Comments on: Satanic conspiracies of the 1970s and 1980s (Satan 12) http://www.philipharland.com/Blog/2006/03/23/satanic-conspiracies-of-1970s-and-1980s-satan/ Religions of the Ancient Mediterranean houses my podcast, websites, blog, and publications, providing an entryway into social and religious life among Greeks, Romans, Jews, Christians, and others in the Roman empire. Wed, 08 Feb 2012 17:14:39 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Horace Jeffery Hodges http://www.philipharland.com/Blog/2006/03/23/satanic-conspiracies-of-1970s-and-1980s-satan/comment-page-1/#comment-13003 Horace Jeffery Hodges Mon, 01 Jan 2007 10:58:55 +0000 http://www.philipharland.com/Blog/?p=159#comment-13003 Phil, you might find <a href="http://gypsyscholarship.blogspot.com/2007/01/episode-43-things-unattempted-yet-in.html" rel="nofollow">this</a> interesting ... and even relevant. Jeffery Hodges * * * Phil, you might find this interesting … and even relevant.

Jeffery Hodges

* * *

]]> By: Religions of the Ancient Mediterranean » It’s not the end of the world (or is it)?: Paul’s apocalyptic worldview (NT 2.6) http://www.philipharland.com/Blog/2006/03/23/satanic-conspiracies-of-1970s-and-1980s-satan/comment-page-1/#comment-10210 Religions of the Ancient Mediterranean » It’s not the end of the world (or is it)?: Paul’s apocalyptic worldview (NT 2.6) Thu, 12 Oct 2006 15:30:57 +0000 http://www.philipharland.com/Blog/?p=159#comment-10210 [...] If you are interested in reading further posts on this subject, click on my category for apocalypticism or on my category for the history of Satan (who plays a key role in the apocalyptic worldview). I also have a specific post which deals with Zoroastrian apocalypticism, which is an important factor in understanding the emergence of the apocalyptic worldview within Judaism and Christianity. [...] [...] If you are interested in reading further posts on this subject, click on my category for apocalypticism or on my category for the history of Satan (who plays a key role in the apocalyptic worldview). I also have a specific post which deals with Zoroastrian apocalypticism, which is an important factor in understanding the emergence of the apocalyptic worldview within Judaism and Christianity. [...]

]]> By: Religions of the Ancient Mediterranean » Judas Iscariot as the “good guy”?: The Gospel of Judas http://www.philipharland.com/Blog/2006/03/23/satanic-conspiracies-of-1970s-and-1980s-satan/comment-page-1/#comment-555 Religions of the Ancient Mediterranean » Judas Iscariot as the “good guy”?: The Gospel of Judas Sun, 16 Apr 2006 18:26:04 +0000 http://www.philipharland.com/Blog/?p=159#comment-555 [...] It doesn’t help that large portions of this section are missing, but what is clear is that Jesus speaks positively of Judas’ future act of betraying Jesus, of “sacrific[ing] the man that clothes [Jesus]”. How sacrificing Jesus human body (”the man”) through betrayal can be a positive thing is only understandable once one realizes that this author’s worldview is the thoroughly dualistic one of spirit vs. matter mentioned above, in which the material realm, especially our bodies, are a prison from which one wants to escape. In fact, the material world around us is created by an inferior being or angel or demiurge, here called “Saklas”, not by the God who sent the Christ, in the view of this and other “gnostic” authors. (In some “gnostic” writings, this creator god plays a role similar to the role that the rebel angel Satan plays in the worldview of other early Christians). In other words, Judas helps Jesus by assisting in the elimination of this material body or prison and, therefore, the spirit’s return to the perfect spiritual realm of the God who sent Christ. This act of returning to one’s proper place as part of the perfect spiritual realm is, in itself, the salvation that Jesus achieves and that other spiritual sparks trapped within human bodies, other perfect Adams, will likewise achieve by receiving the secret “knowledge” (gnosis, hence gnosticism) that Jesus brings concerning the nature of reality (in the view of this author). [...] [...] It doesn’t help that large portions of this section are missing, but what is clear is that Jesus speaks positively of Judas’ future act of betraying Jesus, of “sacrific[ing] the man that clothes [Jesus]”. How sacrificing Jesus human body (”the man”) through betrayal can be a positive thing is only understandable once one realizes that this author’s worldview is the thoroughly dualistic one of spirit vs. matter mentioned above, in which the material realm, especially our bodies, are a prison from which one wants to escape. In fact, the material world around us is created by an inferior being or angel or demiurge, here called “Saklas”, not by the God who sent the Christ, in the view of this and other “gnostic” authors. (In some “gnostic” writings, this creator god plays a role similar to the role that the rebel angel Satan plays in the worldview of other early Christians). In other words, Judas helps Jesus by assisting in the elimination of this material body or prison and, therefore, the spirit’s return to the perfect spiritual realm of the God who sent Christ. This act of returning to one’s proper place as part of the perfect spiritual realm is, in itself, the salvation that Jesus achieves and that other spiritual sparks trapped within human bodies, other perfect Adams, will likewise achieve by receiving the secret “knowledge” (gnosis, hence gnosticism) that Jesus brings concerning the nature of reality (in the view of this author). [...]

