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Fundamentalist Christians to be Labeled as Terroroists?

(Note: The posting of this article is not in any way intended as anti-authority. Christians are commanded by God’s Word to do good, to pray for, and be in subjection to, civil authority, as long as that authority does not require us to violate God’s Word; i.e., to lie, steal, etc.. This information is posted only as a warning and caution that the report could be misconstrued to include peaceful, non-violent adherents to the Christian faith. There are end-time ‘apocalyptic’ teachings and doctrines of the Christian faith which have been foundational teachings from its beginning. Thus, contrary to the declaration of the report authors, who define anything that states God will punish sin as a cult: [“A cult that predicts that ‘God will punish’ or ‘evil will be punished’ indicates a more passive and less threatening posture...”], declarations of end time events prophesied in the Bible and/or that God will punish sin, do not a cult make. The report tends to lead the reader to assume that any doctrine, which declares ‘God will punish sin’ is a ‘cult’. To their credit, the authors make a difference, in closing, between violent and non-violent religious practices, but still leave the reader with the impression that ALL are ‘cults’, albeit some are non-violent: “These factors are designed to leave out cults that have unique end-time beliefs, but whose ideology does not include the advocacy of force or violence.” This begs the question: “O.K., but what IS a cult? How are we to define it?” The answer is that there are two definitions; one for law enforcement, and another for theologians of respective faiths. What the Bible does and does not teach has been debated and controversy has raged for centuries. Each denomination and/or religious faith have their own doctrines, and generally label all other faiths, which do not adhere to their respective doctrines, as ‘cults’. From a law enforcement perspective, an attempt to sort out this multi-faith can of worms would greatly and unnecessarily increase the number of migraines among members of law enforcement. Really, the only distinction that law enforcement needs to make, is whether or not the ‘cult’ is violent/dangerous. This perspective greatly simplifies the task. If violence and/or lawlessness is advocated, then it is a matter for law enforcement. Otherwise, the rest is best left to the theologians. And, please, if its peaceful, call it a ‘faith’ - not a ‘cult’. The vast majority of religious faiths are opposed to violence and lawlessness. Thus, the definition of a ‘cult’ as ‘that which promotes violence and lawlessness’ is agreeable to both law enforcement and the majority of religious faiths.) SHOULD WE KNOW MORE ABOUT PROJECT MEGIDDO? http://www.networkusa.org/fingerprint/page1b/fp-more-pm.html This post concerns government profiling based upon religious beliefs, and the categoric labeling of adherents certain beliefs as members of "cults.". Project Megiddo places particular emphasis on "bible-based" cults. The entire report is centered around the subject of Christian beliefs as they regard the "end times" and "the Battle of Armageddon." Due to the obscure, esoteric and sometimes vague but insinuating terminology used throughout the Project Megiddo report - and due to the direct implication of Christian beliefs contained therein - there is legitimate reason for concern that some law enforcement agencies and officers throughout the U.S. who review the report may misinterpret the "profile" patterns set out therein which could result in unintended groups or individuals being targeted and investigated. For this reason this study will focus solely on factors directly related to that possibility. "...if you believe in it, it is a religion or perhaps the religion; and if you do not care one way or another about it, it is a sect; but if you fear and hate it, it is a cult." - Leo Pfeffer The FBI report states that: "For apocalyptic cults, especially biblically based ones, the millennium is viewed as the time that will signal a major transformation for the world. Many apocalyptic cults share the belief that the battle against Satan, as prophesied in the Book of Revelation, will begin in the years surrounding the millennium and that the federal government is an arm of Satan. Therefore, the millennium will bring about a battle between cult members -- religious martyrs -- and the government." No one would seriously argue that this passage is discussing any group other than Christian believers. And, this study reviews the report from the perspective of a Christian. The first question to ask then is: Who did the FBI rely on as their source of information in developing their "profiles" for "religion-based" or "biblically-based" cults? Isn't this question relevant? Or, are we to believe that the "profilers" were totally detached from any bias and rendered a completely objective opinion without regard for their own beliefs and convictions? What if the sources had religious beliefs and convictions that are contrary to those of the implicated groups? Might that cast the entire report in a different light; and impact the credibility of the report? In a totally hypothetical example: What if a study was done on "the health risks associated with red meat" and the "sources" used were from a group called "People for the rights of cows"? Would that raise any questions about the integrity of the study? You bet it would. And who do you suppose would be complaining? Cattle farmers! In essence there are three sources listed in the report under the heading "Apocalyptic Cults." They are: 1) Merriam Webster’’s Collegiate Dictionary 10th Edition; 2) Law Enforcement Online, (www.leo.gov/) [which at the time of this writing is a dead link]; 3) Margaret Thaler Singer[1] [a board member of the "AFF" (American Family Foundation)]; and, lastly, B.A. Robinson, host and owner of the Ontario Counselors on Religious Tolerance (OCRT) group web site domain. In dispensing with the first cited source, Merriam Webster, it is noted that the definition used in the report for "cult" is provided, in the broadest meaning, as being composed of "individuals who demonstrate great devotion to a person, idea, object or movement." Secondly, the "Law Enforcement Online material" will not be further reviewed here either; it is understandable why the FBI would rely upon their own source for information. The focus hereon only concerns the two "outside" sources the FBI credited in generating its "factors" which (according to the report) indicate a penchant for religion-based violence. These two individuals are B.A. Robinson and Margaret Thaler Singer. The FBI report directs readers to the Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance (OCRT) web site hosted and owned by B.A. Robinson for additional information on "profiling" religious cults. The link provided in the FBI report takes the reader to the page entitled "Common Signs of Destructive Cults" (www.religioustolerance.org/cultsign.htm). Numerous visitors to the OCRT web site have inquired with a question of who the OCRT "really" is. Their introductory pages propose to answer this question: "We really are a group of 4 volunteers: two Unitarian Universalists (one Agnostic and one Atheist), one Wiccan and one liberal but unaffiliated Christian. Three of us are female; one male. All are heterosexual. We range in age from late 20's to early 60's. One of us is a retired Electronics Engineer; others are a Registered Nurse, urban planner and unemployed waitress. None of us has any formal education in theology." Since the question we are looking into here is as to whether or not the sources used in the FBI report had any personal agenda which may have found its way into the report, the following comment from the OCRT web site is further relevant: "All are motivated by a concern about threats to religious freedom, and about religious hatred, misinformation, and discrimination. We have no underground, secret agenda." While they may not have a secret agenda they certainly have a motivation. We also find there: "Each of us has very definite personal beliefs about everything from the nature of God to the morality of abortion." This clearly confirms, though their agenda may not be secret, they do have some very definite personal interests which serves as the motivation for their work. Now that we know a (very) little about this source relied upon by the FBI for providing material on ways to identify religion-based "cult-like" behavior; and now that we know they each have definate beliefs which motivate them in their work, we will look to see if there is any indication their personal beliefs -- i.e., their own personal fears and hatreds -- might be reflected anywhere in the FBI's Project Megiddo report. It must be noted that definitions are extremely important on the OCRT web site. Without an understanding of their meaning of words and phrases, a reader can be totally mislead. They say so themselves: "In engineering and medicine, the precise use of terminology is of paramount importance. Otherwise, misunderstandings will occur. Bridges will fall down, and patients will die from medication errors. In those professions, great care is taken to define terms clearly and unambiguously. But religion is another field entirely. Many religious terms have multiple meanings; sometimes those meanings are mutually exclusive. The result is mass confusion and an inability to communicate effectively. The solution is to avoid using certain confusing words and/or to carefully define in advance the meaning of specific ambiguous words within your article or essay. A most relevant example of "mutually exclusive terms" we found on their site are these two which are used extensively on the OCRT web site, though they are hardly used at all in conventional conversation. They are "liberal Christian" (also referred to on the site as "main-line") contrasted with, what they call "fundamentalist" or "conservative" Christians.[2] To clarify this distinction, there probably is no better place to start than these examples provide on the site: [Q] Concept of God [Conservative] Lawgiver. Father, Judge, Creator, Redeemer. [Liberal] Parent, Lover, Healer, Liberator. [Q] Concept of Jesus [Conservative] Divine; co-eternal with God. [Liberal] Various beliefs. It appears the author lost sight of the importance of definitions here where it comes to the subject of Jesus. It is noted that discussion of the "miraculous birth" is missing. However, the OCRT site has a page devoted to this subject where it states "the Liberal Christian churches typically teach that Jesus was the first child of many conceived by Mary and Joseph via sexual intercourse, as any other human. In the Nazareth area this often happened before marriage. A couple lived together in a type of trial marriage until the woman became pregnant or had a child. At that point, they got married." We continue with review of their chart of definitions: [Q] How to Understand the Bible [Conservative] One must first be 'saved' before the Holy Spirit will help you understand the Bible. [Liberal] By studying infusion of religious ideas from other cultures surrounding Palestine and the biases of the authors. [Q] Errors in the Bible [Conservative] Inerrant, free of errors, except for a few isolated copying mistakes. [Liberal] Many. Books are created by fallible human authors promoting their own beliefs. [Q] Vision of Christian faith [Conservative] Essentially fixed. [Liberal] In constant change. [Q] Basis of salvation [Conservative] Repentance, trust in Jesus as savior. [Liberal] Universalism: all will be saved. [Q] Second Coming of Jesus [Conservative] Imminent. [Liberal] Not expected. [Q] Converting Jews to Christianity [Conservative] Of vital importance; given a high priority. [Liberal] A religiously intolerant activity. And finally, though we cannot cover every single item on the chart due to space constraints, we include this next item -- not because it has anything to do with being "Christian," but because it includes yet another indicator of the author's bias. It also indicates the level to which the author thinks "conservative" Christians force their beliefs upon followers, which happens to be one of the "factors to watch for" in his "screening" for cult-like behavior. [Q] Church membership [Conservative] Exclusive; must conform to standards of belief and practice. [Liberal] Inclusive; minimal requirements. Clearly, the reader can see the two definitions of "Christians" are as diametrically opposed as any two religious beliefs on earth! Unfortunately, the word "Christian" is woven throughout the OCRT web site often without clarifying modifiers causing the meaning to be ambiguous which leads to confusion about its contextual meaning at critical junctures in the discussion. It is fair to say that, according to the OCRT chart, the "liberal Christian" member of the group does not "believe" in the miraculous birth, or the Apocalypse, or the return of Christ to judge the wicked, and neither do they believe in the resurrection. I'm sorry, let me back up here, in addition to the miraculous birth of Jesus not being mentioned on the chart at all, they also avoided any reference to the resurrection. An oversight? Perhaps. Actually they do have a seperate page which does discuss the resurrection. However the beliefs of "liberal Christians" are not defined there. The only comment found there is this: "Not everybody accepts the resurrection story." Conversely, based upon the above descriptions and other statements made on the site, it can also be concluded that whenever the site speaks of "Apocalyptic" or "Doomsday" belief groups they are talking exclusively about "Conservative" Christians. It can likewise be concluded that, since readers of the FBI report are directed to this site for additional information on Apocalyptic or Doomsday cults, they too are talking about the same group of "Conservative" or "Fundamental" Christians when the word "Apocalyptic" is used. Since the central theme of the Project Megiddo report is religious in nature, we are only going to look at the "warning signs" that might lead a law enforcement officer to view traditional religious beliefs as cultic behavior. It is implied in both the Project Megiddo report and in the writings of B.A. Robinson that presence of some or most of the "warning signs" is an indication of a potential for violent acts. The web page that the FBI report directs readers to provides the following information about warning signs listd under "Factors commonly found in doomsday groups": "Doomsday groups represent the most dangerous fringe of mind control groups. We have studied a number of organizations that have lost membership through suicide or killing. They have exhibited most or all of the following common factors: the leader's preaching concentrates on the impending end of the world, often at a great battle (e.g. War of Armageddon)." (www.religioustolerance.org/cultsign.htm) Note: This just happens to have also been Billy Graham's central theme in thousands of sermons presented to millions of people around the world. Also listed are: "they are led by a single male charismatic leader." Most Protestant Churches fit that description. "the leader totally dominates the membership, closely controlling them physically, sexually and emotionally." This is a very subjective assertion. To some, many Protestant [Churches COULD be accused of fitting that description. "there is often extreme paranoia within the group; they believe that they are in danger and that they are being closely monitored and heavily persecuted by governments or people outside the group. People on "the outside" are demonized." A ton of very subjective terms used there. "they follow a form of Christian theology (or a blend of Christianity with another religion), with major and unique deviations from traditional beliefs in the area of end-time prophecy." That is basically all the information contained on the link provided in the FBI report. However, what is perhaps even more revealing is that the "main feature" of the page is a group of links to 4 other sites with additional material on warning signs of Doomsday cult behavior. The 4 web sites linked directly from the FBI's source page are: 1) The Institute for First Amendment Studies, Inc. (IFAS) - (www.berkshire.net/~ifas/) 2) The American Family Foundation, Inc. (AFF) - (www.csj.org/) 3) Isaac Bonewits's Neopagan Homepage - (www.neopagan.net/) 4) The Global Ideas Bank - (www.globalideasbank.org) More details on each of these groups and their respective web sites follows along with additional selected excerpts from each. Note: We are attempting here to answer questions left unanswered in the FBI report which are critical to determining its credibility. In order to accomplish this objective, it is necessary to draw from the material found on the web pages to which the FBI's report directs its readers as sources for this information. Every effort has been made to represent the opinions "in context," however, the reader is encouraged to verify the material to his or her own satisfaction. These are the pages linked from the OCRT web page titled "Common Signs of Destructive Cults" which readers are directed towards in the FBI report. 