The Traditional Satan
Description, Justification, Philosophies Satanism index page
By Vexen Crabtree 2001 Dec 21 | Read / Write Comments
The Traditional Satan By Vexen Crabtree 2001 Dec 21 | Read / Write Comments
Introduction;
This essay assumes you have a working knowledge of modern Satanism. The Devil; the Christian and modern White Light concept of Satan is not the same entity or force referred to as Satan by Satanists. Is it?
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This page is separated into three areas:
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Satan as a symbol of temptation
"Satan has been seen as a source of temptation, inducing and enticing people to make poor and ill-fated choices""The Problem Of Evil 2 - Denying Evil" by D.R. Deinsen, 2001 Dec 16
Satanism, and those on the Left Hand Path embrace free thought, individual thinking and intelligence. All of these things come to challenge traditional ways of thinking in the search for a better world and life. The traditional Satan would use these against us to confuse us, leading us down the wrong paths, tempting us with a newer, better world but ultimately we fool ourselves, and give up good judgement for progress, experimentation and a blind sense of achievement. In the meantime, we lose a simple search for happiness, and literally sell our souls for Earthly gain.
Satan as A symbol of defeat
"When I think of victory and defeat, the loser that comes to mind is Satan. I mean, we all know the end of the story he's the one that loses crying and whimpering like a baby.""The Problem Of Evil 2 - Denying Evil" by D.R. Deinsen, 2001 Dec 16
This is the story that is lost in our culture now; the theme that Satan loses his dignity, despite His trickery, illusions and fighting, he cannot win. Anything Satanic is doomed, an eventual failure, dead, a bad choice. Ignoring this, He leads us on with false feelings of strength, feeding our ego in return for a shared illusion that in the end, it all amounts to a failure. Satan symbolises defeat, self destruction, whilst his followers suffer "the second death in the lake of fire", he is cowering, hiding and hopeless.
Satan as a symbol of deceit
"Satan is the ultimate symbol of deceit because his promises and power are empty; he can only gain power by lying and deceiving humanity. He doesn't have any truth of his own, so he is forced to twist truths to confuse and destroy people.""The Problem Of Evil 2 - Denying Evil" by D.R. Deinsen, 2001 Dec 16
This is Satan as the Great Deceiver, who can only rule by trickery. Trickery including one of his most infamous tricks; convincing (as I believe) us that he does not exist. What a trick!
Satan as a symbol of hatred
" Satan's main deal and rub in life is that he hates people. Basically, he's obsessed and crazed in his hatred for humanity; all he can do is spend his time figuring out ways to hurt, kill, and destroy them. He's like the bully in the schoolyard that has to beat up smaller kids to make himself feel good. He also endeavors to ensure people will embrace hatred/bigotry/violence so that they never find happiness.""The Problem Of Evil 2 - Denying Evil" by D.R.Deinsen, 2001 Dec 16
Driven by absolute hatred of his competitor, mankind, Satan can only feel better when undermining us, moving us towards our destruction. This pure hatred overflows into all his influence, causing evil, pain, destruction, failure and despair.
Pop culture, hollywood
Satan in popular culture, the modern media and the hollywood depiction of Satan has become a different animal altogether. He's been turned into the guy with the best lines; both the hard-man and a witty sarcastic buddy. Sceptical and practical, down to Earth, successful and together. He nearly always looses, becomes defeated, and before the end reverts to a more familiar angry, immature, hate filled guy with horns and bad acting skills.
"I had hoped that, now the greater part of you no longer believe in me, I would have a modicum of leisure pour cultiver mon jardin... but the flood of speaking engagements shows no signs of slackening. Your interest in me has somehow failed to wane alongside your credulity.""The Chatto Book of The Devil" Introduction. [More Quotes]
The figure of Satan within Western culture has turned into a very humorous, anti-religious, business orientated sarcastic best-friend kind of guy. He's someone who you can safely laugh at, the scapegoat. [The Devil's Advocate, The Ninth Gate, Bedazzled, The Stand, End Of Days]. In many cases (such as Bedazzled) he is honestly and plainly and simply as a face of God himself, an illusion directly under the control of God.
