LeVeyan Satanism. Your thoughts?

[CruelPleasure]

Often called the worlds most notorious religion. Always thought of as sacrificing virgins, preforming rituals. It's actually very different.

History
Anton Szandor LaVey

On Walpurgisnacht of 1966, Anton Szandor LaVey began the Church of Satan. Beforehand, he had given lectures from his home, the infamous Black House, charging two dollars for admittance. He formed a "Magic Circle" with his closest associates, experimenting with ceremonial magic. It was suggested to LaVey that he had enough material to start an organized religion.[3]

The Church of Satan attracted a great deal of publicity. Its use of nude women as altars, and performances of a Satanic wedding and funeral service, brought it much attention. Anton LaVey shaved his head and wore a white clerical collar, sometimes even wearing horns to complete the image of the Devil incarnate. His flamboyant personality attracted many followers and admirers.[4][5]

In 1969, LaVey published the Satanic Bible, which, even to this day, remains the most authoritative literature on the subject of LaVeyan Satanism, outlining the basic concepts, philosophy and rituals of the religion. A companion book, The Satanic Rituals, published in 1972, presents an array of rituals associated with Satanism throughout the ages, but not necessarily central to the Church's belief system. LaVey also released other literature to further expand on the ideology, namely The Satanic Witch (previously published as The Compleat Witch), and 2 essay anthologies: The Devil's Notebook and Satan Speaks![6]

Since its inception, many individuals sought to recreate LaVey's success by founding new organizations claiming the throne of "true" Satanism, but most were short-lived and ceased to exist altogether.[7] Some, however, have gained remarkable success, allegedly due to the founders' previously strong relations with the Church of Satan. The reasons for the breakaway from LaVey's church were cited as being a difference in ideology, or commercialization of the institution, thus seeking to recreate its previous underground and elitist status. One notable example is the formation of the Temple of Set in 1975 by former Church of Satan member Michael Aquino, who cites disagreement over LaVey's atheism.[8] Aquino believed in a living deity, whom he called Set.


The other major organization affiliated with LaVeyan ideology is the First Satanic Church, founded in 1999 by Anton LaVey's daughter, Karla LaVey. She argues that, after her father's death, the church moved away from his original modus operandi, and shifted towards a commercial money making machine. Thus, the First Satanic Church is considered a re-founding of the original one.

Today, the Church of Satan is still viewed as the de facto representation of LaVeyan Satanism in the public eye, and fresh publications are released, applying Satanic philosophies to topics of contemporary interest.

Beliefs

In the Satanic Bible, Anton LaVey describes Satan as a motivating and balancing dark force in nature. Satan is also described as being the "Black Flame", representing a person's own inner personality and desires. Satan is seen as synonymous with the nature and even, metaphorically, with certain conceptions of a supreme deity or God.

In his most important essay, "Satanism: The Feared Religion", the Church of Satan's current leader Peter H. Gilmore states:

   Satanists do not believe in the supernatural, in neither God nor the Devil. To the Satanist, he is his own God. Satan is a symbol of Man living as his prideful, carnal nature dictates. The reality behind Satan is simply the dark evolutionary force of entropy that permeates all of nature and provides the drive for survival and propagation inherent in all living things. Satan is not a conscious entity to be worshipped, rather a reservoir of power inside each human to be tapped at will. Thus any concept of sacrifice is rejected as a Christian aberrationââ,¬â€�in Satanism thereââ,¬â,,¢s no deity to which one can sacrifice.

Satan is said to appear in mythology and literature around the world as a trickster, rebel, and hero. Figures such as the Greek Prometheus are said to perfectly exemplify the qualities of Satan, the prideful rebel.[12] Satan is seen as the powerful individual who acts regardless of what others might say.[13] Also, the word satan is derived from the Hebrew for "adversary" or "accuser" (ha-satan). Thus, combining the traditional rebellious imagery associated with Satan and other relative deities, together with the etymological aspect of the word itself, Satanists claim to be adversaries of mainstream behavior which they define as "herd conformity", seeing it as stifling to individuality, creativity, and progress.

