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Christian Rescue Service & The Bridge of Dreams fire-bombing! 27 April 2011 The following events (which serve as a disconcerting example of ongoing fundamentalist Xtian prejudice against unorthodox minorities) occurred some years ago, yet they must be remembered by all genuine pagans and occultists as history has a very nasty habit of repeating itself. Fist uploaded by PAN in May 2004
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Christian Rescue Service & The Bridge of Dreams fire-bombing! Plastic Pagans who think Christo/pagan interfaith liaison is a swell idea should possibly consider the following "There are 15,000 Satanists in Great Britain who plan to desecrate churches around the country. If we let them Britain will descend into Paganism - something must be done about it."
Comments expressed by the Bishop of Lincoln in the Sunday Telegraph and other UK papers. (November 1998)
Of course the Bishop's mention of "Satanists" equates to all Pagans, Druids, Witches, Wiccans, Odinists, etc. Pagan or Satanist it's all the same to the fundies and no amount of well-meaning education about the subtle difference will EVER change their minds! His wacky figure of "15,000 Satanists" is comical too. According to leading SAFF Occult Census research, only 4% of occultists are actively involved in Satanism.
SAFF actually challenged the Bishop to explain just 'where' he pulled this ridiculous "15,000" figure from. Chances are that it came from the oppressive fundie outreach forces that apparently rule his city with an iron cross!
In December 1990,Chris and Sarah Townsend opened a shop in Lincoln selling occult paraphernalia which they called “Bridge of Dreams”.
Before Long their business was subjected to a torrent of verbal abuse and public demonstrations by the Xtian fundamentalist churches of that area. The main Xtian protagonists being two hard-line organizations, the Reachout Trust (of SRAM instigation infamy) and the New Life Christian Fellowship. Newspapers and radio shows were used as platforms for their unwarranted attacks on the proprietors and their business. The fundies even petitioned the landlord, demanding the closure of the Townsend's business. Later the Lincolnshire press carried a letter written by the Xtian petition organisers which listed the groups attempting to close the Bridge of Dreams as: City Vision, New Life Ministries, local Methodist churches, Lincoln Christian Fellowship, The Church Army, the Christian Community Church etc. The abuse continued for six months and eventually cumulated into vicious fundie death/arson threats against the Townsends.
Chris and Sarah closed their shop, moved out from Lincoln town and started a market stall in Corby. However, here too they were attacked by fundie agitators. Demonstrations against their market stall were organized by a group called Christian Rescue Service (CRS). In July 1991 the fundie organiser of CRS John Celia confronted the Townsends on their stall and shock horror reports appeared in the local press suggesting that the CRS charity were fighting Satanic cults involved in the ritual abuse of children. Celia also made television appearances to explain his perceived dangers of occult involvement. Chris and Sarah later packed up and left. They came back to Lincoln in December 1991 and reopened the Bridge of Dreams, which almost immediately attracted a stream of Xtian abuse.
Subsequent to this, on 28th January 1992 a petrol bomb was thrown into their shop. Most of the Townsend's shop was destroyed by the ensuing blaze which effectively put them out of business. We believe that the local community largely stood idly by and did little or nothing to help stop this despicable modern-day religious persecution.
CRS has inferred that it collaborated with leading child welfare charities who promoted the now discredited idea of SRAM.
All in all this one disgraceful and highly avoidable episode is a black stain of British human rights. Alternative evidence was always available from leading human rights groups like SAFF but was ignored in favour of old-time Xtian bigotry, media sensationalism and misleading anti-occultist propaganda which always lies under the theocratic strangle hold of the Church.
The sheet below marks the sort of atrocious black propaganda these well-respected fundamentalist groups (many are also charitable organisations, collecting from the public on the street) have been pumping out against occultist minorities.
CRS leaflet...
  How many idle pagans have sat by and failed to lift a finger to help PAN and SAFF in the fight for occultist liberty whilst such disgusting events as this have passed them by?
How many untutored pagans are happy to chat along with their chums at cosy interfaith moots with clever, smirking church activists and blabber along on internet forums about love & harmony, whilst the rest of us do their dirty work for them?
How lovely it is that they are so content in their ignorant bliss, totally unaware of events (as mentioned above) and unaware of how very easy it is for fundamentalism to crush their lives - whenever it so desires!
How easy it is for the Fundie Machine to move into prejudicial overdrive and get the rest of society to tow its line. How simple it is for them to grab the moral high ground and silence all dissent when push comes to shove!
What are YOU doing to stop the 'next' Church-based assault on our beliefs?
Disclaimer: PAN realises that the vast majority of Christians are not fundamentalist or evangelical in make up and we only criticise religious extremists who seek to disenfranchise other faiths whilst bolstering their own. PAN does not in any way condone violence against any persons or property and we must state that we have always worked towards a more tolerant and equal society.
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