JS: Thank you so much for this. I really appreciate your time and participation. I’d like to conduct this interview in a written manner so that I do not misquote you or misrepresent what you say in any way. I feel it will better keep the integrity of the over-all piece and certainly your convictions this way. I hope this is okay. I do want you to know that there will be no commentative or judgmental remarks in postscript, the quesns will be printed as they appear below along with your answers. Our magazine does not censor so please feel free to express yourself in any way you choose.

Mr. Valentine, I want to thank you so much for taking the time to participate in this interview and share with me and my readers your views and philosophies. Would you mind just telling us a little about you, your life and everyday activities, perhaps what you do for a living?

PDV: First off, Joshua, I must thank you and your publication for your interest in anything I have to say.

Now then, my life...

• I was born in Bennington Vermont at 2:28 P.M. on January 8, 1956 and grew up about eleven miles west in a small town on the New York/Vermont border. I graduated high school in 1974 and attempted a few stints at universities here an abroad, none of which ended in degrees. Though my I.Q. test result was a mind boggling 179, the fact that I can’t count past ten without removing my shoes and socks speaks volumes.

• I have Two brothers; Brian (55) and Mark (46). Brian is one of the coolest people on Earth and Mark can’t die soon enough. Little bastard... My half-sister Michelle (39) lives somewhere in Idaho and I last had contact with her in 1997. She’s beautiful, intelligent, and apparently never quite grasped the concept of leaving a forwarding address.

• I have nine living children (two non-biological, Liza and Carrie ). My first daughter (Amanda) died when she was ten, and we lost Danni in 2004 when she was twenty-four. My son John Paul (12) is the youngest and my only boy. His birthday is the day before mine.*

• I’ve spent many years traveling/living throughout the U.K. and Europe in general. In fact only my son and two daughters — Amanda #2 and Cole* — are American.*

• In 1983 I moved to New Haven CT (easily the second smartest decision I’ve made) and I was there until 2001 before relocating to MI.

• I’ve been married five times (widowed from my first). One happened because, well... it was the 80s, I was in New Haven CT, and Yale University had the best LSD on the planet. After a night I’ll never remember (but one which a friend —and drummer for a very famous metal band — threatens to expose photos of) I awoke with a ring on my hand, looked over at a girl I’d never seen before, and thought “God I hope she speaks English...”

There’s more but about now I can literally hear snoring.

JS: Secondly, I’d like for you, if you don’t mind, to briefly describe your religious beliefs and convictions. Do all the members of your family share them?

PDV: I‘m an atheist and skeptic. Nevertheless as an occultist (yeah I know - oxymoron) I believe in what many call the demonic. Obviously as an atheist I don’t suggest they‘re nasty little denizens clawing at hapless Christians from the pits of Hell. What I do believe is that they are me, my family, and my friends from a parallel universe who have the knowledge and ability to occasionally connect with me and help when I’m in need. Quantum physics is the occult‘s best friend.

My wife is a believer in God but not a Christian. My children range from atheist to Jewish to Christian. Thankfully none are Scientologists because, well, I’d have to kill them.

JS: How do your beliefs differ from institutionalized Satanic organizations such as The Church of Satan or the Temple of Set?

PDV: I think what I said earlier gives an idea as to how my beliefs differ from the Church of Satan. Also, The Cos represents a neo-fascist/borderline Nazi attitude, especially when it comes to any individual they feel doesn’t fit the mold.

JS: Do you have any respect for these organizations and their leaders?

PDV: The Church of Satan is a group of social pariahs and misanthropes. It’s as simple as this: racist atheists playing dress up.

I’ve not had much association with the Temple of Set within the last decade, but I respect Dr. Michael Aquino and his wife immensely.

JS: I know that you have issued an invitation for debate to Peter Gilmore, the high priest of the Church of Satan, has he accepted or acknowledged your request? I personally would love to see an uncensored, lengthy and honest debate between the two of you. I imagine it would be quite fascinating and thought provoking. There seems to be some bad blood between the two of you but I have unfortunately found very little information on why, would you tell us about that?

