Satanism Today - An Encyclopedia of Religion, Folklore and Popular ...

God, The Devil And Bob 97
scientific exploration and practical
development of the Art of Magic, rather than
the sociological and philosophical aspects of
Satanism. These are developments that can
only be attained by self-discovery and
retrospective reconstitution. Therefore we
believe that Satanism, as a religion, is an
expression of ones understanding of the
world around one, Ones place in that world
and ones duty to the “self.” It’s a constant
interplay of cause and effect that we attempt
to control by the method of magic. If we keep
basic physics in mind and learn to adjust any
given action to the proper chord the re-action
will become mathematically predictable. The
mechanics of space have always been a key to
the successful practice of magic.
The balance of the manifesto outlines the
various grades of development within the order.
As reflected in this document, GOTOS leans
heavily toward the ceremonial magic tradition,
especially as bequeathed to modern Satanism by
Aleister Crowley and Crowley’s student, Frater
Achad (Charles Stansfeld Jones). Unlike certain
other groups, the Gnostic Order and Temple of
Satanas is not simply an online organization,
although it does have an online program.
Members of the online program are, however,
associate members and are not considered official
initiates of the order.
See also Crowley, Aleister; Gnosticism; Left-Hand
Path; Magic and Magical Groups
For Further Reading:
The Gnostic Order and Temple of Satanas official
international website.
http://www.satanist.net/northernstar.
Goblins
In contemporary English, goblin connotes an evil
spirit, sort of a small demon. Originally goblins
were a grotesque tribe of fairies who delighted in
frightening people with malicious pranks, such as
the kinds of activities one associates with poltergeists.
They could, however, also be helpful around
a house, in the same way that brownies could be
helpful. The expanded term hobgoblin was originally
reserved for helpful goblins. However,
perhaps because the Puritans used goblin and
hobgoblin to designate evil spirits, both words
eventually acquired demonic connotations.
See also Demons
For Further Reading:
Guiley, Rosemary Ellen. The Encyclopedia of Ghosts
and Spirits. New York: Facts on File, 1992.
Masello, Robert. Fallen Angels and Spirits of the
Dark. New York: Perigee, 1994.
God, The Devil And Bob
God, the Devil and Bob was a short-lived NBC
television show that originally aired on March 9,
2000. It was canceled after only four episodes
because twenty-two local NBC affiliates refused
to air the program. The larger background plot
within which the individual episodes were slotted
was that God—who, as one reviewer noted,
looked suspiciously like Jerry Garcia—had
become disgusted with humanity and was on the
verge of destroying the world. If he felt up to it,
he said, he might start over and try again.
Explaining this to Satan at a Detroit car show, he
decides that, in the interest of fairness, he will
give humanity one more chance. He then asks the
Devil to choose one person who will be given the
task of restoring God’s faith in the humanity. The
chosen one is Bob Altman, a thirty-two-year-old
auto worker with a wife and children. Bob must
save the world while coping with the pressures of
everyday life. Both God and Satan are presented
as limp shadows of the beings they were traditionally
imagined to be. God wears sunglasses
and drinks lite beer. Satan, on the other hand, is
a thin whiner with self-doubts who sports a
goatee and an English accent. When Bob asks
him about hell, he retorts that, “It’s a festering pit
of agony and despair,” but then adds, “Oh, I put
in a koi pond!” Not exactly the Prince of
Darkness.
See also Film; Humor
For Further Reading:
Carman, John. “NBC Puts Its Faith in Cartoon
God.” San Francisco Chronicle. March 9, 2000.
Goodman, Tim. “Cosmic Cartoon, Dude.” San
Francisco Examiner. March 9, 2000.