I remember how huge swathes of the book were based on a work called 'The Two Babylons" by The Rev Alexander Hislop. This was a wild-eyed rant linking everything about the Catholic with lots of juicy paganism. The chief baddy as I remember was Nimrod and phalic symbols abounded. Freddy France of course lapped it up. He was absolutely hooked on the Rev Alexander. we bathed in the shock horror of all the connections.
It was only in the last third of the door stop book that it started on the crazy interpretation of Revelation. What a ball ache.
Just another thought, I believe that a lot of the superstitious connections are still current light. Basically if it's nice it's pagan.All based on the good Rev and his rantings.