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Alternative
Religion/ features/
Satanism
What
is Satanism?
Popular
beliefs about Satanism are usually negative, believing Satanists to
be either dysfunctional teenagers or sociopaths who sacrifice animals
and commit crimes to rack up points with the Old Nick. The truth is,
there are many varieties of Satanic belief, ranging from religious to
political. Because there is no real consensus of belief in the Satanic
community, and as modern Satanic groups tend to promote individuality,
it is difficult to present one cohesive Satanic doctrine. Satanic practice
can be roughly broken down into several groups:
Satanic/Occult
"dabblers"
Usually
adolescents, satanic dabblers often adopt the trappings of Satanism
out of boredom, feelings of inadequacy, or a desire to impress or intimidate
others. They usually lack any real theology or group affiliations. Some
dabblers will eventually embrace other forms of Satanism as they mature,
but most outgrow or become bored with it. Some attempt to embrace popular
ideas about Satan worship- animal sacrifice, blood rituals, and petty
crimes, but these are rare occurrences.
Religious
Satanists
Religious
Satanism is comprised of many varying groups and beliefs. Most religious
Satanists are committed to a particular group or theology, but beliefs
vary widely. The majority of religious Satanists belong to groups such
as the Church of Satan, who do not believe in the existence of Satan
as a deity. In fact, one of the main tenets of religious Satanism is
individual determinism- Satan serves more as a mascot of individual
liberty and freedom from false morality than as a deity. Shared by most
religious Satanists is the idea that Christianity is flawed, that morality
is not absolute, and that man is purely responsible for his own actions.
A very
small number of religious Satanists do revere Satan as a deity- this
belief is often referred to as "Luciferian" Satanism, and
believers embrace Lucifer as a Promethean Liberator who frees believers
from oppression- he is something of a Neo character in a real life matrix.
Rather than worshipping an enemy of God, Luciferians believe that the
serpent is a deity of wisdom and illumination, a belief similar to that
held by many Gnostics, who sometimes equated the serpent in Eden with
Jesus Christ. Still others believe the fall of Lucifer was precipitated
when the angel, sent to discover flaws in the creation, traced them
back to its creator, exposing him as a false deity.
Traditional
Satanists
Although
it is very rare, there are several sects who practice Satanic worship,
including the Kurdish Yezidi tribes in Iraq, and some . These groups
have little or no relation to modern Satanism. The Yezidis, for example,
are an ancient sect who worships Lucifer as a force of good, a creator
deity who has been forgiven by God for his transgressions. There are
also a very small number of "obi men," or practitioners of
forbidden sorcery in parts of Africa, who have embraced practices described
in European Grimoires, in order to obtain power or influence over others.
What
about Satanic Crime and Satanic Ritual abuse?
During
the eighties, when extreme evangelical Christian sects were at their
peak, numerous books appeared describing horrific acts of child abuse,
murder, and mayhem carried out by covens of Satanists. "Survivors"
discovered deeply hidden memories with the aid of a new brand of psychologist,
and numerous sweeps of daycare centers sent dozens of so-called abusers
to prison. Eventually, however, cooler heads prevailed. An FBI investigation
found zero incidence of Satanic Ritual Abuse (or SRA). Court cases were
reviewed and overturned, the claims of books were probed and found wanting,
and research discounted the notion of "recovered" memories.
While an occasional "Satanic" crime may be attributed to a
dabbler or mentally ill perpetrator, there is no conspiracy of believers.
In fact, the majority of religiously motivated crimes committed in the
US are committed by Christian believers.
Are
Satanists worshipping a Christian devil?
Not exactly.
Although the popular concept of Satan is drawn from Christian religious
writings, most Satanic believers view the deity as a cosmic principal
that transcends religion, finding parallels in pre-Christian mythology.
In fact, one of the largest Satanic groups, the Temple of Set, associates
this principle with the Egyptian God Set, rather than Satan. Very few,
if any Satanists view Satan as Christians do, as a force of evil, deceit,
or destruction.
What
is the Satanic Bible?
The Satanic
Bible is a modern book, written in the sixties by Anton laVey, the founder
of the Church of Satan, one of the largest Satanic groups in the US.
It espouses LaVey's personal philosophy, which is drawn heavily from
sources like Objectivist philosopher Ayn Rand rather than traditional
satanic beliefs.
What
is the Left Hand Path/LHP?
LHP is
a form of ritual magick. Although the goal of traditional ritual magick
is union with the infinite, the goal of LHP magick is the assumption
of individual Godhood.
Are
Wiccans/Pagans Satanists?
