Satanism Today : An Encyclopedia of Religion, Folklore, and Popular Culture

This authoritative reference work presents a full image of the Prince of Darkness as he appears throughout traditional theology, mythology, art and literature, and popular culture. This nonsensationalist encyclopedia examines contemporary images of the devil and sorts out the many different forms these images take. Although much of the myths relating to Satan derive directly or indirectly from the Christian tradition, the key sources of diabolical images today are horror movies, heavy metal music, and conservative Christian literature. This encyclopedia gives a brief overview depicting the history and transformation of the meaning of the Prince of Darkness, and 300 entries cover subjects like the angel of death, backward masking (messages revealed when songs are played backward), neopagan witchcraft, UFOs, and The Satanic Bible. Extensive appendixes include the l992 FBI study of satanic ritual abuse, the most influential document ever written on the subject, as well as sample satanic scriptures and a satanic wedding ceremony. Satanism Today also includes a chronology, bibliographies, and references. Nearly 300 entries ranging from the anticult movement to Zoroastrianism A chronology of information on earlier manifestations of the Western occult tradition that provided the background for the creation of modern religious Satanism in the 1960s 66 photos, illustrations, and drawings including depictions of satanic rituals and ingredients used for casting evil spells Three appendixes including a Satanist survey conducted by the author in August 2000 on basic demographic data on contemporary Satanists