1) INSTITUTE FOR FIRST AMENDMENT STUDIES, (IFAS) - "The Institute for First Amendment Studies, a 501(c)(3) non- profit educational and research organization, was founded in 1984 by former fundamentalist minister Skipp Porteous and attorney Barbara Simon, to expose and counter the political activities of the Religious Right," (http://www.ifas.org/about.html) For the next site, the IFASW pages, we include the following comments from the OCRT page: "They promote freedom of religion and the separation of church and state. They oppose various political activities of conservative Christian groups." "They have [a] checklist of symptoms to be sensitive to when you, a friend or family member becomes involved with a religious group. ... These early warning signs were prepared by former deprogrammer and current exit counselor, Rick Ross. Ross was recently found guilty of conspiracy to limit the civil rights to freedom of religion of a member of a Pentecostal church. However, the above guidelines appear to have merit in spite of the background of the author." 2) THE AMERICAN FAMILY FOUNDATION, INC., (AFF), - "A secular, nonprofit, tax-exempt research center and educational corporation," (http://www.csj.org/) Please note that Margaret Thaler Singer, the only other "source" cited in the FBI report is a board member of this group, the AFF, for which a link is provided from the OCRT web page. http://www.csj.org/rg/rgessays/rgessay_identitymov.htm "Not surprisingly, there is considerable crossover in membership from the KKK to Identity groups and some of the Militia and Patriot movements. These ties have given supremacists access to people with weapons and violent agendas. This is a problem that will continue well beyond the year 2000." http://www.csj.org/rg/rgessays/rgessay_dysfunchurch.htm "Unfortunately, sociologists of religion (as well as many exmembers) know that some churches are also dysfunctional, even to the point of being spiritually abusive. If truth in advertising standards could be applied to religion, some churches would be required to display a sign reading: "Warning: this church could be harmful to your spiritual and psychological health." "What are the hallmarks of unhealthy, aberrant churches? The key indicator is control oriented leadership, ministers who have a need to "lord it over the flock." Abusive leaders demand submission and unquestioning loyalty. The person who raises uncomfortable questions or does not "get with the program" is cast aside. Guilt, fear, and intimidation are used to manipulate and control vulnerable members, especially those who have been taught to believe that questioning their pastor is comparable to questioning God." Cult - 101 http://www.csj.org/infoserv_groups/grp_index.htm "[A]n abridged list of groups about which AFF has information." Go to the above link and you will find the following categories of "possible" cult groups: bible-based, psychotherapy, eastern, racist, fourth way/gurdjieff, sales training: mlm's, marketing; large group; awareness training; satanist; neo-nazi/militia; scientology; new age; substance abuse/12-step; syncretistic; political; UFO; and, other. It appears that the AFF considers a lot of organizations to be "cult-like." Go to the link for "political" groups and you'll find over forty organizations listed, including: NAZI, California Homemakers Association, Skinheads, Women's Press Collective, KKK, and Shining Path Go to the link for "Bible-based" cult-like groups and you will find over 200 churches mentioned with links to additional information on nearly half of them. Go to the "Satanism" page and you will not find one single link to any organization, nor does the AFF have any additional information on Satanic "cult-like" groups listed there, which would imply, there are none. Obscured under the "other" category you will find Witches and Wicca mentioned, but there are no links to additional material provided on the AFF page. Not only are there NO links, most notably missing from this list at the "Cult - 101" database is any mention of Pagans or Neopagans which happen to be the subject of the next link. 3) ISSAC BONEWITS'S NEOPAGAN HOMEPAGE - Neopagan (http://www.neopagan.net/) "This website contains materials by and about Isaac Bonewits and his topics of expertise: Druidism, Paganism, Witchcraft, magic(k), liturgical design, polytheology, and polyamory. : "There's probably more material here on Paleo-, Meso- and Neopagan Druidism than any other site on Earth." Bonewits' own biography provides insight into his credentials "Who is Isaac Bonewits?" "A practicing Neopagan priest, scholar, teacher, bard and polytheologian for over thirty years, he has coined much of the vocabulary and articulated many of the issues that have shaped the 300,000 strong Neopagan community in the United States and Canada with opinions both playful and controversial. : As an author (of Real Magic, Authentic Thaumaturgy, and numerous articles, reviews and essays), a singer-songwriter (with three albums to his credit), and a "spellbinding" speaker, he has educated, enlightened and entertained two generations of modern Goddess worshippers, nature mystics, and followers of other minority belief systems, and has explained these movements to journalists, law enforcement officers, college students, and academic researchers. He is the founder and Archdruid Emeritus of ÁÁr nDraííocht Fééin: A Druid Fellowship, (the best known Neopagan Druid organization in North America), a 3°̊ Druid within the United Ancient Order of Druids (the best known Mesopagan Druid order), a retired High Priest in both the Gardnerian ("British Orthodox") and the N.R.O.O.G.D. ("California Heterodox") traditions of Wicca (Neopagan Witchcraft), an initiate of Santeria (Afro-Cuban Mesopaganism) and the "Caliphate Line" of the Ordo Templi Orientis (Aleister Crowley's Mesopagan magical tradition), as well as a member of other Neopagan and Mesopagan Druid orders." For the purpose of this report, we fully accept Bonewits' credentials and agree that he is indeed an authority on the subject of Neopaganism, Druids, and Witchcraft. The Political Implications of Neopagan Druidism - http://www.neopagan.net/NeoDruidismPolitical.HTML One of the very few ways we have of defending ourselves and our fellow passengers (human and other) on this Spaceship Earth is through the careful and judicious use of magic. Neopagan Druidism is political because only a Nature worshipping religion can give people sufficient concern for the environment to make them willing to make the sacrifices that must be made in terms of lifestyle and consumption patterns. Monotheism is a major cause of the current state of the world's ecology. We need a strong public religion that tells the polluters, "No, it's not divinely sanctioned for you to rape the Earth!" Neopagan Druidism is political, at the bedrock level, because it can teach people how to use their Gods-given psychic and other talents to change the way things are. Make no mistake, magic works, at least as often as poetry, music or political rallies do. Magic is a form of power that we, the people of the Earth, have available to use, not just for psychological "empowerment" (making ourselves feel better) but to actually control the individuals and institutions responsible for our planet's current mess. Warriors and Soldiers and Cops -- Oh My! 2.0.2 - http://www.neopagan.net/Warriors_Part_1.HTML I perceive important distinctions between "warriors" and "soldiers," with the former word having positive meanings for me and the later negative ones. In order to define my terms clearly, I will now oversimplify: A "warrior" is a person who has been trained to use violence both effectively and selectively, but who refrains from doing so except when she/he perceives a genuine danger to her/himself or to others in the community whom she/he deems worthy of protection. She or he strives to use exactly the minimum amount of violence (if any) of whatever sort is necessary to defeat the danger, and is willing to risk her/his life in the process. A warrior prefers to see the face of his/her enemy, and takes personal responsibility for the ethics of his/her behavior. While she/he may enjoy her/his occupation and may experience and appreciate the thrill of battle, she/he does not enjoy or disregard the emotional and moral effects of killing. [I]f someone from an ecological action group has decided to destroy bulldozers, or sink whaling ships or dump bags of red paint on members of a government commission who are neglecting their duties to protect endangered species -- then we have a problem. Their activities are clearly illegal, and are indeed crimes that have victims (the developers, the whalers, the bureaucrats), yet they are being done to prevent even greater crimes, ones that many Neopagans would also oppose. Personally I cheered when I heard about the "eco-guerrillas" who sank the (empty) whaling vessel in Iceland, wrecked the whalers' mainframe computer and destroyed their freezing units. By committing crimes against property, they saved the lives of scores of whales who would have been slaughtered by that machinery. A genuine warrior confronts his enemy as another human being, not as a faceless stranger or a nonhuman "thing". A genuine warrior is willing to risk her own life, job, reputation, family relationships, and more, to fight for what she believes is morally and ethically right. Thor, Indra, Athena, and Kali are not impressed by fancy costumes, expensive weapons, or self-serving excuses. They are the ones who will judge whether someone is really a warrior or a blowhard -- not me, not the Druids, and not the Neopagan Community. So if we are going to have Neopagan warrior cults, their organizers are going to have to have their acts together. Each of them should select a cause with which most Neopagans can agree, then train themselves to fight for it effectively (not just romantically -- but that's another whole essay), and begin the process of fighting. Clearly and without question, integral to the Neopagan religions is a desire and a plan to influence government and law enforcement. As stated, their agenda includes forming cults and preparing for war. In light of the above, the next natural question, then becomes: Who are the enemies of which he speaks? This question is relevant because, for example had the FBI relied upon his advice, in light of the above, the material may be skewed to favor this political perspective. And the enemies mentioned above would likely become the target of the skewed agenda. Therefore, we rely upon the very same authority, Isaac Bonewits, for the answer: "Anti-Christianity" and Who-Hates-Who? 1.2 - or "There are people in this world who do not love their fellow human beings, and I hate people like that!" http://www.neopagan.net/Anti-Christianity.HTML I say, "Rather than accusing me of being biased, please, clean up your own house first." If you want to love "practitioners of evil," you can start with the Scribes and Pharisees in the Christian Coalition and the 700 Club, sexually abusive priests and ministers, right-wing hypocrites in government, and all those wonderful Christians in the KKK and the American Nazi Party. We have our beliefs and our spiritual experiences, and a fairly hefty number of "miracles," to back them. Stop trying to bully us verbally, or spiritually through prayer (with or without sugar-coated language), none of it will work. ... We will resist. And we will win. It cannot go without noting, the groups mentioned above are also targeted in the Project Megiddo report. More on defining who the enemies of this Neopagan's are: Understanding the Religious Reich 1.5 http://www.neopagan.net/ReligiousReich.HTML Only now is the "Religious Right" beginning to realize and admit that it has already lost the "culture wars" with the rest of modern society. This bitter pill is combining with millenial fever to put some fundamentalist Christian leaders into a frenzy. Many of them actually hope that the dreaded "Y2K Bug" will lead to a collapse of the national and state governments, so that they can use their already existing political networks and militia groups to take over in the "power vaccuum". When 2001 c.e. arrives and neither the longed for "Armageddon" nor their "Second Coming" has occurred, their political and cultural power will be finally, irreparably, broken. For the purposes of this essay, I could simply refer to "ultra-conservative monotheists," but "fundamentalists" is somewhat shorter and the modern Christian Protestants who call themselves by this term are, in fact, the primary threat to our lives and freedom right now. It's the Christian fundamentalists, however, in whom we inspire the greatest anger, hatred, and fear. They routinely denounce Buddhism, Taoism, the New Age, and all other competing belief systems, just as they have always done, but seem to save their greatest vituperation for occultists in general and Neopagans (especially Witches) in particular. There are a number of theological reasons why fundamentalists of any monotheistic persuasion would find Neopaganism disturbing; after all, we disagree with them about almost everything they consider important. If they succeed in taking over America because the rest of us were too lazy to fight them and too cynical to bother voting - or if their cherished "cultural collapse" should occur -- they fully intend to institute the death penalty for being homosexual, for having or performing (or assisting someone to have or perform) an abortion, for living in "sin" (including all "unconventional" partnerships, lovestyles, and family structures), for practicing "witchcraft" (any minority religious, metaphysical, astrological or New Age belief system), and for having or distributing "pornography." No matter how friendly, reasonable and ecumenical they may occasionally act towards non-Christian groups, on the day they decide they don't need us anymore they will cheerfully rip our throats out. Many readers will already be satisfactorily convinced at this point as to who the enemies of this particular Neopagan's are. But we must provide yet more evidence for the benefit of the doubters, especially since this is a source readers of the FBI report are directed to via their provided link. The evidence of their own religious predisposition against Christians