Indeed, the first several centuries of American history are replete with accusations but no proof of Satanic involvement.

Among the first to be accused were the American Indians whom many frontiers-people and colonists claimed worshipped Satan. American folklore provides abundant stories about Indians and other non-Christians accused of worshipping Satan in 18th and 19th Century America. In the 19th Century, both the newly-emerging Mormon religion and Catholicism were often labeled as dangerous Satanic-inspired groups. Thus, while early America was relatively free of individuals and groups who actually worshipped Satan, the growing nation was not free of the fear and perceptions that devil-worshipping groups existed.

The first well-publicized episode in the history of American Satanism was largely prompted by two books published in the late nineteenth century: The Devil in the 19th Century written by the Parisian Dr. Bataille portrayed the rites of Freemasons headquartered in Charleston, South Carolina as diabolical in both theory and practice. His account accused Freemasons of practicing black masses throughout the world and of hooking up a Charleston telephone line to hell in which the leaders spoke directly to Satan; Memoirs of an ex-Palladist by avowed "Satanist" Diana Vaughan lent more fuel to the fire when the author described her role as a high priestess for Satan in the Charleston Freemasonry group.

While America's first twentieth century interest in Satanism is often attributed to Aleister Crowley, many others who have studied Crowley's life and beliefs dispute both his interest in and practice of Satanism. In fact, although Crowley referred to himself as "666", he was not responsible for any revived or new interest in organized Satanic activity. It was not until the late 1960s that Satanism as a formal belief system became a well-known element in American society. It was a former circus trainer, Anton Szandor LaVey, not Crowley, who promoted interest in Satan when in 1966 he founded The Church of Satan in San Francisco. LaVey's Church was an innovative, new type of religious movement, and one that historian Jeffrey Russell assures us, has "almost no real historical connection with past groups." (Russell interview, March 17, 1989.) Indeed, although small numbers of Satanic covens had practiced their magic and secretly worshipped the Devil over the past several decades, what LaVey offered was a whole new approach based upon three radical innovations: his followers blasphemously formed an actual "church"; members publicly announced their devotion to Satan and to Satanic rituals; and Satanic believers had a prescribed, written theology to follow when the Satanic Bible was published in 1968.

Largely spurred by "the need for pseudo-religions to fill the void created by the disappearance of traditional religions", contemporary Satanists adhere to belief systems and rituals virtually unknown in the past. (Russell, 1988:261.) Speaking broadly, today's Satanists believe Satan will bring them personal power over oneself, others and the external environment and, in turn, such power will permit them to live by whatever moral and ethical codes one wishes to adopt.

Contrary to popular belief, most Satanists share only one commonality - they worship the Christian Devil in some manner. The actual belief systems and rituals devoted to such worship vary greatly within each Satanic group and often with each individual practitioner. Currently, criminal justice practitioners recognize at least four types of practicing Satanists: religious Satanists, self-styled Satanists, Youth Subculture Satanists, and traditional or cult Satanists.

Religious Satanists

Religious Satanists belong to organized and legal Satanic churches whose members advocate egotism, indulgence and the acquisition and use of personal and political power. Members, says Satanic scholar Arthur Lyons, adopt "an unorthodox theological reconstruction of the Devil quite different from that of Christianity. Satan is perceived not as evil, but a Miltonian symbol of man's carnality and rationality." (Lyons, 1988:12.) Currently, at least two formal Satanic churches provide services to their small congregations: the Church of Satan founded in 1966 by Anton Szandor LaVey and the Temple of Set founded in 1974 by a dissident member of LaVey's flock, Michael Aquino. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, several smaller splinter groups formed, but today most of these are defunct. The majority of groups knowledgeable about Satanic activity and many members of the law enforcement community claim religious Satanists are generally law-abiding citizens whose religious preferences rarely bring them to the attention of criminal justice officials.

Self-styled Satanists

Self-styled Satanists or dabblers are young adults and adults who are individually involved or belong to small, loosely organized groups that invoke some type of Satanic rituals.

Their rituals usually involve "some sort of wish fulfillment, such as the acquisition of money, popularity, romance, or sex." (Lyons, 1988:11.) Self-styled Satanists often have but a transitory interest in Satanism which lasts "only as long as it takes this person to realize that Satan is not going to make his or her dreams come true." (Lyons, 1988:12.)

Youth Subculture Satanists

Youth Subculture Satanists are adolescents who, often because of many emotional, behavioral and/or familial problems, seek power and control over their lives by creating their own rules, values, dress, language and heroes through a Satanic subculture. Like their adult self-styled counterparts, Youth Subculture Satanists act individually or belong to small, loosely-organized groups that use some type of Satanic ritual. Many law enforcers and therapists currently believe this type of youth is more at-risk for serious criminal involvement than any other occult category discussed in this study. Currently, a great deal of controversy exists within law enforcement and therapeutic circles about the various factors that lead to youthful involvement in Satanic activity. The Occult Debate, Issue #2 addresses the specifics of that controversy.