A basic introduction to modern LaVey Satanism
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The Scapegoat and cornerstone of dualistic thinking isn't just for breakfast anymore!
Satanism |
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1. Premises of Satanism
Heaven, Hell, Existence"There is no heaven of glory bright, and no hell where sinners roast. Here and now is our day of torment! Here and now is our day of joy! Here and now is our opportunity! Choose ye this day, this hour, for no redeemer liveth!"The Satanic Bible: The Book of Satan IV:2
Things that exist do so due to perfectly ordered and natural phenomenon. Gods, omniscient, omnipotent or omnipresent beings (etc) cannot exist.
Many Satanists keep an open mind, and many do believe in unexplained phenomena, Forteana, and of course, a strong doubt that we will ever know everything. Some believe in spirits and such but believe them to be the result of natural science, not of divinity.
Philosophical keywords and generic descriptive labels
Satanism can be considered to be:- Atheistic. There are no Gods in Satanism.
- Not dualistic: souls and bodies are indivisible and there is no war between cosmic good and cosmic evil
- Autodeists - we worship ourselves. The only God we can ever perceive is in our own existential world. We are each a God.
- Materialistic
- A "human potential" movement. Striving for longer life and a better education. Science And Technology Are Necessary: We who walk this dark path along with the same interests will pursue the elimination of Human limitation to the maximum
- Of the left hand path
- Opposition of religions, especially those that hold a belief in an afterlife. Satanism is an un-religion. Satanism adopts the adversaries of major religions as its standard bearers
- Only the self is sacred. Nothing is holy except clarity of thought
- Satanists do not pray
- Meditation is considered a valid path of self discovery
- Stupidity is the cardinal "sin" of Satanism, the sin which is believed to cause all other Human evil
Is Satanism just Humanism?
"Humanism shares materialistic views and ethical methodology with the Satanist and we have the same opinions on the emptiness of religion. Satanism is religious whereas Humanism is not due to the religious symbolism, ceremony, ritualistic and dogmatic aspects of Satanism. Satanism is also Left Hand Path, Humanism is not. For these reasons, although Satanists are not strictly "religious" in most senses of the word, Satanism is clearly a religion. Although the differences in metaphysics are so extremely opposed to what is classically considered 'religious' that some take to calling Satanism the unreligion, which is a term I find appealing!""Humanism" by Vexen Crabtree 2002 Nov 17
People need dogma and religious trappings.
The Left Hand Path
Satanism is a The Left Hand Path religion.
"Left-hand-path religions are concentrated on individualism, freethought, intelligence and oustanding abilities and gifts. The term "left hand path" may have entered the West's vocabulary from the East via either the teachings of Helena Blavatsky and the Theosophists or from the shamanist Tatar invasions. The association of the left with diabolism, devilry, outstanding talent, psychic abilities and the right with goodness is so ancient it defeats investigation, but perhaps has a basis in some of the biology of left handedness. Christianity and Islam and all other major religions and cultures ostracize left-handers. It may result from the sanitary habits of societies and peoples in pre-modern times who used their left hand to clean themselves after defecation because the right-hand is normally the dominant hand, and it may also result from lefties being better represented amongst the freaks, geniuses and gifted people of the world. In either case it seems that the phobia of strange left-handed people lives in our language and culture."
2. Who is Satan?
"Satan is not a real, living entity, conscious or a physical thing that can be interacted with. It is a symbol, something ethereal, something that basically doesn't exist except as an emotional attachment and personal dream. Just like Buddhists do not worship Buddha, Satanists hold up Satan as an ultimate principal rather than an object of literal worship. Satan inspires and provokes people, like all (honest) religions the ultimate point is self-help. God believers have a different opinion on what Satan is, but their opinion is a result of their religion. Satanism's Satan is much more eclectic and multicultural than to be defined by Christianity or Islam.
Satan is the dark force in nature representing the carnal nature and death of all living things. Satan is the best word to describe our powerful and independent symbolic figurehead and our opposition of God and organized religion accords with even traditional views of Satan. The materialism of Satanism (even the spiritual components are highly reductionist) is a direct challenge of God, Allah, and all or other religious symbols. Satan wishes to replace God. The Christian Bible and other artefacts of religion may be plundered and misused as required as they're merely Human inventions. The social engineering aspect shows through with our imagery and style, we control people with it.
Of course Satanism has denominations and widely varying beliefs. Many types of Satanism exist including some where Satan is seen as a living being. I think if there was a god, it would probably be an evil one. In these, thankfully, the basis of the belief is not the Christian Bible and I call these beliefs "Righteous Satan" theologies. All the elements of Satan I have just mentioned are discussed in more depth below and on the essays linked from this page."
