MODERN NEO-PAGANISM & THE OCCULT

A Guide to Alternative Religions

And Their Opponents (Vers. 2.0)

Chapter 18

THE MODERN WITCH-HUNTERS
 

There are groups that seem to hate neo-Paganism quite strongly. While this is not a complete listing of such groups, it seems to be a pretty thorough one. DO NOT attack them, if you are neo-Pagan. If you are not neo-Pagan, and wish to hear "the other side," these are some sources of information for you. Just be aware that they have an "ax to grind."


**WebMaster's Note: This section is dated. If you have new, reliable information please let me know so I may update the section  SlvrSplsh**



 
 
 

The Sunday 20 March **(year unknown)** Chicago Tribune carried an article headlined "Cult fighters in center of raging storm" regarding the Cult Awareness Network. It was the column-one story in the city section, under a local political headline but with a large (4x8) color photo of a concerned-looking Cynthia Kisser, exec. dir. of the CAN. Behind her are (squinting at fuzzy newsphoto) a bulletin board with a poster for a "Human Aura" conference, leaflets for Eckankar and NSA (?), Insight magazine (?), all flagged with post-it comments. "There are so many cults now, they are less visible, but more prolific, like the threads in a tapestry," she is quoted in the caption.

CULT FIGHTERS IN CENTER OF RAGING STORM
By Wes Smith


 


Behind an unmarked door, three women work in a two-room office in a Chicago suburb. Mail is retrieved from an anonymous post office box. The telephone is listed to another address.

In spite of the secretive nature of this place, the phone rings frequently, more than 2,000 times a year. The callers often speak with urgency.

* A mother from a Southern state says her daughter has suddenly decided to quit medical school and leave the country to join a group "that knows the truth."

* A Chicago secretary seeks information on a business management firm that she believes is linked to the Scientology movement.

* A social worker in Ohio asks for literature on Satanism. A child under his care has exhibited signs of involvement.

* A detective with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police asks for any information available on a suspicious-sounding "humanitarian group" that is trying to buy a large parcel of land in his area.

The callers have dialed 312-267-7777 -- the number to the national headquarters of the Cult Awareness Network, a low-profile and nonprofit organization that gathers information on "destructive" cults, those that allegedly employ mind control techniques, coercion and unethical or illegal practices.

The nearly 10-year-old network serves as a warehouse of information for people who often fear what they might learn when they call, according to Cynthia Kisser, executive director. It has 50 affiliates in 25 states and its files contain profiles, membership lists and even tax returns of more than 1,000 cults and suspected cults.

Kisser said she regrets the melodrama of the network's undisclosed address, untraceable phone and unmarked door, but her small volunteer organization is not without its ardent detractors.

The Unification Church of Rev. Sun Myung Moon has accused the Cult Awareness Network of "spreading fear."

John T. Biermans, national spokesman for the Unification Church, said the Cult Awareness Network has unfairly labeled the church as a cult based on rumors and testimony from former church members.

"You wouldn't want your ex-wife telling people about you, would you? If you rely on these people for information, then you are missing something. To assume they have all the information is simply unfair," Biermans said.

The Unification Church has been joined by the American Civil Liberties Union and the National Council of Churches in campaigning against the network's ongoing efforts to create a National Cult Awareness Week by congressional resolution.

The ACLU, the Unification Church and others believe the Cult Awareness Network treads on the constitutional rights of freedom of religion and speech, their spokesman said.

But those who support the network say it provides a valuable service in tracking the activities of religious, political, self-help and commercial cults.

The Cult Awareness Network was formed from disparate groups around the nation following the Jonestown tragedy of Rev. Jim Jones' People's Temple in Guyana. Those groups, composed mostly of the families of cult members or former cult members themselves, now make up a national network with affiliates in Denmark, England, France, Germany, Israel, Australia and New Zealand.

"When Jonestown happened, the independent groups said it was the ultimate realization of the potential threat of dangerous cults," Kisser said.

Funded by donations -- it operated on a $100,000 budget last year -- the Cult Awareness Network serves as an information center for the families of cult members, law enforcement agencies, the news media and anyone else seeking information on cult activities, Kisser said.

The network does not, as members of the Unification Church and other critics charge, get involved in the abduction and deprogramming of cult members, nor is it anti-Christian, she said.

Kisser did acknowledge, however, that the network's list of experts on various cults does include individuals who have been involved in deprogramming and that families have sometimes learned of those services after being referred by the network.

Chicago Gang Crimes Detective Jerry Simandl, who specializes in crimes involving ritualistic groups, has spoken in seminars sponsored by the network and has investigated cases referred by the group.

"We have worked very closely with them in education people on ritualistic criminal activity, and I have found them to be very dedicated people," he said of the Cult Awareness Network.

Criticism of the network has reached a fever pitch in Washington, D.C., in recent weeks as Cult Awareness supporters have lobbied congressmen to support its resolution recognizing the Nov. 18 anniversary of the 1978 Jonestown murder-suicide of 913 followers of Jim Jones and declaring a National Cult Awareness Week on Nov. 13-19, 1988.

The ACLU sent letters protesting the resolution to every congressman last week and several experts scheduled to speak at a Cult Awareness Network informational session for legislative aides this weekend received threats, Kisser said.

Barry W. Lynn, legislative counsel with the ACLU in Washington, as led that group's opposition. Lynn said the ACLU has found itself in interesting company in fighting the resolution.

"I've been getting calls from Scientologists, witches and the Unification Church -- all seeking to derail this issue," he said.

The ACLU opposes the resolution on the grounds that Congress is forbidden by the Constitution from restricting religious freedoms, Lynn said.

U.,S. Rep. Tom Lantos (D., Calif.) sponsored the resolution in October to create the Cult Awareness Week in order to publicize the danger of cults and their increasing numbers, a spokesman said.

The date was selected to commemorate the Jonestown massacre in which Lantos' predecessor, Rep. Leo J. Ryan, was shot to death and 930 other --most of them members of Jones' People's Temple cult -- also died from shooting or poisoning.

The resolution needs 268 signatures -- half the membership of Congress --to win approval. So far only 40 signatures have been obtained. The effort has been thwarted by a deluge of protests to congressmen from organizations opposed to it, according to Kisser.

Network members have claimed that some of those opposing groups are "fronts" for cults. The Unification Church, in particular, has made many inroads into politics by hosting programs under names not linked to it, and it allots a large amount of money to candidates, Kisser said.

Last August, a lobbying group that persuaded some Chicago-area politicians and civic leaders to become active members was discovered, to the embarrassment of those politicans and civic leaders, to be an arm of the Unification Church.

That group, the American Constitution Committee, is an offshoot of CAUSA International, which was founded by Rev. Moon to fight communism and revive moral standards through church unity, according to Michael Jenkins, regional director of the American Constitution Committee.

Some of the letters sent to congressmen criticizing the Cult Awareness Network were written on the letterhead of a group called the "Voice of Freedom." Telephone callers condemning the resolution have identified themselves as members of the "Coalition for Religious Freedom." Both groups are suspected to be fronts for larger cults. Kisser said.

"They have sent letters with all kinds of outlandish statements claiming that the network is an 'anti-religious hate group- and that it has engaged in physical attacks against Roman Catholics, Baptists, Episcopalians, Mormons, and others," said Patrica Ryan, a Washington lobbyist and member of the Cult Awareness Network.

Ryan, 34, speaks from the heart when she talks about the dangers of cults. She is the daughter of the late Rep. Ryan who was shot as he attempted to help a cult member escape.

Another family member, Shannon Ryan, 36, joined Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh's cult in Oregon in 1980 before he was ordered out of the U.S. in 1985.

Shannon Ryan lives in San Diego but still follows the group's teachings, her sister said.

"I've been hit as much as anybody by dangerous cults, sort of a double- whammy," said Patrician Ryan, who has been described by members of the Unification Church as "a fanatic."

"When my father went to Guyana to help the families of his constituents, there was no source of information like the network," she said. "We are trying to make Congress aware that there is still a cult problem in this country."

Cults prey successfully on all kinds of people, not just the spiritually or emotionally weak, Kisser said.

"People don't realize how often they come into contact with cults in their daily lives," Kisser said. "There are so many cults now, they are less visible, but more prolific, like the threads in a tapestry."

Cult members are lured to the web under the pretense of learning more about the Bible, losing weight or helping humanity, and then fall prey to mind- control techniques, Kisser said.

"We are not a nation of lost sheep, but people are vulnerable. These techniques prey on our needs for approval, our need for food, or our sex drives."

Cults use those needs to establish control of their member,s to wipe out their previous lives and make them dependent on the cult, she said. They employ methods learned in prisoner-of-war camps in World War II, in research done for Josef Stalin by Ivan Pavlov and techniques developed by the Chinese Communists in their thought-control schools, Kisser said.

"We don't see torture used to gain control anymore, it is now all soft music and velvet gloves -- techniques that can be learned at the local library," she said. "Jim Jones had an excellent library on mind control at his Jonestown home."


Tampa Tribune, Tuesday, June 19, 1990 Pages 1A, 7A

GUNSHOTS HALT RITUAL BY WITCHES
By Neil King Jr. Tribune Staff Writer

NEW PORT RICHEY -- A gathering of witches asking their war gods for protection ended abruptly Sunday night when the witches and nearby neighbors exchanged gunshots.

Accounts vary as to who shot first and why, but the witches said the attack is the latest in acts of violence and vandalism against their group and its island shrine near Moon Lake northeast of New Port Richey.

Five witches from the Coven Lothlorien said they had just completed their ritual seeking protection from previous threats when gunfire tore through the trees surrounding their ceremonial grounds at about 11 p.m.

No one was wounded and no arrests were made, the Pasco County Sheriff's Office said.

Witches -- or wiccans -- are nature worshippers who hold regular rituals in honor of the celestial cycles and the seasons, said Ron Parshley, president of the National Association of Pantheists. Wiccans' ceremonies include torch-lit dancing, chanting and burning of incense, he said.

"We heard the bullets ripping past and we all crouched down on the ground and started crawling back to my house on our hands and knees," said Kassie Cornwell, a witch and a registered nurse whose property includes the island.

The small island sits in the middle of a pond at the end of a lush pathway behind Corwell's house. Only one other house stands within 200 yards of the pond, which backs up to a vast stretch of swamp.

Members said Sunday's ritual was in response to threats they had received the day before.

Cornwell said her house was pelted with eggs and a note was thrown in her front yard Saturday, warning the group to stop their "Satan worshiping or be prepared for worse. Next time we won't stop at eggs."

"We are the ultimate enemy. We are out to kill!" read another note.

Cornwell, 43, said between the gunfire she heard people cursing, calling them Satanists and other names.

When the gunfire erupted, one coven member -- Curtis Niles of Spring Hill -- got a shotgun from the house and fired several rounds in the air, Cornwell said.

One neighbor, Art Gray, 39, told a sheriff's deputy Sunday he heard shots coming from Cornwell's property and he fired back, also in the air, to warn the people away from his house.

Several of Cornwell's neighbors said they believed the group practices Satanism and sacrifices animals. Cornwell said the group doesn't allow animals near their worshiping area. She said the group's credo is to "do what you will, but harm none."

The coven has worshipped at the Cornwell property since she bought her home a year ago. She said the worship area has been desecrated six or seven times.

Mary Niles, another member, said the coven is named for the tree that the elves inhabited in "The Hobbit," J.R. Tolkien's introductory book about an imaginary dwarflike people called hobbits.

Detective Jerry Puig, a religion specialist for the Pasco Sheriff's Office who has interviewed coven members, says there is a big difference between Satanism and the group's religion.

"Wicca is all nature worship -- worship of the sun, the wind, the moon," Puig said. "There is no blood and no devils involved."

PHOTO CAPTION: Cassie Cornwell, left, and Mary Niles, priestesses of Wicca -- a religion worshiping nature -- say they were shot at Sunday night during ceremonies on a small island near New Port Richey. Story, A Section

______________________________________________________

From a letter by Mary Niles to Jay Stewart of the Alliance for Magical and Earth Religions along with the clipping above:

"Thank you so much for your group's efforts on our behalf and the financial support you sent us. ...

"Our legal expenses are approaching $4,000 at this point. Our coven has been practicing for two years and we have been harrassed by the neighbors for a year of that time, culiminating in death-threat letters and the June 16th shooting. At that point, we decided to take a stand, not only for our coven but hopefully for other Wiccans and Pagans as well who have experienced religious prejudice, to possibly bring this urgent problem to the attention of the public. We called in the media and they have given us excellent coverage. We also incorporated our coven into a non-profit organization."

