Freedom From Religion - Part 1 - A Case of Reverse Persecution

[Dracopol]

Santeria is kind of a DOS of human religions. Who uses DOS any more on their computer when there is something better? It was developed by primitive Africans who never spoke to anyone else, much less initiated any kind of philosophical exchange. We'd all be better off without Santeria or any other animal-sacrifice religion.

[tsharpmac420]

YOU ARE A DICK. Your girlfriend is homeless and u dont give her a place to stay? She can come stay at my crib for free

[svallwood]

I practice this religion and I think the priest in the video is a real asshole. I'd never react that way and would do my best to ensure my rituals don't disturb the neighbors. And leaving all that trash and rotting carcasses in the backyard? Please don't think this represents the majority of adherents of our faith.

[ShaggyShagz13]

I want to create my own religion. Sacrificing practioners of other religions will be the only way to appease the god I create. The only way for a non-believer of my religion to gain exemption from sacrifice is to denounce their religion and convert to mine. Once everybody has been converted or sacrificed there will be no one left to sacrifice and my god will be satisfied. At this point, my god will want us to abandon worship of him but remain vigilant.

[Alixblood]

I am ALL for Freedom "OF" Religion but that doesn't translate to "everyone can do as they please as long as it's in the name of their religion", there should be some boundaries... there should be some boundaries with everything.

[wade2bosh]

people have been hunting, killing, slaughtering, and ritual slaughtering animals forever. i dont have a problem with it as long as its done at a private place (meat factory/shop).................­.its not moral, but hey most of the humans on earth are omnivores....doing it in ur home is a bit offensive to ones neighbours.

[ifbenruledtheworld]

She is quite a nosey neighbor. If she minded her own fucking business, she wouldn't have any problems. I'm an atheist, but I don't butt into my neighbor's lives.

[ShaggyShagz13]

@ifbenruledtheworld Ignoring the smell of a pile of rotten carcases and trash is kinda hard.

[itube612]

religions make me sick. citizens of free western countries should be protected from the imbecile occultism and religious totalitariansm.

[lambchopxoxo]

no religion

[SweetCaramelDip]

why do those pple of the west always mess with the religions of others?????????????

[philnoll]

she's so upset about the killing of animals except for lunch and dinner.

[gatomjp]

@philnoll That's not what she's upset about. You don't fully understand the situation yet. It's about the lunacy of religious rituals being an exception to the laws the rest of us have to follow.

[Sakamachi25]

there is no defference between santaria goat killings, catholic cracker eating, musilim ramadam fasting, or aztec sun worship. ALL religion is a step backward in the progress of humanity.

[ltheriot83]

...But I can't lie, those who practice Santeria are the wrong people to cross or have a confrontation with. I've seen some pretty horrific things in my life due to Santeria. However, I know my place and I respect it and those who practice it. My heart goes out to your girlfriend and she's in my prayers.

[ltheriot83]

Its always best to check who your neighbors are, and if your house is haunted when moving to a new environment. I can understand her horror with the things she seen but I really don't agree with the way that portray Santeria. Being that my father side of the family is from the Islands and they do practice it, so I respect it. Its not a bad religion, its just their way of doing things, just like Christians go to church on Sundays....

[gatomjp]

@typhon3808 The area was not zoned for the handling of livestock. What part of that did you not understand??

[gatomjp]

@typhon3808 We asked for a meeting to discuss what was happening but it never materialized. The priest and his people had no intention of educating us about what they were doing. It was either accept or leave.

[adzug]

how can the police not be responsible for taking care of the incident?especially after you have video? i think i wudda got a weapon and called the police saying you have the actions of this man on file , i have a gun because hes unstable. my lawer knows this as well.

[5tickupKidd]

How did you recorded?

[BloodTar]

"I didn't know if he had weapons.."

Uuuh, the last time I read the US Constitution, we are allowed to have weapons.

"for someone to be able to do that (kill animals) themselves was very disturbing."

Sounds to me like this woman and her enabler boyfriend think that hunters that also "kill animals themselves" are mentally disturbed.

[ContaMuir17a]

I bet she ate animals. So she's not innocent. What does it matter who kills them? If you eat them you're not innocent. -- But the guy next door was a real loony toon. And shouldn't have been doing that in the small back yard of a metro area. He should have moved out to the country away from people. -- Still a sick religious practice by any standards. Hexes? Curses? Sounds like black magic. Not a religion of peace or of God. Very sad.

[FamousRaia]

This was not about the food we eat. This guy Hector was disturbing the entire neighborhood, therefore, violating the rights of the home owners, in that neighborhood. There's a big difference who kills them, and the way they are killed. This wasn't a farm where they kill a cow quickly, with the least about of pain. It was very clear Hector was torturing an animal for some sick pleasure or to please whatever god he must worship. So yes. it is very sad.

[83Hammerhead]

uhm I'll pick freedom FROM religion, thank you!

[gr8Sweetfox]

a lot of churches should be banned. I mean how sick is that. Freedom of religion.. lolz. If i say i steal from people and thats part of my religion.,. nah nobody would support that.

The world is so sick people some people are let their freedom. Sometimes i am afraid we need a moral law ... about things like that. People should get faster to a mental hospital..

[albettatrue]

If i kill an animal, i get arrested. If i kill an animal for my religion, it is legal? I refuse to accept that.

[gatomjp]

@albettatrue It's true. Further, if you violate zoning laws in your community you get fined or arrested. If you violate zoning laws for your religion there's nothing they can do. Fair? I'd say not.

[NihilNominis]

doxey,

From what I can gather, you tend to reduce the ethical questions about killing to the single consideration of whether or no pain is felt. Granted that cruelty for its own sake is evil, and cruelty to animals is a great indicator that something is seriously wrong with the person responsible. Nevertheless, I think you must first establish that there's no human exceptionalism (for our species' first instinct is to believe that there is), and that pain in last agony is esp. significant.

[NihilNominis]

Inasmuch as animals are capable of imitating/imaging that which in humans elicits sympathy, the way in which a person behaves towards them is an important benchmark of how responsive he/she is to another creature's suffering, and of how much compassion they will be capable. Nevertheless, while causing pain as an end is a morally perverse and evil act, I don't think it is fair to conclude that simply because something does cause pain, it is evil. E.g. the dentist. You must prove it otherwise.

[NihilNominis]

I suppose if you want a fuller philosophical background of me to criticise, rather than try to explain it fully in 500 character bits, I'll just give you my -isms. I am a Roman Catholic, and my thoughts on morality general have the Moral Theology of the Church at their heart; I am of course a human exceptionalist, as follows from my Catholicism, and I am not particularly given to fringe theologians who would impart more of a soul to animals than did Aristotle.

[doxsey55]

@NihilNominis Pain is evil. The reason why any sane person endures purposeful pain (dentist, doctor) is only in order to avoid greater pain in the future. Why, because pain is a negative experience. Animals try to avoid it as we do. Do they not? Unless we are gladly willing to accept everything we inflict, we are unjust hypocrites. Every pain that originates with us, we deserve to return upon us.

[doxsey55]

@NihilNominis If perhaps justice finds you and your kind, and you have to face the door to eternal non-existence in the searing pain you have inflicted, you can, if you can even speak, let someone know if it is significant.

[1paige]

ok im like 15 and my bffl her mom does this she tolld me some things abute it and

well i thingk that its creepy no being mean i went to the bathroom 3 time at her houses in my like and thos 3 times ther was bitrds in ther i did ask what it was but i didnt like the feeling i got being ther ans shes allways moveing shes moved arund the city 8 times well 9 naw in the last 3 years i dont get that things that go thro my mind naw .seeing all this shed i stay friends with her

[doxsey55]

@1paige If a person can be callous and not respond appropriately toward the pain of an animal, they can be callous and irresponsible toward the pain of humans as well. The mom is very sick spiritually and emotionally. She attracts evil spiritual energy, deluded by what she hopes to gain. She doesn't realize the debt she is racking up, nor what she is throwing away. Get away from her as soon as you can, and stay away.

[NephilimNetwork]

Continued

It has gone as far as being proposed as an event at the 2010 World Cup! It has even been proposed for the start of every match.

They have a right to their culture, as do I, but do I not have the right not to witness it, should I choose not to? Do I not have the right to buy my meat at the supermarket and not have to witness the cruel slaughtering of an animal in the yard next to mine?

It's also illegal to slaughter animals in these areas, yet they are allowed.

[NephilimNetwork]

Continued

Someone commented on slaughterhouses being cruel, but there is a difference between the humane slaughter of animals (with modern devices) for the purpose of self preservation and the ritualistic torture and killing of animals for "fun" (killed with knives and spears by inflicting several wounds), whether it's motivated by religion or culture, makes no difference.

[NephilimNetwork]

Dear Mike,

I our country, we have a similar problem with the slaughter of animals, especially cows, as part of a local tradition.

While I have respect for other people's customs, I believe this practice goes against animal rights, as the slaughter is barbaric, and also the rights of people living in urban and sub-urban neighborhoods.

