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Amazon.co.uk Review
The Satanic Bible claims the heritage of a horde of evil deities--Bile', Dagon, Moloch, and Yao Tzin to name a few--but these ancient gods have no coherent connection between each other or to Satanism, except that all have been categorised by Christianity as "evil". Calling on these ancient names like a magician shouting, "Abracadabra", LaVey attempts to shatter the classical depiction of Satanism as a cult of black mass and child sacrifice. As the smoke clears, he leads us through a surprisingly logical argument in favour of a life focused on self-indulgence. The Satanic Bible is less bible and more philosophy (with a few rituals thrown in to keep us entertained), but this philosophy is the backbone of a religion that, until LaVey entered the scene, was merely a myth of the Christian church. It took LaVey, and The Satanic Bible, to turn this myth into a legitimate public religion.--Brian Patterson, Amazon.com
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Called "The Black Pope" by many of his followers, Anton La Vey began the road to High Priesthood of the Church of Satan when he was only 16 years old and an organ player in a carnival:
""On Saturday night I would see men lusting after halfnaked girls dancing at the carnival, and on Sunday morning when I was playing the organ for tent-show evangelists at the other end of the carnival lot, I would see these same men sitting in the pews with their wives and children, asking God to forgive them and purge them of carnal desires. And the next Saturday night they'd be back at The carnival or some other place of indulgence.
"I knew then that the Christian Church thrives on hypocrisy, and that man's carnal nature will out!""
From that time early in his life his path was clear. Finally, on the last night of April, 1966--"Walpurgisnacht, " the most important festival of the believers in witchcraft--LaVey shaved his head in the tradition of Ancient executioners and announced the formation of The Church Of Satan. He had seen the need for a church that would recapture man's body and his carnal desires as objects of celebration. ""Since worship of fleshly things produces pleasure," he said, "there would then be a temple of glorious indulgence . . .""
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
clever, yet so poor,
By A Customer
This review is from: The Satanic Bible (Mass Market Paperback)
The only reason I can consciously review this book as having any merit is for the fact that LaVey was a very clever, witty, and frighteningly charasmatic figure. Plus the fact that a book giving such a poorly thought out philosophy could manipulate thousands of weak minds into near worship of the author, which is, I suggest, all LaVey wanted.Instead of going to one extreme of Roman Catholic-stereotypes of Christianity as a mind-washing, dominating relgion, LaVey simply suggests the reader go to the other extreme of a state of mind-washing one's own self. The whole thing is certainly very appealing to the teenage audience at which it is aimed. But the whole philosophy of being one's own God is too self-orientated for a society-based organism. One can not have a life worth living if all one ever considers is one's self. It's all just a giant rebellion no better than that which it is going against. Of course, I think LaVey knew all this. Yet he continued to live only for himself, which is why, with the exception of a pathetic minority, the world will remember LaVey mainly as the guy who dressed up in a devil suit and appeared in Rosemary's Baby for all of five minutes. He built himself around Hollywood, not a thousand or so dedicated followers who meant nothing to him except his next paycheck.
15 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Pseudo-philosophy from Mr. LaVey,
By Antonis (Cyprus) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Satanic Bible (Mass Market Paperback)
I liked the book when I first read it. But behind its nice writing style, its spooky language and its dark cover, at the end, what you get is a book that uses the name "Satanism" to gain attention and promote a pseudo-philosophy of egoism.LaVey very cleverly uses the contradiction within the Christian history and movement to promote his own trash, by explaining how he understands human nature, magic, and so on. The book itself is largely taken from other authors like the peculiar Ragnar Redbeard who wrote Might is Right, so I actually can't see how this book is even credited as an original work of LaVey. It is also beyond me why people believe that this book is an actual work of theistic Satanism, as LaVey clearly states that his movement is atheistic, and they use Satan as a symbol. In all its mystical atmosphere, Satanism at the end is but another irrational movement or "religion", promoting itself as the true answer. If you want to read this nonsense, go ahead, but if you want a decent understanding of human nature, go for some known philosophers, or study a bit of psychology.
72 of 88 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Maybe we are all Satanists!,
By
This review is from: The Satanic Bible (Mass Market Paperback)
The Satanic Bible is without doubt an intriguing, thought-provoking and mind-opening book. Yes the title and its dark cover is sinister and captivating. The name itself will attract people to buy it or get hold of a copy and read it. As stated in the book it has become more popular than the Bible especially amongst college students. Maybe it is a fad or a fashion item to add to one's collection. However take away the Devilish side, the stereotypical horned god that your soul is sold to, and this book will make you redress your existence within this world.The book is not one long "dig" at the Christian church; it does not tell you to go out and sacrifice a live animal or a young virgin, but puts across a new perspective on the term Satanist from the eyes of the author Anton Szandor LaVey (the founder of the Church of Satan). Look at your life and look at how you do things on a daily basis. Dig deep into your conscience and realise that you often get angry, or depressed, or bitter and resentful, or jealous, or feel good about yourself, and indulgence yourself, and so on, and realise as argues in the book, everyone at some point will commit the seven deadly sins - think hard at why such sins were "invented" by the "white" religionists - after all they are natural human traits. After reading this book I'm afraid to say that you will find it hard not to say you are not a Satanist is part or in full. Don't buy this book if you think it is a fantasy adventure that will take a Hollywood style approach to what is viewed as the dark side, evil beings, Hell, Leviathan etc. This book analysis life - humanism - and how for far too long people have lived as sheep's, blindly following a faith that is maybe out of date. Personally I have to partially if not fully perceive myself as a Satanist. I can relate many parts of my life to the theory's put forward in this book. Don't be put off from poor reports about this "novel". Open you mind, your eyes and take heed from what is written. It has already been said in another review, but this will be one of the best books you will ever buy. If I ever had the chance to meet the author, I wouldn't hesitate to shake his hand and thank him for his enlightenment, his courage to stand up against the grains of moral brain washing that the human race has been subjected to and buried in for over two thousand years. Note: the author does not condone God, in whatever shape or form you perceive him to be; he merely puts forward notions and theories of the Devil, the dark forces, Satan, Belial, Lucifer etc as a way of enjoying life, freedom, self-empowerment etc.
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