She gives the address: Coven Lothlorien of Moon Lake, Inc. Box 5172 Spring Hill, FL 34606-5172


AMERICAN FAMILY FOUNDATION (Cults) (AFF)
P.O. Box 336, Weston, MA 02193
(617) 893-0930
Guy Ford, V.Pres.-Operations

Budget: $130,000. Educational organization "seeking to understand and ameliorate the problems caused to individuals, families, and society at large by people and groups that employ unethical forms of social influence." Reports on legal, medical, psychological, and social issues raised by cultism. Publications: (1) Cult Observer (news magazine), monthly; (2) Cultic Studies Journal, semiannual; also publishes special reports and catalog.

BEREAVEMENT CENTER(Children) (BC)
Westchester Jewish Community Services,
141 N. Central Ave.,
Hartsdale, NY 10530
(914) 949-6761
Oscar Rabinowitz, Exec.Dir.

Founded: 1979. Staff: 3. Children and adolescents between the ages of ten and 18 who have recently lost a parent. Aims are to: facilitate the normal process of mourning in children and adolescents; provide an arena of self-help and support to members who often feel alone in dealing with the death of a parent. The program is an offshoot of the Young Widows and Widowers of Westchester Jewish Community Services in New York. Children meet weekly to discuss problems; parents meet concurrently, but separately, in an adjoining room. Children discuss recollections of the death itself, the funeral, feelings of guilt and sadness, the family's often altered financial status, remarriage of the surviving parent and acquisition of new siblings, and health of the remaining parent. Conducts training program for professionals and agencies interested in starting similar programs for bereaved children. Also offers support groups for widows and widowers, families of victims of Alzheimer's disease, for those who have a child in a cult, and for children with life-threatening illnesses. Center currently operates on a local level but may expand in the future. Publications: Widow/Widowers of Westchester (newsletter), monthly. Formerly: (1983) Bereaved Children's Program.

CHRISTIAN FAMILY RENEWAL (CFR)
Box 73,
Clovis, CA 93613
(209) 297-7818
Dr. Murray Norris, Pres.

Founded: 1970. Members: 200,000. Staff: 11. Christians concerned with problems of the modern family. Promotes Christian solutions to problems in business, politics, and education counseling. Sponsors home study programs in Christian counseling and nutrition. Has established the Valley Christian University, which attempts to teach Christian answers to contemporary problems. Holds annual seminar and offers university courses on and off campus. Maintains library of 6000 volumes. Computerized Services: Information service listing local agencies and individuals who will help with counseling. Telecommunications Services: National Pregnancy Hot Line for young women with pregnancy problems. Divisions: African Emergency Relief; Demonstration School; National Pregnancy Hot Line; Valley Christian University. Publications: (1) Up With Families (newsletter), quarterly; (2) Valley Christian University Newsletter, quarterly; (3) Hot Line Directory, periodic; also publishes books, and pamphlets on pornography, homosexuality, satanism, and abortion. Affiliated With: American Life Lobby.

CHRISTIAN LITERATURE AND BIBLE CENTER (Mission) (CLBC) 1006 Oak Cliff Dr., Toccoa, GA 30577 (404) 886-7734 Rev. Andrew J. Losier, Founder & Pres.

Founded: 1952. Budget: $25,000. Directors: 7. Missionaries: 7. Distributes free Christian literature in over 50 languages; conducts Bible correspondence courses using audio cassette recordings. Operates Faith Bible College and Seminary in Nigeria. Sponsors direct missionary work in Africa and nations worldwide. Conducts research and educational programs and youth camps. Maintains library of 7000 master tapes and cassettes. Publishes Kingdom of Righteousness Under God, Know Your Bible Rightly Divided, Memoirs of Africa, One World Government Under Satan, Bible lessons, booklets, and a textbook on biblical survey (in English). Computerized Services: Personal computer publications. Convention/Meeting: semiannual mission conference.

CHRISTIAN RESEARCH (CR)
P.O. Box 385,
Eureka Springs, AR 72632
(501) 253-7185
Gerda Koch, Dir.

Founded: 1958. Staff: 1. Nonmembership. Works to serve those who do not trust the media or the U.S. educational system, both of which the organization believes are "controlled." Distributes Christian literature; produces tracts; conducts and encourages Bible research and study. Emphasizes obedience to God and His Word; upholds the Constitution as it was originally written but advocates subjugation to God's law, not man's, if the two should conflict. Opposes Zionism, Communism, income taxation, and the United Nations; supports historical revisionism regarding the Holocaust. Maintains library of 900 books and booklets; bestows awards. Publications: Facts for Action, semiannual; has published Satan Dispelled and For More Light (books). Formerly: Pro-American Books.

CHRISTIAN RESEARCH INSTITUTE (CRI)
Box 500,
San Juan Capistrano, CA 92693
(714) 855-9926
Dr. Walter Martin, Pres.

Founded: 1960. Staff: 33. Christian scholars, ministers, missionaries, and laymen working in the United States, Canada, and Brazil. Through information relayed by member researchers, strives to counteract what the institute perceives to be threats against the Christian faith. Disseminates information on secular and theological trends. Plans to implement Project Retrieval in order to provide Christian schools with Christian alternatives to secular, cultic, and occultic beliefs through the aid of computers and microfilm. Offers seminars. Maintains 4000 volume library of materials on Christian apologetics and history, cults, the occult, philosophy, and psychology. Publications: (1) the Insider (newsletter), monthly; (2) Forward (magazine), 3/year.

CULT AWARENESS NETWORK (Cults) (CAN)
P.O. Box 608370,
Chicago, IL 60626
(312) 267-7777
Reginald M. Aley, Exec.Dir.

Founded: 1974. Members: 10,000. Budget: $100,000. Local Groups: 54. Educational organization of volunteers interested in freedom from mind control. Offers information and counsel to persons concerned about destructive cults. Seeks to understand tactics of mind control in order to provide protection from those persons who take advantage of people through mind control and coercive persuasion. Opposes deceptive recruitment, fraudulent solicitation of funds, illegal immigration, child abuse and neglect, trafficking in drugs, smuggling, and using unpaid or lowly paid labor working long hours to staff lucrative businesses. Serves as a national referral network for concerned families to religious, legal, and medical sources. Conducts educational programs and seminars; participates in radio and television programs; sponsors support groups for former cult members; offers audiovisual aids. Sponsors workshops for rehabilitative counseling to persons in the mental health field. Provides speakers; maintains data bases; bestows awards; compiles statistics. Operates library of ten-year history of media clippings and books dealing with anti-cult literature. Publications: News, monthly. Formerly: (1986) Citizens Freedom Foundation. Convention/Meeting: annual conference, with seminars - usually October. 1987 Oct. 31-Nov. 2, Kansas City, MO; 1988 Oct. 30-Nov. 1, Pittsburgh, PA.

FOCUS (Cults) (AFF)
c/o Steven Hassan,
P.O. Box 686,
New Town Branch
Boston, MA 02258
(617) 964-6977
Steven Hassan, Coordinator

Founded: 1979. Members: 375. Former members of destructive cult groups including such organizations as Moon's Unification organization, Church of Scientology, the Way International, Hare Khrishna, and Rajneesh. Purposes are to collect and disseminate information about destructive cults; give personal support to: those still "trapped" in a cult and looking for a way out, as well as to those thinking about joining; provide counseling and personal support to "victimized" families and individuals; educate the public on the dangers of mind-control technology. Holds seminars on mind-control cults; initiates federal government investigations; conducts monthly discussion groups in several major U.S. cities; compiles and distributes kits of essential information on cults to interested persons. Hopes to establish formal rehabilitation facilities and to initiate lawsuits. Maintains collection of documents and news clippings. Publications: Newsletter, irregular. Affiliated With: Citizens Freedom Foundation. Formerly: (1980) Ex-Members Against Moon; (1984) Ex-Moon. Convention/Meeting: annual.

INDIVIDUAL FREEDOM FEDERATION (Cults) (IFF)
P.O. Box 392,
Lathrup Village, MI 48076
(517) 738-7496
Edward M. Mielock, Pres.

Founded: 1975. Members: 5300. Staff: 2. Regional Groups: 60. Individuals united to aid what the federation regards as victims of "destructive" cults and to provide support to victims' friends and families. (According to IFF, a cult is destructive when it uses mind control and psychological coercion to gain and hold converts.) Conducts educational campaign stressing the nature and dangers of "destructive" cults; teaches ways to prevent conversion of susceptible individuals. Maintains library; bestows awards; operates speakers' bureau. Computerized Services: List of destructive cults; bibliography of books on destructive cults. Affiliated With: Citizens Freedom Foundation (parent). Formerly: (1979) Individual Freedom Foundation. Convention/Meeting: annual -always October.

JEWS FOR JEWS (Jewish) (JJ)
P.O. Box 6194,
Surfside, FL 33154
(305) 931-0001
Rabbi Rubin R. Dobin, Chm.

Founded: 1970. Members: 10,000. Budget: $25,000. Jewish individuals united to fight the conversion of Jews by Christian missionaries and cult groups. Strives to strengthen Jewish identity and to heighten awareness of what the group views as the danger of missionaries and cults. Provides information on therapy and exit counseling for Jews who have been converted wishing to return to the Jewish faith. Conducts seminars and workshops for families dealing with conversion from Judaism. Offers computerized services. Bestows awards; compiles statistics; maintains speakers' bureau. Publications: (1) Information Kit on Jewish Identity, quarterly; (2) Fact File of Cults and Missionaries, annual.

PROJECT YEDID (Cults) (PY) c/o Jewish Community Center, 5700 Park Heights Ave., Baltimore, MD 21215 (301) 542-4900 Molly Koch, Dir.

Founded: 1980. Staff: 6. Works to prevent young people, particularly young Jews, from becoming involved in cults. Serves as information clearinghouse on cults and acts as resource center. Provides counseling services and early prevention seminars for parents of young children. Presents cult recruitment techniques seminars for high school and college students; conducts weekly discussion groups for high school students as part of an outreach program. Maintains speakers' bureau. Publications: Newsletter, irregular. Also Known As: Project Friend.


* CULT WATCH RESPONSE *

Listed below are the names of some of the people with whom I have come in contact with during my research. In the case of authors, I have listed the names of some of their best known books, so that,if you wish, you can read them. You should. They range from folks who think Witchcraft and Paganism are outright demon worshipers to those who know full well the difference between positive paths and criminal elements with Satanic trappings.

This list is by NO means complete. If you know of others that should be added, please send me their names. If ANY of the people on this list are appearing in your town, it would probably be in your best interest to go and hear what they have to say. Likewise, if they are appearing on a T.V., or radio show in your area, watch and listen. Tape the show if possible. I would be interested in tapes, or transcripts of anything they have to say.

All of the people on this list can give us invaluable information and insights into how a substantial segment of the population is thinking and reacting these days to us and others like us, and some who they may THINK are like us. Write to some of these folks and request their literature. Don't be paranoid, just be informed!

Blessed Be.

Rowan Moonstone
CultWatch Response, Inc.
P. O. Box 1842
Colorado Springs, CO 80901-1842

* audio tapes on file in archives
+ video tapes on file in archives
# printed material on file in archives

Reginald Alev + #
Cult Awareness Network
P O Box 608370
Chicago, IL 60625
(312) 675-7788
Former director of C.A.N. which maintains extensive files on many groups which could be considered "cults". Their mailing packet on Satanism and Witchcraft is mainly articles on Satanism , with one small article on the Helms amendment concerning Wicca.
+ 1-14-88 - Oprah Winfrey Show - "New Age Movement"

Sgt. Edwin Anderson #
University Police Crime Analysis Unit
San Jose, CA 95192-0012
408-924-2177
Wrote "Law Enforcement Guide to Occult Related Crime."

Jacob Aranza
Primarily concerned with "backward masking" in rock and country music.

