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Path: senator-bedfellow.mit.edu!bloom-beacon.mit.edu!newsfeed.stanford.edu!headwall.stanford.edu!unlnews.unl.edu!feed.news.sonic.net!typhoon.sonic.net!not-for-mail Newsgroups: alt.satanism,alt.magick.tyagi,talk.religion.misc,alt.answers,talk.answers,news.answers Subject: the alt.satanism FAQ Followup-To: alt.satanism,alt.magick.tyagi Approved: news-answers-request@MIT.EDU Keywords: FAQ, Satanism, Satan, religion, philosophy, demonology, Lucifer, Set, Mastema, Beelzebub, Iblis, infernal, demon, spirit, fallen, Book of Noah, Book of Enoch, Setianism, Luciferians, Hades, 666, Underworld Ruler, hellfire clubs, Black Mass, cultists, devil, Pact With the Devil, tormentor, adversary, opponent, diabolism, sorcery, demon-worship, sabbatic goat, Baphomet, pentagrams, point-down pentagrams, pentacles, trapezoids, trapezohedrons, nonology, Prometheus, Ialdabaoth, Archon, Demiurge, Scratch, Old Hairy, Great Accuser, Old Nick, Wild One, Chozzar-Shugal, Melek Tawes, Peacock Lord, Emerald Serpent, Black Flame, Yezidis, Virosaivites, Brotherhood of Satan, Church of Satan. Summary: alt.satanism newsgroup FAQ URL: http://www.luckymojo.com/faqs/faq.astnngp.0418 Replaces: 49990720 From: satanservice.org@boboroshi (tyaginator) Reply-To: spam@luckymojo.com (tyaginator) User-Agent: nn/6.6.0 Lines: 1848 Message-ID: <cJUac.3022$Fo4.34274@typhoon.sonic.net> Date: Thu, 01 Apr 2004 13:23:20 GMT NNTP-Posting-Host: 208.201.242.18 X-Complaints-To: abuse@sonic.net X-Trace: typhoon.sonic.net 1080825800 208.201.242.18 (Thu, 01 Apr 2004 05:23:20 PST) NNTP-Posting-Date: Thu, 01 Apr 2004 05:23:20 PST Xref: senator-bedfellow.mit.edu alt.satanism:227112 alt.magick.tyagi:45074 talk.religion.misc:563579 alt.answers:72254 talk.answers:7046 news.answers:268967 Archive-name: religions/satanism/faqngp Posting-Frequency: monthly or when desired Revised: 50030418 THE ALT.SATANISM FAQ FILE (Version 2.3.4) This file is for all new readers of alt.satanism. Many groups of a `controversial' nature have noticed that new readers often come up with the same questions, misstatements or misconceptions and post them to the net. The purpose of this file is to prevent continual restatement of previously debated-- often several times debated--topics. This isn't to say that these things are not subject to further debate. It is to say that these things *have* been considered by the readers here. If you have something significant to add to the debate on a particular topic then please do post. Contributors to date are: Semhaza (The Antichrist) Shaitaneth Baphomet (The Adversary) Hr. Vad Graeme Wilson Kevin Filan Cliff Low Diane Vera Peggy Nadramia bobo Lupo the Butcher Jason Posey Xaphan ********************************************************************** Frequently Asked "Questions" of Alt.Satanism: 1. What is Satanism? 2. What is _The Satanic Bible_? 2.1 Where can I get a copy of _The Satanic Bible_? 2.1.1 Where can I get an electronic copy of _The Satanic Bible_? 3. Satanic Organizations? 3.1 The Church of Satan 3.1.1 Is Anton LaVey really dead? 3.1.2 Is Marilyn Manson a Satanist? 3.2 The Order of the Left Hand Path/ OSV/ ODF 3.3 The Order of Nine Angles 3.3.1 How do I contact the ONA? 3.3.2 Fenrir and ONA Manuscripts 3.4 The Arktion Federation (Fraternity of Baelder) 3.4.1 The White Order of Thule (formerly the Black Order) 3.5 Others... 4. Satan is a Christian God! You aren't Satanists, just nasty atheists! 5. Aren't Satanists ritualistic baby murderers? 6. Do Satanists have orgies? If so, where do I sign up? 7. What is Xian? COS? TOS? TSB? OT? NT? Do you say "Xian" rather than "Christian" in order to insult Christianity? 8. Have you considered the message of _The Bible_? 8.1 For the Christians among us: should you feel inclined to preach. You are all going to hell. Jesus saves! [As regards Christian evangelism, see the alt.atheism FAQ (found in news.answers)] 9. Satanic Music? 9.1 Music by Satanists 9.2 Music for Ritual 10. What is a Black Mass? 11. I heard that Procter & Gamble... 12. What is the meaning of the number 666 in Revelations 13:18? 13. How can I get more information about Satanism? 13.1 What are the URLs of sites dealing with Satanism? 13.2 References dealing with Satanism? 13.3 Where can I get supplies? 13.4 List-servers dealing with Satanism? ********************************************************************** 1. What is Satanism? At first glance this may look like a simple question to answer: "Go look it up in the dictionary." would seem to be straightforward enough. In fact, I'll do it for you: Satanism, n. 1. the worship of Satan or the powers of evil. 2. a travesty of Christian rites in which Satan is worshiped. 3. diabolical or satanic disposition, behavior, or action. [from _Webster's Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language_, (c) 1989] Unfortunately it's not that easy. Throughout history, the label of "Satanism" has been applied variably by the opposing religious factions, by the practitioners themselves, by historical revisionists some time later, and by combinations of the above. This document will focus on active modern forms of self-proclaimed Satanism, and modern religious groups of undeniably dark character. It should be considered that since dark and/or forbidden gods exist in many cultures other than European-descended Christianity, forms of Satanism other than those familiar to English-speakers do exist and in some cases flourish, but can only be alluded to here. <Exu/Pomba-Gira worship, Yezidi, etc> Unsurprisingly, there is no one set of beliefs that comprise modern Satanism. Because there is no set of doctrines or scriptures agreed agreed upon by a majority of Satanists, would-be practitioners must define their beliefs for themselves, based upon a minimum of shared information. The issue is further confused by the fact that, historically, most records of real or imagined Satanism have been made by Satanists traditional enemies, Christians. However a few generalizations can be made: the average Satanist disagrees with much of Christianity, believes in no absolute moral code, and places emphasis on the individual and personal rights. If you think this sounds like Libertarianism, you're right; many Satanists consider themselves Libertarians or feel close to the party on social issues. The one unifying theme among the Satanisms is the last of the three dictionary definitions; one can say with some certainty that all Satanisms and Satanists have diabolical or satanic dispositions in that they are "like Satan." They possess the virtues of antinomianism, self-reliance, rebellion and adversarialism. There are several divisions one could make as to the belief systems of various "Satanic" groups. This (arbitrary) division was included to point out various currents or influences in modern day satanism rather than an attempt at categorization. 1. The Dabblers: adopt Satanic trappings for a brief period of time, usually for entertainment rather than serious purposes. Many modern youths fall into this category. 2. Churches of Satan: are patterned after the teachings of Anton LaVey. These groups believe in individualism, gratification of the ego, self-reliance and the ideal of the Nietzchean Superman. These groups use Magick as a tool for earthly power. They see Satan as the driving force behind achievement in mankind. 3. Gnostics: can be divided into two major categories 3a. Promethean Gnostics: Believe in a literal "Satan", but believe that the creator of the world (Jehovah) is the evil deity. Satan is seen as the "bringer of light"; a beneficent god. This is an old "heresy" seen in groups such as the Yezidis or the Ophites. 3b. Dark Gnostics: Worship the dark force in nature. These groups follow the whims of a capricious god, which most westerners would see as being "evil." There are a few historical Christian heresies which would fall into this category. Kali worshipers could also be categorized here as a cross cultural example of a "Satanism." 4. Secondary Satanists: follow a faith outside the Christian mainstream. Most would not consider themselves as being "Satanic" and strictly speaking should not be defined as Satanists (as per se with some of the Gnostic groups), but the ignorant often categorize them as Satanists. Voodoo and Santeria could be grouped here, as could medieval witchcraft (if it actually existed). Certain forms of Tantric Buddhism could also be placed in this category. 5. Hellfire Clubs: Were a phenomenon of the 18th century, mentioned because of historical relevance to modern Satanisms. The first of these was founded by the Duke of Wharton in the early 1700's. Most infamous was sir Francis Dashwood's Medmenham club (Often incorrectly called the Hellfire Club). Dashwood was a close friend of Benjamin Franklin, who may have been a member of this group. Franklin's description of the Medmeham club's secret chambers is one of the few we have, so his membership seems likely. In any case, Dashwood and Franklin co-authored the "Franklin Prayer Book" (often called the Book of Common Prayer) which is commonly used in America. Another famous member of the Medmenham club was the Earl of Sandwich, inventor of (guess what) the Sandwich. Hellfire clubs were exclusive groups dedicated to much political intrigue, partying, and some occasional occult activities. Other similar groups included the Irish Brimstone Boys and Blue Blazers. 