PDV: Peter Gilmore will NEVER debate me. He and his flock have spent years fomenting lies about me that (which?) are easily proved wrong. Why? Shall I start with the fact I was never afraid to shine the light of reality on the CoS? NOTHING Anton LaVey (Howard Levey) offered was original. He was an unemployed loser who wanted to make a fast buck and wasn’t afraid to steal the material of others in an attempt to appear more intelligent than he was. Peter Gilmore (being the proper sycophant he is) can’t use the toilet without thinking to himself “What would LaVey do”?

JS: I remember from past interviews that you grew up in a Christian household, more specifically I believe you said Catholic; at what point did you find your true spiritual path and how did you discover it? And do you have a dislike or mistrust with Christianity or other religions?

PDV: Actually I was forced into a Catholic upbringing by the female who gave birth to me. My father was a Lutheran who felt God was best spoken to alone. Preferably in the woods. I was in a Catholic School until ninth grade, but my belief that anyone ascribing to ANYTHING the bible said was retarded pretty much cemented my finishing up in the public school system.

JS: What do you think of New Age, Gnosticism and Wicca?

PDV: Silly. Especially “New Age” and Wicca. Anyone who puts stock in crystals, Ouija boards, tarot cards, etc., needs to be watched.

JS: I’ve seen talk shows in which you have participated, but weren’t really allowed to fully express yourself without interruption or judgment, do you have some resentment about this or regrets participating in what might be construed as blindsiding smear tactics against you?

PDV: Not at all! The beauty of a free society is the luxury an individual has to voice his/her opinions. Have some hurt? Of course. And many have infuriated me. Nevertheless it’s a small price to pay for the ability to speak one’s mind.

JS: On a Talk Show you attended, Kelly & Co., you mentioned a specific belief in demonic forces and that you utilized them in ritual. This is very different from the LaVey crowd, who for example, don’t really acknowledge an actual force. Do you believe in actual demonic entities, spirits or any sort of supernatural creatures? And if so, do you work with them in ritual?

PDV: As I mentioned before, I believe that which I originally chose to call the “demonic” world (basically for the shock value) is a parallel universe. Now when I first spoke to theoretical and quantum physicists about their mathematical “proof” of such things, I began to think that this could explain experiences I’ve had throughout my life, and several years later I’m extremely comfortable with the interpretation I’ve embraced. Again, I believe that in this universe (one of many) we all have duplicates that for the most part are unaware of our existence, yet every so often there is the right conflux of situations and/or energies which allow contact. Each time I’ve experienced it, the encounter initially presents itself as an extremely heightened sense of being watched and then my instincts start screaming; more than likely because these events most often occur in times of potential peril and intense emotional turmoil.

I rarely see anything, but when I do the image is always peripheral. Ninety-nine percent of the time it’s me as an adult or a small child, and occasionally I glimpse my late first wife Jennifer and our deceased daughter Amanda.

Is this going to give the armchair psychotherapists fodder, or what?

JS: In past interviews you have stated that you absolutely do not practice ritual sacrifice; what do you think about people that do? Are people that participate in human or animal sacrifice actually Satanists or something else?

PDV: Where humans are involved It’s murder pure and simple and people who do participate are criminals. With chickens it’s a tad iffy because I’m a proud carnivore (though if I ever walked through a slaughterhouse I’d probably curl up in a fetal position and suck my thumb). Still, the whole “sacrifice“ thing is patently idiotic.

JS: You’ve also mentioned in the past your use of sex magic, is this similar to the Enochian Sex Magic that Crowley wrote a book on?

PDV: Crowley was a disgusting, filthy, perverted fraud who should have been killed at birth. His absolutely worthless writings and the groups elevating him (The O.T.O., etc.) have no place in a sane society. Read ‘Leah Sublime’ and decide for yourself. And his concept of sex magic? That was nothing more than “fuck ‘em in the ass and make a wish”.