Jacquie Balodis + *
Overcomers Victorious
Founder of Overcomers Victorious. Claims to have been involved with a Satanic cult and to have sacrificed here children to Satan. + 10-22-88 - Geraldo Rivera special "Devil Worship, Exposing Satan's Underground"
+ America's Best Kept Secrert (commercial)
* audio portion "Talk of the Town" Portland OR - Satanic Cults

Linda Archer * #
P O Box 818
Euless, TX 76039
Founder of In His Palm Ministries in Euless, Tex. Claims to be a former Witch. Is preparing a book on her testimony timed for release Halloween 1987, untitled at present.
* 12- 3-85 - Point of View Radio Talk Show - "Witchcraft"
* 10-27-86 - Point of View - "Witchcraft"
* 10-20-87 - Point of View - "Witchcraft & Halloween"
* 10-11-88 - Point of View - "Witchcraft & Satanism"

David Balsinger #
Writeway Literary Associates,
P O Box 10428
Costa Mesa, CA 92627
Co-authored The Satan Seller with Mike Warnke. Has published an "Occult- Satanism Activity Profile" for police officers.

Rebecca Brown * #
Freedom Ministries
Box 4009 Bear Valley Rd.
Victorville, CA 92392
Author of He Came to Set the Captives Free, offered through Chick Publications. Claims to have helped a girl raised to be the "Bride of Satan" escape from Witchcraft and Satanism.
* Commercial tape - "Closet Witches, Pts. 1& 2" from Chick Publications (see also Go Back to Your Closets, Witches)

Roger Burt #
President
Christian Counseling Services
P O Box 713
Van Nuys, CA 91408
(818) 780-7500
Very Anti Witch, and anti pagan. (see WierdBase File Crimes.txt)

Ranger Edward H. Byers #
National Park Service
Saguaro National Monument
2704 No. Kinney Rd.
Tucson, AZ 85743
Ranger infiltrated several Tucson area covens and published names and addresses.

Joseph Carr * #
Author of The Twisted Cross, which investigates Hitler's connection with the occult, and The Lucifer Connection, concerning the New Age Movement. Outspoken opponent to New Age philosophies and beliefs.
* Undated - The Bob Durgen Show, KTOK, (OKC)  "The Lucifer Connection"

Lance Collins (aka John Todd) * #
This man supposedly spoke in 1977 at a church and told the audience all about his involvement with Witchcraft and Satanism. He subscribes to the worldwide conspiracy of the Illuminatti theory. The transcript of this talk is making the rounds through underground means within the Christian community right now. For a transcript of this talk, consult file area 4 on WierdBase BBS in St. Louis, (314) 389-9973.
* Undated - underground copy of the infamous JTC church lecture from the 1970's

Constance Cumby * #
Pointe Publications
22317 Kelly Rd.
East Detroit, MI 48021
(313) 391-2906
Author of Hidden Dangers of the Rainbow and A Planned Deception: The Staging of a New Age Messiah. Primarily denounces the "New Age Movement", but includes Wicca in with that. The only one so far that I have heard talk about Circle Network News. Book planned for Fall 1987.
* 10-27 & 28-85 - SWRC - "A Planned Deception, the Staging of a New Age Messiah"
* 11-19 to 28 - SWRC - "A Planned Deception"
* 12- 5-85 - Point of View - "A Planned Deception"
* 12-10-85 - Point of View - "A Planned Deception"

Maureen Davies + #
Welsh woman who founded Reachout Truse in North Wales. Very militant group active in anti-occult movement in the UK.
+ Devil Worship - the Rise of Satanism (commercian tape)

Ed Decker * #
Free The Masons Ministries
P O Box 1077
Issaquah, WA 98027
Author of The Godmakers. Concerned primarily with the occultic roots of Freemasonry and Mormonism.
* 5-28-86 - Point of View - "The Godmakers, Mormonism & Freemasonry"

Sgt. Randall Emon # +
Baldwin Park Police Dept.
14403 E. Pacific Ave.
Baldwin Park, CA 91706
(818) 960-1955
Has written the "Occult Criminal Investigation" manual for his dept. VERY fundamentalist Christian. Course state accredited.
+ "America's Best Kept Secret"

Sandi Gallant
Intell Div. * + #
San Francisco Police Dept.
Hall of Justice 850
Bryant San Francisco, CA 94103
Probably the most well informed police officer in the country on the subject of occult crimes. Knows the difference between the Craft and Satanism and says so.
+ 5-85-20/20 - "The Devil Worshippers"
+ "America's Best Kept Secret"
* undated tape of occult crimes seminar

Dr. Norman Geisler *
Professor at Dallas Theological Seminary
author of False Gods of the New Age.
* 12-13-85 - Point of View - "False Gods of the New Age"

Dale Griffis, Ph.D + #
P O Box 309
Tiffin, OH 44883
Retired policeman who does research on cult and occult related crimes. Author of "A Law Enforcement Primer on Cults". Appeared on the 20/20 show on Satanism. Now teaching seminars to law enforcement officials on the subject. Material is advertised in Eagle Forum's newsletter. Brief correspondence seems to indicate that he is well aware of the difference between Wicca and Satanism.
+ 5-85-20/20 - "The Devil Worshippers"
* 10-17-89 - Point of View - ""Occult Crime"

Ted Gunderson +
Ted L. Gunderson and Associates, Inc
2210 Wilshire Blvd. Suite 422
Santa Monica, CA 90403
Former FBI agent who now investigates cults and the occult. Very convinced that Satanists are committing crimes. Subscribes to the occult underground theory.
+ 10-25-88 - Geraldo Rivera Special - "Devil Worship, Exposing Satan's Underground"
+ 5- 3-89 - "Of Drugs, Death, and the Devil" Geraldo Rivera (Matamoros Killings)

Audrey Harper +
British woman claims to have been part of a Satanic cult. She has strong ties to Maureen Davies and Reachout Trust.
+ "Devil Worship - The Rise of Satanism" (Commercial)

Kathleen Hayes * #
Director, National Research Institute.
3095 D. South Peoria
Aurora, CO 80014
(303) 745-7707
Very outspoken opponent of Witchcraft, occultism, paganism,etc.
* 12-86 - Point of View - "New Age Movement"
* 7-27-87 - Point of View - "Harmonic Convergence"
* 2-15-88 - Point of View-"Peoples Summit & New Age Movement"

Mary Anne Herold * #
Technical Research Institute
P. O. Box 2095
Arvada, CO 80001
Former "witch" who now works with cops on occult crime.
* "The Occult, The Face of the Enemy" commercial tape

Dave Hunt * #
P O Box 3120
Camarillo, CA 93011
Author of The Seduction of Christianity, who contends that Witchcraft and occultism have crept into Christian worship practices.
* 11-14-85 - Encounter - "The Seduction of Christianity"
* 1- 7-86 - Southwest Radio Church - "The Seduction of Christianity"
* 1- 9-86 - SWRC - "Seduction of Christianity"
* 1-16-86 - Southwest Radio Church - "The Seduction of Christianity"
* 1-17-86 - SWRC - "The Seduction of Christianity"
* 1-30-86 - Point of View - "The Seduction of Christianity"
* 6-25 & 26-86 - Point of View - "The Seduction of Christianity"
* 7-24-86 - Encounter - "The Seduction of Christianity"
* 10-25-88 - SWRC - "America, the Sorcerer`s New Apprentice"
* 3-22-89 - Point of View, "The Sorcerer's New Apprentice"
* Commercial tape - "Revivial of Evil Soundtrack"

Gayland Hurst *
4600 Bonham Ave.
Odessa, TX 79762
(915) 367-6645
Professor in Odessa Texas who speaks on Satanism and cults; Specializes in Santeria.
* 10-10-85 - Bob Durgen Show KTOK (OKC) "Satanism"

Doreen Irvine +
British woman who claims to have been "Queen of the Black Witches."
+ "Devil Worship - The Rise of Satanism" (Commercial)

Lt. Larry Jones + # *
222 N. Latah St.
Boise, ID 83706
Editor of "File 18" newsletter for police about "cult and occult crime". VERY anti-Pagan. File 18, available to police and "qualified" civilians only.
+ 3-88 - Oprah Winfrey Show - "Satanism"
* 3-29-89 - Bob Larson show - "Teen Satanism"
* 10-17-89 - Point of View - "Occult Crime"

Sue Joyner #
W.A.T.C.H. Network
P. O. Box 12638
El Paso, TX 79913
Director of W.A.T.C.H.

Danny Korem *
Former stage magician who has taken to exposing fraudulent psychics and is also a police consultant on occult crime.
* 1-6-88-Point of View - " Psychics and Satanism"

Father James LaBarre +
Interfaith Coalition of Concern About Cults
711 Third Ave., 12th Floor
New York, NY 10017
212-983-4977
+ 10-22-88 - Geraldo Rivera Special - "Devil Worship - Exposing Satan's Underground"

Bob Larson + * #
P O Box 36A
Denver, CO 80236
Christian talk show host seen on Oprah Winfrey show with Laurie Cabot, VERY anti Pagan.
+ 6-24-86 - Oprah Winfrey Show - "Witchcraft"
+ The First Family of Satan (Commercial)
* 3-28-89 - Talkback w/Bob Larson - "Teen Satanism"
* 3-29-89 - Talkback w/Bob Larson, Lt. Larry Jones - "Teen Satanism"
* 3-30-89 - Talkback w/Bob Larson - "Teen Satanism"
* 5- 3-89 - Talkback w/Bob Larson,Craig Pierce - "Whitewashing Witches"
* 10-16-89 - Talkback w/Bob Larson - "Sean Sellers"
* 10-18-89 - Talkback w/Bob Larson - "Generational Satanism"

Hal Lindsay * #
PO Box 4000
Palos Verdes, CA 90274
Author of Satan is Alive and Well on Planet Earth, The Late, Great Planet Earth, and others; hosts the weekly talk show "Weekends With Hal Lindsay". Anti Witchcraft, anti-Pagan, etc.
* (see tape entries for Johanna Michaelson)
* Commercial Tape - "Satan is Alive and Well"

Rosmery Loyacano #
B.A.D.D.
P O Box 303
Larkspur, CO 80118
(303) 681-2854
Colo Director of Bothered About Dungeons and Dragons. Her son committed suicide in what she claims was a D&D related incident. Speaks about the dangers of getting involved with occultic role playing games.

Paul Lund #
P O Box 15000
Santa Ana, CA 92075
Founder of Eagle's Nest Ministries in Calif. Author of a pamphlet entitled "Witchcraft or...." Stated goal is to drive "all cults" back underground. (see WierdBase, Waverly.txt)

Marlon Maddoux * #
P O Box 30
Dallas, TX 75221
(800) 351-1212
Author of America Betrayed and host of "Point of View", a Christian daily radio talk show. Believes that the media are very biased in favor of"Secular Humanists" and the "liberal leftists".
* 5-85 - Point of View - Open Lines "20/20" satanism show
* 10-23-85 - Point of View - Open lines, Helms Amendment Reaction
* 1-15-86 - Point of View - "Time-Life Enchanted World Series"
* 6-26/27-86 - Encounter - "American Betrayed"
* 10-13-89 - Point of View - "Week in Review Occultism"

Joseph Marquis + #
52 Al's Avenue
Allenstown, NH 03275
Former "Satanic High Priest" who appeared with Larson and Laurie Cabot on the Oprah Winfrey Show. His "testimony" sounds like he took it verbatim from the underground transcript by Collins.
+ 6-24-86 - Oprah Winfrey Show- Witchcraft"
+ 5- 2-89 - "Of Drugs, Death and the Devil," Geraldo Rivera - (Matamoros Killings)

Texe Marrs * #
8103 Shiloh
Court Austin, TX 78745
Author of Dark Secrets of the New Age and Mystery Mark of the New Age, and others. Runs Living Truth Ministries. Newsletter "Flashpoint" sent free on request.
* 11-17-87 - Southwest Radio Church-"Dark Secrets of the New Age"
* 12-22/23-87 - Point of View-"Dark Secrets of the New Age"
* 6-16/17-88 - Point of View-"Mystery Mark of the New Age"
* 8-16/19-88 - Southwest Radio Church-"Mystery Mark of the New Age"

Carole Matrisciana *
Former New Ager turned Fundamentalist who has written a book Gods of the New Age and helped product the video of the same name.
* 6-86 - Point of View - "Gods of the New Age"
* Commercial tape - "Devil Worship - The Rise of Satanism"

