The Birth of a Satanist by The Optimist

http://www.dpjs.co.uk/testimonies/opto.html

By Opto 2001

#satanic_testimonies

My views on religion and life in general developed long before I first encountered Satanism. I would have probably never discovered how much my views have in common with this religion, had it not been for a bit of fun at school. During my later years at school my anti-religious views were well known to my friends and peers and I had been dubbed a 'Satanist'. People joked about it and it was all very funny, and we all laughed a lot. We joked about the sacrifices I would perform, the evil ends I would have to endure, and such nonsense.

During one holiday I saw a book on Satanism in a discount book store. I saw it as additional material for humour at school and purchased it.

The book was a biography of the founder of the Church Of Satan (COS), Anton LaVey. It gave a basic introduction to Satanism and had a list of laws, statements and sins at the back. What started off as a joke became more serious; I read the book and thought that all these things seemed reasonable. I began to seriously consider the validity of the COS; their ideals were realistic and the entire religion was based around fact rather than a god I had never seen.

I call myself a Satanist because the religion coincided with what I have always known. i have had little need to learn from satanic literature, and I wouldn't even consider changing myself to fit in with the religion.

I am me first, a Satanist second. The way I believe all things in life should be approached.