must be made clear. Note that in the following essay, "Satanists" are viewed as the Christians' enemy, and Christians are the Neopagans' enemy. The Enemies of Our Enemies 2.7 http://www.neopagan.net/Enemies.HTML Another type of Satanist is the Conservative Orthodox or fascist sort: generally middle-aged, uneducated, and unsuccessful (the basic KKK or American Nazi Party recruit), though their leaders can be quite clever and successful. These are the right wing Satanists who like to stress the might-makes-right, dictatorial side of the Satan image. Note that right wingers (whether Satanic or other Christian sorts) often present themselves under more appealing terminology, such as by calling themselves "Libertarians." [It is noted here that, in this instance KKK and Nazi Party [members are referred to as "Satanists," while in other places [Bonewits refers to them as "Christians." What he is in effect [saying is that Christians are Satanists, and he groups KKK [and Nazi members into this mix along with Libertarians. This brings us to the last, and by far the largest, category of Satanists: the fundamentalist Christians themselves, who spend all their time inflating the image of Satan, feeding psychic energy into the archetype, and publishing detailed descriptions of the sorts of evil acts that devil worshippers are supposed to engage in... ." Satanism is a part of the occult community -- being the "occult" or hidden side of Christianity -- and many Satanists do practice various sorts of ceremonial magic. As we know, however, the occult/magical/metaphysical community comprises a wide variety of organizations and individuals -- good, bad, ugly, and just plain weird. We don't have to be friendly to all of them, nor do we have to accept them all as equals or allies. Neopagans have enough trouble interacting with those Mesopagans (such as the Crowleyites, Odinists, and Voodooists) who engage in activities of which many Neopagans disapprove. ." Christian fundamentalists, whether they are wearing crosses or goat heads, are simply not welcome, and never will be. And, finally for this site, the following comment seems relevant: "Neopagans believe in pluralism and multiplicity -- making us very hard to pin down and define, and bringing up dreaded 'feminine' ambiguity. - Isaac Bonewits, The Religious Reich Pluralism is a belief that there are more than one or more than two kinds of "ultimate reality." And, multiplicity in essence means that they can adhere to and even make an argument for otherwise seemingly conflicting viewpoints congruently. THE GLOBAL IDEAS BANK http://www.globalideasbank.org/ Humour to save us from Judaeo-Christianity http://www.globalideasbank.org/wbi/WBI-180.HTML Branko Bokun Adapted extracts from the controversial book Humour & Pathos in Judaeo-Christianity by Branko Bokun. Only by reaching wisdom in maturity can we liberate ourselves from saints, from religious beliefs and from the damaging effect of Judaeo-Christian culture on our mental and physical health, on our life and on the life of our planet. Religious dogma has become our yoke. We are like animals used to the yoke, to the point that once liberated from it we feel lost. Once we lose a yoke, we try to find a new one. With increasing disillusionment in Christianity, the so-called New Age is rapidly on the march. People try to find refuge in even more absurd religious beliefs, in ever more obscure mysticism or the esoteric. (Books dealing with New Age ideas or practices are best-sellers.) New Age people look as sad as Christians because they cannot eliminate fear of life, death and after-death. These fears can be eliminated only with wisdom and serenity, which cannot be reached through a system of religious belief but through maturity. : 'Human pretentiousness is the main source of harmful belief systems' I would stress that we will never be able to make any serious progress towards a better quality of life if we do not start eliminating human pretentiousness, as it is this pretentiousness which is the main source of damaging beliefs and harmful belief systems. This can be done by rewriting the history of humanity, emphasising the ridiculous and humorous attitudes and behaviour of people and nations who came before us. Systems of religious and ideological belief hate and persecute a sense of humour. This should be a sufficient reason to find in a sense of humour our real Saviour. A sense of humour would allow us to increase our brain's potential, to acquire a wider and deeper reasoning. With this same reasoning we will be able to realise that it is in the nature of religious or ideological 'saviours' to enslave the saved. Fantasising can be amusing, but being guided or 'saved' by fantasies is positively ridiculous. Fantasies are viruses which cause fevers in human minds. These viruses can be neutralised only by injecting into the feverish mind some sense of humour. The essential ingredient of a sense of humour is self-ridicule. We can attain this self-ridicule by taking into consideration that our cemeteries are full of people who were firmly convinced in their lifetimes that they were both important and indispensable. If we develop a sense of humour we can liberate ourselves from our wishful beliefs which, in essence, are confidence tricks that we play upon ourselves. A sense of humour enables us to deride pretentious beliefs and unthinking faith, and to avoid being hurt or mocked by the irony of fate which is so much a part of the world of pretension and thoughtlessness. : A sense of humour enables us to laugh at our ironic world, a world dominated by the comic and the pathetic. As you plainly see, all four of the web sites linked directly from the "Religious Tolerance" web site, and from the FBI report, have strong anti-Christian bias. Some are forthright about their hatred, some are not. Returning now to discussion of the OCRT website itself, B.A. Robinson claims to know how the world will end. The "Conservative Christians" are all wrong. He relates this in his "real end of the world" (his belief as contrasted against the Christian belief). The real end of the world http://www.religioustolerance.org/end_wrld.htm There are two likely, naturally occurring events that have the potential to cause the end of all life on earth: Sometime in the future, a large asteroid will head towards earth. If it is not pulverized and scattered, or deflected, it will wipe out most of humanity. The rock may come next month, or may be delayed for tens of millions of years. But it is coming! The sun will not last forever. In about 5 billion years, it will expand in to a red giant, and engulf the Earth. I am personally not too worried about this event. Consequently, since we know that B.A. Robinson does not believe in an apocalyptic return of Christ, he cannot believe that no man knows the day or the hour. There are a other places where Robinson also mocks and ridicules belief in Christ's return. On his Y2K page, Robinson writes: "Leaders in promoting Y2K hysteria are James Dobson, Jerry Falwell, Grant Jeffries, Jack Van Impe, Hal Lindsey, Gary North, [and] Pat Robertson." Hardly an endorsement. And here is what B.A. Robinson predicts: Author's predictions: None of the events described in the Bible will happen in the year 2000. The rapture, war of Armageddon, second coming of Jesus Christ, rising of the Antichrist, etc. will not occur. Some religious leaders will explain why Jesus Christ did not come as expected. They will say that God has delayed the end of the world so that more people will have a chance to convert to Christianity and be saved. To some, these comments sound like he is espousing his own brand of fear-mongering. To others it is pure blasphemy. To still others, much of the entire OCRT web site is blasphemous. Some Christians will view the growth of minority religions as the main cause for Christ's delay. They will class these faith groups as "the enemy." A serious backlash against minority religions will start circa 2001 and intensify for the following few years. Sounds like Robinson is not only promoting hysteria, he is labeling Christians as the troublemakers, and those who do not believe in the Second Coming as "the enemy." Additionally, we cannot help but observe that due to his own denial of Christ's return, Robinson espouses the exact same alarmist rhetoric about "Doomsday cults" as is found in the Project Megiddo report. Is there a connection? Undeniably there is. The FBI credits Robinson in the report. It could be interpreted that Robinson himself is hyping the expectation of religious confrontations to further his own self-serving agenda. There is more. He continues on this same page with more alarmist hysteria: http://www.religioustolerance.org/end_wrl1.htm We have been criticized by some of our readers for whipping up hysteria about the end of the world. Our intent is the exact opposite: we want to dampen the millennial panic. We hope that by listing many dozens of past predictions which have failed, that people will realize that some very important individuals have been dead wrong when they predicted the end of the world (Jesus, Paul, various popes, etc.) End of the world predictions have been a Christian industry for almost 2000 years. Fear of the Millennium http://www.religioustolerance.org/y2k_prob.htm We do fear violence, both short term and longer term: There is the potential of longer term violence in North America, starting perhaps around 2002. Large numbers of people expect the end of the world and the return of Christ in the year 2000, or 2001. If, as we expect, the world continues as normal, there will be a truly massive disappointment, affecting tens of millions of Christians. They will be terribly disillusioned, and will start searching for reasons why the end times did not happen. There is the possibility that some religious leaders might return to preaching a widespread belief that was held in the 19th century: that Jesus' second coming is being delayed until many more people are converted to Christianity. Those same leaders might point to the rise in popularity among minority religions as a major factor which is delaying Christ's return. The result could be violence directed against small religious groups in North America: Jews, Muslims, followers of the New Age, Wiccans and other Neopagans, etc. There is also the possibility of Christians turning against their own leaders and groups who had raised end-time anticipation to a fever pitch. We might see a replication of the events in the year 1000 when many disillusioned people in Western Europe attacked the established church. Clearly, Robinson believes that the greatest threat posed to society around the time of the turn of the Century is by "Conservative" Christians. This is the very same assertion expressed in the Project Megiddo report. Having read the above, now read once again the Project Megiddo report. It is clear that the credibility of the FBI's authorities, and therefore the report, have no credibility with regard to judging what any religious individual or group might or might not do in any given situation. [footnotes:] [1]Margaret Thaler Singer, Ph.D. http://www.csj.org/csj.org/infoserv_profile/singer_margaret.htm Board of Directors: http://www.csj.org/aff/board_aff.htm [2]DIVISIONS WITHIN PROTESTANT CHRISTIANITY http://www.religioustolerance.org/chr_divi.htm Full Text of Preject Megiddo.... U.S. Department of Justice Federal Bureau of Investigation For Immediate Release Washington, D.C. October 20, 1999 FBI National Press Office The FBI today issued the following statement to clarify the "USA Today" story titled "FBI: Militias a threat at millennium" For several years, the FBI has had a program of reaching out to militias and their members to explain the FBI's role in investigating violations of law and to stress open lines of communication with militia groups. This was done also to ensure the militias that there was no intent to deny anyone their constitutional rights nor was there a targeting of any militia groups who were otherwise engaged in legitimate, protected activity. The FBI realizes that the majority of militia members engage in and support law abiding activities. However, the FBI will investigate illegal activities coming within the purview of its investigative responsibilities. In fact, the FBI is fully cognizant of the fact that some militias have taken positive steps towards ridding themselves of violent extremist elements. It is these violent extremist elements that could be violating laws which could subject them to investigations by the FBI. Often, these extreme members will splinter from more established groups and engage in violence autonomously. These elements are often very small cells or lone actors. The contact with militia members has proven effective, in that the more mainstream militia groups have been helpful in identifying the more extremist elements of the militia who may resort to acts of violence. "Project Megiddo" is the culmination of an FBI research initiative which analyzed the potential for extremist criminal activity in the U.S. by individuals or domestic groups who attach special significance to the year 2000. In an effort to educate investigators and officials in the law enforcement community about potential violence associated with or motivated by the arrival of the year 2000, the FBI conducted extensive research into the various ideologies and concepts which serve to motivate groups or individuals with violent agendas. Many extremists place significance on the next millennium, and may present challenges to law enforcement authorities. The significance is based primarily upon apocalyptic religious beliefs or political beliefs concerning the New World Order conspiracy theory. The report is intended to provide a clear, measured, and responsible picture of potential extremism motivated by the next millennium, and to increase awareness among law enforcement officials of the unique challenges that may be presented by extremists motivated by millennial agendas. The study is being distributed to appropriate law enforcement personnel from around the country and provides an overview of various extremist ideologies, specifically those which advocate or call for violent action beginning in the year 2000. Such ideologies motivate violent white supremacists who seek to initiate a race war; apocalyptic cults which anticipate a violent Armageddon; radical elements of private citizen militias who fear that the United Nations will initiate an armed takeover of the United States and subsequently establish a One World Government; and other groups or individuals which promote violent millennial agendas. The report also discusses how extremists interpret biblical and/or other religious scriptures to justify their agendas, and how certain extremist elements point to the so-called Y2K computer crisis as an indicator of imminent social chaos and unrest. In addition to addressing key millennial concepts and the ideological or religious motivations behind millennial extremism, Project Megiddo outlines a number of issues of which law enforcement officers should be cognizant, including indicators of potential violence, possible preparations for violence, and a general discussion of possible targets of millennial extremists. Law enforcement officials are encouraged to further educate themselves on the various issues discussed in the project. PROJECT MEGIDDO Table of Contents: I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY II. INTRODUCTION When Does the New Millennium Begin? Blueprint for Action: The Turner Diaries Interpretations of The Bible Apocalyptic Religious Beliefs The New World Order Conspiracy Theory and the Year 2000 Computer Bug Gun Control Laws III. CHRISTIAN IDENTITY IV. WHITE SUPREMACY V. MILITIAS VI. BLACK HEBREW ISRAELITES VII. APOCALYPTIC CULTS