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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 4 of 4. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Racer on July 18, 2005, at 13:02:29
I'm reading a book called "Satanism in America: How the Devil Got Much More Than His Due" by Shawn Carlson. It's very ... interesting...
It's a response to the rash of Devil-worship claims from the late 80s -- published in 1989 by Gaia Press -- and goes through piece by piece by piece, checking the background of many of the claims, and exploring alternate theories. Pretty interesting, and I'm learning a fair amount from it about a number of things. For example, did you know that Anton Levay's Church of Satan does not believe in the Judeo-Christian Devil? I didn't. I just assumed, because of the name...
It's even offered up a phrase I particularly like: "Never attribute to Devil-worshipping conspiracies what opportunism, emotional instability, and religious bigotry are sufficient to explain." Pretty good advice, huh?
Has anyone else read anything about this sort of thing? Anyone else have any interest?
Posted by partlycloudy on July 18, 2005, at 22:33:16
In reply to Satanism in America, posted by Racer on July 18, 2005, at 13:02:29
I can't say that I have done any research beyond reading Steven King and Anne Rice Books; and I haven't done serious reading about it being a regular part of our society, Personally, I'm happy that it stays on the fringes. And if any regular church services start preaching anti delivish messages, why I just take a quite mental holiday, not wanting to be on anyone's sides. I just do the standard Lords, thanks for everything we have before us prayer; and skirt everything else.
I think Satanism needs a lot more Hollywood power to be successfull - and an interview by Howard Stern.
Posted by alexandra_k on July 19, 2005, at 4:23:12
In reply to Satanism in America, posted by Racer on July 18, 2005, at 13:02:29
I have read some stuff...
Mostly in relation to DID.
There was a dramatic rise in the number of cases reported - especially in Bible belt areas.
They understandably took an interest
(possession)
Some bright spark suggested that satanic ritual abuse might just be a cause of the disorder.
Hypnotism...
The stories came rolling out...The police looked into the stories.
People who claimed that they were forced to sacrifice and eat younger siblings.
People who claimed that they were loaned to the cult to be ritually abused.One woman claimed that she was forced to kill and eat over 100 people I think it was.. Then... Over time... She realised that if that really happened to her then somebody in her very small town would have known / seen something. People would have gone missing. Something. She sued her therapist for encouraging her believe that these memories were accurate and if my memory serves me (;-)) his lisence to practice in the US was lifted.
(He set up shop in Australia and up went the number of reported cases over there...)
I have also read about it by Dennett. This is highly speculative (even for Dennett) but he thought that maybe people who claim to have been abducted by aliens might have been sexually abused and they are having funny distorted memories. That that is why people tend to report invasive 'operations'.
I dunno.
I dunno.I think it can be one of the dangers of thinking that 'abuse of objectively sickening severity' is required in order for people to justify their being f*cked up.
And the popular conception of memory (as being fixed and immutable and accurate) just lying there in the brain waiting to be remembered doesn't help much either.
Posted by crazy teresa on July 20, 2005, at 1:18:55
In reply to Satanism in America, posted by Racer on July 18, 2005, at 13:02:29
I have trolled some religious websites while doing a research paper and "listened to them talk." It was very interesting.
t
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