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Category: Independent Satanism

“Love” is Not a Four-Letter Word – Venus Satanas

Thoughts on Satanic Love…
In Satanism, I have found that some Satanists treat the word ‘Love” as if it were a four-letter word. They say the word with contempt, with disgust. They treat it as if it were not part of the Satanist’s vocabulary. Almost as if it were something to be hated. As if it was a word not to be spoken.

Is it because some Satanists hold on to their past beliefs of Christianity, and in their struggle to let go of it, they treat all the concepts of Christianity with contempt? Words and concepts like ‘compassion’, ‘forgiveness’, and ‘love’ are seen as a condition of weakness and ignorance.

Perhaps LaVey had something to do with this contempt for love. Wasn’t it LaVey who suggested that forgiveness was only to be given in a conditional way, to those who deserved it? Didn’t he suggest that hatred for the hypocrisy of Christianity was righteous for Satanists? Do some Satanists, even though they are not LaVeyan, accept beliefs that LaVey introduced into Satanism through his own (hypocritical) philosophy?

Love is not a Christian concept. It is not owned by Christians. No religion has enough righteousness to own that word. That is because love is a human emotion, not a tool of the religious. Indeed, it has been used in that way – to change people’s attitudes about each other and about life, through a spiritual perspective. But in the end, love is a human condition, and there is nothing more Human than the Satanist who is closest to the realities of life. Isn’t that the ‘Satanic Ideal’?

The Broken Past Lives On..
Treating the word ‘love’ with contempt is a social problem in Satanism. Some of us aren’t prepared to live a life outside of Christianity, or to leave that zone of inverse-christian beliefs. So it is only natural for them to only see that word from a certain perspective. To them, it becomes a tool of the weak and the lowly, the end-product of manipulation and mind games.

It is a social problem because the word is treated with prejudice. If Satanists seek freedom and the ability to live life as they see fit, then why is love avoided or shunned? Wouldn’t it make more sense to explore -why- love is important and how it can be used outside of a Christian perspective? I certainly think so. It’s important to me.

I wrote this post today because I had asked a question on Facebook, and this question was about how Satanism has changed lives in a positive way. One person replied that he appreciated and enjoyed the love of Satan, and his comment erupted a firestorm of replies that ‘love’ didn’t exist in Satanism.

I disagree with the idea that love does not exist in Satanism, because in a world filled with possibilities and a life that is truly free, there is room for love. A true kind of love that is not false or contrived, a love that is outside of moral ideals that belong to the religious. If Satanists are willing to deny that love is worthless or has no use in Satanism, then what kind of life would that be?

If Satanists refuse to change the ideas of the past that only serve to hold them back from enjoying life, then what kind of future will they have as Satanists? Aren’t they just repeating the same mistakes of the past without creating a change that will improve their future? Satanists could be denying the opportunity to enjoy life and give up the worthless ideas and attitudes that don’t work.

A Love for Satan
Many of us got into Satanism because we had a desire to experience Satan and Satanism in whatever form that it appeared to us.. and many of us do have a love for Satan who, (for some) has guided us along our path every day since we first began our journey.

I admit that I also love Satan, and this love is a deep spiritual love that comes from the heart. Satan has always been there for me, but I have always had the freedom to choose how I will live my life. A love for Satan is not a requirement to be a Satanist, but this love for Satan, and love from Satan has been experienced by many of us in a spiritual way. This love only came through time and experience.

Where Do you Stand?
What about Self-Love? This is not the same as being selfish – I think that Self-Love is the ability to be honest and true with ourselves, to take responsibility for our actions and to have a genuine interest in making one’s life better each day. Selfish love destroys, but real and true spiritual Self-Love builds something so great that nothing can destroy it. Real and true love, from the heart, from the Will.

Maybe some Satanists lack that certain kind of confidence, and they do not love themselves. As long as they cling to the shards of their broken Christian past, and they proclaim that love is a four- letter-word, they may never get to experience one of the greatest joys in life that makes life complete.

The destructive nature of Satanism leaves many in the dark when it comes to love and the expression of emotions in a healthy and balanced way – and I can understand this. Satanism is not an easy path to be on. I think that it is one of the most difficult paths there is. It can build you up but it can also tear you down. When it all comes down to it where do you stand?

I do not think that Love is a Four-Letter word.

Satan Be With You,
Venus Satanas

May 24, 2010
Explain Satanism to Me? Reader Q&A

I got a letter from a fan who asked, ‘Could you explain satanism to me?’.. Well, Satanism is complex, and because of this, I offered a very brief overview along with some useful links to various sources on Satanism.

Satanism as a social movement started in the late 60’s with the creation of the Church of Satan by Anton LaVey, and it has developed into many other forms of Satanism since then. It is complex because it is so diverse, so I doubt that any one letter or post could possibly cover all the information that you need to understand it. Because of this, I am posting some links for you, where you can explore these concepts for yourself.

Subversion Ideology
To understand Satanism, it is important to see the difference between the christian subversion ideologies that have been used by the church for centuries, versus the social movement of Satanism that has only existed in society for the past 40 years.

