Definition For SatanismMost religions like Christianity, Hinduism, and Islam have well definedmeanings on exception is Satanism. Most people have their own definition forSatanism. Some people feel that non-Christian religions and all Christiandenominations other than their own are forms of Satanism. This would imply thatall Buddhists, Hindus, Moslems, and Jews. In fact at least 75% of the world’spopulation would be Satanists.
Others feel that all religions other than Judaism or Christianity areinspired by Satan and thus are forms of Satanism. This would still leave thevast majority of people in the world being Satanists. Large numbers of people feel that a wide variety of unrelated, benignreligions (such as Santeria and other Caribbean religions, Druidism, New Age,Wicca, ect. ) are forms of Satanism. Such definitions create great confusion.
The following are recommendedterms and descriptions for four essentially unrelated religions that have beencalled Satanism. The first is Religious Satanism, This faith includes the recognition ofSatan either as a deity or as a principle. Three main denominations exist: theChurch of Satan, the Temple of Set, and the Church of Satanic Liberation. Othershort lived Satanic groups currently exist and have existed in the recent past. According to Statistic Canada, the 1991 census found 335 Canadians whoidentified themselves as Satanists.
The actual Number is probably significantlylarger. A United States Department of the Army pamphlet #165-13 “RELIGIOUSREQUIREMENTS AND PRACTICES OF CERTAIN SELECTED GROUPS – A HANDBOOK FORCHAPLAINS” (1978 – April) estimated that there were 10 to 20 thousand members ofthe Church of Satan in the United States. Accurate data is impossible toestimate, since the largest group (The Church of Satan) does not release itsmembership totals. It is important to realize that the Satan they recognize has few if anypoint s of similarity with the Christian concept of Satan. The Satanists’concept of Satan is pre-Christian, and derived from the Pagan image of power,virility, sexuality and sensuality. To most Satanists, Satan is a force ofnature, not a living quasi-deity.
Their Satan has nothing to do with Hell,demons, pitchforks or profound evil. The image of Satanism spawned by Christianity is called Gothic Satanism. It is an imaginary and profoundly evil religion that was invented during thelate Middle Ages. Concepts included ritual killing of children, selling theirsoul to the devil, breaking crucifixes, conducting black masses, ect.
It hasnever existed in the past, and does not exist today, except in the imaginationof the public. Another form of Satanism is Teen Satanism: A syncretistic religion whichis a blend of Religious Satanism, Gothic Satanism, ceremonial magick, and anyother useful sources of ritual that they can find. It is practiced byrebellious teenagers or young adults – typically for a short interval. Theyprobably number in the tens or hundreds of thousands at any one time in NorthAmerica.
An exact estimate is impossible to obtain, since they are totallydevoid of any central organization. They occasionally engage in minor criminalactivities such as vandalizing cemeteries and graffiti involving Satanic symbols. In rare instances, a few have been known to sacrifice animals. Other types of Satanism: Occasionally, serial murderers will claim tobe Satanists in order to justify their horrendous activities. Policeinvestigation reveals that they know little about the religion.
A smallpercentage of child molesters will abuse children in a Satanic setting as ameans of controlling the victims. The molesters are not actual Satanists; theyare simply using the facade of Satanism to further their criminal acts. Someheavy metal rock bands pretend to be associated with Satanism. Their mainreason is to gain notoriety in order to sell more records. These tree forms ofquasi-Satanic groups will not be dealt with any further in this reportModern Satanism is generally (though mistakenly) regarded as a creationof Aleister Crowley (1875 – 1947).
Aleister was in fact a very prominentceremonial magician who based his rituals largely upon Judeo-Christianprinciples. He was raised in a Plymouth Brethren family, but developed an earlydislike of organized Christianity. After university, he joined the Order of theGolden Dawn, which practiced magick (ceremonial magic) based on: The Kaballah(or Cabbalahl), a Jewish mystical tradition, Rosicrucianism (a mystical blend ofalchemy, Hinduism, and Judaism), Free masonry ( a men’s fraternal organization),and Theosophy (a Gnostic tradition believing in a common thread that links allreligions). He was later kicked out of the Golden Dawn and later joined theOrdo Templi Orients (OTO) , which blended ceremonial magick, sex magick, andFreemasonry. Crowley reveled in notoriety, billing himself as the Wickedest Manin the World and the Great Beast 666 of Revelation.
He is alleged in to havecommitted at least one animal sacrifice, experimented with many illegal drugsand engaged in countless sexual orgies. It is not known how much of thisactually happened, and how much is imaginary and created to satisfy hisinsatiable desire for publicity. His prime aim was to contact his Holy GuardianAngel Aiwaz. He did not consider himself a Satanist. He was a prolific writeron magick. Many Satanists have incorporated portions of his books into theirown rituals.