Satanists do not believe that Satan is a god; rather, the function of God is performed and satisfied by the Satanist him/herself. That is, the needs of worship, ritual, and religious/spiritual focus are directed, effectively, inwards towards the Satanist, as opposed to outwards towards a God.

LaVey proposes, instead, that if all gods are creations of humans, worship of an external deity is worship of its creator by proxy. He suggests, then, that the rational Satanists should instead internalize their gods and therefore worship themselves; hence the Satanic maxim, "I am my own god."

It follows that Satanism shuns the idea of belief in all other deities as well. Belief in any such externalized deities is generally considered grounds for excluding someone as a Satanist, and devil worship in particular is considered nothing more than a misguided inversion of Christianity, the practitioners of which being regarded as devil-worshipers, instead of Satanists.

Philosophy

Fundamental individualism

Satanism is often mistaken as being a religion that encourages cruelty and irresponsible behaviour, but LaVey's brand is very different. Central is the idea that an individual must enforce their own meaning on life and rise above the perceived conformity of the masses. The Satanist is seen as equivalent to Friedrich Nietzsche's ÃÅ"bermensch; LaVey claimed "Satanists are born, not made" and that "[Satanists] have a disease called independence that needs to be recognized just like alcoholism." There are progressive and libertarian elements here; diversity is encouraged, everyone is expected to discover his own sexuality, chart his own personality, and decide their own ambitions in life. In this stress on individuality, Satanism is considered a "Left-Hand Path" religion.

Satanism and self-transformation

Adherents to "life-denying" religions are often regarded as self-abnegating in their devotion to their own servility. LaVey's Satanic creed viewed religion as promoting an impersonal relationship with what the churches referred to as "God". Satanism was presented as an opportunity to self-identify with one's own concept of God. Great attention was paid to details gleaned from Noir films like White Heat and The Big Sleep in creating one's ideal Self from deliberately invoked forms. Satanism encourages a follower of the religion to grow throughout their life as they see fit.

Law of Satanism

Lex talionis, the Law of Retaliation (lex/legis f. nom, "law" and talio/talionis f. gen, "retaliation, returning like unto like") informed much of LaVey's Satanic formulation. "Do unto others as they do unto you" supplanted the directive to "do unto others as you would have them do unto you", so that you are only to give compassion and sympathy to those who deserve it. It is a reactive rule, compared with the Christian proactive rule; by the rule, love, compassion, and sympathy are not to be wasted upon "ingrates"; these are to be given only to those who the practitioner feels deserves them. The religion of Satanism, as LaVey espouses it, is centered almost exclusively upon the concept of being one's own god; as such, values and attachments such as love, affection, and caring, along with opposing concepts such as hate and wrath, are to be disseminated at the discretion of the individual Satanist. As such, it is the individual's responsibility (and not that of a god, or the fault of any devil) to both justify and accept the consequences of their actions. LaVey felt that intelligent and strong people spent too much time caring for psychic vampiresââ,¬â€�weak individuals who always demanded attention and care, yet would never give any back. He taught that Satanists should strive to remove themselves as much as possible from such people in order to live in accordance to their instincts and individual wills.

The Nine Satanic Statements

  1. Satan represents indulgence instead of abstinence.
  2. Satan represents vital existence instead of spiritual pipe dreams.
  3. Satan represents undefiled wisdom instead of hypocritical self-deceit.
  4. Satan represents kindness to those who deserve it, instead of love wasted on ingrates.
  5. Satan represents vengeance instead of turning the other cheek.
  6. Satan represents responsibility to the responsible instead of concern for psychic vampires.
  7. Satan represents man as just another animal, sometimes better, more often worse than those that walk on all-fours, who, because of his ââ,¬Å"divine spiritual and intellectual development,ââ,¬Â� has become the most vicious animal of all.
  8. Satan represents all of the so-called sins, as they all lead to physical, mental, or emotional gratification.
  9. Satan has been the best friend the Church has ever had, as He has kept it in business all these years.