Even in movies that do portray Satan as truly evil, such as "Sometimes they come back", his followers are shown as ordinary people, perhaps alternative goths or leather clad rebels, but never as people who appear to suffer much as a result of association with the Prince of Darkness except perhaps sudden death, sometimes by the hands of the good guys.
Claims of Satan actually causing harm, destruction, etc, or being responsible for convincing people to do crime, commit murder, are laughed at, ignored and thought crazy. The worldwide Satanic conspiracies American' fundamentalists dreamt up have died a death (mostly). The Devil is left as mainly human, well spoken, intelligent, persuasive and suave. His main flaw is a short temper.
The liberal Satan
Modern Churches generally regard Satan as a symbol of evil, much the same as popular culture, but without the niceties of personification. We are returning, it seems, to the Universalism of the first century, where everyone is saved, and Satan is nothing but a threat, a symbol, and not an actual being.
Considered powerless, Satan is making an exit from modern Christian churches, the threats of Hell and damnation have become politically incorrect, Satan is stripped of his domain, followers and strength.
A 2001 poll revealed that in North America, 27% of adults believe in Satan as a living being. The largest non protestant group, the Roman Catholics, were even lower with 17%. [Source]. I would hazard a guess that in Europe only a few percent hold a belief Satan as a being.
Modern Satanism
Satan is a source of strength, something you look to to get things done. It is a solution to your problems, a self help survivalist guru, who will teach you how to be successful in the world, make money, be popular, and have good sex. It will teach you how to destroy your enemies, entice loved ones, heal and care for friends and look after yourself.
Satan is viewed as a force in nature, entropy, a basic force, and Earthly existence from which our minds originate (and return to).
The epitomy of anti religious energy, the hater of hypocrisy, stupidity and failure, Satan is more like a powerful father figure. He does not rule by fear or destruction, but by stealth, intelligence, money and power. We view Satan as a cleanser, a useful tool. Someone to make us independent of an invisible God, to make us the enemy of all religions.
Satan is also the provider of spiritual strength, a Satanist being immune to petit curses, superstitions and religions ceremony. Accepting Satan, considered the most powerful anti-religious symbol, provides a security and stability not offered by other religions. An immunity.
Satan is unholy
Satan is Earthly. The Satanists and white light zealots both see Satan as an Earth-bound force, something that cannot ascend to heaven, something unholy, Satanic.
Satan is death
Satanists are not going to heaven, by their own choice. Whether this is Satan's persuasive diatribes on God, or Satanists' genuine considered wishes are irrelevant, Satan represents death on this Earth with no hope of an afterlife. Satanists' call themselves (and all people) animals, and regard themselves as not having the life breathed into men by God. They view themselves as not being in the Book of the Living [Christian], as being already consigned to die an unrecoverable death.
And Satan, the force of entropy in nature, is both the cause of our death, and the source of our existence.
Satan is not caring
Satan is not seen as caring, loving, compassionate or sympathetic of the plight of us mortals. He is seen as ruthless, like nature and unfair life. He will never step into your life and make it better, will never do things for you.
Satan's followers
The diabolical, occult curious followers of Satan are normal people, like you and me, except they choose Satan as their Patron Saint, guide, and eventually are doomed. They like to play with magic, mostly symbolically, but always looking for results for personal gain of themselves and their friends. Secretive, unexpected, there could be Satanists' in your community!!
Satanic atheism
Satanism: Belief in atheism is opposite to belief in God.
Dualism: Satan is the opposite to God
Satanism: Satan replaces god as a role model and idol
Dualism: Satan wishes to replace god
"All of the Crowned Princes within Satanism represent ungodly and healthy doctrines that develop the Human Race towards being independent of religion, making us accountable for our own actions, forcing us to take responsibility for the Earth and society, all without the dominating presence of belief in god, eternal punishment or heavenly rewards"
Satan has convinced us that he does not exist, well done!
LaVey, Anton [Who Is?]
"The Satanic Bible". 1969, Avon Books Inc, New York, USA.
Notes: