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Organized Satanism Archives - Spiritual Satanist Blog

Category: Organized Satanism

  • What Are The Advantages & Disadvantages of Being a Satanist?

    What Are The Advantages & Disadvantages of Being a Satanist?

    This post explores some of the advantages in Satanism, and disadvantages of Satanism. These are common ideas that you will find in Satanism that we all have to deal with at some point. So what are the benefits and drawbacks of being a Satanist?  Advantages and Disadvantages of Satanism

    Advantages of Being a Satanist:

    Being free from Sin!

    Once you leave Christianity (and many Satanists come from a Christian path) you are free to live without the guilt of sin. For some this is an incredible relief. But for others, it can be difficult to leave behind the ways of thinking that held you back for so long.

    Either way, Satanists aren’t burdened with the guilt of the Christian idea of sin, and this is something that not many paths can offer. So, enjoy your new found freedom, hopefully it will enable you to discover your true inner self.

    Self-Empowerment Through Personal Responsibility

    It is often said in Satanism, “Responsibility to the responsible”, meaning that you have to take responsibility for your own development in Satanism. This is not easy to do if you have spent years being told what to believe and how to act by your former religion.

    Once you take personal responsibility for your own path, it can be self-empowering in a way like no other. Until then, you are only living by other people’s rules, and why would you want to do that? Step up and take responsibility for yourself and your own actions.

    Being Part of the Satanic Current..

    Once you become a Satanist you enter into a new religious movement that is constantly evolving with the times. Unlike static archaic religions, Satanism is dynamic and always changing. You can be a part of a path that offer something new to learn and discover every day.

    People in Satanism are working to currently change the pubic perception of this path through social outreach and positive media exposure. Honestly, it’s exciting to be a part of that!

    And now, for the downsides of being a Satanist. It’s not all as good as it seems as new Satanists often find out.

    You’ll be Misunderstood, Wherever You Go

    Yes, thanks to centuries of Christian propaganda, you will be misunderstood by the majority of the population. With the recent media exposure of Satanism in a popular light, attitudes are slowly changing. But until then you will have to deal with what is called, “Christian privilege”, where Christians believe they have the right to define how society should live.

    If you live in the United States, enjoy your religious freedom but be prepared to fight for it.  You will  have to decide if coming out is the right choice for you and your job and family life. See my article: Hiding Your Satanic Faith From the Public

    Dealing with Social Isolation

    Another disadvantage in Satanism is that we, as Satanists, are not so fortunate to be able to have meetups in every city and town in the world. While Satanism is growing it is still very much an underground movement. The best we can do in most circumstances is meet up with other Satanists online. Satanism has organizations all around the world, but they aren’t brick-and mortar churches.

    In my post here at the Spiritual Satanist Blog, you can read why Satanism does not have Churches, explaining how it is not possible to have actual churches in Satanism.  But that does not mean that Satanists do not meet up – in this day and age, arranging a meetup is quite easy through social media.

     

    Having to Learn on Your Own

    It is generally accepted that Satanism is the path of the self. Therefore, you won’t find that others are generous with their knowledge. As a new Satanist, you won’t find that other Satanists are readily willing (or able) to help you learn about Satanism. Take a quick glance at any Satanist forum and you will find that new Satanists who ask questions about Satanism are often brushed off, treated badly or simply told to go find out the answers for themselves. This can be frustrating to new Satanists but obviously, that’s what we all went through when we first started out.

    You have to take it upon yourself to learn as much as you can, on your own. Ask questions carefully and research before you ask. In coming from a Christian background you may expect others to lay everything out for you and tell you what to believe, but that’s not the way it’s supposed to be. If you don’t know where to begin, most Satanists will tell you to read the Satanic Bible. That’s a good idea if you want to get a general idea of some of the common philosophies in Satanism.

