Darrick Dishaw’s Cult of Cthulhu Bible and Wikipedia: The Similarities

Note: Material on these pages is quoted for purposes of criticism, and is used according to Fair Use guidelines. Text that is identical between the two appears in red.

To make a long story short, I pointed out these similarities, not to mention the book’s advocacy of ritual murder and male supremacy.  Darrick claimed that he had taken this material from a number of different sources, which the chart below showed wasn’t the case.  He then accused me of changing Wikipedia to reflect his book, apparently being unaware of Wikipedia’s “history” function.   Then he switched tactics and went around the Internet posting that I was gay.  Next, he pretended that he’d done his research years before, and that the Wikipedia entry had somehow evolved over hundreds of edits to look just like his book.  The next theories were that I had super-user privileges on Wikipedia, or that I had conspired with one of his friends to get a preview copy.  Months later, he actually admitted that he did take material from Wikipedia, claiming he’d just forgotten to cite it.  The most recent account is that not citing your sources isn’t plagiarism and that he didn’t claim credit for that particular chapter, just for the whole book, so it’s all okay.

Cult of Cthulhu Bible	Wikipedia Article (as of 1/8/07)
Cthulhu (other spellings: Kutulu, Ktulu, Cthulu, Kthulhut, Thu Thu, Tulu, and many others) is a fictional entity createdby horror author H.P. Lovecraft. Cthulhu is often preceded by the epithet Great, Dead, or Dread.	Cthulhu (other spellings: Kutulu, Ktulu, Cthulu, Kthulhut, Thu Thu, Tulu [1], and many others) is a fictional entity created by horror author H.P. Lovecraft. [2] Cthulhu is often preceded by the epithet Great, Dead, or Dread.
Lovecraft transcribed the pronunciation of Cthulhu as “Khlûl’hloo” or “Kathooloo” S.T. Joshi points out, however, that Lovecraft gave several differing pronunciations on different occasions. According to Lovecraft, however, this is merely the closest that the human vocal apparatus can come to reproducing the syllables of an alien language.	Lovecraft transcribed the pronunciation of Cthulhu as “Khlûl’hloo” or “Kathooloo” [3] S. T. Joshi points out, however, that Lovecraft gave several differing pronunciations on different occasions.[4] According to Lovecraft, however, this is merely the closest that the human vocal apparatus can come to reproducing the syllables of an alien language.[5]
Cthulhu debuted in Lovecraft’s short story “The Call of Cthulhu” (1928) — though he makes minor appearances in a few of Lovecraft’s other works. August Derleth used the creature’s name to describe the system of lore employed by Lovecraft and his literary successors, the Cthulhu Mythos.	Cthulhu debuted in Lovecraft’s short story “The Call of Cthulhu” (1928) — though he makes minor appearances in a few other of Lovecraft’s works. [6] August Derleth used the creature’s name to describe the system of lore employed by Lovecraft and his literary successors, the Cthulhu Mythos.
	Cthulhu has been referenced on dozens of occasions in many media forms. It has gained a camp status among science fiction and horror fans, and is today often referred to jokingly as a stand-in for ultimate terror or evil.
