THE ALT.SATANISM FAQ FILE
(Version 2.3)
last major revision; January 7, 1996
Note; This file invalid without PGP signature
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 |
| Frater (I) Nigris (666) | Lupo the Butcher |
Frequently Asked "Questions" of Alt.Satanism:
- What is Satanism?
- What is _The Satanic Bible_?
Where can I get a copy of _The Satanic Bible_?
Where can I get an electronic copy of _The Satanic Bible_? - Satanic Organizations?
The Church of Satan
The Order of the Left Hand Path/ OSV
The Order of Nine Angles
How do I contact the ONA?
Others... - Satan is a Christian God!
You aren't Satanists, just nasty atheists! - Aren't Satanists ritualistic baby murderers?
- Do Satanists have orgies? If so, where do I sign up?
- What is Xian? COS? TOS? TSB? OT? NT?
Do you say "Xian" rather than "Christian" in order to insult Christianity? - Have you considered the message of _The Bible_?
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)] - Satanic Music?
Music by Satanists
Music for Ritual - What is a Black Mass?
- I heard that Procter & Gamble...
- What is the meaning of the number 666 in Revelations 13:18?
- How can I get more information about Satanism?
What are the URLs of sites dealing with Satanism?
References dealing with Satanism?
Where can I get suplies?
List-servers dealing with 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 worshipped. 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
"Satanist" 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.
- 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.
- 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 achievment in mankind.
- Gnostics: can be divided into two major categories
- Promethian 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 beneficient god. This is an old "heresy" seen in groups such as the Yezidis or the Ophites.
- 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 worshippers could also be categorized here.
- 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. Voodoun and Santiera could be grouped here, as could medieval witchcraft (if it actually existed). Certain forms of Tantric Buddism could also be placed in this category.
- Hellfire Clubs: Were a phenomenon of the 18th century. 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 freind 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 Medmanham 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
- Romantic/Promethean Satanists Literary/historical "Satanists" -William Blake, Charles Baudelaire, Maupertin, 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.
- 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. Some allege these groups do not exist, but they answer mail.
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:
- Satan represents indulgence, instead of abstinence!
- Satan represents vital existence, instead of spiritual pipe dreams!
- Satan represents undefiled wisdom, instead of hypocritical self-deceit!
- Satan represents kindness to those who deserve it, instead of love wasted on ingrates!
- Satan represents vengeance, instead of turning the other cheek!
- Satan represents responsibility to the responsible, instead of concern for psychic vampires!
- 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!
- Satan represents all of the so-called sins, as they all lead to physical, mental, or emotional gratification!
- 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 condensed from a passage 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) or writing/phoning
the publisher directly. (Special thanks to the Italian fellow who came up with these
addresses & phonenumbers)
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 someones 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 210082
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 over 20 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
The Church of Satan informational packet will soon be uploaded to this FTP site.
nadramia@panix.com is the CoS online representative.
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. Recently many changes have occured within the Order, giving it new
direction, under the new Magister: Jovis Draco.
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 indiviual
initiate;
(b) Herald the dawn of human Self-godhood,
within the context of
a Faustian
Civilization.
The official magazine of the OSV is
_Suspire_ and is published twice
yearly. It is available from the main OSV address.
Another magazine affiliated to the OSV is
_Nexus_, published
quarterly by Realist Publications. It's predecessor _The Watcher_ is archived
at various places on the net. Realist Publications publishes a wide variety of
literature and various other items. For a complete catalogue, send an IRC to
P.O. Box 1627 Paraparaumu Beach, New Zealand.
A great deal of emphasis is placed on the
Nietzschean concept of
'Self-Overcoming' as the basis of individual self-realization.
The OSV welcomes all sincere seekers after
wisdom undefiled and
students of those hidden depths of the human psyche and cosmos which may
properly be called 'occult'.
For all enquiries write to:
Ordo Sinistra Vivendi
P.O. Box 83
Paekakariki
Wellington
New Zealand
Or send netmail to: gwilson@earthlight.co.nz
Note: The OSV has archived material at
ftp://lysator.liu.se/pub/religion/satanism/OLHP and
http://www.earthlight.co.nz/users/spock/satan.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 mindfullness,
concentration and
visualization.
Whatever rumours 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?
Order of Nine Angles
PO Box 228, York
Y01 2GZ
England
or
BM Algol
London WC1N 3XX
England
Have been valid addresses in the past. Other successful strategies are
forwarding through the Baelder snail-mail address c/o Steven Cox
(include lots of IRCs!)
While there is a US ONA representative, address is presently unavailable.
ONA Homepage:
http://www.earthlight.co.nz/users/spock/satan.html
Other ONA information available at
http://academy.bastad.se/~erman/balder1.html
3.4 The Fraternity of the Jarls of Balder
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
is:
60 Elmhurst Road,
Reading, Berkshire RG1-5HY,
England, UK
Include 4 IRC's / 4USD/L2 donation for reply
postage.
OJB homepage:
http://academy.bastad.se/~erman/balder1.html
3.5 Others... (This Section Under Construction)
There are several other groups with online resources;
The Luciferian _Order of the Morning Star_ may be contacted at
jpoirot@usa.net or http://www.usa.net/oktober/infernal.html
There are several CoS sub-groups and little known Satanic groups represented
at http://www.marshall.edu/~allen12/index.html
Temple of the Vampire; Described as "LHP Vampires"
PO Box 3582
Lacey WA 98503
email secrets@halcyon.com
http://www.iceonline.com:80/home/dwayneb/
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. They have a number of nasty
habits, including the public publishing of names, addresses and workplaces
of former members as a harassment tactic, disinformation regarding Satanic
and occult groups, including their own, and a good deal of "we are the one
true way" posturing.
