The Satanism Scare

The Satanism Scare

Author: Joel Best

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2017-09-29

Total Pages: 355

ISBN-13: 1351474669

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Although there is growing concern over Satanism as a threat to American life, the topic has received surprisingly little serious attention. Recognizing this, the editors of this volume have selected papers from a wide variety of disciplines, broadly covering contemporary aspects of Satanism from the vantage points of studies in folklore, cults, religion, deviance, rock music, rumor, and the mass media.All contributors are skeptical of claims that a large, powerful satanic conspiracy can be substantiated. Their research focuses instead on claims about Satanism and on the question of whose interests are served by such claims. Several papers consider the impact of anti-Satanism campaigns on public opinion, law enforcement and civil litigation, child protection services, and other sectors of American society.The constructionist perspective adopted by the editors does not deny the existence of some activities by 'real' Satanists, and two papers describe the workins of satanic groups. Whatever the basis of the claims examined and analyzed, there is growing evidence that belief in the satanic menace will have real social consequences in the years ahead.


Book Synopsis The Satanism Scare by : Joel Best

Download or read book The Satanism Scare written by Joel Best and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2017-09-29 with total page 355 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Although there is growing concern over Satanism as a threat to American life, the topic has received surprisingly little serious attention. Recognizing this, the editors of this volume have selected papers from a wide variety of disciplines, broadly covering contemporary aspects of Satanism from the vantage points of studies in folklore, cults, religion, deviance, rock music, rumor, and the mass media.All contributors are skeptical of claims that a large, powerful satanic conspiracy can be substantiated. Their research focuses instead on claims about Satanism and on the question of whose interests are served by such claims. Several papers consider the impact of anti-Satanism campaigns on public opinion, law enforcement and civil litigation, child protection services, and other sectors of American society.The constructionist perspective adopted by the editors does not deny the existence of some activities by 'real' Satanists, and two papers describe the workins of satanic groups. Whatever the basis of the claims examined and analyzed, there is growing evidence that belief in the satanic menace will have real social consequences in the years ahead.


Satanic Panic

Satanic Panic

Author: Jeffrey S. Victor

Publisher:

Published: 1993

Total Pages: 448

ISBN-13:

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Again and again we are told - by journalists, police, and fundamentalists - that there exists a secret network of criminal fanatics, worshippers of Satan, who are responsible for kidnapping, human sacrifice, sexual abuse and torture of children, drug-dealing, mutilation of animals, desecration of churches and cemeteries, pornography, heavy metal lyrics, and cannibalism. This popular tale is almost entirely without foundation, but the legend continues to gather momentum, in the teeth of evidence and good sense. Networks of 'child advocates', credulous or self-serving social workers, instant-expert police officers, and unscrupulous ministers of religion help to spread the panic, along with fabricated survivors' memoirs passed off as true accounts, and irresponsible broadcast 'investigations'. A classic witch-hunt, comparable to those of medieval Europe, is under way. Innocent victims are smeared and railroaded. Satanic Panic uncovers the truth behind the satanic cult hysteria, and exposes the roots of this malignant mythology, showing in detail how unsubstantiated rumor becomes transformed into publicly-accepted 'fact'.


Book Synopsis Satanic Panic by : Jeffrey S. Victor

Download or read book Satanic Panic written by Jeffrey S. Victor and published by . This book was released on 1993 with total page 448 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Again and again we are told - by journalists, police, and fundamentalists - that there exists a secret network of criminal fanatics, worshippers of Satan, who are responsible for kidnapping, human sacrifice, sexual abuse and torture of children, drug-dealing, mutilation of animals, desecration of churches and cemeteries, pornography, heavy metal lyrics, and cannibalism. This popular tale is almost entirely without foundation, but the legend continues to gather momentum, in the teeth of evidence and good sense. Networks of 'child advocates', credulous or self-serving social workers, instant-expert police officers, and unscrupulous ministers of religion help to spread the panic, along with fabricated survivors' memoirs passed off as true accounts, and irresponsible broadcast 'investigations'. A classic witch-hunt, comparable to those of medieval Europe, is under way. Innocent victims are smeared and railroaded. Satanic Panic uncovers the truth behind the satanic cult hysteria, and exposes the roots of this malignant mythology, showing in detail how unsubstantiated rumor becomes transformed into publicly-accepted 'fact'.


