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CultWatch Response
Volume I, Issue 6
From the Editor
by Gerald Bliss
That Dangerous Dabbling
Many "cult-bashers" talk about "dabbling" (trying a few things from a
magazine article or book and reading a few more books) as being "the
first and least dangerous step into Satanism". But is it the least
dangerous?
Not according to Steven Daniels, a probation and parole officer in
Green Bay, WI (as quoted in the November 27, 1988 Appleton, WI
Post-Crescent, as reported by Maija Penikis). "Teen-age dabblers" are
the least sophisticated, but account for a great deal of crime. They
are mostly white, intelligent, alienated, bored and somewhat affluent.
"They surround themselves with a barrage of heavy metal music whose
lyrics are filled with drugs, fantasy, suicide, violent sex --
primarily against women."
"Self-styled" occultists account for 28% to 35% of the sociopathic
serial killers. "They pick and choose whatever they want out of the
satanist beliefs to give themselves 'permission' to be as brazen and
bizarre as they want to be. They are the dangerous ones," Daniels
said.
Also not according to Sandi Gallant, an officer with the San Francisco
Police Department. In an article from the Nov. 16, 1988, Juneau
(Alaska) Empire, she is quoted as saying: "I am less concerned about
cult groups acting together than I am with the individual who's
dabbling in satanism on his own, looking for a way to justify doing
sick things."
Why do certain witch-bashing ministries say that dabbling is less
harmful? Because the people they consider "experts" as being "former
witches" were dabblers. These people are very invested in believing
that they weren't very deep into satanism. An article in Cosmopolitan,
a book by Zolar or Paul Huson (most of this type of thing we call
"Witchcrap", but it is still very dangerous if believed), a copy of
the Necronomicon (a hoax, but a dangerous hoax), and they think they
can call themselves "Witches" and start throwing around terms like
"White Witch" if they really think they are basically good.
To us here at CWR, the only difference between the "dabbler" and the
"self-styled occultist" is that the latter has gotten more serious.
There is no training, no actual study, no belief system other than
what the person selects from dubious, sensationalized materials.
We have been using the term, "legitimate witch". While we make no
claims as to what is and is not legitimate (determining this is what
Goddess gave each of us brains for), here are some guidelines. All of
these are basic concepts, and there will be exceptions.
1. Legitimate witches do not charge for lessons, other than
paying for renting the teaching space and making whatever
copies are necessary, etc. This is written into the Craft
Laws.
2. Legitimate witches do not publish how-to books containing
harmful or manipulative spells. Major legitimate published
witches include Raymond Buckland, Marion Weinstein, Margot
Adler, Scott Cunningham, Doreen Valiente, Starhawk, and
Stewart Farrar. This list excludes legitimate Ritual Magicians
(such as Israel Regardie), since Ritual Magick is not a form
of our religion (and many do not practice RM as a religion at
all).
3. Legitimate witches do not teach the Craft to minors without
informed parental permission. They seldom teach minors at all,
since there are legal problems even with written permission.
4. Legitimate witches never ask their students for blind
obedience, and usually encourage inquisitive examination of
everything they are taught.
5. Legitimate witches do not break the laws of their country
of residence, with exceptions sometimes being made in areas of
civil disobedience and matters of conscience.
This is a start. There will be exceptions, and there are many more
things that most trained, experienced, legitimate witches do/are. If
you have questions, contact us here at CWR, and/or refer to Kerr
Cuhulain's "A Law Enforcement Guide to Wicca", available from CWR for
$10 ppd. CWR will soon be publishing a variety of brochures on the
Craft for further information.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
In This Issue...
- Matamoros Cult Killings, by Kerr Cuhulain
- Reviews by Rowan Moonstone
- Plight of the Pagan Policeman, Part V
- and whatever we can squeeze into 6 pages of text...
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Matamoros Cult Killings
by Kerr Cuhulain
We have received quite a collection of articles from numerous
newspapers on the Matamoros incident. They run the entire spectrum
from good to bad. Many of these papers are contradictory, calling the
Matamoros cult members Satanists, Santeros, or practitioners of
Voodoo, and then refuting this in an adjacent article by another
reporter. What really happened down there? Was it a Satanic cult? If
not, who started these rumors? We do not propose to go into many
details of the incident here. Basically, this group was shipping 450
kg (1000 lb) of marijuana per week into the United States and believed
that their rituals would protect them from prosecution. Here is what
some of the experts had to say about the Matamoros cult in the papers:
Sgt. Jesse Hernandez, Fort Worth P.D. Gang Intelligence Unit (tracks
ritualistic crime): "And from all indications these killings are going
to be part of Palo Mayombe." 1
Dr. Raphael Martinez, administrative officer at the Dade/Miami
Criminal Justice Council (a Miami-based expert on Santeria and other
folk religions): (In speaking about this cult's apparent use of human
body parts in their rituals) "... are definitely part and parcel of
Palo Mayombe. ...To compare these people with practitioners of
Santeria or even with practitioners of Palo Mayombe is like saying
that what Jim Jones did in Guyana is a good example of Christianity...
