Customer Reviews (9)

Very interesting book
I stumbled upon this book by accident and it contains some of the most interesting essays that correctly portray the philosophy of Left-Hand Path Satanism, unlike the countless reactionary pseudo-Christian devil worship books out there.

Real Life Satanism
Well I got a cloth hardcover with the baphomet 80 percent on ther front cover with some p;ictures, including Lavey and Gilmore. I just wanted to comment I'm really glad the Church of Satan is finally starting to move forward instead of going retro stuck in the ignorance of the 1960s and contributing their own original thought insteading of simply kissing up to LaVey. This is real life satanism- dealing with essays on topics like same sex marriage, 9/11, music, Columbine shooting and alienation. They got rid of anything supernatural from Satanism, the Church of Satan is the most publicized, getting a lot of press in its 60s formation stage and a slight comeback in the 90s amongst heavy metal fans. While Marilyn Manson at his worst is still heavier than Metallica in their prime, as a born again Christian Stryper is more menacing than the Electric Hellfire Club. The whole idea is so you're not dependant upon mom, as the old Quaker rationale is. This is at the college level, and Gilmore doesn't come across as the quack that LaVey was. The Church of Satan codified Satanism into a religion perhaps thousands and thousands of people adhere to, even copyrighting its works. The main issue was haphazrdly the copyrighhting of religous material, they've been going that since the days of Martin Luther and the King James Bible in the 1500s. A successful man can have any woman they want, wake up. Personally for me on gay marriage- YES! They're finally starting to move forward instead of stuck in the ignorance of the 60s. I guess it's about 50/50. Those same neo redneck 90s gay bashers went retro, losing their menace. It's family noriented they're after. The issue becomes, if you strip away the supposed crime and all the menace and become a retro 60s hippie, is family oriented religous satanism acceptable? Yes, because people like Hellfire Club's Thorn took absolutely 100 percent all the menace out of it.

A Great Book From the High Priest Gilmore!
This Book is a great eye opener from the current high priest. This book brings out every once of what satanism is, true satanism. Its a must have, Hardcover.

to busy complaining
As of book on what it says is nothing new. only the Ritual of Ragnorak.

Personally he is to freemasonic and pissed off at the world and people.
He is b BASICALLY A COMPLAINER.

Lavey Articulated
A long overdue release from the CoS! Many of the essays can be found in The Black FLame or on the CoS website. When compiled together in this relevant and readable sequence of relevance they become an indelible mark in the CoS's evolution. The words of The Satanic Bible resonated deeply for me in the beginnings of my adolecsence and to this day retains the basis for my Lesser Black Magic(k)al workings. The outright refutation of the more esoteric and still LHP aspects of the western Left Hand Path tradition by Gilmore is disappointing but not surprising... leaving no abundance of fertile ground for real personal development aside from epicurean materialism and psychodrama. The rest is capitalist atheism. The world's indigenous LHP traditions are worth more attention than the CoS is willing to acknoweledge. So don't expect anything arcane or of an insight in to what's REALLY possible for the aspiring Black Magician. At least THIS functioning High Priest actually WROTE both halves of his bible (or scriptures, as it were)! ... Read more

Book Description
In the public imagination Satanism is associated with bizarre rituals, perverse hedonistic lifestyles, heavy metal music, immature adolescents acting out, horror movies, and rumors of ritual abuse. But what are the facts behind the urban legends and the "moral panics" that periodically sweep the country regarding this countercultural phenomenon? This authoritative reference work gathers together scholarly studies of Satanism and original source material, focusing on two major aspects—organized religious Satanism and the Satanic Ritual Abuse hoax that was prevalent in the 1980s and early 1990s.

The contributors first examine modern Satanism, a decentralized movement whose only coherence is based on certain themes that date back to the writings of Anton Szandor LaVey, especially his Satanic Bible. Among other factors, the authors discuss how the emergence of the Internet as a form of communication has created some coherence among disparate groups through cross-reference.

Many articles are devoted to the Satanic Ritual Abuse scare, an erroneous belief in a vast underground network of Satanists who were abusing children. For years members of the law enforcement community and numerous therapists, encouraged by the hype of mass media, bought into this panic.

Other topics include the role of the media in the perceptions of Satanism and Satanic Ritual Abuse, juvenile delinquency and Satanism, and police pursuit of satanic crime. The volume concludes with primary source material, including a report from the Ritual Abuse Task Force and selections from current Satanism groups.