The Eleven Satanic Rules of the Earth

  1. Do not give opinions or advice unless you are asked.
  2. Do not tell your troubles to others unless you are sure they want to hear them.
  3. When in anotherââ,¬â,,¢s lair, show them respect or else do not go there.
  4. If a guest in your lair annoys you, treat them cruelly and without mercy.
  5. Do not make sexual advances unless you are given the mating signal.
  6. Do not take that which does not belong to you, unless it is a burden to the other person and they cry out to be relieved.
  7. Acknowledge the power of magic if you have employed it successfully to obtain your desires. If you deny the power of magic after having called upon it with success, you will lose all you have obtained.
  8. Do not complain about anything to which you need not subject yourself.
  9. Do not harm little children.
 10. Do not kill non-human animals unless you are attacked or for your food.
 11. When walking in open territory, bother no one. If someone bothers you, ask them to stop. If they do not stop, destroy them. [16]

The Nine Satanic Sins

  1. Stupidity ââ,¬â€� The top of the list for Satanic Sins. The Cardinal Sin of Satanism. Itââ,¬â,,¢s too bad that stupidity isnââ,¬â,,¢t painful. Ignorance is one thing, but our society thrives increasingly on stupidity. It depends on people going along with whatever they are told. The media promotes a cultivated stupidity as a posture that is not only acceptable but laudable. Satanists must learn to see through the tricks and cannot afford to be stupid.
  2. Pretentiousness ââ,¬â€� Empty posturing can be most irritating and isnââ,¬â,,¢t applying the cardinal rules of Lesser Magic. This is on equal footing with stupidity for what keeps the money in circulation these days. Everyoneââ,¬â,,¢s made to feel like a big shot, whether they can come up with the goods or not.
  3. Solipsism ââ,¬â€� Projecting your reactions, responses, and sensibilities onto someone who is probably far less attuned than you are can be very dangerous for Satanists. It is the mistake of expecting people to give you the same consideration, courtesy and respect that you naturally give them. They wonââ,¬â,,¢t. Instead, Satanists must strive to apply the dictum of ââ,¬Å"Do unto others as they do unto you.ââ,¬Â� Itââ,¬â,,¢s work for most of us, and requires constant vigilance, lest you slip into a comfortable illusion of everyone being like you. As it has been said, certain utopias would be ideal in a nation of philosophers, but unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately, from a Machiavellian standpoint) we are far from that point.
  4. Self-deceit ââ,¬â€� Itââ,¬â,,¢s in the ââ,¬Å"Nine Satanic Statementsââ,¬Â�, but deserves to be repeated here. It is another cardinal sin. We must not pay homage to any of the sacred cows presented to us, including the roles we are expected to play ourselves. The only time self-deceit should be entered into is when itââ,¬â,,¢s fun, and with awareness. But then, itââ,¬â,,¢s not self-deceit!
  5. Herd Conformity ââ,¬â€� Thatââ,¬â,,¢s obvious from a Satanic stance. Itââ,¬â,,¢s all right to conform to a personââ,¬â,,¢s wishes, if it ultimately benefits you. But only fools follow along with the herd, letting an impersonal entity dictate to you. The key is to choose a master wisely, instead of being enslaved by the whims of the many.
  6. Lack of perspective ââ,¬â€� Again, this one can lead to a lot of pain for a Satanist. You must never lose sight of who and what you are, and what a threat you can be, by your very existence. We are making history right now, every day. Always keep the wider historical and social picture in mind. That is an important key to both Lesser and Greater Magic. See the patterns and fit things together as you want the pieces to fall into place. Do not be swayed by herd constraints: Know that you are working on another level entirely from the rest of the world.
  7. Forgetfulness of Past Orthodoxies ââ,¬â€� Be aware that this is one of the keys to brainwashing people into accepting something new and different, when in reality itââ,¬â,,¢s something that was once widely accepted but is now presented in a new package. We are expected to rave about the genius of the creator and forget the original. This makes for a disposable society.
  8. Counterproductive Pride ââ,¬â€� That first word is important. Pride is great up to the point you begin to throw out the baby with the bathwater. The rule of Satanism is: If it works for you, great. When it stops working for you, when youââ,¬â,,¢ve painted yourself into a corner and the only way out is to say, "Iââ,¬â,,¢m sorry, I made a mistake, I wish we could compromise somehow," then do it.
  9. Lack of Aesthetics ââ,¬â€� This is the physical application of the Balance Factor. Aesthetics is important in Lesser Magic and should be cultivated. It is obvious that no one can collect any money off classical standards of beauty and form most of the time, so they are discouraged in a consumer society; but an eye for beauty, for balance, is an essential Satanic tool and must be applied for greatest magical effectiveness. Itââ,¬â,,¢s not whatââ,¬â,,¢s supposed to be pleasing: Itââ,¬â,,¢s what is. Aesthetics is a personal thing, reflective of oneââ,¬â,,¢s own nature, but there are universally pleasing and harmonious configurations that should not be denied