[TheMhayc]

This case is typical of the privileged position religion demands for itself, and is all too often given by civil authorities. It's worse in "mainstream" relgion, with priests buggering young boys while the Church turns a blind eye. It's only a matter of time before radical Islamists demand that female genital mutilation be given First Amendment protection. We need to stop this nonsense.

[ucbrr]

this santeria is pure evil and witchcraft

they sacrafice to the devil or "spirits"

[Iworiogunda]

hey mike im gonna by your last name on this one i think your italian (sorry if i am wrong,but this is just to possibly give you some light) now if you were to steal my wallet i am not going to blame the entire italian race but instead just blame you you have a issue with what 1 person is doing to you or your girl fine have an issue with him NOT THE ENTIRE RELIGION

[Iworiogunda]

please dont get it twisted either

the santero in this video did not act correctly either

If he is a real santero he needs to learn Iwa Pele hey mike

look up Iwa Pele

a religious leader in orisha worship needs to practice good iwa pele

if he doesnt do that

then he is not doing olorisha/aborisha/babalawo is supposed to do

[Iworiogunda]

i live in a white area

i am portuguese

i am a babalawo

i kill many types of animals 4 legged and feathered and i dont have any issues

why

because i am friendly with everyone in my area and so as they are with me and we found this cool new thing called RESPECT for each ones property/religious faith/believes/political views and it works out perfectly fine for us

soooooooo im sure if someone was minding thier self this situation could have been different

[doxsey55]

Are you friendly and respectful of the animals that you torture and kill, some of them being your neighbor's pets?

[doxsey55]

How can other's mind their business when screaming animals in agony wake people and their children from a sound sleep?

[jnyc101]

if they took a goat in to the shed, how the hell did she "see the blood" did she have bionoculars? was she a peeping tom? it seems like you were to much of a coward to handle her neighbor and you had to make a video instead to try and press charges becuase you were afraid to handle the problem, you thought you were going to were going to win her over with this load of garbage? nice going buddy...just makes you look like more of a ignorant person that does not respect the cultures of others.

[puertoricoindepencia]

@jnyc101 I know right, I'm a Santero and I'm tired of my neighbours saying they can see dead animals in my room when I have blinds I think there looking inside with binoculars.

[doxsey55]

what about respecting the agony of a living thing?

[magicalwrath]

Religion is overrated and IN MY OPINON i think its the reason the world is full of hate.

[kv1901]

Umm, this is overly dramatic. Important lesson check out the neighborhood, before you buy.

And mind your own business. Seems like you are just trying to get attention for yourself and your 'helpless' teacher girlfriend who bought a house on her own.

and moved in all by herself (violin music).

Learn about different cultures and don't go pushing your view about what you think should be going on in your neighbors house.

You were spying on your neighbors - that's scary and weird!

[tat20001]

It is horrifying that this sort of behavior is condoned when it is done in the name of religion.

After receiving no help from law enforcement, I would have called PETA and other animal protection agencies, maybe they would have taken the murder of these animals seriously.

[doxsey55]

@tat20001 I did contact PETA. They said, other than advising me to call my local police, they don't have the resources. They are working on having the fine and punishment for the torture of innocent animals easier to prosecute as well as increasing the consequences.

[om3g488]

I can't believe that shit like that happens in Deleware! In Amreica!!! It is sick! A non-violent secularist run out of her home in America by violent fundamentalists. This is exactly why religion must be stopped.

[eichael09]

close your blinds and buy a gun

[mellr0]

Unfortunately mike, this appears to be a general example of "creepy neighbour".

I notice you guys filmed each event and constantly recorded them, as well as looking out the window.

The teacher in the video has judged the man based upon the killing of these animals.

At no point in this video was any attempt to be civil made from either side.

[PutaLoca11]

Hey Mike Pussynela, I like how you mention that she's an unmarried school teacher. what you wanted to move into her place to make an upgrade. You fucking douchebag. Your ex girlfriend is fucking dumb nosy bitch that should've minded her own fucking business. Seriously you're a fucking idiot to make this stupid docuschmocktery. Go fuck yourself you racist ignorant pig. I'm glad you're shitty movie hasn't made it. That's why you uploaded it here for free. Cause no one will buy this crap.

[mikepulcinella]

Wow my little shitty video really pissed you off didn't it?

[aikifan77]

I honestly fail to see anything wrong with this video. Maybe you know something I don't but on the face of it it seems ok, slightly biased but who wouldn't be in that situation.

