Satanic Ritual Abuse
Ryder
1992
Okay, I am officially “over” all the Satan stuff. But before we move on to some other topics, here are some adult nonfiction titles that are all about Satan and ritual abuse. As many folks here have already commented, I am of the opinion that this is NOT a current enough “problem” (if it EVER was) to warrant inclusion in a public library collection. Regardless of your feelings on this subject matter, what an interesting topic to mull around for collection development amusement! And who said library science is boring?
Mary
Ultimate Evil
Terry
1988
The problem with these books is that they play on people’s fears. Btw, what the heck is up with the cover of “The Ultimate Evil”?
Regardless, I remember when I was 14 in Catholic youth group, a police officer came in and gave us a presentation of cults, more specifically satanic cults. He had pictures and information of the cases that he investigated. I was 14, so this stuff scared the living heck out of me!
Are these exaggerations? I really don’t know. All I do know is that Satan worshipers make no sense to me. For instance, if you believe in Satan, then you believe in the all loving God. Thus one asks, why do you worship Satan?
Because Satan’s rewards are instantaneous. He gives you whatever you want – money, sex, power – all with a snap of his fingers. God’s you have to work for.
In other words, “God helps those that help themselves. Satan helps anyone willing to pay his price.”
Think of all the people whom gamble looking for instant riches. People who go on reality tv making fools of themselves looking for instant fame. Get rich quick schemes. People don’t want to work. God makes you work for it. Satan presents it to you on a platter.
Anyway, I have to agree I’m over the whole Satan books here. When a book it so bad you find yourself scrolling down to see grandmas in girdles you know it doesn’t need discussion. Just weed the sucker.
And obviously the 2nd cover is a Hellhound/rabid dog.
Well we’re in danger of hi-jacking the purpose of the website, and I truly do not intend to do so….(and now for the obligatory…)
But–your post rings Catholic. As a recovering Catholic, I too once said those things. But other views say that God’s blood was the price already paid. I don’t have to DO anything. God doesn’t ask me to perform a stunt for him. Receiveing God’s love is no work at all, nor is my entry into heaven blocked for having not performed these supposed deeds.
I think if you back off your Catholisism, you may find it more difficult to answer Danielle’s question. Why WOULD someone worship Satan? I’m sure many gamblers are also believers, just misguided and not without sin. I would also suggest that the world of gamblers has as many real ‘Satan worshipers’ by percentage as the non-gambling world. I find the attempted link odd at best, and proposterous at worst.
I apologize for the hijack LOL.
Back on track: I would weed this book because anyone claiming to link Manson and SOS is probably happy to also show you thier genealogical research linking them to Abe Lincoln, Socrates, and King Tutenkhamun.
lmao! What? Are you comparing people who fall for those “get rich quick” schemes to Devil worshipers? Those who look to Satan except an afterlife in hell. Actually, they purposely choose this afterlife. That’s not a little bizarre to you?
Actually, Patrick, I was raised Protestant but my maternal ancestry is Jewish (which, by tradition makes me “As Jewish as Moses, Abraham, and Barbara Streisand” as one Rabbi told me) and my belief system more of a mix of the different Judaisms out there. I’m just pointing out that Satan, according to traditional beliefs and stories, offers the lazy person a way to get what they want now on earth. Rather then working for it.
Of course those same people believe that Satan will make them his right-hand-man/woman in Hell and therefore they don’t have to pay the price in the afterlife.
I always thought it would make an interesting movie where Satan comes out with the perfect diet product. And only a select few fat people whom are not looking for a quick fix figure out that those whom are signing up for this product are unknowingly losing their immortal soul. So it’s up to a select few fatties to take on Satan and save the world!
Oh and let me add I hate the term “recovering Catholic” or what have you. Belief in God is not a disease. I highly suggest you pick up the book Why Faith Matters by Rabbi David Wolpe. The Rabbi himself used to be an atheist, not to mention he has brothers who are scientists and a father who’s a rabbi. So he knows all the arguements people have against God and faith. I think it’ll open your eyes and at least make you more tollerant of us believers.
What? What is SOS? Why do devil worshippers do genealogical research? I don’t get it. Too old I guess.
Jami:
How could you POSSIBLY read my post and conclude I was a nonbeliever? Answer: You couldn’t. Thus, seeing as you do not intend to read posts prior to responding to them, please allow me to ask you take your soapbox elswhere. This is a fun site and hopefully it remains that way.
So which part of Satanic cults involve being attacked by what appears to be a rabid kangaroo?
The Ultimate Evil’s cover just made me lose my lunch. Some library has got to have a book on the faux malady “restless leg syndrome”. Post one of these next time and give me a good laugh!