This objective reference work will be useful for professionals in many fields and members of the public interested in sorting out the facts from the myths surrounding this controversial subculture. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Another Pleading Propaganda Machine
Well, I've read my share of books on satanism over time and this one takes the cake. I've just finished reading this one and I am ashamed of the entire thing from cover to cover. The book in itself at first glance appears to be a great work that will reveal a little more of the dark arts and then upon reading of the table of contents it is shown to be another wining book on ritual abuse and the misdrawn conclusions as if they are attempting to convince someone that today's satanism is actually legitimate. WHAT?!? HUH?!? Any cult or religion over time has had its fair share of bloodshed and tears and pains even satanism and most ESPECIALLY CATHOLOCISM (the basic worship of one deity). When you ask someone if they believe in a god and then upon their answer of no or yes automatically they are wrong because they don't know what you know. This is a religion based on fear and "Have to be right'rs" WTF! Satanism, on the otherhand, when practiced with the proper knowledge and enthusiasm reveals life's secrets and allows the magician to properly and appropriately utilize such workings to his benefit. Satanism advocates something that any religion of one deity has always strived to strip away from civilization, a CHOICE of not only WHAT to believe in, but how to believe in it and what belief actually is and how it may be appropriately used alongside CHOICE. Choice is a magical working even within itself. Yes, this does take some of the magic out of the practice of it, but to become a true magician you will come to understand this over time. Most other religions base their entire campaign on the fact that most people relinquish their CHOICE to people that don't even know how to make choices. Talk about blind leading the blind. This book only serves one purpose. To propose to the Pope and many christian and catholic followers alike that Satanism is OK, kids tested, mother approved!!! Click, Click, End of Surmin, now get the **** out! ... Read more

Book Description
"SEXUAL SATANISM or HOW TO SEDUCE WOMEN BY MAGIC is an outrageous and hilariously funny How To manual, supposedly intended to instruct the socially inept and sexually deprived male in the art of seduction; but in reality is more likely to titillate and amuse intelligent middle-aged and generation X women who read - and even a few above average worldly-wise men.A work of wry, irreverent humour, it debunks the Bible and the blasphemous defamation of women and sex by the dirty minded all-male hierarchies of all three great monotheistic religions. It mocks misogyny, the masculine mystique, conformity, piety, prudery, feminism and all that medieval foolishness dear to the hearts of fundamentalist socio-religious fanatics of all persuasions, domestic and foreign."--The Montserrat Times.READER DISCRETION IS ADVISED. ... Read more

Book Description
Raising the Devil reveals how the Christian Pentecostal movement, right-wing conspiracy theories, and an opportunistic media turned grassroots folk traditions into the Satanism scare of the 1980s.

During the mid-twentieth century, devil worship was seen as merely an isolated practice of medieval times. But by the early 1980s, many influential experts in clinical medicine and in law enforcement were proclaiming that satanic cults were widespread and dangerous. By examining the broader context for alleged “cult” activity, Bill Ellis demonstrates how the image of contemporary Satanism emerged during the 1970s.

Blaming a wide range of mental and physical illnesses on in-dwelling demons, a faction of the Pentecostal movement became convinced that their gifts of the spirit were being opposed by satanic activities. They attributed these activities to a “cult” that was the evil twin of true Christianity.

In some of the cases Ellis considers, common folk beliefs and rituals were misunderstood as evidence of devil worship. In others, narratives and rituals themselves were used to combat satanic forces. As the media found such stories more and more attractive, any activity with even remotely occult overtones was demonized in order to fit a model of absolute good confronting evil.

Ellis's wide-ranging investigation covers ouija boards, cattle mutilation, graveyard desecration, and “diabolical medicine”—the psychiatric community's version of exorcism. He offers a balanced view of contentious issues such as demonic possession, satanic ritual abuse, and the testimonies of confessing “ex-Satanists.” A trained folklorist, Ellis seeks to navigate a middle road in this dialog, and his insights into informal religious traditions clarify how the image of Satanism both explained and created deviant behavior. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Satan? Or just your imagination?
It wouldn't surprise me at all if some people believe that Ellis doesn't have the "right" to write a book like Raising the Devil, and not would I be very surprised if many of these critics stated their opinions without even bother reading the book. But why shouldn't Ellis be allowed to make a thorough analysis of the so-called "satanic panic" that raged in both North America and Great Britain from time to time during the 20th century? Because, he happens to be an active member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church. And to many narrow-minded Satanists, this equals an inability to remain objective.

Well, that might be so, but let's not consider the fact that he happens to be a Christian. He also happens to be a folklorist, and a very good one, too. He might be the most Christian guy you ever met; this still doesn't stop him from with Raising the Devil creating a book that's not only a high-quality analysis of how Satanism and devil worship, both in America and Great Britain, were forced to become the no.1 scapegoats for various social ills; it's also a study that most self-appointed Satanists should read and ponder. And let's not forget all the hard-core Christians who never hesitated to put the blame on something without making sure to know all the facts first.

What Ellis does is describing how phenomena that not necessarily has any reality to it still becomes something very real, when fear for the unknown and unnatural forces the antagonists into creating something that isn't really there to begin with. Or in the words of Ellis himself discussing alleged witch-cults in Great Britain: "The claim that they existed seems to have brought the witch-cults into existence", that is, it wasn't until people started worrying about witches that witches came into existence.

In America, not-so objective representations of different law enforcement agencies and Pentecostals, with their fanatic struggle to exterminate everything which in their eyes was satanic and evil, resulted in the accusations of both innocent individuals and actions. It's a thin line between what's good and what's evil, and the most fascinating aspect of his study is his ambition to point out how fanatics (mostly Christians) with extreme, yet well-meaning, intentions are mostly to blame. Their ruthless crusade against everything occult (which in their eyes were a whole lot of things), turned out to be "a sincere but wrong-headed effort to fight the devil by raising the devil".