Raising the Devil

Raising the Devil

Author: Bill Ellis

Publisher: University Press of Kentucky

Published: 2021-05-11

Total Pages: 477

ISBN-13: 0813182638

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

“Puts [the phenomena of Satanism] in the context of folklore and folk traditions . . . Highly recommended as a lucid and well-documented account.” —Library Journal Raising the Devil reveals how the Christian Pentecostal movement, right-wing conspiracy theories, and an opportunistic media turned grassroots folk traditions into the Satanism scare of the 1980s. During the mid-twentieth century, devil worship was seen as merely an isolated practice of medieval times. But by the early 1980s, many influential experts in clinical medicine and in law enforcement were proclaiming that satanic cults were widespread and dangerous. By examining the broader context for alleged “cult” activity, Bill Ellis demonstrates how the image of contemporary Satanism emerged. In some of the cases Ellis considers, common folk beliefs and rituals were misunderstood as evidence of devil worship. In others, narratives and rituals themselves were used to combat satanic forces. As the media found such stories attractive, any activity with even remotely occult overtones was demonized in order to fit a model of absolute good confronting evil. Ellis’s wide-ranging investigation covers ouija boards, cattle mutilation, graveyard desecration, and “diabolical medicine” —the psychiatric community’s version of exorcism. He offers a balanced view of contentious issues such as demonic possession, satanic ritual abuse, and the testimonies of confessing “ex-Satanists.” A trained folklorist, Ellis navigates a middle road, and his insights into informal religious traditions clarify how the image of Satanism both explained and created deviant behavior. “An interesting analysis of satanic folklore and organized anti-satanism in the US and UK.” —Choice “Shows how ancient bogeyman beliefs became aligned with politics and the criminal justice system to produce witch-hunts like the infamous McMartin Preschool case.” —Mother Jones


Book Synopsis Raising the Devil by : Bill Ellis

Download or read book Raising the Devil written by Bill Ellis and published by University Press of Kentucky. This book was released on 2021-05-11 with total page 477 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “Puts [the phenomena of Satanism] in the context of folklore and folk traditions . . . Highly recommended as a lucid and well-documented account.” —Library Journal Raising the Devil reveals how the Christian Pentecostal movement, right-wing conspiracy theories, and an opportunistic media turned grassroots folk traditions into the Satanism scare of the 1980s. During the mid-twentieth century, devil worship was seen as merely an isolated practice of medieval times. But by the early 1980s, many influential experts in clinical medicine and in law enforcement were proclaiming that satanic cults were widespread and dangerous. By examining the broader context for alleged “cult” activity, Bill Ellis demonstrates how the image of contemporary Satanism emerged. In some of the cases Ellis considers, common folk beliefs and rituals were misunderstood as evidence of devil worship. In others, narratives and rituals themselves were used to combat satanic forces. As the media found such stories attractive, any activity with even remotely occult overtones was demonized in order to fit a model of absolute good confronting evil. Ellis’s wide-ranging investigation covers ouija boards, cattle mutilation, graveyard desecration, and “diabolical medicine” —the psychiatric community’s version of exorcism. He offers a balanced view of contentious issues such as demonic possession, satanic ritual abuse, and the testimonies of confessing “ex-Satanists.” A trained folklorist, Ellis navigates a middle road, and his insights into informal religious traditions clarify how the image of Satanism both explained and created deviant behavior. “An interesting analysis of satanic folklore and organized anti-satanism in the US and UK.” —Choice “Shows how ancient bogeyman beliefs became aligned with politics and the criminal justice system to produce witch-hunts like the infamous McMartin Preschool case.” —Mother Jones


Satanism: A Social History

Satanism: A Social History

Author: Massimo Introvigne

Publisher: BRILL

Published: 2016-08-29

Total Pages: 665

ISBN-13: 9004244964

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

For the first time, Massimo Introvigne proposes a general social history of Satanism and anti-Satanism, from the French Court of Louis XIV to the Satanic scares of the late 20th century, satanic themes in Black Metal music, the Church of Satan, and beyond.


