Satanism
From Wikibooks, the open-content textbooks collection
[edit] Christianity and Satanism
It is apparent from a study of history that the specter of Satanism was created by the Christian church. Many of the erroneous beliefs about Satanists still believed today can be traced to The Malleus Maleficarum (Witch's Hammer) (1486) by Heinrich Kramer and James Sprenger. [1] The book was a handbook for inquisitors.
[edit] The Church of Satan
The Church of Satan was founded by Anton Szandor LaVey (1930-1997), author of The Satanic Bible (1969). In that book, LaVey argued that religions such as Christianity rejected the physical world; he was attempting to create a religion which uplifted it.
Other books written by LaVey on the subject include The Compleat Witch (1971), The Satanic Rituals (1972), The Devil's Notebook (1992), and Satan Speaks! (1998). LaVey appointed Blanche Barton command of the church, and she assumed the role when he died in 1997.
