Post by wren on Nov 2, 2006 12:37:31 GMT -5
Well, do they?
No. They don't. I recently witnessed an online discussion that proved people still believe, incorrectly, that Satanists believe in Satan as an individual entity or being. Here's some info...
What is Satanism?
Satanism, the first carnal religion in human history, was codified and established by Anton Szandor LaVey (1930-1997) with the founding of the Church of Satan in 1966 C.E. (Year One). It is a religion and a philosophy based on man as he really is: a carnal being free from the fiction that is spirituality and one who champions total responsibility, pragmatism, and the here-and-now. Currently, the Church of Satan is headed by High Priest Peter H. Gilmore, High Priestess Peggy Nadramia, and Magistra Blanche Barton. Additional information on Church of Satan hierarchical structure, policies, updates, and more can be found at the CoS website.
Satanism has been referred to as an "unreligion" in the sense that it does not subscribe to the notion of an anthropomorphic deity and, by extension, some being who must be worshiped, its most common misconception. Others say that Satanism is challenging popular notions of how 'religion' is defined, not content with the dictates of Judeo-Christian strictures. Both are valid opinions. But for those who feel that deity worship and religion must be and always have been inextricably bound, it should be noted that Satanism's lack of deity belief and deity worship is not singular as Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism (all considered religions the world over) also share this viewpoint. Also, the concept of a literal "Satan" which infiltrates people's lives and influences their decisionmaking is exclusively Christian, and decidedly not Satanic.
Satanism is further described as being a de facto personality type as, in the words of Anton LaVey, "Satanists are born, not made." To try is to lie. It takes a certain set of predispositions to accurately label oneself a Satanist, to naturally feel at home with all that Satanism entails. Satanism, as a philosophy, can be potentially taken and learned from by a large percentage of the population, but this does not make one a Satanist, but, perchance, Satanic. Qualities such as cowardice, insecurity, self-loathing, drug addiction, stupidity, constant life failures, unconditional niceness, and lack of direction (and there are MANY more) are clear indicators that the person in question and the title of Satanist are NOT compatible. For such a person, Satanism isn't a direct reflection of one's core (as it is with Satanists), it can only be a human improvement program at best, which is valid on that level only. This is one distinction that many, be they Satanic "hopeful" or earnest researcher, would be better off to recognize.
It must be stressed that critically reading The Satanic Bible by Anton Szandor LaVey is tantamount to understanding at least the basics of Satanism. It is the definitive tome of Satanism and cannot be avoided if accurate knowledge of Satanism is desired. As supplement (read: not replacement), perusing some of the Satanic magazines published by Church of Satan members and officials will lend some insight into Satanism in motion, as a productive model. And of course, websites published by these same folks (including myself) are also useful. Conversely, we do not officially advocate chat rooms and message boards as viable sources of Satanic information.
Membership in the Church of Satan is completely voluntary and not required in order to be a Satanist.
Who is Satan?
In Satanism, Satan is an archetype, a representation of certain qualities that the Satanist embodies including rational self-interest, avoidance of oppressive mentalities, the questioning of all, and a perseverance towards success and human potential. The Satanic Bible encapsulates this iconography in The Nine Satanic Statements, which are thus:
1) Satan represents indulgence, instead of abstinence!
2) Satan represents vital existence, instead of spiritual pipe dreams!
3) Satan represents undefiled wisdom, instead of hypocritical self-deceit!
4) Satan represents kindness to those who deserve it, instead of love wasted on ingrates!
5) Satan represents vengeance, instead of turning the other cheek!
6) Satan represents responsibility to the responsible, instead of concern for psychic vampires!
7) Satan represents man as just another animal, sometimes better, more often worse than those that walk on all-fours, who, because of his divine spiritual and intellectual development, has become the most vicious animal of all!
8) Satan represents all of the so-called sins, as they all lead to physical, mental, or emotional gratification!
9) Satan has been the best friend the church has ever had, as he has kept it in business all these years!