    In Conclusion:

    So as you can see, there are challenges and benefits in Satanism. Before coming out as a Satanist you should consider them carefully. These are some of the common situations that I’ve experienced along the way in my own personal journey, and in talking with other Satanists. Yes, Satanism is a tough road and at times you will feel like you are all alone. But, know that you are not. There are many other Satanists in this world going through the same issues and emerging stronger and better for the experience.

    Like & Share this post if you enjoyed it! And, feel free to comment below.

    What do you think some of the advantages and disadvantages of Satanism are? Feel free to add to this post in the comments below!

     

     

     

    Dark Moon Merchant
  • What is the Difference Between Spiritual Satanism and Theistic Satanism?

    What is the Difference Between Spiritual Satanism and Theistic Satanism?

    Differennce between Theistic Satanism and Spiritual Satanism
    Baphmomet Artist: Kazuma Kaneko

    Today I am discussing the main difference between Spiritual Satanism and Theistic Satanism. The two are often confused for each other but they are not exactly the same.  The best way to compare them both is to contrast the work of the two main religious and spiritual leaders that have been the most active in the Satanic community in the past decade. This would be Diane Vera and myself (Venus Satanas!)

    Satanism’s Past Decade:

    I have a lot of respect for the groundwork that Diane had laid forth for the Satanic community in general in the early 2000’s. She is well respected in her field and has enabled Satanism to branch out into a more selective experience. Gone are the days when we were relegated to only choosing the Church of Satan, or face being labeled an outcast devil-worshiper or worse, an “occultnik“.

    The era of new Satanisms was lead by a few women who sought to create a new way of living through Satanism. While Theistic or religious Satanism probably existed during the 80s and 90s, as a social movement it was very much underground.

    Diane goes into detail on what the Satanism scene was like during the boom of the early 2000’s internet era with her essay: Needed: New Kinds of Satanism. she rightly states that “Satanism is not and should not be a single ideology.”, and indeed, it is not. Satanism is a variety of things to many people. We all have one thing in common though, and that is a central focus on Satan.

    As one of Satanism’s most vocal and respected proponents of Theistic Satanism, Diane Vera laid the groundwork for what was to come in religious Satanism as a social movement. She originally began teaching about religious Satanism with the Theistic organization, Cathedral of the Black Goat. After 2002 she branched out and created her own organization, the Church of Azazel and supplemental website. She is one of the few Satanists that has organized public religious meetups for Theistic Satanists. Her Church of Azazel served as an outreach and outlet for those interested in the religious worship of Satan.

    I have also worked to bring Spiritual Satanism to the forefront through my website, my blog and my videos. With the new social attitudes concerning Satanism in the early 2000’s people were willing to take a spiritual route. Beginning in 2004, I started teaching about Spiritual Satanism, which diverges from Theistic Satanism on one main point. They are similar but they are not the same.

    Theistic Satanism:

    Theistic Satanism Vs Spiritual Satanism
    Church of Azazel

    While Theistic and Spiritual Satanism may seem similar there is something that sets them apart. Theistic Satanism was made for the purpose of religious worship of Satan. It stood opposed to the atheistic, materialistic and philosophical views of the Church of Satan. Establishing the religious worship of Satanism was necessary to evolve Satanism in a useful and meaningful way for so many people.

    Theistic Satanism provided a way for those who had a religious view of Satan to worship freely without judgment from their peers. Diane Vera talks about the Church of Azazel’s creed at her website, stating:

    The Church of Azazel embodies a unique form of polytheistic Satanism/Luciferianism. Its paradigm is rooted in both a reverence for Satan/Azazel and a strong appreciation for those aspects of the modern world that are under attack by the Abrahamic religious right wing. Its theology is based primarily on present-day realities and on the relatively recent history of religion, and is not concerned with prehistoric eras or with such questions as the origin of the cosmos.

    Theistic Satanism allows for the worship of Demons and Satan, but does not profess to have ancient origins. I can appreciate this. Too many groups and organizations try to legitimize Satanism by creating a history for it. However, since the acceptance of religious Satanism, and proliferation of Theistic Satanism Orders, Churches and Groups, there are religious Satanists who do believe in an ancient origin for Satan and Satanism. So the definition remains fluid, as always.

