Satanism: The Feared Religion
by
Magister Peter H. Gilmore
When Anton Szandor LaVey shaved his head and created the Church
of Satan on April 30, 1966, he knew that soon he would be the
focal point of attention for people throughout the globe. Now
that the thirtieth anniversary of that fateful night has passed,
has the world begun to understand the real meaning behind the
only organized religion in history to take as its symbol the
ultimate figure of pride and rebellion, and to many, of Evil?
And are there truly some grounds for people to feel fear at the
ever growing phenomenon of contemporary Satanism? As a priest in
the Church of Satan and media representative, I can candidly say,
Yes! However, what the general populace has decided to fear is a
ludicrous portrait that has been painted in lurid technicolor by
media hypesters intent on titillation, evangelists struggling to
fill their coffers and keep their mistresses in jewelry, and most
distressingly, by a segment of the therapeutic community who have
found a gold-mine in the treatment of so-called ritual abuse
survivors who provide no evidence of their tales of terror
(remarkably similar to stories told by women labelled by Freud as
hysterics), save for their fervent belief that they were
victimised. I shall not waste time in refuting the absurd claim
that there is an international conspiracy of generational
Satanists bent on enslaving the world through drug use and
sacrifice of babies bred for that purpose by emotionally unstable
women. That mythology has been thoroughly exploded by other
sources (The FBI's National Center for the Analysis of Violent
Crime: "Investigator's Guide to Allegations of Ritual Child
Abuse," January 1992; the Committee for Scientific Examination of
Religion's report "Satanism in America," October 1989; the
British Government's Department of Health report: "The Extent and
Nature of Organised and Ritual Abuse," HMSO, 1994 ). Let us
instead look at contemporary Satanism for what it really is: a
brutal religion of elitism and social Darwinism that seeks to
re-establish the reign of the able over the idiotic, of swift
justice over injustice, and for a wholesale rejection of
egalitarianism as a myth that has crippled the advancement of the
human species for the last two thousand years. Is that something
to fear? If you're one of the majority of human mediocrities
merely existing as a media-besotted drone, you bet it is!
The philosophy of Satanism is delineated in the writings of Anton
Szandor LaVey. His books include _The Satanic Bible_, _The
Satanic Rituals_, _The Satanic Witch_, and _The Devil's
Notebook_. All are currently in print and should be consulted by
anyone interested in a complete picture of the views held by the
Church of Satan. One can obtain further information by reading
two books by Blanche Barton, personal secretary to Mr. LaVey and
an administrator of the Church, _The Secret Life of a
Satanist, the authorized biography of Anton LaVey_ (Feral House)
and _The Church of Satan_ (Hell's Kitchen Productions). These
works have a great deal of material regarding the history and
contemporary practices of the Church of Satan.
For those who have yet to study this literature, there are three
sets of brief guidelines* issued over the years by the Church and
authored by LaVey, which can give the uninitiated a capsulized
version of Satanic philosophy. The first are the "Nine Satanic
Statements" (copyright 1969) which open _The Satanic Bible_ and
give a firm foundation for the Satanist. They are:
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 animalsometimes better,
more often worse than those that walk on all-fours--who, because
of his divine spiritual and intellectual development, 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
kas kept it in business all these years.
The next statements, "The Eleven Satanic Rules of the Earth"
(copyright 1967), were written at about the same time, but were
then considered too frank and brutal for general release and
issued only to the membership. Here is the "Lex Satanicus," a law
of the jungle for social interaction:
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 another's lair, show him respect or else do not go
there.
4. If a guest in your lair annoys you, treat him 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 he cries 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 him to stop. If he does not stop, destroy him.
Since we have been issuing statements of what we are seeking, it
was considered time to make a list of behaviors that we wish to
see avoided in the Satanic community. Satanists acknowledge that
we are human and work towards perfection, but can sometimes fall
into negative patterns of action. Thus was born the list of The
"Nine Satanic Sins"(copyright 1987), guidelines for what
Satanists consider to be non-productive behavior to be recognized
and eliminated from one's daily existence.
1. Stupidity
--The top of the list for Satanic Sins. The Cardinal
Sin of Satanism. It's too bad that stupidity isn'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
--Empty posturing can be most irritating and
isn't applying the cardinal rules of Lesser Magic. On equal
footing with stupidity for what keeps the money in circulation
these days. Everyone's made to feel like a big shot, whether they
can come up with the goods or not.
