Closely related to the deviant hypothesis is the hypothesis that cattle mutilations are the result of cult activity. However, Unlike the deviancy hypothesis, which holds that cattle are mutilated at random by individual deviants, the cult hypothesis holds that cattle mutilations are coordinated acts of ritual sacrifice that are being carried out by an organized group.
Beliefs held by proponents of the cult hypothesis vary, but commonly include:
- mutilations are tied to phases of the moon or related to certain days of the week that hold Pagan symbolism relating to fertility.
- the apparent absence of blood at mutilation sites may indicates cult members have been drinking it
- organs have been removed from cattle for use in rituals
- unborn calves have been harvested from mutilated cattle.
The hypothesis that cults may be responsible for cattle mutilation first gained popularity in the US during the 1970s, a time of growing national concern over cults issues. In 1975, the US Treasury Department assigned Donald Flickinger to investigate the possible existence of connections between cults and the mutilation of cattle. The operation came under the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. Flickinger recorded a number of 'unusual' incidents and circumstantial evidence, but was unable to find sufficient evidence of cult involvement for the ATF to take further action.
Public interest in the cult hypothesis wained during the 1980s, but interest was maintained by proponents such as the Colorado based television evangelist Bob Larson, who campaigned to raise public awareness of links between cattle mutilations and cult activity through his ministry and radio shows. Larson and other proponents sometimes link US cattle mutilation to cases from countries like Britain, where symbols relating to fertility cults have apparently been found at the sites of farm animal mutilations and where possible signs of cult rituals have been alleged by animal welfare officers.
Law enforcement agents in several states, including: Alberta, Idaho, Montana, and Iowa, have reported finding evidence implicating cults in several instances of cattle mutilations. According to Roberta Donovan, a "stone with the inscription 'ISIS favor us! Mother of moon, lover of goodness'," was found at the site of a 1976 mutilation. In the ancient world, the cult of Isis may have engaged in ritual genital mutilation *(citation below).
Cattle mutilations date back at least to the mid 1960s, and have been reported in every region of the US. Official estimates, made in 1979, put the number of mutilations at 8,000 and some proponents estimate that there are up to 2000 modern mutilations per year. Mutilations have also been recorded as occurring in different locations on the same night, and have been reported in countries around the globe.
Critics of the cult hypothesis point out that cattle mutilations were documented as early as the mid 1960's and as many as two thousand occur each year. They suggest that in order to achieve this coverage, a cult would require a membership so large and organized that it would be difficult to conceal from authorities.
During their investigations, the FBI and the ATF were unable to find evidence, including signs of consistency between mutilations, that would substantiate that the animals had been the victims of any form of ritual sacrifice or organized mutilation effort. They were also unable to determine how or why a cult would perform procedures that would result in the anomalies reported in some necropsies.
Reports of evidence of cult activity have, to date, been fruitless. In one case, a convict seeking favorable sentencing terms apparently fabricated information relating to cult cattle mutilation. In another, local high school students are supposed to have circulated cult rumors as a prank.
To date, no cult member has been convicted for cattle mutilation.
* Ancient Egyptian Female Genital Cutting
Second Draft - 29th of September
editClosely related to the deviant hypothesis is the hypothesis that cattle mutilations are the result of cult activity. However, unlike the deviancy hypothesis, which holds that cattle are mutilated at random by individual deviants, the cult hypothesis holds that cattle mutilations are coordinated acts of ritual sacrifice that are being carried out by an organized group.
Beliefs held by proponents of the cult hypothesis vary, but commonly include that:
- mutilations are tied to phases of the moon or related to certain days of the week that hold Pagan symbolism relating to fertility.
- the apparent absence of blood at mutilation sites may indicates cult members have been drinking it
- organs have been removed from cattle for use in rituals
- unborn calves have been harvested from mutilated cattle.
The hypothesis that cults may be responsible for cattle mutilation first gained popularity in the US during the 1970s, a time of growing national concern over cults issues. By the mid 1970 concerns had become sufficient to enough for a federal investigation to be launched, and in 1975 the US Treasury Department assigned Donald Flickinger to investigate the possible existence of connections between cults and the mutilation of cattle, under the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. Flickinger recorded a number of 'unusual' incidents and reported finding circumstantial evidence, but it was not sufficient for the ATF to take further action. Media reports of the time claimed that his investigation was dropped once it was determined that cattle deaths were not a prelude to a co-ordinated campaign against elected officials by cult members [FBI 2] (Page 23).
Public interest in the cult hypothesis wained during the 1980s, but some interest was maintained by proponents such as the Colorado based television evangelist Bob Larson, who campaigned to raise public awareness of links between cattle mutilations and cult activity through his ministry and radio shows. Larson and other proponents sometimes link US cattle mutilation to cases from countries like Britain, where symbols relating to fertility cults have apparently been found at the sites of farm animal mutilations and where alleged signs of cult rituals have been reported by animal welfare officers, and to the mutilation of smaller animals.
Law enforcement agents in several states, including: Alberta, Idaho, Montana, and Iowa, have reported finding evidence implicating cults in several instances of cattle mutilations. According to Montana author Roberta Donovan, who documented the experiences of Great Falls Deputy Sheriff Keith Wolverton during a rash of mutilations, a "stone with the inscription 'ISIS favor us! Mother of moon, lover of goodness'," was found in an area where several mutilations had occurred in 1976. In the ancient world, Isis was associated with fertility and sometimes symbolized by the cow, the cult of Isis may have engaged in ritual genital mutilation *(citation below).
Cattle mutilations date back at least to the mid 1960s, and have been reported in every region of the US. Official estimates, made in 1979, put the number of mutilations at 8,000 and some proponents estimate that there are up to 2000 modern mutilations per year. Mutilations have also been recorded as occurring in different locations on the same night, and have been reported in countries around the globe. Critics suggest that in order to achieve this coverage, a cult would require a large and organized membership that it would be difficult to conceal from authorities.
Both the ATF investigation, and subsequent FBI investigation, were unable to find evidence, including signs of consistency between mutilations, that would substantiate that the animals had been the victims of any form of ritual sacrifice or organized mutilation effort. They were also unable to determine how or why a cult would perform procedures that would result in the anomalies reported in some necropsies.
The Cult hypothesis, and the allegation that cattle mutilations were a 'warm up' for human sacrifices , has been the subject of a number of hoaxes. In one case a convict, seeking favorable sentencing terms, fabricated information relating to cult cattle mutilation. In another, local high school students are reported as having circulated cult rumors as a prank.
To date, no cult member has been convicted for cattle mutilation.