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This American Life

666: The Theme That Shall Not Be Named

This American Life

This American Life

Society & Culture, News, Arts

4.688.8K Ratings

🗓️ 4 July 2022

⏱️ 62 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Satan! In his many surprising manifestations, all around us.

  • Prologue: Host Ira Glass plays recordings from the Satanic Prayer Line, and speaks to the line’s creator, Chris Allert. (8 1/2 minutes)
  • Act One: New Yorker staff writer Kelefa Sanneh tells the story of exorcist Bob Larson’s trip into the world of heavy metal. (20 minutes)
  • Act Two: Religion professor Elaine Pagels explains the roots and evolution of Satan in religious texts. She is the author of "The Origin of Satan." (9 minutes)
  • Act Three: Writer Gary Shteyngart presents a fictional diary of two Russian men — and a story of the special malevolence that can grow from an intimate situation. A portion of the story is read by actor Josh Gad. Gary Shteyngart’s most recent book is "Lake Success.” (18 minutes)

Transcripts are available at thisamericanlife.org

Transcript

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0:00.0

This is prayer hotline that a group called the Satanic missionary society of Olympia Washington

0:05.5

started.

0:06.5

It's like a regular prayer hotline, except of course instead of praying to God, you leave

0:10.4

a voicemail message and then they'll pray to Satan for you.

0:13.9

If you want the poster message to the internet, so others will also pray to Satan for you,

0:18.4

and with almost no publicity, like from the very start, people called.

0:21.8

Like, this was serving a need that was just waiting for some forward-thinking devilish

0:25.6

entrepreneur.

0:27.1

Who definitely had stuff that they wanted, that you can't turn to God for.

0:30.5

Okay, how's it going?

0:32.8

Basically, couple, about a month or two ago, my apartment got robbed, so I didn't figure

0:38.8

anything out of where any of my stuff is at.

0:41.4

Basically, I just want the people who stole my shit too, you know, sharp before.

0:47.0

Fair enough, I think.

0:49.0

Thanks, L. Satan.

0:50.0

Hello, Satanist everywhere.

0:51.0

I'm calling to pray for you.

0:52.0

Hello, Satanist everywhere.

0:54.8

I'm calling to put a hacks on the 1230 Club in Olympia, Washington, because there's

1:02.7

just assholes because they set classroom in music earlier every night, nearly every

1:07.4

night and they're already starting at 6am evening.

1:10.9

Please make the 1230 Club go out of business, but make sure everybody that works at go

...

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