No, these books are not meant to scare people. They are based on true cases.
“Daniel Ryder” was not involved in the McMartin case so he wrote the children’s version of his “breaking the Circle” from what he heard. In all, it is pretty accurate–but I have not seen the entire book.
“In all, it is pretty accurate…”
If Ryder had an “accurate” idea of the McMartin case, he wouldn’t write a book so titled, except perhaps to cash in.
What basis are you using to determine this “accuracy,” by the way?
When I was at DPL one of the stack endcaps had the word ‘occult’ on it. Oh yes….I was there a lot, you know, ‘how to read Tarot’ and stuff. Gotta admit, you can get lost in those books for a while.
Our occult shelves are empty. The stuff gets stolen so fast we can’t keep up.
I bought the “Circle” title from a used bookstore because it was so bizarre. The accounts in this book were just plain crazy.
The human mind gets fixated on just about anything, and sometimes gets stuck there. There’s a whole branch of learning theory around what’s called “superstitious” behavior – i.e. when someone feels that not stepping on the cracks in the sidewalk brings them good luck, etc. Even pidgeons get fixated on these sorts of ineffective behaviors – and people who’re addicted to thinking of things that frighten – are, basically addicted to their fright-adrenal response. Like sky-divers. Nothing wrong with that until you start torturing animals. Or prisoners of war.
To answer the question, why would anyone worship Satan, I say, why not. Is it really any worse then being Islamic, Christian, or Jewish? After all, how many wars have been caused by Satanists? Oh, wait, the answer is none. How many have been caused by the other religions? All of them. As an Atheist I find it hard to understand people ignoring the fact that most evil in our world has been caused by the organized religions.
It should also be pointed out that the stories of Satanic influence in the McMartin preschool case have been totally and irrevocably discredited.
Love the website by the way, and I’m not even a librarian. Just a library patron.
The whole “satanic cult” thing was nonsense, and many innocent people went to jail for NOTHING. I look at these books the same way I would look at a racist cartoon from the 1930’s, “Can you believe how stupid people were back then?!”
Here’s a link to an excellent book on the hysteria.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/081269192X/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B0001LYEVY&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1PTTCK1TVQFRYWF1SC0X
“Charlie” Manson? What’s with the cutesy nickname?
yes, that’s the real tragedy; that people were convicted of these completely nonexistant crimes and spent years in jail.
as for satanists; youtube has as many as you can shake a pentagram at…
“why would anyone worship satan?” — perhaps to get a reaction out of those who don’t? or maybe: if you’re going to worship a deity who seems likely to smite you, does it really matter which one?
and: dogs are satanic? this is the image we should juxtapose with the name ‘charlie’ manson? ‘CHARLIE’?? wtf?!! so was ‘charlie’, like, mr. terry’s neighbor who never returned that [insert name of gardening implement here]?
there’s helpful and there’s helpful. it could be useful for a library to have certain titles so people who might consider buying them can examine them and, realizing how shoddy the writing is, and how poor the documentation (or how brilliant the writing is, and how thorough the documentation), make a purchasing decision. seems fair to me.
but once the thing’s out of print, that feature will be much less valuable. definitely a weeder.
geez.
Are you sure Stephen King didn’t write the second one?
It’s odd, to me, that a webpage that was set-up to address an “awful” library book is being used to influence visitors to deny the existence of ritual crime, and ridicule authors of other, more valid books about that subject. Although the original book in question was totally inappropriate for children – and especially for children who have been ritually abused – the existence of this poorly-thought-out book neither proves nor disproves the existence of ritual crime. I am also concerned that pictures of covers of other books from the late 80s and early 90s were also included, in a way that seemed intended to emotionally shock visitors and influence them to therefore deny the existence of ritual crime. Further, although the question of whether a pentagram is right-side-up or upside down in Satanic rituals may seem valid, in actuality, it simply depends on where the victim stands, while looking at the pentagram. If a visitor is truly interested in the subject of ritual crime, many excellent, and empirically supported books have been written about the subject since then. To learn more about ritual crime and other forms of organized criminal activities related to child abuse, animal abuse, extreme abuse, and the violation of human rights, please visit our website at http://naffoundation.org. Thank you.
Kathleen speaks out for the ritually abused, to make people more conscious of what has and continues to happen. Voyeuristic covers have always been used to attract people, to sell books. It’s the material inside that tells the real story. Ritual abuse is REAL, and it is happening as we speak. As long as you hide your heads in the sand, you also may, one day, become a victim. Wake up!!
Whoa! Better stay out of my public library!
I meant…I had better stay home, since libraries may be a perfect place for abduction.