6. Romantic/Promethean Satanists Literary/historical "Satanists" -William Blake, Charles Baudelaire, Maupertin, Carducci, Lautremont and Gabriele D'Annunzio. Artists and romantics with "sympathy for the devil" have a long tradition; Satan being a great patron of the arts. 7. Left-Hand Path Pagans There are several European groups, most of them consisting of small "covens" of several people, that are or could be considered Satanists. Two of the larger of these groups are The Fraternity of Baelder and the Order of Nine Angles (ONA). These groups allegedly have longer traditions, and "more authentic" origins (whatever that might mean). ONA is especially fond of calling itself the "traditional Satanists." These groups tend to have more "extreme" views than the others mentioned, and have little, if any authoritarian structure. 2. What is _The Satanic Bible_? _The Satanic Bible_ is a book describing the philosophy of Anton LaVey, founder of the Church of Satan. This organization holds the view that there is no higher god than oneself, and that one should worship accordingly. Life is the Great Indulgence and Death is the Great Abstinence, as there is no afterlife. The basic ideas of _The Satanic Bible_ are laid out in the Nine Satanic Statements: 1. Satan represents indulgence, instead of abstinence! 2. Satan represents vital existence, instead of spiritual pipe dreams! 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 than, 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 of the so-called sins, as they all lead to physical, mental, or emotional gratification! 9. Satan has been the best friend the church has ever had, as he has kept it in business all these years! Members of a certain group have noticed that much of the Satanic Bible is plagiarized from various sources; the above-quoted "Nine Satanic Statements" are similar to writing in Ayn Rands _Atlas Shrugged_ and the "Book of Satan" is plagiarized from Ragnar Redbeards _Might is Right_. In this, the SB seems similar to the texts of most other religions; also plagiarized from earlier sources; the Tao Te Ching, the Xian Bible and the Koran being obvious examples. 2.1 How do I get a copy of the Satanic Bible? _The Satanic Bible_ can be found (in America) in most chain bookstores in the New Age, Philosophy, or Religion sections. Many non-U.S. readers have written that _The Satanic Bible_ is not available in their country for various reasons. I suggest dealing with The Abyss bookstore (Address & phone# listed at the end of the FAQ), maledicta, or writing/phoning the publisher directly. (Special thanks to the Italian fellow who came up with these addresses & phone numbers) Avon Books 1350 Ave. of the Americas, 2nd Fl. New York, NY10019 TEL.: 212-261-6800 TOLL FREE: 800-238-0658 Ordering info: Dist by: Hearst Corp., International Circulation Div New York, NY 10019 TEL.: 212-649-4474 TOLL FREE: 800-223-0288 Orders to: P.O. Box 767 Dresden, TN 38225 TOLL FREE: 800-223-0690 2.1.1 Where can I get an electronic copy of the _Satanic Bible_? You can't; so far they don't exist, and any electronic copies would be a violation of copyright laws. 3. Satanic Organizations? Some may be interested in joining some kind of organization of like minded individuals. Most Satanists will agree that organizations are best when least intrusive on the individual, and would recommend caution in joining or associating with any group, including (and perhaps especially) those mentioned in the FAQ. Some useful "common sense" cautions for the potential neophyte Satanist; Don't let anyone tell you what to believe, or what to do. Advice or recommendations are one thing; orders or commands quite another. Remember that you are a free being, not a pawn in someone's power fantasy. Trust your feelings; if you feel you may be the victim of a working of Con Artistry (oft referred to as Lesser Magick), you probably are, at least in some sense. It is important to realize that all organizations, Satanic and otherwise, are _dangerous_; by their very nature they have more available physical, economic and psychological resources than the individual who would interact with them, hence one should exercise caution in ones dealings with any organization or one could find oneself with less freedom, a destroyed reputation, legal troubles, or worse. With this in mind; several of the more populous Satanic organizations: 3.1 The Church of Satan The Church of Satan can be contacted at: Church of Satan P.O. Box 210666 San Francisco, CA 94121 $100 will get you a lifetime membership. Some people question whether the term "Satanism" is appropriate for the Church's beliefs, due to its atheistic stance. Since the Church has been in existence for 30 years its definition is probably here to stay, although it isn't the only definition. The ideas and philosophy of the Church of Satan may be best discerned by reading _The Satanic Bible_ by Anton Szandor LaVey (Avon Books, New York, NY). (From Peggy Nadramia:) In modern parlance, the Church of Satan may be called a user-driven organization. Members are involved and advanced exactly as their own desires, abilities and accomplishments dictate. There are no set activities, meetings or contacts. The new member comes to the organization, ideally, with his own goals and plans for achieving them; he presents them to us and is directed in the way that would be most mutually beneficial. The CoS is not looking for people who join and want us to "put on a show," taking them by the hand, introducing them to their new friends, telling them what time to show up for the weekly get-together and what to wear. Satanists are not put in contact automatically, or by geographical proximity; this has been tried and found a failure. True elitists are by their nature very individualistic and neighboring members won't necessarily have anything in common; "just being Satanists together" isn't enough. When we observe members making advances on their own in their chosen fields of endeavor, we will put them in contact with other members running on the same track; we've watched this happen many times and we're pleased and proud to say the results are magical. There are also members who are satisfied simply to join and be counted among the adherents to a philosophy that best embodies their own true nature. ***** An excellent introduction to the philosophies of the Church of Satan is available at ftp://ftp.lysator.liu.se/pub/satanism/General/what_is.gz Nadramia@panix.com is the CoS online representative. http://www.coscentral.net/cos/index.html is the official website. soon to move to http://www.churchofsatan.com/ 3.1.1 Is Anton LaVey really dead? Anton LaVey died on October 29, 1997; cause of death being heart failure (pulmonary edema). 3.1.2 Is Marilyn Manson a Satanist? Yes, he is a Magister in the Church of Satan. 3.2 The Ordo Sinistra Vivendi The Ordo Sinistra Vivendi (OSV), formerly the Order of the Left Hand Path (OLHP), is a non-sectarian, non-dogmatic forum of philosophers and occultists. It was started in New Zealand a number of years ago by Faustus Scorpius. The purpose of the OSV, as per the Order's constitution, is as follows: 1. The OSV is an elitist Satanic Order existing to: (a) Develop and actualize the full potential and inner qualities of each individual initiate; (b) Herald the dawn of human Self-god-hood, within the context of a Faustian Civilization. OSV had at one point changed their name to the Order of the Deorc Fyre (ODF). Though since the name change and structural changes, the 'Grand Master' of the ODF, Fenris Wolfe, disbanded the Order. However some information may still be available for those interested. For all enquiries write to: Hesperos Press P.O. Box 83 Paekakariki Wellington New Zealand Note: The OSV has archived material at http://www.satanism.net/iss/other/index.html 3.3 The Order of Nine Angles The Order of Nine Angles (ONA), based in England, are probably the most controversial Satanic group that is around at present. Their aims and intents, and indeed their teachings, seem to be misunderstood and perhaps feared by many people, including some other Satanic groups. The ONA claim the title of 'traditional Satanists' and claim to have been around for well over one hundred years. The system they advocate is known as the Septenary tradition, 'the seven-fold Way'. 'Physis' is divided into seven stages, which represent the varying degrees of insight attained; the stages representing Initiation, Second Degree Initiation, External Adept, Internal Adept, Master/Mistress (or High Priest/Priestess), Magus, and Immortal. Much of the work is very practical. A great and refreshing aspect to ONA is 'The Star Game' which has three main functions: (1) Development of higher levels of consciousness. (2) A new form of magickal working for the 21st Century and beyond. (3) Development of certain 'magickal' skills, aiding mindfulness, concentration and visualization. Whatever rumors are told about the ONA one should check them out for themselves. Whether you agree with them or not, they certainly live up to the name 'Satanists'. 