Archive for July, 2008
Are They Talking About Us Again?
Scott writes: If that section of the house – the one that had been delineated with hair – held some volatile energies, she wanted to be sure she wasn’t dragging any excess energy baggage in with her. Satanism had taught her to release violent and destructive energies through psychodramatic ritual, which basically meant throwing a fit of rage. In order to get her family to cooperate, she was going to have to explain where the hell she got such a crazy idea. If they reacted harshly, it could all go horribly wrong. On the other hand, it could be just what the situation required…
Tamar Fox writes: A custody battle is brewing in Indiana, and it hinges on whether or not Satanism is a real religion. Jamie Meyer, a 30-year-old factory worker, is the divorced father of three young girls, and a member of the Church of Satan. Meyer’s ex-wife is suing to restrict his visitation time to allow his girls to attend Christian church. She also argues that the Church of Satan isn’t a real religion, that Meyer’s beliefs embarrass the children, and that Meyer may not really believe in Satanism. But the Satanism being practiced by Meyer isn’t what you might think. It’s nothing like what you saw in Rosemary’s Baby. Instead, Satanism is a “carnal religion.” Its members are atheists, anti-spiritualists, and proponents of pride, liberty, and individualism…
Sam Jordison writes: So impressive was Anton LaVey’s shaven-headed appearance as the leader of the Church Of Satan that Roman Polanski employed him to play the devil himself in the film Rosemary’s Baby. He was a smart writer too. Skip all the strange stuff in the bizarre Enochian language and concentrate on LaVey’s startling and lucid essays. They’re surprisingly funny and diabolically clever…
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Review: Cloverfield
I wanted to hate this movie. I really did. I had heard all sorts of terrible, horrible things about it. Things just vague enough to make me wonder if this was some bandwagon folks were jumping on. So in the interest of fair play (and my love of monster movies), I gave it a shot. And guess what? I didn’t hate it.
By now, you’ve heard something of the plot: Monster attacks NYC (notably, midtown Manhattan) and a small group of well-groomed socialites spend the remaining length of the film trying to make a run for it… anywhere, somewhere. The a/v point of view comes from the hand-held camera of one of the main characters, an almost incidental chap appropriately named Hud (think Dane Cook, only stupider). Having been beyond annoyed with the whole “shaky-cam” trend these days, I was surprised to not be annoyed at all by it in Cloverfield. It actually added to the story and made perfect sense. And it really did take a numbskull character to continue shooting while carnage is flying around him left and right. For the most part, I can accept that rationale. But it has to be said: that is one sturdy camera. As a video guy myself, I’d like to know where I could pick one of those up.
Still, the lead character’s completely asinine obsession with rescuing his newly-split and not-so-faithful girlfriend was a bit hard to deal with. I loathe weak people as lead characters. Weak people with a pathetic “love” fixation have no place in the lead slot of any horror/suspense movie, except to be eaten or dismembered very early on so we can have a real lead character. Jason Voorhees would have shishkabobbed the two of them on a spear, and been done with it.
One funny moment: When the main characters were running down the subway tunnel to escape some creatures, they managed to find a door and pry it open to exit the tunnel. All I could exclaim was, “QUICK! Into Lex Luthor’s apartment!” But, alas, that reference was before their time. If it wasn’t before yours, perhaps you can think of me and my retro-observation when you watch that scene. Meanwhile, I’ll be pondering Miss Tessmacher and her marvelous… personality.
Also, note the looters who start early in the monster attack to steal TVs and DVD players. Given the same idiocy occurring during Hurricane Katrina a few years back, that’s herd stupidity ripped fresh from the pages of reality. It was like a laughfest revisited for me. Hud’s best line in this scene: “Rob, it is time to leave the electronic store.”
Cloverfield is a mere 84 minutes long, which is about the length it should be. And it seemed to move quickly. I have to say it. I liked Cloverfield. It’s not of the caliber of such recent monster fare as The Host but it managed to escape my chief fear of being a copycat of the War Of The Worlds remake and still entertain me. MGP says rent it.
1 commentSatanism Today: 7-29-08
Magister Harris discusses the church shooting in Tennessee, Christian groups praying for lower gas prices, and the differences in the way men and women deal with certain interpersonal relationships.
No commentsHow People (Accidentally) Find Diabologue
Who doesn’t love a good search engine? You can enter the most ludicrous train of words (or simple nonsense) and come up with something you couldn’t have possibly imagined. I’d like to think that most people find this fantastic blog site intentionally but, alas, some are going to stumble in here and freak out over the drapes or the carpeting or maybe that big purple pentagram up there. Not really a concern. But, there is some humor value in, as an admin, having access to the search words and phrases people use to get here. Try these on for size…
cartoon city bus • satanic eye symbol • mouth shape • review • teen sexploitation • ghettobug • comments • christianity • www.purgingtalon.com • um=1 • about • there • watching girls • satanic horror nymph pics • excuse for not going to church • cheryl ladd where is someone • firee kiss • batgirl tits • horror baby movies • top world satanist • decent women • which • free mgp kiss
No commentsHinduism + Illiteracy + Weird Baby = Stupid On Tap
What is in the water over there in India that’s making freak babies? First, we had this one. And now, another?! Did you people have some secret nuclear plant meltdown you’re hiding from the Western world resulting in malformed infants? I seriously doubt it was the power of the Thuggee! What’s even crazier than that is the fact that these deformities are being treated as divine. Yes, you read correctly: these babies are viewed as reincarnated gods and actually worshiped by various Indians. In 2008. Astounding how such primitive cultural behavior can survive modernity. Then again, we still have people who believe in a Jewish zombie who wants to take people to a place in the sky if they’re good little boys and girls. Ugg!