3. Solipsism
--Can be very dangerous for Satanists. Projecting
your reactions, responses and sensibilities onto someone who is
probably far less attuned than you are. It is the mistake of
expecting people to give you the same consideration, courtesy and
respect that you naturally give them. They won't. Instead,
Satanists must strive to apply the dictum of "Do unto others as
they do unto you." It's work for most of us and requires constant
vigilance lest you slip into a comfortable illusion of everyone
being like you. As 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
--It's in the "Nine Satanic Statements" but
deserves to be repeated here. 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 it's fun, and with
awareness. But then, it's not self-deceit!
5. Herd Conformity
--That's obvious from a Satanic stance. It's
all right to conform to a person'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
--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
--Be aware that this is one
of the keys to brainwashing people into accepting something new
and different, when in reality it'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
--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 you've painted yourself into
a corner and the only way out is to say, I'm sorry, I made a
mistake, I wish we could compromise somehow, then do it.
9. Lack of Aesthetics
--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 for
beauty, for balance, is an essential Satanic tool and must be
applied for greatest magical effectiveness. It's not what's
supposed to be pleasing--it's what is. Aesthetics is a personal
thing, reflective of one's own nature, but there are universally
pleasing and harmonious configurations that should not be denied.
This basically sums up the rudiments of Satanic philosophy. It
certainly has nothing to do with the prevailing Judeo-Christian
outlook of altruism and self-sacrifice, and can thus seem quite
alien and frightening to one brought up in that world view.
Realistically, the Satanic code of behavior is based on human
nature as it is and thus comes naturally to most people who have
not been deeply indoctrinated in anti-life and anti-rational
belief systems. It is a fact that many people today call
themselves Christians but really have no clear concept as to what
that philosophy fully entails, so they generally behave in a
Satanic fashion. We think that it is high time that this is
recognized and that people call themselves what they truly are,
not what is socially convenient for them.
As you can see, there are no elements of Devil worship in the
Church of Satan. Such practices are looked upon as being
Christian heresies; believing in the Christian world view of God
vs. the Devil and choosing to side with the Prince of Darkness.
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 aberration--in Satanism
there's no diety to which one can sacrifice.
Satanists do have experience of the super-normal in their
practice of ritual or Greater Magic. This is a technique for
influencing the outcome of human events to desired ends via
reaching an extreme emotional state in the context of a ritual,
sending forth a vision of what you want to occur (the Is To Be),
which, if your levels of adrenaline are high enough, will
permeate the unconscious minds of those you wish to influence,
causing them to behave as you Will when the time is right. This
does not mean that anything is possible, for it takes a great
deal of energy to make a strong sending, and it is often
difficult to influence events from the inertia of their present
directions. Awareness of your abilities and what is possible to
achieve is the hallmark of a successful Satanic magician.
Satanists also practice Lesser Magic which is basically the day
to day manipulation of your fellows to obtain your ends. Detailed
techniques are given in _The Satanic Witch_.
Recently we have seen certain evangelists and even academics
calling Satanism a neo-Nazi movement. This is an innacurate
label. The Nazi movement drew much of its power from a racist
doctrine of Aryan superiority. Satanism is far more discerning
than that. While there are provable biological differences
between the races and statistically demonstrable performance
levels in various activities, it is quite irrational to think
that someone can be elite or not simply because of the color of
their skin. Even if one comes from promising genetic stock, and
by that we mean from ancestors who have proven their abilities to
be superior in performance, this does not guarantee an
individual's advancement. No, we Satanists only recognize an
individual as elite if they prove it by cultivating their
natually endowed abilities to the highest extent possible. This
is something that requires the Satanic virtue of discipline, a
quality we try to instill in our own iron youth. There are elite
individuals from all ethnic backgrounds, and they are embraced by
Satanism for the superior beings that they are--creating a
uniquely Satanic ethnic.
Satanists treasure individualism, hardly something to be gained
goose-stepping down the "strasse." Yet we do not embrace an
"anything goes" atmosphere wherein all values are relative and
nothing rises above a sludge of commonality. Satanism encourages
a return to more traditional values in art and literature such as
mastery of technique and emotional communication, of form and
function, design and execution. Satanists find a wealth of
material in Western culture to be treasured for the pinnacle of
human achievements that they are, and not to be buried under the
swill of multiculturalist attempts to displace them with dubious
achievements simply because they are non-Western as has become
rampant in some academic circles of late. We call to each
individual to seek human greatness wherever it can be found, from
the vaults of history and from the talented producers of the
present, and to deride the trendy sham for the shallow facade
that it is. Since Satanism stands for acceptance of Man as an
animal, there have often been creators in many past cultures who
embraced this insight and explored it in the context of their
society, thus we seek out these artisitic and philosophical
expressions and see them to be the roots of our current
awareness.
