White Order of Thule
The White Order of Thule was a loosely organized American society formed in the mid-1990s by federal prisoner Peter Georgacarakos, art school graduate Michael Lujan[1] and New Age occultist, Joseph Kerrick.[2] It described itself as an "esoteric brotherhood working toward the revitalization of the Culture-Soul of the European people". The Southern Poverty Law Center has described it as a racist hate group based in Deer Park, Washington.[3] The group ceased publication of their newsletter Crossing the Abyss (for the first issue it was called simply "The Abyss") and announced that they were disbanding in 2000.[4]
In 2005, a White Order of Thule Internet blog website was founded by Moody Lawless of the United Kingdom which continues as of 2010. This website reprints much of the original material printed by the group and, in addition, new material is posted. [5]
Background
Members of the White Order of Thule (WOT), followed pre-Christian beliefs as represented by the ancient Celts, Norse, Greeks, Slavs, Romans and other ancient Indo-European peoples. WOT followers generally adhered to Odinism and other forms of Indo-European Paganism, which they asserted was "a spiritual way of life, based on the Nordic ancestral mythos; or the collective beliefs and folk-consciousness of the Aryan people."
Odinism, when practiced by Nazis, focuses on the rejection of what they see as Jewish-influenced Christianity; the embrace of an "indigenous faith" rooted in pre-Christian Indo-European warrior cultures; and the oneness of the Aryan race with nature.
National Socialism and other racist and antisemitic ideologies have tremendous appeal to white supremacist Odinists, who allege that many prominent Nazis practiced a form of Odinism in Nazi Germany. Many white supremacists in prisons practice the racist version of Odinism.[6]
Membership
Membership of the order was limited to individuals of European descent over 18 years of age. Individuals seeking to join were required to send a 500 word autobiography including their views on culture, spirituality, history and politics. If deemed suitable, they would be sent an application. Aside from the Degrees of Membership and the Membership Manual the order suggested as study material works such as Mein Kampf, Imperium, Beyond Good and Evil, Might is Right, Siege and Revolt Against the Modern World. [7]
Terrorism
In the 2002 white supremacist terror plot Leo V. Felton and Erica Chase, a boyfriend/girlfriend team who claimed to belong to the White Order of Thule, were convicted of plotting to blow up landmarks associated with Jews and African-Americans. [8]
See also
Notes
- ^ Goodrick-Clarke 2003: 231.
- ^ Rudgley 2007: 228.
- ^ SPLCenter.org: Pagans and Prison
- ^ MIPT Terrorism Knowledge Base
- ^ White Order of Thule blog website:
- ^ Two with Ties to White Supremacy Suspected in Plot to Bomb Boston Sites
- ^ PublicEye.org - White Supremacists in the U.S
- ^ Haskell, Dave (2002-07-26). "Jury convicts white supremacists". United Press International. Retrieved 2009-06-10.
References
- Goodrick-Clarke, Nicholas. 2003. Black Sun: Aryan Cults, Esoteric Nazism and the Politics of Identity. New York: New York University Press. ISBN 0-8147-3155-4.
- Rudgley, Richard. 2007. Pagan Resurrection: A Force for Evil or the Future of Western Spirituality? London: Arrow Books. ISBN 978-0-09-928119-1.