]]> By: johann http://www.philipharland.com/Blog/2006/03/23/satanic-conspiracies-of-1970s-and-1980s-satan/comment-page-1/#comment-495 johann Mon, 10 Apr 2006 14:03:02 +0000 http://www.philipharland.com/Blog/?p=159#comment-495 on zeppelin, demonizing and the new scare: no direct reference to satan per se, but... this was in the news today: http://entertainment1.sympatico.msn.ca/Celebs/News/ContentPosting.aspx?newsitemid=KP07040608&feedname=CP-SHOWBIZ_V2&show=False&number=0&showbyline=False&subtitle=&detect=&abc=abc The Clash gets man in trouble 07/04/2006 12:00:00 AM (KP International) A man aroused suspicion from a taxi driver taking him to the Durham Tees Valley Airport in northern England after the man requested the driver play music that sparked terrorism fear. Harraj Mann was headed for the airport to catch his flight to London, when he asked to listen to The Clash's punk anthem 'London Calling' and began singing along. Some of the lyrics from the song, including "War is declared and battle come down," along with Mann's demeanor made the driver apprehensive so he notified police who arrested Mann while he was on the plane. (Mann also reportedly sang along to Zeppelin's 'Immigrant Song' that includes the line "The hammer of the gods will drive out ships to new lands, to fight the horde, singing and crying: Valhalla, I am coming"). Mann was escorted from the plane, had his luggage searched and was put through rigorous questioning. After a thorough check under the Terrorism Act, Mann was released, but his plane had already taken off. "Safety is paramount and we respond to concerns from members of the public in the way they would expect us to," said a spokesperson for the Durham police. "I was laughing about it," said Mann. "But all my mates are absolutely furious. It's just left me bemused." Mann said, "I mean obviously the political climate these days is like walking on egg shells, but I mean there's caution and then there's taking it to the point where it's absurd and ludicrous." on zeppelin, demonizing and the new scare:

no direct reference to satan per se, but…

this was in the news today:

http://entertainment1.sympatico.msn.ca/Celebs/News/ContentPosting.aspx?newsitemid=KP07040608&feedname=CP-SHOWBIZ_V2&show=False&number=0&showbyline=False&subtitle=&detect=&abc=abc

The Clash gets man in trouble
07/04/2006 12:00:00 AM

(KP International) A man aroused suspicion from a taxi driver taking him to the Durham Tees Valley Airport in northern England after the man requested the driver play music that sparked terrorism fear.

Harraj Mann was headed for the airport to catch his flight to London, when he asked to listen to The Clash’s punk anthem ‘London Calling’ and began singing along.

Some of the lyrics from the song, including “War is declared and battle come down,” along with Mann’s demeanor made the driver apprehensive so he notified police who arrested Mann while he was on the plane. (Mann also reportedly sang along to Zeppelin’s ‘Immigrant Song’ that includes the line “The hammer of the gods will drive out ships to new lands, to fight the horde, singing and crying: Valhalla, I am coming”).

Mann was escorted from the plane, had his luggage searched and was put through rigorous questioning.

After a thorough check under the Terrorism Act, Mann was released, but his plane had already taken off.

“Safety is paramount and we respond to concerns from members of the public in the way they would expect us to,” said a spokesperson for the Durham police.

“I was laughing about it,” said Mann. “But all my mates are absolutely furious. It’s just left me bemused.”

Mann said, “I mean obviously the political climate these days is like walking on egg shells, but I mean there’s caution and then there’s taking it to the point where it’s absurd and ludicrous.”

]]> By: Kevin P. Edgecomb http://www.philipharland.com/Blog/2006/03/23/satanic-conspiracies-of-1970s-and-1980s-satan/comment-page-1/#comment-420 Kevin P. Edgecomb Sat, 25 Mar 2006 02:07:27 +0000 http://www.philipharland.com/Blog/?p=159#comment-420 Many years ago, my junior high school had a booksale. Now, I'm not dyslexic, but some trick of the eye made me laugh out loud and buy the unknown-to-me Hal Lindsey's book, thinking I was purchasing "Santa Is Alive and Well on Planet Earth"! I still remember that disappointment.... Many years ago, my junior high school had a booksale. Now, I’m not dyslexic, but some trick of the eye made me laugh out loud and buy the unknown-to-me Hal Lindsey’s book, thinking I was purchasing “Santa Is Alive and Well on Planet Earth”! I still remember that disappointment….