VIII. THE SIGNIFICANCE OF JERUSALEM IX. CONCLUSION For over four thousand years, MEGIDDO, a hill in northern Israel, has been the site of many battles. Ancient cities were established there to serve as a fortress on the plain of Jezreel to guard a mountain pass. As Megiddo was built and rebuilt, one city upon the other, a mound or hill was formed. The Hebrew word "Armageddon" means "hill of Megiddo." In English, the word has come to represent battle itself. The last book in the New Testament of the Bible designates Armageddon as the assembly point in the apocalyptic setting of God's final and conclusive battle against evil. The name "Megiddo" is an apt title for a project that analyzes those who believe the year 2000 will usher in the end of the world and who are willing to perpetrate acts of violence to bring that end about. I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The year 2000 is being discussed and debated at all levels of society. Most of the discussions regarding this issue revolve around the topic of technology and our society's overwhelming dependence on the multitude of computers and computer chips which make our world run smoothly. However, the upcoming millennium also holds important implications beyond the issue of computer technology. Many extremist individuals and groups place some significance on the next millennium, and as such it will present challenges to law enforcement at many levels. The significance is based primarily upon either religious beliefs relating to the Apocalypse or political beliefs relating to the New World Order (NWO) conspiracy theory. The challenge is how well law enforcement will prepare and respond. The following report, entitled "Project Megiddo," is intended to analyze the potential for extremist criminal activity in the United States by individuals or domestic extremist groups who profess an apocalyptic view of the millennium or attach special significance to the year 2000. The purpose behind this assessment is to provide law enforcement agencies with a clear picture of potential extremism motivated by the next millennium. The report does not contain information on domestic terrorist groups whose actions are not influenced by the year 2000. There are numerous difficulties involved in providing a thorough analysis of domestic security threats catalyzed by the new millennium. Quite simply, the very nature of the current domestic terrorism threat places severe limitations on effective intelligence gathering and evaluation. Ideological and philosophical belief systems which attach importance, and possibly violence, to the millennium have been well-articulated. From a law enforcement perspective, the problem therefore is not a lack of understanding of motivating ideologies: The fundamental problem is that the traditional focal point for counterterrorism analysis -- the terrorist group -- is not always well-defined or relevant in the current environment. The general trend in domestic extremism is the terrorist's disavowal of traditional, hierarchical, and structured terrorist organizations. Even well-established militias, which tend to organize along military lines with central control, are characterized by factionalism and disunity. While several "professional" terrorist groups still exist and present a continued threat to domestic security, the overwhelming majority of extremist groups in the United States have adopted a fragmented, leaderless structure where individuals or small groups act with autonomy. Clearly, the worst act of domestic terrorism in United States history was perpetrated by merely two individuals: Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols. In many cases, extremists of this sort are extremely difficult to identify until after an incident has occurred. Thus, analysis of domestic extremism in which the group serves as the focal point of evaluation has obvious limitations. The Project Megiddo intelligence initiative has identified very few indications of specific threats to domestic security. Given the present nature of domestic extremism, this is to be expected. However, this is a function of the limitations of the group-oriented model of counterterrorism analysis and should not be taken necessarily as reflective of a minor or trivial domestic threat. Without question, this initiative has revealed indicators of potential violent activity on the part of extremists in this country. Militias, adherents of racist belief systems such as Christian Identity and Odinism, and other radical domestic extremists are clearly focusing on the millennium as a time of action. Certain individuals from these various perspectives are acquiring weapons, storing food and clothing, raising funds through fraudulent means, procuring safe houses, preparing compounds, surveying potential targets, and recruiting new converts. These and other indicators are not taking place in a vacuum, nor are they random or arbitrary. In the final analysis, while making specific predictions is extremely difficult, acts of violence in commemoration of the millennium are just as likely to occur as not. In the absence of intelligence that the more established and organized terrorist groups are planning millennial violence as an organizational strategy, violence is most likely to be perpetrated by radical fringe members of established groups. For example, while Aryan Nations leader Richard Butler publicly frowns on proactive violence, adherents of his religion or individual members of his organization may commit acts of violence autonomously. Potential cult-related violence presents additional challenges to law enforcement. The potential for violence on behalf of members of biblically-driven cults is determined almost exclusively by the whims of the cult leader. Therefore, effective intelligence and analysis of such cults requires an extensive understanding of the cult leader. Cult members generally act to serve and please the cult leader rather than accomplish an ideological objective. Almost universally, cult leaders are viewed as messianic in the eyes of their followers. Also, the cult leader's prophecies, preachings, orders, and objectives are subject to indiscriminate change. Thus, while analysis of publicly stated goals and objectives of cults may provide hints about their behavior and intentions, it is just as likely to be uninformed or, at worst, misleading. Much more valuable is a thorough examination of the cult leader, his position of power over his followers, and an awareness of the responding behavior and activity of the cult. Sudden changes in activity - for example, less time spent on "Bible study" and more time spent on "physical training" - indicate that the cult may be preparing for some type of action. The millennium holds special significance for many, and as this pivotal point in time approaches, the impetus for the initiation of violence becomes more acute. Several religiously motivated groups envision a quick, fiery ending in an apocalyptic battle. Others may initiate a sustained campaign of terrorism in the United States to prevent the NWO. Armed with the urgency of the millennium as a motivating factor, new clandestine groups may conceivably form to engage in violence toward the U.S. Government or its citizens. Most importantly, this analysis clearly shows that perceptions matter. The perceptions of the leaders and followers of extremist organizations will contribute much toward the ultimate course of action they choose. For example, in-depth analysis of Y2K compliancy on the part of various key sectors that rely on computers has determined that, despite a generally positive outlook for overall compliance, there will be problem industries and minor difficulties and inconveniences. [1] If they occur, these inconveniences are likely to cause varying responses by the extreme fringes. Members of various militia groups, for example, have identified potentially massive power failures as an indication of a United Nations-directed NWO takeover. While experts have indicated that only minor brownouts will occur, various militias are likely to perceive such minor brownouts as indicative of a larger conspiracy. [2] The Senate Special Committee on the Year 2000 Technology Problem has stated that some state and local governments could be unprepared, including the inability to provide benefits payments. [3] This could have a significant impact in major urban areas, resulting in the possibility for civil unrest. Violent white supremacists are likely to view such unrest as an affirmation of a racist, hate-filled world view. Likewise, militia members who predict the implementation of martial law in response to a Y2K computer failure would become all the more fearful. II. INTRODUCTION Are we already living on the precipice of the Apocalypse - the chaotic final period of warfare between the forces of good and evil signaling the second coming of Christ, as forecast in the New Testament's Book of Revelation? Or, will life on earth continue for another 1,000 years, allowing humans to eliminate disease and solve the mysteries of the aging process so they can live as long as Methuselah, colonize space, commune with extraterrestrials, unravel the secrets of teleportation, and usher in a golden age of peace and productivity? [4] At first glance, some of the predictions compiled in Prophecies for the New Millennium that claim to foretell how the millennium will affect the United States seem benign. In fact, those predictions capture some of the countless ways that domestic terrorists view how the millennium will affect the world. The threat posed by extremists as a result of perceived events associated with the Year 2000 (Y2K) is very real. Numerous religious extremists claim that a race war will soon begin, and have taken steps to become martyrs in their predicted battle between good and evil. Three recent incidents committed by suspects who adhere to ideologies that emphasize millennial related violence illustrate those beliefs: Buford O. Furrow, Jr., the man charged in the August 1999 shootings at a Los Angeles area Jewish day care center, told authorities "its time for America to wake and kill the jews"; Ben Smith, who committed suicide after shooting at minorities in Indiana and Illinois, killing two and injuring ten, over the July 4, 1999 weekend, was found to have literature in his home that indicated the year 2000 would be the start of the killing of minorities; and John William King, the man convicted in the dragging death of James Byrd, Jr., a black man in Jasper, Texas, believed that his actions would help to initiate a race war. Each of these men believed in the imminence of a racial holy war. Meanwhile, for members of the militia movement the new millennium has a political overtone rather than a religious one. It is their belief that the United Nations has created a secret plan, known as the New World Order (NWO), to conquer the world beginning in 2000. The NWO will be set in motion by the Y2K computer crisis. Religious motivation and the NWO conspiracy theory are the two driving forces behind the potential for millennial violence. As the end of the millennium draws near, biblical prophecy and political philosophy may merge into acts of violence by the more extreme members of domestic terrorist groups that are motivated, in part, by religion. The volatile mix of apocalyptic religions and NWO conspiracy theories may produce violent acts aimed at precipitating the end of the world as prophesied in the Bible. When and how Christ's second coming will occur is a critical point in the ideology of those motivated by extremist religious beliefs about the millennium. There is no consensus within Christianity regarding the specific date that the Apocalypse will occur. However, within many right-wing religious groups there is a uniform belief that the Apocalypse is approaching. Some of these same groups also point to a variety of non-religious indicators such as gun control, the Y2K computer problem, the NWO, the banking system, and a host of other "signs" that the Apocalypse is near. Almost uniformly, the belief among right-wing religious extremists is that the federal government is an arm of Satan. Therefore, the millennium will bring about a battle between Christian martyrs and the government. At the core of this volatile mix is the belief of apocalyptic religions and cults that the battle against Satan, as prophesied in the Book of Revelation, will begin in 2000. An example of the confrontational nature and belief system of religiously motivated suspects illustrates the unique challenges that law enforcement faces when dealing with a fatalist/martyr philosophy. It also illustrates the domino effect that may occur after such a confrontation. Gordon Kahl, an adherent to the anti-government/racist Christian Identity religion, escaped after a 1983 shootout with police that left two Deputy U.S. Marshals dead. He was later killed during a subsequent shootout with the FBI and others that also left a county sheriff dead. In response to the killing of Kahl, Bob Mathews, a believer in the racist Odinist ideology, founded The Order. After The Order committed numerous crimes, its members were eventually tracked down. Mathews escaped after engaging in a gun battle and later wrote, "Why are so many men so eager to destroy their own kind for the benefit of the Jews and the mongrels? I see three FBI agents hiding behind some trees . . . I could have easily killed them . . . They look like good racial stock yet all their talents are given to a government which is openly trying to mongrelize the very race these agents are part of . . . I have been a good soldier, a fearless warrior. I will die with honor and join my brothers in [heaven]." Exemplifying his beliefs as a martyr, Mathews later burned to death in an armed standoff with the FBI. In light of the enormous amount of millennial rhetoric, the FBI sought to analyze a number of variables that have the potential to spark violent acts perpetrated by domestic terrorists. Religious beliefs, the Y2K computer problem, and gun control laws all have the potential to become catalysts for such terrorism. The following elements are essential to understanding the phenomenon of domestic terrorism related to the millennium: When Does the New Millennium Begin? As the nation and the world prepare to celebrate the arrival of the new millennium, a debate has arisen as to the correct date for its beginning. Although the true starting point of the next millennium is January 1, 2001, as established by the U.S. Naval Observatory in Washington, D.C., our nation's official time keeper, many will celebrate January 1, 2000, as the start of the millennium. The majority of domestic terrorists, like the general public, place a greater significance on January 1, 2000. Blueprint for Action: The Turner Diaries Many right-wing extremists are inspired by The Turner Diaries, a book written by William Pierce (under the pseudonym Andrew Macdonald), the leader of the white supremacist group National Alliance. The book details a violent overthrow of the federal government by white supremacists and also describes a brutal race war that is to take place simultaneously. To date, several groups or individuals have been inspired by this book: * At the time of his arrest, Timothy McVeigh, the man responsible for the Oklahoma City bombing, had a copy of The Turner Diaries in his possession. McVeigh's action against the Murrah Federal Building was strikingly similar to an event described in the book where the fictional terrorist group blows up FBI Headquarters. * The Order, an early 1980s terrorist cell involved in murder, robberies, and counterfeiting, was motivated by the book's scenarios for a race war. The group murdered Alan Berg, a Jewish talk show host, and engaged in other acts of violence in order