Satanists see the social structure of humanity as being
stratified, thus each person reaches a level commensurate with
the development (or lack thereof) of their natural talents. The
principle of the survival of the strong is advocated on all
levels of society, from allowing an individual to stand or fall,
to even letting those nations that cannot handle themselves take
the consequences of this inability. Any assistance on all levels
will be on a "quid pro quo" basis. There would be a concommitant
reduction in the world's population as the weak are allowed to
experience the consequences of social Darwinism. Thus has nature
always acted to cleanse and strengthen her children. This is
harsh, but that is the way of the world. We embrace reality and
do not try to transform it into some utopia that is contrary to
the very fabric of existence. Practical application of this
doctrine would see the complete cessation of the welfare system,
an end to no-strings attached foreign aid and new programs to
award and encourage gifted individuals in all fields to pursue
personal excellence. A meritocracy will replace the practice of
such injustices as affirmative action and other programs designed
to punish the able and reward the undeserving.
Satanists also seek to enhance the laws of nature by
concentrating on fostering the practice of eugenics. This is not
some exotic doctrine hatched in the brains of Third Reich medical
madmen. It is the practice of encouraging people of talent and
ability to reproduce, to enrich the gene pool from which our
species can grow. This was commonly practiced throughout the
world, as even a text on eugenics endorsed by the Women's
Christian Temperence Union can prove, until it was given a bad
name by Nazi excesses. Until the genetic code is cracked and we
can choose the character of our offspring at will, Satanists seek
to mate the best with the best. Satanists who know that they are
defective refrain from reproducing.
Satanists are particulary disgusted by the extraordinary level of
criminal activity which abounds today and thus advocate a return
to the Roman "Lex Talionis"; let the punishment fit in kind and
degree the crime. To achieve this, we would be pleased to see the
institution of an elite police force, of men and women in peak
physical and mental condition, trained in advanced techniques of
crime fighting who would be truly equipped to handle the vermin
that make so many of our cities into little more than concrete
jungles. Man is by nature a social creature and makes his social
contract with his fellows, thus rules of conduct are established
to allow maximum freedom for individuals to interact. Disobey
those rules and punishment must be swift and sure, and most
probably public as well. This does not mean the incarceration of
individuals in institutions at the expense of the victims for so
called rehabilitation. No, these criminals must be put to some
use, perhaps as forced labor to even clean up the environment
that has so carelessly been soiled under the dominance of
Christian spiritual philosophy that sees man as superior to other
living creatures with a God-given right to abuse them at will.
Man is an animal, and must go back to acting like one--not
soiling his own lair as only twisted humans do.
The Church of Satan pursues a five point plan to move society in
directions that are considered to be beneficial to Satanists. The
first point is the advocation of general recognition and
acceptance of stratification, which is no less than the
elimination of egalitarianism wherever it has taken root.
Mediocrity shall be identified and despised. The stupid should
suffer for their behavior. The truly beautiful and magnificent
are to be cherished. Each individual must choose for himself his
own aesthetic standards, but we think that there are certain
elements of achievement that are undeniable, even if they are not
satisfying to everyone. For example, one cannot deny the superior
accomplishment inherent in a Beethoven symphony, a Michelangelo
sculpture, a DaVinci painting, or a Shakespeare play. Many
Satanists are working to create their own citadels of excellence
outside of the cultural mainstream and have preserved the worthy
from the past and continue to create new works of power to be
unleashed to those who will be appreciative.
The second point is the enforcement of strict taxation of all
churches. This would remove the government sanction of religion
and force these parasites to live off of their own members
alone, and if they can't, then they will perish as they should.
The Church of Satan has never pursued tax-exempt status and
challenges all the rest of the world's churches to stand on their
own feet. Let us expose the vampiric nature of the organized
religions and see if they can withstand the light of day.
Third, we call for the re-establishment of Lex Talionis
throughout human society. The Judeo-Christian tradition which
exists secularly under the guise of liberal humanism has exalted
the criminal over the victim, taking responsibility away from the
wrong-doer with their doctrine of forgiveness. Such thinking is a
disgrace towards the ideal of justice. This must stop!