Johanna Michaelson * +
Palos Verdes Community Church
25550 Hawthorne #210
Torrance, CA 90505
Author of The Beautiful Side of Evil and Like Lambs to the Slaughter. Sister- in-law of Hal Lindsey. She sometimes subs for him on his weekend talk show. Can be seen a lot on TBN with Hal Lindsay. Surprisingly enough, she is very knowledgeable about Wicca and readily admits that it is not the same as Satanism, although she opposes Wicca on theological grounds.
+ 3-88 - Oprah Winfrey Show - "Satanism"
* Commercial tape - "Halloween"
* Undated - Weekend Review w/Hal Lindsay
* 10-86 - Weekend Review w/Hal Lindsay, "Halloween"
* 10-87 - Weekend Review w/Hal Lindsay, "Halloween"
* 7-2-88 - Weekend Review with Hal Lindsay,"Satanism"
* 7-88 - SWRC Prophecy Conf (live) "Channeling"
* 10-9-89 - Point of View, "Like Lambs to the Slaughter"
* 10-10-89 - Point of View, "Like Lambs to the Slaughter"
* 10-17-89 - Point of View - "Occultism"

Peter Michas + #
2134 Parkway
St. Charles, MO 63301
(314) 928-9673
Founded the National Information Network with Shane E. Westhoelter. NIN puts on training seminars in occult crime. Poorly informed at best on the Craft.
+ undated tape of occult training seminar with Det. Bob Clark
+ America's Best Kept Secret (Commercial)

Vickie Meyers +
Mother of child abuse victim. Testified as an expert witness at the Sean Sellers trial.
+ America's Best Kept Secret

Dr. Robert Morey *
Author of Reincarnation and the Christian; primarily opposed to reincarnation and other tenets of "Eastern Mysticism".
* 9-18&19-86 - SWRC - "Reincarnation and the Christian"

Edna Elaine Moses * #
Co-wrote "He Came to Set the Captives Free" and "Prepare for War" with Rebecca Brown.
* "Closet Witches" Vols. 1 and 2

Larry Nelson + *
Warnke Ministries
P O Box 472
Burgin, KY 40310
Member of Warnke Ministries who trevels and lectures on occult related crime.
+ America's Best Kept Secret (Commercial)
+ 6-17-88 - Virginia occult crime seminar
* 7-14-88 - Bob Durgen Show KTOK (OKC) Larry Nelson from Warnke ministries discuss Satanism

Bob North #
Exodus
P O Box 700293
San Antonio, TX 78270
Listed in the Exodus Newsletter, Jan, 1988 as teaching a class on "Drugs - an Introduction to Satanism" at the Exodus Seminar '87.

Irene Park * #
13206 Drayton Drive
Spring Hills, FL 34609
Claims to be "The Witch that Switched." Gives interviews on many Christian TV and radio shows. Video tape of one of her appearances available from the Forum for $15.00.
* 6-7-88 - Peter Popoff - "The Witch That Switched"

Dr. Lawrence Pazder + #
4525 Durling Place
Victoria, B.C. V8N 4Y9  CANADA
Author of Michelle Remembers, the original ritualistic abuse survivor book
+ 5-85 - 20/20, "The Devil Worshippers"
+ America's Best Kept Secret (Commercial)

Steve and Julie Peters * #
Christian ministry dealing with backward masking and rock music.
* 4-22-86 - Point of View - "Backward Masking"

Dr A. Herbert Peterson #
United States Citizens' Commission on Crime & Narcotics
P O Box 1092
South Orange, NJ 07009
Associated with Survival Associates, which publishes a directory of "over 3,000 occultic and Satanic groups in the US and Canada" Quoted in May '88 issue of "Police and Security News" as saying kidnapping and sacrificial murder, rape, sodomy, corpse theft, forced homosexuality, animal sacrifice, unlawful burial and more crimes too heinous to describe were part of Witchcraft and related pagan religious.

Yvonne Peterson * #
Exodus
P O Box 700293
San Antonio, TX 78270
Founder of Exodus S.A. Teaches seminars at area schools and distributes literature nationwide. Sponsors seminars on Satanism for law enforcement.
* "Satanism in our Schools" Exodus seminar, Oct. 1987

Darlyne R. Pettinicchio + #
Orange County Probation Dept.
1147 N. Lemon
Anaheim, CA 92806
Orange County juvenile probation officer who founded the "Back in Control Center" dealing with teens and heavy metal rock music.
+ "America's Best Kept Secret"

Phil Phillips * #
P O Box 354
Rockwall, TX 75087
(214) 722-2140
Author of Turmoil in the Toybox and Halloween and Satanism. Primarily concerned with occultism in children's toys and TV shows such as Smurfs, Care Bears, He-Man, Thundercats, etc. New book on Satanism and Halloween published Fall 1987.
* 12-11-85 - Point of View - "Occultism in Children's Toys"
* 12-10-86 - Point of View - "Occultism in Children's Toys"
* 9-87 - SWRC - "Occultism in Toys and TV"
* 10- 5-87 - Point of View - "Satanism & Halloween"
* 10-9/10-87 - SWRC - "Turmoil in the Toybox"
* 12- 1-87 - Point of View - "Toys and Occultism"

Winkey Pratney * #
Author of Devil Take the Youngest who claims that Witchcraft is linked in with white slavery, child pornography, and kidnapping.
* 11-14-85 - Point of View - "Devil Take the Youngest"
* 5- 8-86 - Point of View - "Devil Take the Youngest"

Pat Pulling * #
B.A.D.D.
P O Box 5513
Richmond, Va. 23220
(804) 883-6747
Director of the Virginia Branch of Bothered About Dungeons and Dragons, whose son committed suicide in what she sees as a result of being involved with fantasy role playing games. Author of The Devil's Web (with Kathy Cauthon). She denounces Witchcraft along with those games. BADD also hosts seminars on "occult crime" in Richmond, Va.
* undated - Oprah Winfrey "Matamoros"
* 11-25-85 - Point of View - "Dungeons and Dragons" (w/Bill Deare) repeat broadcast of an earlier show
* 10-11-89 - Point of View - "The Devil's Web" * 10-12-89 - Point of View - "The Devil's Web"

Lyle Rapacki #
Crossroads Counseling
3009 N W St.
Flagstaff, AZ 86001
Former law enforcement officer who gives training on the occult. Believes that Witches can cause accidents by looking at someone and thinking bad thoughts. Does NOT know (or care) about the difference between the Craft and Satanism.

Dr. Carl Raschke+ * #
Denver professor. Author of Painted Black.
+ 4-89 - Evening news - KTVY OKC - Matamoros
* 9-11-90 - "Larry King Live"

Jerry Reider #*
Exodus
P O Box 700293
San Antonio, TX 78270
Member of Exodus, listed in their Feb. 1987 Newsletter as "former Satanist priest... married to a high priestess, and their baby daughter was killed in Satanism.
* 10-87 - "Teens, Target of the Occult" Exodus seminar

Jack Roper + * #
P O Box 1659
Milwaukee, WI 53201
Founder of CARIS. Has written training materials for police on "occult and cult related crime". Sometimes collaborates with David Balsinger, who helped write The Satan Seller with Mike Warnke.
+ Devil Worship - The Rise of Satanism" (Commercial)
* 3-13-86-Point of View-"CARIS"
* 11-89 - Larson Symposium

Tom Sanguinet #
Former High Priest with Gavin Frost's "School of Wicca". Now a Christian minister who claims to be a former Satanic High Priest. Works with various ministries to denounce occultism. Helped write the CARIS "Open Letter to the Magickal Community". Taught a seminar on "The Christian's Approach Toward the Occult" for the Exodus 1987 Fall Workshop. Tapes of this lecture available from Dayspring Ministries, 4803 El Presidio, San Antonio, TX 78233.

Bill Schnoebelen (aka Christopher Syn) + #
Free The Masons Ministries
P O Box 1077
Issaquah, Wa. 98027
Former Alexandrian High Priest who now denounces Wicca and Freemasonry. Has put together a presentation entitled "Joseph Smith and the Temple of Doom" dealing with Mormons.
+ "Devil Worship - The Rise of Satanism"
* Testimony of Bill Schnoebelen

Sean Sellers "Radical Teens for Christ"
Convicted murderer turned Christian. Anti-occult, anti-D&D.
* 10-16-89 - Talkback w/Bob Larson - "Satanism"

F. Legarde Smith * #
Author of Out on a Broken Limb, which refutes Shirley McLaine's Out on a Limb.
* 9-8/12-86 - SWRC - "Out on a Broken Limb"

Samantha Smith + * #
21870 Cabrini Boulevard
Golden, CO 80401
Denver area woman who works with anti New Age Movement there. She recently spoke about the fact that they had uncovered a computer network in the Denver area called D.A.W.N. (Denver Area Wiccan Network) and claimed that they had found names and addresses for many of the participants.
+ America's Best Kept Secret" (Commercial)
* 6- 9-87 - SWRC - "Harmonic Convergence"
* 6-10-89 - "New Age Movement"
* 6-11-87 - "D.A.W.N. & computers"
* 6-12-87 - "Death Education"

Lauren Stratford + * #
c/o The Confidential Group
Box 81795
Bakersfield, CA 93390
Wrote Satan's Underground, in which she claims to have been forced to participate in Satanic human sacrifice. Also claims that her 3 children were sacrificed in snuff films and rituals.
+ 3-88 - Oprah Winfrey Show - "Satanism"
* 4-13-88 - Point of View - "Satan's Underground"
+ 10-25-88 - Geraldo Rivera Special - "Devil Worship, Exposing Satan's Underground"
(note: Ms. Stratford was recently exposed as a fraud by Cornerstone magazine, a Christian publication.)

Maury Terry +
Author of The Ultimate Evil.
+ Fall 1985 - Unsolved Mysteries - Son of Sam
+ 10-22-88 - Geraldo Rivera Special - Devil Worship, Exposing Satan's Underground"

Joe Viera #
Community Awareness Seminars
P. O. Box 1516
Westford, MA 01886
Runs seminars on "occultism," rock music, etc.

Mike Warnke * + #
P O Box 472
Burgin, KY 40310
Author of The Satan Seller, Mike seems to really know the difference between Satanists and Witches. I even have a copy of a letter that states this in writing. Opposed to Wicca on theological grounds. Works with many police depts. on "occultic crime".
+ 5-85 - 20/20 - "The Devil Worshippers"
+ "America's Best Kept Secret" (Commercial)
* Commercial tape - "A Christian Perspective on Halloween"
* 4-14-86 - Point of View - "Satanism"
* 6- 4-86 - Focus on the Family - Satanism
(note: Mr. Warnke was recently exposed as a fraud by Cornerstone magazine, Vol 21 No. 98, a Christian publication.)

Ed and Lorraine Warren +
Demonologists and exorcists.
+ Scream Greats - Satanism and Witchcraft" (Commercial)

Tom Wedge * #
P O Box 428
Bellefontaine, Ohio, 43311
(513) 592-2029
Author of "The Satan Hunter", Probation officer. Served as an "expert witness" at the Sean Sellers trial.
+ 3-88 - The Oprah Winfrey Show - "Satanic Worship"
+ 10-22-88 - Geraldo Rivera Special - "Devil Worship, Exposing Satan's Underground"
* undated - Norman Bailey Show

Shane Westhoelter #
2134 Parkway
St. Charles, MO 63301
Co-founder and President of the National Information Network, which teaches law enforcement about occult crimes.

Ken Wooden + #
National Coalition for Children's Justice
P. O. Box 4345
Shelburne, VT 05482
Television producer and advocate for abused children. Produced the original 20/20 segment on Satanism in May, 1985.
+ America's Best Kept Secret (Commercial)
 


For the past six years, I have monitored the Christian radio and television shows and newsletters. A number of the ministries and organizations have demonstrated interest in and concern about the New Age and Wicca. Below is a listing of those with whom I have come in contact, either via mail correspondence or through their appearance on radio and television shows. This should not in any way be assumed to be a complete list. If you have names, addresses, or phone numbers to add to the list, please do so. I would appreciate being notified of any other names added to the list so that I can add them to the files.

Thank You.

Rowan Moonstone
CultWatch Response, Inc.
P O Box 1842
Colorado Springs, CO 80901-1842

Back in Control Center
2555 East Chapman, Suite 213
Fullerton, CA 92631
(714) 870-8012/(800) 432-6454
Darlyne Petiniccio, Director
Primarily concerned with the effects of Rock music on teens. Petiniccio is a parole officer.

B.A.D.D. (Bothered About Dungeons and Dragons)
Pat Pulling - Director
P O Box 5513
Richmond, VA 23220
(804) 883-6747

Rosmery Loyacano
(Director, Denver Area Office)
P O Box 303 Larkspur, CO 80118
(303) 681-2854
Began as anti Dungeons and Dragons, but is now adding Wicca to the list. Considerable upgrading of printing quality over the last 2 years, which probably means they're receiving sufficient contributions to be concerned about. Have published "Law Enforcement Primers" on "Ritual Child Abuse" and "Role Playing Games". Publishes bi-monthly newsletter "Good News from B.A.D.D." Solicits submission of articles dealing with the occult, Satanism, Witchcraft, as well as D&D from its supporters.

