| Questions and answers about Satanism | |||
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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. 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, and contains no 'devil worship.' 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. Many Christian authors have taken a decidedly different view of Satan as an adversary of God and mankind. 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. *Did Satanists kill Laci Peterson? That's extremely unlikely. Satanists, like people of every faith, are human, and do commit crimes. However, in fifty years of collecting crime statistics, the FBI has not encountered a single ritual slaying or human sacrifice connected to Satanic believers. In many instances, sensationistic rumors turn into ordinary investigations, with the usual motives at play. 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 often 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 own fertile imaginations. Some of these include Halloween,* Christmas eve, and other random calendar dates. Many supposed "Satanic holidays" are in fact taken from Catholic liturgical calendars by biased individuals, or based on very old rumors of "black masses.' 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 or use. 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. Peter. The inverted cross has no meaning at all 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- its 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:
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