This paper was prepared over a three year period for the public. It is not a sensational look at the topic. The research was conducted after finding that much information the police had was simply hand-me-down hearsay. Any group can feel free to use this information. Please credit the appropriate people and this agency. A bibliography follows.
This effort looks at the history of Satan and Satanism from ancient times to present day. It begins with an exploration of good versus evil, the definition of occult and cult, how Satan got his name, what he does, and explanations of devil and demon. There is a look at what is Hell, how Lucifer fell, and the rise and fall of Satanism. Several religions are discussed, including Witchcraft, Paganism, Santeria and Gnosticism.
This paper also briefly describes Satanic symbols and rituals, as well as Satanic Panic in the 1980's and 1990's.
We explore the makeup of certain types of people are most likely to join and those who claim to have been a part of Satanism but apparently are victims of mental problems.
Satanism does exist, so there's a concise who's who in modern Satanism, a description of what modern Satanism is all about, quotes from those involved in Satanism and in modern music, and discussion of real victims of ritual abuse.
Satan: Prince of the World
"And the Lord said to Satan, "From where do you come?" So Satan answered the Lord and said, "From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking back and forth on it." (Job 1:7, NKJV)
Good versus Evil
If we are to talk of Satan, we must get philosophical. We must talk in twos. Early man had the concept of Hell. Heaven epitomized good. The duality of man perhaps encouraged the conviction that good and evil existed everywhere in all things.... Such ideas may have come from the duality in Nature... the sun bringing light and warmth was good, the moon (the lord of darkness because it brought fear and cold and sightlessness) was evil (Paine, 1972).
In the Rabbinical literature Satan was created on the sixth day, at the same time as Eve. The more prevalent tradition is that Satan is a fallen angel. He is identified with Sammael, who is said to have been the highest throne-angel. He is described as the wicked angel, chief of all the Satans (Langton, 1974).
In some passages of the ancient Talmud Satan seems portrayed as the evil impulse in man. However, generally the Talmud teaches that it is the existence of the evil impulse in man which furnishes Satan with his chance to work his will against man. (Langton, 1974) In the apocalyptic literature, as in the New Testament, Satan is the chief of evil spirits or demons, and the bitter enemy of God and man. In the Book of Enoch "Semjaza" and "Azazel" were the two great chiefs which led the angels on their descent to earth. Azazel is said to have taught men to make swords, knives, shields (Langton, 1974).
The original idea of Satan was in the Old Testament, and he was the angel-minister of Yahweh. In the course of development his character has taken on ever darker hues (Langton, 1974).
Though Satan had to have been in existance to be thrown from Heaven, his fall was the creation of Satan as we know him. In Isaiah 14:12 it reads: "How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, You who weakened nations!
Jesus, our greatest authority upon the spiritual world, certainly believed in Satan and the demons. The power of evil was to him evidently a living reality. (Langton, 1974)
Cult versus Occult
The word cult has a variety of meanings. Theologically, it has been widely used to refer to a style or form of worship, and had no evil connotations. Sociologically, it often means a small religious group, which is in tension with the majority religion. Religious groups exist with profoundly evil features. These are often called "mind control cults" (Ontario CRT e-mail, 1996).
Occult has traditionally meant any activity whose beliefs are not public knowledge; information is revealed to the occultist gradually during her or his training (Ontario CRT e-mail, 1996).
Occult traditions share some aspects, but it is important to remember not all occult groups are satanic. However, Satanists and Wiccans appear to share the same calendar, one based on the Celtic belief the year is broken into light and dark halves. (Katchen & Sakheim, 1992).
What a group believes does not make it a cult. What cults do believe can be highly variable. Some cults may be satanic, but others which have conducted tortures and killing are not satanic. Many cult's are occult in the sense they shroud beliefs and practices in secrecy and their rituals are used to yield various results through supernatural means. But, not all occult groups are satanic nor do all engage in activities dangerous to others (Kinscherff & Barnum, 1992 p 74).
Freedom of religion, even Satanism is constitutionally protected. "The freedom to hold religious beliefs and opinions is absolute" (Braunfeld v. Brown). However, the freedom to act pursuant to religious belief is not. "Conduct remains subject to regulation for the protection of society) (Cartwell v. Conn.). (Kinscherff & Barnum, 1992).
Early Satanism
For 1000 years after Christ the world was so that the only way destitute people could survive was to rob, steal, pillage, even murder, for food and for safety. When hungry peasants could not live unless they did these sins, they did them. Then, guilty of terrible sins, they abandoned God from necessity and turned to Satan. As Satanists, they were allowed to repeat crimes. It kept them and their children alive (Paine, 1972).
Many turned against the church as it demanded more and more, which affected especially those who did not have more to give. Satanism grew out of a reaction against Christianity (Mather & Nichols, 1993).
In the past anyone who was an atheist, pagan, or infidel was an alleged satanist. And satanist were hunted down, tortured, killed. One point Paine (1972) makes is that for every Satanist burned, and sent to Hell, the Devil's legions were increased by one. Hundreds of thousands were killed, so what the church did in its centuries old war with Satan was to deliberately kill its own troops (Paine, 1972).
Could people have made a mistake by killing those accused of witchcraft and Satanism? Jesus pities, rather than feels anger toward, those who are possessed (Langton, 1974).
Lucifer Falling
When the angels fell, they became demons, and when the angel named Satan fell, he became the Devil (From St. Augustine's Against Maximus the Arian in Russell, 1981).
The Bible, of course makes many references to Lucifer falling, "I beheld Satan fallen as lightening from heaven" is in Luke 10:18.
The highest and most exalted position of the spirit realm of the universe was held by a creature who was perfect in all of his ways. According to Isaiah he was called "Lucifer", and the Son of the Morning". His name literally means the shining one. Lucifer was perfect until "unrighteousness was found in him" (Lindsey, 1972).
Lucifer realizing how beautiful he was, inflated with power and pride, rebelled against God. He wanted to act independently of God. He said "I will ascend to heaven"..."I will make myself like the Most High." He wanted to be God (Lindsey, 1972).
In the 11th century St. Bernard of Clairvaux gives a detailed account of the manner in which Lucifer fell. As a seraph he had six wings. In the words of Isaiah, "With twain did they cover their face, with twain did they cover their feet, and with twain did they fly. With the two wings that made flight possible, St. Bernard discovers the cause of his fall. One wing is indicated to love, the other to intellect. Lucifer, ignoring the wing of love and reverence to God, depended on the one wing. Forbidden to sit and hating to stand, he flew. He ingloriously fell. (Wall, 1974)
In Isaah we have this description:
"How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the mroning! How art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!
For thou hast said in thine heart I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most on High.
Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit."
Hell
We may think of Hell as this hot, firey pit where the Devil lives. Our thoughts on this are surely formed through what has been passed down to us.
As Hell came into Christian theology it had been fashioned by thousands of years of ceaseless forming. The ancient Egyptians had Osiris and Ra as their lords of Heaven, and Set, the malignant adversary of Horus, as their Devil (Paine, 1972).
When Satan was sentenced to eternal banishment, Hell was created for the Devil and his angels, and they would be cursed into everlasting fire. However, men could choose to spend eternity there also by failing to respond to God's saving plan (Matthew 25:41).
The actual name comes from other languages which have described it. Hell has an affinity to "hole", meaning a cavern, a dark, unpleasant place; helan or behelian. It was the Hebrew Sheol or Gehenna or the Greek Hades and Tartaros (Paine, 1972).
For a thousand years after the passing of Christ some Scandinavians clung to old Norse mythology. Hel to these people meant the ill-favored goddess of a gloomy place, which was the Norse underworld. Norsemen who fell in battle went to Valhalla, all others went down to Hel's underworld. It was where they waited judgement. If they were evil, then they suffered (Paine, 1972).
To the Egyptians Hell was a great cavern, the "Hall of Truth", where the dead were judged in the presence of Osiris and 42 underworld assessors, the "Lords of Truth". Anubis, the son of Osiris, was the director of the weight. Using delicate scales, he put the symbol of truth in one side, and the other side was to contain the good deeds of the deceased. If the good deeds were heaviest, the deceased went to Aahlu, the "Pools of Peace", dwelling place of the blessed. If the good deeds were insufficient to sway the balance, the dead would change into different animals. If at final judgement by Osiris, the deceased was found incurable, he was sentenced to complete annihilation (Paine, 1972).
Where is Hell? Some theologians have said Hell is not a place, but a condition. It has been said the Hell is everywhere, including on earth, that the damned are at liberty to roam the entire universe, but always in torment and always carrying their anguish with them (Paine, 1972).
In old times it was said Hell was located on some far away island. Some said it was at the north pole, or the south pole. In the 1700's an Englishman, Swinden, gave the location as the sun. Others suggested the moon, and others said Mars. To many unshakable theologians Hell was in the earth (Paine, 1972).
The bible doesn't give us much good news about Hell... saying it's eternal and everlasting (Matthew, Mark and John) (Paine, 1972).
Swedenborg, who lived from 1688 until 1772, says "In some hells, one can see something like the rubble of homes or cities after a great fire.... In milder hells, one sees tumble-down huts, crowded together.... Within the houses are hellish spirits, constant brawls, hostilities, beatings.... There are robberies and hold-ups in the streets.... In some hells there are nothing but brothels that look disgusting and are full of all kinds of filth and excrement" (Swedenborg, quoted by Lachman, 1995).
Snake
In death, the body lay defenseless against its principal enemy... the worm. The Egyptians symbolized death as a worm, which evolved as a serpent that was hostile to the dead (Paine, 1972).