    Spiritual Satanism:

    However, with Spiritual Satanism worship is not required nor is it part of the practices of Spiritual Satanists. According to my personal definition, Spiritual Satanism allows a person to experience Satanism on their own terms, without having rules, rituals, rites or dogma to guide their beliefs.

    At my website, I discuss how Spiritual Satanism is not a religion but a spiritual way of life. It is an independent practice that does not rely on a mythology or a church or organization for motivation and self- fulfillment. Through this independence a Satanists is able to stand out above the crowd instead of being “one of the many”.

    The Spiritual Satanist’s Relationship to Satan is described as being separated from religious worship. “Spiritual Satanism is the practice of living as a Satanist through spiritual expression. Spiritual Satanists are not obligated to worship Satan.” You can read the full excerpt at my essay: What is Spiritual Satanism?

    There is and always be a need for people to socialize and share their religious or spiritual experience through groups. We can do that nowadays through various social network outlets. As you can see, the difference Between Spiritual Satanism and Theistic Satanism is that Theistic Satanism is religious, with included rites and rituals, while Spiritual Satanism is spiritual, left up to the practitioner to decide their own methods.

    Theistic Satanism is religious and is compatible with those who want to seek an organization or church to belong to to fill their spiritual needs, while Spiritual Satanism is independent and breaks away from social conventions to be an personal path, without the need for worship. For more information on independent Satanism visit my site: What is Independent Satanism?

    My conclusion is that Satanism was meant to evolve and change with the times. It is not static and archaic like the religions of the past. But, at the same time, religion should not be abandoned by those that need it for personal expression.

    I’m also glad to blog today about Diane Vera, one of my favorite Satanists that I’ve followed throughout the years who remains an inspiration to us all.

    If you enjoyed this blog post please share and comment:

     

  • Is Satanism Legal in America?

    Is Satanism Legal in America?

    The question is often asked, is Satanism legal in America? This post explores why and how other religious movements outside of Christianity are questioned as being legal in a land where we have religious freedom.

    Satanism became a religion after 1969 when Anton LaVey and the Church of Satan created the first Satanic Church that people could join. Satanism as a religious movement began when the Church of Satan, who laid forth guidelines and philosophy for Satanists in their book, the Satanic Bible, provided a religious and philosophical backdrop for Satanism.

    Prior to 1969, there is no documented evidence of any Satanic organizations that promoted Satanism as a religion. You may read about anecdotal evidence claiming that there were hell-fire clubs in the 1800’s or magical orders that claimed to be Satanic. But, there were no established churches with an established doctrine until 1969.

    Providing Legitimacy

    Having an established organization along with a doctrine is part of what legitimizes a religion. Without these things we only have hearsay and there is not enough evidence to make a case. Groups that moved away from the social order of the Christian church of the time did not make a special declaration that they were Satanists, nor did they provide a doctrine, set of rituals and rites and call themselves Satanists. The same goes for the Templars, who were only labeled ‘Satanic’ by Philip IV of France, who had owed them money and was not willing to pay, instead killing them and then labeling them as a Satanic order to hide his crime. Being labeled as Satanic by Christians does not make an organization Satanic.

    Through this, you can see that throughout time, there had been no established churches related to Satanism. The only thing that existed were labels that were given to groups outside of Christianity, who were labeled as Satanic. This does not provide a legitimate background to establish Satanism as a religion. This, however, changed in 1969 when an actual Satanic organization formed and they provided the public with a doctrine that they themselves established as Satanic.

    This happened during a time in America when people were exploring options outside of Christianity. There was a revival of witchcraft, which became known as Wicca in the 1950’s through authors like Gerald Gardner. People were exploring occultism and mysticism so the emergence of an actual Satanic order was not surprising.

