What is Satanism? --------------------------------------------------------------------------- What is Satanism? For many people the word "Satanism" immediately conjures up images of chanting figures in black robes, animal and human sacrifices, black masses, blood rituals, and a score of other atrocities so horrible, that the mind wobbles. Tales of these diabolical perversions are avidly revealed to us by headline hungry newspapers and ratings conscious TV shows. The sources for these stories are most often indignant members of the Christian church, nutcases and sobbing neurotics who, under the advice of their therapist, have come forward to recount their ghastly experiences at the hands of a brutal Satanic cult as part of their "healing process" and in the hopes that others may gain strength from their courage. Their altruistic gestures are, of course, supplemented by a large check for their appearance. The picture they paint is a shocking one to say the least, but not a very realistic one. These outlandish stories in no way portray Satanism as it is practiced today. While I am not naive enough to think that horrible crimes haven’t been committed by deranged individuals who, in their dementia believe that they are doing the Devil’s work, most of the horror stories are pure fantasy propagated by the Christian church in order to instill fear into the populace. The Church knows that in order to keep it’s flock, and gain new sheep to the herd that it must promote itself as the last bastion of hope in a world ruled by Satan and his bloodthirsty hordes. There is also a growing trend among some psychotherapists who, in seeking fame via talk shows and/or a book deal, have actually placed ideas of abuse into their patient’s minds. These people have no recollection of any kind of ‘Satanic’ abuse until after they are introduced to it by their therapists. The use of leading questions and suggestion, while the patient is under hypnosis, can actually implant false memories of "Satanic" rituals, child sacrifices, molestations, and blood drinking into the less than healthy mind of their patients. The only people who appear to believe this nonsense are several major police departments who have actually started special ‘Satanic task forces’ to investigate what they claim to be a growing phenomena of Satanic crime. These task forces claim that there is a world-wide Satanic cult terrorizing our country. Millions of taxpayer dollars have been spent in the investigation of this cult. They cite cases of animal mutilations, Satanic graffiti, and of course the testimony of the ‘survivors’ as proof that this cult exists. The fact that no hard evidence [such as dead bodies, bones of the victims, bloody knives, soiled robes, etc...] has ever been produced or any culprits indicted has not stopped special agents assigned to these task forces from traveling around the country and speaking at churches, PTA meetings and anywhere else they can about the dangers involved with Satanism. They give a list of ‘warning signs’ that show involvement in Satanic activities. These "signs" include listening to heavy metal music, wearing black clothing, outbreaks of violent behavior, depression, nightmares or insomnia, withdrawal from family and friends, and the list goes on. Parents are told to watch for these signs and to take the appropriate actions [i.e. Report them to the police and seek immediate psychiatric and religious counseling] if they suspect their child might be involved with Satanism or the occult. There is absolutely no truth to the slanderous statements made by Church officials and paranoid police departments about an underground Satanic crime empire hungering for world domination. A Satanist loves his life and freedom, and while world domination is a tempting thought, would not jeopardize them by breaking the law. Satanists do not need to prey upon unwilling and innocent victims, there are plenty of willing participants to be found for any type of activity you wish to engage in. A true Satanist [despite all the malicious slander] would never cause any harm an animal or a child. Instead, a Satanist holds them in the highest regard because they act naturally and true to themselves. They are not motivated by self-sacrificing ideologies. They have not yet been corrupted and blinded by the outdated moral code and backward ethics that will someday be thrust upon them by the masses of Christian sheep that inhabit our planet. Satanists do not worship the Christian "Satan". He is merely a myth created by the writers of the Bible to add some drama and conflict to their tale. Most of the Satanists that I know do not even believe in a God, and none of them believe in the red underwear wearing, pitchfork carrying, horny headed fallen angel cast into the fiery pit for all eternity. If a view of ‘God’ is needed, most think of it as a balancing force in nature that is unknowing and uncaring of the trials and tribulations of man. "If you don’t believe in Satan, then why do you call yourselves "Satanists?" Good question, here’s the answer. [actually, here’s a whole bunch of answers.] Take your pick. Number 1. The Hebrew word "Satan" literally translates to "adversary, opposite". We [Satanists] are the enemies of the anti-human philosophies and herd mentality of the Judeo-Christian religion. All abstinence = spirituality religions thrive on the lack of ‘self’ in it’s congregation. By removing the egos of their followers, religious leaders are able to keep it’s flock under control and their hands buried deeply in their pockets. Number 2. By using the name Satan, [even though it carries negative connotations to the majority of society] we can shake up the status quo and sufficiently shock people enough so that just maybe, we might get their attention long enough for them to hear what we have to say. Our society has become increasingly apathetic, and sometimes a slap in the face is the only way to get someone’s attention. Number 3. Christians blame everything they don’t like on Satan. If someone goes against the established Christian order, he is said to be under the influence of Satan. There are only two kinds of people to the religious fundamentalist; Christians and Satanists. Why not take the name they have already given us and use it to our advantage? Number 4. Satan has been depicted in hundreds of stories, by hundreds of authors, in hundreds of ways. There are however, some common traits that