So far, Sweden has been spared the same kind of hysteria about satanic panic and occult conspiracies, mostly because we simply don't have the same kind of religious landscape that the U.S. has. However, there's always a risk for fiction to become more believable than truth wherever folk-narratives and folk-processes are able to triumph over what's really out there, and because of this, books such as Raising the Devil are good tools in the fight against imaginations and prejudices.

Bedeviled
It was a great show while it lasted, the subject of fervent newspaper reports, television specials and an exposé by Geraldo Rivera in the 1980s.Satanism was rampant across America, nay, the world, with protean manifestations, if people would just pay attention.Twenty years before, there had been Satanism, but it was not very well publicized and not very interesting.But somehow it became the fashionable scare.How did this happen, and what should we do about it?

Bill Ellis is a folklorist, and an academic specializing in English and American studies.His book, Raising the Devil: Satanism, New Religions, and the Media (University Press of Kentucky) attempts a sympathetic understanding of how the Devil made one of his cyclic emergences and how folklore can affect society and politics.Scares about Satan and witchcraft have been present for centuries, and seem to give a safety valve for social aggression, scapegoating deviant individuals.At the individual level of, say, someone who thinks he is possessed by a demon and someone who thinks he can cast that demon out, there is a social agreement on a folkloric belief that may be beneficial for both concerned (if not for the demon).But Ellis's theme is that social groups can take over a folkloric belief to push a religious or governmental agenda, with disastrous consequences.He shows how demon possession and speaking in tongues are two sides of the same coin, and how belief in demons was ballooned into the belief that there was a huge underground satanic network ruining our country.Those who promulgated such conspiracy beliefs also bought into conspiracies involving Jews, vampires, the Illuminati, and cattle mutilations.

Raising the Devil is an academic work, well documented and organized.Ellis tries to illuminate the role of the folklorist in examining these sorts of belief, and realizes that he and his fellows have the difficult road to follow of accepting folklore (even if it is patently untrue) as a force between small numbers of individuals, while they also have to confront institutions that would harness folklore for political or religious change.His academic prose is leavened by the strange subject matter.For instance, the Governor of Colorado is quoted as saying that cattle mutilations were "one of the greatest outrages in the history of the western cattle industry," and a leader of a coven in England warned about bogus cult groups, as he had heard about one in which members "started getting in prostitutes dressed in rubber gear and there was wife swapping, too.It gives Satanism a bad name."

GREAT BOOK!!
This is a book that I could not put down! It explains how the media reacts so viciously to Satanism and new religions, which they know very little about. I myself am a Satanist and think that the media makes it sound much more evil than it really is. I think this was a good book because I can relate to the media and Satanists. ... Read more

Product Description
This was the fourth Paperbound Edition of this study--Published by Citadel press in 1963 out of toronto, Canada A 332 page study with a listing of principal authororities. The book for a long time had been out of print.. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Seriously about satanism
The "Satanism Scare" is a modest and serious approach to satanism. I live in Norway and during the 90`s there has been a series of church burnings, linked to "satanists" or Black-metallers. During that period the press become in a state of moral panic. So much for thehistory. Even in Norway where satanism has been a big issue, there is hardto get a good book about the phenomena. But The Satanism scare is exactlythat. And maybe if people read this book, the newspapers didn`t have to usethis stupied headlines containing "child offering" and so on. Allin all an enligthening book about something that scears people, with amodest approch, from sociologists, folklorists antrophlogists and otheracademics. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (51)

No Justice, No Peace.
To all of the detractors and those who think this is merely crazy conspiracy BS.

The horrible crimes documented in this book are not fictitious bunk made up by the author. Everything he wrote is verifiable, much of it was direct testimony from the CHILDREN that were abused by these, often wealthy and prominent, f'ing-inbred- lowlifes, and everything can be backed up with credible EVIDENCE. Mr. Decamp so much as said that if anyone believes that he is lying, or being untruthful about ANYTHING he's written in his book, then that person should just 'go ahead and sue him'. He wrote that, he in fact, "welcomes" any suits that anyone would like to bring against him challenging his honesty in what he's written in this book.So, if you're questioning Mr. Decamps honesty here, you should do something about it, instead of immediately dismissing it with your poor complaints, arguments, or lack of independent thought.

Ultimately, Mr. Decamp concludes that the reason why this huge cover-up has gone on for so long, is because there are very prominent people who like where they are in the social hierarchy, and if this scandal were to reach the mainstream, then the whole "system" itself, would collapse entirely, thus threatening the security of their position. The sick perpetrators and coordinators identified in this book are willing to let innocent children be abused and murdered in order to maintain their privileged, insignificant little lives. How very sad. But you do, as the saying goes, reap what you sow.
Go watch Conspiracy of Silence.

Revieling
This is a good book in that it proved that we often do not see what we think we see nor hear what we think we hear. DeCamp does a good job in showing how what the media and government, have told us about the Oaklahoma City bombing, the Vietnam war, the patriot movement, the drug trade, pedophelia, and satanism has been half truths at best and out and out lies at worst. The only short comings with the book is his admitted restrictions from revieling the grand jury evidence in the Franklin case. You get a sense of what he cannot tell you, but where and how to go about doing your own research for the information.

