Book Description
1946. Contents Part One: Death of the Gods; What Drove the Middle Ages to Despair; The Little Demon of the Hearth and Home; Temptations; Diabolical Possession; The Pact with Satan; King of the Dead; Prince of Nature; Satan the Healer; Charms and Love Potions; Communion of Revolt-Witches' Sabbaths-The Black Mass; and Black Mass (continued)-Love and Death-Satan Disappears. Contents Part Two: The Sorceress in Her Decadence-Satan Multiplied and Vulgarised; Persecutions; A Hundred Years' Toleration in France; The Basque Witches, 1609; Satan Turns Ecclesiastic, 1610; Gauffridi, 1610; The Nuns of Loudun-Urbain Grandier, 1633, 1634; The Nuns of Louviers and Satanic Possession-Madeleine Bavent, 1640-1647; Satan Triumphant in the Seventeenth Century; Father Girard and Charlotte Cadiere; Charlotte Cadiere at the Convent of Ollioules; and Trial of Charlotte Cadiere, 1730, 1731. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (41)

For the Skeptical -Wake Up!
I have just finished reading this book and I was going through all the comments people have left. I agree with B.D Price who left a comment about the satanic cult and that satanism is real. Yes, I agree with what he said - all the individuals who have left reviews before have fallen into the same old trap that Governments, Satanists and other groups hope you fall into. Satan wants people to believe that all this occultic stuff is mumbo-jumbo. He is the Father of lies and is a deciever. His job is to decieve mankind so he can kill, steal and destroy us! Why? Because he lost his place in heaven when he rebelled against God. He wanted to be like the Most High and that was the biggest mistake Satan made. He became prideful and pride caused his downfall. He fell out of heaven to earth (Persia) and was given rule to wreak havoc on the earth. That is why there is so much corruption, evil, hatred, violence and wars in the earth. He hates man, who was made in the image of God. Why were we created? To have a relationship with God and rule the earth. When Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden, that was the fall of mankind. JESUS took our place so He could restore what God originally planned in the beginning. WAKE UP, people! The devil is real, heaven and hell is real and the only True and Living God is real! Satan will have his way -which is for you to perish for all eternity with himself - unless you accept the truth are saved.

Blinded Individuals
I have read the book and have also read the reviews individuals have left.Let me start by saying Mike Warnke began his Satanist career before Anton LaVey who is known for setting up the Satanic Church.Before LaVey there were no real guidlines, no real names like "Grotto", it was as a coven.What people dont realize is this was in the beginning of the sixties, an era that was highly political and religion on all sides was everywhere.From what Warnke says about a Coven makes perfect sense, witches, warlocks, satanists, etc blended together to form one Coven and to worship Satan.As far as anyone coming forward, if you know anything about Satanic practices, even to this day, Satan wishes to remain hidden in the background and no attention brought to him, that is why so many people are killed, mutilated and tortured if they bring forth their experiences to this day by modern day Satanists.Warnke was also on drugs at all times, we do not expect every recollection to be perfect.I will leave with this, read a book for what it is for.Think about who would not want you to read the book and have an open mind.All the individuals who have left reviews before me have fallen into the same old trap that Governments, Satanists and other groups hope you fall into.You argue so much amongst yourselves and make yourself not believe.BELIEVE, Satanism is real, is out there and will have it's way with you unless you are saved.

Fiction masquerading as truth
While there are many respectable Christian authors out there (Josh Harris, Max Lucado, et al.), Warnke isn't one of them...his book was first published @ a time when religious fervor was re-sweeping America, and in an effort to "ride the wave", a # of publishers sent tales like Warnke's to print w/minimal fact-checking (case in point: "Michael, Michael, Why Do You Hate Me?", the story of how "Rabbi" Michael Esses found God during a period of repeated tragedies, only to have it later revealed by his ex-wife that Esses was a known adulterer and NOT a rabbi). Is it any wonder that Warnke's old friends refused to sign an affidavit he gave them, in which they were to swear the events described in TSS were "absolutely true"?