Inherently, the Satanic archetype is far more diverse than the limited Christian interpretation -- the name/word is notably pre-Christian: from the Hebrew, meaning "adversary", "opposer" or "one who questions" (and the Jewish 'Satan' differs sharply from the Christian one in many ways). Even its etymology is traced back through sources previous to its Hebrew version, from Shaitan (Persian) all the way back to Set (Egyptian). Satanism, to one degree or another, embraces additional cultural and religious ideas, concepts and imagery such as those of ancient Rome and ancient Greece, Zoroasterism, Asatru, Aztec, Hindu and a multitude of others. We also find the Satanic persona emanating from some or all of the literary works of Milton, Nietzsche, Mencken, Maugham, Twain, Rand, Jung, and many more.
Where can I find an online version of The Satanic Bible?
The Satanic Bible is a copyrighted work. Portions may be used in quotations or used for educational purposes (such as the Fair Use laws of the United States dictate), but there is some hefty litigation potentially awaiting the fool who offers the entire tome electronically. LaVey's death also does not negate this copyright: the work is secured until, at the very soonest, 2047 C.E. Obtaining a copy of TSB is not difficult as there are numerous online booksellers (including Not Like Most's Satanic Books Section, through an association with amazon.com) that sell the basic Satanic texts, and many offline bookstores -- either independent or of the chain-store variety -- who either stock them or will special order them for customers who make the effort to inquire. Collectively, there are so many sellers of Church of Satan-approved books worldwide with so many shipping and payment options that there is no excuse (and we've heard them all) for not being able to legally acquire or purchase them. If you come across a site that is illegally posting portions or whole versions of Church of Satan books, please report them to the CoS Head of Security, Andre Schlesinger. At this point, Avon/HarperCollins and Feral House (the publishers) as well as the Internet Service Provider hosting it will all be contacted and action may be taken on a legal level. Noncompliance with removal of this material often results in the loss of the webmaster's ISP account as well.
What is the difference between Satanism and devil worship?
Satanism and devil worship are two distinctly different animals. Devil worship is what it is: the worship of an external deity (in this case, a "devil"), much as it could be labeled inverse Christianity -- that is, confining yourself to the Christian religion and overall model, but merely choosing the "bad guy" in their Bible instead of the purportedly central character. The Satan in Satanism is an archetype, one many know by name and is relative to the culture. Some Satanists choose different aspects of this archetype, depending on geography or just plain aesthetics, but the same characteristics still hold true. It would make little sense for us to claim to embody the archetypal qualities of Satan (rebellion, rational self-interest, carnality, etc.) on one hand, and then attempt to worship an anthropomorphic Satan on the other. In laymen's terms, it's hardly rebellious to worship a figure that represents rebellion. The Satanist finds unproductive and one-sided idol worship to be draining and useless (not to mention hypocritical). Much of this is aptly mentioned in The Satanic Bible and the other books listed in the Satanism section of this website.
Are all of those atrocious and illegal acts people say you commit true?
The Church of Satan harshly frowns upon the commission of any illegal act. If you choose to do so, you do it of your own volition and without the approval and consent of the Church of Satan. That is free will and it has consequences. We have stated since the inception that Satanism has nothing to do with animal or human sacrifice (the top of page 89 of The Satanic Bible states this in black and white, quite clearly). Likewise, we are against child molestation because we hold children in such high regard, seeing them as natural magicians, beings much closer to their nature than most of the consumer-programmed adults out there. If a Church of Satan member is convicted for a serious crime, particularly a violent one and one that violates the tenets of Satanism, that person's membership is often revoked. And, yes, we have kicked people out of the CoS.
If you don't believe in an actual Satan, then why do you say 'Hail Satan' in texts and rituals?
In addition to what is stated before considering how we contextualize Satan, this is my take on this fairly common question:
1) "Hail Satan!" (the exclamation point is optional, though preferred) is often another way of saying "Hail Me!" Since we Satanists embody the qualities of the archetype of Satan, it stands to reason that the phrase is both apropos and analogous. You very well could say "Hail Me!" instead, but keep in mind this...
2) "Hail Satan!" is also a salute to our achievements (both collective and, more importantly, individual), ethics, and heritage. It is a statement of pride in defiance of a polyglot, egalitarian, and ignorant way of life represented by the nauseating Christ ethos and its followers. If we have signed any pact with Satan, it is this.