Incredibly shocking, unimaginable,and disgusting!!!
If you don't mind being sickened out of your mind, not sleeping for days, and feeling depressed for a few days then go ahead and read this book. I can't believe the amount of allegations that this author writes about in the book. I promise that you will either think this man and these children have sick twisted imaginations or that we have some serious sick people in high places running our government. Either way, it makes me think "What's Wrong With People?!"

Given the information in the book and doing a little research on the internet, I am leaning toward believing the State Senator. However, I do hesitate to completely endorse the book because I like to give everyone the benefit of the doubt. Regardless, it was an astonishing and incredible read that will grasp your attention throughout. Fair warning you will most likely be grossed out by the allegations made by these children and their stories behind them. One cannot help but sympathize with their everyday troubled plight and ordeals. Highly recommended if you have the stomach for it.

So Disturbing I Hope It Isn't True
Who really knows the extent that people in power can go to cover the truth?I'd like to think that former Senator DeCamp is a trustworthy man.Obviously there are quite a few people who think so.If what he reports is true (which honestly wouldn't surprise me based on his pretty convincing arguments) then this book is the most disturbing one I've ever read.

I don't want to give anything away here, because I want to encourage as many people as possible to read this and choose for yourself.All I will say is that DeCamp alleges that a group of people in high places in Omaha (political figures, a sheriff, a bank manager) all were involved in some REALLY disgusting things involving drugs and underage kids, as the title implies.

I urge you to check this book out.If this isn't true it is one of the most bizarre schemes ever thought up, if it i true, God help the human race.

It's true
I live in Omaha. I married a man who graduated from boystown. I know two of his friends from boystown, one who worked in the media and the other worked at franklin credit union. All 3 attended the parties. All 3 were coke addicts. All three witnessed child abuse. All 3 kept their mouths shut. My husband told me the truth but realized there was nothing he could do. Who was going to listen to a cokehead? I know it's the truth. Call us crazy when the corruption gets so bad that it affects YOU.

... Read more

Book Description
In Satanism, Bob Larson examines the pervasive influence of Satanic activity of youth. More than a simple overview of the dangers, this book provides practical ways to recognize and combat Satanism, Ghoulish games, horror films, black metal music, drugs--Larson gives a clear understanding of the evil surrounding us. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (43)

This is the Yishua
We're gonna go ahead and give you a code red. I'm a five star general. There is no love on the barracks! He's stuck in the middle ages; that's how the middle ages ended was with Luther's 95 Theses. Bob Larson is very poor. I inherited like 40 million dollars from Anabaptists centuries ago and live in a mansion. Wake up. Most of these people are in the military. I'm a Marine. Code red!!!

clueless
guys like this do more to drive people away from christianity than sensationalists like marilyn manson or anton laveyy could ever have done in their entire careers. by shrieking against a pop culture that is not aimed at him or for him, and assuming, ignorantly, that this equates to evil, or in this case, actual satanism, simply makes him look like an idiot and a clueless old jerk railing in the wind about 'these kids these days!...'. the worst kind ofidiocy and proof for those looking to find the kind of judgemental, close minded, ignorant ranting in Christian circles, and in one fell swoop undoes decades of reaching out to youth and attempts at good will that more moderate, intelligent folks have done. if it were possible to give this guy negative stars, i would. useless, wrong, not just poorly researched, but NOT researched...assumptions are made from base statements regarding lyrics and second and third hand accounts thaqt are clearly either incorrectly perceived or just made up of whole cloth. ironically, this book is a great deal more sinful than the material larson rails about in the pages, breaking one of the Ten Commandments, 'thou shalt not bear false witness...'. when he attaches his own wrong claims to a pop cultuure that is clearly not 'eee-villll!'

not only is this a waste of money and space for anyone who buys it, it is a waste of paper and time from the publishers, and anyone who reads this will be LESS informed, and possibly less intelligent, after reading it. quite a feat.

Denounce Satan...worship the Almighty Dollar instead
This is just yet another piece of dreck designed to cash in on the mid-80s "Satanic Panic", and I question Larson's motives, considering the facts uncovered by Cornerstone magazine in their expose of him:

- Much of the story in Larson's novel "Dead Air" was actually done by ex-Bob Larson Ministries staffer Lori Boespflug, yet it's presented solely as Larson's own
- Despite a claim to have "saved thousands", a scheduled visit to Larson's Denver offices by Cornerstone's Mike Hertenstein and Jon Trott (who also wrote an expose on Christian comedian and alleged ex-Satanic high priest Mike Warnke that later served as the focus of an excellent book, "Selling Satan") was cancelled by Larson on the flimsy grounds that he feared Cornerstone "would make their names public and expose them to ridicule"
- Larson never said how much $$$ he took in, and actually took a show caller who attempted to quote the actual figure off the air, claiming he was "about to spread lies"

And if you don't believe me, consider that Anton LaVey's Church of Satan's membership consists of a mere 5,000-6,000 (so much for the alleged "global Satanic network"), LaVey himself denounced heavy metal as "just noise", and no major investigations into alleged "cult crimes" ever took place, despite the shocking statistics quoted by Larson, Warnke, and others. Is it any wonder why the notion of ritualistic abuse has been largely dismissed, except among a select handful who either continue to believe these wild tales or use them to continue defrauding the faithful?