3.3.1 How do I contact the ONA? As of early 1998, the ONA have reverted back to 'coversion', which is to say underground status. Thus there is no contact address, and likely will not be for several years. There are several cells of the ONA existing across the globe (including the US) - however no contact addresses are currently available. ONA Home-page: http://www.satanism.net/iss/ona/ 3.3.2 Fenrir and ONA Manuscripts The ONA once published a Journal entitled 'Fenrir - Journal of Satanism and the Sinister'. Though the publication ceased along with their return to coversion, the ISS (http://www.satanism.net) was offered the privilege to continue its publication. For more information on Fenrir or other works by the ONA visit: http://www.satanism.net/fenrir/index.html http://www.satanism.net/fenrir/Vindex.html Or write: Vindex Press P.O. Box 631194 Houston, TX 77263-1194 United States of America Other ONA manuscripts are available from from Realist Publications: http://home.onestop.net/realist/ Or write Realist Publications at: Realist Publications Box 1627 Paraparaumu New Zealand 3.4 The Fraternity of the Jarls of Balder / Arktion Federation The Order of the Jarls of Balder has recently changed its name to the Arktion Federation. Balder's goals and aims may be basically summed up as follows: 1) "Western Magick and the Way of the Warrior"; 2) "Reviving and understanding Europe's ancient heritage and regions". Although at present Balder is a male fraternity, it has encouraged the feminine principle in its work by recruiting as members "Earth Matrons": ladies of occult renown from various countries. Also Earth Sisters: sisters, wives, girlfriends, mothers, etc of Balder members. "Balder was founded on the Autumn Equinox of 1990 to answer the historical need of pan-Europe for re-discovering of the lore, traditions and magick of our Great Family of Nations. ". . . "Our Order does not conflict with or restrict an Individual's personal beliefs, status, occupation/lifestyle or religious/political preference or sexual orientation, or indeed it has no axe to grind with other groups." Some things Balder has to offer are: * 12 Issues of the Journal (36 pages, post-free, bi-monthly, free to members) * Membership to The European Library * Correspondence, study and contact facility * Grade degree studies * Possibility of contact with individuals worldwide * Special Course on magick, history, esoterica, training, etc. * International network of Sportsmen, Musicians and Artists * The Balder Emporium * Prisoner Sponsorship Scheme * Fraternatis Loki (a dark and sinister section for the dedicated...) The European Library *********************** A non-profit educational initiative (like Balder itself) aimed at providing a modern equivalent to the Great Library of Alexandria. Over 45 publishers donate copies of all their published books etc to the library, including Llewellyn, Weiser, Ashgrove, Airlift, Gateway, New Falcon, Nicholas Hays, Kramer, Phanes, Spring, factor, Parabola, Bear & Co. + small publishers & secret societies. New Spartans Sports Club *********************** An international sports and friendship society dedicated to male identities, ethos, bonding, sports friendship and warriorship. Members are not necessarily members of Balder, but Balder members get free membership. The snail-mail contact address for the OJB/Arktion Federation is: 60 Elmhurst Road, Reading, Berkshire RG1-5HY, England, UK Include 4 IRC's / 4USD/L2 donation for reply postage. There are currently several other organizations working under the Arktion Federation. Of these include the Circle of Jormungandr, Fraternitas Loki (infamous for their 'Satan is Dead!' article), and the Deorc Eorpe Sweostor (Dark Earth Sisters). The Circle of Jormungandr also publishes a magazine titled 'Winter War'. For more information on the Circle of Jormungandr write: The Circle of Jormungandr Meer en Vaart 328 1068 LH Amsterdam Netherlands To contact all other groups in the Arktion Federation, write to the main Federation address (above). Arktion Federation home-page: http://www.student.hk-r.se/~tb96der/ Circle of Jormungandr home-page: http://home.sol.no/eeikenes/coj/ 3.4.1 The White Order of Thule (formerly the Black Order) The White Order of Thule (WOT) is the result of a schism that occured with the Black Order of Pan-europa. According to the WOT's general information, the WOT "is an esoteric brotherhood working toward the revitalization of the Culture-Soul of the European people." The White Order of Thule fully recognizes the importance of the European Shadow, and feels acknowledges the necesstity of giving voice and expression to the Darkside of our nature. The WOT's view of Satan, and thus his importance in the cosmic order, is perhaps best explicated in their tract 'All Hail the Accuser!': "Satan as a concept has been molded in the crucible of Western Culture to become an archetypal creator/destroyer of Western metaphysics. However, because of the influence of Christianity, Satan's creative cosmological role has been seldom understood. Satan has become for some astute Westerners "the Rebel in the Cosmos," as the philosopher Dr. Paul Carus put it; he who wills "evil" but results in "good," to paraphrase William Blake, in recognition of the dialectical process of history. In Western literature, from Marlowe to Goethe, Satan prompts the heretic who quests for unlimited knowledge in defiance of religious and moral limitations. This is what the philosopher Oswald Spengler terms the "Faustian Soul" of Western Man: the unlimited quest for infinity that impels our civilization to the stars. Satan is the rebel king who defies stifling conformity, from the medieval witch-cults, to the present-day heretics who wish to see the West's Faustian Destiny fulfilled. " The WOT publishes two journals. Crossing the Abyss (from WOT HQ) and Fenrir Wolf (From WOT West) The addresses for WOT, and for their publications are: WOT HQ Box 5661 Richmond, VA 23220 USA thulean@hotmail.com and: WOT West Box 161 Clinton, WA 98236 USA The WOT's home-page can be found (With additional information on the Black Order) at: http://www.satanism.net/iss/wot/ Their general information at: http://www.satanism.net/iss/wot/geninfo.html 3.5 Others... There are several other groups with online resources; 3.5.1 Temple of the Vampire; Described as "LHP Vampires" PO Box 3582 Lacey WA 98503 email secrets@halcyon.com http://pw1.netcom.com/~temple/home.html 3.5.2 Temple of Set The most vocal of groups which border upon Satanism, is the Temple of Set of Michael Aquino and friends, which splintered away from the Church of Satan in a disagreement over monetary policy. Unlike the Church of Satan, they believe in a literal "Prince of Darkness" who they identify as the Egyptian god Set. They appear uncertain whether they still consider themselves a Satanic group. None the less, their continued presence on alt.satanism, and their history makes them relevant, and some of their resources are valuable, particularly the reading list, which is excellent (and available online at the lysator site). The Temple of Set is presently under new management (though their old High Priest, Michael Aquino continues his unpleasant practices); see their home-page for details. The official ToS home-page: http:/www.xeper.org/pub/tos/ Balanone's detailed Temple of Set FAQ for alt.satanism [http://www.bigfoot.com/~balanone/baltsfaq.html (corrected 012201 bobo)] Some of their more valuable literature is available in ftp://ftp.lysator.liu.se/pub/religion/satanism/ToS 4. Satan is a Christian God! You aren't Satanists, just nasty atheists! Most (probably all) religions have gods or demons that represent the principle of adversity: that which is forbidden by society. Satan is one among these, originally conceived by the Hebrews long before the birth of Jesus. The name first appears (in _The Bible_, at any rate) in the book of Job. Satan was a fallen angel, not a god, in the monotheistic religions of Christianity and Islam. "Satan" is understood by most Satanists in a context different than that of Christian theology. Satan is a powerful archetype, to the Euro-American Usenet majority at least, bringing to mind such things as sexuality, power, individualism and control over one's destiny. The Satanist can choose what s/he likes from the varied portrayals of Satan, and may add principles of adversity from other cultures as well. 5. Aren't Satanists ritualistic baby murderers? Some misleading reports exist about Satanists: they are organized into nationwide cults; they commit ritual murders on a grand scale; they raise their children with psychological disorders; they kidnap people for blood sacrifice; they organize day-care centers and abuse the children placed in their care. A whole class of books exists detailing the exploits of these Satanic groups. The problem with all these works is that they are fictional rather than truthful accounts. Much is claimed based on scanty evidence that would be better explained by another scenario. Claims of involvement with Satanism are made by patients under hypnosis (hypnotized subjects are notorious for their suggestibility and tendency to produce fictions). Other "former Satanists" distort the truth in search of attention and money. These sensationalists never go to the police regarding the criminal activities they allegedly took part in, which calls the veracity of their claims