Many authors and TV personalities have stated that Crowley was thefirst Satanist, even though evidence points to the contrary. Modern Satanism really begins with Anton Szandor La Vey (1930 – ??). OnWalpurgisnacht, April 30 1966 (I Anno Satanas) he created of the Church of Satan. Anton drew on his previous experience as a lion tamer and side show barker, andon his readings into psychology, magick, ect. , and wrote the Satanic Bible in1969. This was followed by The Compleat Witch (1970) (later republished as TheSatanic Witch) and The Satanic Rituals (1972).
These are essentially the onlyavailable books which accurately describe Satanism. There have been enormousnumbers of books about Satanism written by Fundamentalist or other EvangelicalChristians. However, they are usually filled with misinformation derived fromthe Witch burning times in Europe (circa 1450 – 1792) rather than from anypresent or past reality. In 1975, one of La Vey’s followers, Michael Aquino left the Church aftera disagreement, and organized the Temple of Set. This form of religious Satanismrecognize a pre-Satanic deity, the Egyptian god Set as an entity which standsseparate apart from the forces of the natural universe. He was typicallyportrayed as a man witch the head of an animal (perhaps a hyena).
Set wascopied by the Chaldeans who called him Had or Hadit; this later became Shaitan,and still later the Satan of Christianity. At the core of the Church of Satan are the nine Satanic Statements,written by Anton La Vey. In abridged form they state that Satan represents:1. indulgence, not abstinence 2. vital existence, not spiritual pipe dreams, 3. undefiled wisdom, not hypocritical self-deceit 4.
kindness to those deservingof it, not love wasted on ingrates 5. vengeance, not turning the other cheek 6responsibility to the responsible, instead for concern for psychic vampires 8. gratification of all of ones desires 9. the best friend tat the ChristianChurch has had has he has kept it in business for centuriesThe Temple of Set is based on its own 21 Satanic points, which have muchin common with the Satanic Church, but many differences too. I) Respect not pity or weakness, for they are a disease which makes the strongsick.
II) Test always your strength, for therein lies success. III) Seekhappiness in victory – but never in peace. IV) Enjoy a short rest, better thana long. V) Come as a reaper, for thus will sow.
VI)Never love anything so muchyou cannot see it die. VII) Build not upon sand but upon rock, and build notfor today or yesterday but for all time. VIII) Strive ever for more, forconquest is never done. IX) Die rather Submit. X) Forge not works of are butswords of death, for therein lies great art. XI) Learn to raise yourself aboveyourself so you can triumph over all.
XII) The blood of the living makes goodfertilizer for the seeds of the new. XIII) He who stands atop the highestpyramid of skulls can see the furthest. XIV) Discard not love but treat it asan impostor, but ever be just. XV) All that is great is built upon sorrow. XVI)Strive not only forwards, but upwards for greatness lies in the highest.
XVII)Come as a fresh strong wind that breaks yet also creates. XVIII) Let love oflife be a goal but let your highest goal be greatness. XIX) Nothing isbeautiful except man: but most beautiful of all is woman. XX) Reject allillusion and lies, for they hinder the strong.
XXI) What does not kill makesstronger. More of El Vey’s theology contains the following concepts: Heaven andHell do not exist, Satan is unrelated to the modern concept of the Christiandevil. They look upon him as a god who represents the carnal, earthy, andmundane aspects of life, Satan is not a being, it is a force of nature, Ritualkilling is not allowed, blood drawn from a victim is useless, victims are killedsymbolically not actually; human life is held in sacred regard. The highest of all Satanic holidays is the birthday of the Satanist,Walpurgustnacht (April 30).
Holidays of less importance are Halloween (October31), Solstices of June and December, and Equinoxes in March and September. Local groups of Satanists are usually called grottos or temples, Theycorrespond to Christian congregations and Wiccan covens. Their rituals do notinclude Black Mass (a parody of Roman Catholic sirvices) actually there are few,if any elements which ridicule or invert the beliefs or practices ofChristianity or of any other religion. As you may see, society and the Christian Church have made many believein the misconception that all Satanists are evil and the Satanic Church is avile organization bent on destroying Christianity and perverting the world, whenactually it is just a religion that, to a point practices religious toleration,and doesn’t present a threat to you or anyone else. By doing this report, I would like to state that in no way do I condoneSatanism, nor am I a member of the Church of Satan.
I just wanted to point outsome misconceptions that many have about Satanism, and I hope I didn’t offendanyone by doing this report.Religion
