William Schnoebelen is an American Fundamentalist Christian who claims that he was once a Satanist. He is also known as Bill Schnoebelen. He was born in a devout Roman Catholic household and at the age of five, he desired to become a Catholic priest. However he claims that because of the changes made during the Second Vatican Council and the so called 'hypocrisy' of the Catholic clergy at his seminary, he began looking for other paths.
Satanism
Bill Schnoebelen also claims that because of the influence of the professors at his seminary, he studied Spiritualism, ESP and Witchcraft. By the time he received his Bachelor's Degree, Schnoebelen was a fully fledged Wiccan. He also claims that he became a high ranking Satanist in the Church of Satan; that he was involved in Freemasonry, Thelema, Rosicrucianism and many other mystical organisations, and that these organisations are connected to Satanism; that Dungeons and Dragons and the Harry Potter books lead children into Satanism[1], [2]; that reports of flying saucers and alien abduction events are linked to Satanism; and that Satanists sacrifice people at every Halloween.
Conversion to Fundamentalist Christianity
By his account, Schnoebelen became a Fundamentalist Christian in 1984[3] after reading a Jack Chick tract; he has subsequently become a friend of Chick and is sometimes cited in Chick's tracts. Schnoebelen and his wife Sharon currently operate With One Accord Ministries, based in Iowa. Bill Schnoebelen also has written Masonry: Beyond the Light, Wicca: Satan's Little White Lie, Lucifer Dethroned and Blood on the Doorposts which attack Satanism and organisations allegedly linked to Satanism.
Criticisms
Most of the groups involved in Schnoebelen's accusations have rejected his claims as fiction. Some allege that his writings contain errors of fact about the organisations he claims to have joined - for instance, according to Masons, the 'Palladium Masonry' Schnoebelen claims to have joined is a hoax and never actually existed[4]. Unfortunately, it is often difficult to independently investigate such claims, since most potential sources of information are closely affiliated either with Schnoebelen or with the groups he alleges to be Satanic.
A more easily verified criticism is that the sheer number of activities in which Schnoebelen and his associates claim him to have been involved (often, involved in depth) stretches belief. According to the biography on his own page[5], Schnoebelen's curriculum vitae includes:
- Sixteen years as a teacher of witchcraft, Qabalah and ceremonial magick
- Seven years in the Church of Satan
- Nine years as a Freemason
- Five years as a Mormon, where he held "numerous offices, including elders' quorum president"
- A degree in music and education (1971, Loras College)
- Master's degree in theological studies (1980, St. Francis School of Pastoral Ministry; this is a Catholic seminary[6])
- Master's degree in counseling (Liberty University, 1990)
- Nearly thirty years of research into UFO phenomena
- Ability as "a Naturopathic doctor, a Nutritional Herbologist and a Certified Natural Health Professional". [While Iowa does not license naturopathic doctors, the N.D. degree typically requires four years of graduate school study and intensive clinical experience[7].]
According to a timeline[8] offered by Schnoebelen's friend Ed Decker , Schnoebelen became a 'Witch' in 1968; a 'Witch High Priest' in 1973; joined the Church of Satan in 1975; became a Master Mason in 1976; a ' Gnostic Catholic (sic) Bishop' in 1978; joined 'Palladium Masonry' in 1979; obtained his Master's Degree in Theology in 1980; joined the Latter Day Saints Church in 1980 and first attended LDS Temple in 1981, becoming a LDS Quorum President in 1982 and an Institute Teacher in 1983, before 'getting saved' on June 22, 1984.
Among other things, Schnoebelen has also reputedly claimed to have ordained women as a Roman Catholic bishop[9], and to have become a high priest in four different Wiccan traditions in just two years[10].
The dates given in Schnoebelen's books create several apparent conflicts with his biography. For instance, in Masonry: Beyond the Light, Schnoebelen claims that he was a Mormon and a Mason when he was 'saved' in mid-1984; this implies that either he was already a member of both in 1980 when he was studying theology at a Catholic seminary, or his claim of "five years" as a Mormon was exaggerated. In Wicca: Satan's Little White Lie, Schnoebelen reputedly claims that "Up to our departure from the city of Milwaukee in 1984, we were presiding over one of the oldest and largest networks of covens" - implying that before his conversion in that year he was simultaneously a Mormon, a Mason, and a Wiccan. Even if this is true, it would lead many to question the mental state of Schnoebelen.
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