[vivalaleta]

Decent, mentally stable Americans are called RACIST because they object to animal sacrifices done by threatening, obscene people in their bedroom community. WHO GIVES A FUCK WHETHER THE WITCH DOCTOR IS HISPANIC OR JAMAICAN OR SCOTTISH? And Pulcinella said he wanted to share the house with her - not that he wouldn't be sharing the bills too. YOU'RE the racist.

[Reverendjim1]

@PutaLoca11 God, how vulgar a position and vile a tongue... You must be a Jew!

[Reverendjim1]

@PutaLoca11 These colonists consisted of all Christian "reformed" congregations. Quakers, Puritan's, Calvinists, Huguenots Etc... They were stridently Christian yet theologically disparate. The American founding fathers, the framers of the US constitution were heavily influenced by the plight of these colonists & many were their descendent's. The framers intent was NOT to protect the practice of all religions but to protect religious practice within the confines of Christianity.

[MrsWeeklyFletes]

@PutaLoca11 someone had a bad day.

[RompeChocha305]

looks like a palero to me

and i find it very lame that you post/make a documentary like this.

[Iworiogunda]

Hey mike

Im a Babalawo

you want to have a discussion

ill be more then happy

[mikepulcinella]

Thank you. I might be interested actually. I will send you a private email.

[shangoshun]

Hey Iworiogunda, I know you wanted to have a discussion with this guy, but I assume it was a waste of time. This video is so stupid, fake, and so bias. Hey mikepulcinella here are some facts about sacrifices:we don't torture animals we kill them in the most humane way possible, after the ceremony we can't keep them lying around, so either you're full of shit or that guy doesn't know what the hell he's doing. Seriously get a fucking life or please go educate yourself with real babalawos.

[doxsey55]

I am an eye and ear witness for the past 25 years..that this documentary is mild compared to the reality of what goes on. It is as far opposite from humane as is possible. Either most of this religion doesn't know how to practice it, or you are a liar. But would that be surprising, from someone who is also an animal murderer?

[shangoshun]

"I am an eye and ear witness for the past 25 years"

Oh give a break, what the hell do you know? I don't know what you've witnessed, but I'll repeat it one more time, We do not torture animals- and besides, why doesn't anybody focus on sloughter houses, and all those animals that die by getting tortured every day? Seriously there's no point in arguing with all you ignorant people.

[doxsey55]

@shangoshun That's right. You don't know what I've witnessed. You can repeat it a billion times....I still witnessed it, and still do. If you think a slaughter house is the same as the slow, excruciating torture to the point of death, seriously, there's no point in you breathing.

[doxsey55]

@shangoshun That's right. You don't know what I've witnessed. You can repeat it a billion times....I still witnessed it, and still do. If you think a slaughter house is the same as the slow, excruciating torture to the point of death, seriously, there's no point in you breathing.

[doxsey55]

@shangoshun That's right. You don't know what I've witnessed. You can repeat it a billion times....I still witnessed it, and still do. If you think a slaughter house is the same as the slow, excruciating torture to the point of death, seriously, there's no point in you breathing.

[doxsey55]

@shangoshun Why don't you just admit that you are a deviate who gets his rocks off my torturing helpless creatures who can't defend themselves? Seriously, there's no point in you breathing.

There is no comparison between slaughter houses and the practice of torturing an animal for days, culminating in a slow agonizing death.

That's right, you don't know what I've witnessed, and continue to witness. You can repeat it a billion times. I'm still a witness.

[doxsey55]

@shangoshun Why don't you just admit that you are a deviate who gets his rocks off my torturing helpless creatures who can't defend themselves? Seriously, there's no point in you breathing.

There is no comparison between slaughter houses and the practice of torturing an animal for days, culminating in a slow agonizing death.

That's right, you don't know what I've witnessed, and continue to witness. You can repeat it a billion times. I'm still a witness.

[FamousRaia]

@Iworiogunda He wanted to discuss with Hector how he was disturbing someone he cared for, and felt unsafe in her own home, along with the rest of the neighborhood. I hope we can take that as a joke, but when really, it was a very serious matter about the neighborhood's well-being. So if it wasn't a joke, please grow up and think about the feelings and well-being of others.

[NihilNominis]

If you can kill it to eat it, why can't you kill it to sacrifice it? Seems reasonable to me. Now, if they were *human* sacrifices, we'd have a story.

[gatomjp]

Okay I'll be right over to slaughter a few animals in your backyard.

[NihilNominis]

But that's just become a property issue. The woman's neighbour was slaughtering the animals in his own lawn, on his own property.

[gatomjp]

Yes. Against zoning regulations.

