Product Description This is the classic guide to using and interpreting the black arts for seduction and manipulation. This new updated and expanded edition fills readers in on the final days of LaVey and the latest from the Church of Satan, and includes a new introduction by the churchs current leader.
Bombast and Grind ...October 9, 2008 This is material for the modern age set in front of an enormous ... bibliography which takes up the bulk of the printed pressing. It is an addition of The Satanic Bible and reads like material that was chopped from the book, but overall worthy of reading. It's not for the faint of heart and it has a very erotic tone.
Entertaing NonethelessSeptember 30, 2008 Whether you're a Satanist or you're just curious, this book by Anton Szandor LaVey will keep your attention. I found that some of the things that he mentioned in "The Satanic Witch" are actually true. Mind you, if you read a book like this you have to go into it with an open mind and not get tied up in what LaVey says. LaVey is quite well at keeping his reader's attention in all of his writings but I read this entire book in one day because I wanted to know what he would throw out there next. Overall, it's a fantastic book.
More of the satanic bibleJune 15, 2008 0 out of 8 found this review helpful
First of all, Lavey does not believe in the "devil." Instead, he believes that the devil is the collective force of evil in all mankind. He says that there is a demon inside man that must be "exercised" as opposed to "exorcised" (note the play on words). And so, he exhorts everyone to indulgence, vengeance and fulfillment of any other selfish motive that comes to mind. Lavey preaches that we "live," which is "evil" spelled backwards. John Lennon also bought into Lavey's dogma when he said "live." Lavey apparently bought this lie from the evil one. Lavey equates "love" with "sex." Lavey was a former carnival hawker who absorbed plenty of occult rigmarole and parleyed this into the church of Satan. Because of his Jewish background, his occultism is heavily influenced by the cabala. The church of Satan began in 1966 and has several thousand members today. Christians, unfortunately, are too acclimated by this stuff and pass over it without raising any vocal outrage and criticism. In the Bible, Isaiah chapter 14 gives a description of the fall of Satan citing the king of Babylon as poetic illustration. Jesus Himself confirms this in Luke 10:18. Isaiah 14: "How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star (translated as "Lucifer" in the Latin Vulgate translation), son of the dawn? You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations! You said in your heart, `I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.' But you are brought down to the grave, to the depths of the pit." Satan means "adversary" against God. The metaphor notes how he was bright like the sun and was so close to the throne of God and His glory that his fall through free will resulted in the formation of the most evil personality in all of creation. To be so close to God and fall like this is the most deplorable form of apostasy that presupposes also a great evil in one's heart. It was this same sin of "being like God" that caused the fall of man when Satan tempted Adam and Eve: "'You will not surely die,' the serpent said to the woman. `For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.'" Genesis 3:4. There is no worse deception than self deception. It should be noted that homicidal maniacs will act completely normal and serene but will destroy you the first chance they get. Homicidal maniacs are most noted by psychologists for their incredible pride. When we see Matthew 4:8, the devil made a Freudian slip of his own character, which is that of a homicidal maniac: "Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. `All this I will give you,' he said, `if you will bow down and worship me.'" Jude 8 notes that Satan still retains great power since even Michael the archangel "did not dare bring a slanderous accusation against him." Indeed, Satan brought down thunder and wiped out Job's family and caused all kinds of physical trauma to Job. Michael means "he who is like God," which means he is close to the throne of God, yet he did not dare bring a slanderous accusation. Instead, Michael said "The Lord rebuke you!" And so, only in the power in the name of Jesus our Lord can the devil be rebuked. Lavey is not alone in preaching Satan's deceit. The Mormons, theosophists, new agers like J Z knight, and so on are all preaching that we can be "gods." Lavey was not an educated man, but he was an opportunist. On some college campuses, his satanic bible outsells the bible. The northwest of the United States boasts the largest sales of this book. I suppose this reflects the dark character of the personalities of people out there in Oregon and Washington. The theme of rebellion in rock music is clearly tribute to the philosophy Lavey preached. "Do what thou wilt" is clearly the negation of "Love the Lord God with your heart, soul and mind and love your neighbor as yourself." However, unless you've lived a little and tried to do the Lord's work, you will not understand the devil's schemes and his ruthlessness. C. S. Lewis' book "the Screwtape letters" is a brilliant analysis of his schemes. I would rather choose the love of Christ over the deceit of Satan. The fate of the devil and his angels is clear: "And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever." Revelations 20:10. There are many books dealing with how to deal with the devil.
The fact not mentioned above...June 1, 2008 ... is that LaVey's books, though looking pretty 'secular' at first glance, are still interesting to be researched from mythological and even occult point of view. Am I the only one who noticed that LaVey's "personality synthesizer" is damn similar to the system of Tarot's 16 "court cards"? I can't believe it, because it seems clear and obvious, so can be used not only to 'enchant' someone but also in fortune telling and some mystical kind of work. And this is not the only example how LaVey's books (and this one is no exception) have much deeper meaning if you have enough brain and knowledge...
mehMay 22, 2008 1 out of 2 found this review helpful
I guess I'd hoped for more.. I just wasn't impressed. I mean some stuff is not inaccurate, but... still. It wasn't quite what I expected.