JM, your arguments in favor of Warnke just don't hold water...if his past infidelities were the sole reason for the Cornerstone expose's credibility, and the arguments against him "unsubstansiated":

- Why did Warnke give no explanation for looking like a typical "square" of the 60s in a pic of him at a wedding w/ex-fiance Lois Eckenrod, during a time he claimed to have waist-length white hair and long black fingernails, as well as showing the physical ravages of his alleged drug/alcohol abuse?
- Why did everyone who knew Warnke during the time of his alleged Satanic involvement emphatically deny that he had involvement of any kind in such activities?
- Why was Warnke confirmed to have cheated the IRS out of past taxes when his fame and fortune were at their peak in the mid-80s?
- Warnke's former Satanic coven had over 1300 members, so wouldn't at least one have come out of the woodwork to confirm his story by now?
- Why did his former friends reveal him to have engaged in other deceptions (impersonating a priest, a Russian immigrant, and a Greek dancer) while in his teens? Once a liar...

And BD, can you tell me where in this review, or any other criticizing the book, that I or anyone else said anything about Warnke that was untrue? It seems to me like you're the one who's been "blinded", given your unwillingness to accept that Warnke isn't who he says he is. Besides, the ultimate damage to Warnke's reputation and career came not from the Cornerstone article, but by virtue of his silence...much like the hero in Chekov's "A Slander", he foolishly caused his own undoing.

As for the 1993 apology his remaining supporters allude to, it was half-hearted at best, vague in addressing his sins (no specific mention of his financial wrongdoings or infidelities, and still clinging to the "ex-Satanic high priest" claim) and tries to make it seem as though exaggerating his stories for dramatic purposes (which is to be expected from any author) was the major crime.

Re: his 2002 book "Friendly Fire", it's nothing but an attempt by Warnke to try to martyrize himself as being unjustly persecuted by fellow Christians by the apples-and-oranges linking of his treatment following the Cornerstone story w/those of genuine Christian persecution.

And as of this review, Warnke's website STILL touts the "ex-Satanic high priest" claim...if he wants to believe his own lies, so be it, but don't let him sucker you in the way he once did.

Pack of lies, but a good read
I remember reading this in high school, and I bought it hook line and sinker. It was disapointing when I found out Warnke had been lying all of thistime, I had seen one of his videos talking about his satanic experiences, it had left quite an impression on me. But looking back, it's hard to believe that we could have ever believed this nonsense, now that I think about it as an adult, it was all really to ridiculous to believe. I am a christian, but it doesn't do us any good to blindly believe anything. I still give this book a good review because it's well written horror fiction, a very scary read, just read it as a novel. If all Warnke wanted to do was make money, he should have become a horror novelist.

Liar, liar
I give this book one star because that's as low a rating as I can give it.I can't believe it's still in print more than ten years after Warnke was proven to be a hoax (see the book "Selling Satan"). ... Read more

Book Description
Find out how to interpret rituals, develop contacts in the occult community, recognize signs of juveniles dabbling in the occult,conduct an investigation into an occult-related crime and more. See how gangs and hate groups use occult symbolism to empower members and terrify victims and learn to identify ritual tools with the illustrated field guide. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (16)

Total waste of time
This is just another rehash of old urban legends.Don't waste your time or money.

Obvious Bias, Lack of Qualification
There are numerous reports that can debunk most, if not all, of the ideas presented in this book.A far better (free) report on this type of thing is "The Lanning Report", by Kenneth Lanning, an FBI Agent who used to work specifically with ritual abuse cases.Google for it & check it out; I promise you'll be glad that you didn't waste your money on this piece of junk.

Great for law enforcement
In the interest of full disclosure, I'm a friend of Tony's.I can also say that this book was what led me from being an acquaintance to a friend and colleague.It's not always perfect, but the views within are always sober and measured, and Tony tries to do justice to the needs of both law enforcement and believers alike.

Some of the other reviewers have complained that the book focuses on alternative belief systems, including both Satanism and Wicca, or that Christianity or Judaism aren't included.These people must live in an idealized world where they can always sit down at leisure with a cop and have a lengthy discussion about their belief system.In reality, law enforcement officers are generally Christian in belief, and they have to make quick and tough decisions without the benefit of extensive studies in other religions. Tony takes what they need to know about various faiths that might otherwise be hyped as "human-sacrificing Satanists" and places a respectful summary of each under a single cover.If the local cops ever show up at one of your events, you'd better hope they've read Kail instead of Larson or Kahaner.

If you're in law enforcement and have to buy one book on this topic, this is the one.

A present for your local sheriff!
This is a really good book and one which should be on more shelves in sheriff's offices and police libraries. And if you are curious about the African American / Christian religious paths, Tony is extremely well-informed about them!

A good book to have and a good book to give to local law enforcement!

