Satanism
Modern Satanism: Anatomy of a Radical Subculture [Amazon] is a 275-page philosophical investigation of the modern Satanic religion/ideology, engaging issues of ethics, meta-ethics, critical thinking, and philosophy of religion. It is released by Praeger Publishing, an imprint of Greenwood Publishing, on February 28, 2009.
More Details:
Modern Satanism: Anatomy of a Radical Subculture is a comprehensive survey and analysis of contemporary Satanism, the atheistic religion founded by Anton LaVey in 1966, and its many offshoots. Satanism has been an open religion for four decades now and continues to operate successfully in its self-created countercultural niche. Given the provocative nature of its name, modern Satanism is only superficially understood as an alternative religion/ideology, and all-too-frequently seen as a medieval superstition and associated with rumors of obscure rituals, perverse hedonism, cult-like behaviour, and tales of ritual abuse and murder. These may be misconceptions, but the truth behind the unenviable reputation is no less dramatic. Satanism generally eschews supernatural beliefs and embodies a staunchly individualistic, pitiless, anti-egalitarian creed. If there are any issues of concern about modern Satanism, they arise more from the extremist overtones in its theories than from its diabolical pretensions.
Modern Satanism: Anatomy of a Radical Subculture explores the history, ideology, personalities, and practices of the decentralised international movement that contemporary Satanism has become. It provides expansive coverage of all areas of the topic: the ideal of Satan as a rebellious emblem; Satanism’s occult, literary, and philosophical influences; the history of the Church of Satan and other Satanic organisations; the ideology of Satanism; Satanism’s frequent flirtations and significant parallels with neo-Nazism and other forms of extremism; Satanism in the media and popular culture; and the reasons for Satanism’s continuing attractiveness to new converts.