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Response To Journalist Idiot on Satanism
I was almost going to ignore the subject of this case entirely. Often enough, cases such as these are merely excuses for smugly moronic dissenters and contrarian pseudo-intellectual hipsters to fling their word poo in all directions. But, I was rather taken by a response to this astoundingly idiotic opinion piece that I thought it appropriate to put here, potentially for discussion but, at the very least, to propel its prominence in search results. I feel that Magistra Mitchell nails this one, as evidenced by the text below. So, if you’ve been following this story as an outsider to Satanism, here is some balance…
Dear Mr. Stancliff,
How nice for you to work for a paper [The Eureka Reporter] that allows you to blatantly lie, refuse to do basic research and still call yourself a “reporter!” Nicer, still, that your paper edits or prohibits comments so that you cannot be challenged on your libel in the same forum you publish it on. I’m a member of the clergy of The Church of Satan, and an authorized spokesperson for that 40+ year old organization. You are certainly entitled to your opinion, but when reporters outright lie it says much more about the newspaper they work for and its lack of standards than it does about those lied about. Of course, we are used to demonstrations of Christian values — lying is right up there with tax evasion, use of prostitution, and sexually abusing altar boys.
Let me help you do your job by giving you some facts:
Let’s get one thing straight right now.
I’m not that old.
When I made my appearance in this world in 1950, Satan wasn’t considered a good guy. Back then he was recognized by Christians as a fallen angel and someone you didn’t want to run into in a dark alley — and who would prod you with a pitchfork if you were bad and went to hell.
Basic religions were a simple enough subject back then. Somehow, 57 years later the subject of religion has taken on a direction that no baby boomer would have dreamed of. Did you know that the Internal Revenue Service recognizes the Church of Satan as a religion?
Yes. For 42 years. What is even more amazing is that the Church of Satan does not take advantage of it! The Church of Satan pays its taxes and refuses to benefit by tax exempt status. We feel all churches should pay taxes and we lead by example.
What triggered me to this odd fact was a July 9 article in The Chicago Tribune. The headline read, “In Satanist’s custody battle, law may play devil’s advocate.” Proving truth is stranger than fiction, an Indiana court is looking at a case where an ex-wife is trying to restrict her Satanist husband’s visitation time to allow his three youngest daughters to attend Christian church.
Is it strange to you that parents want to raise their children in their own religion, or, in this case, a parent doesn’t want to sacrifice his visitation so that another parent can take their children to a place that spreads lies about other religions, supports the degradation of women, and sucks up taxpayer money without supporting the Constitution?
Say what? I can remember growing up and hearing urban legends about Satanist cults, but no one ever seemed to be able to locate their covens. Satanists scampering around in old castles with stone altars in their cellars was the stuff of bad B movies. And no one — let me repeat that — no one knew a Satanist who went to the Church of Satan. Unless, that is, in the ’60s they were one of the original members of the Church of Satan founded by a clown named Anton LaVey who lived in the San Francisco area.
There are no “Satanist cults,” and the word is “Satanic.” The legends you hear about are created in your pews in order to scare the gullible into paying tithes and getting a ticket to Heaven. The sad fact is Christians make their misinterpretation of Satanism so colorful that they create little devil-worshipers — Christian Heretics who believe that silliness and perform criminal acts. Meanwhile, our legal and law abiding church gets blamed for what you create.
I’m not sure how many people realize this, but the current high priest, Peter Gilmore, of the now Manhattan-based organization (I have trouble calling it a church) claims that Satanists are atheists. Their handouts explain that they see Satan as being a symbol of pride, liberty and individualism.
Those who have trouble calling a federally recognized religious organization a Church should understand that they sacrifice the right to call themselves American by denying the First Amendment.
And just like Christians get to define themselves, so do Satanists. The difference is our definition is based on history and research. The Hebrew word “Satan” was not a name. It was a word that meant “adversary” or “accuser” or “opponent.” Satanists are atheists who use Satan as a metaphor for those who defy the status quo—who refuse to relinquish personal responsibility to kneel before some imaginary, albeit cruel and genocidal, God. We thank no gods, blame no devils. We alone are responsible for our own lives. We do understand, however, why that notion frightens those who give up personal responsibility for worship.
They even have their own “Satanic Bible,” written by LaVey, who immigrated to California from England (just ahead of the law), where he got his start as a nut who used Satanism as a way to have sex orgies and to declare that it was his religion.