and the sincerity of their remorse into question. Evidence does not exist to support what is said to occur. If the number of murders said to be committed by Satanists was accurate, some bodies should have been found by now. While means have been suggested by which bodies could be concealed, it stretches the imagination to believe that every body has been successfully hidden thus. Evidence in other areas is similarly lacking. Individuals investigating suspected Satanic crimes misinterpret what they find to fit their expectations. The _Necronomicon_, published by Avon Books, is used as an authoritative guide to Satanic practices. Yet few Satanists take the book seriously in any way, and none follow it to the letter. This and other things lead some non-Satanists to see what simply is not there. It is interesting from a sociological point of view that many of the heinous crimes presently attributed to Satanists have, in the past, been applied to jews, midwives, lepers, protestants, moslems, and essentially anybody the Church or powers that be didn't like. This has been noted in a number of the books debunking the urban legends associated with Satanism. The observant reader may note that there have been a few crimes linked to Satanism. In all cases the criminal(s) worked alone with no connections to organized groups. Some cases have been publicized by the media as being related to Satanism when in fact they involve another religion, as in the Matamoros case, which involved some elements of Palo Mayombe (an African religion), and some rituals taken from popular motion pictures. The lesson to be learned is that although a book may appear in the "Non-fiction" section of a bookstore, that doesn't make it so. There is a copy of an FBI report on "occult crime" archived at ftp.lysator.liu.se pub/religion/satanism/Crime/satanic_crime which shows what the FBI thinks of the claims of fundamentalists. There is also a good file on the subject at the same site pub/religion/satanism/General/general The most definitive book to date on the topic of rumors of Satanic cults involved in ritual murder/abuse is _Satanic Panic; the Creation of a Contemporary Legend_ by Jeffrey S. Victor. Open Court Press, 1992 6. Do Satanists have orgies? If so, where do I sign up? Yes. Buzz off. 7. What is Xian? COS? TOS? TSB? Do you say "Xian" rather than "Christian" in order to insult Christianity? Some users in this and other newsgroups find themselves discussing Christianity frequently. In order to cut down on keystrokes they type "Xian" and "Xianity" rather than the longer versions. A few users may intend it partly as a slur, but most do it only for convenience. The abbreviation itself is far from insulting; it is accepted and used by many Christians including (We are told) the Pope, as the first letter of Christ in Greek is Chi. A few other abbreviations occur frequently in this newsgroup. They are normally defined in a conversation, but here they are for your convenience: CoS = Church of Satan CS = Church of Satan ToS = Temple of Set TS = Temple of Set TSB = _The Satanic Bible_ OT = Old Testament NT = New Testament OLHP = Order of the Left Hand Path OSV = Ordo Sinistra Vivendi ONA = Order of the Nine Angles WOT = White Order of Thule TBO = The Black Order 8. Have you considered the message of _The Bible_? Yes. Most Satanists, along with most other members of Western cultures, are familiar with the teachings of Christianity and many have read _The Bible_ or part of it. They simply consider _The Bible_ to be false and disregard it much like Christians would disregard books which represent the foundation of another religion. Attempting to discuss Christianity will, in most cases, only get you flamed and not inform the Satanist of "something they didn't know". If you are still tempted to post about _The Bible_ because you feel that we may have missed an important point, I suggest you seek out and read the alt.atheism FAQ (found in news.answers) before proceeding. Many of its points are applicable to alt.satanism. 8.1. For the Christians among us: should you feel inclined to preach. You are all going to hell. Jesus saves! Quite often, members of fundamentalist Christian groups see fit to post various evangelical messages in alt.satanism. The reason for this is not clear. It has been suggested by various members of this net, who I shall lump under the convenient category of "Satanist," that the reason for this posturing is that many (perhaps most) Born-Again Christian types are closet masochists. It has also been suggested that Christians need to save a certain number of souls to get a good seat in paradise, similar in spirit to selling candy-bars or magazines to fund various extra-curricular activities in school. Presumably Satanist souls, being sold to the devil already, are worth more points. While these theories have some merit, considering the teachings of their (allegedly) chosen religion, an attempt should be made to be open-minded enough to see their side of things. Many Christians, when asked why they do this, respond something to the effect that it is charity, something they do out of the goodness of their hearts, out of concern for people etc. etc. Well, if the Christian is really concerned with people, why not preach to those who have not heard the message? Most "Satanists" are well acquainted with the messages of Christianity. They have been preached to ad infinitum, and are fed up with it. That is part of the reason they are Satanists instead of plain old agnostics. Many Satanists are angered by such posts, and justifiably so. Now consider this: You will never convert a Satanist over USENET. You either 1) are too infuriating; 2) look like a fool. There is NO logical reason to convert to Christianity. The only appeals are to the emotions, and as stated before they either look foolish or infuriating. Things like, "But Jesus LOVES you; he died for your sins!" or "Your soul is in danger!" are appeals to guilt and fear respectively; not reason. As most Satanists have chosen this path out of reason, these appeals will never work. As for those Satanists who are so for emotional reasons, their minds are as closed as that of the Born-again Christian. Perhaps, if indeed preaching is done for humanitarian, and not egotistical or masochistic reasons, your energies are better spent educating those who know little of your faith: those born atheistic, communists, Buddhist etc. If, as suspected, your purposes are more egotistical (look reverend; I converted a Satanist!) forget it. There are no "lost souls," waiting to be found in this community. For the masochistically inclined, we suggest self-flagellation. It costs less disk space, is probably more satisfying, and is certainly less offensive to the general public. Otherwise; GROWL! BOOGA BOOGA! HASTUR, ASTAROTH, LEVIATHAN ISHTAR!!!!!!!!! XILKA XILKA! BESA BESA! go away already... Note; Though replying with witty barbs may be amusing, a better tactic is to ignore them entirely; they thrive on attention. Still, if one should feel so inclined, sending the persistently annoying would-be evangelist multiple copies of this FAQ often gives the over enthusiastic Xian sublime discouragement; or at least informs to the point that the number of particularly trivial discussions are reduced. 9. Satanic Music 9.1 Music written and performed by Satanists The Order of Nine Angles has composed some interesting music broadly describable as ritual/trance/ambient Among these are: >The Self-Immolation Rite: "This is an guided path-working through the seven dark spheres of the Septenary Tree of Wyrd. Side 1 contains the rite, while Side 2 contains the music only." For a time this was available through Satanasphere Recordings, though isn't any longer. Vindex Press will be re-releleasing the 'SiR' sometime in 1999. >Eorpe: "Side A : Aperiatur Terra Et Cerminet Atazoth; Side B : Ad Gaia Qui Laetificat Juventutem Meam - This tape is music, which may be used in ritual, meditation, path-working, etc." >Sappho : Fragments: "Composed and performed by Christos Beest, Sister Lianna, and Wulfran Hall, with translations of the Greek." Fragments of Sappho's poetry are available at: http://www.earthlight.co.nz/users/spock/sappho.html Radio Werewolf (Nickolas Schreck/Zeena LaVey) Ranges in style from Dance-Goth to what I suppose is ambient music. Not my cup o tea. Interesting more because of who made it than any other reason. Jonathan Briley "At the Mountains of Madness" Nightmarish dark ambient musick, with a reading taken from the Book of Satan from the SB. Anton LaVey (various) Organ Musick by the Black pope himself. Morbid Angel CoS affiliated death-metal band. Electric hellfire Club - Techno/Industrial music from former members of "My Life With the Thrill Kill Kult" and present members of the CoS. Merciful Fate/King Diamond "I am the warrior lord of the 80s" style heavy metal music. King Diamond is a member of the CoS. Acheron Loud Deathy stuff from CoS members. Deicide (various) Death Metal from a group of acknowledged masters of the genre. Other Death Metal Bands rumored to have active Satanists as members: Bathory, Burzum, Entombed, Incantation, Immolation, Impaler, Darkthrone, Mercyful Fate, Nocturnus, Banished, Tiamat, Therion, Agnes Morehead and Unleashed. Diamanda Galas The Litanies