From: erc@unislc.uucp (Ed Carp)
Subject: my post on cult abuse
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.1 PL6]
Organization: Unisys Corporation SLC
Date: Fri, 2 Oct 1992 19:56:28 GMT

Since I have gotten several pieces of email about my previous post on cult abuse
I will post a clarification to what I said.  Please read this carefully, as I
am merely restating what was in my first post.  Nothing has changed except the
wording.  If you want to flame me, please direct your flames to /dev/null, as
I am no longer subscribed to asar and will ignore flames in email.

** Please read the following carefully **

One or two posters have indicated that so-called "cult abuse" is widespread,
and there are many people out there that have been abused by cults.  I question
the idea of "many" - after all, cults which engage in criminal activity are
very few in this country, according to FBI statistics.  Note that I am not
questioning the veracity of those who have come forward and claimed cult
involvement, just stating what has been reported.  FBI statistics report that
"cult crime" accounts for less than 2% of all reported crime in this country,
where "cult crime" is defined as organized criminal activity by a group or
groups which use drugs or psychological persuasive techniques to control their
members.  This is according to the UCF statistics for year ending 1991, as
released by the FBI.

Due to the resurgence of religious fundamentalism in this country (and indeed,
worldwide), several people have come forward, claiming themselves to be
"experts" in cult-related crime (especially child abuse cases) and told all
kinds of wild stories of child sacrifice, ritual child abuse, "child zombies"
(caused by either drugs or primitive surgery), etc.  There have been seminars
about this all over the country - I know, because I've been to two of them.
Several newsletters have sprung up, several of them electronic, in which
wild theories are spun asserting that "cults" (usually referring to either
Pagan or Wiccan circles) have kidnapped large numbers of children and are
ritually abusing them and/or sacrificing them.

Most of these cases that have been brought to the attention of the Cult Crime
unit of the FBI have proved to either been unfounded or the result of criminal
activity by a relatively small number of individuals (usually family members).
Relatively few of these cases have been traced to actual pagan or wiccan
organizations or activities.  Note that I am referring to the crimes that
have been reported - the ones where "someone heard from someone else"
cannot be verified as to their authenticity.

As a survivor I am inclined to believe someone when they come to me and say
"I was abused."  As a former police officer I am also inclined to think
about the issue of proof, especially if it's turned into criminal charges.
In asar, we can afford to have the attitude that "everyone's telling the
truth" but in the real world that's rather unrealistic.  The needs of the
survivor have to be balanced by the needs of society, and the rights of the
accused.  In the cloistered electronic halls of asar, we can afford the
luxury of patting and stroking and doing "feel good" therapy, and yeah,
the perp's the bad guy and guilty as sin, and you're right, no matter what you
said or did, it's OK.  Whether or not that's appropriate in all cases is a
metter of opinion, but "them's the facts".  Anyone who questions this, who
shines the light of reality into asar is flamed - unconditionally and
unmercifully.

Whether or not I get flamed personally isn't the issue.  The real issue is
whether or not this sort of flaming is appropriate in all cases.  The sort of
"knee-jerk" reactionism, name-calling, and unconditional flaming that I've
seen in the past few months here is irresponsible, immature, and intolerable.

If people want to turn asar into a totally "safe" place, where everyone
sits around and electronically strokes everyone else, where every abuser is
100% wrong and every survivor is 100% unconditionally right, that's your
right.  But that isn't the road to healing.  That's the road to stagnation.
Most people here are on different paths, different stages in their healing;
some can read and listen to my words and discern the meaning behind them.
Some cannot.  But we all have to reach that point where we step out of asar
into the real world, the world of conditional acceptance, the world where
people *will* question what you've been through, and will question your
motives, your actions, and your personal history.

To sum it all up, if people want to call me a liar regarding cult crime and
cult abuse, fine.  But put your money where your mouth is.  Go look up the
statistics for yourself.  Until then, don't flame me - keep your flames to
yourself.

This is my last post in asar.  I have already unsubscribed.  I won't be back.
To those here who I have had the privilege of calling my friend, either past
or present, I wish you well on your road to healing, and I hope you understand
that asar has already taken much more out of me emotionally to stay
committed to this group than I am prepared to give.  I have cried over
poohbear's posts, over Nancy Agnew's posts, over Sarah's posts, and many others.
I'm tired of crying.  I'm tired of getting flamed by people who I care so much
about.

I am sorry that I can't stick around and see how it all turns out - I just have
to trust that the universe will make it all come out for everyone's good.
I send love and light to all who can receive it.  Farewell, my friends.
-- 
Ed Carp, N7EKG     erc@apple.com                801/538-0177
"This is the final task I will ever give you, and it  goes  on  forever.   Act
happy, feel happy, be happy, without a reason in the world. Then you can love,
and do what you will."           -- Dan Millman, "Way Of The Peaceful Warrior"