Good Book
As a former Satanist, now a born-again Christian, I believe Larson does a good job at warning about the dangers of Satanism and how to combat it. The only reason it took off the fifth star is because he does sensationalizr it occasionally.

Puddles of fun..
I have had a hard time not to think that Bob is not just a Satanist posing as a christian writing all this stuff and wiggleing with joy as the fundamentalists consume it. (hey if I was rich and had nothing better to do I might do the same)He never questions the "testimonies" of the either joking or disturbed teenagers who annonamously call his show. He tries, rather patheticly, to appeal to a secular audience with the symbols page which contains among others, the anarchy symbol, peace symbol and a representation of the baphomet that is an inverted pentagram with two dots for eyes.
"Im a satanist. I hate your god. I listen to black metal music..." so begins yet another chapter, this one about the always "evil" metal genere.
this book is a bad choice if your looking for actual information, but a good one to add to your satanic panic collection, which must include also "satans underground" or "Michelle remembers". I have wasted enough of my time writing this, ugg.. tired.. my point is if you are a Satanist you may, emphisis on may, want to get this book to entertain you after those long days at work. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Accurate and engaging.
"The Second Coming" is an interesting and fairly accurate description of Satanism as it was at the time the book was written.The author avoids moral condemnation of the topic, and usually avoids the sensationalization that Satanism is often subjected to. ... Read more

Book Description
This look into the dark world of satanic ritual and devil worship shows how the movement thrives in an "enlightened" Western society. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

SMACCCKKKK!!!Another homerun from the Stupid Depo of Christianity!
Let see, I see this book, and I read the reviews, and begin to understand one thing...Where is the argument?First off, knowing a Christian will find solace in scapegoating anything that isn't Christian, dunno why, maybe they are using it as a security blanket or something for MONEY or something...First, Satan is more then just a religious belief thought of by Anton LaVey, all you kiddies out there don't gasp to hard for air!Satan was never ONE BEING, Satan was everything!Shin-Ayin-Tau-Ayin-Nun!Adversary, not necesarily Enemy of the People, but Enemy totally!Anton was not the originator of this belief!CoS can sue me all they want...The whole "I am Man, I am a God, Hear Me Roar" was dedictated in the Bible, when the Serpent offered the Fruit to Eve!Therefore, he surely didn't oringate it without the Bible even...But then again what do I know?I am Devil Worshipper, therefore a threat to the CoS, modern Satanic way of life...Anyways, steer clear from this, if you are a Pagan/Wiccan with an open mind, you will be closed even more (and it will hypocrisize your Religious Tolerance to all beliefs that just as Tolerant as your own)...

Beware!!!!
This book CLAIMS that it can enlighten you as to what a TRUE satanist believes. If you are thinking about purchasing this book, don't. If you are seriously curious about Satanism, stay away from this book. If you want to know what Christians THINK satanism is about, or what Wiccans/Neopagans THINK Satanism is about, this is the book for you.
Here's the TRUTH about Satanism:
Satanists only use the name 'Satan' because it scares you.
Satanists have only one rule: Question Everything.
There is only one person who has written about Satanism with complete honesty, that person was Anton Lavey. Read the Satanic Bible if you want to know the truth.

A very subjective book from the view points of Christianity
Hoping to understand more about Satanism in an objective point of view, I purchased this book and eventually had so much a disappointment that I have to write a review here to express my opinions, which I have not done for a long long time.

This book is a short book, of only 96 pages, titled "Satanism", but it does not tell much about Satanism as one might expect. Instead, it spends much effort on defining Christian theological terms of "Satan", "demon", "angel" and the like, from their meanings to their history. Also mentioned in details were Christian philosophies of "demonology" and the witch hunts, etc.. The author had done a neat and concise work on this, but sorry this is a book on Satanism. In chapter two on "History", a length of 32 pages, only 6 pages are actually Satanism related.

In chapter four on "Theology", there are great lengthy parts of ridiculous "refutation of Satanist arguments". Never have I seen an introductory book on any particular religion has such a section! The "refutations" are all Christian viewpoints, some of them are themselves questionable (but still presented as if they are solid facts).

And the next chapter, "Witnessing Tips", was a chapter teaching Christians how to approach Satanists and have them persuaded to turn their minds back to the Lord. Holy.

Hardly can I say this book is objective. If you are looking for an introduction to Satanism, you have better choices elsewhere.

Bob and Gretchen and geniuses(and I am a bad speller
The pAssantinos do excellent work every time out!