Taking this into account, you can pretty much dismiss the many stories created by Christians that portray satanism to include anything from folks who are christian but are not from the same sect, to other groups and peoples who are not christian, yet they were labeled as ‘satanic’ by the church, all the way up to the many people who have died under christian accusations of satanism (including the witch trials and inquisitions, for example).

The Satanism Bibliography
There is a great bibliography on Satanism that you can find at the satanservice.org site. This bibliography includes many different sources on Satanism, arranged by subject. It includes some documents that can be viewed online. While you are there at the satanservice site, take some time to visit the ‘Real Satanist’ Page, to read about notable public figures in Satanism.

The Real Satanists Page (nocTifer)
The Satanism Bibliography (nocTifer)

The Satanic Bible
The Satanic Bible is a good starting point for understanding LaVeyan or philosophical Satanism, wher Satan is recognized as a symbol for ‘the dark forces of nature’. This book is generally regarded as a resource for members of the Church of Satan. The secondary book, “The Satanic Rituals” contains information on LaVeyan Satanic ritual. Reading these two books are necessary for understanding Satanism in general. You can find a copy online at these sites:

The Satanic Bible (Review at Left Hand Path Books, Anton LaVey)
The Satanic Rituals (Review at Left Hand Path Books, Anton LaVey)

Spiritual and Theistic Satanism
In spiritual or Theistic satanism, Satan is recognized as a force or entity that Satanists relate to in a favorable way. According to Diane Vera [of theisticsatanism.com], ‘A theistic Satanist, also known as a ‘traditional Satanist’, ‘Spiritual Satanist’, or ‘Devil Worshiper’, is one who does believe in and worship Satan as a deity, or who at least is strongly inclined in that direction”.

Some satanists of this variety (like me) are Independent and work alone without belonging to any groups or organizations, and others enjoy being in different Satanic Organizations where they can share common beliefs and practices. Overall, the beliefs of Satanists vary according to what interests them in the occult.

Here are some reliable resources on spiritual and theistic Satanism:
Diane Vera, theisticsatanism.com
My website, SpiritualSatanist.com

Conclusion:
Satanism is the focus on Satan through philosophical, spiritual or religious practices. What Satanists choose to believe in and associate with are varied and unique. Some of the common values that Satanists share is the need to be independent, free-thinkers, and of course, a focus on Satan.

Venus Satanas

March 29, 2010
Loving Christ and Satan – Reader Q&A

A reply to a very touching letter sent by a fan, and a discussion on duality in Satanism. This letter was not easy to reply to but this reader had a very serious issue. As she is new to Satanism, I wanted to offer some of my advice to her.

..I have read a good bit on your website, and I have watched many of your videos. I am fascinated by Satanism, and especially your ideas on Independent Satanism. But I am fairly new to all this. I became a Christian when I was very young. But in recent years I have become repulsed by Christians and the church. I see no value in associating myself with either. At the same time I find myself very much attracted to Satan.

Yet I still feel pulled in two directions. What I read about Jesus makes it hard for me to hate him. I don’t see the same bullshit coming from him that I see coming from Christians and the church. So I would like to know if it is necessary for me to denounce Christianity, that is to denounce Jesus Christ, in order to practice Satanism.

I feel like I am falling in love with Satan. Yet I still respect the words of Christ. From some of my reading, it seems that most satanists really despise him. Any insight into my dilemma would be appreciated. Hail Satan.

I do not believe that you have to hate Jesus in order to be a Satanist. Now, I’m waiting for the mail to pour in because of that statement, but allow me to explain.

The hatred of Christ by Satanists has a long history. Even before LaVey made his church and declared that Satanism should be a practice and a religion, the Christians created a reputation for Satanists that included rites that transversed Christianity.

You can read stories like this in books such as ‘LaBas’ (Huysmans), and ‘Satanism and Witchcraft’ (Jules Michelet). Authors like this drew from the tales that were used during the witchcraft trials. They included morbid scenes of black masses where the (defrocked) priest would trample on the host, offer unholy sacraments and assist the priestess who was usually described as a street-whore or a former nun. Other rites included horrible things like using baby fat for candles In reading these tales you may think that there were some people who did some very morbid things in pursuit of denying the church.

Why would the church make up horror stories like this? For authors like Huysmans it made them a lot of money through sensationalism. It enabled the Church to create an environment of fear, where they were able to gain control. It allowed for the witch trials to happen and many died, needlessly. Their propaganda enabled them to have social control. The early church also did not want the competition from Jewish society. Many Jews were killed, labeled as witches, their holy ‘Sabbat’ becoming the witch’s unholy sabbath.. The tales the christian writers created were centered around these ideas. It worked for a very long time.

Even LaVey, who had the most social control over popular satanism, created an environment that focused on denying the Christ-figure and embracing the ways of Satan. Much of that was influenced by anti-Christian rhetoric of philosophers. It seems that since then, it has become almost traditional for Satanists to behave in this way.

I take a different view. I accept that there are many gods in this world.

In my article, “My Advice on Leaving Christianity“, I try to take a neutral view in suggesting how to leave that religion. I do not see a need to waste emotional energy on hate. That is why i suggest to this reader that if she wants to leave Christianity, then she should, but its not required of her to hate anything.