The most detailed descriptions of Cthulhu in “The Call of Cthulhu” are based on statues of the creature. One, constructed by an artist after a series of disturbing nightmares, is said to have “yielded simultaneous pictures of an octopus, a dragon, and a human caricature…. A pulpy, tentacled head surmounted a grotesque and scaly body with rudimentary wings.” Another, recovered by police from a raid on a murderous cult, “represented a monster of vaguely anthropoid outline, but with an octopus-like head whose face was a mass of feelers, a scaly, rubbery-looking body, prodigious claws on hind and fore feet, and long, narrow wings behind.”	The most detailed descriptions of Cthulhu in “The Call of Cthulhu” are based on statues of the creature. One, constructed by an artist after a series of baleful dreams, is said to have “yielded simultaneous pictures of an octopus, a dragon, and a human caricature…. A pulpy, tentacled head surmounted a grotesque and scaly body with rudimentary wings.”[7] Another, recovered by police from a raid on a murderous cult, “represented a monster of vaguely anthropoid outline, but with an octopus-like head whose face was a mass of feelers, a scaly, rubbery-looking body, prodigious claws on hind and fore feet, and long, narrow wings behind.” [8]
When the creature finally appears in the story, it’s said that the “Thing cannot be described”, but it is called “the green, sticky spawn of the stars”, with “flabby claws” and an “awful squid-head with writhing feelers”. The phrase “a mountain walked or stumbled” gives a sense of the creature’s scale.	When the creature finally appears in the story, it’s said that the “Thing cannot be described”, but it is called “the green, sticky spawn of the stars”, with “flabby claws” and an “awful squid-head with writhing feelers”. The phrase “a mountain walked or stumbled” gives a sense of the creature’s scale.[9]
Cthulhu is depicted as having a worldwide cult centered in Arabia, with followers in regions as far-flung as Greenland, Louisiana, and New Zealand. There are leaders of the cult “in the mountains of China” who are said to be immortal. Cthulhu is described by some of these cultists as the “great priest” of “the Great Old Ones who lived ages before there were any men, and who came to the young world out of the sky.”	Cthulhu is depicted as having a worldwide cult centered in Arabia, with followers in regions as far-flung as Greenland, Louisiana, and New Zealand.[10] There are leaders of the cult “in the mountains of China” who are said to be immortal. Cthulhu is described by some of these cultists as the “great priest” of “the Great Old Ones who lived ages before there were any men, and who came to the young world out of the sky.”[11]
The cult is noted for chanting its “horrid phrase or ritual: Ph’nglui mglw’nafh Cthulhu R’lyeh wgah’nagl fhtagn”, which translates as “In his house at R’lyeh dead Cthulhu waits dreaming.” This is often shortened to “Cthulhu fhtagn”, which appears to mean “Cthulhu waits” or “Cthulhu dreams”.	The cult is noted for chanting its “horrid phrase or ritual: Ph’nglui mglw’nafh Cthulhu R’lyeh wgah’nagl fhtagn”, which translates as “In his house at R’lyeh dead Cthulhu waits dreaming.” [12] This is often shortened to “Cthulhu fhtagn”, which appears to mean “Cthulhu waits” or “Cthulhu dreams”. [13]
One cultist, known as Old Castro, provides the most elaborate information given in Lovecraft’s fiction about Cthulhu. The Great Old Ones, according to Castro, had come from the stars to rule the world in ages past.	One cultist, known as Old Castro, provides the most elaborate information given in Lovecraft’s fiction about Cthulhu. The Great Old Ones, according to Castro, had come from the stars to rule the world in ages past.
“They were not composed altogether of flesh and blood. They had shape…but that shape was not made of matter. When the stars were right, They could plunge from world to world through the sky; but when the stars were wrong, They could not live. But although They no longer lived, They would never really die. They all lay in stone houses in Their great city of R’lyeh, preserved by the spells of mighty Cthulhu for a glorious resurrection when the stars and the earth might once more be ready for them.”	“They were not composed altogether of flesh and blood. They had shape…but that shape was not made of matter. When the stars were right, They could plunge from world to world through the sky; but when the stars were wrong, They could not live. But although They no longer lived, They would never really die. They all lay in stone houses in Their great city of R’lyeh, preserved by the spells of mighty Cthulhu for a glorious resurrection when the stars and the earth might once more be ready for them.”[14]
Castro points to the “much-discussed couplet” from Abdul Alhazred’s Necronomicon:	Castro points to the “much-discussed couplet” from Abdul Alhazred’s Necronomicon:
That is not dead which can eternal lie. And with strange aeons even death may die.	That is not dead which can eternal lie. And with strange aeons even death may die.[15]
Castro explains the role of the Cthulhu Cult: When the stars have come right for the Great Old Ones, “some force from outside must serve to liberate their bodies. The spells that preserved Them intact likewise prevented them from making an initial move.” At the proper time,	Castro explains the role of the Cthulhu Cult: When the stars have come right for the Great Old Ones, “some force from outside must serve to liberate their bodies. The spells that preserved Them intact likewise prevented them from making an initial move.”[16] At the proper time,
