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Edge of Evil: The Rise of Satanism in North America
Discusses the rise of Satanism in the United States and Canada and examines what parents can do to protect their children
276 pages, Hardcover
Published January 1, 1989
54 people want to read
About the author
Jerry Johnston
28 booksDr. Jerry Johnston is an author, communicator, producer and director of documentaries and TV specials, fundraiser for Transmedia and Christian causes, and the Launch Director of the Christian Thinkers Society (CTS), which created by his only son, Jeremiah Johnston. Jerry Johnston has captivated schools and churches around the world with his messages that concern vital issues, ever since his start as a pastor in 1974. Since then, Jerry Johnston has moved from communicating in churches to communicating within the digital space.
Now a filmmaker and producer with his wife, Dr. Cristy Jo Johnston, Jerry Johnston have built up a repertoire in media by appearing on many TV shows and producing videos for Word Publishing that distributes to over thousands of churches. Both Jerry Johnston and Cristy Jo Johnston are currently putting their knowledge and experience of media towards a new project: And Then There Were None. This project is a documentary that is a3-year, international investigation of the large increase of the religiously disaffiliated.
Ultimately, the Johnstons would like to use the digital space to be able to speak to the world. Their mission is to eventually build an International Internet Church, as well as a School of Speaking, Teaching, Culture, and Media Excellence at Houston Baptist University—using the digital world they’ve come to know and appreciate.
Now a filmmaker and producer with his wife, Dr. Cristy Jo Johnston, Jerry Johnston have built up a repertoire in media by appearing on many TV shows and producing videos for Word Publishing that distributes to over thousands of churches. Both Jerry Johnston and Cristy Jo Johnston are currently putting their knowledge and experience of media towards a new project: And Then There Were None. This project is a documentary that is a3-year, international investigation of the large increase of the religiously disaffiliated.
Ultimately, the Johnstons would like to use the digital space to be able to speak to the world. Their mission is to eventually build an International Internet Church, as well as a School of Speaking, Teaching, Culture, and Media Excellence at Houston Baptist University—using the digital world they’ve come to know and appreciate.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
August 20, 2012
Only the goofiest of goofy conspiracy theories straight out of the 1980s satanic panic, when every kid listening to Slayer or Iron Maiden was suspected to be a closet devil worshiper.
Jerry Johnston was a fraud who made a lot of money being ignorant.
Jerry Johnston was a fraud who made a lot of money being ignorant.
June 30, 2019
Mostly I would rate the book at 2-stars, but there's too much about it that could (and maybe did) lead to harm. Rhetorically, at face value, Johnston does a lot more than one might expect of the "Satanic Panic" promulgators to caution against hunting witches or giving in to hysteria. He even hedges his bets on the reality of Satan's existence. But damn does he hedge: there are frequent, long-form quotations (almost always from first-name-only sources) about demonic spirits, psi power, human sacrifice, sex magick, and other such nonsense.
And there's credulous acceptance of recovered-memory "therapy" (at least two of the cited therapists had their licenses revoked), taking the occult imagery at face value and not considering that the depression is in fact the thing. Has there been any study into correlations between the war-ravaged Vietnam generation raising kids in the 1980s, and the ramifications thereof?
Moreover, for all the careful non-denominational tightrope walking that Johnston accomplishes, he is indeed championing a rather conservative bent of American Christianity. It's not all Protestant; he gives cover to historical Catholic outrages by uncritically portraying the medieval Cathars and Knights Templars as satanic cults, rather than mostly the victims of Papal or French-monarchical ambition.
So, for all the hilarity I enjoyed trying to figure out which of the current or former occultists Johnston interviews are intentionally screwing with him, and for whatever true menace cultish gangs posed in the 80s or in $CURRENT_YEAR, it gets lost in a muddle of hype and "what if 20% of it is really true" false skepticism. This is an artifact of a national embarrassment.
And there's credulous acceptance of recovered-memory "therapy" (at least two of the cited therapists had their licenses revoked), taking the occult imagery at face value and not considering that the depression is in fact the thing. Has there been any study into correlations between the war-ravaged Vietnam generation raising kids in the 1980s, and the ramifications thereof?
Moreover, for all the careful non-denominational tightrope walking that Johnston accomplishes, he is indeed championing a rather conservative bent of American Christianity. It's not all Protestant; he gives cover to historical Catholic outrages by uncritically portraying the medieval Cathars and Knights Templars as satanic cults, rather than mostly the victims of Papal or French-monarchical ambition.
So, for all the hilarity I enjoyed trying to figure out which of the current or former occultists Johnston interviews are intentionally screwing with him, and for whatever true menace cultish gangs posed in the 80s or in $CURRENT_YEAR, it gets lost in a muddle of hype and "what if 20% of it is really true" false skepticism. This is an artifact of a national embarrassment.
April 27, 2020
Not what I expected.
I had previously read Satanic Panic: The Creation of a Contemporary Legend by Jeffrey S Victor and seen many books about how it's real (most of them quoting Scripture on every page), and I was expecting more of the latter here. And a forward by flaky reporter Geraldo Rivera, it seemed to be an unintentionally funny/stupid book in the works.
Johnston actually walks a middle path in this book. He tells of his trips across the country, checking out some cases where Satanic ritual or sacrifices allegedly took place, and delves into the psychology of Satan worship. His final conclusion is that if you want to keep your kids from getting into serious trouble (of any kind), then you actually need to do some parenting.
I had previously read Satanic Panic: The Creation of a Contemporary Legend by Jeffrey S Victor and seen many books about how it's real (most of them quoting Scripture on every page), and I was expecting more of the latter here. And a forward by flaky reporter Geraldo Rivera, it seemed to be an unintentionally funny/stupid book in the works.
Johnston actually walks a middle path in this book. He tells of his trips across the country, checking out some cases where Satanic ritual or sacrifices allegedly took place, and delves into the psychology of Satan worship. His final conclusion is that if you want to keep your kids from getting into serious trouble (of any kind), then you actually need to do some parenting.
January 24, 2024
This book is a snapshot of its era which was the '80s and early '90s Satanic Panic. It must have been a great time to be an American teenager, when you could prank adults by telling them "My coven meets on all the 72 major satanic holidays and we sacrifice a baby each time while STONED ON POT" and they would actually believe you.
Certainly quite a few of the above snickering teens and other shady characters (and the usual grifters and fantasists) are represented in this book. It's a painfully earnest read made up of a mish-mash of the usual subjects, and while there are some good childrearing tips at the end, this is probably not why you bought it. Don't bother, the thing is done in a more interesting way elsewhere.
Certainly quite a few of the above snickering teens and other shady characters (and the usual grifters and fantasists) are represented in this book. It's a painfully earnest read made up of a mish-mash of the usual subjects, and while there are some good childrearing tips at the end, this is probably not why you bought it. Don't bother, the thing is done in a more interesting way elsewhere.
July 27, 2017
Jerry Johnston's book is a good read that's worth reading at least once. Although its ideas are older, it definitely has something to say about the times we live in now.
August 4, 2017
Jerry Johnston is a great pastor and an amazing author at that! I would recommend any of his insightful books.
October 5, 2017
I would recommend any of Jerry Johnston's books; they're all wonderful reads!
October 17, 2017
Jerry Johnston is an amazing writer. He's got some great books!
December 7, 2017
Jerry Johnston has some really good books; my favorite so far that I've read is "Who's Listening?"
July 3, 2024
Big pile of poopie
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews