CANA
Christian Answers for the New Age
THE VAMPYRE UNDERGROUND
(page 4 of 4)
by Marcia Montenegro
First written in 2001
RESOURCES
Katherine Ramsland, Piercing the Darkness: Undercover with Vampires in America Today: An in-depth psychological and sociological look at and analysis of the vampire underground. Ramsland, a psychologist, went undercover into the vampire underground, interviewed those in the vampire culture and reports on what she saw firsthand, as well as giving numerous evaluations of the culture by other researchers, artists, and psychologists who have studied this subculture. Her book also devotes a chapter to the vampire role-playing games.
Jeff Guinn, Something in the Blood: Guinn, an author and associate book editor, traveled around the country with Andy Greiser, a newspaper editorial assistant, and they report on their one-on-one interviews with various people who research or are active in the vampire underground. There is not a lot of analysis, but there is good observation and objective presentation of the people they interviewed, as well as a look at vampire folklore and the vampire in literature and movies.
Rosemary Guiley, Vampires Among Us: Guiley, a researcher and author who has written several books on occult and paranormal topics, presents a more personal but insightful approach, describing stories of vampires and her encounters with people who consider themselves vampires. Guiley also considers the history and folklore of vampires and their differences with today’s vampire scene.
ENDNOTES
1 This information is based mainly on talking to individuals who identify themselves as Goths. These discussions took place in Goth clubs, on the Internet, and with those contacted in the course of ministry. There is very little written information on the Goth culture since it is a loosely knit social movement, and there are various theories on what Goth represents.
2 An ankh is a cross topped by an oval-shaped loop, representing the masculine (cross) and feminine (loop) energies. The ankh is a symbol from Egyptian religion and was used in connection with Isis and other deities to represent their immortality and power over death.
3 Mark Rein-Hagen, et al., The Masquerade, 2d edition (Stone Mtn., GA: White Wolf, Inc.), 1994.
4 Ibid., 20, 52; see also Katherine Ramsland, Piercing the Darkness: Undercover with Vampires in America Today, Advance Reader’s Edition, (NY, NY: HarperCollins Publishers, Inc, 1998), Chapter Thirteen, 209-19.
5 Rein-Hagen, 13.
6 Ramsland, 242-3.
7 Ibid., 148.
8 Jeff Guinn with Andy Grieser, Something in the Blood (Arlington, TX: The Summit Publishing Group, 1996), 38.
9 All sources cited, including the game books, discuss vampires in clans as well as solitary vampires. Information is also from personal conversations this writer had with someone who was involved in the vampire underground.
10 Ramsland, 81.
11 Rosemary Ellen Guiley, Vampires Among Us (NY, NY: Pocket Books/Simon and Schuster Inc., 1991), 74-102; Ramsland, 135-6..
12 Guiley, 85.
13 Ibid., 93.
14 Ramsland, 95, 168.
15 Guinn, 29.
16 Ramsland, 85.
17 Rein-Hagen, 15; this is also echoed in Ramsland, 92.
18 “The Washington Post,” 2-28-98, A3.
19 “USA Today,” 12-9-96, 3A; “The Washington Post,” 11-30-96, A2; 12-5-96, A26.
20 “The Washington Post,” 2-28-98, A3.
21 Guinn, 19.
22 Guiley, Chapter Eight, “Psychic Vampires,” 190-226; Guinn, 181.
23 Guinn,, 38, 39.
24 Chris W. McCubbin, Vampire, The Masquerade Companion, (Steven Jackson Games Incorporated, 1994), 11.
25 Ibid., 47; also Ramsland, 210-11.
26 McCubbin, 47.
27 Ibid.
28 Ibid., 80-84.
29 Guinn, 54-5.
30 Ibid., Appendix B.
31 Ibid., 35-6.
32 Ibid., 97, 143, 150.
33 Ibid., 97.
34 Ramsland, 248.
Articles by Marcia Montenegro
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Copyright ©1999, 2000, 2001 Marcia Montenegro. All rights reserved. Revised 5/6/01