“the secret priests would take great Cthulhu from His tomb to revive His subjects and resume His rule of earth….Then mankind would have become as the Great Old Ones; free and wild and beyond good and evil, with laws and morals thrown aside and all men shouting and killing and reveling in joy. Then the liberated Old Ones would teach them new ways to shout and kill and revel and enjoy themselves, and all the earth would flame with a holocaust of ecstasy and freedom.”	“the secret priests would take great Cthulhu from His tomb to revive His subjects and resume His rule of earth….Then mankind would have become as the Great Old Ones; free and wild and beyond good and evil, with laws and morals thrown aside and all men shouting and killing and revelling in joy. Then the liberated Old Ones would teach them new ways to shout and kill and revel and enjoy themselves, and all the earth would flame with a holocaust of ecstasy and freedom.”[17]
Castro reports that the Great Old Ones are telepathic and “knew all that was occurring in the universe”. They were able to communicate with the first humans by “moulding their dreams”, thus establishing the Cthulhu Cult, but after R’lyeh had sunk beneath the waves, “the deep waters, full of the one primal mystery through which not even thought can pass, had cut off the spectral intercourse.”	Castro reports that the Great Old Ones are telepathic and “knew all that was occurring in the universe”. They were able to communicate with the first humans by “moulding their dreams”, thus establishing the Cthulhu Cult, but after R’lyeh had sunk beneath the waves, “the deep waters, full of the one primal mystery through which not even thought can pass, had cut off the spectral intercourse.”[18]
It may in truth be said that no one knows the plans of Great Cthulhu or any of the other Old Ones and Outer Gods, as their minds are as strange and twisted as their bodies. [This was present in an earlier version of the Wikipedia entry. – Dan]	Elsewhere in Lovecraft’s Fiction
Cthulhu makes several cameo appearances elsewhere in Lovecraft’s fiction, sometimes described in ways that appear to contradict information given in “The Call of Cthulhu”. For example, rather than including Cthulhu among the Great Old Ones, a quotation from the Necronomicon in “The Dunwich Horror” says of the Old Ones, “Great Cthulhu is Their cousin, yet can he spy Them only dimly.” But different Lovecraft stories and characters use the term “Old Ones” in widely different ways.	Cthulhu makes several cameo appearances elsewhere in Lovecraft’s fiction, sometimes described in ways that appear to contradict information given in “The Call of Cthulhu”. For example, rather than including Cthulhu among the Great Old Ones, a quotation from the Necronomicon in “The Dunwich Horror” says of the Old Ones, “Great Cthulhu is Their cousin, yet can he spy Them only dimly.”[19] But different Lovecraft stories and characters use the term “Old Ones” in widely different ways.
In At the Mountains of Madness, for example, the Old Ones are a species of extraterrestrials, also known as Elder Things, who were at war with Cthulhu and his relatives or allies. Human explorers in Antarctica discover an ancient city of the Elder Things and puzzle out a history from sculptural records:	In At the Mountains of Madness, for example, the Old Ones are a species of extraterrestrials, also known as Elder Things, who were at war with Cthulhu and his relatives or allies. Human explorers in Antarctica discover an ancient city of the Elder Things and puzzle out a history from sculptural records:
“With the upheaval of new land in the South Pacific tremendous events began…. Another race–a land race of beings shaped like octopi and probably corresponding to the fabulous pre-human spawn of Cthulhu–soon began filtering down from cosmic infinity and precipitated a monstrous war which for a time drove the Old Ones wholly back to the sea…. Later peace was made, and the new lands were given to the Cthulhu spawn whilst the Old Ones held the sea and the older lands…. [T]he Antarctic remained the centre of the Old Ones’ civilization, and all the discoverable cities built there by the Cthulhu spawn were blotted out. Then suddenly the lands of the Pacific sank again, taking with them the frightful stone city of R’lyeh and all the cosmic octopi, so that the Old Ones were once again supreme on the planet….”	With the upheaval of new land in the South Pacific tremendous events began…. Another race–a land race of beings shaped like octopi and probably corresponding to the fabulous pre-human spawn of Cthulhu–soon began filtering down from cosmic infinity and precipitated a monstrous war which for a time drove the Old Ones wholly back to the sea…. Later peace was made, and the new lands were given to the Cthulhu spawn whilst the Old Ones held the sea and the older lands…. [T]he antarctic remained the centre of the Old Ones’ civilisation, and all the discoverable cities built there by the Cthulhu spawn were blotted out. Then suddenly the lands of the Pacific sank again, taking with them the frightful stone city of R’lyeh and all the cosmic octopi, so that the Old Ones were once again supreme on the planet….[20]