In Satanism, it is useful for some to mock or ridicule their former beliefs, as that enables them to subconsciously break with the former beliefs of the past.

If she finds that the majority of her Christian friends are actually hypocrites according to what they are supposed to be living by as Christians, then maybe she will be able to see that their way of life and their religion is a moral ideal, and that very few people in this life will ever achieve this perfected ideal.

I would not blame this on the god, but i would place the blame on the people within that religion who refuse to take responsibility for their own actions. Of course, I am not a Christian so it is not my place to judge.

Satanism in general is more accepting of the human condition and that is why there is no need to restrict the self to moral conditioning. That is why as a Satanist she may be able to see this ‘hypocritical self deceit’ that others continually choose to accept as a way of life. She may have to transition from an accepting and faithful way of life, to a more modern rationalist humanist approach. Some never make that transition and they merely invert the values of Christianity. Even though the story is inverted, they never leave the sphere of Christian influence.

Overall, her biggest issue is going to be the situation of duality.
Accepting Christ is fine but according to the Christian tradition, there can not be room in one’s heart for both god and Satan. There are generally no rules as to how Satanists accept other gods, but generally from a Satanists point of view the Christian god would be either:

1. nonexistent
2. Denied, hated or reviled;
3. The eternal enemy of Satan
4. tolerated as the god of others who are Christian.

wanting to love Jesus and Satan at the same time, while being dedicated to Satan is a noble thing to do. I do not think it would be easy. My suggestion to her that she examine her motives and sincerely explore whether she is ready to leave Christianity or not. and if she is, then she is free to leave it behind without hating it. If that decision is too much to handle or her Christian belief in Christ prevents her from doing it, then she would be better off returning to her god and praying for forgiveness for straying from the path of Christian righteousness.

~Venus

December 23, 2009
Why I Like Being an Independent Satanist

Here are four reasons why I love being an Independent Satanist.

1. I like being Independent because I can create my own rules. This does not simply mean ‘do whatever I will’ but it does mean that I have the right to make a conscious decision as to what is right for me. Creating my own rules for how I want to live as a Satanist, and having those boundaries has shown me what is useful and what is not useful in my life (as a Satanist)

2. I represent my Self, and nothing else besides that. Maybe others like to have doctrines given to them to guide their beliefs and ways of thinking, but I do not. I don’t have to live by others ideals and teachings, for those things are only the tools and the devices of the religious and faithful. I am free to understand Satan in my own way on my terms, and I am also free to live the Satanists life according to my own way of belief.

3. I have the freedom to create my own rituals and methods of magic and style of Satanic worship. I am not chained to the dogmatic beliefs of organized Satanism. i am not restricted to the teachings of just one book.

4. I create my own vision of who I am and what I want. I follow through with those ideas. I am self-made, and I am not molded from the beliefs of organized satanism. I can be myself, uninhibited by the rules and commands of others that would determine my path in Satanism.

Non Serviam
V. S.

October 28, 2009
What Makes a Real Satanist?

What makes a person a real Satanist? Here is a very important question sent to me by a Youtube viewer. He asked me about the path of Satanism, and what qualifies a person as a Satanist.

“ms. satanas…let me ask you,

at what point did you say or you knew without a doubt that you were a satanist? was it the completion of a certain ritual, or just a personal declaration to the principles, theories, and ideas of satanism, or what? i can read books, watch videos and listen to lectures, but that, i dont believe that would qualify me as a satanist. so i was just wondering, what is that point, that thing that makes one a satanist. “

What qualifies a person as a Satanist?
I do not think that there are any overall rules that allow for a Satanist to be declared as a Satanist. There are organizations that can take your money and give you a membership card, and through this you can declare yourself as a Satanist. In my view that is not a reliable indication of Satanism, its only a declaration that you belong to a Satanic social organization.

Also, Satanism does not have the same advantage as other neo-pagan or Wiccan groups. Satanist organizations are isolated and most of them do not have physical places of worship. they can not offer an initiation to new members through ritual. Many initiations into Satanism are self-initiated because of this. I think this is proper, because Satanism is an individual practice.

I suppose, to answer his question, I have to go back to 1992, when I did my first ritual. This ritual was a summoning and a pact with Satan. After making the pact, I felt that I was allied with Satan. It was a self-initiation into Satanism as well. But I really couldn’t call myself a Satanist or feel that I was a Satanist until I started putting Satanic ideals into practice in my life. It was through living the philosophy of Satanism that I was able to identify with Satan on a personal level and experience working with the Satanic energy in my life.

That took a long time to achieve. Years of experimentation. It all comes down to how dedicated you are to what you want to manifest. That being said, I do believe that this type of dedication is what separates the curious Satanist and the dabbler from the serious student of the dark arts and the ones that are fully dedicated to Satanism.

Reading about Satanism and watching videos does not make one Satanic. However, if you are able to learn and increase your knowledge and then apply that to your life in strategic ways, and results manifest for you, then you will know that you are living the Satanic life. This is much more than just reading and following what others say; it involves a creative effort and determination to manifest your will according to what you want. You have to create a life built from Satanic principles that you find to be true.