Book Synopsis Satanism: A Social History by : Massimo Introvigne

Download or read book Satanism: A Social History written by Massimo Introvigne and published by BRILL. This book was released on 2016-08-29 with total page 665 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: For the first time, Massimo Introvigne proposes a general social history of Satanism and anti-Satanism, from the French Court of Louis XIV to the Satanic scares of the late 20th century, satanic themes in Black Metal music, the Church of Satan, and beyond.


Handbook of Conspiracy Theory and Contemporary Religion

Handbook of Conspiracy Theory and Contemporary Religion

Author: Asbjørn Dyrendal

Publisher: BRILL

Published: 2018-10-02

Total Pages: 570

ISBN-13: 900438202X

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

The Handbook of Conspiracy Theories and Contemporary Religion is the first collection to offer a comprehensive overview of conspiracy theories and their relationship with religion(s), taking a global and interdisciplinary perspective.


Book Synopsis Handbook of Conspiracy Theory and Contemporary Religion by : Asbjørn Dyrendal

Download or read book Handbook of Conspiracy Theory and Contemporary Religion written by Asbjørn Dyrendal and published by BRILL. This book was released on 2018-10-02 with total page 570 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Handbook of Conspiracy Theories and Contemporary Religion is the first collection to offer a comprehensive overview of conspiracy theories and their relationship with religion(s), taking a global and interdisciplinary perspective.


Michelle Remembers

Michelle Remembers

Author: Michelle Smith

Publisher:

Published: 1989-07-15

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9780671694333

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

"A best-seller, Michelle Remembers was the first book written on the subject of satanic ritual abuse and is an important part of the controversies beginning in the 1980s regarding satanic ritual abuse and "recovered" memory. The book has subsequently been discredited by several investigations which found no corroboration of the book's events, and that the events described in the book were extremely unlikely and in some cases impossible. ... Soon after the book's publication, Pazder was forced to withdraw his assertion that it was the Church of Satan that had abused Smith when Anton LaVey (who founded the church years after the alleged events of Michelle Remembers) threatened to sue for libel"--Wikipedia.


Book Synopsis Michelle Remembers by : Michelle Smith

Download or read book Michelle Remembers written by Michelle Smith and published by . This book was released on 1989-07-15 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "A best-seller, Michelle Remembers was the first book written on the subject of satanic ritual abuse and is an important part of the controversies beginning in the 1980s regarding satanic ritual abuse and "recovered" memory. The book has subsequently been discredited by several investigations which found no corroboration of the book's events, and that the events described in the book were extremely unlikely and in some cases impossible. ... Soon after the book's publication, Pazder was forced to withdraw his assertion that it was the Church of Satan that had abused Smith when Anton LaVey (who founded the church years after the alleged events of Michelle Remembers) threatened to sue for libel"--Wikipedia.


Satanism and Family Murder in Late Apartheid South Africa

Satanism and Family Murder in Late Apartheid South Africa

Author: Nicky Falkof

Publisher: Springer

Published: 2015-07-04

Total Pages: 207

ISBN-13: 113750305X

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

This book discusses two moral panics that appeared in the media in late apartheid South Africa: the Satanism scare and the so-called epidemic of white family murder. The analysis of these symptoms of social and political change reveals important truths about whiteness, gender, violence, history, nationalism and injustice in South Africa and beyond.


Book Synopsis Satanism and Family Murder in Late Apartheid South Africa by : Nicky Falkof

Download or read book Satanism and Family Murder in Late Apartheid South Africa written by Nicky Falkof and published by Springer. This book was released on 2015-07-04 with total page 207 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book discusses two moral panics that appeared in the media in late apartheid South Africa: the Satanism scare and the so-called epidemic of white family murder. The analysis of these symptoms of social and political change reveals important truths about whiteness, gender, violence, history, nationalism and injustice in South Africa and beyond.


