4 Pi Movement/Cult.....looking for information

I have come across this cult in some of my researching and can't seem to find a ton on it. I am hoping someone on ATS has researched them more than I have and possibly can point me to some "meatier" sources for info on it. I am in particular very interested in if anyone knows who the 4 Pi leader was. It was rumored he was/is a very wealthy and connected man from California.

Anywho, for a brief on 4 Pi, I will post where I originally found it:

4 Pi

In 1969, while gathering material for a book on the Charles Manson case, journalist Ed Sanders encountered reports of a sinister Satanic cult alleged to practice human sacrifice in several parts of California, luring youthful members from college campuses throughout the western half of the United States. Calling itself the "Four Pi" or "Four P" movement, the cult originally boasted 55 members, of whom fifteen were middle-aged, the rest consisting of young men and women in their early twenties. The group's leader -- dubbed the "Grand Chingon" or "Head Devil" -- was said to be a wealthy California businessman of middle years, who exercised his power by compelling younger members of the cult to act as slaves and murder random targets on command.

It is also associated with known killers such as Berkowitz, Manson, Baker and Mentzer. Crazy to think that there was a cult that possibly inspired or influenced all of these people to do what they did.

a reply to: Vasa Croe

Manson never killed anyone, should we blame the soldiers who kill or the one giving the orders. He raged at the people he didnt like, his followers took it upon themselves to kill them not under direct order.

But back on topic, I think theres more involved than them taking their ideas from this cult. They may have but Ive done alot of research on manson and I think hes a genuis border line insane.
I never heard of this cult before. Ill research it a bit and update my opinion as needed.

The trait of genius is border line insane. Small edge to take dip over either side.

a reply to: MGaddafi

Adolf Hitler and his cronies could also use that argument considering none of them got their hands dirty regarding the actual executions. There still responsible through, as is Charles Manson, after all murder by proxy is still murder.

I read some intriguing stuff that seems to indicate there were connections. I can't elaborate it much more than the fact that the book did an excellent job of debunking many theories but this one is a big maybe.

The book is called The 80 Greatest Conspiracy Theories Of All Time

It's a light read and very entertaining. I'll see if I can dig up some stuff later on

a reply to: andy06shake

So that means that Isis Americas Proxy army do its deeds, America should be blamed for everything Isis has done including smearing the face of Islam and blasphemeing the Qur'an

a reply to: Vasa Croe

Interesting, I've always found the Laurel Canyon thing really weird - someone posted about that again here recently.
Looking forward to seeing if you find any more info.

a reply to: Vasa Croe

I found a reference to Four Pi in a book titled "Using Murder: The Social Construction of Serial Homicide" by Philip Jenkins.

Sanders also reported stories of a murder cult supposedly known as the Four Pi movement under its leader, the Grand Chingon, which among other rituals sacrificed and skinned large dogs. The theme often occurs in the movements described by Sanders. In the late 1970's, reported discoveries of skinned and mutilated dogs in the New York City area led to allegations of cult murder activity there. Four Pi, described by Terry as a "Process splinter group" was said to be linked to a number of serial murder cases, including that of California cannibal killer Stanley Dean Baker, while cultists were associated with the making of "snuff" movies. These charges have been cited as factual by a number of authors on cults and multiple homicide, including Terry, Kahaner, Raschke and Newton. Using Murder: The Social Construction of Serial Homicide by Phillip Jenkins

The author then goes on to discuss whether Sanders' work was a reflection of rumors and tales in the "California posthippie underground" and "indicates that accounts of ritual murder were developing". With something like "accounts of ritual murder" being cited as developing, you'd think one could peruse the police reports from the time to see if there were anything to those accounts. The book, of course, is about the social construction and presentation of serial murder and the usage of it by various groups.

There's also a very large section discussing Four Pi in the book, Cannibal Serial Killers: Profiles of Depraved Flesh Eating Murders by Christopher Berry-Dee . Lots in there on the subject but Berry-Dee attributes the lack of a case against the cult as being due to "accidents" or "suicides".

Interesting stuff.

a reply to: Vasa Croe

There's quite a lot in the blogosphere. From what I gather, Four Pi was/is an offshoot of The Process Church of The Final Judgement which was founded by two former Scientologists. This story has it all — Hubbard, Parsons, LaVey, Manson, neo-Nazi's, serial killers, animal and human sacrifice, and through the Best Friends Animal Society, a connection to the Animal Liberation Front and Katie Couric. Here's a link to a blog post that at least has references to books which may or may not be accurate. Take it for what it's worth.

I'd really be interested in finding out more myself.