are attributed to the Prince of Darkness in all of these stories [including the Bible]. Some of the most common are intelligence, cleverness, pride, a sense of humor, nobility, arrogance, cunning and most of all, a deep sense of self-worth. Is this the kind of person that we should despise? On the contrary, these characteristics are to be admired, especially when compared to the jealous, vindictive and cruel nature of God as presented in the Old Testament. Of the two, I would much rather be associated with Satan. Number 5. It is useful in weeding out the weaker and therefore undesirable element from our midst. A lot of people use the name of Satan because it makes them feel special, or gives them a false sense of power. They think that if they align themselves with us that our strength will be transferred to them. Teenagers and those who are just plain antisocial, use the name as a means to thumb their noses at authority. The greedy have used it because they think they can make a buck off of it. What these types people fail to realize is that by using the name Satanist, they open themselves up to persecution, hatred, and the most vicious kind of slander. Only a truly strong and self-confident person could take an obvious stigma like the title of Satanist and make it work for them. In short, only a true Satanist can use the name and get away with it. "Death is the great abstinence"-Anton Szandor LaVey. Satanism is a celebration of life and personal success instead of the Christian philosophy of "Thou shall not" and self debasement in order to gain glory once you are dead. Satanist strive for success and happiness in all aspects of their lives. They boldly walk through life with their heads held high, smashing the sacred cows of man and religion and exposing their fallacies for all to see. Satanism is much more than just an an anti-Christian philosophy, it is a life philosophy, one that also provides a healthy dose of ritual and dogma. Growing up as we have in a dominant Christian society, ritual and ceremony have become an ingrained part of our society. Many people desire a little organized ceremony in their lives, and Satanism can provide that. Most Christian ceremonies are actually parodies of earlier pagan ceremonies. Any first year Biblical scholar can attest to the fact that Jesus wasn’t born in the winter, but his birth is celebrated on December 25th for a very simple reason. When the conquering Christians gained power, they found that is was easier to keep their new [physically forced] converts happy and under control if, instead of totally eradicating their old religion, they just changed it around a little bit. December 25th is suspiciously close to the Winter Solstice, a pagan holiday. The individual human will is the cornerstone of Satanic philosophy. The ability to reason and make individual choices is a primary attribute of Satanists. For far too long religion has been used as an excuse to justify a persons thoughts and actions. Saying "I believe this because I’m a Christian" or "I act this way because I’m a Christian" are nothing more than convenient escape routes from reason. Using religion [or anything else for that matter] as a scapegoat to justify your actions is not the way of the Satanist. As Satanists, we must constantly ask ourselves "Why do I believe this?" If you can come up with no better answer than "Because I am a Satanist" you should rethink your stance on the given issue, and perhaps re-evaluate your assertion that you are in fact a Satanist. Like any other serious organization, Satanism also contains within itself a set of goals. One of the major goals of Satanism is stratification. Simply put, stratification means that individuals end up on the level of achievement and success that they have earned and deserve through their hard work and personal abilities. Men are not born equal! This myth must be put to rest once and for all. The Church has strived to homogenize our society. When all men are made to be equal, then control of them becomes a simple matter. A Satanist realizes that men are NOT equal. Some are born with more raw talent or intelligence than others. The cultivation and application of these abilities will determine the level of achievement you obtain as compared to others. This is not to say that you should compare yourself to others by their standards! You alone can decide how you are fulfilling the goals you have set for yourself, and they must be by your standards. Judging yourself by the ethics and morals set by others is for the milling hordes that infest our planet, and not for the Satanist. Another goal of Satanism is the strict taxation of churches. For far too long these establishments have been given a free ride in our society. They are nothing more than a cleverly concealed business. They advertise, sell goods, and make a profit. Why should they be exempt from paying their rightful share to the country that allows their foolishness to flourish? If churches were taxed, the National Debt would be wiped out in no time flat. There are many reasons why a person chooses to live a Satanic lifestyle, foremost among them being happiness. If you are happy with your chosen path in life, and are living by your own rules and not blindly following the outmoded moral concepts of others, if you are achieving success at the goals you have set for yourself, then you are living a lifestyle that can certainly be considered Satanic. Some people come to Satanism because they are fed up with the hypocrisy that is inherent in the Christian religion. They can no longer pretend to follow a belief system that for them, has ceased to have any real meaning. Satanism offers them something no other organized religion can, freedom. There are no moral or ethical restrictions in Satanism besides "Harm none that don’t deserve harm." There are no guilt trips imposed and no absolutions offered. No quarter asked, none given. A Satanist must take responsibility for his/her actions. Satanists by nature are solitary creatures and most choose to exclude themselves from as much contact as possible with the teeming multitudes that swarm this planet. They are a drain on our vitality. Ideally, contact with these individuals should be limited to circumstances of the Satanists choosing. Instead, a Satanists prefers to surround himself with things that are aesthetically pleasing. Literature, art, music, these are the companions of a Satanist.