Believe the Children
P. O. Box 1358
Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
(213) 379-3514
McMartin parents organization deals with the issue of ritual child abuse.

Bible Believer's Bulletin
P O Box 7135
Pensacola, FL 32514
Dr. Peter S. Ruckman
Primarily anti-Catholic, pro King James Version Bible. Although they don't like US very much either!

CARIS (Christian Apologetics Research & Information Service)
P O Box 1659
Milwaukee, WI 53201
Jack Roper, Director
Published "An Open Letter to the Witchcraft and Magical Community" a few years ago. Jack Roper is now in the business of providing occult crime information to police and others. His listings are quite extensive.

Cavalcade Productions
7360 Potter Valley Road
Ukiah, CA, 95482
Produces videos on ritual child abuse. Very expensive. Prices range from $195 for a 25-30 minute tape to $345 for a 19 minute tape.

Chick Publications
P O Box 662
Chino, CA 91710
Jack Chick, Director
Without a doubt the MOST unsympathetic views of the Craft I have EVER heard or seen. Publishes "The Battle Cry" bi-monthly; $2.40/ yr sub. Has much Anti-Catholic literature and such nonsense as "Your Highness" being the proper title for a High Priestess! "Dr." Rebecca Brown who advised him on these pamphlets had her license to practice medecine revoked by the Indiana State Medical Board. CWR has copies of these documents on file.

Christ Deliverance Ministries
13206 Drayton Drive
Spring Hill, FL 34609
Irene Park, Director
Run by Irene Park, "The Witch that Switched". She's got several little booklets available for $1.50 each, including one on "Seven Witch Masses and Halloween."

Christian Counseling Assn.Inc.
P O Box 713
Van Nuys, Calif, 91408
(818)780-7500
Dr. Roger Burt, Director
Very anti-Wiccan, anti-Pagan activists.

Christian Counter Attack
P O Box 27101
Columbus, OH 43227
Advertises that it fights "cults, occult, Secular Music, and New Age". Vigorously opposed the "Hands Across America" project. Was also engaged in opposing the "Harmonic Convergence".

Christian Occult Investigators Network
P. O. Box 355
Bloomington, CA 92316
(714) 877-0769
Sgt. Randy Emon, Director
Organization for Christian police officers investigating the occult. Run by a police officer from Baldwin Park, CA. In his paper "The Occult Investigation Explosion", he alleges that his children were attacked by demons and that pentagrams appeared in his carpet and wouldn't go away until he prayed over then and annointed them with oil.

Christian Research Institute
Box 500
San Juan Capistrano, CA 92693
Research institute concerned with cults and the occult. They DO, however, hand out fairly accurate information.

Church of God Evangelistic Assn.
P O Box 1073
St. Ann, MO 63074
Anti-New Age. Some interesting publications on the "Illuminati". Will send you a subscription to "Newswatch Magazine" free for 1 year if you write & ask for it.

Cult Awareness Network
2421 West Pratt Blvd. Suite 1173
Chicago, IL 60626
(312) 276-7777
Cynthia Kisser, Director
Advertises an "Witchcraft and Satanism" packet of info for $5.00. This organization also has branches all over the country in such locations as Denver and Dallas. Branches vary from reasonable to radical. Their information on Witchcraft seems to be accurate.

Cultivate Ministries
P. O. Box 6490
Colorado Springs, CO 80934
(719) 630-1222
Jim Zilonka, Founder
Radio ministry dealing with cults and the occult. They include Catholics, Mormons, and Jehovah's Witnesses as cults.

Cult Crime Impact Network, Inc.,
222 N. Latah St.
Boise, ID 83706
Larry M. Jones, Editor
208-377-6606
208-377-6790
(emergencies) Pager # 550
Publishes "File 18" newsletter on cultic and occultic crimes. Publication for "law enforcement personnel and civilian groups working in this area" only. Absolutely TERRIBLE stuff about the Craft. Some improvement in more recent issues.

Dunamis Impact Outreach Services, Inc.
11956 Bernardo Plaza Dr., Suite 523
San Diego, CA 92128
(619) 485-9849 (Ext. 523)
Mark Galvan, Director
Anti-pagan organization publishes the "Dios Informant" bimonthly. Newsletter is sent free of charge to anyone on the mailing list. DIOS networks with Cunt Crime Impace Network, Christian Occult Investigators Network, Compassion Connection (Bob Larson Ministries), Mike Warnke Ministries, and WATCH Network, among others.

Eagle Forum
1823 W. 102nd. Ave.
Denver, CO 80221
Phyllis Schlafly, who is Anti-ERA, runs this organization. "The Forum", their bi-monthly newsletter, is chock full of articles denouncing the "New Age", etc. They offer numerous tapes such as the 20/20 Satanism show, and the Oprah Winfrey show on "Satanic Abuse". The Forum is $10.00/yr. sub.

Exodus
Yvonne Peterson, Director
P O Box 65259
San Antonio, TX 78265-5259
(512) 654-8547
Advertises itself as "a group of concerned citizens alerted to the dangers of the occult and who stand ready to assist our community." Much of their literature makes no distinction between Satanism and Wicca. Among those working with them and teaching seminars are Tom Sanguinet, former Wiccan High Priest from the Frost's School of Wicca. (See CARIS "Open Letter to the Witchcraft Community" and clippings on Samhain Seminar in Amarillo, 1981 for further info. on Sanguinet.) Also participating in seminars are Bob North, supposed former Satanic High Priest, and Jerry Rieder, also a "former Satanic High Priest".

Freedomlight Report
P. O. Box 130
Glenn Dale, MD 20769
Editor, Carleton Hafer
Creative Director, Dick Hafer
Newsletter published bimonthly dealing with anti Wiccan, anti Pagan, anti Satanism material. Poorly researched. $20.00/year.

INTEL
P. O. Box 42
Flagstaff, AZ 86002
(602) 779-1882
Lyle Rapaki, Director
Supplies information on occult crime. CWR has the papers to prove that Rapacki's credentials are fraudulent.

Free The Masons Ministries(Formerly "Saints Alive")
P O Box 1077
Issaquah, WA 98027
Ed Decker, Director
Primarily aimed at anti-Masonic and anti-Mormon, but now employs Bill Schnoebelen (aka Christopher Syn), former Wiccan HP of the Alexandrian Trad.

In His Palm
P O Box 818
Euless, TX 76039
Linda Archer, Director
"Former Witch" who speaks to women's Christian organizations & does interviews on Christian Radio shows. Claims that "One of the things you agree to do when you become a Witch is to sacrifice your children to the devil" and tells parents "These people are trying to take your children away from you in the dark, by stealth, against your will. Don't sit there and take it anymore!" Runs a clipping service for Christian anti-pagan ministers. For $15.00, she will send you a packet of newspaper articles on Witchcraft, Satanism, and D&D. Recent information indicates that Ms. Archer may no longer be active. Investigating at this time.

Interfaith Council on Cults
2 Harvey St.
Hyde Park, NY 12538
914-471-2537
Fr. James J. Lebar, Consultant on Cults,
Archdiocese of N.Y.
Comunications with this group indicates they know full well the difference between Wicca philosophy and Satanic philosophy BUT, they don't entirely believe in such things as Witches. Seem more concerned with spiritual wellbeing than actions on a physical plane.

Internatioal Christian Media
P O Box 30
Dallas, TX 75221
1-800-351-1212
Marlin Maddoux, Director
Christian Media service that produces the daily talk show "Point of View", hosted by Marlin Maddoux. This show is carried on over 200 radio stations in 45 states of the union, and is beamed all over the world via shortwave. It is also carried in South Africa and the United Kingdom via tape delay. Maddoux is VERY good at what he does. He is closely akin in style to Bob Larson, who appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Show with Laurie Cabot. His guests have included Pat Pulling of B.A.D.D, Linda Archer of IHP, Constance Cumby, and Dave Hunt.

Bob Larson Ministries
P O Box 36A
Denver, CO 80236
303-980-1511
Christian talk show host who appeared on the Oprah Winfrey show with Laurie Cabot and Whitley Streiber. Wrote Larson's Book of Cults.

The Light House Project, Inc
. P. O. Box 58
Forsyth, IL 62535-0058
Rev. Jack Cluney
Det. Sam Baum
Organization teaches seminars on Satanism and the occult. Publishes "File 18" style newsletter.

Hal Lindsey Ministries
P. O. Box 9992
Marina Del Ray, CA 90292
1-800-824-8199
Author of "Satan is Alive and Well on Planet Earth". Brother-in-law of Johanna Michaelsen. Hosts weekly talk show on Christian radio.

Living Truth Ministries
8103 Shiloh Court
Austin, TX 78745
Texe Marrs, Director
Marrs wrote Dark Secrets of the New Age. Publishes a monthly newsletter on the New Age Movement, free of charge.

Logos Communication Consortium
P. O. Box 173
Oak Creek, WI 53154
(414) 768-9755
David Brown, President
Publishes much anti-pagan material. Also produces videos. Now beginning a newsletter called "File 13" which is EXACTLY where the publication belongs.

Media Spotlight
Box 290
Redmond, WA 98073-0290
Albert James Dager, Editor and Publisher
Publishes many papers on the occult and "cult related topics". Pamphlets include "Dungeons and Dragons", "E.T.- Space Age Messiah?", "Hallowe'en: Its Traditions & Their Origins", "The Origins of Christmas Traditions" and "Is the Anti-Christ Here?". Publications free upon request.

National Information Network
P. O. Box 1142
St. Charles, MO 63302
314-947-0460
Shane Westholter
Publishes "Network News". Formerly ran a BBS dealing with cults and the occult. BBS has now gone down. Westhoelter is known for using other people's work without crediting the research and for sloppy research and misquoting.

National Occult Liberation Outreach Center
52 Al's Ave. Allenstown, NH 03275
Joseph "Doc" Marquis, Director
Publishes NOLON Newsletter - $20/year. Marquis claims to be a former member of the "Illuminatti."

National Research Institute (Data Center on the New Age)
3095-D S. Peoria St.
Aurora, CO 80014
(303)745-7707
Kathleen Hayes, Director
Anti Wicca, anti-New Age. Publishes "The Trumpet" bi-monthly for $15/yr. sub. THIS ORGANIZATION MAY BE DEFUNCT. WE HAVE UNCONFIRMED INFO TO THAT EFFECT.

Paul Lund
Eagle's Nest Ministries
P O Box 9991
Fountain Valley, CA 92728
714-953-1701
Wrote an anti-Wicca tract entitled "Witchcraft or..." Stated goal is to drive all "cult" groups underground again, us most definitely included.

Omega Newsletter
3748 Pardee
Dearborne, MA 48124
Peter Lalonde, publisher
Subcription $24/year.

Overcomer Ministries
Rt. 2, Box 296
Walterboro, SC 29488
Brother R. G. Stair
Very anti-Catholic organization which believes that Christians should worship on Saturday, not celebrate Christmas with Pagan practices, etc. Publishes "The Overcomer" newsletter, available for a donation.

P.C. Command Center
P. O. Box 15992
Surfside Beach, SC 29587
Para-military anti-pagan organization.

Peters Brothers Ministries
P. O. Box 9222 North
St. Paul, MN 55109
Anti-rock music ministry.

Phillips Ministries
P O Box 354
Rockwall, TX 75087
(214) 722-2140
Phil Phillips ,Director
Primarily concerned with occultism in children's toys and cartoons. Publishes "Child Affects" newsletter. Also had available audio and video cassettes dealing with these subjects.

Pointe Publications,Inc.
22317 Kelly Rd. E.
Detroit, MI 48021
(313) 391-2906
Constance Cumby, Director
Organization formed by a Detroit trial lawyer who now engages in writing and speaking against "occultism & the New Age Movement". Publishes the "New Age Monitor" bi-monthly for $24/yr. sub.

Southwest Radio Church
P O Box 1144
Oklahoma City, OK 73101
(800) 652-1144
David F. Webber, Director
Publishes a lot of anti-pagan "information". Has a nationally syndicated Christian radio show which has frequent programs dealing with anti pagan and anti New Age material. Constance Cumby, Samantha Smith, and Dave Hunt are frequent guests. Publishes "The Gospel Truth" monthly. They NEVER take you off their mailing list as far as I can see.

