Satanism and Its Malcontents

Satanism: The Seduction of America's Youth by Bob Larson (Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989, ISBN: 978-0840730343)

This book was written by: Bob Larson, who writes that "as the host of America's most listened-to talk show for more than six years, I've encountered many kids who credit Satan as the inspiration for their outrageous conduct"(p.27). Those experiences are shared in this book because "I want you to understand the roots of this satanic system so you too can effectively combat its lures and lies"(p.31).

Together, we will expose evil from the seamy to the sinister. And we'll see why evil entices rather than repels. Most importantly, we'll understand how to lovingly rescue those who sell themselves to Satan and become the devil's disciples on an altar of sacrifice(p.21).

Bob Larson also battles demons on the internet, and he has set up a test you can take to rate whether you are at risk for demonic possession. It evaluates a number of factors, such as whether you have experienced life-changing trauma, whether you have asked Satan to take your life in exchange for something, and whether you are currently being or have ever been incested.

What is in this book: A wealth of information on Satanism and its adherents, like how you can spot them by the way they "dress in black, greet each other with the satanic salute [...], speak and write backwards, or organize secret meetings"(p.29), and one Satanist’s account of how “I identified myself by wearing my left shirtsleeve rolled up and keeping my left pinkie fingernail unclipped and painted black”(p.106). Larson includes “suggestions for parents and counselors who want to help youth resist these influences"(p.30) and alerts you to Satanic dangers you may not have been aware of. "You may meet someone who seems like a super friend who always has drugs available. He may be trying to draw you into Satanism"(p.89), like that Super Friends episode where a Satanist got Robin addicted to meth and tried to sacrifice the Wonder Twins to the dark lord.

What is not in this book: Delusional hysteria. Larson describes how Satanism is a very real threat, and confirms it with some of the stories that his callers tell him:

"I'm four months pregnant with my father's child. But it's not the first time," Pat went on. "I've had four other children by him. They were sacrificed in satanic ceremonies!"(p.69)

Pat is not the only one. "Women previously involved in satanic cults tell of becoming brides to Satan. Others claim they were inducted to become baby breeders, to conceive babies for sacrifice without birth or death records"(p.122). While Satanists are deceitful by their very nature, we know that their stories are true because they wouldn't dare violate the sanctity of a radio call-in show, especially when they have little to gain from lying.

Would you recommend this book to Satanists who are fans of Slayer?
Yes, because Larson shares valuable insight from his "once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to go behind the scenes on a rock 'n' roll tour"(p.11) with Slayer. Slayer's fans seemed genuinely satanic, wearing "metal regalia [that] openly invited evil. There were thousands of jean jackets, backs emblazoned with demonic depictions: horned goat-man (baphomet) symbols of Satan, gruesome images of devils, and more upside-down crosses than a denizen of demons could concoct in a month"(p.13). However, the band was “pampered, bored, and anxious to get home"(p.16), traveling in a "glorified Winnebago [that] was somewhat luxurious, if contemporary K-Mart is your style"(p.15) and paying little obeisance to the Dark Lord when not on stage.

Would you recommend this book to Al Lewis? Absolutely. "Teenagers today grow up in a world saturated with satanic symbols and suggestions—black metal music, Dungeons & Dragons, horror movies, occult emblems, and diabolical paraphernalia"(p.27), and this is dangerous because "those who worship Satan get the idea through movies, books, music, videos, adult propaganda, or other avenues"(p.117). Grandpa Munster would be one of the first ones to tell you that it used to be different. “Classic fiction” was the inspiration for horror movies from back in the day (the sixties), but “today's movies and videos are more graphically sinister, concentrating on inescapable terror and ghastly revenge. The fixation is not on myth-making and storytelling, but on death and destruction."(p.67) Another one of Larson’s callers gives us a glimpse at what the world could be like if we went back to the classics:

' I saw a Vincent Price film. Some guy discovered another guy didn't like him. So he found some dogs, killed them, and made pudding out of them.[....] When I got home from seeing the movie, I got drunk and killed the family dog.'(p.62)

What was interesting about this book?
Larson’s book is a wake-up call for the forces of darkness because “barring themselves, Satanists believe the world is comprised of bumbling idiots. They develop the attitude that 'we' are the elite, 'they' the chumps"(p.192), but thanks to this book, we can finally prove that they are the chumps!
Additionally, "The devil’s disciples are mostly middle-class and white. [And] a high percentage are male because of the macho posturing required for blood-spilling rituals and acts of desecration"(p.105), but it turns out that Satan is kind of a pussy. "The defilement of children is important to Satanists. The more helpless the victim, the greater proof of their devotion to the devil"(p.125), so either Satan doesn't expect his disciples to actually exert themselves, or he's afraid of receiving sacrifices that might be able to kick his ass.