Movie highlights so-called satanic activity in Manitou Springs

A local woman is highlighting an unnatural part of Manitou Springs’ past in a new movie.

The movie, “The Warning” talks about satanic activity Summer Moore says took place in the 1980’s and 1990’s, during the so-called Satanic panic.

“Parents were scared that their kids would fall into devil worshiping,” the writer, producer and actress said. “Manitou Springs was known as the devil-worshiping capital of the western world.”

She said the film is based on true accounts of people who witnessed the activity. One example is from a friend who found dead cats hanging from a tree.

“A lot of people think that’s not true, but it was true,” she said.

Others who live and work in Manitou Springs said they have heard about the history.

“It’s honestly kind of creepy,” Kristen Wessel said.

“It’s dark, but seeing as I never really saw it, it never bothered me too much,” Scott Decker said.

Not everyone is convinced.

“I think it was more just people came up with names that they thought they could put on things, but we certainly never saw any activity that would lead me to believe there was satanic activity going on in town,” Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Leslie Lewis said.

There is one thing Moore and Lewis agree on though. Whether or not there was satanic activity in the past, they don’t think it’s going on nowadays.