Best In This Series So Far
I found this to be a refreshingly calm and objective look at an alternative religious movement. To my surprise, I found that the authors disparaged more hysterical fundamentalist accounts of conspiracy theories,and even admitted thatsome fundamentalists lie about satanic ritual abuseand satanic conspiracy theories. They also regard many"satanists" as nothing more than very naughty adolescent misfits.As a neopagan, I was also pleased to see that the authors distinguish ourtraditions from satanist practices. Neopagans do not believe in anincarnated antideity of evilor Nietzschean superhumanity, whereaschristians and satanists do. Stripped of the evangelical apologetics, thiswould be an excellent offering in a comparative religion course. I hope the authors and publisher decide to market it as such, as I am sure it wouldmeet a warm reception ifthey did. ... Read more

Product Description
To live the life on the left hand path, to be a Satanist is not a belief, a lifestyle, or a choice. A true Satanist can no more live a life that goes against his nature than an ocean wave can stop crashing against a rocky shore. Sooner or later, something will break, give way and our true selves will always win out. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Great idea, but poor execution
As one of the contributing authors of this book, and personal friends with some of the others who contributed to it in some way, it pains me to give this 3 stars.But I have to be honest here.I'm a bit embarrassed by the final product.

Now the idea of the project was certainly a good one: get various Church of Satan members to each write a reasonable-sized essay on how Satanism is applied to and relates to their lives.Especially when it seems that TV shows only want to show things from the ritual chamber, if at all.The Church of Satan and "The Satanic Bible" have now been around for about 40 years, so people who try to dismiss this as some fad really need to get their heads out of the sand. Satanists are a diverse group of epicurean freethinkers (and I mean the true Satanists, who adhere to the first codified philosophy ever called "Satanism", found in "The Satanic Bible"; not bored devil-worshiping teenagers who derive their religion from Catholic Church propaganda stories and tacky horror movies).It's one thing to read about Satanism in and of itself, but another thing to see how Satanists manifest it in the real world.Unfortunately, this book could have been much better put together.

First, let's look at the physical details.In short, it seems very rushed.There is NO table of contents.The book title is at the top of every single page, even the right-hand pages (normally reserved for the essay/chapter titles in a book), blank pages and first pages of the chapters.So if you want to find a particular essay, you have to flip through the book until you find the first page of it.The inner margins are shorter than the outer margins (apparently they didn't compensate for the length lost by the binding).The lines are all double-spaced, which is weird.I do have to wonder if this was done just to bring the page count up to a certain number.A friend of mine in the publishing business also pointed out that text is in a sans-serif font, which is really not standard.There doesn't seem to be much spellchecking or other proofreading done either.The artwork on the front is OK, but I've seen members who can do much better.

As for the content, it's a hit-or-miss.Some essays make for a very interesting read, some don't.It would be one thing if this was a random issue of a random Satanism zine, but I expected more for a hardcover book.Honestly, I could have put a better collection together by going through some on-line blogs of members I know.In my own essay's case, I admittedly had to rush things to completion, mainly due to the bad timing with other things going on in my life at the time.Maybe it was this way for some others, I don't know.The essays are wee bit long on the whole too.The price is steep, but then again self-publishing a hardcover (let alone to a limited audience) is never cheap.

So again, the general idea is a good one: reading about Satanism in action from other Satanists.Zines and other publications have been doing this for years, but if you're going to do it, then do it well.If I myself were to publish such a project, I'd first be mindful of the physical details I mentioned earlier.And for consumer's sake, I'd make this an affordable paperback instead (I'd even throw in some advertising space in the back, if this would help keep the costs down).I'd also go for a bigger number of shorter essays, instead of the small number of extra-long essays here.But at the same time I'd be more selective in choosing Church of Satan authors and works from them.Of course everybody would like to see their work in a published book, but simply put, some people are better and more experienced at writing than others.I've read some brilliant writings from members before (whether in their own published books, zines, blogs, message boards, etc.) so I know the good writers certainly exist.Hopefully, the publishing faults of "The Satanic Life" will be a learned lesson to make way for a much better publication of multiple-author essays in the future.

Worth the cost, but only if you are of the culture.
I am glad this project was produced.I find the essays within The Satanic Life to be both entertaining and at times fortifying, even inspiring.Many well-respected individuals contributed to this work, and their enthusiasm and honesty shows.

It most certainly is a work by Satanists, primarily for Satanists.If you are unfamiliar with Satanism and/or do not consider yourself a Satanist, this book would certainly be an enlightening glimpse into what the religion is truly about.However, I don't feel you would get as much out of it, and for such readers the price is a tad high (but I would not be surprised if the publisher were breaking even, as this is practically a self-published work).

The Editor, who has my sincere appreciation for developing this collection, mentions in the introduction that he/she abstained from fiddling with the contributors' manuscripts.I wish that this wasn't the case, as grammatical errors are numerous.The writings are clear enough to understand, and the fact that English is not the first language of many of the authors is understandable, but the fact remains that the errors are numerous enough to make reading a tad choppy in places.

But overall, this is a most entertaining, thoughtful, and welcome book.I am eternally grateful for all of the authors and the Editor in their efforts, and it sits with pride in my collection. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

the edge of evil
This book was one of the best books I have read on satanism is America. If you are a christian I think this book should be in your library. A must for all youth directors. The previous review I read on this book was written by a satanist and a witch so if you should read it before or after my review you could see they are afraid of being exposed and are trying to steer people away from this book. But I promise you all take the chance and buy this book. I promise you will not be sorry. I have since ordered a second copy and tonight I am ordering the audio as well. May Christ be with you.
Allysrave@yahoo.com

If this is baloney....
...than it is highly entertaining baloney.The funniest part was where the author declares that "in the 1990s, dealing with Satan worship will be the number one priority for law enforcement" or something to that effect.Nice prognosticating there, Nostradamus.This is worth picking up for laughs (cheaply, of course).