of Satan; Saint of the Pit, others... Ms. Galas vocal renderings of the Baudelaire poems of the same name. Ranges from Scary to Scary & Painful. Diamanda's own words on Satanism: "Baudelaire described 'Satan' fairly well. I was in Berlin and some girls came up to me and said, 'Oh, you are Diamanda- please do another record for us soon. We have witchcraft rituals and shoot up speed and chant to the Devil and listen to your music.' I thought, 'Oh _fuck_- you could get a Julie Andrews record and do this kind of stupid shit. "When a witch is about to be burned on a ladder in flames, who can she call upon? I call that person 'Satan', although other people may have other names, it's the same entity that schizophrenics call upon to create the essential freedom they need. It's that subversive voice that can keep you alive in the face of adversity. If you've ever been institutionalized (and I have), then you know what a _descent_into_hell_ is. And if you come out of it alive, then you are so much stronger. I have this text: 'You call me the shit of God? I am the shit of God! I am the Antichrist, I am Legba, I am the Holy Fool, I am the Scourge of God' (Legba is the trickster in West African tradition). So you say, 'Yes, I am the Antichrist, I _am_ Legba, I _am_ all these things you are afraid of." Boyd Rice: (Easy Listening for Iron Youth, <works>) Boyd is a CoS priest, associate of Anton LaVey, and arguably one of the most influential Industrial/Noise artists ever. His most recent title; "Music Martinis and Misanthropy" is an exploration into Folk music. All his noise records are classics. Blood Axis: (Gospel of Inhumanity, <works>) Mixes of classical music themes, dark organ music and modern sampling technology. The artist is associated with the CoS. May be reached through blood@teleport.com Leatherstrip: (Science for the Satanic Citizen, Underneath the Laughter) Classic Industrial Dance in general. "Serenade for the Dead" is an instrumental album inspired by horror film and literature. My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult: (I See Good Spirits and I See Bad Spirits, Kooler Than Jesus, Confessions of a Knife) Classic sexo-Industrial Dance Electric Hellfire Club (all) -Dance & guitar Goth/Industrial from CoS members (Email cleopatra@aol.com for more info) Eric Kauschen: a priest in the Temple of Set is also an accomplished classical musician. [http://members.aol.com/saundhaus and http://www.mp3.com/erickauschen; URLs change per his request; ADMIN] 9.2. Music for ritual (not done by Satanists) There are a number of artists who produce dark ambient music which may be of interest for use in ritual. The following list represents a few titles (Selected by Lupo & Cliff); there is much more to choose from: Artist (Title[s]) Comments Lustm0rd: (Heresy, <works>): Everyone should own a copy of Heresy, the Soundtrack to Dantes Inferno. All other work similarly dark and ambient. Legion: (<works>) Subterranean rumblings, similar to Lustm0rds Heresy, at least partially because Lagowski was on the Lustm0rd team for Heresy. T.A.G.C.; The Anti Group (works) Audio experimentations; Adi Newton's (of Clock DVA) experimental music project. Themes have included psychoacoustics, Human Occult Machines, and the Abbe Boullan among others. Nurse With Wound: (Soliloqy for Lilith) Ambient tribute to Cthuloid water elementals; other NWW ranges from ambience to trippiness to hilarity to noisiness. Current 93: (Dogs Blood Rising, Live at the Bar Maldoror, Dawn) Scary ambient gothic sounds. Other C93 could be considered "Death Folk" Goth. Sleep Chamber: (Sex Magick Ritual, others) S&M trance musick; other titles vary in style from industrial dance to trance music. Nocturnal Emissions: Invocation of the Beast Gods, Stoneface -Soundscapes- Coil: (How to Destroy Angels, others) a grinding soundscape of metal clattering and noise. Supposedly for the evocation of male-male tantric energy. Innana/Archon Satani: (works) Each CD has a variety of styles ranging from disturbing dance music, to ambience, to bombastic marches. 10. What is a Black Mass? In the strictest Roman Catholic sense of the word, a "Black Mass" is any Mass performed by someone lacking the authority to do so (i.e. a defrocked or excommunicated Priest). Thus, a Mass performed by a Utrecht Catholic (Old Catholic) or Anglican Priest could be called a "Black Mass." This usage would be very uncommon in today's more ecumenical world, but was quite common in medieval times. (The Cathars, an innocuous rather Gnostic sect, were accused of practicing rather colorful "Black Masses," as were the Moslems; see _Childe Rolande_ for further details). One of the earliest records of actual "Black Masses" would be La Voisin's rituals, performed for Madame de Montespan to win the heart of King Louis XVI. In those rituals a defrocked Priest chanted prayers to Astaroth, Belial and various other "Princes of Hell," ultimately sacrificing an unbaptized infant over the naked body of Montespan. (In those days before effective birth control, unbaptized infants were fairly easy to obtain from the dregs of Parisian society). For a time these rituals were all the rage among the decadent members of the French court; investigation into the scope of La Voisin's excesses was ultimately suppressed by the Crown when it became clear just how many of Louis XVI's sycophants, supporters, and courtiers had been witnesses or active participants in these Black Masses. A later revival of the Black Mass can be read about in JK Huysmans "La Bas" -a thinly fictionalized account of the authors encounter with members of an 18th century group of Satanists headed by the Abbe Boullan. In today's functional usage, a Black Mass would typically be seen as any ritual which uses blasphemy to liberate the practitioners from belief systems which entrap them. Dennis Wheatley's "The Devil Rides Out" offers a fictionalized "Black Mass;" as does R.A. Wilson in his "Illuminatus Trilogy." the instructions for a modern Black Mass can also be found in Anton LaVey's "The Satanic Rituals." 11. I heard that Procter & Gamble donates money to the CoS! This is a false rumor, which has been around for years. P&G has a nasty habit of filing lawsuits against people who spread the rumor, so I'd be careful about posting it, if I were you. 12. What is the meaning of the number 666 in Revelations 13:18? The first major persecutor of Christians is often considered to be Caesar Nero and the Christians used the underground code 666 to refer to him. This makes sense, because when "Caesar Nero" is translated into hebrew and is "coded" -- using the traditional Hebrew numerical values assigned to the letters of the alphabet -- the numbers sum to 666. This would have been rather obvious to Christians living at the time, but concealed enough so as to avoid being thrown to the lions. As can be seen, some meaning would be lost in the translation from latin to hebrew, which perhaps accounts for the "mystery" that seem to gather around "666". A Christian at the time would probably consider the matter subtle, but probably not mysterious. In this interpretation the Bible is shown not to be a prophecy of things to come but rather a social or political commentary. Revelations thus refer to the fall of Rome and Nero. Is this then the _true_ explanation? Well, the explanation is boring, simple and not really surprising, so it probably is. 13. How can I get more information about Satanism? 13.1 What are the URLs of sites dealing with Satanism? The nic.funet.fi files are in the path pub/doc/religion/occult/magick/thelema (this is the original slopoke tree moved to funet) The biggest and best FTP site for the topic is still ftp://ftp.lysator.liu.se/pub/religion/satanism The lysator site has also got a Web Site, it's: http://www.lysator.liu.se/ftp/pub/religion/satanism WWW sites of interest http;//www.pitt.edu/~wbcurry/nietzsche.html (Comprehensive Nietzsche homepage) http://www.darklinks.com/ (Comprehensive resource guide to the dark side of the Internet.) http://www.satanism.net/ (Unbiased resource for information on the CoS, ToS, ONA, OSV/ODF, WOT/TBO, and so on) http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Forum/9011/index.html (Satanic parenting resources) http://www.maledicta.com/lavey/ (Excellent Anton LaVey tribute site) ULChurch http://ybi.com/ulc (Provides free & legal online and offline ordinations.) http://www.necronomi.com/magic/satanism/ (Contains a number of pieces of Satanic literature mentioned in the FAQ as well as several resources unavailable elsewhere.) http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/hpaulis/hmps.htm (Herbert's Dark Corner of the Web; interesting group of links and files.) http://www.process.org (Welcome to The Process... Multimedia project associated with the old Process Church) [ http://www.luckymojo.com/nagasiva.html (Homepage of well known net-occultist, nocTifer.... ) -- revised ] http://ajax.umcs.lublin.pl/~paradise/ (Contains articles on topics ranging from Occultism to Satanism to Martial Arts to Unix hacking) http://www.satannet.com/ Webpage published by Satan's PlayGround Grotto TOKUS FAQ: [ http://www.luckymojo.com/faqs/faq.astntks.9907 (Interesting & relevant theoretical document) -- revised ] Balanone's Temple of Set FAQ for alt.satanism