EDIT:

Notice that the "Process Cross" (two versions below), the symbol of the Process Church of whatever they were calling themselves at any given time, is essentially made up of four P's:




The connections don't end there. Check out Process.org which is at the very least 1/3 authored by Doug Mesner who is something of a satirical satanist. My understanding is that he's actually an atheist. At any rate, he's made a name for himself by mocking organized religion and he apparently found, as you may expect, that calling himself a satanist is extra inflammatory. IIRC, he was behind that Harvard "Black Mass" thing that had people in fits recently.

a reply to: Vasa Croe
One of the symbols used by The Process Church is a swastika-like assemblage of what looks like four interlocking p's.

a reply to: theantediluvian

Ed Sanders' publisher of "The Family" was sued in the US for alleging the connection between the Process and 4 Pi apparently and the publisher deleted the chapter in subsequent editions due to tortious libel. The case was settled outside of court apparently and that would explain why the only thing in court record is a jurisdiction argument. Interestingly enough, The Process tried the same with the UK publisher and lost their suit.

www.leagle.com...

Did you see the bit about Scientology? Founders of the Process were former Scientologists.

Also, Harvard Crimson on the Process, 1971:

www.thecrimson.com...

Wow.....good info guys! Thanks! I also know there was a tie to them from Mary Tyler Moore. Here she is holding a magazine with the 4PI logo on the front. She was part of another "cult" at the time called The Process...

irrationalgeographic.wordpress.com...

originally posted by: WhiteAlice
a reply to: theantediluvian

Ed Sanders' publisher of "The Family" was sued in the US for alleging the connection between the Process and 4 Pi apparently and the publisher deleted the chapter in subsequent editions due to tortious libel. The case was settled outside of court apparently and that would explain why the only thing in court record is a jurisdiction argument. Interestingly enough, The Process tried the same with the UK publisher and lost their suit.

www.leagle.com...

Did you see the bit about Scientology? Founders of the Process were former Scientologists.

Also, Harvard Crimson on the Process, 1971:

www.thecrimson.com...

The Process was an early offshoot of Scientology. The guy in the pic above was the founder of it...Robert DeGrimston

originally posted by: Vasa Croe

originally posted by: WhiteAlice
a reply to: theantediluvian

Ed Sanders' publisher of "The Family" was sued in the US for alleging the connection between the Process and 4 Pi apparently and the publisher deleted the chapter in subsequent editions due to tortious libel. The case was settled outside of court apparently and that would explain why the only thing in court record is a jurisdiction argument. Interestingly enough, The Process tried the same with the UK publisher and lost their suit.

www.leagle.com...

Did you see the bit about Scientology? Founders of the Process were former Scientologists.

Also, Harvard Crimson on the Process, 1971:

www.thecrimson.com...

The Process was an early offshoot of Scientology. The guy in the pic above was the founder of it...Robert DeGrimston

Yep. Mary Tyler Moore is holding the Process symbol though in the above pic. Robert and Mary Ann Degrimston met at a Scientology institute and left Scientology soon after marrying to make the Process. I found it just fascinating that they were clearly recruiting at Harvard and, most likely, MIT, based on the Crimson article. I found it very interesting that the Sanders' publisher settled so rapidly and figured that it must've been due to the possibility of its members being high powered. The nearly glowing article in the Harvard Crimson rather points to that being very likely.

Also from the article:

"People come here who are absolutely raving maniacs, and people here, higher up, are able to deal with them because they know what's wrong. They can give them acceptance, and a sense of security. If you can accept them for what they are, you can help them... Our idea is learning not to blame people, by accepting them."

www.thecrimson.com...

What "Sister Lyssandra" is saying here is that they received some pretty mentally unstable people. Their core was "accepting oneself just as one is" and I can see that as being a potential magnet for someone with the sort of instabilities that leads to becoming a serial killer. I doubt they "made" the serial killers as the traits tend to be present from childhood. However, it certainly would've given the opportunity to meet some like minds in California. Ups the possibility of the 4 pi movement as being a splinter group that went "too far". I also find Mary Ann Degrimston's eventual turn to an animal charity to be interesting as well as 4 Pi was suspected of killing large dogs. Assuaging some sense of guilt perhaps?

a reply to: MGaddafi

"So that means that Isis Americas Proxy army do its deeds, America should be blamed for everything Isis has done including smearing the face of Islam and blasphemeing the Qur'an"

Going off topic at little I imagine but I cant deny the fact that America as well as my own nation probably had a hand with the inception of ISIS but let's face it there well out of control and need to be destroyed.

ISIS shame the people of Islam and blasphemy the Quran by there actions alone far more than America ever will. That being said I don't care who blasphemes who, there just words and if Allah has a problem with freedom of speech he/she/it is perfectly at liberty to turn up and voice its opinion.

Sounds pretty juicy, cant wait to hear of more info.

a reply to: Vasa Croe

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a reply to: Vasa Croe

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4 pi

This thread lead me to a deep dark Rabbit Hole... I've been on the hound for all this weekend. I'm still diving deeper, however I am with family at the moment. See You all soon.