"There are two ways to be fooled: One is to believe what
isn't so; the other is to refuse to believe what is so."
- Soren Kierkegaard
Kierkegaard's observation was well understood by C.S. Lewis. In
_The Screwtape Letters_ Lewis noted that people often either
dismiss as mere nonsense the devil's existence and interaction with
mankind, or they believe but have an excessive interest in him
(either of which error delights the devil immensely). In an
analogous manner, many people today tend toward either of two
opposite extremes. Some consider it preposterous, medieval,
tabloid-mentality, simple gullibility and/or paranoia to think that
in this "enlightened age" people actually invoke and worship Satan.
Others (mainly Christians) are too quick to label as "Satanists"
those who participate in any variety of occultism. Seeing a
Satanist "under every rock and tree," they exaggerate the number of
people actually involved with Satanism.
We must avoid these extremes if we are to accurately analyze
and appropriately respond to our topic -- Satanism. It is a fact
that Satanism, in its various forms, exists and merits the
attention of the church and law enforcement agencies.[1] Ignoring
it will not make it go away. But neither will overstating the case
(i.e. the extent of Satanism) contribute to its demise.
In the news media across America, Satanists are being charged
with such crimes as mutilating and sacrificing animals, desecrating
churches, profaning and robbing graves, exhuming corpses, raping,
kidnapping, child molestation, ritual murder and cannibalism. Do
Satanists really do these things, and if so, do all Satanists or
just certain ones? Why would they commit such crimes? Furthermore,
how pervasive is Satanism today? These are just a few of the common
questions that will be addressed in this article.
Due to the highly clandestine character of many Satanists it is
nearly impossible to accurately approximate the number of both the
people involved in Satanism, and the crimes directly related to it.
But it can be safely stated that the criminal aspect of Satanism is
serious enough to warrant many police departments around the nation
training staff concerning how to identify and counteract this
menace to society. Additionally, based upon information supplied by
law enforcement agencies, researchers, former Satanists, and
observers of socioreligious trends, it appears that in the
foreseeable future the situation will get worse before it gets
better.[2]...
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