what is a good book to research satanism?

Question

unbiased, general overview of satanic rituals in europe

Answer 1

Why dont you try reading the bible might do you some good!!

Answer 2

I think most people would be dissappointed if they really understood the realities of Satanism. True Satanists do not believe Satan to be a "real" entity. Rather, he is seen as the personification of self-reliance and freedom. The notion that Satanists are the opposite of Christianity is a funny creation of the Christian right itself. Oddly, the very fabrications that the Christian fundamentalist scream about (animal sacrifice, orgies, black magic, etc) are the reason so many kids call themselves "Satanist." Drawing pentagrams and killing cats does not a Satanist make. I actually know a few "true" Satanists. They would have nothing to do with these brats!

Lucifer Ascending is an interesting book on the occult in general. The Encyclopedic Sourcebook of Satanism is another good read. You may also be interested in doing some research into Setians. The faith, founded by Michael Aquino, came out of the Satanic movement and seeks to emulate Set as opposed to Satan. This was done to disassociate the faith from Christianity.

Answer 3

Ok so reading the bible will not help at all, what will shed light on the subject is a copy of The Satanic Bible, this does outline quite specifically the rituals used by LaVey Satanists. This is really the only side of Satanism that is widely accessible.

The base fundamentals of rituals to be used are listed here with exactly how to practice these. Be careful though as this is best not be practiced without a lot of guidance.

Best to also check out www.churchofsatan.com this is the official website and will shed some more light onto this subject matter.

Answer 4

Satanists would tell you it's the "worship of the self". Most people who identify themselves as Satanists are the "LaVeyian" variety. Anton LaVey was a liar, fraud, bankrupt wife beating pimp. BTW, one idiot actually had the nerve to say "Everyone beat their wife in the fifties" when informed of this(even though he beat Diane from the 60's into the 80's). And no, not everyone did, and it was still wrong.

This shows that rather than standing on their own two feet, Satanists slavishly make excuses for their cult figure, not unlike they way Scientologists do fo L. Ron Hubbard.

LaVey was apraoched by Avon books to wrote a book on witchcraft to cash in on the occult craze of the 1960's. He cobbled together "The Satanic Bible" from a forgotten right-wing political tract (Where of the material from the Book of Satan comes from), Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged, and the superstitous occult material of John Dee.

LaVey never really seemed to know what Satanism was himself. Some of his writings seemed atheistic, at other times he called Satan "the dark side of nature" and often refers to Satan as a personification. One thing is for certian, the Satanic Bible gives specific instructions on timing, tools to be used, specific rituals for sex spells, revenge spells, etc (The Book of Belial)., and it seemed he expected results.

Eventually, people realized the spells didn't work, and so began the whole "Well, it's really a philosophy" excuse. In the 1980's, when LaVey was living in poverty he then claimed he was shunning consumer materialism ( a complete role reversal from "Indulgence instead of abstinence!") ala Pee Wee Herman's "I meant to do that!"

LaVey claimed that nuts were given "the bum's rush" when trying to join the Church of Satan, but clearly nut was in the eye of the beholder. LaVey has admited to holding a "Cannibal feast" of a human leg in at least 3 books. The Satanic Bible &Satanic Rituals certainly describe many things most normal people would consider pychotic such as Nude girl is used as an altar (Satanic Bible, Satanic Rituals)A human skull is used in Die Elektrischen Vorspiele ritual (Satanic Rituals, p. 109)Human leg bone or arm bone is used in Homage to Tchort ritual (p.137)
Woman dressed as nun urinates before group into a bedpan in the Black Mass ritual (p.43) Urine is then sprinkled like holy water (p.44)Man climbs into coffin with nude woman (or nude man if he is gay) in Le Epais ritual (p.59).

As a "philosophy", Satanism could be boiled down to hedonism, which was hardly a new idea in the 1960's. Oddly enough, most Satanists don't fit the bill as swingers. Some seem to lead fairly uneventful lives. Here's an example:

"I've been forced to give up coffee - the acid was responsible for a minor ulcer and I can no longer take any chances with my health. This was my solitary vice - now it is gone. I do not drink, do not smoke, do not use recreational drugs and have nothing remotely resembling a sex life!"
--"Lord" Egan of "The First Church of Satan"

Wow! What a swinger! So then the picture begins to develop that Satanism is not so much a philosophy of life as it is a fantasy; a means to escape a life not worth living.

Answer 5

On amazon these look ok for europe:

Satanism by Louisa Cunningham (Paperback - April 2004)
The Rise of Magic in Early Medieval Europe by Valerie Irene Jane Flint (Paperback - Jan 24, 1994)

Or any Oprah book club books.

Answer 6

The Satanic Bible

Answer 7

Try George W. Bush's autobiography, "A Charge to Keep." I don't think Cheney has written one yet.

Answer 8

I say Internet. You can find anything why you would prefer book to Internet for this thing anyway confounds me.

Answer 9

Read the Bible. It will do you only good and no harm!