This essay examines how the Baphomet symbol is understood in three different contexts. Firstly, the understanding of the Baphomet is analysed in the book Dogme et Rituel de la Haute Magie, written by the French 19th century occultist Éliphas Lévi. Secondly, I analyse the symbol in The Satanic Bible by Anton Szandor LaVey, the person responsible for having introduced Satanism to modernity. Thirdly, the Baphomet as understood in contemporary metal music culture is analysed. Ultimately, I find the Baphomet to be viewed as a symbol associated with Satan, but in very different ways. The reason to why these differences exist I find to be partially explained by the initial mystery surrounding the Baphomet. The understanding of the Baphomet depends also on the role of Satan in each context. Due to Satan representing different things in the three different contexts, so does the Baphomet. / <p>All images removed.</p>

This essay researches the prevalence of Gnostic influences in contemporary music lyrics, more exclusively within the context of the extreme metal scene. A resurgence of such topics has also been evident in contemporary music; not surprisingly, as music in general is part of the foundations of culture, and in a wider aspect, of society at large. The essay is performed using a hermeneutic method, interpreting music lyrics and discussing them from a background of cultural and religious theory. The purposes of researching the influences of Gnosticism in this environment are to determine the presence of Gnostic thought in extreme metal lyrics, research the eventual re-interpretations of historical sources of Gnosticism, and to discuss the acknowledged Gnostic influences in the displayed art form in a contemporary cultural perspective, related to cultural aspects such as secularization, modernity and globalization. Sources include music lyrics appropriate to the subject matter at hand as well as previously published interviews. The results of the investigation demonstrate that there are multiple interpretations of Gnostic thought apparent in extreme metal lyrics, varying from slight re-interpretations to more extensive ones, as apparent in what is identified as a chaos-gnostic current. The Gnostic material has in the latter scenario been integrated into an originally satanic worldview and as a result has become a major part of the chaos-gnostic belief system. The chaos-gnostic current has appeared in a highly secular surrounding, and the results of the essay propose that a secular surrounding can breed elements of trangression within individuals, leading to the resurgence of oppositional counter-cultural characteristics and an awakening of alternative spirituality with oppositional overtones.

Uppsatsen handlar om hur religion kan användas samt komma till uttryck i hårdrockstexter. Undersökningen har skett genom analys av åtta olika låttexter, som belyser olika aspekter av religionen. Analysen tog fasta på texternas religiösa budskap, användandet av eventuella religiösa metaforer samt hur texterna kan ses som en del av en religiös mångfald. Metoden som har använts är en kvalitativ textanalys med en hermeneutisk utgångspunkt. Som teori valdes Rodney Starks ”fortlevnadsteori” som utgår från den ”rational choice”-teoretiska modellen. Resultatet av undersökningen visade på en stor bredd av budskap. I ett av fallen kunde en vädjan om att börja tro på Gud uttydas, i två andra fanns en underton av varning för destruktiva sekter, två av texterna kritiserade kristendomen utifrån två olika aspekter och slutligen fanns två texter med ett direkt sataniskt och individualistiskt budskap. Direkta religiösa metaforer förekom endast i två texter. Vad gäller den religiösa mångfalden kunde man konstatera att texterna i flera fall kan vara ett uttryck för detta. Detta gäller inte minst i en tid då privatreligiositet sakta utkonkurrerar den organiserade, traditionella religionen och med tanke på de närmast religiösa känslor som musiken kan väcka hos lyssnaren. Detta förklaras genom att tron finner nya sätt att nå ut till människor, vilket även är relaterat till hur samhällsmönstret förändras.

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My interest in criminology was inspired by Dennis Challinger who tolerated a student taking ten years to finish the Diploma in Criminology, and Stan Johnson who encouraged broad-mindedness to which I was unaccustomed. Stan challenged my attitudes, beliefs and conclusions. My interest in cults was inspired by Anne Hamilton-Byrne whose "children'" especially Sarah, taught me a great deal. They introduced me to their personal experience of growing up in strange isolation from the world. I received assistance and constructive criticism from the police Task Force investigating the Hamilton-Byrne “Family” especially Detective Sergeant DeMan. I began this task searching to understand “The Family”, its origins and its meaning. The path towards an understanding of cults took me in unexpected directions. I learned about the Satanic allegations and began accumulating material. Initially, some therapists with an interest in this area saw me as a potential ally, but as I began to question there assumptions I was rejected as a disbeliever, on the basis that “anyone who is not with us, must be against us”.