None the less, some of their resources are valuable, particularly the
reading list, which is excellent (and available online at the lysator site).
The official ToS homepage:
ftp://ftp.netcom.com/pub/jy/jyouril/tos/tos.html
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.
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 definative 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?
Hmmm...I trust that some do, but I have been unable to locate
any as
of yet.
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
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, buddhists 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 persistantly annoying
would-be
evangelist multiple copies of this FAQ often gives the
overenthusiastic
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 pathworking through the seven dark
spheres of the
Septenary system. Side 1 contains the rite, while Side 2 contains
the
music only."
>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, pathworking, etc."
>Sappho : Fragments:
"Composed and performed by Christos Beest, Sister Lianna,
and Wulfran
Hall, with translations of the Greek by D W Myatt."
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.
<Black Metal Mafia>
(Contributor for this Section needed!)
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.
Michael Moynihan: (Insert review here) Industrial artist
affiliated
with Boyd Rice and the CoS.
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)
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 helped with Heresy.
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 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: (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 "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;" 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?
A: 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?
[Lupo's note; in addition to the sites mentioned above
ftp.netcom.com /pub/caw/Info/mage-guide2 has the mages guide to the Internet,
which is an excellent resource
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
<under construction; please fill in blanks>
http://www.cybercom.com/~ken
(Pentagram homepage: Excellent set of links to general occultism pages)
http;//www.pitt.edu/~wbcurry/nietzsche.html
Comprehensive Nietzsche homepage
http://www.hgp.med.umich.edu/cgi-bin/uncomp?occult/dark-side-of-the-net
Resource guide to the dark side of the Internet.
http://www.marshall.edu/~allen12/index.html
(Hell- the online guide to Satanism. Contains resources from many groups.
Many links; good resource for different kinds of American Satanism)
ULChurch http://ybi.com/ulc
Provides free & legal online and offline ordinations.
http://tfs.necronomi.com/~spirit/magic/satanism/home.html
Contains a number of pieces of Satanic literature mentioned in the FAQ as
well as several resources unavailable elsewhere.
http://inow.com/~poirot/infernal.html
This is the temporary address of the House of Infernus page. When the
newer completed files are compounded, they will go online from another
internet provider from Dallas.
http://www.geopages.com/CapitolHill/1684/
(The Embassy of Lucifer; become an ambassador for the Infernal Empire.)
http://process.usc.edu/
(Welcome to The Process... Multimedia project associated with the old
Process Church and the Industrial band, Skinny Puppy.)
http://www.earthlight.co.nz/users/spock/satan.html
(Best resource for European styles of Satanism; ONA & OSV. Good general
resource)
http://www.portal.com/~tyagi/nagasiva.html
(Homepage of well known net-occultist, Tyagi Mordred Nagashiva. Seems to
be down)
http://www.cs.cmu.edu/afs/andrew/usr/mk7c/www/evil.html
(Mikes personal hell; many good links; warning: lots of graphics)
http://ajax.umcs.lublin.pl/~paradise/
(Contains articles on topics ranging from Occultism to Satanism to Martial
Arts to Unix hacking)
http://www.nauticom.net/users/vondraco/
(Heart of Darkness homepage; Satanism, the occult & a variety of
fascinating topics; many links!)
http://www.primenet.com/~nevarre
(Diabolica, the Encyclopedia of Evil)
http://www.spacestar.com/users/baalack/satan2.html
(Church of Satan members homepage)
TOKUS FAQ;
ftp://ftp.portal.com/pub/ss/usenet/FAQs/FAQ.tokustn.9052
(Interesting & relevant theoretical document)
http://www.buzzcut.com/central/feralhouse
Feral House Homepage; has online extracts from their books and a catalog
listing.
http://www.access.digex.net/~icomedia/Gallery/AshleyArt.html
Sinister Art display.
http://process.usc.edu/
Weird, sinister multimedia art project affiliated with industrial musicians.
Another interesting site, albeit not primarily focussed on Satanism, is:
Answers in Action
http://www.power.net/users/aia/
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.
HTTP Sites relating to SRA
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).
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.
_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 voliminous 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!)
[Lupo note: Apparently Bob Larson
is going down the tubes faster
than Warnke. See relevant
files from Scott Mikusko, available
via FTP-mail by sending the
message
get
\religion\garg\misc\larson\larson.zip
to:
server@garg.campbell.ca.us]
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.
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 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.
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).
(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.
_Might is Right_ by Ragnar Redbeard (Loompanics, Port
Townsend Wash)
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.
_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.buzzcut.com/central/feralhouse
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
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.
Ramshead Armoury
PO Box 653
Champaign IL 61824-0653
+1 217 351 7232
Inexpensive supplier of medieval weaponry, armour and clothing.
Loompanics Unlimited
PO Box 1197
Port Townsend, WA 98368
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
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.
Information Unlimited
PO Box 716
Amherst NH, 03031-0716
+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
+1 503 335 0706
soleilmoon@aol.com
Suppliers of unusual musicks, ritual and trance music such as listed
above in particular.
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 [Supporting The Black Order and the Infernal Alliance
(OSV, TBO, Fraternitas Loki, and used to include ONA)]
BM Algol
London WC1N 3XX
Suspire [Official Journal of the Ordo Sinistra Vivendi - Twice
Yearly]
P.O. Box 83
Paekakariki
Wellington
New Zealand
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.
13.4 Listservers dealing with Satanism?
http://tfs.necronomi.com/m/home.html has links to a variety of mail
lists including regional occult lists, general darkpath, Dark Goddess
Dark Pagan, Gay & Lesbian LHP lists, and Vampyre oriented lists.
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