The Egyptians of later times improved on their concept of Hell, called Taut, and rule by Taut, the Devil. All departed spirits went here, but only the evil were punished. According to Sir Wallis Budge in his The Book of the Dead, this hell was divided into 12 parts, one of which was under the rule of the god Seker, and the entrance guarded by a serpent with three heads, scorpions, vipers, and winged monsters or terrifying aspect... the darkness was so thick that it might be felt (Paine, 1972)
Early theology indicates prior to the fall of man serpents moved in an erect attitude, and their present serpentine manner of locomotion resulted from the curse brought down upon their entire order as a consequence of the original temptation having been made by Satan under the form of a serpent (Wall, 1974).
In one work of bronze in the Vatican collection the devil is as a human figure with a lion's head and four wings. A serpent is shown wrapped around the body and the head is entering the mouth of the lion (Wall, 1974).
A seraph is one of the first in the hierarchy of angels, whose privilege it was to stand nearest to the throne of the Most High, and his crime which brought much tribulation into the world, was to be not content to stand there, he wanted to sit in the Divine presence. (Isaiah, 14:13) (Wall, 1974)
In art he is endowed with features or parts of the lion, leopard, bear, goat, bull, ox, eagle... signifying intelligence, strength, cruelty, subtlety. He may be vomiting flames, gnawing on sinners, his terrible grip is mutilating the souls of the damned. (Wall, 1974)
The figure of Satan is an ancient one. A figurine depicting a man with a goat's head, seated cross-legged, surrounded by worshipping animals, was found in the Indus valley. It was made in 3000 B.C. (Katchen, 1992).
The goat reference is made in Matthew by Jesus: "and he shall separate them one from another, as a sheppard divideth his sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on his left." (Matthew 25:32-33).
In Dante's Inferno Satan had wings, much like a bat... and had three faces on his head. (Wall, 1974)
Demons have been thought to travel in the air by flying with wings. The can become tiny, and so enter our bodies in the air we draw through our nose (hence the superstition of saying bless you to someone who sneezes) (Russell, 1981)
There are many references to a dragon in the Old Testament and in the Talmud there is reference to a dragon with seven heads (Langton, 1974).
As man evolved, so did Hell. The four legged serpent of Seker became under Christianity a scaly dragon, a rough textured winged devil, but in purpose remained unrelenting and ominous (Paine, 1972).
The earliest mode of describing and representing the Devil in Christian art is under the form mentioned in the Scriptures, that of a serpent. (Wall, 1974)
Devils come in various colors. Blue devils lurk before those who have become confirmed inebriates. A man in such a state has allowed his drink to become a devil. White devils are more dangerous, sweetly tempting, in beauty of form and assumed innocency (Wall, 1974)
Interpretations of the devil in art has varied over the ages and country to country. It was a simple idea with early Christians; the earnest desire to depict something horrible in the Middle Ages; the mean spitefulness engendered by the jealously of the several religious orders; to would-be original conceptions of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries (Wall, 1974).
With the diabolical trinity we have the arch devil with his two lieutenants forming the Trinity of Evil. With this we have the Devil... the Old Serpent, likened in the Apocalypse to a great red dragon with seven heads, ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads. Then come those which have been called his two lieutenants; one that rose from the sea, the other from the earth: typical of his extensive dominion. He who held sway over the sea also had seven heads with ten horns, but with ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of Blasphemy. His body is like that of a leopard, but with bear's feet. The other beast which came from the earth had but one head with two horns. This idea of the Devil has influenced many of the medieval representations of the Devil. (Wall, 1974)
The Devil's Name
There are many names and many adjectives attached to the devil. If the devil always appeared in the same guise this wouldn't be so; but he is never the same to any two individuals, nor ever twice the same to any one person (Wall, 1974).
The devil has many names in many lands: Arabian-Sheytans, Dutch-Duyuel, English-Bogie, Hindu-Devas, Iran-Deev, Syria- Beelzebub, Welch-Pwcca (Wall, 1974).
The Bible contains many names for the Evil One: Abaddon, Apollyn, Aschmedai, Asmodeus, Beelzebub, Belial, Demon, Devil, Dragon, Leviathan, Lucifer, Satan, Serpent, Fallen angels. He is also know as "the god of this world", "the Accuser", "the prince of the world", the prince of darkness", the prince of the power of the air",
Devil comes from Greek... the word Diabolos. The Greek word diaballein is often used in the sense of "to defame" or "to inform against" (Langton, 1974)
Rabbinical writers call the Devil "seirissim", a goat. The goat was a symbol of uncleanliness and to them a fitting emblem of the prince of unclean spirits (Langton, 1974).
"Satan" means the adversary, according to the prologue in the Book of Job and is not a proper name, but a descriptive title. This is in a time period probably around 400 B.C. In I Chronicles Satan is used for the first time as a proper name. In origin it is a Semitic word, derived from a root which means to oppose, or to be or to act as an adversary (Langton, 1974).
One researcher believes God changed Lucifer's name to Satan when he judged Lucifer's crimes... citing Satan as meaning "the esister or adersary" and Devil "the accuser and slanderer" (Lindsey, 1972).
In the Rabbinical literature Sammael is said to be the angel of death. In the apocalyptic literature he plays the part of Satan. In that literature, Satanail, is the name of the chief power of evil, and it is related how certain superior angels under their prince Satanail revolted against the Lord (Langton, 1974)
In the Bible Satan is referred to as god of this world and prince of this world... and in apocalyptic literature as ruler of this world. Also the prince of the power of the air, the serpent, the evil one, king of the present (Langton, 1974)
Devils versus demons
Devils and demons are usually considered the same. There was a time when they were properly distinguished. Among the classic pagans the name of Demon was given to certain spirits which they regarded as intermediary between the gods and man. Plato says the name comes from daemon=knowing, as they were possessed of greater intelligence than the human race. As time passed the name was gradually applied more to an evil influence, and evil finally triumphed in monopolizing the name and it became synonymous with devil (Wall, 1974).
One demon chief is Mastema. He is represented in the Book of Jubilees as the chief of evil spirits. The character of Mastema closely corresponds with that of Satan. As to the derivation, the name comes from a Hebrew word Mastim, a participle of Satam, and means simply "one who is adverse or hostile" (Langton, 1974).
In the Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs Beliar and Satan are similar, if not identical, conceptions. Beliar is said to be the "prince of deceit". In some passages Beliar is shown as the chief of evil spirits. Beliar is another form of Belial, which is derived from a Hebrew work which expresses the idea of wickedness.
Belief in evil spirits and belief in Satan or the Devil may be connected... but they must be distinguished. Satan, in the New Testament, is conceived to be the prince or lord of evil spirits. To be possessed means by a demons or evil spirits...not actually by the devil himself. The Devil, the great chief of evil spirits in the New Testament, does not himself take possession of people (Langton, 1974).
Langton says the when the Bible was translated it was not made clear concerning the difference of demons and devil.
The original significance of the name Beelzebul is still doubtful. It is correctly spelled with an l on the end, not b, and is believed to be connected with the "Baal-zebub god of Ekron", to whom king Ahaziah sent messengers to inquire whether he would recover from his sickness. Literally this name means "lord of flies".
The idea that the devil will be destroyed by fire is common in the apocalyptic literature as well as the Bible. In Matthew Jesus declares that on the day of the last judgement He will say to the wicked, "Depart from me, ye cursed, into the eternal fire which is prepared for the devil and his angels" (Langton, 1974).
What does he do?
In the Roman Catholic Church it is said Satan has the power to inflict physical as well as moral and spiritual sufferings upon men. Idolatry was and continues to be due to the operations of Satan and his demons. He still seeks to establish a cultus and to destroy the religion of Christ.(Langton 1974).
John Wesley taught Satan and his angel are always warring against the sons of men. They have a supernatural knowledge. They know all our circumstances and with malicious intent they watch over our every motion. They are ready to take advantage of every opportunity to do us injury, they infuse evil thoughts into the minds of men, darken their hearts and rouse evil passions (Langton, 1974).
John Calvin (1509-1564) said the knowledge of demons is equal to their power. They have a thousand years' experience, and their motions are so swift that we have good reason to tremble at our danger. Calvin said they mock the imagination, work strongly by philtres upon the affections, assume the shapes of man or beast, inflict torments upon the body (Langton, 1974).
The Fall of Satanism
People may ask, "Do we have Satanism in our area?" To some extent yes, and it goes back many years. Charleston has a history of Satanism dating back to the early 1800's ... with Satanic rites being conducted as part of freemasonry (Katchen, 1992). Though Satanism may have been close to home, this time period saw a beginning of Satanic decline during this time period.
From the beginning of the nineteenth century onward the belief in Satan became less vivid and pronounced (Langton, 1974).
There appeared to be a decline in the belief of Satan in the nineteenth century. Roskoff in The History of the Devil traces the cause to the belief in the personality of Satan vanishing. He became simply representative of moral evil in man, and was conceived to have no independent existence (Langton, 1974).
One of the most direct and powerful attacks on belief in the Devil was made by Dr. Albert Reville, in the 1870's. He viewed the belief in Satan as a relic of primitive polytheism. Upon close examination he says, Satan becomes a mere absurdity. (Langton, 1974).
Other prominent writers wrote with a lean toward the idea Satan was not an actual being, but evil principles (Langton, 1974). That occurs now, as is discussed later.
Satan's most serious jeopardy arrived only when Christianity neglected him... candid and dispassionate neglect. Devils, like gods have never been able to survive being ignored (Paine, 1972).