When these beliefs fall into the hands of already sick people, they do
really weird things." 2
Det. Jaime Escalante, investigator for the Homicide Division of the
Houston P.D., reported that drug smuggling was often related to Palo
Mayombe. 3
Joseph Murphy, theology professor at Georgetown University: "The
killings at Matamoros have as much to do with Santeria as Christianity
has to do with Jonestown. Human sacrifice is a psychopathic
occurrence, not Santeria." 4
Dr. Charles Wetli, deputy chief medical examiner of Dade County, FL,
commenting on Santeria: "The basic tenets are not ones that encourage
human sacrifice." 5
Wade Davis, a Boston anthropologist and Voodoo expert, discounted that
the Matamoros cult was practicing voodoo, which also does not involve
human sacrifice. 6
Even Tom Wedge, author of The Satan Hunter, has gone on record as
saying that the Matamoros killings were not related to Satanism. 7
What did the Matamoros cult members believe? Well, from the evidence
at the scene and the intelligence gathered so far, it would seem that
they based their beliefs on Palo Mayombe, a Cuban spirit religion.
This religion was created when slaves from the Bantu tribe in the
Congo brought their tribal beliefs to Cuba, where it was combined with
the Catholic beliefs of their owners. This belief is far more
succinctly explained in Migene Gonzalez-Wippler's book, Santeria:
African Magic in Latin America (Original Products, New York, NY,
1973).
The paraphernalia recovered at the scene in Matamoros included four
cauldrons (one large and two small) which can be identified from their
contents (some of the victims' brains, blood, human and animal bone,
turtle shells, chicken and goat heads, gold colored beads, etc.) as
ngangas, a form of charm used in Palo Mayombe. Also found was an altar
with ritual candles, broken glass, cigars, chilis, and bottles of cane
liquor, also consistent with Palo Mayombe.
Where this group differs from Palo Mayombe groups is in the source of
their human body parts. Where these parts are normally obtained by
Mayomberos (followers of Palo Mayombe) from graves or purchased from
medical supply houses, the Matamoros cult members kidnapped and killed
to obtain them.
The paraphernalia and statements of the accused in no way suggest that
they were Satanists. Their rituals and paraphernalia do not resemble
any Satanic ritualism that has been reported to date. Nor was this
group practicing Santeria, another faith formed by syncretism of
African tribal beliefs with Catholicism. In the case of Santeria, it
was Yoruba (Nigerian) tribal beliefs that were involved. Nor is Palo
Mayombe related to Voodoo, a religion formed from the syncretism of
Nagos, Ibos, Aradas, and Dahomean tribal beliefs with Catholicism in
Haiti.
Unfortunately, many of those involved in both the investigating of and
the reporting of this incident are apparently ignorant of the
existence of these faiths, never mind the differences between them.
They therefore fall back on their limited knowledge of occult related
crime, obtained from TV, the newspapers, and the many self-appointed
"experts" out there. As a result, they came out with statements which
the press reported as follows:
Lt. George Gavito, Cameron County Sheriff's Dept. (investigator at the
scene): "They prayed to the devil so the police would not arrest them,
so bullets would not kill them and so they would make money." 7 This
is mostly true, except that they were not praying to the devil.
Carlos Tapia, Cameron County Sheriff's Deputy: "Apparently Sara
(Aldrete) was leading a double life; as a witch in Mexico and as a
dean's honor roll student at Texas Southmost College." 8 Again, almost
true, but Aldrete did not practice Wicca.
Helen Kilroy (mother of victim Mark Kilroy): "I think that (the
suspects) must have been possessed by the devil." 10 Obviously this
woman is not an expert witness on this subject.
Judy Strader (18-yr.-old friend of Aldrete's at Texas Southmost
College), claimed that aldrete wore a necklace with a pentagram, 11 a
fact played up in several articles. However, all of the other students
interviewed stated that Aldrete wore "medallions" and said that
Aldrete would not allow anyone to touch them.