If Satanism is only a hobby or passing interest then how can it be taken seriously or applied to a person’s life in a meaningful way? Satanism is a religion, a philosophy and a spiritual way of life. So I think that to answer his question, it comes down to sincerity and dedication, and that is true for any occult art.

Everyone wants to identify with something that is great. But identifying with Satanism without study, dedication and practice only means that you are curious or using the label for entertainment value. It calls into question, who is a true Satanist? can such a person be found if Satanism is such a diverse practice?

I think its possible. A real Satanist will be obviously identified by the works and the deeds in their life. They will be known by the measure of their success in whatever they do. The proof is found in the lives of people who identify with satanism. Any true indication of Satanism is reflected in the life of the Satanist.

For more information and examples of who real Satanists are take a moment to visit the Satanservice wiki – a comprehensive listing of Satanists ranked by their popularity. Visit this site: Field Guide to Satanism at the Satanservice wiki

Venus Satanas

August 29, 2009
Are you a Satanist in Public?

From: The Satanic Temple, Seattle

Just some basic thoughts about public Satanism, put into a question and answer format.

Do you do your thing regardless of what others may think?

Well, do you? are you able to be a Satanist in public? I think its difficult to live a lifestyle like that, but its not impossible. I’ve done it. Every day at my job I wore my pentagram, just to see what would happen, to test the waters. Luckily at my work there wasn’t a strict dress code and I wasn’t the only one who wore alternative religious jewelry.

I had a friend who was Wiccan and she always wore her Pentacle at work. She sold spell potions to her friends and she also read the Thoth tarot for them [at work, on breaks!]. She was known for years as being the ‘house witch’! The one that others go to for spells and readings. So I was lucky in my situation that I didn’t have to be the first to be public about witchcraft in the workplace. There were others before me. I have also introduced 2 other employees to the craft after they came to me for advice, they wanted to learn what it was about for themselves.

It helps if you have understanding friends and family who let you be yourself. many of us unfortunately do not, because of the christian backgrounds we have. For some being public about Satanism has caused them to be rejected by society, friends and family [and their family’s god, too]. These types of people want you to conform, because you don’t fit into their puzzle pieces, you aren’t the same as them. I’m sure in many cases they only want what they feel is best for you, but it hurts, its selfish and its not fair to deny others their right to be themselves!

We as Satanists aren’t the only ones to face these types of prejudice. Wiccans and even people involved in freemasonry can have troubles in daily life due to the beliefs and suspicious reactions of a ‘Christian society’. Thus, why things of the occult need to be secret and hidden. Because they will not understand and they will do what they can to oppose you, crush your spirit, and make you conform to their beliefs.

Do you really have the religious freedom to do what you want?

At times i feel that we do not. none of us do. There are troubles even for the wiccan and pagan community. i just read an article that my friend Troll Towelhead From Satanservice.org showed me, about an organization for pagans and wiccans.. and in this report was a story of how a legitimate business was thrown out of town because the religious right discovered that it was a Wiccan witchcraft shop. Unfortunately, the city won and the witches were driven out of town. This happened in the early 90’s. As I read the article I kept envisioning angry mobs of Christian townspeople with pitchforks and torches ready to burn the witches and drive the evil from their town.

This happened ten years ago, in America. It’s hard to believe that things like this happen, considering that we are supposed to have freedom of religion. This freedom is an ideal. See also my post about: Is Satanism Legal in America?

What does Religious freedom mean to you?

In this ideal world, religious freedom would be the ability to think, act, do say, and express one’s self in a spiritual way without the fear of restriction and social condemnation.

Is this accurately reflected in society? Does this matter to you at all?

I know that in America it is not. I can imagine that it would be worse in other parts of the world, especially in Europe. for instance, recently Italy tried to ban all Satanic organizations, claiming that these people were ‘conspiring against the church’. Witchcraft was still outlawed in many parts of the world by the 1900’s.

Are you prepared to answer to others who want to know what your Religious beliefs are? What do you tell people when they ask you what your religion is? Why?

I have been asked about religion in social situations. Especially when I wear any kind of jewelry that does not look Christian in origin. I have generic answers to give depending on the person, and what I feel they could handle for an answer.

At the very least I will identify as pagan, and when the curious christian asks, I will say that ‘its a non christian, natural earth religion’ or something like that. They usually don’t ask any more questions after that. Giving a generic answer lets them show me how much they could know about occultism or how comfortable they could be with the answers.

Only a few of my personal friends know that I am a Satanist. I will make an acquaintance, and if I feel the time is right I will tell them that I am a satanist. It is at that point that I usually see a very surprised look on their face, a look of shock and fear like no other. Like a deer caught in the headlights of a car.

Well this revelation will either deepen our friendship or cause a rift. and that is fine with me. If they aren’t willing to put their personal religious prejudice aside and relate to me on a personal and human level, then maybe they aren’t the right person to be associating with. I try to be fair and accommodate their beliefs, but if they cant do the same for me then I’m just not really interested in a deeper friendship.