The demise of Hell's hierarchy paralleled the equally factual demise of church power. It was reasoned disease was not caused by diabolical infestations, and that did away with legions of devils. Less and less emphasis was placed on individual evil, and most things from politics and religion to commercial and industrial productivity, recognized only an equivocation of the good-bad thesis (Paine, 1972).
It was not only easier to recognize a simple duality--good and evil-- it was more progressive to do so (Paine, 1972).
Hundreds of cases of diabolic possession, when examined, turned up a wide variety of psychoses. Madness, while not always amenable to clinical explanation or treatment, was eventually acknowledged to be a form of emotional disturbance having no connection whatsoever with devils (Paine, 1972).
Science, more than academe, doomed the hierarchy of Hell. What science had not destroyed with its enlightenment, the philosophers fairly well put to death with their reason (Paine, 1972).
In England it was alleged that raising the devil could be accomplished by simply reciting the Lord's prayer backwards (Paine, 1972). This is done even now and is mentioned in the Satanic Bible.
Militant atheism challenges and thereby strengthens the defensive forces. Indifference, however, is the archenemy of faith. Thus indifference is the pasture of the Devil (Anshen 1972). Many now say that it is the indifference that has allowed Satanism to grow in the latter part of this century.
The evildoer acts for the sake of the evil, and the evil is nothing but the satisfaction and satanic enjoyment he experiences in violation of divine and human laws and values (Anshen, 1972).
In 1022, in Orleans, France a group of about 14 heretics were burned at stake. Over the next few centuries hundreds of thousands of accused witches, accused heretics, and Jews were executed. The allegations in Orleans were that the heretics engaged in secret rituals in which they worshipped the Devil, held sex orgies, and sacrificed infants. The legend was born then and is the one we hear repeated today (Victor, 1993).
The Cathars were a significant movement against the Church. Around the 1160's the Cathars had thousands of followers in southern France and northern Italy. They had their own churches and clergy organization. In 1208 a Catholic army was sent by the Pope to exterminate the Cathars. They had been accused of engaging in sexual orgies and practicing secret rituals in worship of the Devil, involving sacrificing children and eating their flesh (Victor, 1993).
Actually the Cathars were a rather puritanical group. Many of their leaders practiced life-long chastity, frequent fasting, and vegetarianism (Victor, 1993).
The Knights Templars were initially a special order of soldier monks, organized to guard the conquests of the crusaders in the Near East. They became wealthy and began to function and bankers and financier for kings and popes. They got caught in the power struggle between the King of France and the Pope. King Philip IV carried out mass arrests. Under torture they confessed to having worshiped the Devil in the form of a black cat, and to having orgies, sacrificing infants born out of wedlock by roasting them over fires and smearing their fat on an idol called Baphomet (Victor, 1993).
Witches
A Witch is a woman or man who practices a life-affirming, Earth and nature-oriented religion and who practices Magic. It includes, but is not limited to: Spell casting, divination (fortune telling), meditation, herbalism, ritual and ritual drama, singing and dancing to raise energy, healing, clairvoyance, and more (www.cog.org, 1996).
Witchcraft has been most often referred to as the human harnessing of supernatural powers for the venomous purpose of practicing black magic (Mather & Nichols, 1993).
The editorial understanding of Wicca (Witchcraft) is a wide variety of nature religions based primarily on the symbols of pre- Christian Europe nature religions. Devil worship is, as always, totally unrelated to Witchcraft. (New Moon Rising, 1995 inside front cover)
The Ethic of the Wiccans is "An it harm none, do as ye will" (New Moon Rising, 1995 p. 35).
Witchcraft is falsely identified with Satanism and modern Witches disavow ties to Christianity. Witches point to history showing it is an ancient and well established institution throughout the centuries, not an off-shoot of Christianity (Mather & Nichols, 1993).
The belief in of Satan remained independent of medieval belief in witchcraft. (Langton, 1974)
Satanism and witchcraft are both part of the occult. Many witchcraft groups are aligned with non-Christian, pre-Christian, or pagan deities. Satanism is dedicated to the antithesis of the God of the Christian Bible (Mather & Nichols, 1993).
Martin Luther (1483-1546) said the Devil is the master of the witches (Langton, 1974).
One of the most notable features of all witch stories is the frequency with which Satan is represented as entering into personal relations with men and women (Langton, 1974).
Why is magic frowned upon by many in Christianity? In biblical times is was believed sorcerers owed their power to injure their fellow men to a voluntary submission to the prince of evil. From the earliest days sorcery has been conceived to consist essentially in traffic with evil spirits. (Langton, 1974).
Pagans
Pagans were initially country people who believed in fairies, woodland, lake, fen and mountain, spirits (Paine, 1972).
It has been the custom for years to say that those who offered human sacrifices were Devil-worshippers. The evil deity of early Mexico was not the god, but their Devil. The sacrificed to him to ward off evil, not because the venerated him (Paine, 1972).
In Latin pagus means country, paganus means countryman, a villager. The Christians viewed the affairs of pagans, or countrymen, as an abomination. Pagans became seen as hedathens, heretics, people lacking religion of any kind, and lacking ethics (Paine, 1972).
Santeria
Santeria is predominately in Cuba. Afro-Cubans who mostly make up the worshippers were formerly from southern Nigeria. Spaniards brought slaves to work the sugar plantations. The slaves brought with them their divinities. The Spanish missionaries introduced them to Catholicism, but hey did not totally abandon their own religious traditions, but combined them (Mather & Nichols, 1993).
Santeria means the Way of the Saints. When the early people arrived the were baptized by the Roman Catholic church. Their native practices were suppressed, but they developed a novel way of keeping their beliefs alive by equating the Gods and Goddesses of the traditional religions with the Christian Saints. There are believed to be 300,000 practitioners in New York alone (Ontario CRT Internet - Santeria, 1996).
Gnosticism
Gnosticism teaches that the creator of the world, although good, has withdrawn from the world, leaving it in the hands of evil or incompetent forces known as archons, which together make up the demiurge. Humanity has the choice of two paths. (Katchen, 1992).
There is a Web page dedicated to gnosticism: (http://www.webcom.com/~gnosis/). (Gnosis, 1995 p 2).
Rabbinic Judaism affirmed the supremacy of one god, Gnosticism affirmed the supremacy of hostile force. Christianity took the middle ground. (Katchen, 1992).
Early Gnostic rituals share elements with the satanic mass, namely a secret feast, a sexual orgy, reversals of the Christian mass, ritual use of blood, semen, and other excretions, and the practice of infant sacrifice and cannibalism (Katchen, 1992).
Symbols
All satanic rites were left-handed, or done in a manner opposite to divine rites. The pentagram, common in all high rituals, which historically has been a five-pointed star, and signifies the five senses of man, the five extremities of the human body, the five elements of nature, has its own perversion to diabolists (Paine, 1972).
Satanists called the inverted pentagram the "sign of the cloven hoof", or "hoofprint of Satan". Those who used the pentagram for divine rights called their star the great magical agent (Paine, 1972).
Panic
In 1980 Proctor & Gamble began getting letters accusing them of having a logo which contained Satanic symbolism. P&G issued statements denying the allegations and eventually sued. In 1985 Proctor & Gamble removed the logo, but in 1990 rumors were still circulating (Victor, 1993).
The first major "Satanic Panic" in North America occurred in Vancouver BC during June 1982. A rumor was spread that a baby was to be kidnapped and sacrificed. Security guards were placed in hospital nurseries. The same panic was re-triggered in October of that year. No attempt was ever made to kidnap a baby. In the late 1980's at least 61 other rumor panics occurred.. many dealing with Satanists allegedly looking to kidnap a blonde haired, blue eyed, female virgin for sacrifice. Some of the rumors are based on pranks by teenagers, others are triggered by anti-Satanic seminars. (Ontario CRT e-mail, 1996).
There have been rumors of thousands of kidnappings for Satanic reasons, including sacrifice. Apparently the reports of large- scale kidnappings are false. Some groups claim there are as many as 50,000 abductions a year due in part to satanists. In reality the number of stranger abduction homicides of children is approximately 100 (Lanning, 1992).
A U.S. Department of Justice study in 1990 indicated kidnapping of children by strangers was between 200 and 300 in the year 1988. Abduction by family members with the intent to conceal their whereabouts amounted to about 163,200 the same year. The study also estimated the number of children kidnapped and murdered was between 43 and 147, annually for the years 1976-1987. (Victor, 1993).
There may be many claims of satanic murders and other activity, but lack of evidence hurts credibility. A body may be easy to dispose of, but trace evidence will most certainly be left. Whether murder, rapes, or abduction hairs, fiber, blood, finger prints at some point would be found in some of the cases (Lanning, 1992).
Urban legends may spread allegations of ritualistic or satanic abuse. Different people across the country tell similar stories, but it doesn't mean they are true (Lanning, 1992).
As opposed to true Satanic experiences, some skeptics point out other causes for the claims. There are those that say all claims are false... the reports could be an alleged victim has falsely remembered information as their own experience... such as a songwriter using lyrics thought to be their own. Or they say, screen memories are occurring, this refers to real or fantasy memories that hide a deeper problem. There is the urban legend... first told as a hoax or joke then repeated by people as the truth... some believing what they heard was indeed true. Others argue ESP is involved, a patient reading the thoughts of a psychiatrist. Personal myths could be involved, its a way people devise to help cope with trauma (Greaves, 1992).
Significance to holidays should not be over stated. Because something occurs on halloween makes it no more a satanic killing than a murder on Christmas makes that death a Christian killing. There is material that indicates there are as many as 110 satanic holidays. Some information indicates it can be celebrated on several days either side of the actual date. Therefore, any day could be a satanic holiday. (Lanning, 1992).
