Tuesday, January 04, 2005
THE SATANISM CLASS
Professor Carlo Climati, who will be lecturing to the class on Satanism at the Regina Apostolorum University in Rome talks to The Age about the nature of Satanism:
"It is a way of seeing the world as a jungle, where only the strongest survive. A world in which all limits are absent, bad examples are on offer and in which the perfection of television's role models is countered with the search for extremes, for power at all costs."
Though the concept of Satan is probably as old as humanity itself, Professor Climati says the spread of its popularity in the modern world has been in part aided by the emergence of New Age - which a recent Vatican pamphlet describes as "an individualistic, egoistic and ultimately anti-Christian culture".
Moreover, satanism cannot merely be confined to the Christian world.
"It is a global phenomenon, a human problem that transcends all barriers and which can affect anyone, particularly those with a highly sensitive soul who see their strong ideals betrayed in some way or other," Climati says.
The lecturer says the course has already created enormous interest, both among students in Rome and among those attending the university's branches abroad, particularly in Latin America.