to hasten the race war described in the book. The Order's efforts later inspired another group, The New Order, which planned to commit similar crimes in an effort to start a race war that would lead to a violent revolution. [5] * Most recently, The Turner Diaries provided inspiration to John William King, the man convicted for dragging a black man to his death in Jasper, Texas. As King shackled James Byrd's legs to the back of his truck he was reported to say, "We're going to start the Turner Diaries early." [6] During the year 2000 and beyond, The Turner Diaries will be an inspiration for right-wing terrorist groups to act because it outlines both a revolutionary takeover of the government and a race war. These elements of the book appeal to a majority of right-wing extremists because it is their belief that one or both events will coincide with Y2K. Interpretations of the Bible Religiously based domestic terrorists use the New Testament's Book of Revelation -- the prophecy of the endtime -- for the foundation of their belief in the Apocalypse. Religious extremists interpret the symbolism portrayed in the Book of Revelation and mold it to predict that the endtime is now and that the Apocalypse is near. To understand many religious extremists, it is crucial to know the origin of the Book of Revelation and the meanings of its words, numbers and characters. The Book of Revelation was written by a man named "John" who was exiled by the Roman government to a penal colony - the island of Patmos - because of his beliefs in Christ. [7] While on the island, he experienced a series of visions, described in the Book of Revelation. The writing in the Book of Revelation is addressed to churches who were at the time experiencing or were threatened by persecution from Rome because they were not following the government. For this reason, some believe the Book of Revelation was written in code language, much of which was taken from other parts of the Bible. One interpretation describing the essence of the message contained in Revelation is that God will overcome Christianity's enemies (Roman Government/Satan) and that the persecuted communities should persevere. [8] For right-wing groups who believe they are being persecuted by the satanic government of the United States, the Book of Revelation's message fits perfectly into their world view. This world view, in combination with a literal interpretation of the Book of Revelation, is reflected in extremist ideology, violent acts, and literature. For this reason, it is imperative to know the meaning of some of the "code words" frequently used: C Four (4) signifies the world. C Six (6) signifies imperfection. C Seven (7) is the totality of perfection or fullness and completeness. C Twelve (12) represents the twelve tribes of Israel or the 12 apostles. C One-thousand (1000) signifies immensity. C The color white symbolizes power and can also represent victory, joy and resurrection. C The color red symbolizes a bloody war. C The color black symbolizes famine. C A rider on a pale green horse is a symbol of Death itself. * "Babylon" is the satanic Roman Government, now used to describe the U.S. government. [9] Black Hebrew Israelites, a black supremacist group, typify the use of numerology from the Book of Revelation. They believe group members will comprise the 144,000 people who are saved by God in the second coming that is outlined in Revelation (7:1-17). In the Book of Revelation, John is shown a vision of 144,000 martyrs who have survived and did not submit to Satan. This number is derived from the assertion that the twelve tribes of Israel consisted of 12,000 people each. Groups not only use the Bible to interpret the endtimes, but use it to justify their ideology. Phineas Priests, an amorphous group of Christian Identity adherents, base their entire ideology on Chapter 25 of the Book of Numbers. The passage depicts a scene where Phineas kills an Israelite who was having relations with a Midianite woman and God then granted Phineas and all of his descendants a pledge of everlasting priesthood. Modern day followers of the Phineas Priest ideology believe themselves to be the linear descendants of Phineas and this passage gives them biblical justification to punish those who transgress God's laws. Therefore, the group is ardently opposed to race mixing and strongly believes in racial separation. The number 25 is often used as a symbol of the group. Apocalyptic Religious Beliefs To understand the mind set of why religious extremists would actively seek to engage in violent confrontations with law enforcement, the most common extremist ideologies must be understood. Under these ideologies, many extremists view themselves as religious martyrs who have a duty to initiate or take part in the coming battles against Satan. Domestic terrorist groups who place religious significance on the millennium believe the federal government will act as an arm of Satan in the final battle. By extension, the FBI is viewed as acting on Satan's behalf. The philosophy behind targeting the federal government or entities perceived to be associated with it is succinctly described by Kerry Noble, a former right-wing extremist. He says the right-wing "envision[s] a dark and gloomy endtime scenario, where some Antichrist makes war against Christians." [10] The House of Yahweh, a Texas based religious group whose leaders are former members of the tax protesting Posse Comitatus, is typical: Hawkins (the leader) has interpreted biblical scripture that the Israeli Peace Accord signed on October 13, 1993, has started a 7-year period of tribulation which will end on October 14, 2000, with the return of the Yeshua (the Messiah). [11] He also has interpreted that the FBI will be the downfall of the House of Yahweh and that the Waco Branch Davidian raids in 1993 were a warning to The House of Yahweh from the federal government, which he terms "the beast." [12] Similarly, Richard Butler, leader of the white supremacist group Aryan Nations, said the following when asked what might have motivated the day care shooting by Buford O. Furrow, Jr., one of his group's followers: "There's a war against the white race. There's a war of extermination against the white male." [13] The New World Order Conspiracy Theory and the Year 2000 Computer Bug Unlike religiously based terrorists, militia anxiety and paranoia specifically relating to the year 2000 are based mainly on a political ideology. Some militia members read significance into 2000 as it relates to their conception of the NWO conspiracy. [14] The NWO conspiracy theory holds that the United Nations (UN) will lead a military coup against the nations of the world to form a socialist or One World Government. UN troops, consisting mostly of foreign armies, will commence a military takeover of America. The UN will mainly use foreign troops on American soil because foreigners will have fewer reservations about killing American citizens. U.S. armed forces will not attempt to stop this invasion by UN troops and, in fact, the U.S. military may be "deputized" as a branch of the UN armed forces. The American military contingent overseas will also play a large part in this elaborate conspiracy theory, as they will be used to help conquer the rest of the world. The rationale for this part of the theory is that American soldiers will also have less qualms about killing foreigners, as opposed to killing their own citizens. Under this hypothetical NWO/One World Government, the following events are to take place: 1) private property rights and private gun ownership will be abolished; 2) all national, state and local elections will become meaningless, since they will be controlled by the UN; 3) the U.S. Constitution will be supplanted by the UN charter; 4) only approved churches and other places of worship will be permitted to operate and will become appendages of the One World Religion, which will be the only legitimate doctrine of religious beliefs and ethical values; 5) home schooling will be outlawed and all school curriculum will need to be approved by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO); and 6) American military bases and other federal facilities will be used as concentration camps by the UN to confine those patriots, including the militias, who defy the NWO. Other groups beside the UN that are often mentioned as being part of the NWO conspiracy theory are Jews, Communists, the Council on Foreign Relations, the Bilderbergers and the Trilateral Commission. Law enforcement officials will probably notice different versions of this theory, depending upon the source. The NWO conspiracy theory is particularly relevant to the millennium because the year 2000 is considered to be a triggering device for the NWO due to the element of computer breakdown. Many computers around the world are based on a numerical system in which the year is only registered by the last two digits. A number of militia members accept the theory that on January 1, 2000, many computers will misinterpret this date as January 1, 1900, and malfunction and/or shut down completely. They further believe that these major computer malfunctions will cause widespread chaos at all levels of society- economic, social and political. This chaos will theoretically create a situation in which American civilization will collapse, which will then produce an environment that the UN will exploit to forcibly take over the United States. Therefore, these militia members (as well as other groups) believe that the year 2000 will be the catalyst for the NWO. According to James Wickstrom, former leader of the defunct Posse Comitatus and "Minister" of the True Church of Israel, anyone who holds any powerful political influence knows that the Y2K crisis may be the final fuse that will lead to the NWO that "David Rockefeller and the rest of his satanic jew seedline desire to usher in upon the earth." [15] He claims that Jews have conspired to create the Y2K problem and that the prospect of impending computer failure is very real. Similarly, The New American, an organ of the ultraconservative John Birch Society, speculates that the Y2K bug could be America's Reichstag fire, a reference to the 1933 arson attack on Germany's Parliament building that was used by Hitler as an excuse to enact police state laws. Similar to this train of thought, Norm Olson, leader of the Northern Michigan Regional Militia, believes constitutional rights probably will be suspended before the real crisis hits. He states: "It will be the worst time for humanity since the Noahic flood." [16] However, there are some extremists who do not attach any major significance to the Y2K problem. In his article, "The Millennium Bug and `Mainstreaming' the News," William Pierce of the National Alliance tells his followers not to worry, or at least, not to worry very much about the Y2K issue. Pierce predicts that the main event that will occur on New Year's Day 2000 is that crazed millennialists will go "berserk when the Second Coming fails to occur." Also, "a few right-wing nuts may launch a premature attack on the government, figuring that without its computers the government won't be able to fight back." Pierce claims that the lights will remain on, and that airplanes will not fall from the sky. He says that he is able to make such a prediction with some degree of confidence because, "contrary to what some cranks would have you believe, the computer professionals and the government have been working on the Y2K problem for some time." [17] Gun Control Laws The passage of the Brady Bill and assault weapons ban in 1994 were interpreted by those in the militia movement and among the right-wing as the first steps towards disarming citizens in preparation for the UN-led NWO takeover. Some are convinced that the registration of gun owners is in preparation for a confiscation of firearms and eventually the arrest of the gun owners themselves. An article by Larry Pratt, Executive Director for Gun Owners of America, interprets a 1995 UN study of small arms, done reportedly in cooperation with U.S. police, customs and military services, as part of the UN's plan to take over the U.S. Pratt goes on to say that the "UN is increasingly assuming the jurisdictional authority of a federal world government with the U.S. as just one of scores of member states. And gun control -- meaning civilian disarmament -- is high up on the agenda of the UN." [18] Speculation like this only serves to fuel the already existing paranoia of militia and patriot groups. The right-wing believes that many of the restrictions being placed on the ownership of firearms today mirror events in The Turner Diaries. In his book, Pierce writes about the United States government banning the private possession of firearms and staging gun raids in an effort to arrest gun owners. The book discusses the government/police use of black men, assigned as "special deputies" to carry out the gun raids. Many members of the right-wing movement view the book as prophetic, believing that it is only a matter of time before these events occur in real life. In the aftermath of the school shootings in Littleton, Colorado, President Clinton, Congress, and Attorney General Reno acted swiftly to propose new laws aimed at restricting the sales of guns to juveniles and to close loopholes in existing laws. In May 1999, the Senate passed a bill to ban the importation of high capacity ammunition magazines and require background checks for guns sold at gun shows. In light of the enormous importance and prominent role that extremist groups place on the Second Amendment, it is probable that recent government actions aimed at controlling guns are perceived to be compelling signs of the UN-led NWO takeover. III. CHRISTIAN IDENTITY Christian Identity is an ideology which asserts that the white Aryan race is God's chosen race and that whites comprise the ten lost tribes of Israel. [19] There is no single document that expresses this belief system. Adherents refer to the Bible to justify their racist ideals. Interpreting the Book of Genesis, Christian Identity followers assert that Adam was preceded by other, lesser races, identified as "the beasts of the field" (Gen. 1:25). Eve was seduced by the snake (Satan) and gave birth to two seed lines: Cain, the direct descendent of Satan and Eve, and Able, who was of good Aryan stock through Adam. Cain then became the progenitor of the Jews in his subsequent matings with the non-Adamic races. Christian Identity adherents believe the Jews are predisposed to carry on a conspiracy against the Adamic seed line and today have achieved almost complete control of the earth. [20] This is referred to as the two-seedline doctrine, which provides Christian Identity followers with a biblical justification for hatred. The roots of the Christian Identity movement can be traced back to British-Israelism, the conviction that the British are the lineal descendants of the "ten lost tribes" of Israel. It is a belief that existed for some time before it became a movement in the second half of the 19th century. The writings of John Wilson helped to extend the idea of British-Israelism to Anglo-Israelism, which included other Teutonic peoples -- mostly northern European peoples from Germany, Italy, France and Switzerland. British-Israelism was brought to America in the early part of the 1920s, where it remained decentralized until the 1930s. At that time, the movement underwent the final transformation to become what we know as Christian Identity, at which time its ties to the original English movement were cut and it became distinctly American. Wesley Swift is considered the single most significant figure in the early years of the Christian Identity movement in the United States. He popularized it in the right-wing by "combining British-Israelism, a