And the ones that do, well they know me on a personal level, they know that I’m Venus Satanas, that ‘Satanist chick who’s into metal’ 😉

Are you a Satanist in public?

August 27, 2009
Satan: To Worship or Not to Worship

Does Satan like to be worshiped? Does Satan even care if you decide to worship him or not? While some that I have met have claimed that Satan does demand worship there are varying beliefs when it comes to Satan and Satan worship. This post will explore some of these ideas.

What is Satan Worship? To a Christian it could mean anything that is not Christian that is being worshiped, including American Indian gods, Hindu gods..or even the Muslim or Jewish god! The Christian belief is, of course that any god that is not Christian is obviously, evil and is Satanic.

To a Satanist, ‘Satan worship’ can mean varying things. What most associate with this is the worship of the Christian Satan.

Category 1
Reverse, Inverse Christianity,
Pre-Christian Traditional Satanism
[Including Diabolism and Devil Worship]

In its truest sense, reverse Christianity is the worship of the Christian Satan, and a reversal of the god- Satan relationship. Some may include gnostic beliefs into this practice. They are often labeled as ‘devil worshipers’.

As in the case of pre-Christian, Satanic beliefs, some believe that Satan existed prior to Christianity, had an ancient history and created the world. I discussed this idea in my other post at the Spiritual Satanist Blog, Satan as Creator of Humanity.

Category 2:
Theistic Satanism, Spiritual Satanism

On the other hand, theistic Satanism is a general term for both of these types. but it could also include independent beliefs. Such as the belief that I hold, that Satan is a cosmic force who became a separate entity from his Christian roots in this day and age.

Satan is both the forces of nature and a god to me, and this may be true for others as well. This Satan is recognized on a personal level, not as a personal savior or god but as a means of self enlightenment, self realization and as a source of Satanic empowerment. Ive discussed my beliefs about this at my Spiritual Satanist website with the article, The Force of Satan.

Category 3:
Atheistic, Symbolic and Philosophical
Atheistic Satanists and Philosophical Satanists have no need for Satan worship as they recognize their Satan not as a deity but as a symbol. This does not mean that they are not genuine, but that they just have their own way of expressing their beliefs. To me they are a part of the Satanic landscape, adding their own reasoning and variety to what we know as Satanism today.

Along with this I want to define several different methods of Satanic Worship:

Subservient Worship
This type of worship is most often related to ‘traditional satanism’, inverse Christianity, and Diabolism. It is the outright, blatant worship of the Christian version of Satan. Some feel as if they are under his control or that they are to do what they feel Satan makes them do. To do Satan’s bidding, as it’s known.

To be his slave, while he is the father and master. some feel that they should worship in this way so that Satan will protect them and see to their needs. Worship of this type may include blasphemy or inverse christian rites and prayers. Some, like my online acquaintance [‘traditional satanist’] Lianna Diabolique, worship in this way to gain self-empowerment through this type of subservient relationship. Serving is a position of empowerment, when you consider it..

This type of worship is specific in that it relies on Christian cosmology to make it work. Not all Satanists who worship Satan feel the same way, nor do they all recognize Satan as a Christian invention.

Spiritual Worship
Spiritual Worship of Satan is similar to what I practice. Spiritual worship is the recognition of Satanic forces without being indebted to subservience. Your experience with Satanism is as fulfilling as you want to make it – and I’ve found a lot of strength in not worshiping Satan but recognizing his force through simple rituals that involve praise and meditation. How is this different than subservient worship? I, and many others of our type have no interest in being the ‘slave’ of Satan.

My will is too strong and independent to be like this, and that is why I created a pact that delineates this idea. I appreciate my relationship with Satan and on occasion I will let him know with a candle burning or simple ritual. It’s all that I need to feel connected with his spirit. As you can see the experience of Satanic spirituality, while maintaining personal will, can be very empowering and beneficial.

Self Worship
Some have said that the worship of the self is by proxy the worship of Satan. This would be true if you considered yourself to be Satan! Most symbolic or atheist Satanists engage in these types of self-worshiping activities that satisfy personal desires. This is their method of recognizing the symbolic aspects of Satan, and living the Satanic life. This self worship also allows some satanists to recognize the god that is within, in a symbolic way. Self-worship is another means to self-empowerment, for ALL Satanists..What kind of Worship is right for you? Do you have the need to worship Satan?

“Satan Demands Study, Not Worship!” – ASL, the Satanic Bible

August 12, 2009
Satan as Creator of Humanity?

I read a very interesting statement on a website the other day:

“The “Devil” *not* the Judeo/Christian “God” was the creator of humanity.”

Its a very interesting statement because it shows what some Satanists are willing to believe when it comes to religion. They believe the opposite of what the Christian bible teaches, that god created humans and that Satan is the enemy of man.

This is a very simple reversal of the Christian tale of creation, that the ‘devil’ created us, instead of the Christian god. What is often times ridiculous is that this statement is expressed without any supplemental proof. It requires faith to believe and accept something like this, just like the belief that the Christian god created the earth, requires faith to accept.

