Abstract
This paper first addresses the Christian bias in American culture despite the country's being founded upon the idea of freedom of religion. The paper then addresses the largely held misconception of Americans that Wicca is an anti-Christian religion and promotes Satan worship. The paper clarifies by describing the fundamental beliefs and practices of Wicca, a religion that promotes self-empowerment through earth based imagery and the employment of elemental energies. Lastly the paper asserts that no religion should be persecuted based on its tenets or beliefs, provided that it does not promote violence or aggression.

From the Paper
"Perhaps Wicca is not truly a 'religion' as many of us understand that term. However, Wiccans are not the only ones whop do not believe in the One Almighty God theory. Simply because their beliefs run counter to what we were taught or what our parents and their parents handed down to us does not make them dangerous or evil. There are historians and religious scholars who see Wicca not as a religion, but as a belief system, founded in pre-Christian times in Ireland, Scotland and Wales."

Tags:religion, cult, witches, satanism, nature, god, deities, elements, earth

Abstract
This paper discusses why Rudolfo A. Anaya's book, "Bless Me, Ultima", should not be banned, as it simply reflects the views and lifestyles of the Mexican-American heritage. It looks at how, although detractors have argued that the book promotes witchcraft and devil worship, the book is actually a more complex look at the conflicts between indigenous culture and spirituality and Western culture and the Catholic religion. It also explores how the banning of "Bless Me, Ultima" raises serious issues about banning books because they contain controversial themes or issues. Such bans challenge the very nature of democracy and the tradition of respecting diversity of religious and political thought in the United States of America.

From the Paper
"Bless Me, Ultima, tells the story of six-year-old Antonio Marez, who grows up in New Mexico in the 1940s. The story begins as Antonio's family takes the elderly Ultima into their home. Writes Anaya, "Ultima was a curandera, a woman who knew the herbs and remedies of the ancients, a miracle-worker who could heal the sick. And I had heard that Ultima could lift the curses laid by brujas, that she could exorcise the evil the witches planted in people to make them sick. And because a curandera had this power she was misunderstood and often suspected of practicing witchcraft herself" (p. 5). Throughout the story, Ultima acts as a spiritual guide to Antonio, who is torn between his mother Maria's a devout Catholicism and the spirituality that Ultima represents."

Tags:mexico, witchcraft, devil, worship

Abstract
This paper examines Ngugi's 1982 novel,"Devil on the Cross", in the light of two articles on African politics and the postcolonial experience of Kenya. In his work, Ngugi describes a Cold War post-colonial African novel that attributes all things wrong in Kenya to the British period/Mau Mau repression. It also touches on the corruption, the need to remove the effects of European cultural change and economics.

From the Paper
"Ngugi Wa Thiong'o (B 1938), a native son of Kenya's Gikuyu community, was well known for his novels addressing the colonial and post-colonial fortunes of Kenya when Devil on the Cross appeared in 1982. An allegorical novel, it tells of the experiences of Wariinga in Nairobi that cause her to return to her home town, Illmorog, in response to a printed invitation to attend a feast of thieves directed by the Devil. In reference to the behaviour of various privileged Kenyans after Independence, the thieves she meets are former businessmen and other capitalists who discuss the..."

Tags:kenya, ngugi, devil on the cross

Abstract
This paper reviews "A Brief Instruction in the Worship of God and Discipline of the Churches of the New Testament" in which John Owen attempts to explain the set-up of a Christian Church. Owen's work is presented in a question and answer format, which the review imitates by addressing each of Owen's questions and adding commentary. The reviewer also criticizes some of Owen's ideas, including his liberal outlook toward other sects of Christianity. The reviewer concludes by describing Owen's work as a catechism or explication of Christianity.

From the Paper
"The first question that Owen poses is, "What doth God require of us in our dependence on him, that he may be glorified by us, and we accepted with him?" Owen's answer to this question is, "That we worship him in and by the ways of his own appointment." Owen believes that the worship of God is natural because of the nature of God and the nature of man. God's nature means that anyone who knows God must worship him. Furthermore, man was created so that he could honor God in the manner commanded by God."

