Cynical evangelists encourage Satanic panic

by Feòrag

Lebanon: Rumours about Satanic cults kidnapping children, removing their hearts and drinking their blood have terrified children so much that they are asking to carry mace to protect themselves, and Christian evangelists have been quick to exploit the situation.

Tele-Lumiere, a private Christian television station, aired a report on devil worship last Sunday, and included a live testimony from an alleged former devil worshipper, who described in detail the orgies and bloody rituals she and her devil worshipping mates would partake in.

The young woman, whose face was blurred, recounted that cult members would strip young girls of their virginity and if an unwanted pregnancy resulted, the unborn baby would be offered as a sacrifice before the mother was due to deliver.

No mention was made of the fact the early Christians were accused of exactly the same thing by the Romans. Apaprently you can recognise a devil-worshipper because they dress in black, look "grungy," have several body piercings, tattoos and long untrimmed hair and beards.

The rumours all focus on one shopping and entertainment centre, and the owners have now filed a complaint with the police.

The most popular rumor involving mysterious devil worshippers, talks of one or more teenagers being found dead in the Dunes Center restrooms with their hearts extracted.

Other rumors involving Dunes also include stories of nails being placed on theater seats, entertainment equipment being destroyed and a girl being raped.

We have closed-circuit cameras everywhere in the center, said Rayess. They are in the elevators, in the movie the aters, everywhere, and we monitor everything.

Rayess also said that the center employs two or three security guards per floor and that they keep a watchful eye on everything.

If these rumors were true, don't you think that the police would have come and sealed off the center and investigated? asked Rayess in frustration.

Non-conventional young people are already suffering harassment as a result. A number of youths have been arrested in connection with the alleged cult but were released. Judicial sources noted that having tattoos was not a crime, but others called for laws banning Satanism. Devil worshipping rumors rife among children - The Daily Star (Lebanon), 12th March 2003.