Rumors of Devil-worship; or Satanism; have circulated for centuries. Tales of Black Masses; demonic possession; mysterious nighttime ceremonies; and human sacrifices have captured the popular consciousness; prompting the Christian Church to move aggressively to root out Satanism and its practioners through often extraordinarily brutal means of detection and interrogation. Until recently the stuff of myths and stories; allegations of occult worship have of late taken the form of police investigations concerning ritual child abuse; teens involved in Satanic cults; and serial killings. Unsubstantiated rumors have found their way into the popular and serious press and have been reported as fact; often with little or no verification. Obsessive anti-Satanists find evidence of Satanic lyrics in rock music from Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven" to Live Aid's "We are the World;" while the numbers "666" are found in barcodes in supermarkets. The Lure of the Sinister draws on a remarkable range of sources; from newspapers and pulp literature to early modern works on demonology to explore the entire history of Satanism from the origins of the Devil in pre-Christian theology through the Inquisition to the life and times of Aleister Crowley; "the "wickedest man in the world." The book also investigates modern charges of Satanism; the psychology of the people who make the allegations; and the legal and religious contexts in which they arise; showing how rumors of Devil-worship come to take on a life of their own. Lively and wittily written; The Lure of the Sinister reveals a strange tapestry of dark and fearful beliefs which have haunted our imagination for centuries.
#585620 in Books Michael Glazier 1995-06-01Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 8.23 x .33 x 5.41l; .37 #File Name: 081465536X120 pages
Review
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. What is Magisterim?By Ed SpeartoothSolid exposition of Catholic teaching. Neither Catholic fundamentalist nor Catholic pablum. Catholic thought plainly stated in proper context9 of 10 people found the following review helpful. The Bible; the Church; and Authority: The Canon of the Christian Bible in History and TheologyBy Patrick E. SiebertAn enthralling read. Being a novice at learning the origins of Christianity and First Century Christianity; I was most impressed with the ease at which Father Lienhard explained the issues faced by the Early Church Fathers and the later Reformationists. I was drawn to the book like a magnet. Father Lienhard does not write preferentially for one faith or the other. He gives you facts as they were (and are) and lets you form your own conclusions. I am totally satisfied with this book.4 of 4 people found the following review helpful. Definitive summary of how the Bible came to beBy Transcendental ThomistThis slender paperback; based on lectures by a Jesuit scripture scholar; is the clearest and most concise summary of how the Biblical canon -- i.e. the official list of books in the Hebrew and Christian bibles as we know them today -- came to be formed over the course of many centuries. It unravels the mystery of how the Bible went from oral tradition; to fragmentary texts; to formal books and collections of books. It's the best scholarly treatment of this subject available in English; summarizing an incredible amount of research; but it's also accessible enough for non-scholars to read and understand. If you've ever wondered how the Bible came to be; as we all know it didn't fall from the sky; then this is the book for you. It's the best on the market.
