Utah advances bill to criminalize ‘ritual abuse of a child,’ in echo of 1980s satanic panic

The bill lists specific actions that fall under the proposed definition: abuse against children that includes animal torture, bestiality or cannibalism, or forcing a child to ingest urine or feces, enter a coffin or grave containing a corpse, or take drugs as part of the ritual.

Wouldn't this include celebrating communion?

My first thought was "wow, flds is not gonna like this"
Certainly seems like that could be an interpretation of the bill.
If not, you could start in on the ones with the baby dunking buckets. Judging by the cleanliness of their holy water, there's not a huge focus on hygiene. Probably some feces and urine swirling around in there which is likely to be ingested during the performance.
Depends. As far as I know only a few groups consider it to be literally body/blood and most are clear that they believe it to be symbolic. A lot of churches also just use grape juice now instead of wine so can't get them on drug use even if alcohol were considered a drug
- Most non-Protestant denominations (Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, etc.) teach that it's a literal, miraculous physical change.

Ritual abuse of a children: like,..indoctrination?

No, no, no. Not Christian rituals of abuse. Those are protected under freedom of (one) religion.
is utah one of the state where you can marry children? sounds like ritual abuse to me

Don't they have a lot of conversion camps in Utah?

Conversion camps, camps for rebellious teens, and other religious based camps.
Lots of emotional abuse mixed in with physical abuse is normal in the state.

So they're finally outlawing infant circumcision?

Ritual abuse of children is no longer legal in Utah? Wouldn’t have been in my 40 first guesses for first state to institute a minimum age for church attendance but good for them!

Does that include circumcisions?

Their testimony included the stuff of nightmares: [I have opted to exclude the list] — assaults so physically and emotionally traumatic that the victims said they repressed memories of their abuse.

It is good to note that recollection of events past is increasingly difficult, to the point that it is not only possible but quite easy to invent memories or have memories implanted by someone skilled in the art of suggestion.

I'm not saying there aren't people who have experienced ritual abuse, but especially where the "satanic" is concerned, it's often difficult to gauge the credibility of sources' memories, especially if they were children when it allegedly happened (children often lack the language and experience to properly understand what happened to them) and especially during a moral panic like we are currently experiencing.

But then, Republicans don't care about source credibility, as long as it helps propel them into authoritarian power.

Be careful: they may be intending to declare that Critical Reasoning class is "ritual abuse of children".

Wait & see how they actually apply it.

So child abuse is fine, but they draw the line at rituals?

Sexual abuse is aok though! ❤️

How long until they bring back the bullshxx from the 90s with "regression therapy" that implants the deranged fears of conservative parents in children as if they had been abused for real?

How long until they dig up streets and school basements again in search for "satanic tunnels?"

This is the best summary I could come up with:

After an evening of emotional testimony from activists, self-described victims and law enforcement officials, lawmakers in Utah are moving forward with a bill that would criminalize so-called ritualistic child sexual abuse — a codification critics say is unnecessary and potentially harmful.

Their testimony included the stuff of nightmares: devil worship, animal torture, forced bondage, rape, cannibalism, child prostitution and mind control — assaults so physically and emotionally traumatic that the victims said they repressed memories of their abuse.

Koen has appeared on dozens of podcasts over the years to tell her story: that she was tortured and forced to participate in human sacrifice as part of satanic cult rituals led by family members, neighbors and church leaders.

Smith has defended the integrity of his investigation and told lawmakers Wednesday that his yearslong probe into ritual sexual abuse in the state had made him a laughingstock, but that he believed the accusers.

Utah’s proposed bill and the county sheriff’s investigation have attracted national interest from conservative media and an online network of conspiracy theorists who believe this case will prove that the allegations that fueled the 1980s satanic panic were true all along, and that cabals of satanists are still sexually abusing, murdering and cannibalizing children.

California, Illinois and Idaho were among the earliest states to pass laws criminalizing ritual abuse in response to 1980s claims of satanic threats to children, primarily in day care settings, deYoung said.

The original article contains 1,414 words, the summary contains 237 words. Saved 83%. I'm a bot and I'm open source!