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World Famous Cults & Fanatics

Colin Wilson (1992)

 

Q: How far did I get in World Famous Cults & Fanatics by noted occult researcher and all-around gullible person Colin Wilson?

A: Two sentences:

There is no way in which we can dismiss the idea that certain people can perform "miracles." And if that is true, then we cannot dismiss all "messiahs" as fakes.

Keep up the skepticism, there, Colin.

But then I flipped through the book, which I got somewhere used, and had to share the fabulously deranged insights of the book's previous owner, a much more gullible and simultaneously more skeptical person than Mr. Wilson.

World Famous Cults & Fanatics excerpt

Previous owner's comment

The Deacon had indeed cured her. Within days she was eating excrement and drinking urine, and did so with every sign of enjoyment. (20)

“Demonic”

According to this theory the internal passageways of the Pyramid, measured in the correct units, are a three dimensional model of the history of the world up to Christ's birth. (24)

“yes”

Jesus had no desire to be regarded as a military commander…. (31)

“HAPPENS IN BIBLE REV. END—A PLANETARY KING”

In fact, Jesus had preached salvation through the efforts of the individual…. (33)

“CHOKE”

And, as we have seen, there was so much violence, pestilence and bloodshed around that time that the believers had no doubt that the end was just around the corner. (33-4)

“IT IS NOW! BY 2025!”

In about AD 435, an unnamed messiah from Crete, who called himself Moses […] (35)

“NOT OLD TEST MOSES”

In AD 591, an unnamed messiah began to wander around France. […] He declared he was Christ, had a companion called Mary, and healed the sick by touching them. (35)

“FALLEN / POWERS OF ADAM”

Homosexuality was also well known in parts of Germany […] (42)

“SICK”

Around 1550, a man named Klaus Ludwig . . . formed a church in which members were initiated by having sex with a stranger. (43)

“SICK”

Ludwig taught that sexual desire is the prompting of the Holy Spirit, so that if a man feels desire for any woman, he should regard it as a message from God. (43)

“SICK”

On one occasion he went around carrying a basket of fish, explaining that it represented the Age of Pisces, when Jews would be released from bondage. (46)

“somewhat Biblical”

He produced a Bible called the Dove Book, and preached that men should not marry, should not drink or swear, and should look out for martyrdom. (72)

“THIS THEOLOGY NOT ACCEPTED IN WRITTEN WORDS OF SCRIPTURE”

The faithful used to assemble by night in a hut or forest clearing, lit by hundreds of tapers. (73)

“THIS IS WITCHCRAFT RITUAL”

The celebrants danced around the tub of water . . . and flagellated one another, meanwhile chanting their hymns, many of them containing nonsense words. (73)

“SPIRIT DEVIL TONGUES?”

There was a sect of Ticklers, in which the men tickled the women to induce religious ecstasy. (77)

“WEIRDOS”

Martin Luther heard about Muntzer's Messianic ideas, and wrote an open letter to the Princes of Saxony warning them about Muntzer. (86)

“MUNTZER NUTS”

If [Luther] had supported the revolt, he would have been executed like Muntzer, and Protestantism would have died. (88)

“YES!”

[John of Leyden] had an idea that made him even more popular. Men and women were sexually free. (91)

“DISGUSTING”

[Written above a smiley face that has no eyes (?!)]

Surrounded by adoring women, he woud call upon the “full spirit” to descend on them. They would all sway and chant, clapping rhythmically, and as the excitement became hysterical, Joshua would cry: “Begone vile clothes,” and start to fling his robes around the room. (121)

“DEMONIC SPIRIT CONTROL”

It was as he left Seattle that Joshua pronounced the curse that “caused” the San Francisco earthquake. (123)

“WILD”

In Canada, she attracted a crowd by standing on a chair at a street corner, her eyes closed and her arms raised in prayer. As the crowd waited in silent expectation, Aimee suddenly opened her eyes and yelled, “Follow me!” and rushed to the revival hall. Once the crowd was in she shouted, “Shut the doors. Don't let anyone out.” (126)

“yes! Way to go!”

As to Edward Wilson, born almost half a century later, he had been “in touch with super-physical beings” from an early age. (134)

DEMONS

Brother Twelve also shared with Hitler the conviction that the Jews were part of an international communist conspiracy. (136)

“BAD”

Manson seemed to have no regard for normal logic. (150)

“SOCIOPATHIC”

Over a three-day period in 1989, a crew dredged up two hundred headless, unplucked chickens, twenty-two beheaded ducks, and a collection of other sacrificed fauna, including cats, dogs, snakes, eels, turtles, pigeons, iguanas and pelicans. (158)

“horrible”

During the 20th century the serial killer has emerged. . . . [S]ome even claim to be led by the voice of God. (160)

“SATAN/DEMON”

Emily Jackson had been half-stripped, and stabbed repeatedly in the stomach and breasts. (161)

“MOTHER HATRED TYPE—MOTHER SUBDUED MALE IDENTITY”

[T]he Yorkshire Ripper murdered ten more women, bringing his total to thirteen, and severely injured three more. (161)

“16”

But Sutcliffe had dark curly hair and a beard. (162)

“WIG—LIKE MOM?”

Ramirez seems to have created himself. He was an intelligent and deeply religious child. (182)

“DRUGS + SATANISM IE: DEMONIC OPPRESSION”

Ramirez remains on death row. It is unlikely that he will be executed before the year 2000. (184)

“WHERE IS THIS MAN NOW?”

[As of 07dec2008 Ramirez still awaits execution in San Quentin.]


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