]]> By: Jennifer http://www.philipharland.com/Blog/2006/03/23/satanic-conspiracies-of-1970s-and-1980s-satan/comment-page-1/#comment-418 Jennifer Fri, 24 Mar 2006 14:31:25 +0000 http://www.philipharland.com/Blog/?p=159#comment-418 Thank you for answering my question! Thank you for answering my question!

]]> By: Phil Harland http://www.philipharland.com/Blog/2006/03/23/satanic-conspiracies-of-1970s-and-1980s-satan/comment-page-1/#comment-417 Phil Harland Fri, 24 Mar 2006 13:10:36 +0000 http://www.philipharland.com/Blog/?p=159#comment-417 Thanks so much, Bartholomew, for filling us in on some of the details both here and in your earlier post. Phil Thanks so much, Bartholomew, for filling us in on some of the details both here and in your earlier post. Phil

]]> By: Bartholomew http://www.philipharland.com/Blog/2006/03/23/satanic-conspiracies-of-1970s-and-1980s-satan/comment-page-1/#comment-415 Bartholomew Fri, 24 Mar 2006 06:47:46 +0000 http://www.philipharland.com/Blog/?p=159#comment-415 You rightly point out the role of therapists in creating the panic - the most notorious being the late psychiatrist Lawrence Pazder, who went so far as to persuade his patient-informer Michelle Smith to leave her husband and marry him. But Pazder's book "Michelle Remembers" was just one in a whole genre of Christian "Satanic survivor" paperbacks. Let us not forget Mike Warnke, Lauren Stratford (championed by Hal Lindsey), Audrey Harper and the rest of the hysteria-mongering crowd. Funnily enough, I wrote a blog entry on this not long back: http://blogs.salon.com/0003494/2006/01/09.html (And in response to Jennifer's query, I think Peretti's book was more a symptom of the conspiracy theory's decline. As Satanic conspiracy theories were being discredited, there was a turn in some Christian circles towards the idea of supernatural attacks by demons themselves, rather than by mere human Satanists. Thus we see the likes of Derek Prince and C Peter Wagner coming to the fore, with their Pentecostal ideas of "Deliverance" and "Spiritual Warfare". Peretti's book fits more into this paradigm.) You rightly point out the role of therapists in creating the panic – the most notorious being the late psychiatrist Lawrence Pazder, who went so far as to persuade his patient-informer Michelle Smith to leave her husband and marry him. But Pazder’s book “Michelle Remembers” was just one in a whole genre of Christian “Satanic survivor” paperbacks. Let us not forget Mike Warnke, Lauren Stratford (championed by Hal Lindsey), Audrey Harper and the rest of the hysteria-mongering crowd.

Funnily enough, I wrote a blog entry on this not long back:
http://blogs.salon.com/0003494/2006/01/09.html

(And in response to Jennifer’s query, I think Peretti’s book was more a symptom of the conspiracy theory’s decline. As Satanic conspiracy theories were being discredited, there was a turn in some Christian circles towards the idea of supernatural attacks by demons themselves, rather than by mere human Satanists. Thus we see the likes of Derek Prince and C Peter Wagner coming to the fore, with their Pentecostal ideas of “Deliverance” and “Spiritual Warfare”. Peretti’s book fits more into this paradigm.)

]]> By: Jennifer http://www.philipharland.com/Blog/2006/03/23/satanic-conspiracies-of-1970s-and-1980s-satan/comment-page-1/#comment-412 Jennifer Thu, 23 Mar 2006 15:35:16 +0000 http://www.philipharland.com/Blog/?p=159#comment-412 Hello, I found your blog searching on info relating to biblical archaeology. Very interesting article. I recall a heightened fear of satanism during the 1980s, including high profile crime cases in which murderers and rapists claimed to be under demonic influence, and others in which crimes were blamed on satanic groups. I can’t think of any specifics at the moment, though, most recently of course this claim was put forth by Scott Peterson’s defense team at one point. Do you think the popularity of Frank Peretti’s books (This Present Darkness, et al) played into the hysteria at the time? Hello, I found your blog searching on info relating to biblical archaeology. Very interesting article. I recall a heightened fear of satanism during the 1980s, including high profile crime cases in which murderers and rapists claimed to be under demonic influence, and others in which crimes were blamed on satanic groups. I can’t think of any specifics at the moment, though, most recently of course this claim was put forth by Scott Peterson’s defense team at one point. Do you think the popularity of Frank Peretti’s books (This Present Darkness, et al) played into the hysteria at the time?

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