Introduction to the essay "Who is Satan" by Vexen, 2000
3. Specifics of Satanism
The Sigil of the Baphomet
"This is a pentacle form, with two points pointing upwards, one downwards, and one to each side. This is an upturned or inversed pentacle. The point-up pentangle represents the Spirituality of mankind as is used by Pagans and spiritualists although it was also used by early Christians. The point-down pentangle represents the carnal side of mankind rather than the spiritual. The Sigil of the Baphomet is a design based on the upturned pentacle.Inside the pentacle is the image of a goat, its horns filling the upper two points, its ears filling the two lateral ones, and its mouth filling the lower one. This is Satan. The goat and pentacle theme is very old, and has its origins in alchemy. The pentacle is surrounded by two circles the innermost touching the points of the pentacle. In between the two circles are 5 Hebrew characters, spelling LVTHN anticlockwise: Leviathan."
"The Sigil of the Baphomet" by Vexen 2001 Jan 01
The Satanic Bible
The Satanic Bible was written by Anton LaVey in 1969. There are 4 books in the Satanic Bible:
- The Book of Satan. A poetic presentation of the character and aggression of Satanism. It is taken from the words of Ragnar Rebeard.
- The Book of Lucifer. The Enlightenment. The philosophical and conceptual basis of Satanism.
- The Book of Belial. The theory and practice of Satanic ritual, magic and psychology.
- The Book of Leviathan. Texts for use in Satanic rituals. The Enochian Keys, translated by Dr LaVey from the 17th Century texts of the deluded seer John Dee and Edward Kelly.
Laws and Sins
"Major Satanic Social Ethics:
- Do whatever you want as long as you harm no underserving person
- Lex Talionis
- Social Stratification
- Respect people, their territory and belongings, and when the fail to respect their do whatever you want to them. Destroy them
- You can do whatever you want, but you pay the consequences
- Responsibility to the responsible
[...]
Stupidity is the cardinal sin of Satanism. As the cardinal sin, Stupidity is the cause of all other sins. Anti-stupidity is also the source of most Satanic ethics. Most of the above can be bioled down to a discussion of what is most self-beneficial to do and most the time, because of the way our species is, this frequently means social effects are of utmost importance. A Satanist is not stupid and we know that long term consequences should always be taken into account and this is main step in making sure that the strong, yourself, survives."
Satanic Social Ethics by Vexen (full essay on these subjects)
Related area: Essays on legalism, laws, rules, sins and ethics of Satanism
Survival of the fittest
Survival of the fittest does not mean (as it frequently assumed by dumb neophytes to our philosophy) survival of the strongest. For what use is strength in the modern world? It has plenty of uses, for sure, but it does not imply that one is successful just because they are physically robust or forceful. To be fit, and to be a survivor, you have to realize the society that you are in. It is about adapting to your circumstances, and making your circumstances suit you.
Primarily, it is about cold logical social awareness. Those who fit in control the people around them, yet do not come across as imposing or domineering. Those who fit in get away with exploiting others, because they always do it at the right time.
Hail Satan! - what is this phrase?
I could end this essay with any of these exclamations:- Hail Satan!
- Hail Vexen!
- Hail the Church of Satan!
- Hail any relevant thing I find good
Satan is a role model for me, it is right that I hail his name, to allow others to see where my loyalties lie. I hail people out of respect, a bit like ending a mail with 'yours sincerely'.
I cannot recall any text by LaVey specifically on this.
"Hail Satan! encompasses the concept of self development, attaching it to a dogmatic belief system. Since the concept of Satan embodies the ideal of self perfection which one might not have actually attained, so Hail Satan! means Hailing the potential of what you can be, the realisation of self perfection.Satan represents the ultimate achievement of self development. When you hail Satan, you are hailing what you are aiming at, when you Hail yourself, you are hailing the current you. I guess they share - they go together."
Spoken by Ia'Kat, a friend italic words are paraphrased
Satanic Sex
A number of essays and texts by LaVey concentrate on the use and expression of sexual energy, but as social tools and energy within ritual. Boyd Rice says 'LaVey understood that wasn't one cookie-cutter for everyone [...] Sexual freedom doesn't mean having as much sex as possible, it means having the kind of sex you want.' Our strongest emotions and desires are sexual, we are sexual beings, it drives and motivates us more than any other factor.
Our sexuality is fluid: It cannot be oppressed. Denying our sexuality simply causes its waters to flow into other areas, sometimes in very unhealthy ways, honestly and expression fare much better than repression. Satanism is informed by modern and learned psychological, medical and scientific opinions on sex, there is no dogmatic principles or religious intolerance of sexuality within Satanism. It is very optimistic, positive and healthy: This can only be expected of such a carnal religion of the flesh such as Satanism!"
Click to buy from Amazon.co.uk | ||
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 The Satanic Bible Anton LaVey |
 The Secret Life of a Satanist Blanche Barton |
 Thus Spake Zarathustra Friedrich Nietzsche |
The rest of this website
Many more topics are covered, some in great depth and some only casually. I recommend you return to the Front Page and select a major area. You can scroll down the page to list all the essays on the main site.