The Associated Press articles picked up on these remarks, and earlier
articles (April 12-13, 1989) had numerous references to the Matamoros
group as "a satanic cult of drug smugglers" or "voodoo practicing". It
is also in the AP articles that Sara Aldrete is repeatedly referred to
as having been called "the witch" by cult members. In fact, they
called her "la bruja". This is often translated from the Spanish as
"the witch", with witch being used in the manner in which it is often
defined in common English dictionaries. It is more properly translated
in this case as "the sorceress", a point that AP missed. Someone
familiar with the works of Carlos Castaneda might have picked up on
this, though.
Some articles speculate that cannibalization was taking place at
Matamoros, probably due to the fact that the cauldrons (ngangas) were
found just outside of the hut where the homicides took place. Again,
lack of knowledge of Palo Mayombe beliefs leads these speculators to
try to interpret what they see in terms of their popular beliefs and
urban legends.
Predictably, several of our anti-Pagan friends have jumped on the
bandwagon to try to use this incident to sell their Satanism theories.
It is interesting to note that many of these people are apparently
confused by Matamoros, since it does not fit neatly into their
definitions of Satanic systems. They claim that this incident is
Satanic, but had to admit that there were major discrepancies.
Horn's statement is typical: "Where there's drugs involved, often
you will find Satanism. What is odd is that the bodies were not
cremated."
All of these individuals made similar comments. The fact that this
cult didn't go to fantastic lengths to destroy the evidence goes
against the theories being taught by fundamentalist "occult crime
experts" at present. If the average "satanic cult" takes as few
precautions as these suspects did, then there certainly can't be many
around or we'd have found them all over the place by now. This is what
true experts, such as the FBI's Kenneth Lanning, have been saying for
some time.
In fact, the most revealing comment with regards to these alarmists
and sensationalists comes from Lindell Bishop, Director of Criminal
Justice for the Central Texas Council of Governments in Benton, TX:
"If we didn't do anything else but go into the business of conducting
seminars on satanism, we'd do a booming business." 12
The staff at CWR concurs wholeheartedly with this sentiment.
Anti-Paganism is a large and lucrative business!
Footnotes:
1. Dallas Morning News, 4-13-89, "Cult leader sought in U.S., Mexico",
by Lee Hancock
2. Dallas Morning News, 4-13-89, "Use of body parts common in Cuban
occult religion", by Lee Hancock
3. Corpus Christi Caller Times, 4-15-89, "Mexicans descend on
Matamoros in search of missing relatives", by Joel Williams
4. New York Newsday, 4-14-89, "Human sacrifice link irks Santeria
flock", by Michael Powell
5. ibid.
6. USA Today, 4-13-89, "A perverse twist on ancient rites", by Jeanne
DeQuine
7. Sunday Oklahoman, 5-7-89, "Mexican ritual slayings underscore need
for cult cops", AP news story
8. Corpus Christi Caller Times, 4-12-89, "Missing Spring Break reveler
among victims", by David Hanners
9. Corpus Christi Caller Times, 4-14-89, "Remains of 13th victim
discovered", by Eloy O. Aguilar
10. USA Today, 4-13-89, "Cult godfather hunted", by Julie Morris and
Steve Marshall
11. same as Footnote 3
12. Corpus Christi Caller Times, 4-14-89, "The Smoking Gun?", by
Shelley Emiling
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Reviews
by Rowan Moonstone
The Edge of Evil- The Rise of Satanism in North America by
Jerry Johnston, Word Publishing, Dallas, 1989
At first glance, I wasn't too hopeful for this book. Any volume
dedicated to Sean Sellers with a forward by Geraldo Rivera has two
strikes against it to begin with.
Fortunately, my fears were not borne out at all. Johnston has
traversed the country looking for research in this book. In the course
of his travels, he has talked with police officials, health care
professionals, authors, and teens in trouble. The picture that emerges
overall is one in which the alleged international Satanic conspiracy
does not exist, but one in which there are a great number of lonely,
unhappy teenagers looking for acceptance and a sense of belonging.
However, there were still things in it that disturbed me greatly.
First and foremost was the list of sources which Johnston considers
reputable. I would hardly recommend Passport Magazine to anyone as
excellent research material. Although Johnston takes great issue with
the purported "W.I.C.C.A. Letters" and rightly labels tham a hoax of
the first water, he goes on to believe the Satanic ritual calendar
published in the same volume. This calendar is so extensive that if it
were to be truly followed, there would be Satanic rituals on one out
of three nights of the year!