Individuals must be held accountable for the consequences of
their actions, and not be allowed to scapegoat society, history,
or other supposed "outside" influences. It should come as no
surprise that many Satanists are part of law enforcement
agencies, and a large number of people throughout this and other
criminal justice systems who fully agree with Satanic philosophy
on this point. If the law is not being enforced, Satanists
advocate the practice of seeking personal justice, but you are
warned to be fully aware of the consequences of such actions in
today's corrupt society. With the present state of affairs, the
outcry may yet come to welcome justice back to stay.
Fourth, Satanists advocate a new industry, the development and
promotion of artificial human companions. These humanoids will be
constructed to be as realistic as possible, and available to
anyone who can afford one. Recognizing that the human animal
often raises himself up throught the denegration of another, this
would provide a safe outlet for such behavior. Have the lover of
your dreams, regardless of your own prowess; every man a king who
can purchase his own subject; or contrarywise, buy the master you
wish to serve. Freedom of choice to satisfy your most secret
desires with no-one to be bothered is now at hand. What could be
better for blowing-off the tension that exists throughout our
society, and promoting healthier interaction among true humans?
Finally we advocate the construction of total environments,
technologically up-to-date but theatrically convincing, to be
literal pleasure domes and places of amusement and delight. We
have seen the beginnings in some of the major theme parks, but
let us take them on to the heights depicted in films like
_Westworld_. Here you will be able to indulge in whatever
environment you can imagine. Re-creation of past history would
not only be ripe for these constructions, but science fiction and
fantasy will provide fertile sources for many of these
playgounds. Even now such projects are gearing up.
Would the average person be able to spot a member of the Church
of Satan? Since Satanists cover the total spectrum of economic
and professional achievement, unless someone is sporting a sigil
of Baphomet medallion, or wearing the Baphomet lapel pin
signifying an official representative, you really can not pin
down a Satanist by appearance and behavior alone. In their daily
practices, Satanists are individuals who are enjoying their lives
in the here and now. They eat what they please, dress as they
please, and generally follow whatever life style suits them best,
so long as it is within the laws of their country of residence.
There is no requirement for participation in ritual activity. The
techniques presented in our literature are for members to make
use of as they so desire. Some Satanists enjoy the social
atmosphere of group ritual and seek out others for this purpose.
Many Satanists find their ritual activity to be very personal and
prefer to remain solitary. Either path is acceptible to the
Church of Satan. Indeed, there are no rules for frequency of
ritual activity. Some celebrate the equinoxes and solstices as
holidays, but of course one's own birthday is the highest Satanic
holiday of the year. The ritual process is often used as a
cathartic, to cleanse the individual of desires that could turn
into compulsions if they remained unfulfilled, thus such
practices take the place of therapy. Satanists cherish their
individuality and do not try to conform to others' standards of
normality. Also, Satanists do not proselytize so you will not
find yourself approached by someone in a black cloak waving
tracts in your face. We have our literature readily available,
and should someone find the philosophy to be to their liking,
they may approach us to investigate the possibility of
affiliation (Church of Satan, P.O. Box 210666, San Francisco, CA
94121). The general public would probably be surprised to find
that they have been interacting with Satanists for many years,
and that these Satanists will be some of the most interesting,
fair, trustworthy, and enjoyable people that they know.
The world, when fully permeated by Satanism, will provide a
challenging environment wherein you can achieve much, or little,
based on the level of input you can muster and the extent of your
natural abilities. Yes, this is frightening to the masses who
wish to sit back and be herded from one media-hyped product to
the next. Our world challenges you to think, and do something
with those thoughts! As ulimate realists, we do not expect a
large percentage of the human population to have the energy and
discipline needed to excell, nor would a Satanic society attempt
to force people to do that which is beyond their capabilities--
but we will not refrain from judging these people by our
standards. Those who wish to lead a drugged existence, whether
the addictive element is chemical or media, shall be recognized
for the slaves that they are and held in contempt. They can
continue their self-destructive paths if so desired, but they
shall not be allowed to hold back those who want to achieve
greatness.
Don't worry, you who have been fooled into believing the paper
tiger displayed by today's media; we Satanists aren't after your
children, for they are probably as hopelessly mediocre as their
parents. But we are moving the world towards a state wherein the
freeloaders will either work or starve, and the parasites will be
removed to wither and die. So, you need only fear real Satanism
if you are a criminal, a parasite, or a wastrel. Are _you_
afraid?
* The "Nine Satanic Statements," "The Eleven Satanic Rules of the
Earth," and "The Nine Satanic Sins" are copyrighted by Anton
Szandor LaVey and may not be reproduced without pemission.
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