Rockbites: Tennessee cult banned from Reading Festival

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July 2000 • Rockbites Alternative Daily

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Tennessee cult banned from Reading Festival
6 July 2000

Tennessee based worldwide religious cult The Twelve Tribes operated a vegetarian cafe at England’s recent Glastonbury Festival, handed out literature deemed by some to be racist and anti-semitic, and recruited at least one new member. On Monday The Guardian newspaper reported the story. In it they quote from the literature: “Murder is the very crime which the Jews are still cursed for... politicians who rally different races to be one are forerunners of the antichrist....”
    Now Mean Fiddler, the organizers for the upcoming Reading Festival (25-28 August), have decided to ban The Twelve Tribes from the festival grounds. “The Mean Fiddler have always believed that music events should not be used by organizations to preach religious or political beliefs at attendees regardless of the content of those beliefs. In accordance with the policy, both The Twelve Tribes and Common Ground Cafe have had their application for the festival rejected.”
    The Twelve Tribes have responded with a lengthy article of their own, which claims “We are absolutely not 'anti-semitic', in fact our Messiah and all of His first apostles were Jews... What we do not like is the 'murderous' aspect of most of the major organized religions of today (Christian, Jewish, etc.), which have approved the mass slaughter of those who do not agree with their beliefs... No one should ever kill someone else because they do not believe the same way. ”
    The Twelve Tribes, started in 1970, now boast communities in nine countries around the world including 15 sites in the US, two in Germany, and one in Argentina.
    Bands confirmed for the Reading Festival include Asian Dub Foundation, At The Drive In, Beck, Black Eyed Peas, The Bluetones, Boss Hog, Clinic, Doves, Elastica, Grandaddy, Foo Fighters, Lupine Howl, Oasis, Primal Scream, Super Furry Animals, and many others. | NME story | | The Twelve Tribes | | Guardian Article | | Twelve Tribes' response | | Reading Festival | | top of page |

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