Langone D.M. & Blood, L. (1990). Satanism and occult related violence: What you should know. Weston, MA: American Family Foundation.

OVERVIEW

On a purely descriptive, informative level, this is a helpful book covering a variety of topics on Satanism: historical background, current events, modern variations of Satanism, reasons for involvement, effects and signs of involvement, ritual abuse, intervention, and more. It is particularly helpful in pointing out different levels of involvement in Satanism and how depth of involvement affects intervention. It is an excellent resource for an introduction and overview of Satanism. Still, there are some problems with portions of the book.

This book has an anti-supernatural bias because of two apparent factors:

• It was written largely as a reaction against "sensational," "hysterical" reports on Satanism.
• It was written from a "secular and psychological perspective." (p. 7)

The book fails to mention the religious/spiritual aspect of the problem. At times, the authors’ portrayal of Satanism is naïve and could be considered ignorant, dangerous, and unbiblical. A few examples will suffice:

Magic is conceived of as a powerful but neutral force that can be utilized for good or evil. (p. 48)

Most adolescent involvement in Satanism and nonviolent occultism is probably not serious and will pass with time. (p. 66)

After calling Dungeons and Dragons "only a game" (p. 55) and discussing demons used in the game, the authors conclude that "this is unlikely to cause problems unless the player comes to view these beings as real."

This is a good informational resource on Satanism. Yet, the book needs balance by dealing with the spiritual issues involved.

IMPLICATIONS

1. Satanism is a definite reality and may be increasing among teens.
2. Schools, mental health professionals, youth leaders, and families need to educate and prepare themselves for dealing with this issue.
3. When studying Satanism, one must be discern fictional accounts from the real thing. Look for evidence and check the sources.

Jeff Crosby cCYS