The Satanism Scare

The Satanism Scare

Author: James T. Richardson

Publisher: Transaction Publishers

Published: 1991

Total Pages: 320

ISBN-13: 9780202303796

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Although there is growing concern over Satanism as a threat to American life, the topic has received surprisingly little serious attention. Recognizing this, the editors of this volume have selected papers from a wide variety of disciplines, broadly covering contemporary aspects of Satanism from the vantage points of studies in folklore, cults, religion, deviance, rock music, rumor, and the mass media. All contributors are skeptical of claims that a large, powerful satanic conspiracy can be substantiated. Their research focuses instead on claims about Satanism and on the question of whose interests are served by such claims. Several papers consider the impact of anti-Satanism campaigns on public opinion, law enforcement and civil litigation, child protection services, and other sectors of American society. The constructionist perspective adopted by the editors does not deny the existence of some activities by “real” Satanists, and two papers describe the workins of satanic groups. Whatever the basis of the claims examined and analyzed, there is growing evidence that belief in the satanic menace will have real social consequences in the years ahead.


Book Synopsis The Satanism Scare by : James T. Richardson

Download or read book The Satanism Scare written by James T. Richardson and published by Transaction Publishers. This book was released on 1991 with total page 320 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Although there is growing concern over Satanism as a threat to American life, the topic has received surprisingly little serious attention. Recognizing this, the editors of this volume have selected papers from a wide variety of disciplines, broadly covering contemporary aspects of Satanism from the vantage points of studies in folklore, cults, religion, deviance, rock music, rumor, and the mass media. All contributors are skeptical of claims that a large, powerful satanic conspiracy can be substantiated. Their research focuses instead on claims about Satanism and on the question of whose interests are served by such claims. Several papers consider the impact of anti-Satanism campaigns on public opinion, law enforcement and civil litigation, child protection services, and other sectors of American society. The constructionist perspective adopted by the editors does not deny the existence of some activities by “real” Satanists, and two papers describe the workins of satanic groups. Whatever the basis of the claims examined and analyzed, there is growing evidence that belief in the satanic menace will have real social consequences in the years ahead.


We Believe the Children

We Believe the Children

Author: Richard Beck

Publisher: PublicAffairs

Published: 2015-08-04

Total Pages: 352

ISBN-13: 1610392884

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

In the 1980s in California, New Jersey, and New York, Michigan, Massachusetts, and Florida, Tennessee, Texas, Ohio, and elsewhere, daycare workers were arrested, charged, tried, and convicted of committing horrible sexual crimes against the children they cared for. These crimes, prosecutors said, had gone undetected for years, and their brutality and sadism defied all imagining. What's more, the abusers had photographed and videotaped their victims, distributing the images through a sophisticated international network of child pornographers. More often than not, violent satanic cult worship had also played a central role, with children made to watch forced abortions in cemeteries and then eat hacked-off bits of the little corpses. In just over a decade, thousands of people in every part of the country were investigated as child sex abusers, and some one-hundred and fifty of them were sent to prison. But, none of it happened. It was an epic decade-long outbreak of collective hysteria – on a par with the Salem witch trials or the red scares of the 1950s. Using extensive archival research conducted in Los Angeles, Miami, New York, and elsewhere, and drawing on dozens of interviews conducted with the hysteria's major figures, Richard Beck shows how a group of legislators, doctors, lawyers, and parents, all working with the best of intentions, set the stage for a judicial disaster. A number of opportunistic journalists helped to carry the story from state to state, and the silence of their colleagues, who should have known better, allowed it to keep spreading long after it became clear that the story was simply unsupported by evidence. Beck reveals how a small group of skeptics finally began working to slow the runaway train in the last half of the decade, and he explores the fates of those accused and convicted of these unbelievable crimes, the casualties of a culture war. It is this culture war that is the books pervasive subtext – the conditions that made possible the demented frenzy of accusations were very specific, and at the root of them were competing visions of society and the things that threatened it most.