Am I the only one who is familiar enough with British slang to find it highly appropriate that a foundation dedicated to promoting discredited scaremongering rumors about ritual abuse and government mind control programs goes by the acronym NAFF?
@hapax – I am somewhat familiar with British slang, but admittedly, I had to look up ‘NAFF’ after your post. And yes, it’s highly appropriate. After looking at the NAFF site and all its reports on government mind control programs, I’m picturing a group of people wearing tin-foil hats.
Ritual abuse happened to me and many people I know. Those that want to cover up these crimes only add to the suffering of myself and others.
I don’t want to beat a dead horse, and I am very sorry for whatever pain happened to the person in the last post.
However, the fact that the very first case cited in the link provided was the tragic miscarriage of justice of the West Memphis Three destroys all credibility in the remaining argument.
I am curious, however, as to whether “abuse survivors” thinks that the books in the main post — dated, sensationalistic, and filled with demonstrable exaggerations and errors — are helpful? Since that is the ostensible topic of this blog?
This is my last posting on this webpage. I need to make two clarifications.
First, after having advocated for survivors of extreme abuse for over 20 years, and after attending many conferences and meetings populated by survivors of ritual abuse, I’ve yet to meet any who wear a foil hat, or who do anything else that would be considered socially inappropriate. I have, however, met many individuals who present themselves as skeptics abou ritual abuse, who behave in very disturbing ways as they clearly attempt to deflect our attention from the existence, and prevalence, of organized forms of criminal child abuse.
Second, I was also dismayed to discover what NAFF means in Great Britain. However, since our organization educates the public about crimes and human rights violations occuring in North America, the acronym is not an issue on this side of the Atlantic.
Again, if you wish to leave this heckling environment and find legitimate information about ritual crime, and other forms of organized abuse, visit http://naffoundation.org
Thank you again for your time and attention.
Thanks to Kathleen Sullivan for the thoughtful professional comments on ritual abuse. Although it’s a topic that has been exploited and sensationalized, and there have been some instances of hysteria associated with it, the reading I have done has led me to believe that it certainly does occur. I think it’s important that people have access to information on ritual abuse.
Our copy of The Ultimate Evil includes the catalog note “Includes local content.”
This post is offensive whatever happened to “don’t judge a book by it’s cover?” The dates these books were written were when ritualistic abuse was rising in the U.S. Trust me, it happens, it’s probably not of epidemic proportions, but is one of the most traumatizing forms of abuse possible. Having counseled others through these traumas I can’t condone making fun of it. If you’re going make fun of a cover only the second one would be appropriate. I can understand the humor in it.
The thing that bothered me was the original poster’s comment that this was “NOT ever a problem if it EVER was.” Seriously, do you doubt that others go hungry or have AIDS anymore just because you don’t currently see it around you and there’s a current lag of report in the media regarding these topics? Gotta love when people are so small minded and still insist that their viewpoints are knowledgeable enough to post online a critique of a book they haven’t read. You saw a book cover that looked funny to you, how clever…
Okay everyone, I can’t keep up with comments on Satan stuff and my spam account has about flipped out. I think the satan subject for ALB is done now. Let’s move all move on with another topic. As a final comment, let me reiterate that my comments and Holly’s reflect our personal view and should not be taken as standard for every library. I would also add that the job of a librarian is to select material for the library that reflect the community’s wants and needs, with in the parameters of a selection policy and budget. This website and forum is for an intellegent discussion of that idea. ‘Nuff said. Go on about your business now!
Mary
I would also like to point out that these posts are NOT merely “judging a book by its cover.” The entire point of this blog–which many who have been brought here by the satanic books seem to have missed–is to judge the content, condition, relevance, etc., of these books to determine whether they should be taking up shelf space in the library. How best to demonstrate that visually? Well, often outdated covers or illustrations are a convenient way to exemplify why the book ought to be removed from libraries–because, yes, outdated cover art and illustrations do often accompany outdated information, and furthermore, patrons very often do judge a book by its cover. I’ve seen it many times–somebody wants a book on, I don’t know, gardening, and I take them to the gardening section–and see them recoil in horror at a perfectly fine book that has a ridiculous cover illustration. So, I know that is anecdotal evidence, but to a certain extent the aesthetics of a particular book do in fact matter.
evil appears to be overtaking this post.
Wow…this prompted me to do a search in our library’s catalog for “satanism,” and we have the top book listed here, “Breaking the circle of satanic ritual abuse.” It actually has been checked out, but only 33 times in 10 years. Does that mean that 33 different people in our library have had this problem?
I would sacrifice my firstborn child to own The Ultimate Evil.