Find more at... www.satanism101.com
No. They don't. I recently witnessed an online discussion that proved people still believe, incorrectly, that Satanists believe in Satan as an individual entity or being. Here's some info...
What is Satanism?
Satanism, the first carnal religion in human history, was codified and established by Anton Szandor LaVey (1930-1997) with the founding of the Church of Satan in 1966 C.E. (Year One). It is a religion and a philosophy based on man as he really is: a carnal being free from the fiction that is spirituality and one who champions total responsibility, pragmatism, and the here-and-now. Currently, the Church of Satan is headed by High Priest Peter H. Gilmore, High Priestess Peggy Nadramia, and Magistra Blanche Barton. Additional information on Church of Satan hierarchical structure, policies, updates, and more can be found at the CoS website.
Satanism has been referred to as an "unreligion" in the sense that it does not subscribe to the notion of an anthropomorphic deity and, by extension, some being who must be worshiped, its most common misconception. Others say that Satanism is challenging popular notions of how 'religion' is defined, not content with the dictates of Judeo-Christian strictures. Both are valid opinions. But for those who feel that deity worship and religion must be and always have been inextricably bound, it should be noted that Satanism's lack of deity belief and deity worship is not singular as Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism (all considered religions the world over) also share this viewpoint. Also, the concept of a literal "Satan" which infiltrates people's lives and influences their decisionmaking is exclusively Christian, and decidedly not Satanic.
Satanism is further described as being a de facto personality type as, in the words of Anton LaVey, "Satanists are born, not made." To try is to lie. It takes a certain set of predispositions to accurately label oneself a Satanist, to naturally feel at home with all that Satanism entails. Satanism, as a philosophy, can be potentially taken and learned from by a large percentage of the population, but this does not make one a Satanist, but, perchance, Satanic. Qualities such as cowardice, insecurity, self-loathing, drug addiction, stupidity, constant life failures, unconditional niceness, and lack of direction (and there are MANY more) are clear indicators that the person in question and the title of Satanist are NOT compatible. For such a person, Satanism isn't a direct reflection of one's core (as it is with Satanists), it can only be a human improvement program at best, which is valid on that level only. This is one distinction that many, be they Satanic "hopeful" or earnest researcher, would be better off to recognize.
It must be stressed that critically reading The Satanic Bible by Anton Szandor LaVey is tantamount to understanding at least the basics of Satanism. It is the definitive tome of Satanism and cannot be avoided if accurate knowledge of Satanism is desired. As supplement (read: not replacement), perusing some of the Satanic magazines published by Church of Satan members and officials will lend some insight into Satanism in motion, as a productive model. And of course, websites published by these same folks (including myself) are also useful. Conversely, we do not officially advocate chat rooms and message boards as viable sources of Satanic information.
Membership in the Church of Satan is completely voluntary and not required in order to be a Satanist.
Who is Satan?
In Satanism, Satan is an archetype, a representation of certain qualities that the Satanist embodies including rational self-interest, avoidance of oppressive mentalities, the questioning of all, and a perseverance towards success and human potential. The Satanic Bible encapsulates this iconography in The Nine Satanic Statements, which are thus:
1) Satan represents indulgence, instead of abstinence!
2) Satan represents vital existence, instead of spiritual pipe dreams!
3) Satan represents undefiled wisdom, instead of hypocritical self-deceit!
4) Satan represents kindness to those who deserve it, instead of love wasted on ingrates!
5) Satan represents vengeance, instead of turning the other cheek!
6) Satan represents responsibility to the responsible, instead of concern for psychic vampires!
7) Satan represents man as just another animal, sometimes better, more often worse than those that walk on all-fours, who, because of his divine spiritual and intellectual development, has become the most vicious animal of all!
8) Satan represents all of the so-called sins, as they all lead to physical, mental, or emotional gratification!
9) Satan has been the best friend the church has ever had, as he has kept it in business all these years!
