Elizabeth Ann Cox

Since the anti-religious movement consists at its core of only a handful of extremists, motivated by personal gain, it counts on the Internet to attract a rank and file. Some come seeking companionship and stay out of a need for self-importance, lulled into believing that they are “champions” of “free speech.”

Still, one has to ask the question, what kind of individual, when there are so many positive and constructive newsgroups to chose from, would instead devote thousands of hours posting to a newsgroup which promotes divisiveness and hate?

Elizabeth Ann Cox became active on Internet hate groups in November 1999. According to her postings, after reading anti-religious messages on a newsgroup, she decided to join in. Since that time she has been one of the more prolific participants on the newsgroup, supporting the activities of convicted hate criminal, Keith Henson, and allying herself with Arnaldo Lerma, a well-known supporter of neo-Nazi, Willis Carto, and close friend of Bill White, member of the Utopian Anarchy Party. Such contacts soon led to Cox’s participation in hate marches, designed to intimidate parishioners and disrupt religious services.

Cox attacks the Church of Scientology in particular, claiming to be a former member.

January 14, 2000

“I became a member. Why? Because I was in love at the time, and I remained for that reason. … I got out — thank you again, Mr. Lerma.”

In truth, Cox lied about her motives in applying for Church membership in the first place, having done so only in an attempt to pursue a personal relationship with a parishioner. When the relationship fell apart, Cox left the Church and later apparently used her former involvement to justify her new hobby and bolster her position among fellow extremists. Of her anti-religious activities, and close association with holocaust denier, Arnaldo Lerma, Cox boasts:

“I have raised so much hell, and am affiliated with Arnie.”

October 3, 2001

“There is nothing on this earth that will ever convince me this malignant growth is a religion.”

The hate groups Cox participates in are not confined to the harassment of minority religions. Some extremists are dedicated to the destruction of all manner of religion, from Christianity to Buddhism. Cox’s routine disparagement of religion even extends to the good works of Mother Theresa, who spent a lifetime helping the poor. Following is a sampling of her comments on this subject:

“Well, Mother Theresa was wonderful but would have done better to teach about birth control instead of telling people that god must love them because they suffer so.”

“Economic prosperity lifts people out of poverty and Mother Theresa did nothing to further that cause.”

“She just kept telling them to have babies and suffer with gods love.”

“god save us from the god squad.”

In chat rooms, Cox assists in “cyber-deprogrammings” – the use of lies, deception and intimidation to harass religious people into disavowing their beliefs. In justifying these acts, Cox employs the same rationale as criminally convicted “deprogrammer” Ted Patrick.

November 19, 1999

“If deprogramming can save this person from the ravages of the cult, then yes, I will support it.”

Patrick’s techniques included kidnapping, violent physical assaults and mental torture while holding individuals against their will for days, even weeks at a time.

Cox acquits herself of supporting criminal deprogramming because, in her mind, people who become members of any religious group abdicate their natural rights, and therefore kidnapping is no infringement upon them.