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / In this study, I analyze the thematic development of William Blake s satanic figure, the character Orc. To this end, I approach the illuminated poems called ―Continental Prophecies‖, which are composed by the books America A Prophecy (1793), Europe A Prophecy (1794) and The Song of Los (1795), that is divided into two parts, ―Africa‖ and ―Asia‖. In these works, Blake articulates themes such as apocalypse, energy, imagination and revolution in a relation to the French and the American Revolution and criticizes the political, religious and artistic thinking of the period. Of the matter of methodology, this work presents four chapters. In the first, I discuss the problems about the Devil s theme, from the Middle Ages to the Romanticism, starting by a mythical-religious approach of this figure, and then investigating the demon as a literary myth. In the second, I present a discussion about the characterization of Orc and his opponent, Urizen. I also analyze the poem America, focused on questions about desire, revolution and liberty. In he third, I discuss about Europe and proceed with the mapping of the satanic theme in Blake s prophecies. I also approach the question of the repression of desire, represented by the character Enitharmon, and discuss the subversions undertaken by Blake on religious dogma. In the fourth, I approach The Song of Los and argue about the blakean mythology, his ideal of Satanism, and also confront critical reading and interpretive perspectives of Blake s work. My discussion is developed in a constant dialogue between three instances: religious, social and artistic. This conception was thought by Peter Schock (2003), treated as a ―Cultural Matrix‖. This study explores how Blake s art dialogues with eighteenth century revolutions, it discuss its religious, political and artistic influences, and offers a conception of Blake s satanic ideal in his prophecies. The character Orc, in these poems, presents an amalgam of his artistic, religious and social thinking, an instance of confrontation through which Blake conceive metaphysical ideals, as the philosophy of contraries or the sensual enjoyment. Through the development of the Devil s theme, the artist tries to signify conflicting thoughts as sin and sensual delight, heaven and hell, body and soul, subverting these issues by a infernal ideal. / Neste estudo, analiso o desenvolvimento temático da figura satânica na obra de William Blake, a personagem Orc. Para tal, trabalho com os poemas iluminados denominados de ―Continental Prophecies‖, compostos pelas obras America A Prophecy (1793), Europe A Prophecy (1794) e The Song of Los (1795), este dividido em duas partes, ―Africa‖ e ―Asia‖. Nessas obras, Blake articula temas como apocalipse, energia, imaginação e revolução em relação à Revolução Francesa e à Americana e tece críticas ao pensamento político, religioso e artístico do período. Este trabalho apresenta quatro capítulos. No primeiro, discuto os problemas acerca do tema do Diabo, desde o medievo até o Romantismo, partindo de uma abordagem mítico-religiosa para então abordar o demônio como mito literário. No segundo, apresento uma discussão sobre a caracterização da personagem Orc e sua relação com seu opositor, Urizen. Construo também uma análise do poema America, centrada em questões sobre desejo, revolução e liberdade. No terceiro, trato de Europe e prossigo com o mapeamento da temática satânica nas profecias de Blake. Abordo também a questão da repressão do desejo, representada pela personagem Enitharmon, e as subversões empreendidas por Blake acerca de dogmas religiosos. No quarto, abordo The Song of Los e discorro sobre a mitologia blakeana, seu ideal de satanismo, além de confrontar vieses críticos de leitura e interpretação da obra de Blake. Minha discussão é desenvolvida em um constante diálogo entre três instâncias: religiosa, social e artística. Tal concepção é abordada por Peter Schock (2003), tratada como ―Matriz Cultural‖. Este estudo explora como a arte de Blake dialoga com as revoluções do século XVIII, discute suas influências religiosas, políticas e artísticas, além de oferecer uma concepção acerca do ideal satânico de Blake em suas profecias. A personagem Orc, nesses poemas, apresenta um amálgama do pensamento artístico, religioso e social do artista, uma instância de confronto através da qual Blake concebeu ideais metafísicos, como a filosofia dos contrários ou o deleite dos sentidos. Através do desenvolvimento do tema do diabo, o artista tenta significar pensamentos conflitantes, como pecado e deleite sensual, céu e inferno, corpo e alma, subvertendo tais questões a partir de um ideal infernal.