The Satanic Bible has been in print for 39 years. The rest of the information you wrote is outright wrong. LaVey was never “just ahead of the law” and he wasn’t from England. Sexuality is part of individuality, and what happens between consenting adults is their own business, but it plays no actual religious role in Satanism. Once again, you are feeding the masses misinformation in an attempt to make us look bad, but all you really do is provoke interest! As for nuts: Ted Haggard, Jimmy Swaggert, multiple Catholic pedophile priests, FLDS, Mike Warnke… Christians have no shortage of criminals and lunatics—yet, somehow, their religion is never blamed for the actions of its followers.
Now modern Satanists have lawyers who argue they are a legitimate religion. When I think about the Satanists’ creed that “Anything goes” and “Do what makes you feel good,” I wonder how safe the children will be with a guy like Jamie Meyer, the plaintiff in this weird case (and a proclaimed Satanist).
This is when I wish Christians were right: Thou shalt not bear false witness upon thy neighbor. Were that true you’d be going straight to Hell.
NOWHERE is there any Satanic literature that claims “Anything goes” or “Do what makes you feel good.” You, Sir, are a liar.
We have rules and you’d know them if you’d done what any legitimate reporter would do and do some research. www.churchofsatan.com Go to the Theory & Practice link. BINGO. Rules.
Moreover, we DO NOT do forgiveness. When a Satanist breaks the law we terminate their membership and assist law enforcement with prosecution.
Unlike Christians who “spare the rod and spoil the child” we are commanded to never harm children. Our religion believes children to be sacred.
As a mother of 5 and grandmother, I am offended that you can condemn a man’s parenting based on his religion, which you purposely have remained ignorant of.
I know hundreds of Satanic parents, and every one of them is utterly dedicated to their kids.
I know thousands of Christian parents—and every day we see their cruelty to children in the news.
Maybe I shouldn’t be too surprised. Things have changed in this country and I’ll be the first to admit it. Now it’s OK to do just about anything a person wants. Society today has shrugged off any pretense of morality, as evidenced by what we watch and listen to every day on television and in the movies.
If my religion encouraged child abuse, sexism, and an abandonment of personal responsibility in place of prayer I wouldn’t be standing on the morality soap box.
I can remember looking for a supposed group of underground Satanists in Palm Springs in 1991, when I was the managing editor of a group of newspapers in that valley. The local police had a few cases of cats with severed heads said to have been used in some bloody rituals, and they cooperated with me on an article I was writing at the time.
Upside-down crosses in blood on the wall were about all the evidence we could find at the site of the severed heads, along with some black candle wax. I even got an anonymous caller who claimed he knew some of the Satanists, but his information didn’t pan out. No surprise there.
For all I know, those terrible acts could have been done by a group of bored kids, perhaps would-be goths. I’ll never know for sure because the atrocities suddenly stopped when spring break became all the news and Mayor Sonny Bono put his infamous ban on thong bikinis!
You reap what you sow. Christians claim that is what Satanists do and bored kids wanting to rebel listen. If they had actually been exposed to The Satanic Bible they would have known that those acts are not Satanic. Anyone who harms an animal except for hunting for food is NOT a Satanist.
Now, 17 years later, I’m reading stories about Satanists in courts. Since when did they become so socially acceptable? I know all about political correctness, but this seems to be something out of the old science fiction TV show “The Outer Limits.”
I consider myself a progressive kind of guy, and while I don’t agree with a lot of the new music today, I’m not such an old fuddy duddy that I’ll call it names. My five grandchildren think “Papa” is pretty cool, but I have trouble with people who celebrate having no rules — especially society’s restrictions — and raising children.
How dare you publish a lie like that without regard to consequences? Have you no shame?
Do you know why Satanists are morally superior? Because we study instead of worship, and we blame and thank people, no devils and gods.
Our children learn that they alone are responsible for their behavior, and that the laws of this country must be followed to the letter.
You are condemning a man you’ve never met who wants nothing more than time with his kids. You are supporting a mother who never had trouble with his religion until she wanted a divorce and knew to play to the fears of the general public.
You ought to be ashamed.
Magistra Ygraine Mitchell
Canada’s Gruesome PSAs
Much thanks to the folks at Hate Speech Radio for inadvertently pointing me in the direction of these amazingly effed up public service announcements. If they’re capable of these PSAs, then tell me… what other bloodcurdling terror hides behind the Maple Leaf? (Probably NSFW)
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Because Even Little Billy Needs A Role Model
See who else “Billy” wrote, including Charles Manson, Richard Ramirez and, scariest of all, Dick Cheney!
No comments“Thank God I Was… Raped?”
If only it were a completely tasteless joke… as opposed to the completely tasteless reality it is, of course. You might want to remain seated for this one.
4 commentsSatanism Today: 7-22-08
Magister Harris discusses a custody battle involving a Satanist in Indiana, as well as Christian charities having 9 year old girls arrested, and Jesse Jackson’s use of the “N-Word.”
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