Other sources cited as credible by Johnston were Chick Publications
magazine Battlecry. Chick has published some of the most extreme
anti-Catholic hate literature on the market today, and his research
has been called into question by such authorities as Gordon Melton and
Christianity Today. I hardly think these are sterling recommendations.
By far the most ludicrous story is taken from Larry Kahaner's book
Cults That Kill in which a supposed former cult member talks about
killing cattle in a Tulsa, OK field. Obviously, the author has never
dealt with cattle. Recently I had an experience of picking some lilacs
from around the outside of a pasture in which were cattle that were
not familiar with me; I was shortly forced to leave the area because
of the hostility of the livestock. I was afraid they were going to
come through the barbed wire fence to trample me. I cannot imagine
cattle standing still to be butchered by strangers. A single cow might
be killed, but the remainder of the herd would stomp the intruders
rather thoroughly. As for the 200-foot boom that was supposed to be
mounted on the top of the van which allowed the cultists access to the
field without leaving footprints... the sheer physics of a 200-foot
boom that could lift a 1500 lb. cow off the ground would necessitate
that the van be more massive than a tractor trailer rig.
Johnston even went to Oklahoma to interview a Witch. I WISH he had
come to Oklahoma City, where I was living at the time. The lady that
he spoke with was a solitary with seemingly little knowledge of the
Craft and, as a result, came across as a bit of a flake. Perhaps this
is just Johnston's writing, but I wish he had sought out someone
knowledgable in the Craft.
I cannot recommend this book whole-heartedly, but neither can I
condemn it outright. The best I can say is... read it with a grain of
salt and a healthy dose of skepticism. And check the sources (and
their sources, and...)
Satanism, Is Your Family Safe? by Ted Schwarz and Duane Empey,
Zondervan Books, Grand Rapids,MI; 1988
Unlike most Christian books on the subject of Satanism, this book has
a great deal of things to recommend it. On the other hand, the
historical research is so sloppily done that it cases doubt upon the
veracity of the findings of the authors.
On the positive side, Schwarz and Empey seem to have a good grasp on
the fact that there is a great deal of hysteria surrounding this
issue. On page 8 they write, "In recent times, Satan, like the Bible,
seems to have become a scapegoat for the bigots, the crazies, the
troubled and the lost. Many otherwise well-educated individuals define
whatever they fail to understand as 'satanic'." They also readily
recognise the fact that the Christian religion has had it's share of
problems, to wit: "History, of course, is filled with Christians who
have misinterpreted the Bible. They have justified such acts as
slavery, the supression of women, and the denial of other human rights
by either quoting the Bible out of context or simply creating Bible
passages where none existed." (pages 71-72)
But for all their fine words, the two authors then buy into the theory
of a Satanist behind every tree and rampant ritualistic child abuse.
They go deeply into detail on a case involving a family called the
"Cambridge" family, but refuse to give any details of the case,
assuring the readers that, "Although extensive documentation is
available concerning ritual child abuse, drug abuse, and murder,
charges have not been filed due to technicalities relating to the
statue of limitations, the unwillingness of witnesses to testify, and
similar difficulties." As I have pointed out frequently before, there
is NO statute of limitations on murder. Another point to consider is
the fact that IF these heinous crimes took place, it would seem that
the victims of them would want the perpetrators caught and stopped
before someone else got hurt. The excuses seem entirely too
"convenient" for my taste!
Finally, there is the point of the absolutely unexcusable research
concerning the origins of Voodoo. "Voodoo began in France with
peasants conbining concepts from the Knights Templar, the Catholic
Church, & remnants of the Druid Teachings" (p. 35). Nothing could be
further from the truth. Any interested person who cares to do the most
basic research can find out that Voodoo is a mixture of the Yoruba
religions native to Africa and Roman Catholicism, which originated
during the slave trade. The only connection it has to the French at
all is the fact that many of the slaves were bought and sold on the
French held islands of Haiti, Martinique, and other Caribbean islands.
Voodoo has almost nothing in common with Druidism.
While Schwarz and Empey do offer some valuable advice to parents with
teens who may become involved with the occult as dabblers, and while
they do point out that the only "occultic" crimes for which we have
hard evidence have been done by teens who come from dysfunctional
families, I do not feel that this book would be useful to CWR readers.
The authors' scholarship is entirely too much in question for their
findings to be accepted without a great deal of corroborating
evidence.