http://www.calweb.com/~reshef/faqs/baltsfaq.html This FAQ file [without the revisions, apparently] : http://www.io.com/~ix/heresy/faq23.asc http://www.feralhouse.com Feral House Homepage; has online extracts from their books and a catalog listing. http://www.crl.com/~tzimon Tools of Chaos page; Chaos magick and other interesting things. http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/9879/laut.html Lautreamont page (see the section on Satan in Literature) http:/www.xeper.org/pub/tos/ Official Temple of Set webpage. http://www.dnaco.net/~raensept/ Links to many Temple of Set related webpages. http://www.cris.com/~Ranger57/blm.shtml Bob Larson Fanclub page (exposing Bob for what he is). http://www.netasia.net/users/xtronix/Satan.HTM Some excellent links and resources unavailable elsewhere. http://pharmdec.wustl.edu/juju/surr/surrealism.html Surrealism page; many parallels exist between the artistic movements of Surrealism, DaDa, Futurism and Satanism. http://shoga.wwa.com/~sluggo/futurism/ Futurism page; see the above comments. http://www.peak.org/~dadaist/ Dada Page; see above comments. Another interesting site, albeit not primarily focussed on Satanism, is: Answers in Action http://www.answers.org/CultsAndReligions/m_Satan.html This last site is run by John Baskette on behalf of Bob and Gretchen Passantino, an evangelical Christian couple who wrote some of the famous _Cornerstone_ articles debunking the SRA scare. Their most recent book, _Satanism_ (Baker Books), contains an interview with Anton LaVey. The Ontario Center for Religious Tolerance has an excellent website dispelling myths about misunderstood religious groups (such as Satanism). If forms a sort of online "Encyclopedia of Religion" http://www.religioustolerance.org/ HTTP Sites relating to SRA (not checked since '95) Witch Hunt Information Center (includes detailed info on specific alleged cases) http://web.mit.edu/harris/www/witchhunt.html ftp://liquid.mit.edu/pub/witchhunt info on SRA in the UK by "Feorag" (includes extensive bibliography) http://www.tardis.ed.ac.uk/~feorag/sram/sraindex.html http://www.brad.ac.uk/~kmhether/ Ontario Committee for Religious Tolerance http://limestone.kosone.com/people/ocrt/sra.htm http://limestone.kosone.com/people/ocrt/ra.htm False Memory Syndrome Foundation (includes info valuable if you're ever accused) http://iquest.com/~fitz/fmsf/ http://www.vix.com/pub/men/falsereport/satanic/ which includes the following articles (besides some of the Witch Hunt Information Center stuff already mentioned above): * San Diego Report on Child Sexual Abuse, Assault, and Molest Issues * Report Dismisses Satanic Child Abuse As a Myth, on the English Health Secretary's report on cases in England. * Cult Abuse of Children: Witch Hunt or Reality? from the Journal of Psychohistory. 13.2 References dealing with Satanism? (Editorial note: while the ISBN number is often touted as an efficient way of finding references, these were not included in the genesis of the FAQ, and I have neither the time nor the inclination to look them up for references given. Besides which, ISBNs only cover one edition, making them of limited utility; "Books in Print" is probably the best resource for finding books without an ISBN). A large resource for Satanic Books is located at: http://www.satanism.net/iss/publications/ISS-satanic-books.html Recommended Reading: Note: The Temple of Set reading list is an excellent resource; available online at ftp://ftp.lysator.liu.se/pub/religion/satanism/ToS/Reading_list (technical stuff/true satanism) _The Satanic Bible_, by Anton Szander LaVey, Avon Books, 1969. Presents the Satanic views and doctrines of the Church of Satan, along with an introduction to its rituals. _The Compleat Witch_ (the new edition is called _The Satanic Witch_), by Anton LaVey, Lancer Books, 1971. _The Satanic Rituals_, by Anton LaVey, University Books, 1972. More books discussing LaVey's brand of Satanism. _The Devils Notebook_ by Anton LaVey, Feral House 1992 Several short essays by Anton. _Satan Speaks_ by Anton LaVey, Feral House 1998 Last book by the Black Pope. _The Black Arts_, by Richard Cavendish, Perigee Books (Putnam), 1967. An objective introduction to magic, demonology, and classical views of Satanism. _History of the Devil and the Idea of Evil_ by Paul Carus Lightweight yet broad look at the topic. (Satanic history) _The Secret Life of a Satanist_ by Blanche Barton, Mondo Press. The authorized biography of Anton LaVey, and a basic guide to Satanic philosophy. This book has been largely discredited as a serious biography by an article in the 9/5/91 issue of _Rolling Stone_ _The Church of Satan_ by Blanche Barton The CoS authorized book on the topic. _The Second Coming_, by Arthur Lyons, 1970 [out of print] _Satan Wants you_ by Arthus Lyons A history of Satanism through the Middle Ages and the modern era. _Do What You Will_ by Geoffry Ashe A history of philosophers & groups who use this thelemic motto. Especially nice history of the "Hellfire Clubs" _The Prince of Darkness_ by Jeffrey Burton Russell, Cornell University Press, 1988. Historians work on the history of Satan from earliest history through the twentieth century. A summary of a four-book series (The Devil, Satan, Lucifer, and Mephistopheles, by the same author) which may be too much reading for casual interest. _The Satanic Mass_ by H.T.F. Rhodes, Rider 1954 (out of print) Excellent brief overview of different manifestations of the Satanic Mass throughout history. _The Old Enemy_ by Neil Forsyth, Princeton University Press, 1987. Another history of Satan focusing on the Middle East and early Christianity. _Satan Wants You_, by Arthur Lyons, Mysterious Press (Warner), 1988. Presents an overview of Satanism and the history of Satan, plus an in-depth look at popular misconceptions. _The Occult_ by Colin Wilson An excellent objective introduction to the history of the subject. _The History of the Church of Satan_ by Michael Aquino Probably the most voluminous work on the topic; it is unavailable to the general public. It may be available to historians and scholars through the Temple of Set, or to scoundrels through the enemies of the ToS. _Visions of Heaven and Hell_ by Richard Cavendish, Harmony 1977 Cross cultural examination of devils, heaven and hell in visual art, literature and religion. Lots of artwork depicting the underworld. _The Devil in Legend and Literature_ by Maximillian Rudwin. Open Court Press, Chicago 1931. (on and pertaining to Xtian fictions of Satanism) _Satanic Panic; the Creation of a Contemporary Legend_ by Jeffry S. Victor. Open Court Press, 1992 This book is an excellent debunking of the many "evil satanist" rumors and legends that abound in rural and mainstream america. It shows the similarities between these rumors, and those of the inquisition, European anti-semetism, and the McCarthy red-scares. _The Satan Seller_, Mike Warnke's imagination, Logos International, 1972. A Christian presents his alleged experiences in a Satanic cult before his conversion to Christianity. Has been exposed by fundamentalist journalists as a fraud. _Cornerstone_, Volume 21, number 98, "Selling Satan," Jon Trott & Mike Hertenstein, 1992. This gets *highest* recommendation. From a Christian magazine which does a great job of discrediting Mike Warnke's accounts mentioned in _The Satan Seller_ and elsewhere _Satanism: The Seduction of America's Youth_, Bob Larson, Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989. The facts on the *conspiracy* now coming to a lonely town near you!!! (You're reading the FAQ, so it's already here!) Following are a number of works recommended dealing with Satanism's links with crime, multiple personality disorder, etc. _The Satanism Scare_, ed. James T. Richardson, Joel Best, and David G. Bromley (NY: Aldine, 1991): 145-172. [Lupo note; though I have not yet read this book, the authors of the essays herin are enough to recommend this book] _Battle for the Mind_, by William Sargent, Harper & Row, 1957. _In Pursuit Of Satan_, by Robert D. Hicks (Prometheus Books), _Satanism In America_, issued by the Committee for the Scientific Examination of Religion. "Occult Crime: A Law Enforcement Primer" [To obtain a copy of this report, write to California Office of Criminal Justice Planning 1130 K Street, Suite 300 Sacramento, CA 95814 (Phone: (916) 324-9100). Request the "Research Update, Special Edition, Winter 1989-1990, Volume 1, Number 6" issue. No mention is made of a donation, but it may be useful to inquire beforehand.] _Snapping; America's Epidemic of Sudden Personality Change_ by Flo Conway & Jim Siegelman. An interesting work utilizing information theory in the study of sudden personality change as occurs in religious cults, and the "Born-Again" phenomenon. Below is a bibliography on the topic contributed by a reader: *****************************begin SRA bibliography D. ALEXANDER, "The Devil Didn't Make Her Do It," _The Humanist_ 50. March/April 1990, pp. 5-14+ Discussion of Lauren Stratford's book. P. FERRAIUOLO , "Warnke Calls Critics Satanists," _Christianity Today_ 36, 9 November 1992, p. 49+. M. GARDNER, "The Tragedies of False Memories," _The Skeptical Inquirer_ 18, Fall 1994, pp. 464-470 J. C. GRELEN, _Columbia Journalism Review_ 31, November/December 19 92, pp. 16-17. Discussion of Warnke