Selling Satan: The Evangelical Media and the Mike Warnke Scandal [Paperback]

Mike Hertenstein (Author), Jon Trott (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1993

Mike Warnke, the confessed defector from the Enemy's elite corps, parlayed his grisly tales of satanism into a 20-year success that evaporated in 1992 when Cornerstone magazine exposed his story as a fraud. Here the author of the original expose examines how Warnke was able to fool the public for so long.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

According to P.T. Barnum, no one ever went broke underestimating the stupidity of the American public, a statement reconfirmed by this expose of the minister/comedian who supposedly went from performing cat-killing rituals for the Prince of Darkness to becoming a born-again, soul-saving Christian. Religious journalists Hertenstein and Trott reveal that Warnke, lying about his Satanic involvement, led gullible people not to Christ but to the cash register to buy his albums and concert tickets. The authors describe in detail the business of Christianity, covering everything from music ministries to the Christian Book Association. They also discuss the direction of contemporary Christianity and Satanism and include a surprise interview with Anton LaVey of California's "Church of Satan." While Hertenstein and Trott are to be praised for uncovering little-known details about this demagogue, readers would have been served better with a more secular viewpoint. For popular religion collections.
- Mike Tierno, New York
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Paperback: 476 pages
• Publisher: Cornerstone Pr Chicago; 1st edition (July 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0940895072
• ISBN-13: 978-0940895072
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (41 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #847,525 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #40 in Books > Biographies & Memoirs > Arts & Literature > New Age

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

108 of 117 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Can We Trust Anyone Anymore? August 27, 2002

By Lillian Patterson

Format:Paperback

This is depressing. I'm depressed that I have to give this book 5 stars, because I would be so much happier if the research were sloppy or inaccurate. Then I could possibly believe that the allegations about Mike Warnke were indeed false. But this book is so thurough, it's sad.

Let me explain. I stumbled accross this book while searching the Internet for information about Mike Warnke a few months ago. I had listened to a tape of his as a child, before I became a Christian (I had actually memorized many of Mr. Warnke's monologues from this tape), and it was so moving that I wanted to find out if I could order it somewhere. I was surprised to discover that Mr. Warnke had claimed to be a former satanist-the tape I'd listened to had never mentioned this part of his "testimony," and I'd never heard about it before. I came accross information about this book, got it, and read it. Honestly, it made me sick to my stomach. And I can't help but be compelled to believe the charges brought out by this book, due to the overwhelming evidence presented therein.

I grew up admiring and respecting Mike Warnke, and his observations about the Christian life became all the more relevant once I gave my life to Christ. I was saddened to find that he was not what I'd thought he was. Yes, I know that no one is perfect. David was an adulterer and murderer-and the Bible calls him a "man after God's own heart." But the thing we need to remember about David is that when confronted with the truth, he didn't just say that he repented, he really did. And he changed. Mike Warnke is still claiming to be a former satanist. While I'll never know for sure, since I wasn't there, I'm faced with the decision to either believe that every single one of the people interviewed in this book who knew Mike Warnke during the time he was supposedly a satanist (and who all say that this isn't true) are lying, or Mr. Warnke himself is lying. I don't know about you, but I know which of those options seems the most logical to me. And if what these people say is true, than Mr. Warnke's ministry is founded on lies-lies that he refuses to admit. After praying through the matter, I've decided that though Mr. Warnke has done good things with his testimony, if it's built on lies, I need to reject the source (not the good that has come from the source). That means not putting any more money into his bank account (sorry, his MINISTRY'S bank account). Though God has used him to lead people to Christ, and that's awesome, there are plenty of other ministries that lead people to Christ without being built on lies. I'm not condemning him, that's in God's hands. I'm simply choosing to be a good steward of the money God has given me, and use it to support other, less dubious charities.

It sems like there are few people we can truly trust these days. I'm glad Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever. I guess I'll just trust Him and let Him take care of the rest.

82 of 88 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Sex, Lies and Audiotapes May 9, 2000

By Jerry Dodson

Format:Paperback

Mike Warnke was the most popular Christian comedian of the 70's and 80's. His rumpled, comfortable style of storytelling made his tales of satanic involvement "safe" for Christian audiences--sorta like a horror movie, where we have a cathartic but protected encounter with the bogeyman. As his reputation grew, so did his visibility: he was even consulted by police departments as an "expert" on satanic crimes. The albums and accolades kept on coming; Warnke was the undisputed king of Christian comedy, and the unofficial chaplain of the Jesus movement. But not all was well: under the surface, rumblings of dissent could be felt from those who knew Mike best. Friends and associates began to call the offices of Cornerstone magazine, a Christian periodical that has a long history of debunking the sensationalistic claims of religious frauds. When Mike Hertenstein and Jon Trott, Cornerstone staff writers, started to review the facts, it became clear that Mike Warnke's tales of satanism were built of two parts imagination, and one part research (one of Warnke's friends during his junior college days wondered why an satanist would have to spend so much time reading books on the subject.) Mike had never had been the leader of a coven; he had never cast spells on people or hobnobbed with Anton LaVey. Hertenstein and Trott really dug in and started to uncover more and more discrepancies; while Mike's pre-conversion exploits were false, his life as a "Christian celebrity" more than made up for them. Multiple marriages, lie on top of lie, and a staggeringly profligate use of money raised for a non-existent ministry were all part of the Warnke we never saw on stage, never heard on tape. But when Hertenstein and Trott finally went public with their well-documented findings, a bomb went off on the playground of what is known as Contemporary Christian entertainment. Warnke, as expected, tried to lie his way out with a tenacity that would do Bill Clinton proud. Many Christians villified Hertenstein and Trott as muckrackers and trouble makers. Extensive documentation and careful journalism weren't good enough: we can't expose the misbehavior in our midst, so the mantra went, because we have to forgive. Forgiveness is one thing; obfuscation is another. To this day Warnke maintains his innocence (on a website), and continues to peddle albums that contain his "testimony." But if you go to the website with the intention of discussing the truth, don't bother: the guest book is censored. Hertenstein and Trott, I know how you feel.

35 of 36 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Shocking and sad.. February 17, 1998

By A Customer

Format:Paperback

I have been a fan of Warnke's since about '91. I was amazed when I came across this book. A part of me wanted to resist the evidence presented at the beginning of the book. I wanted to believe that Warnke's family and friends simpley remembered things differently than he did. As the book progressed however, the evidence, pictures, dates, activities, that the authors presented became harder to make to excuse. I could not put the book down once I began reading. I think the authors did a remarkable job in tracking down all the people and following the numerous information trails. There was a lot of repetition of information from chapter to chapter and it was tricky to follow the timeline of what happened in which years. However, it appears that they left no stone unturned including attempting to talk with Mike Warnke. I was very disappointed by Mike's responses. The authors bring up a very good point. Just because someone professes to be a Christian and may even bring others to Christ does not mean they should not be challenged. Being a Christian does not mean we should stop asking questions.