in Runes, Casting the).  Some
    fraternal societies (e.g., the Masons) use a simple cipher for
    "secret" messages.  Some groups and individuals, either doing religious
    activities or practicing magical rites (not necessarily the same thing) use
    different "alphabets" to encrypt messages.  Popular ones are Hebrew,
    Theban, Runic (or Futhorc), Malachim, and Greek.  Most of the messages,
    however, are what cryptologists call "simple substitution" ciphers,
    which can be broken simply and easily by someone of even moderate
    skill (some newspapers run a feature called "Cryptoquotes," which
    is an equivalent cipher, but having one regular letter represent
    another; that this feature has run for years shows that there are
    plenty of folk who could decrypt all but the shortest possible such
    messages).  I once saw a publication by a shop specializing in Wiccan
    things where someone inserted a message in the Theban alphabet.
    For fun, I decrypted it; it took me less than ten minutes.
    
    >It is important to recognize sensationalist articles for what they
    >are; misinformation used to brain-wash people to discredit others.
     
    Sensationalist articles are to "sell papers."  See any supermarket
    tabloid.  It's less to "discredit others" than to pander to the
    worst suspicions we have.
    
    >What are the crimes here that are being stated in the article? I
    >only see at most cruelty to animals and possible possession of a
    >controlled substance (illegal drugs). ...
     
    " ... police now say that abducted children ... may be victims of
    satanic rituals used as a guise for sexually abusing children."
    
    "`I'm convinced that satanism is linked to pornography, child abuse,
    and murder,' Heikkala stressed."
    
    _However_, this is all by innuendo, not evidence.
    
    Steve Kallis, Jr.