NMR ISSUE 48

Astrological Forecast 48
Be Careful What you Wish For
Cherished Secret of Success Resonance
Crone Empowered
Crystal Skull Luminaria
Daily Prayer
Doing It by the Book
Editorial 48
Esoteric Symbology of the Tarot
Frog, Cobra & Chickadee
Helping Hand or Magickal Hand
Ikhanten's Doom
Letters 48
Modern Scapegoat Rituals
North Star Road:
Other Editorial 48
Pagan Catechism
Prayer to the Goddess
Renewal Through Release
Samhain Ritual
Temple of the Goddess grounding Meditation
The Fellowship of Isis
The Kabalah in Everyday Use
The Serpent and the Radio
Timelapse
Wolf Moon
Wrath of the Gods Luminaria

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The Serpent and the Radio

By Jay Barrymore

Fundamentalist talk show host Bob Larson has received more than one death threat. Bob is the creator and star of a nationally syndicated radio show that deals mainly with the conversion of teens in trouble, which for the most part centers on kids involved in Satanic activities. Day after day, week after week, Bob receives calls (and threats) during his two-hour show from all sorts of characters, many of them claiming to be Satanists, who practice all sorts of debauchery. Whether any of these people are actually Satanists remains to be seen (though it may be safe to say that some may fall within that category).

The typical caller on the show sounds teen-aged, is usually a heavy metal enthusiast, and shows (in this writer's view) a lack of education, both in mundane and magickal training. They phone in, telling of their exploits of sacrificing the neighbors cat (and other animals) to Satan, and attempt to try to push Bob Larson's buttons. In some ways, they accomplish what they set out to do, because Bob can get very heated in his debates with his listeners; however, he does have the upper hand with most of them. The reason is Bob has a firm grasp on what he believes to be true, while his teenage opponents usually fall apart after several direct questions about how and why they practice what they claim.

One must assume that many callers are phony, and just trying to razz the evangelist. However, one also must admit there are some people who carry out weird and perverted practices under the auspices of Satanism. Whether the callers are authentic Satanists or not, they provide the fodder which the Fundamentalist Christians can use as evidence of the growing empire of Satan, which many claim is an organized network.

For an organized network, all one has to do is look to San Francisco, the headquarters of the Church of Satan. On Walpurgisnacht (Beltane), 1966, Anton La Vey, after shaving his head, declared himself High Priest of Satan, and officially began the Church. La Vey apparently had some previous magickal training (having been associated with The Order of Thelema in the Bay Area for awhile), and studied the subject extensively. However, he wanted to develop a religion based on the carnality of Man, as opposed to spirituality. He became a bit of cynic and was very aware of the gaping mouths of the Establishment that were a direct result of his activities.

Anton La Vey's variety of Satanism is very atheistic. Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die, could easily be a simple summation of the Satanists' attitude. Self-gratification and the pleasures of the flesh are the tenants of the Satanist; however, La Vey did deposit a bit of morality into his Satanic philosophy. He was opposed to interfering with another's privacy unless invited. Committing crimes such as rape, murder, stealing, etc., were abhorred. If one needs a specific thing, one can obtain it through hard work and magick. Animal sacrifice was a taboo. Hurting things out of malice was not what the Church of Satan was about.*

The first few chapters of the Satanic Bible show that the Church of Satan is meant to be a thorn in the side of the Christian Church. La Vey even takes a backhanded sideswipe at the Church by informing them that if it wasn't for Satan, the Christian Church wouldn't have a focus to keep it unified.

The Satanic Bible doesn't promote the existence of a satanic being or entity. It does include a listing of various infernal spirits (including the Greek god Pan, and several other Pagan gods!) and provides rituals in which these names can be called upon. However, La Vey's form of spirit invocation appears more to be a psychodrama, for the personal benefit of the attendees. Psychological self-help rituals and pageants are performed for the benefit of the repressed that have not given in to their whims due to society and Christianity's repression.

The Church of Satan had a major reorganization in the mid 70's when Anton La Vey became disgruntled with how operations were going, and when several prominent members, like Michael Aquino, left the Church to form their own organization called The Temple of Set. It appears that Aquino differed on whether an actual entity existed, and wished to pursue a more spiritual course, as opposed to the atheistic leanings of the Church of Satan.

After briefly examining the origins of the Church of Satan and its tenets, it's difficult to believe that many of the teen callers on Bob Larson's radio show are really organized Satanists. Those who actually do some sort of ritualistic practice are superficial at best. They may gain some of their inspiration from the Satanic Bible, but probably much of its simplistic materialist philosophy is a disappointing revelation, and they resort to the more debauched forms of rituals that we've all heard recounted on programs such as Geraldo.

A recent publication called From the Pit, edited by a self-styled Satanist in Alabama, shows the lack of sophistication that stereotypes many would-be Satanists. This publication (basically a photocopy of articles from various newspapers with an interpretation/editorial by the Satanic publisher) showed little scope and philosophy. In fact, in one issue of this tabloid, the editor called for the demise of Mother Theresa only because she has provided a lot of support and inspiration for people in great need. Not only that, but the editor emulated a more sophisticated Satanic publication, The Black Flame, by using the same wording in his submission guidelines. This is only one example; however, there are many others, which point to the conclusion that many people who adopt Satanism have little vision, character, or creativity. It is these people who call Bob Larson's radio show, and is why he can have such success refuting their belief systems.

The Satanist's relationship with Wicca is historically as volatile as it is with Christianity. Anton La Vey groups Wiccans in the White Light category of spiritual religions, and believes they are just thinly veiled Christianity. On the other hand, many Wiccans wouldn't be caught dead with a Satanist. Unfortunately, to folks like Bob Larson, both are from the same mold. Bob apparently acknowledges that Witches are trying to point out the differences between Satanists and themselves (Satanists have a knack for calling themselves Witches too) and that the two religions are unassociated; however, to a fundamentalist Christian, it doesn't matter. Both Wiccan and Satanist are being deceived by the Devil, and both are going to Hell unless they give their lives over to the fundamentalist's concept of Jesus.

In retrospect, there are two types of Satanist: the educated (such as Anton La Vey, Setian Michael Aquino, Paul Valentine, and many of their followers); and the not-so-enlightened, who practice their own ideas of what they think Satanism is all about, and are usually the ones to get the newspaper headlines. Both are a product of overt Christian repression in our society (the classification of many natural instincts and desires as sinful), but the latter group is in need of serious help. Ironically, out in the forefront, with arms open and waiting, is Bob Larson and the Christian fundamentalists, part of the cause of their depraved behavior, and from whom they are running.

* Many law enforcement agencies have carried out serious investigations into the alleged abductions, ritual abuse and murders by Satanists. The overall conclusion is a lack of evidence of an organized system. The legitimate minority religions of Satanism are protected by the U.S. Constitution and all these groups expressly forbid murder, child abuse and ritual sacrifice. Criminal acts attributed to Satanists and Devil worshippers appear to be the acts of individuals or groups of self-styled Satanists unassociated with the more visible and recognized organizations. These people seem to make up their own rituals and use the excuse of Devil worship to justify their antisocial practices.