The story of creation as told in the bible, is similar to many other creation tales that can be found in religions around the world, so why should a creation tale in Satanism be any different?

There are two things you should consider:

First of all, if all of these creationist tales are true, according to the words of their religion, including paganism, Wicca and Christianity, then which one is right?

Secondly, why do people have a need to believe that this earth was created by some divine force? Is it because they want the gods of their religion to be recognized for the creation and ownership of this earth? Does this so-called ‘ownership’ give them some kind of divine power and social authority?

Which one is True?
Lets look at the first question. There are many, many religions that are found all over the world. Each one of them has their own version of how the earth was created. Which one is true? Which religious myth is real? is it the one that is the most convincing or believable? Does the ancientness of a religious idea make it more reliable as a truth?

It does not make any logical sense to believe that they are all right. If any god had created this earth, what created that god? The Greeks and the Romans believed just as much in their own creation tales two-thousand years ago, as Christians and pagans believe in their own stories today.

The idea of creation through divine forces does not make sense to me. I feel that Satan is a *god of this earth* a god that represents earthly things, but I would never claim that he created this earth. The idea is ludicrous to me. What created this earth, nobody can answer. No one was there in the beginning to see it, to witness it. However, science may have some ideas on how planets are created, through their research..but much of this is theory for now.

In reality, no one has the final answer as to what created this earth. If we had the final answer it would be as obvious and as accepted as the fact that the earth is round, or that the earth revolves around the sun.

It is more evident, however, that religions and the creation stories that accompany them, have developed over many centuries, each with their own story to tell. This is an obvious fact that can be proven through historical, archeological, and sociological research.

Ownership or Possession of the Earth
And that brings me to the second question, Ownership of the earth. Religious Satanists, like the members of other religions, want to claim that their god owns this earth. By believing this, they can fit in with he other religions that make this same claim, therefore making themselves seem legitimate.

The most popular creation story of satanism is found in the Al-Jilwah. Through research, it has been proven that this document was created by a person who had little knowledge of the document’s origins and meanings. It was written by a man who like others of his era, had strong religious prejudices against the peoples who first wrote the Al-Jilwah. Regardless of this fact, the story of the Al-Jilwah is accepted as a creation story in Satanism, only because LaVey introduced the story and made it popular to Satanists in the Satanic Rituals.

However, Satanists do not have to accept the same basic ideas that Christians, pagans, and all other religions preach, that their god[s] created the Earth and/or the universe. Satan is a *god of this earth* a god that represents earthly things, one of many gods of this earth that represent human needs and desires on a divine level.

You are not loosing anything by abandoning the religious idea that Satan created the earth. In fact, you are freeing yourself from the same trap that all religions try to teach, and that can be really liberating.

This is also why I gladly accept the fact that all gods were created by humans, as a means of religious and spiritual expression. This idea makes more sense to me than the self righteous, and faith-based ideas of the religious who, for many centuries, have tried to claim ownership of the earth and sometimes the entire universe, through their ideas of what their god represents.

What appeals to me is the recognition of Satan as a god of humans, reflecting our nature and our desires, and moving through the forces of nature itself, by means of Satanic expression.

July 21, 2009
What is Satanic Enlightenment?

In this post I am going to answer some of the questions that were sent to me by one of my readers. I hope that these answers will give him something good to think about, and it may inspire others as well who are looking to find answers for similar questions. Parts of his message are in italics.

Hello! I am fairly new to Satanism – so new that I’m not even sure that I would consider myself a Satanist. But, I have some questions that need to be answered about this particular subject that will hopefully make everything a little bit clearer for me. I have been studying Taoism and Zen and Indian philosophy and philosophy in general quite religiously for the past couple of years and I’ve gotten to a point, I think, where I can read something written by someone like Zhuangzi and think: “I totally agree with that. My world view is exactly like his world view.”

But, the problem here is that I have not changed. I’ve just gotten smarter – I have not experienced any sort of enlightenment or what the Zen Buddhists call satori, which is SUDDEN enlightenment. And there’s nothing else for me to read or do; I’ve read most of the sutras and the texts and I’ve done all sorts of yogas and meditations. And yet – nothing. So, because of this, I’m moving away from these eastern religions and moving towards a more esoteric occultist path that will hopefully lead me to some sort of enlightenment.

As i understand it, and i am no master of eastern philosophy, in order to really be taught their methods, you have to have a guru or teacher that can show you specific methods of meditation, mantras, and guidance. without this it can be very experimental and it’s no surprise that you weren’t able to get what you wanted out of it, with no guidance there to help you in person. And, im not saying that your practices were a waste of time, only that you weren’t doing it according to a traditional method [which would mean having a teacher or guru]. All is not lost though, you can take this knowledge that you have learned so far and apply it to your life in other ways. It has gotten you this far, so why not journey on?

And this is where this email becomes more relevant to you. I heard about this thingy called Chaos Magic, thought it was interesting, looked it up on youtube, found your video about
the subject, saw you were pretty smart, and so I would like to ask you about enlightenment from a Satanic perspective.

I guess my first question is do you see anything out of ordinary – something supernatural – while being a Satanist? For instance, have you seen actual demons or Satan himself?

