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

192 Nimrod
Nowhere is this suspicion of dreams more clearly
demonstrated than in the notion of incubi and
succubi—demons who, during their victims’
dreams, took the form of handsome men and
seduced women in their sleep, as well as demons
who took the form of beautiful women and
seduced men in their sleep. These creatures were
particularly useful for explaining sexual dreams in
a society where any form of illicit sex was viewed
as demonic and where sexual desire was regarded
as a weak point where evil forces could subvert the
most upright Christian. This was an especially
crucial point for monastics, for whom celibacy
was part of their most sacred vows. Given this
general perspective, it was almost inevitable that
sexual dreams should come to be viewed as the
work of the devil. One can imagine the dismay of
clergy, monks, and nuns who awakened with vivid
memories of erotic dreams. By attributing such
dream images to evil spirits who seduced them in
their sleep, they could absolve themselves of
responsibility for such dreams. To once again cite
from Pererius: “If dreams that are obscene, repulsive
and full of cruelty and impiety come so very
often to sober, upright and religious men, it is not
unjustly held that these dreams proceed from the
devil. For the devil tries to pollute the bodies of
sleeping men with impure dreams and defile them
so that he may make their minds, when they
awaken, somehow partners in his foulness” (Ibid).
See also Aquinas, Thomas; Demons; Incubi and
Succubi
For Further Reading:
Baskin, Wade. Dictionary of Satanism. New York:
Philosophical Library, 1962.
Eliade, Mircea, ed. Encyclopedia of Religion. New
York: Macmillan, 1987.
Guiley, Rosemary Ellen. The Encyclopedia of
Dreams. New York: Crossroad, 1993.
———. The Encyclopedia of Witches and Witchcraft.
New York: Facts on File, 1989.
Kesey, Morton. Dreams: The Dark Speech of the
Spirit. New York: Doubleday, 1968.
Kramer, Heinrich, and James Sprenger. Malleus
Maleficarum. 1486. Trans. Montague Summers.
New York: Benjamin Blom, 1970.
Nielsen, Niels C. Jr., et al. Religions of the World.
New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1983.
Van de Castle, Robert L. Our Dreaming Mind. New
York: Ballantine, 1994.
Nimrod
Nimrod was a hunter, the son of Cush, and,
according to legend, the moving force behind the
tower of Babel. In the book of Genesis, he is
mentioned briefly in Chapter 10: “Nimrod . . . was
the first on earth to be a mighty man. He was a
mighty hunter before the Lord; therefore it is said,
‘Like Nimrod a mighty hunter before the Lord.’
The beginning of his kingdom was Babel, Erech,
and Accad” (Gen. 10:9–10). According to Jewish
legend, Nimrod was one of the Nephilim—the
children of the angels who, as it says in Genesis 6,
“saw that the daughters of men were fair and . . .
took to wife such of them as they chose” (6:2).
Such a geneology would make him a son of a
fallen angel.
See also Fallen Angels; Nephilim
For Further Reading:
Ginzbery, Louis. The Legends of the Jews.
Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society of
America, 1954.
The Nine Satanic Statements
The Nine Satanic Statements refers to a set of nine
assertions that Anton LaVey, the founder of
modern Satanism, made in the introductory
chapters of his best-selling Satanic Bible.
Although he may or may not have intended them
as such, they have become a touchstone of
contemporary organized Satanism. The Nine
Satanic Statements can often be found reprinted
on Satanist websites, and have provided a paradigm
for other, comparable documents (e.g., the
Nine Satanic Sins). They constitute, in effect, brief
aphoristic statements that capture the core of
Satanic philosophy:
Satan represents indulgence, instead of
abstinence!
Satan represents vital existence, instead of
spiritual pipe dreams!
Satan represents undefiled wisdom, instead of
hypocritical self-deceit!
Satan represents kindness to those who deserve
it, instead of love wasted on ingrates!
Satan represents vengeance, instead of turning
the other cheek!