Modern Christian Mythology: Ritual Satanic Abuse in the ’80’s

Modern Christian Mythology: Ritual Satanic Abuse in the ’80’s

Remember the 1980’s, when pretty much everyone in America was either abused by or accused of being in a satanic cult? And Ronald Reagan was in office, too. Ah, good times. It all seems to track back to 1980, which saw the publication of a book entitled, Michelle Remembers. Michelle Remembers contained the supposed “recovered memories” of satanic ritual abuse by it’s author, Michelle Smith. Once published, it caught on like wild fire among evangelical Christian circles, and it started a wave of “recovered memories” all across the nation. The book has since been pretty thoroughly discredited for containing uncorroborated events and highly unlikely scenarios (hey, when the Church of Satan threatens to sue for libel, it’s pretty bad). But, at the time, no one seemed even remotely interested in questioning the book and it was viewed as an accurate testimonial of a victim of a secret nationwide underground ring of satanists groups that were continually killing babies and sacrificing animals (and, of course, continuously re-hiding the remains so they would never be found). Several other books were published in it’s aftermath, most where also discredited.

Not only where the existence of these satanic cults called into question, but the entire practice of “recovered memories” and the use of hypnosis in therapy was ended by all credible therapists. For a couple of light reading books about the belief in recovered memories and the chaotic mess sloppy investigation can cause, see Remembering Satan and Abducted: How People Come to Believe They Were Kidnapped by Aliens. And, of course, there’s also the Salem Witch trials, which should always be kept fresh in our minds.

Focusing on the Minor Girls

Focus on the Family employee, Juan Alberto Ovalle has been arrested for arranging to have sex with a 15 year old girl (that turned out to be an undercover cop, of course).

the portrayed child, “immediately received an instant message from Ovalle,” who said he was home alone and “horny”

There really isn’t any doubt as to his innocence. He asked her if she liked older guys, he described sexual acts to her, he asked if her parents were home, then went to her home to meet her for sex.I don’t think he’ll be getting off on a technicality.

Focus on the Family is, of course, the ultra-conservative Christian organization that can’t decide if it’s a church or a psychiatric clinic. FotF spend its days making life a living hell for LGBT people by publicly lying about the nature of sexuality, never mind that ever single shred of scientific evidence we have contradicts their holier than thou messages.

So, why do groups that so strongly deny and distort human sexuality ( like Focus on the Family, or the Catholic Church) seem to attract pedophiles?

From “Sexual Abuse in Christian Homes and Churches” by Carolyn Holderread Heggen:

A disturbing fact continues to surface in sex abuse research. The first best predictor of abuse is alcohol or drug addiction in the father. But the second best predictor is conservative religiosity, accompanied by parental belief in traditional male-female roles. This means that if you want to know which children are most likely to be sexually abused by their father, the second most significant clue is whether or not the parents belong to a conservative religious group with traditional role beliefs and rigid sexual attitudes. (Brown and Bohn, 1989; Finkelhor, 1986; Fortune, 1983; Goldstein et al, 1973; Van Leeuwen, 1990)