What is Satanism?
1.
An excerpt from the official Church of Satan website:
<b>"If you have read our books, you know that Satanism isn’t about taking drugs, and it isn’t about harming animals or children. Unlike many religions and philosophies, Satanism respects and exalts life. Children and animals are the purest expressions of that life force, and as such are held sacred and precious in the eyes of the Satanist. Besides, it is very un-Satanic to take any creature’s life against its will. It is equally un-Satanic to cloud your brain and impair your judgment with mind-altering substances."</b>
Also, someone who worships Satan as a being is practicing Luciferianism, not Satanism.
2.
A religion and worship of the human body and the material world, not always the worship of the devil himself (unless you're of the Luciferian path). Satanism is type casted by the media along with witchcraft and paganism, as something evil... to be hated and feared whereas satanism does not promote violence, animal sacrifice or racial hatred in any manner. Satan keeps the church in business.
My mate Jamie is a satanist.
3.
A religion with many definitions. No one person can truly tell you what Satanism is as a whole. What CAN be told though, is that Satanism is devided into many different fragments. Some people believe in Satan as a symbol of independence and freedom. This is called being a Symbolic Satanist. Where you believe in Satan as a Symbol for things greater then mortality and every day life and not as a real icon to be worshiped. Theistic Satanism (often reffered to as Luciferianism or more comonly Traditional Satanism) is a religion introduced by a man called Anton Szandor LaVey. I myself am a Theistic Satanist (you will prolly all vote thumbs down on this definition or hate me because I said that). Theistic Satanism is where you believe in Satan as an icon to be worshiped. Theistic Satanism is the opposite of Catholisicm but does not always include animal or child sacrifice, or drug use. I do not agree with sacrificing any living creature to worship an icon, and I myself do not do hard drugs for meditation purposes, however have done minor drugs to increase the power of meditation. But basically where Catholics have the "Holy Trinity" consisting of The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit (which all happen to be the same person), Theistic Satanists/Traditional Satanists/Luciferians have Satan (Representing element of Fire), Lucifer (Representing element of Air), Belial (Representing element of Earth), and Leviathan (Representing element of Water). Where Catholics have the Ten Commandments
Where Catholics have the "Holy Trinity" consisting of The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit (which all happen to be the same person), Theistic Satanists/Traditional Satanists/Luciferians have Satan (Representing element of Fire), Lucifer (Representing element of Air), Belial (Representing element of Earth), and Leviathan (Representing element of Water).
Where Catholics have the Ten Commandments:
I. Do not worship any other Gods
II. Do not make any false idols.
III. Do not use gods name in vain.
IV. Remember the Sabbath day, and keep it holy.
V. Honour Your Father and Mother.
VI. Do not Murder.
VII. Do not commit Adultery.
VIII. Do not steal.
IX. Do not covet thy neighbours goods.
X. Do not covet thy neighbours wife.
Theistic Satanist/Traditional Satanists/Luciferians have the Nine Statements:
I. Satan believes in indulgence, instead of abstinence.
II. Satan believes in vital existence, instead of spiritual pipe dreams.
III. Satan believes in undefiled wisdom, instead of hypocritical self deciet.
IV. Satan believes in kindness to those who deserve it, instead of love wasted on ingrates.
V. Satan believes in vengeance, instead of turning the other cheek.
VI. Satan believes in responsibility to the reponsible, instead of concern for psychic vampires
VII. Satan represents man as just another animal, sometimes better, more often worse than those who walk on all fours, who, because of his "divine spiritual and intellectual development," has become the most vicious animal of all.
VIII. Satan represents all of the so-called sins, as they all lead to physical, mental, or emotional gratification.
IX. Satan has been the best friend the church has ever had as he kept it in buisness all these years.
To wrap it up Satanism is a religion with many definitions.
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4.
A widely misunderstood religion started by Anton LeVay.
The church practices self indulgences and frowns upon altruistic behavior. The Church of Satan in no way acknowledges the existence of any devine being neither good nor evil. They worship no devil, though the phrase "hail satan" is commonly used. However in the church Satan represent the repressed desires of all humans and therefore saying "hail satan" is to hail one's self.
It is commonly believed that the church of satan is a horrible group of people that should be feared. The CoS should only be feared if one is actually a member of an archaic religion which preaches self restraint and stupid moral systems that are truly outdated. To roughly quote LeVay one of the philosophies is if someone smacks you on the cheek smash him on his and ten times more for he that turns the other cheek is like the cowardly dog that roles over when kicked. Therefore the person above who stated he beat up on satanists at school was more a satanist than the person who laid there and took it while "chanting" the name of an entity that a true satanist would not even believe to truly exist.
Many religions have broken off from satanism including but not limited The temple of Set.
While conversing in my theology class I realized that the satanist seemed to know more about christianity and satanism both than the self-professed christian who merely reaffirmed his ignorance everytime he opened his mouth.
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5.
Satanism is very different from the worshipping of the Christian Satan, or demons. It's an atheistic philosophy of life, celebrating man's carnal instincts, and not to supress your indulgences. Anton Szandor LaVey was the first person to give this way of living a life, and he chose Satanism. If Satanism has nothing to do with the Devil or demons, why does it have the word Satan in it? Satan is a symbol for indulgence, for what other people perceive as "evil". We believe that man is God, so birthdays are the most important of the Satanic holidays. The other Satanic holidays are the Solstices, and Walpurgisnacht (Hallow's Eve). The symbol of Satanism is the pentagram, with the head of Baphomet in it. There are nine Satanic statements, and eleven Satanic Rules of the Earth. The Satanic Bible was released in 1966, written by LaVey. It contains the books of Satan, Lucifer, Belial, and others. As well, it contains the Thirteen Keys, translated by LaVey himself. So, in short, forget what people tell you about Satanism. It's not doing drugs, killing children, or sacrificing animals, it's a celebration of indulgence and man's body.
"dude, you worship the Devil!"
"no, I practice Satanism"
"same thing!"
"go read the Satanic Bible, you ignorant wretch of a human being"
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6.
A religion based on indulgance rather than chastity, services include men dressed in long black robes and women dressing seductivly or nude. Does not promote multiple sexual relationships but does not chasty them if it fullfills the desires of the individual.
Satanism has nothing to do with the Satan of the bible.
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7.
A misunderstood term. There are many different faiths under satanism the most common is LeVayan Satanism, founded by Anton LeVay. It is attached to the Church of Satan and the Satanic bible. It is a more atheist (as they prefer to call themselves) point of view. Practicing rituals and spell writing and incantation relates it to Wicca or Pagan groups. Though the group practices magic, majic, magick, majik, or how ever you would like to spell it they do not believe in a celestial being or "God" except for themselves creating the philosophy "You are your own God" a point of view meaning you choose your own destiny not a false being claimed to have created all the existence from nothingness. Another View of satanism believes Satan was the true creator and during an inquisition the catholic church stole satanism and turned it into the opposing religion. These satanists usually practice the Ars Goetia, or the art of summoning of the 72 demons. They practice summonings, rituals, and spells found in LeVayan Satanism. Another for of satanism believes the bible and everything it says but choose to fallow Satan and his army of hell. These satanists are/where common on the black metal scene especially in the 90's. Satanism can be related to Christianity and Judaism because of its extensive branches each believing very many differences.
Satanism is by far the most misunderstood religions.
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