Grey Cat
Author of Deepening Witchcraft

Wonderful Resource Material
As the popularity and growth of alternative religions reaches an all time high, the chances of occult groups running into law enforcement increases greatly.This book is the single most important work designed to accurately inform those who are sworn to protect our rights, without the bias and fluffiness you would find in the plethora of other occult books written by practitioners of those faiths.The author presents to the reader very real-life examples of what officers may run into when investigating occult activity, while at the same time reminds the police to be respectful of our beliefs, whether they agree with them or not.Investigators will be able to relate to the concerns addressed in the book, and practitioners of these faiths will find a library of useful information contained in a concise and easy-to-read style.This book has long been overdue and will certainly help bridge the gap between the practitioners and those who must interact with them.

I only wish I could afford to send a copy to every law enforcement agency in this country. This book should be readily available to every police officer and should reside in the library of every teacher of alternative religions.

A big thank you for a very well written and much needed resource. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Balanced and reliable.
Fr. Steffon, a priest from Los Angeles, has provided a reliable and non-sensationalistic overview of satanism and occult practices in the US. The book has a personal and pastoral emphasis, so there are not a lot of statistical studies and historical footnotes; rather, there are real descriptions of the varieties and degrees of satanic influence especially among young people. There are a few lines here and there which I think could have been phrased more precisely, but these do not detract from the very solid service provided by this book. I can recommend the book with very few qualifications to anyone concerned about the recent rise of the occult in America. ... Read more

Book Description
Books in this anthology series focus a wide range of viewpoints onto a single controversial issue, providing in-depth discussions by leading advocates. Articles are printed in their entirety and footnotes and source notes are retained. These books offer the reader not only a full spectrum of dissent on the subject, but also the ability to test the validity of arguments by following up on sources used as evidence. Extensive bibliographies and annotated lists of relevant organizations to contact offer a gateway to further research. This series provides a quick grounding in the issues, a challenge to critical thinking skills, and an excellent research tool in each inexpensive volume. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Not bad, but not great
Satanism is part of the At Issue series, published by Greenhaven Press. This is a series where each book is focused exclusively on a single topic. Not rarely is this topic of a controversial nature, and the books enable both advocates and opponents to speak their mind. It's a format that's just as brilliant as it's simple, but brilliance and simplicity isn't everything, and due to a sometimes sparse format, resulting in each contributor having much too few pages at their disposal. And without enough space some of the arguments become very weak indeed.

That's highly unfortunate, considering that this series is packed with very, very fascinating topics. Satanism is one of these books. Unfortunately, though, it's also a perfect example of how the lack of space for each author stands in the way for the book to really blossom. In this particular case the opponents suffer the worst, since they generally use extremely silly and quite childish reasoning in their attempts to convince the readers about the dangers of Satanism; this allegedly wicked way of life which always leads to death, misery, decay, and various other sufferings. Again and again the outraged non-Satanists fail miserably, and the biggest failure of them all is Harun Yahya. He and his contribution, "Satanism Promotes Ritual Violence", are actually so shockingly narrow-minded and immensely hysterical that in the end it all becomes one big tragicomic farse.

Harsh criticism, one might think. True, but it's a criticism that's more than valid, since Yahya - who apparently believes he should be taken seriously despite the fact that he isn't very fond of revealing any source material - makes it extremely clear how he hasn't got any clue whatsoever regarding contemporary LaVeyan Satanism:

"According to the belief of Satanism, people have no responsibilities, apart from that of following their own desires. If his desires lead a person to anger, hatred, revenge, deceit, theft, the harming of others or even murder, then that is acceptable. (...) Virtues such as love, tolerance, patience, and forgiveness, which are highly esteemed by most people, and are elements of the true morality, are loathed by Satanists." (pg.45)

Or what about this funky little statement:

"As we have seen, Satanism holds utterly perverse beliefs, which encourage people to be aggressive, to commit murder, and even mass slaughter. In America in particular, academics have established that Satanism lies at the root of national terror..." (pg.46)

However, one must be honest and point out that not all criticism is as lousy as the one produced by Yahya. For example, "The Negative Aspects of Satanism Outweigh the Positives" by D. Rebecca Deinsen is definitely worth reading. And some of the advocates aren't the greatest writers in the world, either. So in the end, from time to time the book is not bad at all, but still it's far from enough for anyone interested in knowing what this thing called Satanism really is all about. ... Read more

Book Description
Authors examine whether Satanism is a dangerous new cult to be feared or whether a few publicized event have been exaggerated out of proportion to their seriousness and extent. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Great Educational Tool
This title pre-dates Kerrs' "Law Enforcement Guide to Wicca". I use both of these books as educational tools when lecturing about Neo-pagan religions. They offer a unique perspective on what is and is not acceptedby the Neo-pagan community.

Great Educational Tool
This title pre-dates Kerrs' "Law Enforcement Guide to Wicca". I use both of these books as educational tools when lecturing about Neo-pagan religions. They offer a unique perspective on what is and is not acceptedby the Neo-pagan community. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Using My Dictionary For a Roadmap
1972. on the cover of my copy of this book (this was SUCH a great picture selected by Amazon for this edition!) i drew the Leviathan, with 11 tentacles and mutant appearance. this is one of the best books on Satanism that exists. I have had a blood pact for more than 10 years now with Satan, and as this book was one of the most important on my Blood Pact booklist at Amazon, it has weathered time well. Baskin is arch, broad, and for a reference book of this enthusiasm and character, should be considered a superior achievement, an education for the aspiring demonologist and faustian. combined with other reputable texts of greater academic candor, Baskin can long remain a kind of toady mascot alongside "The Satanic Bible" and other lesser-known Satanist scriptures (including "The Demonic Bible", "Lost in Paradise", "Satan's Bible", "The Devil's Scripture", and any number of other well-named competitors). it surpasses the too providential dictionary of Ambrose Bierce, and succeeds in angling a lettered presentation in a more entertaining direction than did Ashley or Wilson or even Cavendish or many other more astounding compositors and compilers such as CJSThompson or PCarus. the obscurity of data which Mr. Baskin strings together, and some of the humorous choices of terminological entry, makes reading it from cover to cover a JOY! Baskin reissued this book in 1988 under the title "Satanism: a Guide to the Awesome Power of Satan". it is heartwarming to see it kept in print under any title. I am seriously considering recommending that my local occult shop carries it, if possible. it has been talismanic and powerful as a magical object. highly recommended. your mother should read this book. so should her mother.Satanism: A Guide to the Awesome Power of Satan ... Read more

Book Description
THIS 28 PAGE ARTICLE WAS EXTRACTED FROM THE BOOK: Occult Causes of the Present War, by Lewis Spence. To purchase the entire book, please order ISBN 0766100510. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

ranting of a madman
First of all, I'd like to express my satisfaction with Amazon's service.I ordered this, and another book, on a Tuesday afternoon and it arrived the following Friday afternoon.I had free shipping.Amazon, as always, amazing.Now, I wish there had been a review of this "book" before I ordered it.Mr. Spence claims to be a Scotsman and I believe founded the Scottish National Movement yet seems to literally worship any and everything british.He denounces racism but his views are obviously racist.He claims to be an authority on the occult but spews Xian "morality".He is a delusional hypocrite.Anything German is bad; everything british is good.Since WWII has been over for 60+ years, it is becoming obvious that the Allies weren't the saints they appeared to be.I won't even bring up the war crime at Dresden.The only thing "Satanic" is that any and every revolution is Satanic.The French Revolution, the Russian Revolution,all started by "Satanists" or Satan himself.He even says this and I quote: " in the recent Spanish Civil War, which is known to have been planned by nihilist Satanist influence...".I guess the American Revolution was the work of Satanists as well?But of course he doesn't say that for that would be detrimental in getting Americas support and billions of dollars for the glorious Allies in WWII.Anyway, I've wasted too much time on this liar.I'll leave you with the last line of this article:
"Britain, the sea-borne Ark, bearing the symbols of truth and righteousness, will pass unscathed through the tempest to the haven of that victory which is peace."

Anyone interested in Satanism or National Socialism, do yourself a favour and avoid this trash.

HH & HS!

... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Are you a satanist?
According to this book anyone who celebrates their birthdays could very well be a satanist. Oh and also anyone who doesnt clean their room.

:-) YeahhhSatan!

the truth hurts
This book is right on, Satan desires to destroy children,
look at the lastest obsession with a certain boy wizard. More evidence that in the last days, Right will be Wrong
and Wrong will be Right. The bible forbids the practice of
witchcraft and of the occult, don't let anybody tell you otherwise.

Ridiculous
Another work of paranoia making the work of God look evil through lies and false witness. This kind of erroneous and deceptive material is why Pagans are the hardest group in America to witness to. ... Read more