In 1989 the bodies of people killed in ritualized murders were found in Matamoros, Mexico. The media portrayed it as "Satanic", but actually the leader of the group (which was a drug smuggling gang of thugs) told a different story. Adolfo Constanzo used a variety of pseudo-religious rituals to instill fear into his group. He created his own black magic belief system and rituals from the movie The Believers, and from elements drawn from Palo Mayombe, an African religious tradition (Victor, 1993).
Much of what is told of Satanic activities is rumor. They are believed for several reasons: They are conveyed by someone with authority, such as parents, school teachers, the police or ministers. The rumors are repeated over and over. So many people know it, it must be true. In stressful social conditions (such as the family and economics), people readily believe bizarre tragedies can happen. To some people the rumors were relevant (Victor, 1993).
Satanic cult rumors are symptoms of societal messages which speak of a moral crises. This involves a loss of faith in the moral order of American society, a perception of decline in moral values. People feel our world is falling apart (Victor, 1993).
If people are reporting untrue occurrences, as true, why? There are different answers and combinations of answers. There may be a problem with pathological distortion... errors in processing information influenced by mental disorders (Lanning, 1992).
Traumatic memory, or fear and severe trauma distorting reality, can cause problems. A third answer may be normal childhood fears and fantasy. Children fear monsters and ghosts, and imaginings may seem real (Lanning, 1992).
Misperception, confusion, and trickery could be a cause. Actual offenders may introduce elements of satanism and the occult into sexual exploitation simply to confuse victims. They may also use drugs or magic (Lanning, 1992).
Are all the claims of satanic activity true? Why are people making the claims. There is no simple answer. Lanning writes some people may be mentally ill, some may believe false memories, it may be a defense mechanism, a reaction to actual traumatic occurrences, though not necessarily satanic. Some of the reports from children may be normal childhood fears and fantasy. Children do fantasize. There could be misperception, confusion, and trickery. Overzealous intervenors could taint interviews with suggestive questioning. Some children may lie (Lanning, 1992).
Overzealous intervenors may lead the witness... embellishing their own assumptions and misinterpretations (Lanning, 1992).
Mental Problems
Martin Segall of the Society for Ethical Hypnosis writes: Regressed memories are definitely not infallible. There always remains the possibility of hallucinations, fantasy, and, above all, the possibility of contaminating the testimony be improper questioning (Victor, 1993).
Most of the women who claim to be survivors of Satanic cults have been diagnosed with multiple personality disorder. It is not clear if the disorder is caused by their underlying trauma, or the mental illness causes them to believe the events actually happened (Victor, 1993).
Current psychiatric conceptions of MPD suggest it could be a combination of: inherited biological capacity to enter trance states. Deeply disturbing emotional trauma likely experienced in childhood. Shared learning which shapes the content of the ideas (Victor, 1993).
There is good evidence the MPD patients have a chameleon- like, manipulative personality and feed therapists the kind of stories they feel therapists want to hear (Victor, 1993).
Using information from MPD patients, a social worker and a psychologist presented a program in 1990 that stated the ultimate goal of the international Satanic conspiracy is to create international chaos in order to allow Satan to take over the world (Victor, 1993).
There is simply no corroborating evidence for the existence of an organized network of Satanic cults whose members sexually molest children in order to brainwash them into Satanic ideology (Victor, 1993).
In cases of actual child abuse, molesters may deliberately use threats of magic spells, witches demons, in order to intimidate the children; but not as part of a Satanic ideology. Child molesters may be familiar, as many people are, with the Satanic cult legend, and use it for their own gain (Victor, 1993).
Victims of Ritual Abuse
There are indeed real victims of real abuse. Many of the victims of abuse are very young. There are potential indicators of involvement in occult or satanic abuse. These include reports of animal sacrifices, extreme fear of supernatural creatures or spirits, evidence of ritual activities, familiarity with occult symbols, bizarre ides or unusual fears about body products or food, use of restraints and confinement, drug intoxification, and behavior such as chanting or performing ritualized dances (Kincherff & Barnum, 1992).
Many people who are termed Satanic Cult Survivors who are seen clinically suffer from multiple personality disorders (Greaves, 1992), but perpetrators of maltreatment may also be affected by mental disorders. Finkelhor, Williams and Burns list three types of offenders (Kincherff & Barnum, 1992):
1. The psychopathological offender involves maltreatment related to a mental illness. For example, a parent with a psychotic delusion who thinks their child is contaminated and tries to save the child through such things as the ritualized giving of multiple enemas or highly stylized punishments.
2. The pseudoritualized offender uses rituals to further non-religious aims... such as systematically beating or torturing, or sexually violating someone for purposes of intimidation or personal gratification.
3. True ritual maltreatment is defined as abuse that occurs in a context linked to some symbols or group activity that have a religious, magical, or supernatural connotation, and where the invocation of these symbols or activities are repeated over time and used to frighten or intimidate children. True ritual maltreatment is not legally protected (Kincherff & Barnum, 1992).
Who Joins
A 1991 study of juvenile delinquents showed the ones who had taken part, at least once, in a formal ceremony to worship Satan were white, middle class, highly intelligent and had a need for control in their lives (Victor, 1993).
The more attention given to the dangers of Satanism, the more curious aggression-prone teens become, and the more some of them dabble in makeshift black magic (Victor, 1993).
One reason more youth are dabbling in Satanism is that advanced, industrial societies are producing more and more unwanted youth from fragmented families. Many of them account for senseless crimes (Victor, 1993).
The teenagers most likely to be drawn into the activities are those who are disconnected from loving and caring parents and/or are ostracized from conventional middle class peers at school. They are likely to experience a hostile uncaring world. For them evil is more real than goodness (Victor, 1993).
Needs of adolescent needs can be met by participation in such groups. Those needs include group acceptance or leadership; experiences of power and control; opportunities for rebellion, antisocial conduct, and thrill seeking behaviors; access to potential sexual partners; a sense of religious or personal value; a sense of distinction and status due to membership; and claims to special powers. (Kinscherff & Barnum, 1992).
There may be predisposing factors to joining deviant groups. Those factors include poor self-esteem, alienation, and developmental struggles with identity. Some have preexisting histories of psychological problems. (Kinscherff & Barnum, 1992).
Those who practice in a solitary fashion seem to be attracted to the violent variants of occult practices. Their behavior may be consistent with personality disturbance, delusion or thought disorder, paranoia, or other forms of psychotic or psychopathic process (Kinscherff & Barnum, 1992).
Some people claim Dungeons and Dragon is a role playing game Satanic in Nature. The game stresses cooperation between players in dealing with the hazards, rather than competition, and doesn't have winners and losers. The game characters are drawn loosely from magical-fantasy literature and medieval folklore (Victor, 1993).
One study showed hyperactive and aggressive boys who played the games fostered cooperative, helping relationships. Another showed D&D players had a healthy psychological profile. Several studies have shown fantasy-role playing activities help children develop creative imagination in thinking (Victor, 1993).
Genetic inheritance, social environment, class distinction, ignorance, mental illness may explain some evil... but others seek to explain it, and what remains, with various religious philosophies (Russell, 1981).
Sakheim and Devine write "satanic" cult is indiscriminately applied to five very diverse groups.
1. Allegedly there are transgenerational satanic cults, which are said to date back several generations. Members are said to be born into a secret religion that worships Lucifer/Satan as the Lord of the earth within the extremely restrictive rules of a pagan, occult theosophy, which includes human and animal sacrifice, and which strives to "resolve" all opposites: pleasure-pain, food-poison, love-hate, man- woman, joy, sorrow, Heaven-Earth, God-Satan.
2. There are neo-satanic cults, typified by the Church of Satan in San Francisco and the Temple of Set in St. Louis (Aquino, in Kahaner 1988). While these cults adamantly deny involvement in human, animal, or blood ritual, their leaders make clear in their writings that they and their followers should worship Satan and turn from godly teachings.
3. There are self-styled satanic cult leaders. Some of these leaders are dropouts from other satanic cults; others represent solitary ventures.
4. There are teen dabblers in satanism. These are disaffected adolescents attracted to satanic--in this case life-destructive--values. These allegedly read LaVey, Crowley, and listen to certain heavy metal rock groups. They have no known general theosophy, but engage in sexual experiments and murderous ventures.
5. There are solitary satanists. These are individuals who seem as called to the will of Satan as others proclaim they have been called to that of the Holy Ghost. Their notoriety arises out of their bizarre murders and/or suicides, such as the murder spree of Richard Ramirez, the Night Stalker. (Greaves, 1992).
Langone and Blood say there are four primary divisions of satanic activity (Kincherff & Barnum, 1992):
1. Dabblers, usually teen who are attracted on a superficial level through easily available books, heavy metal music, fantasy role- playing games and the like
2. Self styled or psychopathic satanists, usually loners attracted to the more violent forms of satanism that are then grafted on to the preexisting pathology.
3. Religious satanists involved in well-organized, publicly acknowledged groups.
4. Satanic cults, the sophisticated, clandestine groups, which may be engaged in criminal activity.
For most teens, Satanism is an expression of rage, hostility, and self-indulgence more than it is a developed religious conviction. Most teenagers have little exposure to Christianity other than the mocking of television or the movies. Most conceive of Satan as a self-serving natural force, or a symbol of their own rejection of authority (Passantino, 1994).
