666: The Theme That Shall Not Be Named

This American Life

Society & Culture, News, Arts

4.6 • 88.8K Ratings

🗓️ 4 July 2022

⏱️ 62 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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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)

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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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