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The aim of this research paper is to analyze what kind of religious ideology the Heavy Metal band GHOST conveys through a ritualized live performance and through a mythologizing of the band. As previous research has concluded, the Heavy Metal genre acts as a tool to construct identities, it is thus interesting to investigate what the music conveys to its listeners. The Heavy Metal genre is also known for their use of religious themes and symbols which makes it a relevant research object in religious studies.  The methodological framework of this research is based on a qualitative method that analyzes three different full concert videos of the band GHOST and the band’s official YouTube-channel which they use to narrate their mythical story.  Based on the findings of this inquiry it can be concluded that the band conveys an ideology that leans heavily on Christian imagery by turning the Christian doctrine upside down and articulate an anti-Christian satanism.

A pesquisa que serve de base para essa dissertação parte de uma abordagem antropológica sobre os arranjos coletivos e atores sociais ligados ao black metal no Estado de São Paulo, Brasil. Um estilo musical derivado do gênero heavy metal que constitui um conjunto de elementos que dão suporte a um estilo de vida específico. As atividades de trabalho de campo foram desenvolvidas durante dois anos e meio (entre 2012 e 2014) na capital, em sua zona metropolitana e em algumas cidades do interior do Estado, junto aos lugares ocupados e frequentados por esses sujeitos (coletivos ou individuais). O objetivo desse trabalho foi mapear as diferentes formas de sociabilidade construídas por esses atores sociais ligados ao black metal, e assim, elucidar como esses arranjos coletivos e suas categorias nativas podem expressar uma perspectiva específica sobre a urbanidade e suas fronteiras. Para tanto, a categoria nativa cena foi tomada como objeto central da análise, o que permitiu desvendar um sistema de alianças e troca de favores um círculo da dádiva black metal , que alicerçam a construção de noções coletivas de pertencimento, assim como, uma perspectiva específica sobre as segmentações e classificações dos espaços urbanos. Também foram analisadas a sonoridade das composições do estilo, as teorias nativas sobre a música, as performances executadas durante os eventos, assim como as concepções desses atores sociais a respeito do satanismo, da quimbanda (e seus exus) e a oposição às religiões judaico-cristãs. Portanto, a partir da relação de todos esses elementos, foi possível descrever como se desenrola a guerra particular do black metal paulista em defesa da cena e dos valores do estilo. / The research that underpins this dissertation part of an anthropological approach to the collective arrangements and social actors linked to the black metal in the State of São Paulo, Brazil. Black Metal is a musical style derived from the heavy metal genre that is a set of elements that support a specific way of life. The activities of field work were developed during two and a half years (between 2012 and 2014) in the capital, in the metropolitan area and in some cities in the state, in the places frequented by these subjects (collective or individual). The aim of this study was to map the different forms of sociability constructed by these social actors linked to black metal, and thus elucidate how these collective arrangements and their native categories may express a specific perspective on urbanization and its borders. For both, the category native scene was taken as the central object of analysis, allowing unravel a system of alliances and exchanges of favors a circle of giving , that underpin the construction of collective notions of belonging, as well as a specific perspective on segmentation of urban spaces. It were also analyzed the sound of style compositions, native theories about music, performances performed during the events, as well as the conceptions of these social actors concerning Satanism, the Quimbanda (and the exus) and the opposition to Judeo-Christian religions. Therefore, from the relation of all these elements, it was possible to describe the particular war of the black metal of São Paulo in defense of the scene and the values of the style.

Thesis (Diplomarbeit)--Universität Wien, 2000. / Includes bibliographical references.