One Satanist writes there are many rebellious teens who briefly dabble in a form of Satanism. Their source material is often the books by LaVey, and sometimes material written by Evangelical or Fundamentalist Christian authors. The teens are responsible for graffiti and (rarely) animal sacrifices. Some look upon Satanism as a method of rebelling against their parent's beliefs (Scott, 1995)
People wishing to intervene with teens who exhibit involvement in Satanism should recognize it may be indicative of a broader problem. They should seek help from people used to dealing with out- of-control teenagers, and responsible, non-sensational books, be committed to helping through listening, disciplining, talking. Offer problem solving techniques, and better lifestyle choices (Passantino, 1994).
Who's Who
The story of modern satanism begins with Aleister Crowley (1875-1947) (Mather & Nichols, 1993).
Aleister Crowley was born in England in 1875. His parents were puritanical Christians. But, he turned to black magic. His catchphrase was "Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law." (Blood, 1994).
Crowley never considered himself a satanist, but his writings and teachings did much to influence the satanism of the twentieth- century counterculture. He then aligned with the Hermetic Order, devine beings with supernatural intellects
In 1898 Crowley joined the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, the most influential of several British occult groups at the time. Members included W.B. Yeats, and Bram Stoker, author of Dracula (Blood, 1994). He was found to be too perverted and bizarre for the group and was thrown out (Mather & Nichols, 1993).
Crowley endorsed the use of drugs for the initial expansion of consciousness, including hashish, mescaline, ether, and cocaine (Katchen, 1992).
In 1912 Crowley joined the Ordo Templi Orientis in Germany, a group at one point headed by the leader of the German Secret Service (Mather & Nichols, 1993). From his association with the Order of the Golden Dawn, Crowley went on to form the Abbey of Thelema in the 1920's (Katchen, 1992). He was later out of the country, Sicily, by Mussolini (Mather & Nichols, 1993).
A chapter of the Abbey of Thelema was started in California by Jack Parsons (Mather & Nichols, 1993). One of Parson's students is said to be L. Ron Hubbard, who founded the Church of Scientology, a blend of Crowley's and gnostic principles. (Katchen, 1992).
Crowley's The Book of the Law and The Equinox produced the major points of what would later become Satanism in the 1960s.
Anton Lavey (Howard Stanton LaVey) is the pivotal figure in the growth and dissemination of satanic theology in America. According to a 1991 story in Rolling Stone, some dismiss him as a con man and a carny trickster, he's pursued by thrill seekers and Bible thumpers and occult weirdos (Wright, 1991).
The Rolling Stone article goes on to say LaVey started his church after a suggestion of a police officer in San Francisco. A cop with the name of Jack Webb used to hear LaVey play piano at a bar. One night, off the cuff, he told Lavey "With all your ideas, you ought to start your own church." And he did.
His church awarded priesthood status to LaVey's Hollywood friends Jayne Mansfield and Sammy Davis Jr. (Wright, 1991).
He may have started the Church of Satan, but he says he hasn't performed a Black Mass in 20 years (Wright, 1991).
There seems to be some conflicts with what LaVey preaches, and what he does. During a two week interview, one writer notes that LaVey leads a somewhat quiet life. No liquor, no tobacco, no drugs, no sex, no black masses, no baby sacrifices. "I don't want the legend to disappear," LaVey said. "There is a danger you will disenchant a lot of young people who use me as a role model." (Wright, 1991).
A prominent researcher in Behavioral Science at the FBI Academy, Kenneth Lanning, calls LaVey "a psychopathic con-artist" (Personal communication, 1995).
Michael Aquino is the founder and leader of the Temple of Set and a former priest in Anton LaVey's church (Blood, 1994).
The Temple of Set was founded in 1975, but claims roots that date back to prehistory through the schools of abstract philosophy and mystery religions (Mather & Nichols, 1993).
Aquino says when he and LaVey first met, LaVey believed in a literal Devil. "I believe his loss of faith came later". He and LaVey parted ways when LaVey began selling degrees in the priesthood. "In my letter of resignation, I said essentially that the Church of Satan is not the same thing as the Church of Anton LaVey". Aquino didn't think the priesthoods were LaVey's to sell. The church split over the issue. "That's when he said 'I don't believe in the Devil,'" says Aquino (Wright, 1991).
Aquino is a specialist in the area of psychological warfare (Blood, 1994). Many of the documents concerning satanic activity have been handed down by Christians during the time when witch hunting was in its heyday, therefore, the amount of actual satanic activity or Devil cults in existence has been greatly exaggerated (Mather & Nichols, 1993).
Modern Satanism
Satanism is a way of living that follows a sinister path towards the creation of a new type of individual - a way to individual godhood. A Satanist accepts no morals, ethics, or restrictions other than the ones they create themselves however dark or evil they may seem to others (www.earthlight.co.nz/users/spock/satan.httl, 1996).
As described in one journal article Satanism is: The belief in and deliberate invocation and worship of Satan as a supernatural personal being, or an impersonal force or energy, or a religious symbol representing the material world and carnal nature of mankind (Hawkins, 1986).
Satanism is the term commonly used to refer to the worship of the supreme personification of evil in the Western Judeo-Christian religious tradition. (Blood, 1994).
A Department of the Army pamphlet describes Satanism's historic roots as tracing back to voodoo, the Hell-Fire Club of eighteen century England, the ritual magic or Aleister Crowley, and the Black Order of Germany in the 1920's and 1930's (Department of the Army, 1978).
In modern Satanism some groups and individuals believe Satan exists and that he is a powerful force, then there are those who generally do not believe in the existence of the Devil but practice their craft for a variety of reasons (Mather & Nichols, 1993).
It is not accurate to define Satanism exclusively as the system of beliefs promulgated by the Church of Satan or the Temple of Set, any more than it would be proper to define Christianity as the teachings of any particular church or denomination. (Blood, 1994).
However, the Church of Satan may be the best known Satanic organization. It was formed by Anton LaVey on Walpurgisnacht, April 30, 1966. That was the day he proclaimed as the beginning of the Satanic era (Department of the Army, 1978). Walpurgisnacht is the grand climax of the spring equinox. The solstices and equinoxes are celebrated as holidays as are Halloween, and most importantly, one's own birthday (Department of the Army, 1978).
Though Satanists are accused of human and animal sacrifices and mutilations, some Satanist deny any association with animal mutilation, sacrifice, or abuse of children. (Don Scott, 1995)
Investigations into non-Christian ritual abuse were conducted by the governments of the State of Virginia and the Netherlands between 1991 and 1994. They concluded it simply does not exist. A similar study in England did uncover a few cases, but each involved a lone child molester who was pretending to be a Satanist in order to better control his victims (Ontario CRT Internet, 1996).
Referring to rival newsletters, Blanche Barton, a High Priestess of the Church of Satan, writes, "Recent articles in one or two of these newsletters have advocated rape, bestiality, and incest as viable Satanic alternatives, as well as providing a forum for hashing out such burning issues as pedophilia and fascism. [T]hings like rape, pedophilia and bestiality are unacceptable in a civilized society because they are harmful, disruptive, unjust and they hurt innocent creatures. (Barton, 1995)
However, literature looked to by Satanists does nothing to dispel this rumor. "The blood is the life... any living thing is a storehouse of energy varying in quantity according to the size and health... at the death of the animal this energy is liberated suddenly. The animal should therefore be killed within the Circle, or the Triangle, as the case may be, so that its energy cannot escape.... For the highest spiritual working one must accordingly choose that victim which contains the greatest and purest force. A male child of perfect innocence an high intelligence is the most satisfactory and suitable victim...." Is a passage from Crowley, 1924 pp 92-95.
Sensationalism abounds when Satanists are related to a crime. Is all satanic crime related to Satan? Blood (1974) uses the context to describe crime which is malicious, wicked, and devilish.
Satan is on line. With "alt.satanism" you can get in touch with like minded individuals, or you can find new Church of Satan products and the activities of the clergy and representatives (Nadramia, 1995). There are numerous Satanists or Satanic groups on line. To access a few type in "Satan".
There are several Satanic organizations around the world. Some of the names are included here with brief descriptions. Much of the information was gathered from the Internet.
Membership estimates are unreliable and hard to determine. One estimate indicates just over 300 Satanists in Canada and as many as 20,000 in the U.S. The Church of Satan does not release its membership information (www.pe.net, 1996)
Church of Satan. Created in 1966 by Anton LaVey. Three years later the Satanic Bible was released. According to the church's home page on the Internet, "There is a common misconception that members of the Church of Satan worship the Christian devil. This simply is not true! Satanists do not even believe in the existence of any Gods or Devil (Church of Satan, 1996).
There are no elements of Devil worship in the Church of Satan. Believing in the Christian view of God vs. Satan is a heresy. Satanist do not believe in the supernatural, in either God or the Devil. To the Satanist, he is his own God (Gilmore, 1996).
Temple of Set. A form of religious Satanism which recognizes a pre-Satanic deity, the Egyptian God Set as an entity which stands separate from the forces of the natural universe (Scott, 1995).
A Satanist must believe in the existence of Satan, according to Aquino. If a person denies the existence of all metaphysical beings, he is thereby an atheist, not a Satanist (Aquino, 1996).
Order of Nine Angles. An English order of Traditional Satanism. Its members and activities are secret. Its teachings and traditions are public, for those interested in aiding the sinister dialectic increasing the dark forces on earth (Long, 1992).
The specific path is a dark, sinister, or Left Hand Path, and the specific goal is the creation of a new type of individual (Long, 1992).
Satanism is not "devil worship". Satanists do not worship anything, and the practices and rites of Satanism are quite different from the popular media image. Satan exists, but in a manner called "the acausal". Expressed simply, one becomes one with Satan, and in the early stages strives to be like him (Long, 1992).