Because there's no "zero" star rating
This book is pure, 100% grade A baloney. The "signs that your child might be a Satanist" are so broad that they apply to the vast majority of teens everywhere, and the list of supposed "Satanic" symbols in the back of the book is absolutely ludicrous -- watch out for those evil circles!

There are no Satanic verses imbedded in heavy metal records.

So-called "backward masking" doesn't exist.

There is no vast Satanic conspiracy that kidnaps and ritually sacrifices thousands of people every year.

Role-playing games and board games are not "gateway drugs" into Devil-worship and Satanic groups (which don't exist anyway -- see above).

Save your money. Buy Jeffrey Victor's "Satanic Panic" instead and educate yourself with some real facts, not pompous, overblown scare tactics.

Take a few minutes and find out the real truth, here:
http://www.witchvox.com/whs/kerr_cawfth_1a.html ... Read more

Book Description
This is a handy, comprehensive guide to a wide range of topics relating to the awesome power and cult of Satan, in myriad forms and under many different names, from ancient times to the present. Distilled from hundreds of reliable sources both religious and secular, the entries include men and movements, orders and objects, rites, rituals, incantations, legends, and occult practices that have fascinated the mind of man through the ages.

This book contains facts relating to a host of unorthodox beliefs and irrational acts which have only recently come to light. The simple manner in which even the most abstruse topics are handled will open the mysterious world of darkness to readers with no prior knowledge of the occult and to intrigue and inform those who seek to extend their knowledge of the subject. This lexicon defines all terms in satanic lore and witchcraft as well as offering sketches of prominent figures in the field over the centuries. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Don't Bother
Tells you next to nothing Don't bother. Take a look at Michael W. Ford books instead.
Reptilian Agenda
Dianic Luciferian Witch.

Satanic dictionary
Well what can I say about this book....well for one it has a poor title for what this book is real about.If you are looking for a book on satanic philosify and rituals,then don't buy this book.What this book actually is,a: A to Z book of satanism.You could call it a satanic dictionary.It's a great reference book,but for the price it's not worth it.

A good book for the outsiders.
well,as i saw the title i had the passion to read it.i found it in a friends house,and i finished the book in 3 days. not a worthy book for me,but a good start for an outsider,it gives you somehow the feel of the satanism.and beside nice paintings.over all something intresting to read,but not as a source or a ceriouse guide.if you're looking for a guide to give you the feel of the satanists,start with the most famouse one: The satanic bible. ... Read more

Book Description
Long out of print, Jules Michelet's classic study of medieval superstition has been reprinted in this edition to bring the general public's attention to one of the truly great sociological works of modern times.

Michelet brilliantly recreates the Europe of the Middle Ages, the centuries of fierce religious intolerance, the Inquisition and the auto-da-fe.

He depicts the feudal barons, the great manors, the fiefs and serfs... and the witches, hobgoblins and wizards of whom the masses lived in mortal fear.

Michelet draws flaming word pictures of the witch hunts, the Black Masses, the reign of Satan, and the weird rites of the damned. Here is the age of unbridled pleasure and sensuality, of luxury beyond imagination and squalor beyond endurance. Here is the time when a girl might be accused of witchcraft merely if she were young and pretty and did not survive the test of immersion in water or boiling oil. Here is the day of beatings, floggings, tortures and summary decapitations.

Encyclopedia Britannica called the book, "The most important work on medieval superstition yet written." It is indeed one of the great works on the Age of Darkness. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

A true masterpiece.....
This book is breataking in it's lyrical prose and subject matter. It reads almost like a grand novel.

I honestly have read nothing like it, ever! I have 2 copies of it, the 1st one I got was so large and I wanted to tote it around with me so I got a small PB version.

This is a not to be missed study, story, fairytale like work.

What in the world was the last reviewer taking?
Satan as Hero?Michelet a Satanist?The book is the basis for a group of Michelet Satanists?Oh for pete's sake.What some people think is "real" continues to astound me, and you'd think after all these years my astounder would have been pretty much astounded out.But no.Once again, someone expresses a belief so unfounded and so, well, stupid, there I go, getting astounded again.Too bad they wrote it yonks ago.Chances are they won't be reading this.In any case, this book, of which I have an ancient falling apart copy with a truly lurid cover, is a brilliant bit of historical writing.No pulling punches, no shying away from what the Church might think or say (and there was a time not so long ago, one had to be damned careful of old Popey), this book stands even now as a Classic on the Dark Ages.Were we nuts then?You bet.Are we nuts now?Yes.In a different kind of way, but getting nuttier by the day.Are we headed for a new Dark Age?Might be.Timely this book, no matter how long ago it was written.Dripping with blood and lust and hypocrisy and cruelty...that was us.Now we're dripping with greed and a casual indifference to the suffering of others, not to mention the suffering of animals and the earth itself.What do we care when scads of us are so crazed we think something called the Rapture is coming to take us away.

