Ku Klux Klan: Scottish Pagan Roots?

[Saoirse]

A new mainstream book entitled "The Quest for the Original Horse Whisperers" claims that the KKK was a Scottish institution that was transplanted to the South by Celtic immigrants.
The author is Russ Lyon, a veterinary surgeon in Scotland, who traced the spread of the Klan structure from the farmlands of Buchan to the American South.

Lyon says that KKK has its roots in ancient Celtic ritual, which included the whispering of magic words into the ears of horses, and that it was later adopted by Masonic (Yes. Pike, Simmons ect) societies in Scotland, who Christianized it to make to appeal to a broader mass, and who then exported it to the South. Lyon tracks six men in particular who immigrated from Scotland during the Civil War, bringing the secrets of the Ku Klux Klan with them.

"It started as just another hellfire club and then it just got out of hand and led directly on to the Ku Klux Klan.", Lyon recently told the Scottish newspaper, the Scotsman.

The theory that the KKK has its roots in Scottish emigre culture, and that the Civil War, in some aspects, was a conflict between the most Celtic Southern population and the mostly Anglo-Saxon Northern population, has been denounced by groups like the Southern Poverty Law Center as "racist" and "white supremacist".

[Grimr]

has been denounced by Southern Poverty Law Center as "racist" and "white supremacist".

These idiots say these things and yet they back groups with names like N.A.A.C.P? and black panthers what a bunch of hypocrites!

Lyon says that KKK has its roots in ancient Celtic ritual, which included the whispering of magic words into the ears of horses, and that it was later adopted by Masonic (Yes. Pike, Simmons ect) societies in Scotland, who Christianized it to make to appeal to a broader mass, and who then exported it to the South. Lyon tracks six men in particular who immigrated from Scotland during the Civil War, bringing the secrets of the Ku Klux Klan with them.

I know that the lighting of the cross is similar to the lighting of the moors the Celts used to do as a celebration, it seems very likely that the Klan has pagan roots.

[Stríbog]

The white robe and hood were derived from the costumes of Druid priests.

[Saoirse]

The Scots and Irish are the same tribe. So the Klan is Irish roots too.

[Milesian]

The Celtic druids very likely did not wear white robes.
What we think of as Celtic religion and druidism is mostly a modern invention. The idea of white robes goes back to the ancient Roman writers who wrote about Celtic practises. White is a symbol of purity and virginity and fits in well with Roman customs. Purity and the colour white had little meaning in Celtic culture which was centred very much on fertility. In fact black was the colour which symbolised the forces of good in Celtic culture (red was evil).
Wicca and other modern inventions which claim to re-construct Celtic religion are largely false. We do not know enough about Celtic religious practises to do so. I know that authentic Celtic religious practices such as human sacrifices would repulse most "New Age" practioners.

[Stríbog]

The human sacrifice stories were likely concocted by Julius Caesar as war propaganda during campaigns in Britain.

[Milesian]

I don't believe so, the "Wicker Man" is still practised in less "lethal" forms even today.

[Milesian]

Archaeologists have also discovered corpses from the Iron Age which show evidence of ritual sacrifice in Britain.

[Stríbog]

That's a damn fine movie. :tongeuy

[Milesian]

Whatever! :tongeuy