Satanism

[GoldenBoy89]

Ok so the recent thread about the satanist statue in Oklahoma has got me thinking. What exactly is Satanism?

I did some basic research yesterday and have come away with a very different understanding of just what Satanists (specifically LaVeyan Satanists) actually believe.

But I don't want to preach Satanism here so I want you guys to tell me what you think Satanist believe just from your understanding. (No cheating! i.e. googling)

 

[jayem]

It's my impression that Satanism covers a broad spectrum of beliefs and practices and has no organized doctrine. If there is any unifying principle, it would be rebellion against traditional religion. AFAIK, very, very few, if any, Satanists seriously worship evil, or sacrifice animals, or engage in torturous rituals. It's more about indvidualism, inconoclasm, and challenging established authority.

 

[GoldenBoy89]

It's my impression that Satanism covers a broad spectrum of beliefs and practices and has no organized doctrine. If there is any unifying principle, it would be rebellion against traditional religion. AFAIK, very, very few, if any, Satanists seriously worship evil, or sacrifice animals, or engage in torturous rituals. It's more about indvidualism, inconoclasm, and challenging established authority.

I agree with most all of this except I've found that there is a core set of beliefs that make up what could be called Satanist doctrine. Obviously the Satanic Bible is not a sacred ancient manuscript since it was written in the 60s by Anton LaVey and I've haven't seen anyone mention that it is in any way "divine inspiration" but there are a set of tenets that you kinda have to agree with if you want to consider yourself a Satanist. Some I agree with, others not so much.

I feel it is mostly based in, as you said, individualism and basically putting yourself at the center of creation.

I like some of their points and I love that they are not afraid to compare religious beliefs with ancient myths and legends. I don't care much for the ideas that are based in a sort of social darwinism ideology.

All in all, it is about being selfish and being ok with that.

But yeah, they don't really believe in Satan as an anthropomorphic deity like how Christians think of him.

Pretty interesting stuff actually.

 

[Paradoxum]

Without looking at google or the posts above, from what I understand Satanism is about embracing pleasure, self-interest, or selfishness. Something like that.

 

[Gottservant]

Satanism is the idea that strength can be shown without what God has created to be strong.

This is different from Devil worship, which is that something can be given a title without what God has given title.

So the former leads to a sense of empowerment (temporarily) whereas the latter leads to a sense of entitlement (temporarily).

EDIT: For the record, these are very dangerous beliefs and even someone with a great degree of discernment is wary of researching them.

 

[Sarah Sarah]

There are different kinds of Satanists. Just as there are different denominations of Christians.
Each see's the object of worship or the spirit attached to their faith, differently.

LaVeyan Satanists are hedonistic atheists. They do not believe in a literal Devil or Satan personage or entity. They commit to the idea that self is the embodiment of the carnal power, the creator god. That there is no 'white light' ideology that can pronounce itself superior to dark magic, dark power, because without the darkness light would not be known nor understood.
Satanists of the LaVeyan variety commit to magic rituals if they wish. This is for personal reasons or to draw into a theater atmosphere the metaphorical representation that says, they are working in concert with all powers in creation as will workers. Bringing their will to action and fruition.
LaVey once said, when asked about his church of Satan, it's like Ayn Rand with incense and candles.
LaVey's Satanic Bible was written by a ghost writer. Many think his predecessor Peter Gilmore, who now is head of the church since LaVey's passing. It is not an original work of LaVey's, not even a diary or journal of his own thoughts drafted by a professional writer.
Rather, it is a plagiarized work. The materials are excised from the writings of Ayn Rand, Nietzsche, and Ragnar Redbeard and his work "Might is Right- Survival of the Fittest".


Theistic Satanists do. They believe Satan can be just as real as you or I. "Joy of Satan" is one such group. They believe that Satan is a living entity that can affect the world with his spirit or walk the earth in human form.

Then there are Luciferians who are often considered Satanists by those who don't know the difference. Luciferians are not Theistic. Theirs is more akin to holding an ideology that reveres the etymology of Lucifera. Light bringer = high intellect, intelligence.They're rationalists in that they hold to the intellect as the seat of "god" and commit more to what is known as autotheism/Autodeism. Or self-god. (self-deification)

Then there are the others.
These are the one's that would be called Satanist by those who imagine the world and the powers of presence and materials operates in exclusive fields of black and white.
They don't write books. They don't have a URL so people can come visit. They don't wear obvious iconography that points to them being occult, like pentagrams, baphomet pendants, etc...

 

[morningstar2651]

Then there are the others.
These are the one's that would be called Satanist by those who imagine the world and the powers of presence and materials operates in exclusive fields of black and white.
They don't write books. They don't have a URL so people can come visit. They don't wear obvious iconography that points to them being occult, like pentagrams, baphomet pendants, etc...

Tell us more - how do you know these exist outside of your imagination?

 

[Ken-1122]

My understanding is that they don't actually worship Satan but they credit him for human knowledge. They believe without Satan humans would still be in the Garden of Eden walking around like naked animals rather than the intelligent beings we are today

Ken

 

[Standing_Ultraviolet]

Tell us more - how do you know these exist outside of your imagination?

There probably are a small number of real, black-candle, dark robe goat sacrificing Satanists out there, but I doubt that they're any kind of coherent group like she's suggesting. They're probably people who really should be mental patients. You can find historical examples, like David Berkowitz, Gilles de Rais, etc. They don't write anything down or have any URLs because they're just insane people without a serious religious organization, though (despite Berkowitz claims of being a member of a larger Satanic cult, it seems more likely that he was just crazy and thought a possessed dog was talking to him).

 

[Cearbhall]

I thought they all literally believed in and worshiped Satan until I came on this website and did a bit of research when the topic came up.