demonic anti-Semitism, and political extremism." [21] He founded his own church in California in the mid 1940s where he could preach this ideology. In addition, he had a daily radio broadcast in California during the 1950s and 60s, through which he was able to proclaim his ideology to a large audience. With Swift's efforts, the message of his church spread, leading to the creation of similar churches throughout the country. In 1957, the name of his church was changed to The Church of Jesus Christ Christian, which is used today by Aryan Nations (AN) churches. One of Swift's associates, William Potter Gale, was far more militant than Swift and brought a new element to Christian Identity churches. He became a leading figure in the anti-tax and paramilitary movements of the 1970s and 80s. There are numerous Christian Identity churches that preach similar messages and some espouse more violent rhetoric than others, but all hold fast to the belief that Aryans are God's chosen race. Christian Identity also believes in the inevitability of the end of the world and the Second Coming of Christ. It is believed that these events are part of a cleansing process that is needed before Christ's kingdom can be established on earth. During this time, Jews and their allies will attempt to destroy the white race using any means available. The result will be a violent and bloody struggle -- a war, in effect -- between God's forces, the white race, and the forces of evil, the Jews and nonwhites. Significantly, many adherents believe that this will be tied into the coming of the new millennium. The view of what Armageddon will be varies among Christian Identity believers. Some contend there will be a race war in which millions will die; others believe that the United Nations, backed by Jewish representatives of the anti-Christ, will take over the country and promote a New World Order. One Christian Identity interpretation is that white Christians have been chosen to watch for signs of the impending war in order to warn others. They are to then physically struggle with the forces of evil against sin and other violations of God's law (i.e., race-mixing and internationalism); many will perish, and some of God's chosen will be forced to wear the Mark of the Beast to participate in business and commerce. After the final battle is ended and God's kingdom is established on earth, only then will the Aryan people be recognized as the one and true Israel. Christian Identity adherents believe that God will use his chosen race as his weapons to battle the forces of evil. Christian Identity followers believe they are among those chosen by God to wage this battle during Armageddon and they will be the last line of defense for the white race and Christian America. To prepare for these events, they engage in survivalist and paramilitary training, storing foodstuffs and supplies, and caching weapons and ammunition. They often reside on compounds located in remote areas. As the millennium approaches, various right-wing groups pose a threat to American society. The radical right encompasses a vast number and variety of groups, such as survivalists, militias, the Ku Klux Klan, neo-Nazis, Christian Identity churches, the AN and skinheads. These groups are not mutually exclusive and within the subculture individuals easily migrate from one group to another. This intermixing of organizations makes it difficult to discern a singular religious ideology or belief system that encompasses the right-wing. Nevertheless, Christian Identity is the most unifying theology for a number of these diverse groups and one widely adhered to by white supremacists. It is a belief system that provides its members with a religious basis for racism and an ideology that condones violence against non-Aryans. This doctrine allows believers to fuse religion with hate, conspiracy theories, and apocalyptic fear of the future. Christian Identity-inspired millennialism has a distinctly racist tinge in the belief that Armageddon will be a race war of Aryans against Jews and nonwhites. The potential difficulty society may face due to the Y2K computer glitch is considered by a number of Christian Identity adherents to be the perfect event upon which to instigate a race war. There are a number of issues concerning the Christian Identity belief system that create problems when determining the threat level of groups. First, Christian Identity does not have a national organizational structure. Rather, it is a grouping of churches throughout the country which follows its basic ideology. Some of these churches can be as small as a dozen people, and some as large as the AN church, which claims membership in the thousands. In addition, some groups take the belief to a higher extreme and believe violence is the means to achieve their goal. This lack of structure creates a greater potential for violent actions by lone offenders and/or leaderless cells. It is important to note that only a small percentage of Christian Identity adherents believe that the new millennium will bring about a race war. However, those that do have a high propensity for violence. Secondly, there are many factions of the right-wing, from Christian Identity to militias, all of which are intermingled in ideology and members. In some cases it is easy for a person to be a member of more than one group or to move from one to another. Often, if a member of one group believes the group is lax in its convictions, he or she will gravitate to a group that is more radical. The third concern is the increased level of cooperation between the different groups. This trend can be seen throughout the right-wing. Christian Identity followers are pairing up with militias to receive paramilitary training and have also joined with members of the Ku Klux Klan and other right-wing groups. This cohesiveness creates an environment in which ideology can easily spread and branch out. However, it makes the job of law enforcement much more difficult as there are no distinctive borders between groups or ideology. Lastly, the formation of splinter groups or state chapters from larger organizations presents an increased level of threat due to the likelihood that the leader has diminished control over the members and actions of the smaller groups. The AN is a large group that adheres to the Christian Identity belief system. The group espouses hatred toward Jews, the federal government, blacks and other minorities. The ultimate goal of the AN is to forcibly take five northwestern states -- Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, Washington and Montana -- from the United States government in order to establish an Aryan homeland. It consists of a headquarters in Hayden Lake, Idaho, and a number of state chapters, which often act as their own entities. While the leader may not support or encourage acts of violence, it is easy for small cells of members or splinter groups to take part in violent acts without the knowledge of the leader. The individuals are associated with the group as a whole and carry the name of the group, but may perpetrate acts on their own. These factors make a threat assessment concerning millennial violence difficult to determine. There is a moderate possibility of small factions of right-wing groups, whether they be members of the same group, or members of different groups, acting in an overtly violent manner in order to initiate the Apocalypse. Several problems associated with the assessment for violence can be seen when looking at the structure and actions of the AN. The AN has been headquartered at Hayden Lake since the late 1970s and remains a focal point for the group's activities. Its annual World Congress attracts a number of different factions from the right-wing, including members and leaders of various right-wing groups. The World Congress is often viewed as a sort of round table to discuss right-wing issues. These meetings have led to an increased level of contact between AN members and members and leaders of other groups. This degree of networking within the right-wing may further the AN's base of support and help advance its cause. One of the greatest threats posed by the right-wing in terms of millennial violence is the formation of a conglomeration of individuals that will work together to commit criminal acts. This has happened with some frequency in the past. Bob Mathews formed a subgroup of the AN, called The Order, which committed a number of violent crimes, including murder. Their mission was to bring about a race war and there are several groups that currently exist which hold these same beliefs. Dennis McGiffen, who also had ties to the AN, formed a cell called The New Order, based on Mathews' group. The members were arrested before they could follow through on their plans to try to start a race war. Chevie Kehoe, who was convicted of three homicides, conspiracy and interstate transportation of stolen property also spent some time at the AN compound. Most recently, Buford O. Furrow, Jr., the man accused of the August 10, 1999, shooting at the Jewish Community Center in Los Angeles, California, also spent some time at the AN compound working as a security guard. A relatively new tenet gaining popularity among Christian Identity believers justifies the use of violence if it is perpetrated in order to punish violators of God's law, as found in the Bible and interpreted by Christian Identity ministers and adherents. This includes killing interracial couples, abortionists, prostitutes and homosexuals, burning pornography stores, and robbing banks and perpetrating frauds to undermine the "usury system." Christian Identity adherents engaging in such behavior are referred to as Phineas Priests or members of the Phineas Priesthood. This is a very appealing concept to Christian Identity's extremist members who believe they are being persecuted by the Jewish-controlled U.S. government and society and/or are eagerly preparing for Armageddon. Among adherents today, the Phineas Priesthood is viewed as a call to action or a badge of honor. IV. WHITE SUPREMACY There are a number of white supremacy groups that do not necessarily adhere to Christian Identity or other religious doctrines. White supremacy groups such as the National Alliance, the American Nazi Party and the National Socialist White People's Party are largely politically, rather than religiously, motivated. The National Alliance is probably best known for its leader, William Pierce, who is one of the most recognized names in the radical right. Pierce wrote The Turner Diaries and Hunter and hosts a weekly radio program, American Dissident Voices. Via these outlets, Pierce is able to provide his followers with an ideological and practical framework for committing violent acts. The rhetoric of these groups largely shadows that of Adolf Hitler's in content and political ideology. In 1997, Pierce stated that: Ultimately we must separate ourselves from the Blacks and other non-whites and keep ourselves separate, no matter what it takes to accomplish this. We must do this not because we hate Blacks, but because we cannot survive if we remain mixed with them. And we cannot survive if we permit the Jews and the traitors among us to remain among us and to repeat their treachery. Eventually we must hunt them down and get rid of them. [22] The end goal of National Socialist and Christian Identity devotees is the same: an all white nation. However, Christian Identity followers appear to be more of a threat concerning the millennium because of their religious beliefs. There are also white supremacist groups which adhere to the general supremacist ideology, but are not political or religious in nature. For example, the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) proposes racial segregation that is not generally based on religious ideals. The KKK is one of the most recognized white supremacist groups in the United States. Its history is expansive and its actions of cross burnings and rhetoric of hate are well known. There is currently not a singular KKK group with a hierarchical structure, but many different KKK groups with a common ideology. The KKK, as a whole, does not pose a significant threat with regard to the millennium. That is not to say that a member of the KKK will not act on his own or in concert with members of another group. Law enforcement has been very successful in infiltrating a number of these groups, thereby keeping abreast of their plans for action. The KKK also draws the attention of many watchdog groups, and the Southern Poverty Law Center produces a quarterly publication entitled "Klanwatch." It would be difficult for any of the known KKK groups to participate in millennial violence without law enforcement knowing. Again, there is a great deal of movement that is possible throughout the right-wing, regardless of prior beliefs. If a member of a Christian Identity faction does not feel that his current group is taking enough violent action, it is possible for that member to move on to other ideologies or organizations such as Odinism, the World Church of the Creator (WCOTC) or the National Socialist movement. Because of this movement, it is also likely that communication exists between various factions of the right-wing, from religious groups to skinheads. Their end goals are similar. The WCOTC presents a recent example of violence perpetrated by a white supremacist in order to bring about a race war. The major creed upon which Ben Klassen founded the religion is that one's race is his religion. Aside from this central belief, its ideology is similar to many Christian Identity groups in the conviction that there is a Jewish conspiracy in control of the federal government, international banking, and the media. They also dictate that RAHOWA, a racial holy war, is destined to ensue to rid the world of Jews and "mud races." In the early 1990s, there was a dramatic increase in membership due to the growing belief in the Apocalypse and that RAHOWA was imminent. In 1996, Matt Hale, who has come upon recent fame by being denied a license to practice law in Illinois, was appointed the new leader of the Church of the Creator. Hale made a number of changes to the group, including changing the name of the organization to the World Church of the Creator, giving it the feel of a widespread movement. As publicly reported, there is information to indicate that the WCOTC has violent plans for the millennium. Officials who searched Benjamin Smith's apartment, the man who went on a racially motivated killing spree over the 4th of July weekend, found a loose-leaf binder of handwritings. These writings described a holy war among the races and included a reference to the new millennium. Passages included plans of how white supremacists would shoot at non-whites from motor vehicles after the dawning of the new millennium. [23] While the group's rhetoric does include the belief in a race war and the creation of an all white bastion within the United States, other than Smith's writings, there is no indication that it is linked to the millennium. In addition, there have been recent incidents that have demonstrated the willingness of members to take part in violent action. WCOTC members in Southern Florida are thought to be tied to several racially motivated beatings. Within the last year, four Florida members were convicted for the pistol-whipping and robbery of a Jewish video store owner. They were supposedly trying to raise money for "the revolution." [24] Finally, Odinism is another white supremacist ideology that lends itself to violence and has the potential to inspire its followers to violence in connection to the millennium. What makes Odinists dangerous is the fact that many believe in the necessity of becoming martyrs for their cause. For example, Bob Mathews, the leader of The