--------------------------------
CWR Publications
Kerr Cuhulain's "A Law Enforcement Guide to Wicca" is now in print. It
is a professionally produced publication of approx. 40 pages. The
first printing is almost gone, but we have printed another run
already; don't miss it! Only $10.00 ppd.
CWR will be publishing an expanded version of Rowan Moonstone's "The
Origins of Halloween", with additional source material. The price will
be $1.00 ppd., with volume discounts. Order now!
----------------------------------------------------------------------
EX-CULTIST SOUGHT BY TEXAS AUTHORITIES
CWR has received several articles from Texas concerning one Marti
Johnston, who is associated with the Cult Awareness Council. In
January, 1989, at a meeting in Anahuac, TX, she spoke of witnessing a
child sacrifice of an 8-year-old girl from the Tomball, TX area eight
years earlier. Shortly after this presentation, Tomball police officer
Leroy Michna sought contact with Ms. Johnston in connection with this
alleged crime. When his attempts were unsuccessful, he obtained the
help of Harris County Assistant D.A. Casey O'Brian. In an article from
the Daily Pasadena Citizen, Feb. 25, 1989, O'Brian is quoted as
saying,"It was referred to me. I attempted to get hold of Marti
Johnston. For whatever reason she won't talk to us. We don't know
where she is."
Authorities in the Tomball area say there are no reports of missing
girls dating from the time period in which Ms. Johnston claims to have
seen the child abducted and killed. "We have no homicide to link it
to. Why she would make those claims and then be hesitant to talk with
authorities is reason to question her motives," said O'Brian in the
Houston Chronicle, March 6, 1989.
Johnston's location is known to Dorothy Seabolt of the Houston Cult
Awareness Council, according to the Chronicle article, but Ms. Seablot
refuses to disclose Ms. Johnston's location because of fear for
Johnston's life. She claims that Johnston has received death threats,
and has had to move numerous times in the past to avoid being killed
by cult members.
We here at CWR are most happy to see the police investigating these
claims. If there is evidence, lets find those responsible for the
crime and pub them behind bars where they can hurt no one else. If
there is no evidence, let's defuse the hysteria before somebody gets
hurt.
For further information on this case, refer to the following newspaper
articles:
"Crowd Hears About Satanic Cults", Anahuac (TX) Weekly, Feb. 8, 1989
"Assistant DA Wants to Talk to Cult Expert", Humble Echo (Channelview,
TX) Feb. 22, 1989
"DA Seeking 'Sacrifice' Information", by Virginia Hahn, Daily Pasadena
(TX) Citizen, Feb. 25, 1989
"Tale of Child's Ritual Slaying Vexes Lawmen", by Bill Disessa,
Houston Chronicle, March 6, 1989
----------------------------------------------------------------------
PLIGHT OF THE PAGAN POLICEMAN
PART VI
by Kerr Cuhulain
The other day I went looking for a Sergeant to affirm the affidavit on
the back of an appearance notice that I'd issued to a party that I'd
arrested for theft. Very briefly, this involved plunking it down in
front of someone the rank of Sergeant or higher, taking an oath on
religious scripture (eg: Bible, Koran, etc.) or making an affirmation
(no scripture required). Being a Wiccan officer, I affirm my
affidavits. This practice is rather rare, since Wiccan policemen are a
rather rare commodity these days. Consequently, I often find that if
the NCO that I plunk my affidavit in front of doesn't know me, he
won't know the correct wording. So I have a copy of the correct
wording on the back of my appearance notice book and a small
contingency package for those special situations.
As luck would have it, the only Sergeant available then was one newly
assigned to our division and one who didn't know me. He'd never had a
Pagan officer plunk an appearance notice for affirmation in front of
him before. I therefore had to explain at length the procedure and
reassure him that this was not some practical joke. Satisfied at last
that this was a legal procedure under the Oaths Ace, he signed the
affidavit. He did not ask me what my beliefs were and I didn't
volunteer the information. He then left the room.
Now while this was happening, a Corporal, also newly arrived, was
watching this procedure from across the roe of NCO's desks. As I
walked away with my completed affidavit he said, "Well! Can you beat
that! There ARE some agnostics in this department!"
I stopped to squint at him. "Meaning me?"
"Uh...yes."
"What makes you think that I'm an agnostic?"
"Well...uh...you don't believe in God."
I picked up the Websters dictionary on the Sergeants desk and,
flipping it open read the definition of agnostic to the Corporal: "one
who holds the view that any ultimate reality (as God) is unknown and
probably unknowable." I then continued, "What makes you think that I
don't believe in something other than Jehovah?"
