Some memories are permanently seared into our childhood brains with a hot iron of adrenaline and fear. For five-year-old Greg, it was the memory of his ma walking back to the house after confronting his stepdad with a splintered, bloodied baseball bat in her hand. Greg Stier was raised in a family of bodybuilding, tobacco-chewing, fist-fighting thugs. He never knew his biological father because his mom had met his dad at a party; she got pregnant, and he left town. Though his mom almost aborted him, in a last-minute twist, Greg’s life was spared for so much more. Unlikely Fighter is the incredible story of how God showed up in Greg’s life—and how he can show up in yours as well. This is a memoir of violence and mayhem—and how God can transform everything.
The Devil, Satan, Lucifer, Mephistopheles - throughout history the Prince of Darkness, the Western world's most powerful symbol of evil, has taken many names and shapes. Jeffrey Burton Russell here chronicles the remarkable story of the Devil from antiquity to the present. While recounting how past generations have personified evil, he deepens our understanding of the ways in which people have dealt with the enduring problem of radical evil.After a compelling essay on the nature of evil, Russell uncovers the origins of the concept of the Devil in various early cultures and then traces its evolution in Western thought from the time of the ancient Hebrews through the first centuries of the Christian era. Next he turns to the medieval view of the Devil, focusing on images found in folklore, scholastic thought, art, literature, mysticism, and witchcraft. Finally, he follows the Devil into our own era, where he draws on examples from theology, philosophy, art, literature, and popular culture to describe the great changes in this traditional notion of evil brought about by the intellectual and cultural developments of modern times.Is the Devil an outmoded superstition, as most educated people today believe? Or do the horrors of the twentieth century and the specter of nuclear war make all too clear the continuing need for some vital symbol of radical evil? A single-volume distillation of Russell's epic tetralogy on the nature and personifcation of evil from ancient times to the present (published by Cornell University Press between 1977 and 1986), The Prince of Darkness invites readers to confront these and other critical questions as they explore the past faces of that figure who has been called the second most famous personage in Christianity.
Pop journalist Kalish presents the definitive collection of hypothetical showdowns between the greatest pop culture icons in history and provides a blow-by-blow breakdown of 60 fictional bouts.
Careful what you ask for, because Lucifer sees you when you’re sleeping. Spies when you’re awake. Knows if you’ve been nauseatingly good, so try to be bad for the devil’s sake. Merry is determined to make Christmas special for her son. He hasn’t spoken or smiled since his father died, so she writes a letter hoping for a holiday miracle. Dear Satan… Her unfortunate error ensures her wish ends up in the wrong place. Worse? Satan answers her plea—after telling Santa where he can shove a candy cane. The devil knows just what Merry needs, and he has the perfect demon for the job. Marduke’s mission is to deliver a hellhound puppy to a little boy, along with some tips on how to avoid getting eaten. What the devil’s kennel master doesn’t expect on this emasculating mission of kindness is Merry. A happy, optimistic woman despite all the strife in her life. It’s disgusting. Annoying. Tempting? Usually, Marduke is all about destroying hopes and dreams—and letting his dogs pee on people while they’re down—but there’s something about Merry… genre: paranormal romantic comedy, demon romance, shapeshifter romance, holiday romance, satan romance, matchmaking, cozy romance, hell romance
Much of the modern-day vision of Santa Claus is owed to the Clement Moore poem "The Night Before Christmas." His description of Saint Nicholas personified the "jolly old elf" known to millions of children throughout the world. However, far from being the offshoot of Saint Nicholas of Turkey, Santa Claus is the last of a long line of what scholars call "Wild Men" who were worshipped in ancient European fertility rites and came to America through Pennsylvania's Germans. This pagan creature is described from prehistoric times through his various forms--Robin Hood, The Fool, Harlequin, Satan and Robin Goodfellow--into today's carnival and Christmas scenes. In this thoroughly researched work, the origins of Santa Claus are found to stretch back over 50,000 years, jolting the foundation of Christian myths about the jolly old elf.