Spiritual Counterfeits Project
P. O. Box 4308
Berkeley, CA 94704
415-540-5767
Tal Brooke, Director
At one time SCP was an excellent resource, but more radical officers have come in lately, making it unreliable.

Survival Associates
P O Box 403
Short Hills, NJ 07078
Herbert Peterson: Director
Publishes a listing of over 3,000 "highly active occult and satanic groups , by geographic area, in the United States and Canada. Entire listing available for $35.00. Also has published "American Guide to the Occult" Vols. 1-3.

Technical Research Institute
P O Box 2095
Arvada, CO 80001
Mary Ann Herold, Executive Director
Non profit organization which publishes material on cult/occult crimes. Recommended by File 18.

Vinelife Ministries
P. O. Box 42144
OKC, OK 73123
Dr. Clifford Alford
Vinelife employs Dr. Alford as a "expert" on the occult and a counselor. Alford has taught seminars for the police on the occult in which he advises that a suspect be approached with the officer's hand on his gun, thumb on the hammer, ready to pull and fire. (Text of seminar on file with CWR.)

Voice of Americanism
Glendale, CA 91209
Dr. Stuart McBirnie, Director
Normally very anti-communist only, but he has published a pamphlet called "Satanism and Witchcraft: Evil Forces on the March."

VOICES in Action, Inc
. P.O Box 148309
Chicago, IL 60614
(312) 327-1500
National network that helps victims of incest and sexual abuse. Subscribes heavily to the ritualistic child abuse theory. Networks extensively with Believe the Children, Dr. Catherine Gould, and Sandy Gallant and Dale Griffis. Much bad info on Witchcraft. Other than the info on the Craft, much GOOD work being done here. Need re-educating.

Warnke Ministries
P O Box 472
Burgin, KY 40422
Run by Mike Warnke, former Satanic High Priest. By far the most sane of these groups. Definitely knows the difference between Satanism and Wicca and admits it!
(Note: discredited by Cornerstone Magazine, the magazine of the Jesus People Network)

W.A.T.C.H (Watchmen Alert to Cultic Harrassment)
Box 12638
El Paso, TX 79913
Sue Joyner, Director
Formed a little over 2 years ago. They now have a growing following in the Southwest. Have published "Be Aware: A Handbook to Expose Occult Activity." for $5.00. Now publishes a quarterly newsletter.

Writeway Literary Association
P. O. Box 10428
Costa Mesa, CA 92627
714-850-0349
David Balsinger, Director
Coauthor of Mike Warnke's "Satan Seller"; distributes training material from Jack Roper of CARIS as well as "Presedents Biblical Scoreboard".


THE NEW AGE CONSPIRACY

How certain elements of the Evangelical Christian movement sees Occult, Human Potential, Holistic and Pagan groups by Michelle Klein-Hass

This is a scenario that a lot of people believe is the future...a future foretold nearly two millenia ago by a old man in State-imposed exile on a deserted Greek island. The depravity of the world comes to a head, and all who are not believing Christians desert their belief systems and follow a man who identifies himself as the "True Messiah". His worship is promoted by a shady character that identifies himself as the Prophet of God. Both men turn out to be in truth in league with the devil, and start an anti-Christian holocaust. Jesus Christ comes back to save the day, the devil is bound for a thousand years, and the "Anti-Christ" and his "False Prophet" are thrown bodily into hell.

Many believe that the book was an allegory of the times that spawned the book. Augustus Nero Caesar (which by the way when translated into Hebrew characters comes out numerologically as "Six Hundred Threescore and Six", or 666) began a massive pogrom against Christians, and later added Jews to his hit list after the Bar Kochba rebellion of 80 CE. His successors continued this "tribulation" until the mysterious conversion of the Emperor Constantine and his declaration that Rome was now to follow Christianity. At the time, slaves were marked with a brand either in the back of their right hands, their foreheads, their posteriors, or a combination of some or all. Also disease and famine were common, and Pompeii and Herculanium had just been buried in hot lava. But many Christians, especially those who believe that the bible is "inerrant", meaning "not errant, (having) no mistakes, infallible"(Webster's New World Dictionary 1966, College Edition,) believe that these events are yet to come. And quite a few play the game of looking for the signs of the "end times", as they call the events in Revelation, in everyday events.

The establishment of the State of Israel in 1948 is seen as a sign. The Atomic Bomb is seen as a sign. The dread disease A.I.D.S. is seen as a sign, and also as punishment for those that they consider behaving contrary to God's laws, like Gays, those that have sex outside of Christian marriage, and intravenous drug abusers. End times conspiracy buffs have seen the Anti- Christ in everyone from Henry Kissinger to James Baker (who suffered a head wound from a gunshot and lived to tell the tale, just as the Anti-Christ was supposed to have been "dealt a mortal wound (to the head) and yet his mortal wound was healed") to Mikhail Gorbachev, whom some devout Russian Orthodox believers (and Constance Cumbey, author of "The Hidden Dangers Of The Rainbow", one of the most influential "New Age Conspiracy" books) have identified as the Anti-Christ because of the port wine stain on the top of his balding head. My husband has a similar birthmark in the same place and nobody has (yet, anyway) accused HIM of being the Anti-Christ!

When Benjamin Creme, a British scholar of Alice Bailey and of Theosophical writings by Yelena Petrovna Blavatskaya (Helena Blavatsky, as she is more commonly referred to) and Annie Besant (of whom we will hear about later) announced to the world that "The Christ is now here" in newspapers around the world in 1982, the Evangelical Christian community sat up and took notice. Creme said that this man, whom he identified as Maitreya (the name that Gautama Buddha used for a future Buddha that is regarded as the Buddhist "messiah") would go on the air on every television station in the industrialized world and declare his existance in every language within two months of the initial newspaper advertisement. There was panic, preparation for either rapture (an event that some Christians believe will happen before the events in Revelation, where believers will be physically plucked off the Earth) or the seven long years of the Great Tribulation that is described in Revelation, and speculation about who was bankrolling his efforts.

When "Maitreya's" broadcast failed to materialize and Creme lost about 2/3ds of his following thereafter, most forgot about him. Creme, who is independently wealthy and apparently bankrolled the newspaper ads and press conferences, continues to lecture and says that "Maitreya" is living incognito in the Pakistani ghetto in West-end London. He still heads the Tara Foundation, and it apparently continues to float only by dint of Creme's wealth. He is now claiming that the "day of declaration" will be sometime in 1989, but is understandably being cagier about the date. But most look on him as a crank, rather than either the messenger of the Messiah or something much more sinister. However,according to some authors on the far fringes of Christian literature, Mr. Creme is not only the False Prophet of Revelation and the mouthpiece for the unseen "Maitreya the (Anti-)Christ", but he is also the coordinator for a vast conspiracy of New Age groups out to take over the world for the Anti-Christ and to win the hearts and minds of even the Christian faithful.

By "New Age" these conspiracy hounds mean everyone from Yoga enthusiasts and followers of Eastern religions (including those born into them) through the crystal freaks, Channelers and success counselors all the way to the alledged "Satanic Network" that was trumpeted in the NBC Geraldo Rivera special, in books like "Satan's Underground" by Lauren Stratford, and in the newsletter "File 18", a publication that is targeted to Law Enforcement departments and is compiled, on police time, by the Chaplain of the Boise, ID Police Department. Within this vast conspiracy also resides the National Council of Churches; most "liberal" Christian denominations; Jews that believe in the Qabala, a body of literature separate from the Torah, Tanach, (prophetic books of the Old Testament) Talmud and Mishnah (Commentaries on the Torah and Tanach by scholars written around the 1st and 2nd centuries CE) that is, however, revered by Jews Orthodox, Conservative and Reform alike; and political, peace or social justice organizations like Alliance For Survival, Physicians for Social Responsibility, The Sierra Club, People For The American Way, Amnesty International, and the Committee To End Hunger. Even the Christian organization World Vision is suspect in some of these books, and so is the Catholic Church.

It grows very, very clear that the targets that are fair game to these conspiracy mongers are any organization that is not politically hard right and/or not religiously Evangelical Christian. And as Robert Anton Wilson's "Illuminatus!" books have proved, any series of unrelated incidents can be made to look like a conspiracy if enough literary tweaking is done. So here is a summary of this vast conspiracy that books like "The Hidden Dangers Of The Rainbow", "Mystery Mark Of The New Age", and "Dark Secrets Of The New Age" trumpet.

THE GREAT "NEW AGE" SATANIC CONSPIRACY, or "How I Learned To Stop Getting Stressed Out And Love Lucifer."

The John Lennon song "Imagine" is, to most people, a heartfelt (if rather naive) paen to a utopian vision of a world without want or war. To some, it sounds a little like the Communist Manifesto set to music. To the believers in the "New Age Satanic Conspiracy", however, it sounds like the Gospel according to Satan...a summary of The Plan, the "New Age" program to take over the world for the Anti-Christ. The Plan is mentioned in a prayer that was written by author Alice Bailey, a British eccentric who claimed, like many of the fin de siecle occult revivalists, to be in touch with the "Ascended Masters", a group of people that were illustrious in life and after death became demigods. She had asserted that the prayer was dictated to her by one of the "Masters", and it is one used now by not only followers of her writings but by several "New Age" groups. To all but those who are either skeptical about the existance of this "great white brotherhood" or looking for a vast Satanic conspiracy, the prayer is a pretty little thing, full of entreaties to restore love and light to Earth. To the authors of the conspiracy books, The Plan is nothing less than a program for World Domination.

According to Ms. Cumbey, The Plan entails:

*Establishment of a World Government, with Maitreya the Anti-Christ at the helm as both religious and political leader.

*Establishment of a money-free method of exchange using a laser-readable mark (the Mark of the Beast) tatooed on the body as a permanent "debit card". This mark would be given at a "Luciferic Initiation" where the initiatee would have to denounce Christianity and swear allegiance and worship to Maitreya and his true "father", the devil. Nobody would be able to obtain food, work, or have "money" without this mark.

*Consolidation of the World's food distribution under a Maitreya-run "food bank" that would make the ability to obtain food contingent on whether or not one had submitted to the "Luciferian Initiation".

*The death penalty for anyone who refuses to worship Maitreya, especially Christians.

The members of the conspiracy, according to these authors, do not merely begin and end at those attached to the Tara Foundation. Many organizations, from primarily religious ones like the Unity-In-Diversity Council, The Church Universal And Triumphant of Elizabeth Claire Prophet, and the Church of Religious Science; to non-sectarian organizations promoting holistic health; to totally secular peace, ecological and hunger organizations; are either willing accomplices, fellow travelers or unwitting dupes of Maitreya's "New Barbarians". Cumbey even links such impeccably Christian organizations as World Vision, Operation California (both relief organizations) Intervarsity Press and Word Books (Christian publishing houses) and Christian author Ron Siders as part of the "conspiracy".

Ms. Cumbey's list is short in comparison with the connections that Texe Marris makes in his books. He writes, and apparently truly believes, that such world religions as Judaism, (especially where the Qabala is concerned) Islam, and the Catholic Church are involved in the conspiracy, as are most of the media, certain people in the US Government, the Communist Bloc of nations, the UN (which he sees as a MAJOR bugaboo) and all Pagan, Occult, or Eastern Religion groups. He sees malignancy in everything from the Star Wars movies to Fantasy Role-Playing Games like Advanced Dungeons And Dragons and Traveller to (of course) Rock Music of ANY kind, including such Christian bands as Stryper and The Resurrection Band. And there are other weird divergences between Ms. Cumbey and Mr. Marris' view of the extent of the conspiracy. Cumbey cites the sometimes mildly to vehemently racist aspects of Alice Bailey's and Yelena Blavatskaya's books and says in very sweeping terms that the "New Age" movement is anti-Semitic and Racist and advocates Nazi- esque hatred. Marris, on the other hand, is wildly anti-Arab and somewhat anti-Jewish, and says some very Racist and sexist things in his tomes.

