Blood Libel

A false belief that has endured since the 1st century BC. It states that members of a religious group kidnap, abuse, ritually murder and sometimes eat the body of a member of another religion.

Groups creating this groundless fable include ancient Greek and Roman Pagans, Christians, Nazis, and Muslims. Innocent religious groups victimized by the fable include Jews, Christians, Wiccans, Druids and other Neopagans, and Roma (Gypsies).

The hoax exists today mostly among some Muslims (against Jews) and some Fundamentalist Christians (against Wiccans, Satanists and other religious minorities).