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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to ask if you think dangerous satanic cults exist?

99 replies

cakedup · 24/02/2015 12:16

Someone I know had been posting a few articles on FB lately re conspiracy theories. Found it a bid odd. Nice, intelligent, healthy living, talented lady in her 50s. Then recently, she posted this

MNHQ has removed a link because it contained highly identifying information about young children and their families

"A lot to take in....however, the biggest story of our generation is unfolding in the UK to near complete silence in the international corporate media."

It was a bit chilling as all the areas cited are very near where I live.

I'm shocked that so many people believe all this stuff. It's not as if it's just one paranoid teenager smoking weed and getting paranoid. But lots of functional adults, many with kids. What's behind it all?

AIBU to ask if anyone here thinks there is any truth at all behind these stories?

OP posts:

pineappleshortbread · 25/02/2015 12:33

A system of religious veneration and devotion directed towards a particular figure or object:
A relatively small group of people having religious beliefs or practices regarded by others as strange or as imposing excessive control over members
That's from the Oxford dictionary control or isolation is not key to the definition of a cult it is purely religious beliefs that are considered abnormal by others

Droflove · 25/02/2015 13:24

How is worshipping a magical donkey any more 'out there' than worshipping an all seeing all knowing white bearded man who owns a magical Kingdom in the sky. It's all subjective.

MonstrousRatbag · 25/02/2015 14:22

Don't ask me, I'm an atheist.

And I haven't suggested cults and religion are wildly different.

MNHQ

KateSMumsnet · 25/02/2015 14:31

Hi everyone,

Thank you for all your reports about this thread. We've been contacted by the police who say there's no truth at all in the particular allegations about satanic cults that have been made on some MN threads over the past few days. They've said it's a case that's actively being pursued at the moment and that at least one individual is subject to an injunction. Given this information, and given the extremely upsetting nature of the allegations (which the police say are without any substance) we'll be deleting references to this particular accusation when they're reported to us.

BuildYourOwnSnowman · 25/02/2015 16:22

Thanks for confirming. A relief!

leedy · 25/02/2015 17:01

Glad to hear it's been confirmed as not real.

I don't doubt that there are a minority of fucked-up people who do fucked-up things, of course, but the first thing I thought when I read the OP (as I think somebody else did upthread) was this was yet another version of the old, old story about "those people there, they're secretly a Satanic cult, they worship Satan and do terrible things to babies". There were really similar stories doing the rounds hundreds of years ago about the Jews, the Cathars, the Knights Templar, random women, all featuring infanticide, horrible secret rituals, etc.

geekymommy · 25/02/2015 17:16

I was sceptical- this sounded an awful lot like the Satanic ritual abuse panic we had in the US in the 1980s and 1990s.

Original poster

cakedup · 25/02/2015 22:29

Well I'm kind of reassured by the police confirmation.
But to accept that as absolute truth would mean that: the police are not involved themselves and don't ever lie or cover up for any reason.

My ex dp's father was quite high up at Scotland Yard. Yet according to my dp, he was part of a paedophile ring. Ex dp's sister was sexually abused by a neighbour and the dad didn't do a thing about it.

OP posts:

Original poster

cakedup · 25/02/2015 22:36

Re cults and religions, I belonged to a group that were considered a cult in the 70s but have since been accepted as a religion (and has been practised in India as a religion for hundreds of years). I was there out of my own free will, I was never asked to do anything against my will, and I was not controlled by anyone. The principals are very much in line with Buddhism, i.e. non-violence, respect for all living entities etc. Personally I agree more with MonstrousRatbag's definition of a cult than Oxford dictionary!

OP posts:

Original poster

cakedup · 25/02/2015 22:38

Grewupinacult I'm very sorry to hear about your experience. It is interesting to hear how the 'satanic' element was used. But again, sorry you had to go through that

OP posts:

Tobyjugg · 25/02/2015 22:57

If you dig into the reports it's surprising how many of these so called "satanic cults" have rituals etc lifted directly from the Dennis Wheatley novel The Devil Rides Out.

That there are evil people cannot be denied - Myra Hindley, Fred & Rose West, etc. There are also individuals who call themselves "Satanists" - but wholesale organised satanic cults? No, I don't believe it.

Fabulassie · 26/02/2015 07:33

There are large organised satanic "cults" - like the Church of Satan. They don't actually believe in the devil (they're atheist) and they don't hurt people.

Dilbertdoes · 26/02/2015 09:42

OP - how will all this affect your relationship, such as it is, with the person who made the online accusations? Will you ask her about it?

Original poster

cakedup · 26/02/2015 10:08

Dilbertdoes she used to be a close friend of mine many years ago, then moved away and our lives moved on in different directions. We have a lot o mutual friends but I don't really see or speak to her, the only contact we have is the odd comment on FB so it won't affect our relationship at all.

OP posts:

Grewupinacult · 26/02/2015 19:25

Thank you caked
I never speak of it on here for fear of being branded a left wing looney conspiracy theorist.
It is very isolating if your experience is outside the "norm" and denied by people who haven't a clue.

Original poster

cakedup · 26/02/2015 22:19

Grewupinacult if anyone has a right to speak about it, it's you. I know people are quick to shout troll on mn but I am certain that when it comes to victims of abuse, the general response is of belief and support.

OP posts:

BertieBotts · 26/02/2015 22:21

Cults, sure. Dangerous to society as a whole? No way. Really unlikely IMO. I could be wrong, obviously.

(Has not read whole thread will have a look in morning.)

Millyx · 27/02/2015 01:46

Wtf you just heard about this stuff? do you live in a cave or what?

Millyx · 27/02/2015 01:53

oh i thought this was about the illuminati you lot are talking about next shi

Grewupinacult · 27/02/2015 17:17

That may be true caked. But in my experience that only extends to abuse people "understand". You mention the word cult and suddenly that dries up quickly.

Original poster

cakedup · 27/02/2015 23:05

Grewupinacult well that's just awful if that's been your experience . I suppose in the past there was denial of even 'mainstream' abuse. There seems to be increasing exposure to this kind of thing so I can only guess it will go the same way. Not that it makes your experience any easier to process but I would imagine you could do without the added unnecessary stigma.

OP posts:

Grewupinacult · 28/02/2015 10:37

I can only hope so caked. Thanks for hearing me anyway. I appreciate it.

Original poster

cakedup · 28/02/2015 15:24

Grewupinacult

OP posts:

Quietattheback · 02/03/2015 09:50

Grewupinacult - So sorry to hear of your experience. I don't know about mass ritual abuse going on in society but I do think there are groups that do it and I think you're right that the ritualistic element is about scaring the shit out of everybody involved, but most the victims. There is a women on YouTube called Teal Swan who talks about her experience as a child in a cult (in America).

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