Book Synopsis We Believe the Children by : Richard Beck

Download or read book We Believe the Children written by Richard Beck and published by PublicAffairs. This book was released on 2015-08-04 with total page 352 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the 1980s in California, New Jersey, and New York, Michigan, Massachusetts, and Florida, Tennessee, Texas, Ohio, and elsewhere, daycare workers were arrested, charged, tried, and convicted of committing horrible sexual crimes against the children they cared for. These crimes, prosecutors said, had gone undetected for years, and their brutality and sadism defied all imagining. What's more, the abusers had photographed and videotaped their victims, distributing the images through a sophisticated international network of child pornographers. More often than not, violent satanic cult worship had also played a central role, with children made to watch forced abortions in cemeteries and then eat hacked-off bits of the little corpses. In just over a decade, thousands of people in every part of the country were investigated as child sex abusers, and some one-hundred and fifty of them were sent to prison. But, none of it happened. It was an epic decade-long outbreak of collective hysteria – on a par with the Salem witch trials or the red scares of the 1950s. Using extensive archival research conducted in Los Angeles, Miami, New York, and elsewhere, and drawing on dozens of interviews conducted with the hysteria's major figures, Richard Beck shows how a group of legislators, doctors, lawyers, and parents, all working with the best of intentions, set the stage for a judicial disaster. A number of opportunistic journalists helped to carry the story from state to state, and the silence of their colleagues, who should have known better, allowed it to keep spreading long after it became clear that the story was simply unsupported by evidence. Beck reveals how a small group of skeptics finally began working to slow the runaway train in the last half of the decade, and he explores the fates of those accused and convicted of these unbelievable crimes, the casualties of a culture war. It is this culture war that is the books pervasive subtext – the conditions that made possible the demented frenzy of accusations were very specific, and at the root of them were competing visions of society and the things that threatened it most.


The Satanism Scare

The Satanism Scare

Author: Joel Best

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2017-09-29

Total Pages: 320

ISBN-13: 1351474677

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Although there is growing concern over Satanism as a threat to American life, the topic has received surprisingly little serious attention. Recognizing this, the editors of this volume have selected papers from a wide variety of disciplines, broadly covering contemporary aspects of Satanism from the vantage points of studies in folklore, cults, religion, deviance, rock music, rumor, and the mass media.All contributors are skeptical of claims that a large, powerful satanic conspiracy can be substantiated. Their research focuses instead on claims about Satanism and on the question of whose interests are served by such claims. Several papers consider the impact of anti-Satanism campaigns on public opinion, law enforcement and civil litigation, child protection services, and other sectors of American society.The constructionist perspective adopted by the editors does not deny the existence of some activities by 'real' Satanists, and two papers describe the workins of satanic groups. Whatever the basis of the claims examined and analyzed, there is growing evidence that belief in the satanic menace will have real social consequences in the years ahead.


Book Synopsis The Satanism Scare by : Joel Best

Download or read book The Satanism Scare written by Joel Best and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2017-09-29 with total page 320 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Although there is growing concern over Satanism as a threat to American life, the topic has received surprisingly little serious attention. Recognizing this, the editors of this volume have selected papers from a wide variety of disciplines, broadly covering contemporary aspects of Satanism from the vantage points of studies in folklore, cults, religion, deviance, rock music, rumor, and the mass media.All contributors are skeptical of claims that a large, powerful satanic conspiracy can be substantiated. Their research focuses instead on claims about Satanism and on the question of whose interests are served by such claims. Several papers consider the impact of anti-Satanism campaigns on public opinion, law enforcement and civil litigation, child protection services, and other sectors of American society.The constructionist perspective adopted by the editors does not deny the existence of some activities by 'real' Satanists, and two papers describe the workins of satanic groups. Whatever the basis of the claims examined and analyzed, there is growing evidence that belief in the satanic menace will have real social consequences in the years ahead.