[Daddy]

inb4 PuuMastaFunk

And what? That seems a bit over the top especially "Do not kill non-human animals". Is it okay to kill humans? I don't see anything about killing humans anywhere in there so I doubt it advocates but that wording is weird.

The individualism stuff is pretty cook but uh I'll take my atheistic non-religious beliefs and I'll stick to the secular humanist philosophy.

[rdl]

my thoughts: omg scary

[the shortest route to the sea]

So I was at a punk concert one time and guys were like YEAH SATANISM and they held up a copy of the satanic bible and then they were like wait no lol and they threw it into the crowd. I picked it up and read it.

Subtle, interesting stuff. Combining use of symbol as a reaction against modern religion and finding fulfillment in the reaction, and also elevating the individual using both body-centered and mind-centered ritual.

Also YANKEE ROSE

[sans culottes]

LaVeyan satanism is a bunch of bullshit. The typical LaVeyan doesn't wanna be religious, but feels uncomfortable without it. Thus, you get a fake religion that promotes self-centrism and being a prick to everyone. It has nothing to do with Satan. LaVey added the symbolism of Satan because it made his shit SO EDGY.

[hotlikesauce.]

LaVeyan satanism is a bunch of bullshit. The typical LaVeyan doesn't wanna be religious, but feels uncomfortable without it. Thus, you get a fake religion that promotes self-centrism and being a prick to everyone. It has nothing to do with Satan. LaVey added the symbolism of Satan because it made his shit SO EDGY.

I was thinking "what the fuck does Satan have to do with any of this?" as I was reading.

[Shadow_Sheik]

It's good for a laugh or two.

[Classic]

my thoughts: omg scary

[Cookie]

Yeah why is it called Satanism if they don't believe in Satan?   

[FAMY2]

Didn't Jesus say "If you aren't for me you are against me"? I guess in simple terms there is Jesus(God) and Satan.

[Infel]

Didn't Jesus say "If you aren't for me you are against me"? I guess in simple terms there is Jesus(God) and Satan.

Makes me ponder.

What if I'm for Jesus but hate the guts of all the other people who are for him?

[guff]

Yeah why is it called Satanism if they don't believe in Satan?   

how else would you know how they are 

[the shortest route to the sea]

Yeah why is it called Satanism if they don't believe in Satan?   

Because it's a social reaction against organized religion's focus on the higher power as something greater than the human spirit. While in most monotheistic religions everything is at the grace of god, who is greater than human beings, it is the exact opposite in (LeVayan) Satanism. In Satanism the induvidual is the most important, and the induvidual should not be bound by unjust laws. Two Satanist induviduals should not overtly conflict with each other, as they are both in harmony with themselves and thus there is no conflict to be had. The use of Satan is a social tool to reject the "top-down", God's greater than you idea, and to reverse it to a "bottom-up", you're greater than everything idea. The same thing with the ritual. It's only meant to draw out what makes us human.

To put it simply, Satanism is Satan-ism because Satan represents an anti-religious approach to religion.

[Samus Aran]

Makes me ponder.

What if I'm for Jesus but hate the guts of all the other people who are for him?

Then you're for him. According to the Bible, all you truly need is Jesus to obtain eternal life.

[the shortest route to the sea]

Or you're Ghandi, at least.