But all and all, the books agree on a basic thesis: that the "New Age Movement" is not a scattered, independent explosion of groups but a tightly bound, intercommunicating conspiracy out to conquer the world for the Anti- Christ. This thesis is being taught in countless Sunday School classes, on Christian TV, and could very well provide an ideological base for a whole new crop of inquisitors and bush-league Cotton Mathers-es. From what I see, the "New Age Movement" is ANYTHING BUT a coherent movement. Not counting such spontaneous occurances as the "Harmonic Convergence" mania of August 1987, there are so many little groups and sects that are competing for the potential adherent's money and time, asserting that "my way is the quickest route to enlightenment/prosperity/health/self-realization (choose one)." I have been at functions like the Crystal Congress and have heard the chattering and "my path is better than yours" arguments that happen, and the put-downs of, say, this group as being "not high enough in vibrations" or "real negative" or whatever. Being a Shamanic Pagan and an active participant (when I can) in the Magicknet Echo, I can say that this sort of thing happens even more frequently among Pagans. Some unified front, huh?

I have my quarrels with the "New Age Movement" at large. The heavy emphasis on making money and the high fees charged by teachers can curl my hair. The fact that most naively believe that "there is no evil in the universe" is a danger. There are nasties out there...I've seen them, I've dealt with them. I'm thankful I'm alive after some encounters with dark forces I've had. And the other assertion common to them, that "you make your own reality", sounds like a neat, easy cop out when faced with such things as poverty and the oppressed of the world. Did the homeless family sleeping on the street over there somehow will themselves to be homeless? That doesn't make sense.

But the fact is that over half of the population of the United States, even after the PTL and Jimmy Swaggart debacles, still regard themselves as "Born Again Christian." Fundamentalist and other Evangelical denominations are still the fastest growing religious organizations in the country, overwhelmingly outnumbering the supposed hordes of the "New Age." George Bush could not have been elected President without the Evangelicals. The religious Right's agenda is, by and large, still the agenda of the Republican Party and of our Republican President. People like Jesse Helms and Orrin Hatch have vowed to continue to press for legislation on school prayer, against "witchcraft, satanism and the occult", and against abortion. Eight years of Bush could very well cause the Supreme Court to be loaded with Right-wing, religious-Right influenced judges like Antonin(Sp?) Scalia, and Robert Bork. It may seem far-fetched even after eight years of Reagan and after the Evangelical Christian movement took such hits from the sex scandals, but it is not inconceivable that authors like Mr. Marris especially are out to stir up a new round of religious persecution of minority religions. It is time for those who are adherents to minority religions to speak up, and act boldly. Pagans and "New Agers" are protected under the First Amendment right to "free exercise of religion" no matter if their beliefs do not conform to the Judeo- Christian status quo.

Some books found in a moderately sized Christian bookstore (The Gathering, Reseda, CA) that are anti-New Age, Occult or Pagan:

Ankerberg, John and Weldon, John: FACTS ON THE NEW AGE MOVEMENT Library of Congress shelf # -none given- ISBN # 0-89081-711-1 Publisher:Harvest House/Anker Books series
A thin book that provides an Evangelical Christian "Catechism" on the so called "New Age Conspiracy". Mostly a "refutation" based on doctrinal differences rather than a conspiracy book, it however has a few touches of the paranoia so rampant in some of the other books on this list.

Carr, Joseph: THE LUCIFER CONNECTION Library of Congress shelf # 87-81608 ISBN # 0-910311-42-0 Publisher: Huntington House
This is one of the many books that advance the theory that the entire New Age movement is a coherent, organized conspiracy to enthrone the Antichrist. This is the case with over half of the books on this list.

Cumbey, Constance: THE HIDDEN DANGERS OF THE RAINBOW Library of Congress shelf # 83-80044 ISBN # 0-910311-03-X Publisher: Huntington House
This is, with "The Beautiful Side Of Evil" the two "bibles" of the "New Age as Satanic Conspiracy" movement. It was published around the time that Benjamin Creme had first begun advertising that "The Christ is now here" in 1982. I was still a Messianic Jew at the time and was expecting the events in the Book of Revelation to happen any minute. The world-wide TV broadcast with "Maitreya the Christ" speaking in every language in use on the globe that Creme had predicted never happened, and upon reading this again after all these years and my falling out with the "Born-Again Christian/Messianic Jewish" movement it all seems so silly. Mrs. Cumbey had done "exhaustive research" reportedly on this book, which I think probably consisted of misreading Yelena P. Blavatsky (Blavatskaya) and Alice Bailey and making the assumption that EVERYONE in the New Age move-ment followed their sometimes spurious teachings. This is a mild book, however, compared to the twin tomes written by Texe Marris, which will be discussed later.

Groothius, Douglas CONFRONTING THE NEW AGE Library of Congress shelf # 88-13016 ISBN # 0-8308-1223-7 Publisher: Intervarsity Press
This is primarily meant as a doctrinal aid for "witnessing" or proselytizing, among the various stripes of New Agers and Crystal Weenies and Human Potential enthusiasts. It is not very strident or offensive, but rather makes the Christian case against things like divination, Magick, Reincarnation and Metempsychosis, Yoga and Visualization exercises in a reasonable manner. I disagree with all of it, but it is written in such a non-hysterical, logical way that I came away from it like I do when I agree to differ with someone after a cool, rational debate. Perhaps it doesn't even belong in this list.

Larsen, Bob LARSEN'S BOOK OF CULTS Library of Congress shelf # 82-60018 ISBN # 0-8423-2104-7 Publisher: Tyndale
The inquisitorial tone of this book is overwhelming and oppressive. Although Rev. Larsen doesn't indulge in the conspiracy mongering of a Texe Marris or a Constance Cumbey, he paints everything from ancient, organized religions like Islam, Buddhism and Hinduism to relatively new movements like "New Age" and human potential groups and so on with the same brush...Satanic Cults. Even such innocuous things as Martial Arts and the Society for Creative Anachronism are labeled cults. Do you think that Wiccan Paganism and Shamanic Paganism 'get off' here? Uh-uh. He rips through them as viciously as Cotton Mather did in Puritan Salem. And you know what happened there....

Marris, Texe DARK SECRETS OF THE NEW AGE Library of Congress shelf # 86-72066 ISBN # 0-89107-421-X and MYSTERY MARK OF THE NEW AGE Library of Congress shelf # 87-72956 Publisher (both books): Crossway Books/Good News Publications
Hoo boy. This guy is off the wall, ceiling and floor, as my former Bible teacher Jake would put it. Mr. Marris (is it Rev. Marris? I forget...) takes the "New Age Satanic Conspiracy" ball and runs with it farther and faster towards left field than any-one I've read since Salem Kirban. (If you can find his books SATAN'S ANGELS EXPOSED! and SATAN'S MUSIC EXPOSED! in a Christian book store, read them once for the off-the-wall kookieness factor.) He ties the whole "Conspiracy" with the "antedeluvian" religion of Babylon that was presumed destroyed with the Great Flood and was the cause of it in the first place, according to him. He links up Benjamin Creme and his Tara Foundation with the Ordo Templi Orientis, the Golden Dawn, Judaism and the Qabala (yes this man is a RABID anti-Semite!) Wicca, Shamanism, and of course the "Hanoi Janes" of these conspiracy mongers, Marilyn Ferguson (author of THE AQUARIAN CONSPIRACY and editor of the actually extremely useful BRAIN- MIND BULLETIN) and Shirley Mac Laine. His "mystery mark" is none other than the triangle-within-a-circle that has been a symbol used in Christian iconography for millenia, and is now a trademark of Alcoholics Anonymous. Oh, didn't you know? They're part of the CONSPIRACY too! Spare me.

Michaelson, Johanna THE BEAUTIFUL SIDE OF EVIL Library of Congress shelf # 82-82240 ISBN # 0-89081-322-1 Publisher: Harvest House
This is the second most influential of the "New Age Satanic Conspiracy" books. This one is the story of the conversion of a graduate of Silva Mind Control and a dabbler in Yoga, Santeria, Espiritualisma, and Goddess knows what else, who now lectures on the "Satanic" origins of these practices. It ends with a "Sinners' Prayer," indicating that this is somehow meant for the unconverted, but sounds like so much preaching TO the converted. It is largely unsubstantial, and if it wasn't for Hal Lindsay's (author of THE LATE GREAT PLANET EARTH, among other books...his SATAN IS ALIVE AND WELL ON PLANET EARTH is the granddaddy of all the "New Age Satanic Conspiracy" books and available at practically any bookshop, Christian or secular) endorsement would probably not have gotten as popular as it is now. It's simply not lurid enough.

Stratford, Lauren SATAN'S UNDERGROUND Library of Congress shelf # 87-81660 ISBN (Trade Paperback) # 0-89081-630-1 ISBN (Hardcover) # 0-89081-702-2 Publisher: Harvest House
This book reads like transcripts to Geraldo Rivera's Satanism special. Ms. Stratford has been discredited from here to there and back again, and still her tale of growing up in the alleged "Satanic Worship Network" is taken as gospel by a lot of Born-Agains. Ms. Stratford was even interviewed as an expert on "Satanic Baby Breeding" on said special. It's lurid alright.
NOTE: Ms. Stratford's claims have been discredited.

These are only nine books carried by a bookstore/giftshop that is rather small compared to the biggest one in the San Fernando Valley, Valley Book And Bible, and the even bigger ones in Orange County. There are in excess of fifty books out on the subject of the "New Age Satanic Conspiracy" alone, and even more on the subject of "Cults" and "Satan". Authors like Dr. Walter Martin and Rev. Bob Larsen have made this subject their life's work. There is a whole FidoNet Echo devoted to Christian "cult fighting" called Cult Watch.

The Los Angeles branch of the Cult Awareness Network defines the word "Cult" as an organization that uses brainwashing, mind control, fraud, and physical and/or mental violence to find and keep members. The various Christian "cult fighters" by and large believe that any group that doesn't adhere to the tenets of Evangelical Christianity is a "Cult". I am devoting a lot of time to letting people know that there is a big difference between these two positions, and that the latter assertions are a danger to the religious freedom on which this country was founded, and is guaranteed under the 1st Amendment to the Constitution.

All who wish to contact me about this essay should write me at Box 2273, Van Nuys, CA 91404-2273. Others who have information on Christian hate propaganda are the Cult Awareness Network, Los Angeles Chapter, which runs a computer bulletin board called Cult Monitor in Burbank; and CultWatch Response, PO Box 1842, Colorado Springs, CO 80901. I believe that the Jewish Federation Council's Cult Task Force may also have information.

-Michelle Klein-Hass


The following is an example of non-factual propaganda masquerading as true information about neo-Paganism. Note the use of buzz-words, and clever association of things like Satanism, homosexuality, animal sacrifice and child abuse, not to mention the absurdity of writing one's Book of Shadows in one's own blood!

"SORCERY BEAT" SPELLS TOIL, TROUBLE FOR COPS
by Preston Turegano

The next time a major Christian holiday or change of season occurs, look over your shoulder. There may be a coven of witches or devil worshippers meeting somewhere near your home.

According to two members of the San Diego Police Department who have developed expertise about certain occult followings, there are probably 1,000 hard-core Satan worshipers and an equal number of hard-core witches in the county who often practice their religions in secret in rural outdoor settings.

Child-abuse detectives Danny Dennis and Mike Duffy said Satanists and witches often meet en masse at Christmas or Easter, during the summer and winter solstices and during the vernal and autmnal equinoxes.

The Christian holidays are important to these occultists because their dark practices are "anti-holiday" or anti-Christ.

But, Dennis and Duffy added, witches and Satanists can meet anytime, anywhere - in homes and meeting halls in any part of town.

The East County is often popular because animal sacrifices or ritualistic nudity can be conducted in meadows or canyons in relative safety and out of the sight of passers-by.

"The Police Department is not interested in pursuing any of these followers unless they commit a crime," Duffy said. "To be a member of any of these religions is not illegal."

Dennis and Duffy have developed their knowledge of the occult as a result of investigating certain child-abuse cases.

They spoke last week about Satanism, witchcraft, and santeria - a Westen Hemisphere occult practice rooted in voodoo and some Roman Catholicism - at the University of San Diego's Manchester Executive Conference Center.

The two detectives were substitutes for co-worker Sgt. Greg Drilling, who was unable to speak to a group of continuing-education students because of police business. Drilling is considered by many law-enforcement officers here to be the foremost local authority on occultism.

Satanists or witches will be investigated and prosecuted if they are found to be involved in making animal or human sacrifices, vandalizing or robbing churches, or practicing other kinds of violence, Dennis said.

The total number of hard-core practicioners of santeria in the county is believed to be less than 30, Duffy said, and thus they are not as potentially troublesome, even though the practice is sometimes linked to drug activity.

Neither officer knows of any homicide cases in the past 10 years here that resulted from child abuse specifically linked to Satanism or witchcraft.

