Bearing the Devil's Mark

by Matt Paradise

Bearing The Devil's Mark is a bold and no-nonsense treatise on the subject of Satanism -- not from the perverse pen of bitter and jealous Christians or even their pagan counterparts, but straight from the Satanic perspective itself! Through both personal observation and established fact, Bearing The Devil's Mark taps into the vein of the world's most feared religion and presents its undiluted insight on the human condition. Sex, love, politics, technology, the God religions, and more -- all brought to you by someone with over 25 years of actively living the Satanic philosophy. Matt G. Paradise is Executive Director of Purging Talon, a Satanic media company responsible for releasing groundbreaking and often imitated audio, video, print, and Web work since 1993. Paradise is also a Magister in the Church of Satan and, since the early-1990s, has also done media representative work for the CoS through all major media forms -- network television, radio, print publications, and the Internet.

Genres: Satanism, Philosophy, Religion

176 pages, Paperback

First published April 21, 2008

Reviews

[Draconis Blackthorne · Rating 5 out of 5]

A splendid collection of Magister Paradise's essays accumulated from Not Like Most magazine, The Black Flame, and other sources, demonstrating his wit, wisdom, and experiences both in the "inner circle", and world abroad. Subjects range from misanthropic social commentary to multimedia reviews, relationships, aesthetics, racialism, technology, blindlight foolosophies, and even includes a Walpurgisnacht ritual!

Concluding with a bang with the Appendix section, including an interview, Satanism faq, suggested reading, and quite remarkably, The Mail Bag! Like the segment concluding The Church of Satan book by Magistra Blanche Barton, the former lists a series of humorous correspondences from the various poseurs, the would-be spoon-fed, hypocritical christians, and ignoramuses alike.

Greatly complimenting the contents within, gracing the cover of the tome is photography wrought by Witch Melanie Laetitia Mantis, of Magister Diabolus Rex's admirable sculptural art entitled Sigil of Apocalypse.

Overall, the book flows gracefully from one subject covered by a series of essays to another, providing concentrated contemplation for the elitist misanthrope. Bearing The Devil's Mark receives the Devil's Seal of Approval.

[Michael Kalb · Rating 5 out of 5]

First and foremost, this man speaks from the vantage point of not only having spent years ahead of the wolf-pack, but in terms of media, erudition, pragmatism and a total Satanic weltanschauung. In short his bullshit filter is on zero tolerance an his fiery wit leaves no alter stone unturned. With biting chapters such as Ego Transference and the Herd, Producer or Consumer? Which One Are you?, Dating Outside Your Race, Let's Hear It For Sexual Objectification, The Misanthrope's Survival Guide and Satanism and Racialism, one would be tough for choice to find a more rightfully pilgarlic view.

Another telling point as far as Matt G. Paradise's strong Satanic character is his derision at those card carrying slackers who try to hitch a ride on the coattails of those public Magisters and Priests yet produce jack-fuck-all, let alone get away from the computer enough to even apply Satanism to its full effect. Let us be candid here, few members can say they have topped his efforts in many a Satanic arena.

Now this isn't to say some of that sadistic humor we've come to expect from any true blue Satanist isn't posited within and believe me, Mr. Paradise cuts through the best of them with all the skill of a Kenkaku. Just read those hilarious and nearly unbelievable letters (Appendix V) and tell me you do not laugh like R. M. Renfield!
So in a nutshell this is yet another book from our higher ups in the C.o.S. that should grace our bookshelf next to Essays In Satanism, The Satanic Scriptures, Infernalia, The Church of Satan and the works of Anton Szandor LaVey.