No, i don’t physically ‘see’ demons. if you mean when i summon them that they appear in my room with smoke and writhing serpents… no.. its difficult if not downright impossible to manifest something that is spiritual into the physical plane. those who claim that they have seen things are most likely experiencing a vision, rather than actually seeing something in the physical. And since this vision originates within the mind it can take on characteristics and qualities of the person having the vision. the mind will interpret this spiritual experience through the subconscious.

Seeing them is not really important to me. what is important is that I get what i want in a reasonable amount of time. i know that they are present from the changes in my environment. but, it’s not easy to do nor is it really useful if you do not have a specific purpose in mind, while you are doing what you’re doing. physical manifestation is not really a priority for me, and i have used summoning enough to know that i have no need to seek proof of their existence.

And my second question is what is enlightenment, if there is any, from a Satanic perspective? How are you any different than you were before you became a Satanist?

I don’t know if I am any different. i have been a satanist for 17 years, so there’s nothing else for me to compare it to. Satanic enlightenment only comes through living the satanic life. to be enlightened is to have knowledge. as a satanist you build and shape your world in the way that you want, you create your life according to your desires. Along the way you become enlightened to the knowledge of the self.

From your writings it seems to me that you are searching for some sort of instantaneous enlightenment, like a life shattering experience.. it is possible to have life changing experiences within satanism. It takes time, focus and experimentation. My black mass, and my re-initiation in 2004 was very important and both rituals set my life in a new direction, and through this i have found enlightenment, or knowing. But this took a long time to happen for me. It’s like building a mountain one stone at a time. You have to start with a foundation and work with that until you are where you want to be, and then you keep going. this is difficult for those who are constantly seeking guidance. you have to be your own compass and you make your own road. You are your own best teacher. I hope that you can use some of your zen principles to help you understand satanism in a new light.

And my last question is: is the goal of Satanism to become like God? The reason I ask this is because Satanism praises Satan and Satan fell from Heaven because he tried to overthrow God. Satan offered Adam and Even knowledge of good and evil, setting them on the path towards godliness. If then that the goal of Satanism is to become like God, then I have to go find a new path.

firstly, not all of satanism praises the christian tale of Satan and his ‘fall’. that is a christian teaching, not a satanic one. to some satanists, Satan is a force of chaos, or represented by Pan, or Set, or other pagan gods. Satanists believe various things about Satan, when it comes to the meanings and origins.

If you get a chance, study the beliefs of the ophidian gnostic, who revered the serpent as wise, and the saviour of humanity, and who they considered god, or ialdabaoth to be evil, and against humanity. what most people do not consider is that not all religions have the same beliefs.

In the teachings of LaVey, there is a statement that says ‘all gods were created by men’. a friend of mine, and co-administrator of HISS, [nagasiva] pointed out to me that LaVey was obviously inspired by Crowley, who taught that ‘every man is a god’. a lot of satanists share this theory, to this day. . I have yet to see any type of real or reliable documentation that tells the exact process on how this is done. i think this is because it is something that is implied, and I will explain why.

To be ‘as a god’ is not a literal expression. we are human beings and as such we have human limitations. but, we are not limited by our own consciousness and reasoning, and we have the ability to exercise free will. I think that it is this element of free will that opposes the majority of religious teachings that suggest the opposite – that we should be subservient to our environment and its causes. satanism is the path of domination and a person is able to dominate or control their lives as they will. It is the difference between spending one’s life in service to a god, or seeking to develop yourself for your own self interest. Will you be a follower or a leader? the choice is up to you.

Venus Satanas

My Bookstore (Magic, Witchcraft, Satanism)-> Left Hand Path Books

May 18, 2009
Building Your Research Materials

This is a reply to a letter that was sent to me via my youtube channel. The person who wrote to me wants to know where to start in magic and occult practices. Her focus, as it seems from her letter is on magic and demonology.

“I want to get back to the way that I was and I think that starting my own compendium of knowledge well get me back to that. I was wondering how you started out building your research materials. I know that I need to re-read a lot of books that I’ve been just letting sit in my personal library, but I have no idea where to start into the more detailed things like specific demons and magical practices.

I also wanted to know if it would be alright to print off copies of your essays on your website to put them in a binder for reference materials. I would really appreciate your insight.”

You are more than welcome to print out my writings and use them for reference, as long as they are for your own use. Remember, though that I keep my pages updated and I am always researching new ideas, so my pages go through changes and edits over time.

My first books that I bought in 2004 when I started my new adventure into Satanism, was the books that I felt would be the foundation of my practices. These were The Satanic Bible The Satanic Rituals & The Satanic Witch[LaVey], which taught LaVey’s basic philosophies. And just for fun, I got The Necronomicon [Simon]. I wanted to make sure that my collection would start with these books. I think these basic books belong in a satanic library, especially the Satanic Bible because it is the Satanist’s primer.