Order, died in a fiery confrontation with law enforcement. Also, William King relished the fact that he would receive the death penalty for his act of dragging James Byrd, Jr. to his death. Odinism has little to do with Christian Identity but there is one key similarity: Odinism provides dualism -- as does Christian Identity -- with regard to the universe being made up of worlds of light (white people) and worlds of dark (non-white people). The most fundamental difference between the two ideologies is that Odinists do not believe in Jesus Christ. However, there are enough similarities between the myths and legends of Odinism and the beliefs of Christian Identity to make a smooth transition from Christian Identity to Odinism for those racist individuals whose penchant for violence is not being satisfied. V. MILITIAS The majority of growth within the militia movement occurred during the 1990s. There is not a simple definition of how a group qualifies as a militia. However, the following general criteria can be used as a guideline: (1) a militia is a domestic organization with two or more members; (2) the organization must possess and use firearms; and (3) the organization must conduct or encourage paramilitary training. Other terms used to describe militias are Patriots and Minutemen. Most militias engage in a variety of anti-government rhetoric. This discourse can range from the protesting of government policies to the advocating of violence and/or the overthrow of the federal government. However, the majority of militia groups are non-violent and only a small segment of the militias actually commit acts of violence to advance their political goals and beliefs. A number of militia leaders, such as Lynn Van Huizen of the Michigan Militia Corps - Wolverines, have gone to some effort to actively rid their ranks of radical members who are inclined to carry out acts of violence and/or terrorism. [25] Officials at the FBI Academy classify militia groups within four categories, ranging from moderate groups who do not engage in criminal activity to radical cells which commit violent acts of terrorism. [26] It should be clearly stated that the FBI only focuses on radical elements of the militia movement capable and willing to commit violence against government, law enforcement, civilian, military and international targets. In addition, any such investigation of these radical militia units must be conducted within strict legal parameters. Militia anxiety and paranoia specifically relating to the year 2000 are based mainly on a political ideology, as opposed to religious beliefs. Many militia members believe that the year 2000 will lead to political and personal repression enforced by the United Nations and countenanced by a compliant U.S. government. This belief is commonly known as the New World Order (NWO) conspiracy theory (see Chapter I, Introduction). Other issues which have served as motivating factors for the militia movement include gun control, the incidents at Ruby Ridge (1992) and Waco (1993), the Montana Freemen Standoff (1996) and the restriction of land use by federal agencies. One component of the NWO conspiracy theory -- that of the use of American military bases by the UN -- is worth exploring in further detail. Law enforcement officers, as well as military personnel, should be aware that the nation's armed forces have been the subject of a great deal of rumor and paranoia circulating among many militia groups. One can find numerous references in militia literature to military bases to be used as concentration camps in the NWO and visiting foreign military personnel conspiring to attack Americans. One example of this can be found on the website for the militia group United States Theatre Command (USTC). [27] The USTC website prominently features the NWO theory as it portrays both Camp Grayling in Michigan and Fort Dix in New Jersey as detention centers to be used to house prisoners in an upcoming war. Specifically in reference to a photograph of Camp Grayling, the USTC website states: "Note that the barbed wire is configured to keep people in, not out, and also note in the middle of the guard towers, a platform for the mounting of a machine gun." Specifically in reference to a photograph of Fort Dix, the USTC website states: "Actual photos of an 'Enemy Prisoner of War' camp in the United States of America! (Fort Dix, New Jersey to be exact!) Is there going to be a war here? Many more are suspected to be scattered throughout the United States." Law enforcement personnel should be aware of the fact that the majority of militias are reactive, as opposed to proactive. Reactive militia groups are generally not a threat to law enforcement or the public. These militias may indeed believe that some type of NWO scenario may be imminent in the year 2000, but they are more inclined to sit back and wait for it to happen. They will stockpile their guns and ammunition and food, and wait for the government to curtail their liberties and take away their guns. When the expected NWO tragedy does not take place, these reactive militias will simply continue their current activities, most of which are relatively harmless. They will not overreact to minor disruptions of electricity, water and other public services. However, there is a small percentage of the militia movement which may be more proactive and commit acts of domestic terrorism. As stated earlier, the main focus of the militias connected to the Y2K/millennium revolves around the NWO conspiracy theory. While the NWO is a paranoid theory, there may be some real technological problems arising from the year 2000. Among these are malfunctioning computers, which control so many facets of our everyday lives. Any such computer malfunctions may adversely affect power stations and other critical infrastructure. If such breakdowns do occur, these may be interpreted as a sign by some of the militias that electricity is being shut off on purpose in order to create an environment of confusion. In the paranoid rationalizations of these militia groups, this atmosphere of confusion can only be a prelude to the dreaded NWO/One World Government. These groups may then follow through on their premeditated plans of action. VI. BLACK HEBREW ISRAELITES As the millennium approaches, radical fringe members of the Black Hebrew Israelite (BHI) movement may pose a challenge for law enforcement. As with the adherents of most apocalyptic philosophies, certain segments of the BHI movement have the potential to engage in violence at the turn of the century. This movement has been associated with extreme acts of violence in the recent past, and current intelligence from a variety of sources indicates that extreme factions of BHI groups are preparing for a race war to close the millennium. Violent BHI followers can generally be described as proponents of an extreme form of black supremacy. Drawing upon the teachings of earlier BHI adherents, such groups hold that blacks represent God's true "chosen people," while condemning whites as incarnate manifestations of evil. As God's "authentic" Jews, BHI adherents believe that mainstream Jews are actually imposters. Such beliefs bear a striking resemblance to the Christian Identity theology practiced by many white supremacists. In fact, Tom Metzger, renowned white supremacist, once remarked, "They're the black counterpart of us." [28] Like their Christian Identity counterparts, militant BHI followers tend to see themselves as divinely endowed by God with superior status. As a result, some followers of this belief system hold that violence, including murder, is justifiable in the eyes of God, provided that it helps to rid the world of evil. Violent BHI groups are of particular concern as the millennium approaches because they believe in the inevitability of a race war between blacks and whites. The extreme elements of the BHI movement are prone to engage in violent activity. As seen in previous convictions of BHI followers, adherents of this philosophy have a proven history of violence, and several indications point toward a continuation of this trend. Some BHI followers have been observed in public donning primarily black clothing, with emblems and/or patches bearing the "Star of David" symbol. Some BHI members practice paramilitary operations and wear web belts and shoulder holsters. Some adherents have extensive criminal records for a variety of violations, including weapons charges, assault, drug trafficking, and fraud. In law enforcement circles, BHI groups are typically associated with violence and criminal activity, largely as a result of the movement's popularization by Yahweh Ben Yahweh, formerly known as Hulon Mitchell, Jr., and the Miami-based Nation of Yahweh (NOY). In reality, the origins of the BHI movement are non-violent. While the BHI belief system may have roots in the United States as far back as the Civil War era, the movement became more recognized as a result of the teachings of an individual known as Ben Ami Ben Israel, a.k.a Ben Carter, from the south side of Chicago. Ben Israel claims to have had a vision at the age of 27, hearing "a voice tell me that the time had come for Africans in America, the descendants of the Biblical Israelites, to return to the land of our forefathers." [29] Ben Israel persuaded a group of African-Americans to accompany him to Israel in 1967, teaching that African-Americans descended from the biblical tribe of Judah and, therefore, that Israel is the land of their birthright. Ben Israel and his followers initially settled in Liberia for the purposes of cleansing themselves of bad habits. In 1969, a small group of BHI followers left Liberia for Israel, with Ben Israel and the remaining original migrants arriving in Israel the following year. Public source estimates of the BHI community in Israel number between 1500 and 3000. [30] Despite promoting non-violence, members of Ben Israel's movement have shown a willingness to engage in criminal activity. [31] BHI in Israel are generally peaceful, if somewhat controversial. The FBI has no information to indicate that Ben Israel's BHI community in Israel is planning any activity - terrorist, criminal, or otherwise - inspired by the coming millennium. Ben Israel's claims to legitimate Judaism have at times caused consternation to the Israeli government. BHI adherents in Israel have apparently espoused anti-Semitic remarks, labeling Israeli Jews as "imposters." [32] Neither the Israeli government nor the Orthodox rabbinate recognize the legitimacy of BHI claims to Judaism. According to Jewish law, an individual can be recognized as Jewish if he/she was born to a Jewish mother or if the individual agrees to convert to Judaism. [33] At present, BHI in Israel have legal status as temporary residents, which gives them the right to work and live in Israel, but not to vote. They are not considered to be Israeli citizens. While BHI claims to Judaism are disregarded by Israeli officials and religious leaders, the BHI community is tolerated and appears to be peaceful. [34] While the BHI community in Israel is peaceful, BHI adherents in the United States became associated with violence thanks to the rise of the NOY, which reached the height of its popularity in the 1980s. The NOY was founded in 1979 and led by Yahweh Ben Yahweh. Ben Yahweh's followers viewed him as the Messiah, and therefore demonstrated unrequited and unquestioned obedience. Members of the organization engaged in numerous acts of violence in the 1980s, including several homicides, following direct orders from Ben Yahweh. Seventeen NOY members were indicted by a federal grand jury in Miami in 1990-91 on charges of RICO, RICO conspiracy, and various racketeering acts. Various members were convicted on RICO conspiracy charges and remain imprisoned. While the overwhelming majority of BHI followers are unlikely to engage in violence, there are elements of this movement with both the motivation and the capability to engage in millennial violence. Some radical BHI adherents are clearly motivated by the conviction that the approach of the year 2000 brings society ever closer to a violent confrontation between blacks and whites. While the rhetoric professed by various BHI groups is fiery and threatening, there are no indications of explicitly identified targets for violence, beyond a general condemnation and demonization of whites and "imposter" Jews. Militant BHI groups tend to distrust the United States government; however, there are no specific indications of imminent violence toward the government. VII. APOCALYPTIC CULTS For apocalyptic cults, especially biblically based ones, the millennium is viewed as the time that will signal a major transformation for the world. Many apocalyptic cults share the belief that the battle against Satan, as prophesied in the Book of Revelation, will begin in the years surrounding the millennium and that the federal government is an arm of Satan. Therefore, the millennium will bring about a battle between cult members --- religious martyrs --- and the government. In the broadest meaning, cults are composed of individuals who demonstrate "great devotion to a person, idea, object or movement." [35] However, using that definition, many domestic terrorist groups could be characterized as cults, including Christian Identity churches, Black Hebrew Israelites, and some militias. For law enforcement purposes, a narrower interpretation of groups that qualify as cults is needed. A more useful definition of cults incorporates the term "cultic relationships" to describe the interactions within a cult. [36] Specifically, a cultic relationship refers to "one in which a person intentionally induces others to become totally or nearly totally dependent on him or her for almost all major life decisions, and inculcates in these followers a belief that he or she has some special talent, gift, or knowledge." [37] This definition of cults provides important distinctions that are vital for analyzing a cult's predilection towards violence. The origin of the cult, the role of its leader, and its uniqueness provide a framework for understanding what distinguishes cults from other domestic terrorist groups that otherwise share many similar characteristics. These distinctions are: (1) cult leaders are self-appointed, persuasive persons who claim to have a special mission in life or have special knowledge; (2) a cult's ideas and dogma claim to be innovative and exclusive; and (3) cult leaders focus their members' love, devotion and allegiance on themselves. [38] These characteristics culminate in a group structure that is frequently highly authoritarian in structure. Such a structure is a sharp contrast to the rapidly emerging trend among domestic terrorist groups towards a leaderless, non-authoritarian structure. While predicting violence is extremely difficult and imprecise, there are certain characteristics that make some cults more prone to violence. Law enforcement officials should be aware of the following factors: * Sequestered Groups: Members of sequestered groups lose access to the outside world and information preventing critical evaluation of the ideas being espoused by the leader. * Leader's History: The fantasies, dreams, plans, and ideas of the leader are most likely to become the beliefs of the followers because of the totalitarian and authoritarian nature of cults. * Psychopaths: Control of a group by charismatic psychopaths or those with narcissistic character disorders. * Changes in the Leader: Changes in a leader's personality caused by traumatic events such as death of a spouse or sickness. * Language of the Ideology: Groups that are violent use language in their ideology that contains the seeds of violence. * Implied Directive for Violence: Most frequently, a leader's speeches, rhetoric, and language does not explicitly