Chapter 7 Through a Glass, Darkly - Part 1

Satanism will undoubtedly continue to conduct its perverse ceremonies and practi
ce its
sex orgies in dark and secret places. It has nothing valid to offer contemporary
society, and
its particular emphases would hasten our culture s social destruction rather than
assist in its
social evolution.
- Brad Steiger
Sex and Satanism (1969)
* * *
But hold! It s not really heresy and rottenness after all, folks. It s just good old
Anton
Szandor LaVey, the Sassy Sorcerer of California Street, up to his usual tricks.
Topless
dancers, horny boa constrictors, whippings, and Gallo Port. Something for everyb
ody.
- John L. Wasserman
San Francisco Chronicle (March 1970)
* * *
[White] Witches tell me they consider LaVey an exhibitionist and a publicity-hou
nd.
They are perfectly willing to accept his announced allegiance to the Devil while
at the same
time considering him some sort of dingbat. No one wanted to spend any time talki
ng
about him. It is not that anyone expressed fear. Rather, one by one, they tended
to shrug
him off as just another caterer to fad-mad hounds who want to cash in on a new ki
ck .
- Susan Roberts
Witches U.S.A. (1970)
* * *
Unquestionably the most extraordinary figure in Satanism today is Anton Szandor
LaVey, a former circus artist, who has founded the First Church of Satan in San
Francisco. LaVey calls himself the Black Pope and the successor to Aleister Crowle
y s
position in the hierarchy of Black Magic. Sinister or a kind of weird black joke?
In our
anything-goes society, it may not be easy to decide.
- Peter Haining
Witchcraft and Black Magic (1971)
* * *
Lavey s (sic) name would crop up from time to time in San Francisco newspapers. He
was an actor for awhile; then he was with a circus. One day he hit on the idea o
f forming a
church for Satanists. Almost certainly 60 to 80% of these self-styled Satanists
had no belief
in the Devil or wished to pay him homage. They joined for kicks . Even Lavey himsel
f
was more interested in the commercial side of his church Obviously he realizes t
hat
however much fun it is to play at Satanism, he still must stay within the law. H
e falls far
short of Aleister Crowley. Although Crowley did not call himself a Satanist, he
was
actually far more of one than Lavey could ever be. Crowley lived the part, while
Lavey
acts it.
- Raymond Buckland
Witchcraft - Ancient & Modern (1970)
- 79 -
The dark path is by no means devoid of all value. After all, it must be a practi
cal cult to
maintain the loyalty of those who follow it. But the danger lies in the applicat
ion of
perfectly workable techniques to basically evil purposes. In appealing to the ba
ser instincts
in man, as Anton LeVay (sic) does with his Satanist church, these people make no
attempt
to reconcile the fleshly nature within man with the higher, spiritual element. O
nly
witchcraft does, and in some ways represents the most balanced religious approac
h of all.
- Hans Holzer
The Truth About Witchcraft (1969)
* * *
Dr. LaVey yields to no warlock, Satanic priest, or Devil as a colorful and inspi
red
innovator and leader in the revival of black magic. He looks and dresses the par
t,
presenting a tall, dramatic figure. He has a shaven head and a carefully groomed
black
beard. His officiating garments include a black, priest-like suit over which he
wears a long
black robe lined with purple satin, a horned cap, and a Satanic medallion.
- Emile C. Schurmacher
Witchcraft in America Today (1970)
* * *
In the dim light [LaVey s] bald head and carefully sculpted mustache and beard, an
d
the dark circles under his small, weak eyes, produced in me an effect of more di
scomfort
than I would care to admit. His handshake was limp and clammy and he soon seemed
ridiculous in his theatrical outfit ... In fact, as he settled comfortably into
a barber s chair
propped in a corner, folding his hands in his lap, he appeared entirely too effe
minate for
comfort.
- David Gumaer
American Opinion (1970)
* * *
LaVey himself, whom I expected to be a bombastic, evangelistic carnival trickste
r,
running about screaming that he was the Devil incarnate, actually is a personabl
e, highly
intelligent man. Although he cuts a rather awesome figure, sporting a shaved hea
d and a
rather devilish Van Dyke beard, in conversation he is uncommonly perceptive and
displays
a keen sense of humor Despite his accusers, he is a sincere and dedicated man,
demanding sincerity and dedication from his members. He is mobilizing for a purp
ose: to
control, to gain power through the already existing social channels. I visualize
a day, he
told me calmly, when tridents and pentagrams are thrust into the sky from church
roofs
instead of crosses. I have a legacy to fulfill, and it will be fulfilled.
- Arthur Lyons
The Second Coming: Satanism in America (1970)
* * *
In all Dr. Anton LaVey seems a bit more reminiscent of John Wellington Wells, Gi
lbert
and Sullivan s sorcerer, than of Cagliostro or Crowley. It is not without signific
ance that
among those to whom the Satanic Bible is dedicated appears the name of Phineas T
aylor
Barnum.
- Father Richard Woods, O.P.
The Occult Revolution (1971)
- 80 -
He can raise you hosts of ghosts
And that without reflectors;
And creepy things with wings,
And gaunt and grisly spectres.
He can fill you crowds of shrouds,
And horrify you vastly;
He can wrack your brains with chains,
And gibberings grim and ghastly.
Then, if you plan it, he
Changes organity,
With an urbanity,
Full of Satanity,
Vexes humanity
With an inanity
Fatal to vanity -
Driving your foes to the verge of insanity!
Barring tautology,
In demonology,
Lectro-biology,
Mystic nosology,
Spirit philology,
High-class astrology,
Such is his knowledge, he
Isn t the man to require an apology!
- Gilbert and Sullivan
The Sorcerer
* * *
[LaVey] has been a hypnotist, and this too is in his light, easy melodious voice
: not the
melodramatic basso one might expect of a High Priest of Satan, but warm and good
natured
and all the more beguiling for that reason. As he spoke, he effortlessly picked
up
threads of this and that - a little physics, a little psychology, a little Nietz
sche, a little
Norman Vincent Peale. [Next to the organ] lay a musician s crib book, full of tune
s and
songs like Chinatown, My Chinatown and They Can t Take That Away From Me .
[LaVey said]: I ve dabbled around in the arts myself, so music means a great deal t
o me.
I like the romantic things - Lehar, Strauss, Verdi, Wagner of course. And I like
music with
warm melodies, charm, heroism, Sousa marches, Stephen Foster, Victor Herbert, Ro
dgers
and Hart. I mean, I m just a cornball.
- Judith Rascoe
McCalls (March 1970)
Oh, yes, one more thing. There is some talk in Satanis of casting spells on enem
ies.
And I would just like to take this opportunity, Anton, to state unequivocally th
at I am not
your enemy. I am your friend. Oh, sure, I do feel that Mr. Laurent s film gets rat
her
tedious rather fast. But that s got nothing to do with you, Anton, or the fine peo
ple in
your church. No sirree. In fact, I can honestly say that I view the Church of Sa
tan with as
much respect as I view any church. Pal.
- John L. Wasserman
San Francisco Chronicle (March 1970)