User:Perfectblue97/Cults

Cults
One offshoot from the deviant hypothesis is the hypothesis that cattle mutilations are the result of cult activity.

Unlike the deviancy hypothesis, which holds that cattle are mutilated at random by individual deviants, proponents of the cult hypothesis hold that cattle mutilations are coordinated acts of ritual sacrifice that are being carried out by an organized group.

One of the best known proponents of this hypothesis is Colorado based television evangelist Bob Larson, who has campaigned to raise public awareness of links between cattle mutilations and cults for many years.

As with other proponents of the cult hypothesis, Larson's attempts to link cult activities and cattle mutations have earned him many detractors among both proponents and non-proponents of the mutilation phenomena, who have accused him of 'progressively enhancing' his hypothesis in order to fit new information about cattle mutilations. Leading detractors to suggested that he many be suffering from true-believer syndrome.

Claims against Larson can be said to have peaked after he suggested that cult members were using sophisticatedly equipment, such as extendable cranes and platforms slung underneath helicopters, to ensure that they could carry out a mutilation without leave footprints, or other physical evidence, at the scene.

The credibility of the cult hypothesis has further been damaged by proponents claims that most, if not all, cattle mutilations – even those recognized as being the result of predation – are really the result of cult activities.

Aside from problems with the credibility of its proponents, there are three primary criticism of the cult hypothesis.

Consistency

Cult activity is usually highly structured and ritualized, with the cult preforming the same actions and/or ceremonies in an identical manner over a sustained period of time, and cult members preforming the same activities regardless of their location

In contrast to this, cattle mutilations often have little or no consistency, not even between cases in the same geographic areas and, when viewed on a national basis, levels of consistency between mutilations breaks down even further.

According to an NIDS survey, carried out over 50 states, mutilation of the eye only occurs in 58 percent of cases, while mutilation of the tongue and lower jaw only occur in 42 and 22 percent of cases respectively. Even the most consistent mutilations, these being the removal of the anus and/or female genitals, occur in only only 3/4 cases.

This apparent randomness does not fit with known cult behavior patterns. The same is true for alleged cases of human mutilation.

Opportunity

Cattle mutilations date back at least to the 1960s, have been reported in every region of the US, and in many countries across the world. Officially reported cases alone run into the thousands, and proponents maintain that only a fraction of cases are ever reported.

In order to achieve such a level of coverage, a cult would have to have a massive membership and infrastructure, which would be difficult to hide. Particularly with the current world focus on terrorism brining increased scrutiny on covert groups and the methods that they use to conceal themselves.

A cult would also either have to have many branches around the world, or members with the means and opportunity to travel. Making its concealment more difficult still.

Means

Necropsy results often reveal anomalies in mutilated animals, including the presence of unexplained compounds, unusual levels of the chemicals that are naturally found in a cow's body, and evidence that mutilated animals have been exposed to unknown forces (See Common Criticisms of the Natural Causes Hypothesis).

While many of these results could be gained through scientific means, it is questionable whether even a sophisticated cult would have access to the equipment needed to so. It is also a matter for debate as to why a cult would use exotic methods in their rituals when conventional veterinary tranquilizers, techniques and tools could be used preform a similar task, and why a cult would move so far away from traditional forms of ritual.

To date, no physical evidence has ever been found to link any cult or cult member to the cattle mutilation phenomena, and no cult member has ever been convicted for mutilating cattle.

With this said, there is evidence to suggest that cults, specifically fertility cults, are responsible for a small number of attacks on horses in Europe. In these isolated cases evidence of ritual consistency has been observed and physical evidence, in the form of occult symbols, has been found at mutilation sites (See Horse Ripping).

It should be noted that cult attack on horses bare only a superficial resemblance to a classic cattle mutilation.

Equally, cult/ritual murders often bare only a superficial resemblance to alleged human mutilation. Specifically, human mutilations never involve the removal of the heart or other acts commonly found in cult related murders.