call for violence, rather it is most often only implied. * Length of Time: The longer the leader's behavior has gone unchecked against outside authority, the less vulnerable the leader feels. * Who Is in the Inner Circle: Cults with violent tendencies often recruit people who are either familiar with weapons or who have military backgrounds to serve as enforcers. Apocalyptic cults see their mission in two general ways: They either want to accelerate the end of time or take action to ensure that they survive the millennium. For example, Aum Shinrikyo wanted to take action to hasten the end of the world, while compounds in general are built to survive the endtime safely. An analysis of millennial cults by the FBI's Behavioral Science Unit describes how rhetoric changes depending on whether the leader's ideology envisions the group as playing an active role in the coming Apocalypse or a passive survivalist role: A cult that predicts that "God will punish" or "evil will be punished" indicates a more passive and less threatening posture than the cult that predicts that "God's chosen people will punish . . ." As another example, the members of a passive group might predict that God or another being will one day liberate their souls from their bodies or come to carry them away. The followers of a more action-oriented group would, in contrast, predict that they themselves will one day shed their mortal bodies or transport themselves to another place. [39] A cult that displays these characteristics may then produce three social-psychological components, referred to as the "Lethal Triad," that predispose a cult towards violence aimed at its members and/or outsiders. [40] Cults in which members are heavily dependent on the leader for all decision making almost always physically and psychologically isolate their members from outsiders, the first component of the triad. [41] The other two components interact in the following way: "... isolation causes a reduction of critical thinking on the part of group members who become entrenched in the belief proposed by the group leadership. As a result, group members relinquish all responsibility for group decision making to their leader and blame the cause of all group grievances on some outside entity or force, a process known as projection. Finally, isolation and projection combine to produce pathological anger, the final component of the triad." [42] Of the nearly 1000 cults operating in the United States, very few present credible threats for millennial violence. Law enforcement officials should concentrate on those cults that advocate force or violence to achieve their goals concerning the endtime, as well as those cults which possess a substantial number of the distinguishing traits listed above. [43] In particular, cults of greatest concern to law enforcement are those that: (1) believe they play a special, elite role in the endtime; (2) believe violent offensive action is needed to fulfill their endtime prophecy; (3) take steps to attain their beliefs. Those factors may culminate in plans to initiate conflict with outsiders or law enforcement. The violent tendencies of dangerous cults can be classified into two general categories--defensive violence and offensive violence. Defensive violence is utilized by cults to defend a compound or enclave that was created specifically to eliminate most contact with the dominant culture. [44] The 1993 clash in Waco, Texas at the Branch Davidian complex is an illustration of such defensive violence. History has shown that groups that seek to withdraw from the dominant culture seldom act on their beliefs that the endtime has come unless provoked. [45] Cults with an apocalyptic agenda, particularly those that appear ready to initiate rather than anticipate violent confrontations to bring about Armageddon or fulfill "prophesy" present unique challenges to law enforcement officials. One example of this type of group is the Concerned Christians (CC). Monte Kim Miller, the CC leader, claims to be one of the two witnesses or prophets described in the Book of Revelation who will die on the streets of Jerusalem prior to the second coming of Christ. To attain that result, members of the CC traveled to Israel in 1998 in the belief that Miller will be killed in a violent confrontation in the streets of Jerusalem in December 1999. CC members believe that Miller's death will set off an apocalyptic end to the millennium, at which time all of Miller's followers will be sent to Heaven. Miller has convinced his followers that America is "Babylon the Great" referred to in the Book of Revelation. In early October 1998, CC members suddenly vanished from the United States, an apparent response to one of Miller's "prophesies" that Denver would be destroyed on October 10, 1998. In January 1999, fourteen members of the group who had moved to Jerusalem were deported by the Israeli government on the grounds that they were preparing to hasten the fulfillment of Miller's prophecies by instigating violence. [46] Ascertaining the intentions of such cults is a daunting endeavor, particularly since the agenda or plan of a cult is often at the whim of its leader. Law enforcement personnel should become well acquainted with the previously mentioned indicators of potential cult violence in order to separate the violent from the non-violent. VIII. THE SIGNIFICANCE OF JERUSALEM The city of Jerusalem, cherished by Jews, Christians, and Muslims alike, faces many serious challenges as the year 2000 approaches. As already evidenced by the deportation of various members of the religious cult known as the Concerned Christians, zealotry from all three major monotheistic religions is particularly acute in Israel, where holy shrines, temples, churches, and mosques are located. While events surrounding the millennium in Jerusalem are much more problematic for the Israeli government than for the United States, the potential for violent acts in Jerusalem will cause reverberations around the world, including the United States. The extreme terrorist fringes of Christianity, Judaism, and Islam are all present in the United States. Thus, millennial violence in Jerusalem could conceivably lead to violence in the United States as well. Within Jerusalem, the Temple Mount, or Haram al-Sharif, holds a special significance for both Muslims and Jews. [47] The Temple Mount houses the third holiest of all Islamic sites, the Dome of the Rock. Muslims believe that the prophet Muhammad ascended to Heaven from a slab of stone -- the "Rock of Foundation"-- located in the center of what is now the Dome of the Rock. In addition, when Arab armies conquered Jerusalem in 638 A.D., the Caliph Omar built the al-Aqsa Mosque facing the Dome of the Rock on the opposite end of the Temple Mount. The Western (or Wailing) Wall, the last remnant of the second Jewish temple that the Romans destroyed in 70 A.D., stands at the western base of the Temple Mount. The Western Wall has long been a favorite pilgrimage site for Jews, and religious men and women pray there on a daily basis. Thus, the Temple Mount is equally revered by Jews as the site upon which the first and second Jewish Temples stood. Israeli officials are extremely concerned that the Temple Mount, an area already seething with tension and distrust among Jews and Muslims, will be the stage for violent encounters between religious zealots. Most troubling is the fact that an act of terrorism need not be the catalyst that sparks widespread violence. Indeed, a simple symbolic act of desecration, or even perceived desecration, of any of the holy sites on the Temple Mount is likely to trigger a violent reaction. For example, the Islamic holy month of Ramadan is expected to coincide with the arrival of the year 2000. Thus, even minor provocations on or near the Temple Mount may provide the impetus for a violent confrontation. The implications of pilgrimages to Jerusalem by vast numbers of tourists are ominous, particularly since such pilgrimages are likely to include millennial or apocalyptic cults on a mission to hasten the arrival of the Messiah. There is general concern among Israeli officials that Jewish and Islamic extremists may react violently to the influx of Christians, particularly near the Temple Mount. The primary concern is that extreme millennial cults will engage in proactive violence designed to hasten the second coming of Christ. Perhaps the most likely scenario involves an attack on the Al-Aqsa Mosque or the Dome of the Rock. Some millennial cults hold that these structures must be destroyed so that the Jewish Temple can be rebuilt, which they see as a prerequisite for the return of the Messiah. Additionally, several religious cults have already made inroads into Israel, apparently in preparation for what they believe to be the endtimes. It is beyond the scope of this document to assess the potential repercussions from an attack on Jewish or Islamic holy sites in Jerusalem. It goes without saying, however, that an attack on the Dome of the Rock or the Al-Aqsa Mosque would have serious implications. In segments of the Islamic world, close political and cultural ties between Israel and the United States are often perceived as symbolic of anti-Islamic policies by the Western world. Attacks on Islamic holy sites in Jerusalem, particularly by Christian or Jewish extremists, are likely to be perceived by Islamic extremists as attacks on Islam itself. Finally, the possibility exists that Islamic extremist groups will capitalize upon the huge influx of foreigners into Jerusalem and engage in a symbolic attack. IX. CONCLUSION Extremists from various ideological perspectives attach significance to the arrival of the year 2000, and there are some signs of preparations for violence. The significance of the new millennium is based primarily upon either religious beliefs relating to the Apocalypse/Armageddon, or political beliefs relating to the New World Order conspiracy theory. The challenge to law enforcement is to understand these extremist theories and, if any incidents do occur, be prepared to respond to the unique crises they will represent. Law enforcement officials should be particularly aware that the new millennium may increase the odds that extremists may engage in proactive violence specifically targeting law enforcement officers. Religiously motivated extremists may initiate violent conflicts with law enforcement officials in an attempt to facilitate the onset of Armageddon, or to help fulfill a "prophesy." For many on the extreme right-wing, the battle of Armageddon is interpreted as a race war to be fought between Aryans and the "satanic" Jews and their allies. Likewise, extremists who are convinced that the millennium will lead to a One World Government may choose to engage in violence to prevent such a situation from occurring. In either case, extremists motivated by the millennium could choose martyrdom when approached or confronted by law enforcement officers. Thus, law enforcement officials should be alert for the following: 1) plans to initiate conflict with law enforcement; 2) the potential increase in the number of extremists willing to become martyrs; and 3) the potential for a quicker escalation of conflict during routine law enforcement activities (e.g. traffic stops, issuance of warrants, etc.). [1 U.S. Congress, Senate, Special Committee on the Year 2000 Technology Problem, Investigating the Impact of the Year 2000 Problem, February 24, 1996, pp. 1-6.] [2 Ibid, p. 3.] [3 Ibid. p. 5.] [4 Cliff Linedecker, Prophecies for the New Millennium (Lantana, FL: Micromags, 1999), p. 3-4.] [5 Charles Bosworth Jr., "Illinois Man Sought Start of Race War," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, March 15, 1998.] [6 Paul Duggan, "From Beloved Son to Murder Suspect," The Washington Post, February 16, 1999.] [7 While he never claimed to be the book's author, the Apostle John was identified as such by several of the early church Fathers. Authorship is generally ascribed to him today.] [8 This interpretation of the Book of Revelation is according to the Catholic Bible and a Catholic scholar that was consulted on the matter. However, there are other varying interpretations of the Book of Revelation within Christianity.] [9 All symbolism was taken from The Catholic Bible; New American Bible] [10 Kerry Noble, Tabernacle of Hate: Why they Bombed Oklahoma City ( Prescott, Ontario, Canada: Voyageur Publishing, 1998).] [11 Robert Draper, "Happy Doomsday," Texas Monthly, July 1997, p.74; Evan Moore, "A House Divided: Tensions divide Abilene-area cult," The Houston Chronicle, March 24, 1996.] [12 Evan Moore, "A House Divided: Tensions divide Abilene-area cult," The Houston Chronicle, March 24, 1996] [13 John K. Wiley, "Profile of attack suspect is familiar and frightening," The Miami Herald, August 12, 1999] [14 Use of this term within militia circles became more common after President Bush starting using it to refer to the state of world affairs after the collapse of the USSR at the end of the Cold War and in the context of using international organizations to assist in governing international relations. The term One World Government is also used as a synonym for the New World Order.] [15 James P. Wickstrom, "Intelligence Update," October 1998, accessed at www.posse~comitatus.org.] [16 See Fall 1998 edition of the Southern Poverty Law Center's Intelligence Report, "Millennium Y2KAOS.] [17 William Pierce, "The Millennium Bug and 'Mainstreaming' the News," accessed at www.natvan.com.] [18 Larry Pratt, "The United Nations: Pressing for U.S. Gun Control," accessed at www.gunowners.org] [19 There were 12 tribes of Israel but they were divided into two different kingdoms after the death of King Solomon. The northern kingdom was called "Israel" and consisted of ten tribes and the southern kingdom was called "Judah" and was comprised of two tribes. There is a record of the two tribes making up the southern kingdom, but the ten northern tribes were "lost" after they were conquered around 722 BC by the Assyrians.] [20 Jeffrey Kaplan, Radical Religion in America (Syracuse, N.Y.: Syracuse University Press, 1997), p. 47-48.] [21 Michael Barkun, Religion and the Racist Right (Chapel Hill, N.C.: The University of North Carolina Press, 1997), p. 60] [22 Anti-Defamation League, Explosion of Hate, p 15.] [23 "U.S. Mulls Church Probe; Ties To Killings Investigated," Chicago Tribune, July 9, 1999.] [24 "Behind the Hate," The Washington Post, July 6, 1999.] [25 Van Huizen lost re-election as commander of the MMCW in late 1997 to the more radical Joe Pilchak.] [26 See "Militias- Initiating Contact," FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin, July 1997, pp. 22-26.] [27 Accessed at www.eagleflt.com.] [28 See Fall 1997 edition of the Southern Poverty Law Center's Intelligence Report, "Rough Waters: Stream of Knowledge Probed by Officials."] [29 Linda Jones. "Claiming a Promised Land: African-American settlers in Israel are guided by idea of independent Black Hebrew Society," The Dallas Morning News, July 27, 1997.] [30 Ibid.] [31 See Fall 1997 Southern Poverty Law Center's Intelligence Report, "Rough Waters: Stream of Knowledge Probed by Officials."] [32 Jones, Dallas Morning News, July 27, 1997.] [33 Ibid.] [34 Ibid. In fact, in the community of Dimona where the BHI community resides, the Dimona Police Chief spoke in complimentary terms as to the group's discipline, leadership, and integrity.] [35 Frederick C. Mish, ed., Merriam Webster's Collegiate Dictionary 10th Edition (Springfield, MA: Merriam- Webster, Incorporated, 1997), p. 282.] [36 Margaret Thaler Singer and Janja Lalich, Cults in Our Midst: The Hidden Menace in Our Everyday Lives (San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass Publishers, 1995), p. 7.] [37Singer and Lalich, p. 7.] [38 Singer and Lalich,