"Do you?"
"Yes."
The Corporal now had a puzzled expression on his face. He stammered,
"But...you must be an atheist. There isn't anything else."
I flipped to another page: "Atheism: `a disbelief in the existence of
deity.' There are plenty of other deities out there. What about
Buddhism, Islam, Sikhism...?"
"Oh, but those are false faiths."
"What's real then?"
The Corporal puffed himself up and adopted his best sermon for the
pulpit posture. He then said: "I'm a Catholic. The source of our
problems is that people have turned away from the Bible. I believe
that the problems of the world today would all be solved if we did
what it tells us to do in the Bible."
"What about Lebanon?", I replied,"or Northern Ireland? You've got
different Christian sects running about saying, `My way or the
highway', and bumping each other off."
The Corporal had a condescending smile on his face as he replied:
"That's just the point! It says right in the Bible, `Thou shalt not
kill.'"
"It says in the next chapter to go into Canaan and kill everything
that you find there," I shot back.
"It does?"
"Yup."
I started to leave at this point , having reports to be written. He
was rapidly leafing through his Bible to see if I was right. I grabbed
some papers from my briefcase and started for the report writing room
door. He called after me: "Wait a minute. Do all of you non-Christians
use the affirmation thing?"
"Nope. Some of us use the Chicken Oath."
"The WHAT?"
"The Chicken Oath."
The Corporal was starting to turn purple. "This is a joke, right?"
I walked over to my briefcase and extracted some papers from my
contingency packet. These papers were excerpts from the British
Columbia Courts Operating Manual. These excerpts listed the following
real and legal oaths used by the occasional Oriental who ends up on
the witness stand in my province:
"7. CHINESE NON-CHRISTIAN OATHS:
"A) PAPER OATH (Civil)
"The witness writes his name on a piece of paper and takes the
following oath while burning the paper: `The evidence which you shall
give to the Court shall be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but
the truth, or your soul shall be consumed by fire as is this paper.'
"C) SAUCER OATH ( Civil and Criminal)
"The witness, on taking the stand, kneels down, and the Clerk places
in his hand a China saucer whereupon the witness breaks it against the
box. The Clerk then administers the following oath, `You shall tell
the truth, the whole truth; the saucer is cracked and if you do not
tell the truth, your soul will be cracked like the saucer.'
"D) CHICKEN OATH (Civil and Criminal):
"The witness is handed a piece of paper with the following writing:
`Oath made by (witness signs his name). Being a true witness, I shall
enjoy happiness and my sons and grandsons will prosper forever. `If I
give false evidence I shall die on the street, earth will destroy me,
and I shall forever suffer in adversity, and all my offspring will be
exterminated. In burning this Oath, I humbly submit myself to the Will
of Heaven which has brilliant eyes to see. The _______year of the
Reign of ______________ the day, the _____________ Moon.' (witness
signs his name.)
"The witness having signed his name twice, and a cock having been
procured, the Court (and Jury) adjourns to a convenient place outside
the building where the full ceremony of administering the oath is
performed. A block of wood, an axe or knife, not less than three punk
sticks, a pair of candles and Joss paper being obtained, Chinese
candles are stuck in the ground and lighted. The oath is then read out
loud by the witness, after which he wraps it in Joss paper as used in
religious ceremonies. The witness then lays the cock on the block and
chops its head off, then sets fire to the oath from the candles and
holds it until it is consumed."
I've omitted the criminal version of the "paper oath" and a "candle
oath", but you get the point. The Corporal looked as if his world was
collapsing around his ears as he read this. I suppose that he had
imagined that the legal system was exclusively Christian and that he
was surrounded by Christian officers at work.
"This is real?"
"That's affirmative."
"Seriously?"
"No sh*t."
I started to leave again, but he called to me one last time. "Wait!
Wait! What do YOU believe in then?"
I paused in the doorway. "You really want to know?"
"Yes."
"Objective, professional and fair police work."
"No! No! I mean what do you BELIEVE in?"
"Oh that."
"Yes."
"Mom."
"Pardon?"
"Mom."
"Your Mother?"
"Nope. Ours."
"I don't understand," he said, a thousand yard stare on his face.
"You got that right," I said as I turned and left the room.
Fortunately, not all Catholics are as intolerant as this guy seems to
be. I wonder what he'll do some day if he makes Sergeant and someone
asks him to affirm an affidavit? Maybe they'll ask for a Chicken Oath.
That I'd like to see!
----------------------------------------------------------------------
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