Inherently, the Satanic archetype is far more diverse than the limited Christian interpretation -- the name/word is notably pre-Christian: from the Hebrew, meaning "adversary", "opposer" or "one who questions" (and the Jewish 'Satan' differs sharply from the Christian one in many ways). Even its etymology is traced back through sources previous to its Hebrew version, from Shaitan (Persian) all the way back to Set (Egyptian). Satanism, to one degree or another, embraces additional cultural and religious ideas, concepts and imagery such as those of ancient Rome and ancient Greece, Zoroasterism, Asatru, Aztec, Hindu and a multitude of others. We also find the Satanic persona emanating from some or all of the literary works of Milton, Nietzsche, Mencken, Maugham, Twain, Rand, Jung, and many more.
Where can I find an online version of The Satanic Bible?
The Satanic Bible is a copyrighted work. Portions may be used in quotations or used for educational purposes (such as the Fair Use laws of the United States dictate), but there is some hefty litigation potentially awaiting the fool who offers the entire tome electronically. LaVey's death also does not negate this copyright: the work is secured until, at the very soonest, 2047 C.E. Obtaining a copy of TSB is not difficult as there are numerous online booksellers (including Not Like Most's Satanic Books Section, through an association with amazon.com) that sell the basic Satanic texts, and many offline bookstores -- either independent or of the chain-store variety -- who either stock them or will special order them for customers who make the effort to inquire. Collectively, there are so many sellers of Church of Satan-approved books worldwide with so many shipping and payment options that there is no excuse (and we've heard them all) for not being able to legally acquire or purchase them. If you come across a site that is illegally posting portions or whole versions of Church of Satan books, please report them to the CoS Head of Security, Andre Schlesinger. At this point, Avon/HarperCollins and Feral House (the publishers) as well as the Internet Service Provider hosting it will all be contacted and action may be taken on a legal level. Noncompliance with removal of this material often results in the loss of the webmaster's ISP account as well.
What is the difference between Satanism and devil worship?
Satanism and devil worship are two distinctly different animals. Devil worship is what it is: the worship of an external deity (in this case, a "devil"), much as it could be labeled inverse Christianity -- that is, confining yourself to the Christian religion and overall model, but merely choosing the "bad guy" in their Bible instead of the purportedly central character. The Satan in Satanism is an archetype, one many know by name and is relative to the culture. Some Satanists choose different aspects of this archetype, depending on geography or just plain aesthetics, but the same characteristics still hold true. It would make little sense for us to claim to embody the archetypal qualities of Satan (rebellion, rational self-interest, carnality, etc.) on one hand, and then attempt to worship an anthropomorphic Satan on the other. In laymen's terms, it's hardly rebellious to worship a figure that represents rebellion. The Satanist finds unproductive and one-sided idol worship to be draining and useless (not to mention hypocritical). Much of this is aptly mentioned in The Satanic Bible and the other books listed in the Satanism section of this website.
Are all of those atrocious and illegal acts people say you commit true?
The Church of Satan harshly frowns upon the commission of any illegal act. If you choose to do so, you do it of your own volition and without the approval and consent of the Church of Satan. That is free will and it has consequences. We have stated since the inception that Satanism has nothing to do with animal or human sacrifice (the top of page 89 of The Satanic Bible states this in black and white, quite clearly). Likewise, we are against child molestation because we hold children in such high regard, seeing them as natural magicians, beings much closer to their nature than most of the consumer-programmed adults out there. If a Church of Satan member is convicted for a serious crime, particularly a violent one and one that violates the tenets of Satanism, that person's membership is often revoked. And, yes, we have kicked people out of the CoS.
If you don't believe in an actual Satan, then why do you say 'Hail Satan' in texts and rituals?
In addition to what is stated before considering how we contextualize Satan, this is my take on this fairly common question:
1) "Hail Satan!" (the exclamation point is optional, though preferred) is often another way of saying "Hail Me!" Since we Satanists embody the qualities of the archetype of Satan, it stands to reason that the phrase is both apropos and analogous. You very well could say "Hail Me!" instead, but keep in mind this...
2) "Hail Satan!" is also a salute to our achievements (both collective and, more importantly, individual), ethics, and heritage. It is a statement of pride in defiance of a polyglot, egalitarian, and ignorant way of life represented by the nauseating Christ ethos and its followers. If we have signed any pact with Satan, it is this.
Find more at... www.satanism101.com