AN INTERNATIONAL SENSATION FROM #1 NEW YORK TIMES BEST-SELLING AUTHORS OF THE LAW OF ATTRACTION, ESTHER AND JERRY HICKS A POWERFUL RELATIONSHIP BOOK TO UNDERSTAND EVERY RELATIONSHIP YOU HAVE EVER EXPERIENCED – FEATURING THE TEACHINGS OF ABRAHAM – INCLUDES A BONUS CD ON THE LAW OF ATTRACTION This motivational book uncovers a myriad of false premises that are at the heart of every uncomfortable relationship issue, and explain sthe powerful creative Vortex that has already assembled the relationships that you have desired. Abraham will show you how to enter that Vortex, where you will rendezvous with everything and everyone you have been looking for. Abraham says: “It is our desire to help you to solve the mystery of those seemingly impossible relationships; to sort out the details of joyously sharing your planet with billions of others; to rediscover the beauty of your differences; and, most of all, to reestablish the most important relationship of all: your relationship with the Eternal, Non-Physical Source that is really you. Sections of The Vortex Include: Your Vortex, and the Law of Attraction: Learning to Attract Joyous Co-creators Mating, and the Law of Attraction: The Perfect Mate – Getting One, Being One, Attracting One Sexuality, and the Law of Attraction: Sexuality, Sensuality, and the Opinions of Others Parenting, and the Law of Attraction: Creating Positive Parent/Child Relationships in a World of Contrast Self-Appreciation, and the Law of Attraction: Appreciation, the "Magical" Key to Your Vortex “Our intention here is to give you a more conscious awareness of the potential depth and breadth of the vast network of relationships that, on a practical, day-to-day basis, affect your swirling Vortex of natural Well-Being. At the hub of these teachings of Abraham is a profound concept: the basis of life is freedom; the result of life is expansion—and the purpose of life is joy. In this inspirational relationship book, Abraham focuses the light of their Broader Perspective to reveal a wide array of flawed premises (which most of us are living by) relative to our varied relationships. Esther and I are so pleased to participate in this co-creative adventure with you and with Abraham, and we look forward to the joy that you are about to receive as you play with the processes and perspectives embedded in these teachings. Love ya, Jerry Start using the Vortex to feel good about where you are now and your joyous path ahead!
R. Andrew Chesnut offers a fascinating portrayal of Santa Muerte, a skeleton saint whose cult has attracted millions of devotees over the past decade. Although condemned by mainstream churches, this folk saint's supernatural powers appeal to millions of Latin Americans and immigrants in the U.S. Devotees believe the Bony Lady (as she is affectionately called) to be the fastest and most effective miracle worker, and as such, her statuettes and paraphernalia now outsell those of the Virgin of Guadalupe and Saint Jude, two other giants of Mexican religiosity. In particular, Chesnut shows Santa Muerte has become the patron saint of drug traffickers, playing an important role as protector of peddlers of crystal meth and marijuana; DEA agents and Mexican police often find her altars in the safe houses of drug smugglers. Yet Saint Death plays other important roles: she is a supernatural healer, love doctor, money-maker, lawyer, and angel of death. She has become without doubt one of the most popular and powerful saints on both the Mexican and American religious landscapes.
Millions met Susan Atkins in "Helter Skelter." She was young and attractive, but desperate to find happiness. Alcohol, drugs, and promiscuity didn't satisfy her.... She was looking for more. When she met Charles Manson, she felt she had met the world's savior. Here is her eye-witness account of life and death with the Manson "family." Condemned to die, rejected by society, she found life on death row - a miraculous rebirth as real as a resurrection.
Dodging Satan will have you in stitches. Get ready for glorious supernatural worlds, exorcisms, bird relics, time travel, Biblical plagues, even the 'holy' in holy water-as Bridget grapples with sadistic nuns, domestic violence, and emerging sexuality.
Stuffed full of Xmas magic and stomach churning ultra-violence, it's THE HUNGER GAMES garroted with fairy lights and force fed to THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS! The devil only wants to be adored, and thinks that remaking himself as "Satan Claus" will win the hearts of the world's children. From dictator of Hell to beloved myth of childhood, it's certainly an ambitious career change. He totally fucks it up. Trying to set things right, he invites children from every country in the world to the North Pole to take part in a contest, a scavenger hunt, with the winners becoming his little helpers on Xmas Eve. With Adolf the Red-Nosed Reichdeer and his army of dwarf Elvis Presley clones helping, it's bound to be a success... Except for one problem. All the kids are armed to the teeth. And all the kids want to kill him.