case, Cornerstone investigation? Robert D. HICKS,"Police Pursuit of Satanic Crime, Part I," _The Skeptical Inquirer_ 14:3, Spring 1990, pp. 276-286. Robert D. HICKS, "Police Pursuit of Satanic Crime, Part II: The Satanic Conspiracy and Urban Legends," _The Skeptical Inquirer_ 14:4, Summer 1990, pp. 378-389. Robert D. HICKS, _In Pursuit of Satan: The Police and the Occult_. (Prometheus, 1991). ISBN 0-87975-604-7. A Virginia law enforcement officer discusses the gen eral "occult crime" scare and his take both on it and the industry which emerged to promote and capitalize on it. Kenneth LANNING, "Satanic, Occult, Ritualistic Crime: A Law-Enforcement Perspective," _Police Chief_ 56:10, October 1989, pp. 62-83. Arthur LYONS, _Satan Wants You: The Cult of Devil Worship in America_, (New York: Warner Mysterious Press, 1988). ISBN 0-445-40822-7 A mildly sensational treatment of Satanism in the United S tates, exploring the origins of literary Satanism, Anton LaVey and the expansion of "Satanic" imagery through rock music. Includes discussion of "satanic" crime scares and investigations. Good basic background on U.S. Satanism. M. G. MAUDLIN, "Christianity Today talks to Frank Peretti, _Christianity Today_ 33, 15 December 1989, pp. 58-59. (Peretti wrote _This Present Darkness_, _Piercing the Darkness_, etc.) J. MAXWELL, "Article Claims Warnke's Satanic Past a Fraud," _Christianity Today_ 37, 17 May 1 993, pp. 88-89. _People_ 39, 21 June 1993, pp. 43-44. 3 teenage boys murder younger child(ren?) in West Memphis Arkansas, claim Satanic influence. Featured on Geraldo Rivera. G. P. POSNER, "The Devilish Barney Media Hoax," _The Skeptical Inquirer_ 18, Fall 1994, pp. 453-454. James T. RICHARDSON, Joel BEST and David BROMLEY (eds), _The Satanism Scare_. Aldine de Gruyter, 1991. Elizabeth S. ROSE [pseud.], "Surviving the Unbelievable," _Ms._ January/February 1993, pp. 40-45. "Satanic Tourism," _Phi D elta Kappan_ 76, Spring 1994, pp. 70-72. B. SIANO, "Truth in Advertising for Satan Sellers?," _The Humanist_ 53, May/June 1993, pp. 37-38. Warnke case? K. H. SIDEY, "Publisher Withdraws Satanism Story," _Christianity Today_ 34. 19 February 1990, pp. 34-35. Discussion of Stratford's book. Michelle SMITH and Lawrence PAZDER, _Michelle Remembers_, (***:***, 1980) The book which largely started the SRA snowball, detailing therapist's experience with an MPD patient he later married. Lauren STRATFORD, _Satan's Underground_ (Pelican, 1991). ISBN 0-88289-876-. J. TROTT and M. HERTENSTEIN, _Cornerstone_ expose on Warnke. Jeffrey S. VICTOR, _Satanic Panic: The Creation of a Contemporary Legend_, (Open Court Press, 1992). ISBN 0-8126-9191-1. The standard reference on the SRA scare. Jeffrey S. VICTOR, "Satanic Cult 'Survivor' Stories," _The Skeptical Inquirer_ 15:3, Spring 1991, pp. 274-280. Jeffrey S. VICTOR, "The Spread of Satanic-Cult Rumors," _The Skeptical Inquirer_ 14, pp. 287-291. E. WATTERS , "The Devil in Mr. Ingram," _Mother Jones_ 16:30-33+, July/August 1991. Lawrence WRIGHT, _Remembering Satan_, A book-length treatment of the Ingram case of Thurston County, Washington. Lawrence WRIGHT, "Remembering Satan," _The New Yorker_ 69, 17 May 1 993, pp. 60-66+. Lawrence WRIGHT, "Remembering Satan," _ The New Yorker_ 69, 24 May 1993, pp. 54-66+. *************************end SRA bibliography (Satan in Literature) _Paradise Lost_ by John Milton. An epic poem telling the tale of Lucifer from when he is thrown out of heaven, to the Fall of Adam and Eve. It makes Lucifer into a heroic figure, whilst God is made out to be a little vague and weak. _Letters to the Earth_ by Mark Twain Humerous letters from Satan as fallen angel to all his friends remaining in Paradise. _The Mysterious Stranger_ by Mark Twain Allegorical tale about Satan; Twains darkest tale. _The Divine Comedy_ by Dante. Another epic poem in three parts (Inferno, Purgatorio and Paradisio) covering the author's pilgrimage through them. _La-Bas (Down There)_ by J. K. Huysmans (1891?) translated by Keene Wallace. Semi-fictional novel of the occult and the black mass in late nineteenth century Paris. H. P. Lovecraft, collected works. Classic horror fiction that has served as inspiration for many Satanists. _Candide_ by Voltaire Witty sarcasm from on of the spiritual fathers of Modern Satanism. Gabriele D'Annunzio, Child of Pleasure, various works. One of the greatest Italian writers of all time, D'Annunzio was a living archetype of the Nietzschean "Ubermensch." His various biographies are must reading. _Maldoror_ by Compte De Lautreamont/Isadore Ducasse The story of the most evil man in the world, written in a surreal, epic poetical style. Force yourself to read it; you'll be glad for the experience later. Some prefer the Guy Werham translation to the more readable Penguin Books translation. I loathe the Werham translation, am indifferent to the Penguin Books/Paul Knight translation, and like the out of print translation by Alexis Lykiard best of all. _Une Saison en Enfer/A Season in Hell_ by Arthur Rimbaud Poetic plumbing of the depths of despair; dark Satanic imagery abounds. _Les Fleurs Du Mal/The Flowers of Evil_ by Charles Baudilaire French poetry containing the famous Litanies of Satan and others in a similar vein. _The Sun at Night_ by Roger Williamson Modern psuedo-allegorical novel about experiences with a Luciferian "Order of the Morning Star." (Satanic Music) _The Art of Noises_ by Luigi Russolo The original manifesto of "industrial music," and still the best theoretical document on experimental music. Written in the early part of the century; it was, and is far ahead of its time. http://hamp.hamshire.edu/~cmnF93/pratella.txt contains another manifesto of Futurist music. _Sensations of Tone As a Physiological Basis for the Theory of Music_ by Hermann Helmholtz The classic book of its type; somewhat dated (1877) -there may be more modern books which accomplish the same thing, but this one contains many valuable insights. _Science and Music_ by Sir James Jeans A more recent book, similar to the above in content. (Science for the Satanic Citizen) _Build Your Own Laser, Phaser, Ion Ray Gun & Other Working Space-Age Projects_ by Robert E. Iannini Homebrewed high tech, including high voltage designs, tasers, stun guns, and surveilance equipment. Includes many of the plans supplied by Information Unlimited. _The Tesla Coil Builder's Guide to The Colorado Springs Notes of Nikola Tesla_ by Richard L Hull and the Tesla Coil Builders of Richmond Virginia Best advanced guide for building the Tesla Coil, and Teslas Magnifying Transmitter. Lots of practical advice and (the primary focus of the book) history of the development of Teslas high voltage, high frequency resonators. 2600 Magazine, Phrack, LOD Technical Journals Hacker magazines help you protect yourself from criminal invasions of privacy. Phrack & LOD available online. (Satanic Philosophy) Frederick Nietzsche, various works Nietzschean philosophies form the core of Satanism. Much of the _Satanic Bible_ owes its philosophical and literary roots to works such as _Thus Spoke Zarastrutha_ and _The Anti-Christ_ by Nietzsche. _Man and Technics_ by Oswald Spengler An extension of Nietzsches philosophy to the modern age; Spenglers philosophy is condensed into this small book; a must read. (Study of the voluminous _The Decline of Western Civilization_ may prove useful to those interested in theories of history and politics) _The Virtue of Selfishness_ by Ayn Rand Rand is influential in CoS writings; this work and others may be of use to those interested in CoS philosophy. _The Prince_ by Niccolo Machiavelli Classic philosophical and practical treatise on the politics of power. http://www.sas.upenn.edu/~pgrose/mach/index1.htm _A Book of Five Rings_ Musashi Miyamoto Sensei The way of strategy as written by possibly the greatest swordsman of all time. This book provides excellent strategic advice for mass warfare, single combat or any analagous activity (such as business planning. http://www.samurai.com/5rings/ or http://www.dstc.edu.au/DDU/staff/ralf/lit/Rings.html _The Art of War_ Sun Tsu Chinese equivalent to _The Prince_. http://www.ccs.neu.edu/home/thigpen/html/art_of_war.html Marquis de Sade (various works) Philosophical and pornographic fiction, illustrating the sexual dynamics of power (and the power dynamics of sex). _Why I am Not a Christian_ by Bertrand Russel Famous atheistic philosopher explains myriad reasons why he isn't a christian. _Madness and Civilization_ Michel Foucault Tedious, academic stuff, but filled with various interesting (sometimes horrifying) observations about the funny farm we all live in. Particularly unpleasant reading for members of certain "groups." Foucault could be considered a de facto Satanist of sorts (though of a decidedly left-wing bent). _The Redneck Manifesto_ Jim Goad Scathing criticism of the Great American Dirty Secret: Classism; done with typical Jim Goad wit and rage. Sure to be a controversial classic. _Will_ by G. Gordon Liddy Satanic Saint G. Gordon Liddy tells his inspiring story. (weird stuff of interest to the Satanist) _Cosmic Trigger_ by Robert A. Wilson This book describes various initiations and occult phenomena experienced by Mr. Wilson. Good for promoting open-mindedness. Wilson writes some great fiction as well in his "Illuminatus" books. _Apocalypse Culture_ collected by Adam Parfey. A shocking work, depicting the worldviews of various "fringe" sects and individuals, ranging from necrophiliacs to ultra-right wing Christians. Has an article by LaVey. _Cult Rapture_ by Adam Parfrey. Parfrey's sobering perspectives on apocalyptic politics are only a fraction of his new volume. Racist murderers, anti-porn feminism, mail-order brides, freaks, sex cults of the physically deformed, suicide cults and fandom are also grist for his flavorful mill. _The Futurist Cookbook_ by F.T. Marinetti Uproariously funny book by that master poet of 1920s Futurism F.T. Marinetti. Note; Futurism could be considered akin to Satanism in many ways; a net-search on the topic will turn up more information. _The Torture Garden_ by Octave Mirbeau, ReSearch 1989 reprint A seeminly innocent Englishwoman and debouched Frenchman wander through a beautiful garden in China dedicated to Torture as an art form. Described as the "most sickening work of art of the nineteenth century." _Une Semaine de Bonte_ by Max Ernst, Dover 1976 reprint Surrealistic novel in collage; many fascinating images. _TAZ (Temporary Autonomous Zone)_ by Hakim Bey, Autonomedia 1991 Generally considered the manifesto of the emerging anarchic cyber-culture. A manual for freedom in the coming (or present, depending on who you talk to) dark age of Airstrip one. Described by RA Wilson as "A Blake Angel on Bad Acid." Exists online in a number of places. http://www.unicorn.com//lib/taz.html _Might is Right_ by Ragnar Redbeard Part of the _Satanic Bible_ taken from this, the full work is occasionally uproarious fun, occasionally offensive to "modern" sensibilities. _The Necronomicon_ by "Simon," Avon Books, 1977. Purported ritual book of great efficacy. Generally regarded as fiction interspersed with translations of Mesopotamian texts. Mileage may vary, depending on how seriously you take babble. This is included mainly because of its availablity and popularity; I actually strongly recommend that you do _not_ buy this. Much information on books of this name is available in the Necronomicon FAQ written by Kendrick Chua, allegedly archived at io.com & alt.horror.cthulhu. _The Necronomicon_ edited by George Hay 1978. This is a more "Lovecraftian" Necronomicon which closely follows what Lovecraft said was contained in the famous book of the Mad Arab. It is, of course, fiction, but much more fun than the Avon book in that it does not take itself so seriously. Scoob publishing is supposed to have a R'lyeh text in the works as a sequel to this. _TheSaltLick_ Surreal, strange website put together by Church of Satan artist Timothy Patrick Butler: http://www.weirdart.com _Rants & Incendiary Tracts_ (ed by) Bob Black & Adam Parfrey Similar to apocalypse culture, with weird short bits by various authors (including LaVey). (Biblical debunking) _Who Wrote the Bible?_, by Richard Elliott Friedman, Harper & Row, 1987. A biblical scholar attempts to answer the question of the title, and in the process comes up with some interesting reasons for events in _The Bible_ (why does Moses have horns? Why the scene with the golden calf?). An interesting read, and possibly amusing for the cynic. _The Dead Sea Scrolls_ There are many good books on this subject for those who need to debunk Christianity historically as well as philosophically. Among them: _Dead Sea Scrolls & the Bible_ by Roland E. Murphy (a Roman Catholic at that) 1968 _A Crack in the Jar; What ancient Jewish Documents tell us about the New Testament_ by Niel Fujita (also a Christian scholar) 1986 _The Dead Sea Scrolls and the Christian Myth_ by John Allegro (one of the original Dead Sea Scholars) 1984 Note than all of the above scholars are of the old school of scroll study. While all do a good job of debunking Christianity, the latest generation of scholarly works is even more damning. _Testament_ by John Romer (Henry Holt, NY 1988) Considered an excellent and well balanced work on Biblical history -also a PBS mini-series available on video cassette. 13.3 Where can I get supplies? Peggy Nadramia <nadramia@panix.com> periodically posts a resource list which is most useful. There are several "occult bookstores" who do mail order. Some are listed below; The Abyss RR1 Box 213 Chester MA 01011-9735 413-623-2155 (FAX 413-623-2156) [comment by Lupo; This is where _I_ obtained most of my books. They have much that is of interest to the occultist. The catalogue is outstanding and much of the merchandise is underpriced. Excellent section of Crowley material, a decent LHP section, good selection of various occult merchendise & books of all kinds. Highly recommended] Feral House PO Box 3466 Portland OR 97208 http://www.feralhouse.com Publishers of the unusual and heretical. AES-Nihil Productions 7210 Jordan Ave #B-1 Canoga Park CA 91303 Hard to find material of all kinds of weirdness; send $8 for Catalog. Museum Replicas/Atlanta Cultery 2143 Gees Mill Road PO Box 840 Conyers GA 30207 +1 800 883 8838 http://www.museumreplicas.com/ http://www.atlantacutlery.com/ Best suppliers of swords and medeaval weaponry yet found. Museum Replicas carries more "upscale" swords and general medieval stuff, while Atlanta Cutlery sells "do it yourself" items, and inexpensive (3rd world made, but still quite adequate) swords. Maledicta http://www.maledicta.com Lots of rare books on Satanism and LHP occultism, as well as some relevant CDs, T-Shirts and various supplies. Swords-n-Stuff http://www.swords-n-stuff.com/ 1-800-286-4143 Inexpensive supplier of medieval weaponry, armour and clothing. Loompanics Unlimited PO Box 1197 Port Townsend, WA 98368 USA Suppliers of heretical, dangerous, illegal and unusual publications. Right on the bleeding edge; $5 for (huge) catalog. Wards Scientific 1 800 962 2660 1 716 359 2502 PO Box 92912 Rochester NY 14692-9012 USA Biological supply house. Human and animal bones available at reasonable prices. Interesting oddities such as sheep brains by the bucket (sheep brains in formalyn make excellent gifts), or luminescent bacteria and fungi for those Yuggoth rituals. The Bone Room +1 510 526 5252 1569 Solano Avenue Berkeley, CA 94707 USA http://www.boneroom.com/ Sells all manner of human and animal bones at reasonable prices, as well as unusual jewelry and furniture items that may be of interest. Pandora's Box 321 SE Port St. Lucie Blvd. Port St. Lucie, FL 34984 Phone: 561-344-5523 Fax: 561-344-5528 http://members.aol.com/Starets13/index.html Belladonna Arcana 3350 Adeline St Berkeley CA 94703 510-654-5862/ lisas@wenet.net Occult bookstore and supplies, sellers of Gothic/Industrial clothing and accessories. Information Unlimited PO Box 716 Amherst NH, 03031-0716 USA +1 603 673 4730 Suppliers of unusual "science fair" type projects, plans and kits. Tesla Coils, atom smashers, lasers, home and national defense items. Soleilmoon Recordings PO Box 83296 Portland OR 97283 USA +1 503 335 0706 http://www.soleilmoon.com/ Suppliers of unusual musicks, ritual and trance music such as listed above in particular. Aesthetic Meat Foundation Over 600 CD's, Tapes and Records. Ritual, Dark Ambient, Industrial, Noise, Experimental & Gothic musik and plenty of books. http://amf-meat.insertions.com Zines The Black Flame (Journal of the Church of Satan) P.O. Box 499 Radio City Station N.Y., N.Y. 10101 [Extremely useful review section, eclectic articles. Hells KITCHEN Productions is also at this address -they have certain items that may be unobtainable elsewhere.] _ABRASAX #4_ A magazine published by the American Gnostic Church. Issue #4 is dedicated to Satan & satanic matters generally. They can be reached at: American Gnostic Church PO BOX 1219 Corpus Christi, TX, 78403-1219 Dark Cycle; Australian Journal of Occultism P.O. Box 1639 Chatswood NSW 2057 Australia Balder [Monthly Journal of the Order of the Jarls of Balder] 60 Elmhurst Road Reading, Berks RG15HY England, UK ["Pagans" -interests include Sports Magick, Shamanism, Rune Magick Western mythology & etc.] Fenrir [Former publication of the Order of Nine Angles - taken over by Vindex Press] Vindex Press P.O. Box 631194 Houston, TX 77263-1194 USA Not Like Most [A Journal of Satanism in Action, edited by Rev. Matt Paradise of the Church of Satan] http://users.aol.com/boysatan/ptp/nlm.htm Post Office Box 813 Burlington, Vermont 05402 USA The Raging Sea [Newsletter of the Leviathan Grotto of the Church of Satan; will have an "Ask a Real Witch" advice column which should prove original and interesting] http://www.ragingsea.com/ Asylum for Shut-Ins PO Box 46581 Bedford OH 44146 Regular suppliment to "High Weirdness by Mail" -not entirely relevant, but extremely useful, and amusing. Wolf-Age C/O Hellfire Productions P.O. Box 291691 Tampa, FL 33687-1691 13.4 Listservers dealing with Satanism? http://www.necronomi.com/elists/ has links to a variety of mail lists including regional occult and Gothic lists, general darkpath, Dark Goddess, Dark Pagan, and Vampyre oriented lists. http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Atrium/6112/lists.html has information on a mailing list primarily concerned with European Sinister Tradition (Order of Nine Angles) There are rumored to be various members only elists for those in the larger groups (Church of Satan as well as Temple of Set at least). EOF 418