devil worship

On this episode of Apologetics Profile, Watchman senior apologist Brady Blevins talks with Christian author and apologist Dr. Richard Howe about what Satanism is today and how we as Christians can prayerfully and thoughtfully engage those whom we may know who self-identify as Satanists.

• What is Satanism?
• Are there different kinds of Satanism?
• Why is it that Christians today can not afford to ignore this growing movement? 

Dr. Richard Howe is a writer as well as a public speaker and debater in churches, conferences, and university campuses on issues concerning Christian apologetics and philosophy. He is Provost, Professor of Philosophy and Apologetics, and Norman L. Geisler Chair of Christian Apologetics at Southern Evangelical Seminary in Charlotte, North Carolina. Dr. Howe is Past President of the International Society of Christian Apologetics. In their free time, Richard and his wife Rebekah enjoy international travel.

Related Links: Free access to some related Watchman Fellowship Profiles and further tools from Dr. Howe:

• Watchman Fellowship 4-page Profile on the Church of Satan / Anton LaVey by Michael Veroni: watchman.org/LaVey
• Watchman Fellowship 4-page Profile on the Temple of Set by C.K. Salmon: watchman.org/Set
• Watchman Fellowship 4-page Profile on Alister Crowley by James Walker: watchman.org/Crowley
• Watchman Fellowship 4-page Profile on The Occult by James Walker: watchman.org/TheOccult
• Dr. Howe's website: www.RichardGHowe.com 
• Full video lecture from Dr. Howe from Ratio Christi: South Africa, (YouTube, 87-min.): The Truth Behind Modern Satanism
• Slide Deck (PDF): Satanism by Richard Howe
• Article published by Christian Research Journal, (volume 28, number 5 [2005]): Satanism: A Taste for the Dark Side by Richard G. Howe

Additional Resources

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Apologetics Profile is a ministry of Watchman Fellowship For more information, visit www.watchman.org © Watchman Fellowship, Inc.

Why do so many people from Africa, especially Nigeria, mistakenly believe Satanists are the Illuminati? And that we're hiring? Satansplain investigates.

Selected sources:

- Nigerian church scams: https://www.forbesafrica.com/focus/2017/06/14/time-tax-nigerias-churches/
- The 419 Scam: https://www.newsweek.com/origins-nigerias-notorious-419-scams-456701
- USCIRF 2020 annual report: https://www.uscirf.gov/sites/default/files/USCIRF%202020%20Annual%20Report_42720_new_0.pdf

00:00 - Intro
00:50 - A special message to residents of Africa (especially Nigeria)
03:04 - Joining a Satanic organization will not guarantee you wealth
05:10 - We don't want you if you don't already understand Satanism
05:32 - We do not tolerate scams (and neither should you)
06:36 - We don't have branches/chapters and don't need them
08:23 - Summary
11:59 - Dealing with messages from Nigeria
15:51 - It happens offline too 
17:11 - ...and is older than the Internet
18:07 - People conflating Freemasonry / Illuminati / Satanism / wealth
19:53 - Satanism and Freemasonry (and propaganda)
20:16 - Freemasons, the mythical Illuminati, and the defunct Illuminati
23:31 - The ironically Satanic take
24:52 - Why Nigeria? Some not-so-great explanations.
27:00 - "Mud huts" don't have the Internet, dummy
29:30 - The 419 Scam
37:54 - Nigerian "church" scams
42:33 - Why Nigeria? Some statistics
45:00 - Freedom of religion vs. state religion
46:00 - Religiosity in Nigeria
47:05 - Nigeria and language
47:55 - Nigeria GDP vs. Human Development Index
49:02 - Summary