Sacrifices maybe performed. The reason for "Satanic Culling" is some people are worthless, a liability to evolution, and their removal is health: it aids the human stock. (Long, 1992)
Satanism is not interested in corrupting others without their consent (Long, 1992).
Ordo Sinistra Vivendi (The Sinister Way): Formerly called the Order of the Left Hand. We exist as a means to personal development, and to aid the unfolding of both individual and cultural destiny. Satan is a source of both power and inspiration (www. earthlight, 1996). The OSV exists to develop and actualize the full potential and inner qualities of each individual initiate and herald the dawn of human Self- godhood, within the context of Faustian Civilization (Alt.Satanism FAQ, 1996).
Ordo Templi Satanis (Order of the Satanic Temple): derived from the name for the old Knights Templar... the Knights of the Temple. The ultimate goal is to bring this nation back to the Satanic principles upon which it was founded, and to ensure that the natural Satanic elite is no longer on the brink of destruction at the hands of the masses (Ordo Templi Satanis, 1991).
The sunset of christianity is upon us. The dawn of Satanism is at hand. (Scott, 1995).
The Church of Satanic Liberation and the Fraternity of Baelder are also modern Satanic organizations.
Music Etc.
The International Association Against Violent Entertainment estimates that 12 percent of the movies produced in the United States can be classified as satanic horror films (Lanning, 1992).
Anton LaVey, the Satanic High Priest, has played parts in some of the films depicting satanism. Rosemary's Baby saw LaVey play the devil who impregnates the woman played by Mia Farrow. LaVey calls the movie "the best paid commercial for Satanism since the Inquisition." (Wright, 1991).
LaVey says Satanic music is not heavy-metal rock and roll. This includes, his says, music of AC/DC and Slayer (Wright, 1991).
Some heavy metal bands are simply pretending to be associated with Satanism, hoping to gain notoriety in order to sell more records (Scott, 1995).
However, members of some rock groups might disagree. "Besides attempting to met the standard that all black metal bands maintain at least one member who is a true satanist, Black Funeral is the nightmare mainstream America will either bow to or be destroyed by" says band member Baron von Abaddon (Hubert, 1995). He is also in the group Darkness Enshroud.
Personally, my greatest achievement would be to get at least one kid out there to either kill someone or commit suicide from my art." He goes on to say "The only bad thing from these people killing themselves is that there will be less records selling, but we will eventually replace them." (Hubert, 1995).
Jeff Hanneman of Slayer says "The major change in the lyrics is we got out of satanism. We were never seriously in it. We like to dabble. We got drunk and drew pentagrams on the floor and read the satanic bible. And when people thought we were crazy we got off on it." (Kadzielawa, 1995)
James Murphy of Testament says he is agnostic, and feels this way about the black metal bands "...Satanic metal is only sensational to those people who are shocked or offended by it. They range in age from 12 to 15 and really think they're bad and evil. Bring them to a tough neighborhood in the USA and leave them there on there on. [S]ee how long it takes for them to.. cry to go home.... See if Satan's gonna help them in a crack neighborhood!" (Ali 'The Metallian', 1995)
Kurt Hubert describes The Black as a musical outlet intended not only to keep submerging in pure hatred and evil, but recruiting member who likewise shared his interest in grave desecration and the study of true Satanism. The Black is the name of the group and an individual in it, who says he worships the Devil and evil and he states "Death is the most important thing in my life". (Hubert, 1995).
Groups do rely on Satanic symbolism and messages. Among those who do are Danzig, Iron Maiden, Deicide, Nocturnus, Slayer, Death Angel, Ozzy Osborne, and Sepultura.
Rituals
Ken Lanning of the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia clarifies the meaning of ritual. Ritual can refer to a religious ceremony, but in its broader meaning refers to any customarily repeated act or series of acts. The need to repeat the acts can be cultural, sexual, psychological, or spiritual (Lanning, 1992).
A Roman Catholic mass is an example of a majestic, complex religious ritual. Societies have many rituals related to major life passages, like birth, marriage, and death (Ontario CRT Internet, 1996).
Ritualized maltreatment is abuse inflicted upon a victim in a repetitive, systematic, stylized, and methodical fashion. The characteristics of abuse, rather than a specific link to any beliefs or religious practices, make it ritualized. (Greaves, 1992). Children are most often the victims of all types of ritual abuse (Ontario CRT Internet, 1996).
A drug crazed woman was jailed in Anderson County after she claimed her 12 year old son was possessed and forced glass into her son's private parts and rubbed his lips into salt (Personal recollection).
People have died when someone believed that person was possessed and tried to drive out the demons. Some parents abuse their children physically, and it may be by religious motivation in a ritualized manner... but it may not be Satanic (Ontario CRT Internet, 1996).
Some of the reported goings-on in the Black Mass are probably fiction... some obviously inventions, some of which come from the writings of the Marquis de Sade (Sakheim & Devine, 1992).
Not all historians believe Satanism and Black Mass has been practiced for centuries. Some writers argue there is little evidence beyond accusations used to persecute oppressed groups or confessions gathered from torturing during witch hunts and inquisitions. (Katchen, 1992).
Satanists religious practices and ethics are for the most part predicated upon the complete reversal, inversion, or antithesis of Christianity. However, their rituals may or may not be complete opposites or mockeries of Christian rites (Hawkins, 1986).
Since many satanic groups originated from varying aboriginal, pagan, and other traditions, it is clearly not possible to describe one set of beliefs, symbols, practices, holidays, or rituals. (Katchen & Sakheim, 1992). And many groups may be labeled "Satanic Cults", such as child molesters, violent teenage gangs, psychopathic serial murderers, teenagers involved in makeshift occult ritualism, and practitioners of unconventional religions (Victor, 1993).
Widely documented rituals trace their roots to a Scottish or Irish (Druid) ancestry. In the Southeast you will find influences of Spanish origin... and incorporate Aztec culture. Palo Mayombe and Santeria find their origins here. (Sakheim & Devine, 1992).
The following are some of the rituals (practices) of the Church of Satan: Black robes are worn by the male participants. They may be cowled or hooded, and may cover the face. Females wear garments which are sexually suggestive; or all black for older women. Amulets bearing the symbol of Baphomet or the traditional pentagram are worn by all (LaVey, 1969).
A nude woman is used as an altar because the woman is the natural receptor, and represents the earth mother. If no woman is available, the elevated plane used to hold her may be used for other articles (LaVey, 1969).
The symbol of Baphomet is placed on the wall above the altar. Only black or white candles are used. One black candle is place on the left side of the altar, representing the left hand path, or the Powers of Darkness. Only one white candle is used, this one on the right hand side of the altar representing the followers of the right hand path. Other black candles may be used for light (LaVey, 1969).
The bell is used to mark the beginning and end of the ritual. The priest rings the bell nine times. The tone should be loud and penetrating (LaVey, 1969).
A chalice, anything but gold, can be used. The Elixir of Life is to be drunk from the Chalice immediately after the Invocation to Satan (LaVey, 1969).
A sword is used to point toward the symbol of Baphomet during the Invocation to Satan. It is also used while calling forth the four princes of Hell during the Steps of Ritual. It's used also while hearing or repeating requests of participants, the sword is held atop their heads. The priest thrusts the sword through the parchment containing a requests or messages and holds the parchment over a flame (LaVey, 1969).
In a Church of Satan ritual it is advised the person conducting the ritual stand primarily facing the altar and the symbol of Baphomet. The altar should be against the west wall. Whenever the words "Hail Satan" are spoken, participants respond and a gong is struck (LaVey, 1969).
The ritual begins by purifying the air with the ringing of the bell. The priest conducts the "Invocation to Satan"....
"In the name of Satan, the ruler of the earth, the King of the world, I command the forces of Darkness to bestow their Infernal power upon me!
Open wide the gates of Hell and come forth from the abyss to greet me as your brother and friend!
Grant me the indulgences of which I speak!
I have taken they name as a part of myself! I live as the beasts of the field, rejoicing in the fleshly life! I favor the just and curse the rotten!
By all the Gods of the Pit, I command that these things of which I speak shall come to pass!
Come forth and answer to your names by manifesting my desires!
Now comes the reading of "Infernal Names". Afterwards, the priest then drinks from the chalice. Turning counter clockwise, the priest points with the sword to each cardinal point on the compass and call forth the Princes of Hell: Satan from the south, Lucifer from the east, Belial from the north, and Leviathan from the west (LaVey, 1969).
The priest then performs the benediction and then reads aloud an invocation for Lust, Compassion, or Destruction (LaVey, 1969).
If the requests are written, they are now read aloud and then burned in the flames of the candle. Otherwise, the requests are said and repeated by the priest. "Shemhamforash!" and "Hail Satan" is said after each request. An appropriate Enochian Key is now read by the priest. It may read like this: "O ye sons and daughters of mildewed minds, that sit in judgment of the iniquities wrought upon me-Behold! the voice of Satan; the promise of Him who is called amongst ye the accuser and supreme tribune! Move therefore, and appear! Open the mysteries of your creation! Be friendly unto me, for I am the same, the true worshipper of the highest and ineffable King of Hell!" (LaVey, 1969).
The bell is then rung... and the priest says "So it is done" (LaVey, 1969). Conclusion
Whether you believe in Satan or not, can you agree that there are evil forces?
There is good and there is bad. There is Satanism. If one person in the world worshiped Satan, either as a being or a philopsophy, we would have Satanism, albiet a minor religion. However, we have undoubtably many people who worhip Satan, probably for many reasons. We need look no further than a computer hooked to the Internet to know those who support Satan are promoting their religion. It is in the movies, it is in music, it is on television. It is here. It is up to us to decide what to do about it.