JS: Would you mind explaining what makes sex a viable tool for raising energy and utilizing it in ritual?

PDV: It’s fun? Look, magic (I NEVER apply Crowley’s ‘k’) is no more viable than prayer. I used the “sex magic” thing to impress the pagan groupies who would latch onto it - pun intended. No honest person would deny that if sex magic had any legitimacy masturbation would be the most potent form.

JS: You’ve stated that rituals can have a theatricality to them, do you get inspiration from entertainers or artists and if so would you mind sharing who?

PDV: Elvis.

JS: What would a typical ritual be for you?

PDV: Always putting my left sock and shoe on first. Seriously. If I’m not paying attention and in the rare occasion I put the right sock and shoe on, I have to take them off and do the left. Obviously that says a lot about my fractured mental state.

Look, the only function a ritual (I prefer the term ‘working’) has is to stabilize one’s emotional energy and the pinpointing of desire. No magic is involved here.

JS: Do you perform rituals on any specific days or for any specific external reverences such as equinoxes or moon phases?

PDV: No. And if I ever got to the point where I did I’d hope someone would put me out of my misery.

JS: I am sure that you are aware of the growing attention that conspiracy researchers and right-wing Christian fanatics are getting for their outcry over secret societies such as The Bohemian Club, Freemasons and so forth, what do you think about this?

PDV: I’m an honorary member of one of academia’s most famous secret societies (have fun with that one!) and I say more power to them! Fuck the fanatics. Of ANY stripe. Christian, Jew, Muslim, pagan — they all suck. But please do not misinterpret that as my being against holding one’s beliefs close to the heart. But there‘s a very real and wide line between being enthusiastic and a spittle-spewing fanatic.

JS: Do you think there is any legitimacy to their beliefs of what they call “Satanic” ceremonies being performed by members of these societies or their allegations of wide-spread pedophiliac trafficking?

PDV: I’m someone who experienced both emotional, physical, and sexual abuse by the female who gave birth to me until I was eight. I’m sure you won’t be surprised by my belief that child abusers should be killed. Though this shit happens far more often in churches and mainstream society than it does (IF it does) within occult/pagan groups.

JS: These claims that Satanic rituals are being performed by the worlds elite, politicians, industry moguls and so forth seem to be rather ill-informed in that it seems everything people don’t immediately sense is Christian (or whatever organized religion) they simply call Satanic; for example the Cremation of Care ceremony performed at Bohemian Grove. What do you think this ritual is?

PDV: Harmless. The mock sacrifice represents leaving the mundane behind.

JS: How does it make you feel when people just call whatever they don’t understand “Satanic?”

PDV: Until the Republicans took power and school boards started questioning the reality of evolution I never really gave a flying fuck of a rolling doughnut about what the unintelligent, ill-informed, and unwashed of society thought. Now I work hard to educate people to the reality of science and the dangers of becoming sheep.

JS: Are there any stereotypes or flagrant misconceptions you would like to dispel?

PDV: My LIFE dispels flagrant misconceptions. Seriously. Look, I’m a great and loving dad who has never screamed at or struck his children. Nor could I ever even imagine molesting them. According to “experts” I’m a prime candidate for just the opposite. Also, despite my decades of being waist deep in the occult, I prefer daylight and bright colours. And! I love Christmas.

JS: Thank you again for taking the time to share your thoughts, beliefs and views with us. I appreciate it very much, thank you!

PDV: I’ll leave with this line from Miracle on 34th street: “Faith is believing in things when common sense tells you not to.”

Just don’t abuse it.

*Since this interview was published in January 2007, my family has been altered dramatically by the birth of three sons and the death of John Paul.

*In the original version I didn’t mention Cole because at the time I hadn’t received her permission.

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