[NihilNominis]

So now we've reduced from real religious or ethical reasons to local gov't's formalities. So once again, this is not a question which reduces to the religious debate, but doesn't even touch it.

[gatomjp]

However if you watch the whole series you will see how the presence of religion kept the law from being enforced, That is what the title Freedom From Religion refers to.

[oshundayo]

Religion kept which laws from being enforced? I would like to know more about these laws if you would like to elaborate on them. I'm not aware of any laws which were broken? Please do educate us.

[gatomjp]

Part 5 my friend.

[doxsey55]

@NihilNominis So if a person causes the greatest pain and destruction to a living feeling creature, that's okay as long as he holds the deed to the dirt under him? What?

[oshundayo]

Zoning laws don't apply to sacrifice of animals in a religious setting.

[mikepulcinella]

But they should!

Is ANYTHING allowable in the name of religion? This is an important question.

What activities can bypass laws we all agree on and which cannot and who decides? This is a slippery slope your people have started upon and you might eventually find yourself having to tolerate practices that take away YOUR freedom to live as YOU desire.

[doxsey55]

@NihilNominis Slaughter houses should make the use of animals for meat as humane as possible, and some do. When an animal is tortured for days and then slowly executed in most excruciating way possible, we are in a different ballpark than the meat industry.

[doxsey55]

@NihilNominis Yeah, because only humans can feel pain.

[baronghetto]

I am an initiate of a similar faith from Brazil called Candomble. This situation could have been handled better by both parties.

[yasnaixa]

lmao! this video made me laugh...

[doxsey55]

@yasnaixa Maybe you would like to be the next sacrifice :)

[EDDYCRABCAKE]

well, done, very enlightenling. who knew this kind of thing goes on.

[strongmanzack]

Great work here.

[csmaccath]

Thank you for your work here. I look forward to seeing the rest of the documentary. Please let us know if it becomes available on DVD.

[hifrommike65]

This cruelty to animals is just being covered up by a claim to religious ritual. This is worse than dog fighting, but because it has the appearance of religious belief, the killers are getting away with it, & in a suburban setting of all places. What a travesty.

[mikepulcinella]

Update:

rootsandrooted. org, a website celebrating African heritage, has banned me for posting a link to this video in a blog about Santeria. It will be the first of many bannings I am sure!

I will continue to try an open up a discussion with practitioners of this religion, even though I have been refused by them every time I have tried.

[doxsey55]

@mikepulcinella They're a crowd of cowards. They prefer the dark because they fear the light of exposure. That's why their victims are helpless creatures. If they really believe in what they're doing, why aren't they willing to also be a victim?

[olokuntogun]

I'd be willing to bet money that you're a flaming racist and religious bigot. Epic fail.

[mikepulcinella]

You couldn't be more wrong. I have good friends of every race and was in an interracial relationship for a time.

I don't know what a religious bigot is. I am agnostic and think they world might be better off with NO religions at all.

[oshundayo]

I think I'm understanding the motive more now...

[jsuarez713]

You are so right olokuntogun, of that there is no doubt, Pulcinella is a total Rascist and a religious BIGOT!!

[aikifan77]

I fail to see any signs of him being religious, maybe you know something I don't, I also don't see any signs of racism, again maybe you know something I don't. Eithewr way nothing wrong with this vid so far.

Are you sure you're not just getting pissy because you are hispanic and so was the goat killing twat in the vid?

[FamousRaia]

@aikifan77 Right... hahaha.

[doxsey55]

@jsuarez713 Oh, is this the deviate sadist speaking?

[chrisbitz]

Great riveting documetary, and I can't wait for the next episode!

I feel you shouldn't have mentioned that it was your GF though - it ruins any possible belief in your impartiality...

[mikepulcinella]

Good point, but I think that hiding that fact would have been dishonest. I most certainly am not impartial, and I embrace that fact. This is a PERSONAL journey. I offered the practitioners of the religion to tell their side of the story in order to balance the documentary. They have not yet taken me up on my offer.

[shangoshun]

And i don't blame them for no wanting to waste their time with stupid bullshit.

[doxsey55]

@shangoshun Yeah, because torturing, murder, and robbing people of peace is such stupid bullshit to perverted deviate cowards.

[windham666]

This is what people get for living in crowded city conditions. I think the teacher should have minded her own business. Same with Hector the goat killer. Same with the cops, lawyers, social workers, judges, the city council, the neighbors, all of them. Freedom from religion necessarily also entails the free exercise of religion - but it's the freedom part that matters most. No one i saw in this video is free.

[doxsey55]

@windham666 least of all the innocent tortured and killed animal.