Do we attmept to concur a something we believe is evil by doing what they did in the Inquisition... killing thousands? Or is there another approach?
Langton says "...during all the ages Jesus has shown His power to conquer evil by imparting to men a new spirit, His own spirit, of love, sympathy and kindliness; the spirit of enthusiastic obedience to the will of God, and of passionate resolve to spend and to be spent in the establishment of the reign of God in the lives of men. It is only thus that the final conquest of the power of evil can be achieved."
For hundreds, if not thousands, of people, especially the teens who are turning away from the established ways, turning away from their parents, their family, this may not be a bad start. Appendix
The 21 Satanic Points From: THE BLACK BOOK OF SATAN by Conrad Robury
I Respect not pity or weakness, for they are a disease which makes sick the strong.
II Test always your strength, for therein lies success.
III Seek hapiness in victory - but never in peace.
IV Enjoy a short rest, better than a long.
V Come as a reaper, for thus you will sow.
VI Never love anything so much you cannot see it die.
VII Build not upon sand but upon rock
And build not for today or yesterday but for all time.
VIII Strive ever for more, for conquest is never done.
IX And die rather than submit.
X Forget not works of art but swords of death, for therein lies great art.
XI Learn to raise yourself above yourself so you can triumph over all.
XII The blood of the living makes good fertilizer for the seeds of the new.
XIII He who stands atop the highest pyramid of skulls can see the furthest.
XIV Discard not love but treat it as an imposter, but ever be just.
XV All that is great is built upon sorrow.
XVI Strive not only forwards, but upwards for greatness lies in the highest.
XVII Come as a fresh strong wind that breaks yet also creates.
XVIII Let love of life be a goal but let your highest goal be greatness.
XIX Nothing is beautiful except man: but most beautiful of all is woman.
XX Reject all illusion and lies, for they hinder the strong.
XXI What does not kill, makes stronger.
The Nine Satanic Statements
1. Satan represents indulgence, instead of abstinence!
2. Satan represents vital existence, instead of spiritual pipedreams!
3. Satan represents undefiled wisdom, instead of hypocritical self-deceit!
4. Satan represents kindness to those who deserve it, instead of love wasted on ingrates!
5. Satan represents vengeance, instead of turning the other cheek!
6. Satan represents responsibility to the responsible, instead of concern for psychic vampires!
7. Satan represents man as just another animal, sometimes better, more often worse than those that walk on all fours, who, because of his "divine spiritual and intellectual development" has become the most vicious animal of all!
8. Satan represents all the so-called sins, as they all lead to physical, mental, or emotional gratification!
9. Satan has been the best friend of the church as he has kept it in business all of these years!
When the Devil Dares: Teenagers and Satanism
By Bob and Gretchen Passantino
Copyright 1994 by Bob and Gretchen Passantino.
Permission is granted for non-commercial replication of or excerpting from this material, provided (1) that appropriate notice is included of its copyright status, as above, and (2) that an appropriate reference to the Answers In Action name, address and phone number be included with all replicated and excerpted material.
Parents, teachers, and law enforcement personnel in Monroe County Michigan knew something strange was going on with local high school students, but they couldn't figure out what. One boy, who lived with his grandmother, took all her religious pictures off the walls, turned her crucifixes upside down, and then beat her up. Two boys fought in the high school cafeteria and the winner jumped up and flashed a strange hand salute, a clenched fist with his index and little fingers sticking up. The art teacher couldn't figure out why so many kids drew pictures of demonic-like men with goat's heads. And the occult books kept disappearing from the school library. The adults knew something was wrong, but they didn't know what.
The teenagers were flirting with satanism. The power, the magic, the mystery -- for most it was fun and exciting. For some, it was serious, deadly serious to Lloyd Gamble, who lost his life in a satanic sacrifice. After Lloyd's death, and his younger brother's arrest for the murder, the adults learned to understand the signs that had been so mysterious before: The "devil's sign" hand signal, the two fingers representing the horns of the "goat" image of Satan; the goat's head baphomet pictures symbolizing the dark lord; and the books that fed the teenagers' imaginations, rituals, and spells. Across America, fascination with satanism is infecting our schools and enticing adolescents into destruction with false promises of power, control, and excitement. In a contemporary society where Christian beliefs and morals are ridiculed, and self-indulgence and self- gratification are worshipped, teenagers are easy prey for the Prince of Darkness. Christian educators, parents, pastors, and youth leaders, like the adults in Monroe County, too often have been tricked by the Deceiver's sleight-of-hand to focus on the sensational, the false rumors, and the conspiracy mirages while signs of typical teenage satanic involvement escape our notice. It shouldn't take a tragedy like the killing of Lloyd Gamble by his brother to shift our focus.
Equipped with sound information and good answers from God's Word, educators can recognize the danger signals of teenage satanism, and take positive steps to intervene for a troubled student who has turned to satanism to solve his or her overwhelming problems. Satanic involvement does not occur in isolation from other problems. Most teenagers who practice satanism also abuse drugs and alcohol and are sexually promiscuous. As with drugs and sex, satanism is an indicator of serious personal dysfunction, and the teenage satanist will not be truly free of occult bondage unless his or her underlying problems are recognized and resolved. Occult expert Dr. John Cooper notes, "Satanism blesses and encourages the expression of all that is natural to adolescent development -- rebellion, defiance, and specialness -- yet it lacks a positive, rational framework and totally disregards relational, social, and religious boundaries and values".
First, recognize that satanism appeals to teenagers who have significant problems dealing with the world and who are convinced that satanism is their solution. Eight major risk factors often accompany teenage satanism: (1) extreme alienation; (2) morbid fascination with horror, death, and pain; (3) drug and alcohol use; (4) difficulty conforming to the system (whether in school, at home, or on the job); (5) a frustrating sense of powerlessness; (6) an excessive need to control; (7) high intelligence and creativity that often is used destructively; and (8) unnatural attraction to the mysterious, the occult, or the magical. Each of these risk factors are experienced to some degree by all adolescents, but for the teenager who gravitates toward satanism, these factors are consuming motivators.
Second, be aware of specific signs of satanic involvement. Watch for the teenager who seems obsessed with power, both exerting his own power over others and rejecting power over himself. Watch for the teenager whose words and actions display unusual destructiveness, who openly defies authority, and who seems almost consumed by feelings of vengeance and hate. Notice the teenager who seems absorbed with himself or herself, preoccupied with self-interests and self-indulgence.
Third, recognize that for most teenagers, satanism is an expression of rage, hostility, and self- indulgence more than it is a developed religious conviction. Most teenagers have little exposure to Christianity other than the mocking of television or the movies. Strong belief in a literal powerful spiritual person called Satan is usually as ridiculous to them as belief in some omnipresent God in heaven. Consequently, while all teenage satanists "worship Satan," most conceive of Satan as a self-serving natural force, or a symbol of their own rejection of authority. As one satanist proudly declared to us, "I am Satan and I worship myself!" Little wonder that Anton LaVey, founder of the Church of Satan and author of The Satanic Bible, declares that the satanist's own birthday is the most important "unholy" day of the satanic calendar!
Fourth, physical clues are important. Although occult symbols and signs are scattered throughout contemporary music, videos, movies, television programs, comic books, and video games, the teenager who exhibits some of these signs and also uses occult symbols on papers, notebooks, jewelry, tattoos, and clothing is probably involved in satanism. The most common symbols are the pentagram, an inverted five point star in a circle; the baphomet, or "Goat of Mendes," representing lust; the inverted cross, and words written backwards, such as "redrum" (murder) or "live" (evil). Satanic literature is as close as the nearest discount bookstore or public library, and almost all teenage satanists use Anton LaVey's The Satanic Bible as their satanic handbook. Satanists compose their own rituals and ceremonies and add to them their satanic "prayers" and writings in a personal "Book of Shadows." This may be a simple spiralbound notepad or an elaborately handtooled leather diary. Frequently the writing is coded or backward. At home, the satanist will have ritual tools such as an altar (even a black cloth over a card table will do), a black robe, candles (especially black and red), bells, a chalice, a sword or staff of "power," and a dagger. Not all teenage satanists have elaborate and extensive ritual aids, and they are extremely good at hiding them, so concerned parents must look carefully. As a concerned Christian educator, you can intervene to help the troubled teenage satanist.
Six elements are key to successfully rescuing a teenager whose personal problems have driven him or her to cry out with destructive satanic involvement. First, be committed to helping through listening, educating, talking, praying, working with parents, disciplining, and offering better solutions to the individual problems experienced by the satanists. Second, seek professional help from responsible, non-sensational books (see sidebar), experienced pastoral counselors, and youth workers who specialize in out-of-control teenagers. Since most teenage satanism is symptomatic of broader problems, you don't need expertise in satanism as much as expertise in adolescent problem solving. Third, intervene in appropriate and constructive ways to turn the teenager from satanism and toward good solutions. Intervention varies by case, and may range from forbidding occult symbols, terminology, or themes from classroom work to working with parents, juvenile authorities, and your school administration to enforce consequences on continued teenage satanic destructiveness. Fourth, expose the ultimately self-destructiveness of satanism and its false promises. Fifth, offer better solutions, problem solving techniques, and lifestyle choices. This includes being a good role model so the teenage satanist sees that constructive commitment is far more personally fulfilling than the abandonment of destructive occultism. Finally, pray and enlist the prayers of friends, colleagues, and family. Be confident that "the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world" (1 John 4:4) and "the prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective" (James 5:16b). When the smoke and trick mirrors are removed by the power of God's truth, Satan's allure is exposed as an empty shell of broken promises. Teenage satanists are looking for truth and life -- show them the One who is Truth and Life (John 14:6).