Satan is here and Satan is us.

Satan as hero
This book isn't so much a history book as it is a book by an individual Satanist elaborating his own historically-based reasons for joining the Devil's side.This book predates the Church of Satan by over a century, and forms the bases of the attitudes and ideas of "Michelet Satanism."

A Desperate Plea for Feminism (or at least Humanism)
Some stuff never quits.And, it seems some stuff never starts, when it should, anyway.This book is a great example of both, I think. Strangely contemporary in its impact, this book is a startlingly empathic study of, well - oppressed women way back then - I mean just ordinary women trying to live their lives.These women are much more like us than is the society around them; I owe this emphasis much to the genius of Michelet.Not to be read by thrill seekers but by lovers of humanity and seekers of sociological truth, I guarantee you a very rich experience indeed. I'm a community radio producer and on my next show (just before Hallloween) I am going to try to read excerpts from this book mixed with pieces from Richard Thompson and Maddy Prior; any other suggestions? ... Read more

Book Description

Customer Reviews (5)

fascinating reading
I knew nothing about this period of history, other than having a vague knowledge of Louis XIV ("the Sun King"), before picking up this book.It is remarkably easy to read, packing in a great deal of information without ever being dry or tedious.The author takes a simultaneously critical and sympathetic look at the passions that drove the nobility and hangers-on at court, and makes shrewd estimates about the validity of various contemporary and historical theories regarding the events in issue (including observations about the biases of the various letter writers and memoirists on whose writings she draws as sources).I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in this period of French history.

Also recommended:"Ridicule," a film about the French court under Louis XVI, which bears out many of the observations in this book about the period a century earlier.

well researched look at a dark era in french history
This was an interesting excursion into an area of French history I didn't know much about.The accusations and in some cases just hearsay,I found had similarities to a the hysteria Involving
The Salem Witch Trials.Would reccomend this for anyone with
an interest in life at french court/Louis XIV.

A very scholarly history that is also a very good read
I bought this book in the bookstore at Versailles.After my tours of the palace and the gardens looking for ghosts and wondering what life was like and what was in the heads of the people at courts of Louis XIV, XV and XVI.I was hoping that this history would help me with that and it did.This is a well footnoted scholarly history but it is also a very good read, a very unusually good read.

A good glimpse into Daily Life at Versailles.
Since reading Alexander Dumas novels as a child I have always been fascinated with the intrigue and byzantine plots of the French Court.I was first made aware of the accusations against the Marquise de Montespan in a history book by Jacques Barzun which made her out to be a female anti christ or the whore of babylon.Somerset's history of the events goes into more depth and paints Athenais to be more of an earlier version of the witless Marie Antoinette than a French Lady McBeth.

The whole affair of the poisons caused a paranoia that turned a criminal investigation into a Salem Witch Hunt or better yet a grassy knoll conspiracy that reached into the highest level of government.The fact that torture or the threat of torture and painful death were used to gain most of the 'confessions' was not seen as detrimental to the case by the public makes me glad in live in more modern times.

The court of Louis XIV was the height of decadance and its opulance eventually caused the bankruptcy of the French treasury during the reign of his descendants leading to Revolution, Terror, and the Rise of the First Empire.

Excellent Account of a Dark Episode In French History
Anne Somerset has done a fantastic job in bringing this bit of dark and forgotten history to the fore in the first serious work on this subject in decades.

"The Affair of the Poisons" relates how in 1680, Paris society was thrown into an uproar as details came to light of a rash of magical potions and poisons being circulated from the Paris underground into the highest ranks of the French high society. As the police investigated further into what they thought to be outlandish rumours of satanic rituals and child sacrifice, a strange story began to take form around a number of high profile individuals, notably the jealously obssessed and now out-of-favor royal mistress, the Marquise de Montespan, concerning a plot to assasinate the King and Queen themselves. The Marquise was said to have turned to the performance of satanic rites of the Black Mass, using the blood of child sacrifices, freshly killed by the self proclaimed abortionist and sorceress known as La Voisin. When her most desperate attempts to win the King back through black magic failed, the Marquise is said to have turned to murder, first of her competitors at court, and finally hatching a plot to poison the King himself. The details themselves are never truly know as the journals, testimonies, and eyewitness accounts taken down by the King's appointed investigators were locked away and later destoryed by the King himself, in a desperate attempt to avoid a potentially ruinous scandal that threatened to shake the very foundations of the monarchy.

The Affair of the Poisons is a fascinating look into the strange world of the French court and the lengths one woman went to maintain her exalted status among the glittering yet hopelessly vain and self-destructive upper eschelon of French society. Perhaps the truth of these dark events of history will never be known for certain, but whether or not the Marquise was indeed guilty of the miriad of vile crimes attributed to her, her name has come down through the centuries as synonymous with evil.Sommerset has done an excellent job of retelling this tale with attention to detail, particularly the chapters concerning the highly complex intrigues of the court of Louis XIV and the machinations of his many mistresses.It also provides an fascinating glipse into the dark underworld of Parisan society and the many shady characters who inhabited it.
... Read more