Hostage to the Devil is a controversial nonfiction bestseller, a chilling and true account of possession and exorcism in modern America, hailed by NBC Radio as "one of the most stirring books on the contemporary scene."--Back cover. In 1976 Satanism was presented, and was probably regarded by most Americans, as a box office and a bookstore draw. In fact, Hostage to the Devil was intended as a clear warning that Possession is not- nor was it ever- some tale of dark fancy featuring ogres and happy endings. Possession is real; and real prices are paid. Among the general population of Catholics and Christians of other denominations, large numbers of people no longer learn even so basic a prayer as the Our Father. In churches and parochial schools alike, the subject of Hell is avoided, as one midwestern priest put it, in order not to put people "on a guilt trip." The idea of sin is likewise avoided, according to the same source, in order not to do "irreparable damage to what has been taught for the past fifteen years." That much alone leaves every Christian at a profound and needless disadvantage in the confrontation with evil that life brings to each of us. Deeply felt prohibitions against mixing what is termed the "rational" with the faith that is necessary for the recognition of evil is, for many, an insurmountable obstacle. And without the grace that is born of true faith, Satan does what he does best- he ceases to exist in the eyes of those who do not see. - Preface