Teenagers and Satanism: Danger Signs
* Satanic and/or occult symbols on schoolwork, clothes, personal belongings.
* Attitudes of extreme isolationism, hatred, vengeance, and personal destructive power, all seemingly without remorse.
* Obsession with death, violence, evil, the mysterious, and the occult.
* Concurrent drug, alcohol, and sexual activity.
* Reputation among peers as someone to be feared or catered to because of his/her personal power. (Or, appears to follow someone with such a reputation.)
* Self-proclaimed satanist, devil-worshipper, or "witch."
* Preoccupation with colors red and black (such as clothing), knives, candles, and other occult paraphrenalia.
* "Book of Shadows" (secret ritual book), backward writing, occult-themed writing.
Suggestions for Intervention
* Approach student with confidence, honesty, and genuine concern.
* Work with student on areas impacting his/her school work or school participation.
* Try to discover student's fundamental problems (which he/she is trying unsuccessfully to solve with satanism).
* Offer better, more successful, and more constructive ways of solving those problems.
* Point out the destructiveness of satanic involvement and its ultimate spiritual and emotional bankruptcy.
* Involve parents or another responsible adult the student trusts if you can enlist their sensible cooperation.
* Pray for the student, the family, the student's fundamental problems, and those who are encouraging the student's satanic involvement.
* Be a good role model with consistent Christian maturity -- show how Christians successfully meet life's challenges with the power of the Holy Spirit in their lives.
Book Suggestions
* When the Devil Dares Your Kids by Bob and Gretchen Passantino (Servant, 1991)
* The Black Mask by John Charles Cooper (Revell, 1990)
* The Psychology of Adolescent Satanism by Anthony Moriarty (Praeger, 1992).
Answers In Action
P.O. Box 2067
Costa Mesa, California 92628
(714) 646 9042 MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT SATANISM
Satanism is clearly not understood by the public. We, as Satanists, do not feel the need to convince others of the "correctness" of our religion. I have no such compulsion. I will deal with common misconceptions of Satanism, to bring light to a subject cast into darkness by christianity.
My purpose is to dispel lies christians constantly spread.
Satanism has nothing whatever to do with the christian devil. "Satan" comes from ancient Hebrew and means "opposer." Opposing the ideas of the judeo-christian religion, we make an alliance with "Satan" who opposes the morals and dogma of the so-called holy church and all its followers.
Furthermore, we are proud to call on our brothers, the names of the demons and devils, which were the Gods and Goddesses of peoples conquered by christian hordes and "converted" to christianity. A great crowd of deities has suffered this treatment. Remember the crusades? Live by the "word of god" or die by the sword. The moslems have not forgotten and they have not forgiven.
Once they conquered, the "holy church" stole the holy days of captured peoples and converted them to christian "holidays." The most obvious example is christmas. What is the xmas tree for? Why do we give presents? Who is St. Nicholas? Why is the holiday at the time of the winter solstice, when the sun begins on its journey of "rebirth," when the days become longer again? Pagan practices were woven into christianity to weld the new believer to his new home. Why is easter always the first Sunday after the first full moon after the spring equinox? The pagan origin of this date is obvious.
We have taken back our gods and our holidays. Those who stole them from us are long gone, but their ancestors remain. What they tout as "evil" is only what they wish to destroy, much as Hitler called the Jews evil to stamp them out and it is no different with christians. They label us evil. Unlike the pagans of the past, we do not fear their name calling. We proudly wear the label EVIL! After all, "Evil" is only "live" spelled backwards.
We do not sacrifice animals and we do not harm children. Period. Every man, woman and child was killed at Jericho (according to the bible), their heads were severed and placed on the stakes. This was at the order of jehovah. Satan gives no such orders. No Satanist would take such an order anyway. We are not the sons of Abraham, we will not offer our children up to jehovah to die.
We consider the statement, "god exists," to be FALSE. Therefore, in the strictest sense, we are atheists. The so-called arguments for the existence of god are travesties to reason. Every argument for the judeo-christian god is clearly FALSE due to being illogical. George S. Smith's, "Atheism, the Case Against God," provides iron-clad proof that god does not, cannot, exist.
We choose life here, not in some fantasy world proposed to exist after we die. The idea of an afterlife is to us, plainly stated, stupid.
Christians at large consider us dangerous and twisted. Please note that we are not the ones who believe in something that we cannot see, we are not the ones willing to lay down our lives and the lives of our families for the hope of future happiness. We base our lives on reality, not on spiritual pipedreams! Everything is subject to the scrutiny of our minds and the senses of our flesh. Blind belief has no place in our lives. We feel that it is christians who are twisted and dangerous.
The sunset of christianity is upon us. The dawn of Satanism is at hand. The Raven
scotts@pe.net Satanism (last updated 29 Dec) Satanism is a way of living that follows a sinister path towards the creation of a new type of individual - a way to individual godhood. Satanism is concerned with changing our evolution and the societies we live in - creating a new human species and a civilization appropriate to the new type of human being. A Satanist accepts no morals, ethics, or restrictions other than the ones they create themselves however dark or evil they may seem to others.
The well known Satanic Bible by Anton LaVey isn't necessarily a good place to start for an idea of Satanism. Only about half of it is by LaVey. Half of the book is the Enochian Keys, and the start of it is from Might Is Right. The rest is a collection of some of his essays. It is one persons point of view, and not the 'bible' of satansim.
There are several Satanic organizations around the world, each with their own brand of Satanism. In Britain there is the Order of Nine Angles (ONA), which according to them is traditional Satanism, the tradition being ages old, that has been added to and modified as required. In New Zealand there is the Ordo Sinistra Vivendi (OSV) (formerly Order of the Left Hand Path) which has been around for over 5 years based in Wellington. In America there is mainly the Church of Satan, which Anton LaVey formed in 1966 and so follows his ideas, and the Temple of Set, formed in 1975 by Michael Aquino with their Setian way.
* Order of Nine Angles
* Ordo Sinistra Vivendi
* Ordo Templi Satanis
* Other contacts.
* Miscellaneous.
* Issues of the Watcher.
Links to other things of interest :
* The Black Order
Email me if you have any comments. I may reply. Back to my home page. spock@earthlight.co.nz
References
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Alt.Satanism FAQ (1996). The Order of the Left Hand Path. (this is an Internet page)
Anshen, Ruth Nanda (1972). The Reality of the Devil. New York: Harper and Row.
Aquino, Michael A. (1996). Temple of Set, from Hell the Online Guide to Satanism. Internet: http://webpages.marshall.edu/~allen12/tosalts.faq
Barton, Blanche. Sycophants Unite! In The Black Flame. Volume 5, Number 3 and 4. New York: Hell's Kitchen Productions, Inc.
Blood, Linda (1994). The New Satanists. New York: Warner Books.
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Gilmore, Peter H. (1996). Satanism: The Feared Religion. As found at http://www.marshall.edu/~allen12/cos.html (the Raven's Infernal Empire home page)
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Gnosis, (1995 Number 36, Summer). San Francisco: The Lumen Foundation. p. 2.
Hawkins, Craig (1986, Fall) The Many Faces of Satanism. Forward Magazine. San Juan Capistrano, CA: Christian Research Institute. Located from the Heart of Darkness homepage link to: www. iclnet.org/pub/resources/text/cri- jrnl.crj001.txt
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Katchen, M.A. (1992) In Sakheim, David K. and Devine, Susan E. Out of Darkness. New York, NY: Lexington Books.
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Mather, George A. & Nichols, Larry A. (1993). Dictionary of Cults, Sects, Religions and the Occult. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Books.
Nadramia, Peggy. (1995). Satan On Line: Should You Bother? In The Black Flame. Volume 5, Number 3 and 4. New York: Hell's Kitchen Productions, Inc.
New Moon Rising Journal of Magick and Wicca, Volume 7, No. 4, Spring Valley, CA: Mystic Moon
Ontario Center for Religious Tolerance (1996). Ritual Abuse. Internet: www. kosone.com/people/ocrt/santeria.
Ontario Center for Religious Tolerance (1996). Ritual Abuse. Internet: www. kosone.com/people/ocrt/sra.htm.
Ontario Center for Religious Tolerance (1996). Information Sheet: Satanic/Sadistic/Cult Ritual Abuse (1995). Kingston ON Canada: Document via e-mail.
Ordo Templi Satanis (1991). The Book of Darkness. Atwater, CA (Internet: www.earthlight.co.nz/users/spock/satan/html)
Paine, Lauran (1972). The Hierarchy of Hell. New York: Hippocrene Books.
Passantino, Bob & Gretchen (1994). When the Devil Dares: Teenagers and Satanism. Costa Mesa CA: Answers In Action. Located from the Heart of Darkness homepage link to http://140.174.225.2/pritch/teensat.html
Russell, Jeffrey Burton (1981). Satan, The Early Christian Tradition. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press.
Sakheim, David K. and Devine, Susan E. (1992). Out of Darkness. New York, NY: Lexington Books.
Scott, Don (1996). Satanism. The Raven's Infernal Empire. WWW.pe.net/~Scotts/satanic/html
Victor, Jeffrey S. (1993). Satanic Panic. Peru, IL: Open Court.
Wall, J. Charles (1908, 1974). Devils. Totowa, NJ: Rowman & Littlefield.
Wright, Lawrence (1991, September 5). It's not easy being evil in a world that's gone to hell. Rolling Stone, pp. 63-71.
www.cog.org/cog/wicca/faq.html (1996) Witchcraft: Commonly Asked Questions, Straightforward Answers.
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