No. Although
some members of both communities socialize and mix freely together,
Satanism and Neopagan faiths are not the same. Although both Wicca and
many modern Satanic groups share origins in Christian ritual magick,
both have evolved into very different faiths. Wicca focuses largely
on the interplay of natural cosmic forces that manifest as male/female
polarities, and Wiccans may worship any number of deities as embodiments
of these forces; however, Satan is considered a member of the judeo-Christian
pantheon and is almost always avoided. Modem Neopagan theology occasionally
overlaps with Satanic philosophy, but the two groups are distinctly
separate, with vastly different beliefs, practices, and views.
Are
ritual magicians Satanists?
Many ritual
magicians are Satanists or share similar views with Satanism, although
the origins of Ritual
magick are Judeo-Christian. The Church of Satan and similar groups
originated in ritual magick, and a great many Satanists practice some
form of ritual or another; however, most magicians, including Thelemites
(followers of Victorian occultist Aleister
Crowley), are not Satanists.
Wasn't
Aleister Crowley a Satanist?
No. Despite
popular rumor, Aleister Crowley was not a Satanist. He also did not
participate in human sacrifice or many of the other bizarre accusations
that follow him even decades after his death. (although many more stories
of eccentric behavior are true.) Crowley enjoyed his bad reputation,
and encouraged it by adopting monikers such as the "Great Beast,"
but made it unequivocally clear that he considered Satan to be nonexistent.
His actual theology was quite complex and remarkably intelligent.
Is
it true that in Judaism that Satan is viewed as one of God's angels?
Largely,
yes. It is not unusual for Jewish believers to aver that Satan, unlike
his Christian counterpart, is a loyal servant of God, rather than an
egotistical evildoer. Satan means "accuser" in Hebrew, and
in many instances of Jewish belief, he acts as a sort of judge and prosecutor,
rooting out flaws in God's creation. He tempts Adam and Eve not to destroy
them, but to further God's plans for the universe. Christian authors
have taken a decidedly different view of Satan as an adversary of God
and mankind.
*Did
Satanists kill Laci Peterson?
That's
extremely unlikely. In fifty years of collecting statistics, the FBI
has not encountered a single ritual slaying or human sacrifice. The
most likely scenario is that the defense is attempting to introduce
an element of doubt into their case by playing up superstitions and
misconceptions about Satanists.
A
final note about Satanic symbols and holidays
Most Satanists
do not celebrate or commemorate holidays other than their own date of
birth. Ritual Satanists recognize traditional observances such as the
Solstices and Equinoxes. Evangelical scare books will often list dozens
of supposed "Satanic High holidays" that exist nowhere but
in their fertile imaginations. Some of these include Halloween,* Christmas
eve, and other random calendar dates.
Many symbols
are associated by the same crowd with Satanism: Peace symbols, Masonic
symbols, symbols of the catholic Church, swastikas, and Ankhs are not
Satanic in origin. A good rule of thumb in judging a symbol? If the
writer claims it is "secretly" a Satanic symbol, it almost
certainly is not. The inverted cross, often sported by dabblers, is
actually an old Christian symbol for the Martyrdom of St. paul. It has
no meaning to religious Satanists.
The Pentagram
is a common symbol used by Satanists, Pagans, Ritual Magicians, Jews,
and even Christians throughout its long history. Even the inverted Pentagram
cannot be associated with Satanism exclusively- it's associations with
Satanism are extremely recent, and it is used by a variety of other
groups and organizations, with an entirely different interpretation.
For more information: The Pentagram.
*Keep in
mind that Satanists, like most people, enjoy Halloween as a secular
holiday, and some with Wiccan or Neopagan sympathies may be inclined
to honor the dead- but cemetery vandalism, cat sacrifice, and the myriad
other random crimes and urban legends about Satanists and Halloween
are NOT accepted Satanic religious practices. For more information on
Halloween Urban Legends, see Urban
legends and Folklore. For more about Halloween and evangelical
tract writers, see Halloween
History Hysteria.
Related
Resources:
- Satanism
Satanism as a religion and a philosophy. Every variety and type of
Satanic belief, from the mythical Satanist of the Middle ages to modern
ritual Satanists, Dabblers, and Gnostics.
- Satanic
Panic
Satanic ritual abuse, recovered memories, Satanic conspiracy theories,
and religious paranoia. Looking to debunk SRA, or dispel rumors of
a vast satanic conspiracy? (scroll past the advertisements below for
further choices)
- Ritual
Magick
Ritual Magick, also known as Ceremonial Magick, one of the most mysterious
and misunderstood spiritual traditions, dates back in various forms
to the beginnings of human culture, and has been continually practiced
through to the present day- inspiring movements as diverse as Wicca,
Theosophy, and the New Age, as well as such diverse disciplines as
Chaos magick, Aeonic magick, and Thelema.
- Gnosticism
A belief system with a unique worldview, Gnosticism is both an ancient
Pagan religion and an early Christian Heresy. Gnostic belief is purported
by some to be the original Christianity, by others the greatest heresy.
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