Even in its most secular sectors, our modern society is somewhat conversion crazed. To begin with, there’s a veritable industry of documentary films designed to convert viewers to veganism. One of them—2011’s Vegucated—even centers around the filmmaker trying to convert three “meat-and-cheese-loving New Yorkers” right there on the screen before your very eyes. The film’s … Continue reading Paying Attention to What’s Behind the Conversion Curtain
Author: devilsfane
A Come-to-Jesus Moment about Come-to-Jesus Moments
The phrase “a come-to-jesus moment” has in recent decades taken on something of a more figurative, secular meaning in the English language. It now indicates any time of realization of and rededication to a new and better path. The expression can even refer to the difficult conversation or confrontation—the “intervention,” if you will—needed in order … Continue reading A Come-to-Jesus Moment about Come-to-Jesus Moments
Addendum to “Demonization in the Time of COVID-19”
The previous essay entitled “Demonization in the Time of COVD-19” took a look at pandemic denialism among far-right religious and political leadership and laypeople alike, suggesting that much of it resulted from their peculiar form of demonization that doesn’t actually take demons all that seriously. This addendum returns to this material to take a brief … Continue reading Addendum to “Demonization in the Time of COVID-19”
The only thing we have to fear…
“This is preeminently the time to speak the truth, the whole truth, frankly and boldly. Nor need we shrink from honestly facing conditions in our country today. This great Nation will endure as it has endured, will revive and will prosper. So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing … Continue reading The only thing we have to fear…
Are You Serious?
We Satanists often get asked by folks whether we’re serious about Satan and our Satanism. Usually, these questions are rhetorical or satirical in nature, the interrogators already more than obviously assuming we must not be serious because no sane person would be about such a thing, right? Cut to the present coronavirus pandemic, and now … Continue reading Are You Serious?
Demonization in the Time of COVID-19
So I recently saw the now infamous video of Fort Worth-based televangelist Kenneth Copeland and his aged male cohort angrily addressing the novel coronavirus COVID-19 by name before giving it a “blow job” and then kindly informing the sickness that it had been thereby “destroyed forever” and would “never be back.” Am I the only … Continue reading Demonization in the Time of COVID-19
Something Hollow in the State of Satanism
To judge by the despondency of several of my friends and colleagues, some of whom claim to be caught in a state of “post Satanism,” there’s a great malaise plaguing modern Satanic religion. Most of it seems to stem from disillusionment over Satanic groups and leadership not turning out to be all they’re cracked up … Continue reading Something Hollow in the State of Satanism
What’s Ailing Modern Satanism?
Hot on the heels of the success of his best-selling 1970 Christian prophecy book The Late Great Planet Earth, Dispensationalist author Hal Lindsey came out with a sequel in 1972 entitled Satan is Alive and Well on Planet Earth. Lindsey attributed his motivation to pen the follow-up to years spent during the 1960s working for … Continue reading What’s Ailing Modern Satanism?
Satanism: The Contra(ry)religion
In this long series of posts on Satanic religion as I see it, I’ve argued for Satanism as a kind of contrareligion (contrary religion?). Its principal aim: to unpack and dismantle sociologist Peter Berger’s “sacred canopy” and all similar neophobic, endocentric constructs of delayed-return worldview and religiosity. I’ve argued that this essentially destructive enterprise is … Continue reading Satanism: The Contra(ry)religion
A July 4th History Lesson: We’re Still on Repeat
Well, it's Independence Day here in the States, and of course folks are on social media sharing all kinds of distorted and revisionist history. In response to one such post on Twitter where the OP was suggesting we can look back to a bygone era in this country when immigrants had it easy compared to … Continue reading A July 4th History Lesson: We’re Still on Repeat