When child-abuse cases linked to occultism are brought to court, authorities will often downplay or avoid mentioning the occult aspects because most potential jurors simply do not believe in Satanism or witchcraft.

"We lose the jurors right away," Duffy said.

Dennis said most witches in the county are women, but many are also bisexual or homosexual men who believe they are practicing white, or good, witchcraft or magic, but are actually conducting black, or evil, rituals.

Certain kinds of incantations, oils, powders, robes, jewelry and symbols - such as the use of the pentagram - can make the difference between black and white witchcraft, the police said. Many worshipers are ignorant of the differences, they added.

Duffy said Satanists and witches are found "in all social, economic levels" of society. Witches rely on "The Book of Shadows," a text of chants and rituals in which they write with their own blood.


This article appeared in NightScapes (a Journal of Magick, Paganism and the Occult), Vol. 2, No. 1. Subscriptions are $13.00 a year/six issues. Sample copy $3.00. For more information, write to:
NightScapes,
P.O. Box 4559,
Mesa, AZ 85211-4559.

HANG TOGETHER OR HANG SEPARATELY:

Which Will It Be? By Diane DesRochers, B.A.; M.C.

(This article refers to events that transpired during 1992--Ed).

The time has come to fight back against the erosion of our civil freedoms by the Fundamentalist Christian Right. They use fear to manipulate their fanatical followers: Fear of damnation; fear of Satan, fear of demons lurking behind every bush. They burn books! They infiltrate school boards as well as local, state and Federal government. They even employ terrorist tactics such as blatant harassment and physical assault on private citizens.

In most states so far, they have been unsuccessful in ramming through legislation that would make abortion illegal once more. So groups like the "Lambs of God," threaten the families of physicians, telling school-age children that their mothers or fathers are baby-killers. They post round- the-clock surveillance and picketing lines at their homes, and follow wherever their victims go. In many states they have frightened doctors and surgeons so effectively that almost none of them are willing to perform abortions, even though it is still legal.

In Massachusetts, Fundamentalist Christians invaded Salem early last June. Although vowing to descend on the city in waves, throughout the summer and fall, to sabotage its "celebration"? of the three-hundredth anniversary of the infamous "Salem Witch Trials," their primary target was the local Pagan community. While video cameras rolled, a young Pagan mother pushing a stroller was grabbed, her hands forced together in parody of prayer and a Bible waved in front of her. She was ordered to repent and call on Jesus in order to save her soul. The woman was terrified, for herself as well as for her infant child. Shops were picketed; customers were blocked from entering or were filmed without permission for airing on The 700 Club.

The leader of these fanatics, Eric Prior, has a hefty criminal record that includes arrests for carrying concealed weapons. He is also a third generation neo-Nazi whose grandfather helped establish the Nazi movement in the U.S. At what had been publicized as a local rock concert, Prior lead public prayers for the demise of Laurie Cabot, Salem's "Official Witch."

At this same "concert" one local witch was approached and told that if he would be willing to publicly denounce the Craft and convert...he really didn't have to believe....he could earn thirty-thousand dollars and more per year touring around the country as one of their ministers.

Pagan Community leaders, from as far south as Rhode Island, met with representatives of the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) and Chief Paul Murphy of the Salem Police. Also attending this meeting were many local non- Pagan business owners who were concerned over the threat to their livelihood. Their shops were being harassed as well; and as a tourist attraction, Laurie Cabot is an economic asset to the city.

Chief Murphy told the gathering, "The police know what your civil rights are. But do you?" When rights are violated, he advised, and the police fail to respond, there are also the State Police, the FBI, the Attorney General's office, etc. to appeal to for help. Letter-writing and demonstrations are not the answer. Charges must be filed! "If you don't want to be involved, if you don't want to take action to defend your rights, then you are part of the problem."

The Massachusetts Attorney General's office worked with the Salem Police and local Pagans who had finally decided to take Chief Murphy's advise. Within several weeks, statewide warrants went out for the arrests of Prior & Co.

The case of a Framingham Pagan came to our attention during the first week of August. Annoyed by roaches in her apartment building, she called the local Board of Health. The inspector they sent, on seeing the alter area where she meditated, immediately started pawing everything, despite her pleas to stop. He lectured her sternly about her "Satanic" practices and counseled her to repent in Jesus' name. He then proceeded to search the entire apartment. When he saw the cage where she kept her ferret, a pet she had owned for seven years, he flew into a frenzy about the harboring of wild animals being against the law and then left.

Outraged, she called the police. Minutes later, two of Framingham's Men in Blue were knocking at her door. They immediately fired off a barrage of offensive questions such as: "Are you on medication for mental or emotional problems?...Do you have any drugs or weapons?.....Do you have any pets, and if so, do you use them in Satanic rituals?" Insisting on seeing the contraband creature, the young woman took her tiny ferret out of its cage, holding and petting it to demonstrate how gentle it was. As soon as she did this, one of Framingham's Finest panicked. Shouting, "Put that wild animal back in its cage! It can kill us!" he bolted for the door. A few moments later, two women from the Department of Animal Control arrived with nets, nooses and a box to confiscate this dangerous beast.

With the help of her veterinarian, the woman was able to secure a license and retrieve her severely traumatized pet. By the time the incident was over she was not in much better shape herself and had lost more than a week of income....all because a witch wanted to get rid of some cockroaches!

New Hampshire is notoriously conservative and the "Christian" Right is a threatening shadow over the land. Needless to say, NH Pagans are master at invisibility; their jobs, their standing in the community, their very lives, they believed...until recently...depended on it. As this state's Regional Director of WARD (Witches Against Religious Discrimination), I felt great need her for a sense of Pagan Community and strength in numbers. So we organized a May Day Festival last spring to lure Pagans out of the broom closet. It worked! A hundred people attended. The tiny Unitarian Church it was held in was bursting at the seams.

In March, while we were still hammering the festival together, one of our fliers brought us to the attention of a Pagan mother up in the Laconia area who needed our help. Her teenage daughter, also Pagan, had a circle of friends who were being influenced by one of the older members. Fancying himself both witch and wizard (Dungeons & Dragons Tradition), he was bragging that he controlled demons which could possess all of them.

Mother and daughter both wanted someone to come up and talk to them who was a representative of the Craft: Someone with credentials and prestige that the young people would be willing to listen to.

We agreed to help. The mother, who incidentally is now a member and Local Contact for WARD immediately went to work to find a place for us to meet with her group.

She was given permission to use a local, privately-owned teen center, then went to the Laconia Evening Citizen to request the presence of a reported at the meeting....to assure the public that the visiting Witches were acting knowledgeably and responsibly, assuring these young people that demons (human or otherwise) were not about to be possessing them and that their "wizard" was legend only in his mind. A reporter called us the very next day requesting a telephone interview, which we granted. The article, titled Witches to Speak at Area Teen Club, quoted us fairly accurately. It was printed the following day and blew the roof off of Laconia. The place will never be quite the same again.

The teen center, under a barrage of calls from good "Christians," aghast at the thought of their young people being exposed to "Satanic" influences, disavowed any knowledge of what we were and immediately denied us use of their facilities. Not to be undone, our Pagan mother then approached the local Unitarian Church. After a call to us from Reverend Paddock to satisfy himself that we were responsible representatives of the Pagan Community, we were granted use of the church facilities.

We arrived on the appointed Sunday expecting to talk to a few teenagers in a small meeting room. Instead, we were ushered into the main sanctuary, packed with eager, receptive townspeople waiting for us to speak. We arrived around two in the afternoon. it was almost six before the flood of enthusiastic questions and dialogue died down sufficiently for us to slip away. Exhausted, we left with empty stomachs but full hearts.

And then the cauldron really hit the fan! Just about every major paper in the state ran the story. We were swamped with requests for newspaper, radio and television interviews. WENH called asking for permission to videotape our Beltane (Mayday) Celebration as well, which I granted on condition they warn everyone in advance of shooting, so those who still felt the need to protect their anonymity could slip out of camera shot. The segment, broadcast on New Hampshire Journal was excellently done. The Laconia Evening Citizen ran a week-long series of full page articles featuring our festival, some well-reported, well-researched pieces on the Neo-Pagan movement in America, and, thank Goddess, interviews with Pagans as well as Pagan families living in the Laconia area who had finally decided it was time to proudly...and bravely....march out of the broom closet and into the sunshine.

As recently as July we were still feeling the fallout. A small weekly talk show on WMUR-TV in Manchester, NH decided to do a show featuring a panel of witches. Word reached us of their plans and that the show's hostess had a very negative attitude toward Pagans and Witches. This was later confirmed through phone calls with some of the show's personnel. When we called to request a place on the panel, we were told it was already full; but they'd be happy to give us a front seat out in the audience, which had limited seating for only thirty people.

We were concerned that the Pagans they had chosen had no experience dealing with on-camera interviews, much less with rabid Fundamentalists, who would doubtless be well-represented in that audience. So, armed with numbers from our data base, we started a phone tree, calling on Pagans all over the state to phone in, demanding that WARD represent them on the panel and, if possible, be present during taping of the show. The following day their phones lit up like a Yule tree.

When we arrived, we were treated like royalty and assured that we had been scheduled to be on the panel all along. In fact, for the first ten minutes, Joyce Siegrist, WARD's National Director, and I were alone in front of the cameras with Cathy Burnham, the show's host. As we looked out into the audience, pentagrams were flashing everywhere and there were so many of us present that folding chairs had to be set up off-set, out in the wings to accommodate everyone. If WARD had not been there in force, we never doubted for a moment that the Fundamentalists out in the audience would certainly have chewed the panel members up and swallowed everything but buttons and bones. Seeing so many of us present however, kept most of them on Sunday manners. Only a few rhetorical grenades were hurled, and they were easily defused. The Jewish Anti-Defamation League, after which WARD is patterned, would have been proud of us. By the end of the show, Cathy Burnham and her crew were fans and hopeful of talking the station executives into approving a special on Pagan Community in NH.

As I write this, I have just learned that violence has visited our NH Pagan Community. A young Pagan mother and her sister, who was visiting at the time, found a witch-hunting mob outside their door late last Friday night. Shouting, "Go somewhere else, witches!" they pelted her door with rocks and mud balls. When she called the local police for help she found them rude and insulting. This morning when she went to the Manchester police station to file a complaint, the officers who interviewed her seemed to project the attitude of: Well, you're a witch, you deserve what you got. WARD has been asked to step in.

It has been over forty years since the last of the anti-witchcraft laws was repealed in England. The Burning Times are over....or so I thought. There seems to be a resurgence of the paranoid mentality that fostered them. I find a strange irony in the fact that, unwittingly, Fundamentalists themselves are the Satanists they are so obsessively afraid of; for what you fear you empower. Personally, I subscribe to the Hell Law: Hell was created for those who believe in it; and the lowest rung is reserved for those who believe they will go there for not believing in it.

People, this isn't only a problem for a minority group of Pagans alone. It's a problem for anyone who doesn't subscribe to the Christian Right's religious views. Pastor Martin Niemoller, while incarcerated in a Nazi concentration camp during World War II, once wrote: "First, they came for the Communists; but I wasn't a Communist, so I didn't speak up. Then they came for the Jews; but I wasn't a Jew, so I didn't speak up. Then they came for the Catholics; but I wasn't a Catholic, so I didn't speak up. Then they came for me......and there was no one left to speak up."

Who will be next after all the Pagans are gobbled up and their religions outlawed? Will anyone speak up when they start coming after Gays, Native Americans, New Agers, Hindus, Buddhists, and then Catholics? Even agnostics and atheists won't be immune.

Religious freedom....freedom for all to worship....or not to worship as they choose, so long as it harms none and does not infringe on the rights of others to follow their own spiritual paths: This is what's at stake. Do we want to live in a nation governed by a theocracy? Do we want our lives....the education of our children controlled by the narrow and bigoted "morality" of only one self-seeking group of fanatics? They are organized. They donate their own money to the implementation of their plans for controlling government on every level. Even the president is bending under pressure from the Fundamentalist Christian Right. Witness Pat Buchanan's intolerant and incredibly bigoted speech at the Republican convention this past summer.

Believe me, it's not just Pagans they're after, it's anyone who doesn't believe as they do. We need to shake ourselves out of our sleepy complacency. We need to lend support, financial as well as volunteer labor, to the groups who are striving to fight our battles. Please, shed your fear and complacency. As Benjamin Franklin said as the signing of the Declaration of Independence, "We must all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately."

Let's all hang together NOW.

There CAN be Unity in Diversity!!!