So, how did I build my research materials? I lived two blocks from downtown at the time, and there was a shop called ‘Abraxas Books’ , a used bookstore that had a very large section of metaphysical books. Every week I would make a trip there, and I would always find something that would spark my interest. One of the first books that I got from that place was The Book of Black Magic and Ceremonial Magic [A.E. Waite]. This was a book that had listings and interpretations of Grimoires. I also got a copy of The Black Arts [Cavendish]

Some books I got for reference, and others I got so that I could try what was in them and experiment with different things. Books on demonology that I found to be useful were the Dictionary of Satanism [Baskin] and the book, A Field Guide to Demons, Fairies, Fallen Angels [Carol Mack]. These books had a realistic interpretation of demons. Other books that ive seen on demonology were Christian based and weren’t really as historical about the origins of demons as they could have been.

How did I know which books to buy? I didn’t. my only intention was to find books that focused on the things that I liked, and at the time it was demonology and black magic, summoning, and witchcraft. Along the way I learned what was useful for me, and what wasn’t.

I started a ‘book of shadows’ and I kept a magical diary in spiral notebooks. I was living alone at the time so it was convenient for me to pay attention to recording what happened for me [magically, spiritually], what i was doing, why i was doing it, how I was doing it, and the results. my book of shadows had things like the runes/magickal alphabets, the elements, the planets and other correspondences, and things that I had found useful in magic.

The idea was to have all the information in one place. You can see an example of this early work at my video -> My Research Materials. I am not very organized by nature, so at the time it was a challenge and it really kept me focused on my goals, and I learned a lot along the way.

I also got into tarot reading, because I had a desire to increase my intuitive abilities, and I wanted to learn a form of divination. So I got the The Rider-Waite Tarot Deck.. When I was learning it, I wrote down the names/correspondences of the cards. i found that by writing it was easier to learn each aspect, plus it helped me to have a reference that i could refer to when i was learning how to read tarot.

At the time, [2004] I had my cat, my computer, my ritual items and books, my clothes my art supplies..and that was about it! because of my background as an artist, I have always been the type to avoid ‘materialism’. There were only certain things that I felt that I needed. For years, I only had my clothes, and my art supplies, and not much else *by choice*, because all I cared about was my art, and living as an artist. living as an artist meant that I spent most of my time and money on my art, and art materials, and really I didn’t care about much else.

when I had my apartment, I really limited the things that I bought, that didn’t have anything to do with what I needed. this means that i had no tv, and it was great! i could basically fit all of my belongings into a few boxes. This was not unusual for me. it helped me to focus on why I was really there, and what i was doing and I was able to spend a lot of time in study and practice. I wasn’t completely isolated from society, though, of course – I had my job, and the hours allowed me to maintain my lifestyle as I needed.

Along with reading things that interested me for specific reasons, and building and maintaining my ritual space, i also spent a lot of time in meditative practices. I studied Initiation into Hermetics, [Bardon] so that i could learn about elemental magic. I also spent time with meditation and mind control. I explored the use of crystals so that I could get used to feeling energy. I worked with chakra meditation to get in tune with my body and my intuition. i never studied anything specific, but I did experiment with different practices.

So, I had my ritual space, my books, my ritual tools, my spiritual practices, and my tarot reading. I also had my book of shadows and my magical diary. All of these things helped me to stay focused. the point is to immerse yourself into practice, along with study. I am not going to recommend one single book as the absolute way to go, because there is no such thing. There are many different practices and you have to find what suits you, and then do it.

You could always get into a specific practice, however. You mention demons and magic. For that I recommend the practice of demonolatry. there is a website called ‘OFS Demonolatry‘ that has lots of information on demons, and magic, and they have published several books on demonolatry. You will find that they also focus on hermetics and elementalism as a basis for demonic magic. Some of their books, such as Goetic Demonolatry [Ellen Pursewell] and The Complete Book of Demonolatry [S. Connolly] are workbooks for demonolatry magic. I do not like the book ‘demonolatry’ by Nicholas Remmy, it was writ in 1595 and it is medieval witch hunt material.

The keyword is dedication, I would have never gotten as far as I have without being dedicated to learning and experimenting. and nobody showed me the road, i had to make one for myself. I am glad that I have, because as an independent satanist I would have it no other way.

If you want to get motivated and inspired, I encourage you to take that step to begin today. And, if you would like to join my discussion group, visit the HISS [Horde of Independent Satanists]

See Also: Good Books for Beginners

Bibliography:
The Book of Black Magic by Arthur Edward Waite (Weiser Books)
The Necronomicon by Simon (Avon)
The Satanic Rituals: Companion to The Satanic Bible by Anton Szandor LaVey (Avon)
The Satanic Witch by Anton Szandor LaVey (Avon)
The Complete Book of Demonolatry by S. Connolly (DB Publishing)
The Complete Book of Demonolatry Magic by J. Thorp (DB Publishing)
Lessons In Demonolatry by S. Connolly (DB Publishing)
Demonolatry Rites by S. Connolly (DB Publishing)
Goetic Demonolatry by Ellen Purswell (DB Publishing)
A Field Guide to Demons, Fairies, Fallen Angels and Other Subversive Spirits
by Carol K. Mack (Holt Paperbacks)
Initiation into Hermetics by Franz Bardon (Merkur Pub Co.)

April 16, 2009