Tags:John, Owen, A, Brief, Instruction, in, the, Worship, of, God, and, Discipline, of, the, Churches, of, the, New, Testament, Christianitiy

Abstract
This paper examines how authors of literature have used their work to address societal fears and issues in order to allow their writing talents to shed light on a fear of society. It looks at how this is the case in classic works of literature regarding making pacts with the devil. It analyzes how, in "The Devil and Daniel Webster", the pact with the Devil and the actions of the Stones provide an interesting backdrop for those who have concerns about selling themselves to the Devil for immediate material gain. It also examines how, in addition and also by contrast, the world has been treated to two versions of "Faust", which also focus on the Devil and what the Devil means to current society. It shows how, although each of the stories has a different plot, there are many similarities, as well as differences, regarding the Devil and the characters in the stories.

From the Paper
"While the story of The Devil and Daniel Webster illustrates how true personalities come out when the money and the devil get involved the story of Faust shows a different angle when it comes to personality and those in the story. In both versions of Faust there is a foundational understanding of the influence the devil had at that time in history(Synopsis of the plot of Faust (October 2002). While Stone dealt with the devil for money, Dr. Faust is searching for the answers to life. In that quest he too deals with the devil. He is obviously depressed as he has contemplated suicide twice in the past already which provides a backdrop for the devil to entice him into the idea of a deal. This is the first difference between personalities in this story as compared to the previous one. Faust is in despair and old while Stone is angry and young. There are completely different motivators for the two stories and their characters' personalities."

Tags:society, fears, literature, stone, dr

Abstract
In this article, the writer deals with the attempted conversion of the Amerindian during the Spanish conquest of the New World. The writer explains why this conversion occurred and why it was not completely successful. The writer then analyzes the Catholic Church's perceptions of devil worship and its reactions to New World diabolism as well as discussing the causes of these reactions. The writer notes that the common medieval and Colonial Era views of unknown populations must be also discussed and understood. Further, the writer discusses how native diabolism plays an interesting role in the fusion of Catholicism and native religion.

From the Paper
"It can be comfortably argued that the discovery and subsequent conquest of the Americas is the single most influential event of modern times. Furthermore, it is doubtlessly the most influential event of its relative time period; it begins and defines the Colonial Era. This discovery initiated countless conflicts over land, money and resources. Aside from the material causes of conflict, the incorporeal issues of humanity and religion in the New World were sources of heated contention that were powerful enough to mold and shape long held values systems and religious ideologies.
"Despite the extent of the Catholic Church's political power in the Colonial Era, Amerindian culture may well have been left in relative peace if it were not for the papal bull of 1493."

Tags:Spanish, Conquest, Amerindian, colonialism, missionaries

Abstract
This paper provides a scene-by-scene analysis of the play "Equus," by Peter Shaffer. The writer examines the play's characters, its non-linear structure, its forward and backward action and its main themes. A disturbing play about a psychiatrist (Martin Dysart) who thinks he can solve everything by reason and an adolescent (Alan Strang) who is filled with passion but forced by his family to leave his passion, the writer shows how Alan Strang's obsession with horses and conflicting perception of religion and sexuality derive from his mother's words, and make him abnormal. Shaffer's use of sound and light effects, and scenes such as the dream sequences to emphasize his themes is also described. The paper concludes that Shaffer is successful at portraying the psychology of characters and "Equus" is a drama in which the themes of passion, reason and worship and the ideas of "normal" and "abnormal" are linked by Shaffer in order to make his audience question their beliefs and society.

