We Are Satanists

Book excerpt: Blanche Barton traces the roots of Anton LaVey's notorious religion to ancient Epicureanism and Middle Eastern traditions, through the medieval alchemists and Romantic poets, flavored by the decadence of the Hellfire Clubs and the courts of Europe, intertwined through the fin de siècle diabolists to reveal how modern Satanists express and explore this thoroughly contemporary philosophy. You will meet healthcare workers, creative artists, VR developers, scientific innovators, teachers, military personnel, and business leaders who have boldly made their pacts with Satan, reaping considerable rewards. Through Barton's intimate knowledge and extensive interviews with current Satanists, as well as her behind the black curtain access to the present High Priest and Priestess of the Church of Satan, this book provides an unprecedented glimpse into this shadowed, secretive world.