From the Paper
"There are two main characters in the play, Martin Dysart and Alan Strang, the protagonist. While the play is Alan's story, it soon becomes Dysart's story, too. Dysart is a psychiatrist and is asked to treat Alan Strang. Dysart admits to treat Alan as a patient, believing his lawyer friend Hesther Salomon that the boy has something special. In Act I, the audiences learn that Alan comes from a Christian mother - Dora Strang - and an atheist father - Frank Strang who have arguments in agreeing how to raise Alan. Alan's mother tries to impose religion on Alan and does not avoid talking about sex as well. As he grows up and becomes a teenager, his mother's words become confusing for him."

Tags:obsession, confusion, passion, psychology, confrontation, hypnosis, devil, symbolic, sexuality

Abstract
Scene Twelve of "Dr. Faustus" is important as it premeditates the death of Faustus in the final scene. The paper shows that the audience might feel great sympathy for his despair and worry, but the contrast of the courageous old man and Faustus' praising of the Devil reminds them of the reasons for his downfall. The paper shows that this scene represents the symbolic hubris, passion and ambition of Faustus which has driven this man away from the virtues of godly worship and the security of his soul, and towards the illicit pleasures of the Faustian pact and the damnation of his soul.

From the Paper
"The penultimate scene of Dr Faustus is one of the most important in the play as we see Faustus both enjoying his illicit gains and despairing at the forthcoming damnation of his soul. It follows a chorus by Wagner, where he describes the drunken and self-indulgent behavior of Faustus. This demonstrates that Faustus is adhering to the demonic principles by which he has lived, and rejecting the pious Christian existence. At the beginning of scene twelve the reader is left wondering whether the drunken bravado of Faustus is sincere or hollow."

Tags:Duchess, of, Vanholt, Wagner, Mephastophilis

Abstract
This paper examines the history of the specific religion that worships Satan directly. The paper explains that Satanists revel in balking authority and Christianity, and scoff at the idea of bowing to anyone. The paper points out that despite the fact that the philosophies so prevalent in Satanic literature and religion are growing in popularity in America, most Americans are still repulsed at the mention of Satanism.
The paper then looks at how, throughout the entire history of Satanism and various Satanic groups, the quest for power and fulfillment of the flesh are the overriding tenets of their dogma. The writer concludes that while Satanists today are in some ways making a modern day Faust-like pact with the devil for power and earthly "freedoms," most don't realize or accept that the traditional end to that story leaves Faust and them spiritually dead.

Table of Contents:
Introduction
The Ancient Egypt Connection
The Zoroastrian Contribution
The Muslim and Christian Satan
Other Ancient Gods of Importance to Satanists
Effects of the Enlightenment on Modern Satanism
Francois Rabelais
The Monks of Medmenham
Hell-Fire Clubs
Aleister Crowley
Gerald Gardner
Anton Szandor LaVey
Temple of Set
Satanism Today
Conclusion

From the Paper
"Islamic lore states that Satan was Azazel, the First Angel, and he was cast from heaven when he refused to bow down to man. Luciferians feel that Satan is not completely evil but a balance of both good and evil. Satanists embrace Azazel because of his independence and freethinking; some feel that they themselves are separate from their original creator. Azazel was also made of fire, which Satanists feel is superior to clay.
Lilith is also a key figure in Satanism. She is the Triple Goddess, or Hecate, maiden, whore and hag, and her number is three. Those who recognize her nature will be gifted with her wisdom of Magick. She is "the very nature of Az who is the Mother of the Luciferians. " Aleistar Crowley compared Lilith and Az to the whorish biblical Babylon. Lilith is used in witchcraft rituals to summon succubae or incubi."

Tags:cults, sect, bible, witchcraft, evil

Abstract
This paper compares of the ideas of Cotton Mather and the themes of Nathaniel Hawthorne's short story,"Young Goodman Brown."

From the Paper
" From the perspective of it is difficult to credit such an idea until one is reminded of the fundamentalist zeal of Nazis or religious fanatics who blather about great Satans and howl for death to this ..."

Tags:Cotton, Mather, Nathaniel, Hawthorne, Puritanism, Young Goodman Brown, Witchcraft, Devil, Worship