    Social Factors

    Beyond this one only has to look at the social data provided to us through recent studies done on Satanism. Satanism is comprised mostly of atheistic, nonreligious philosophical followers of Satanic philosophy. In a Satanic survey written in 2001, it was found that most Satanists are adults, some who have college degrees, and are found all throughout the world. This shows that Satanists are an important but small segment of society. While the majority of Satanists claim to be atheists, Satanism today, however, has also developed into a spiritual and theistic practice for many.

    On the question of what makes a religion legitimate, one must look at the common factors that all religions share. A religious legitimacy should not be based on the size or number of its followers, nor should it be based on the age or history of its existence. A more reliable measure should be how people have used it in society as a structured belief system.

    Most religions provide a place of worship, provide services to the public, and have a doctrine and set of guidelines to follow. They also provide rituals or services for birth, death, and marriage.

    While some religions that lie outside the mainstream have their own ways of dealing with this, Satanism is unique in that there are no established public places of worship. However, there are guidelines for ritual or ceremony and for birth, death, and marriage, as provided by the Church of Satan. There are also provided established guidelines and doctrines for Satanism as found in the Satanic Bible. Other groups outside of the Church of Satan provide similar rites and rituals.

    In America we have the First Amendment and the Establishment Clause, that bans any law “respecting an establishment of religion”, meaning that while Christians serve as the majority, they can not claim that America must only be Christian. The majority also does not have a right to decide what constitutes a legitimate religion based solely on a moral assessment.

    Guidelines for Establishment

    A new religion can also be established through the American government by claiming a tax-exempt status with the IRS. There are certain requirements that enable a religious organization allowance in this case. For the Church of Satan, however, they have claimed to not seek tax-exempt status, stating that “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.”

    At one time during the 1970’s the Church of Satan had also placed information in the Army’s chaplain Handbook for Satanic Burial rites. While the same information is not available anymore in its recent update, at one time soldiers could be provided with a Satanic burial if they so chose.

    More recently there is another Satanic organization that is standing up for our rights as Satanists. The Satanic temple has worked hard to prevent people from being able to say a Christian prayer at public, government-sponsored local meetings. Allowing one group to lead a prayer goes against the establishment of religion involving government activities. They have also placed Satanic-themed holiday decorations in government spaces that were at one time reserved only for Christians.

    One of their best accomplishments so far was creating and displaying their own Satanic statue on government grounds in Oklahoma City, the same place where lawmakers decided at one time that it was okay to also display the Ten Commandments. They have also placed Satanic-themed holiday decorations in government spaces that were at one time reserved only for Christians. The government of our nation should not be taking the side of just one religion or any religion at all for that matter.

    Now that Satanism has been established for so long the activities of groups like the Satanic temple seek to further legitimize it as a religion as a part of the landscape of America.

    The only way that the government can halt the activities of a religious group is if the religious group is involved in criminal activities. Certain cases come to mind when one thinks of the Catholic church and it’s handling of their multi-million dollar payouts that ensued. But since we live in a land of Christian privilege nothing will likely come of it.

    Satanism has been an established religion for 48 years and things are not likely to change anytime soon, especially if we have activists that are willing to fight for our rights here in America regarding the establishment, and freedom of religion.

    References:

    Who Serves Satan? A Demographic and Ideological Profile: https://www.uni-marburg.de/fb03/ivk/mjr/pdfs/2001/articles/lewis2001.pdf [accessed 4/2/2017]

    Church of Satan, the Feared Religion: http://www.churchofsatan.com/satanism-the-feared-religion.php [accessed 4/2/2017]

    Church of Satan, Army Chaplain Handbook: http://www.churchofsatan.com/doa-pamphlet-no165-13.php [accessed 4/2/2017]

  • Important Women of Satanism – Diane LaVey

    Important Women of Satanism – Diane LaVey

    Diane LaVey

    I am a Satanist. I also happen to be a woman. Women in Satanism are outnumbered greatly as Satanism is generally, more attractive to males than it is females. There is still a place for us in Satanism though, and throughout the years some very important women have carved out their own niche and helped to create Satanism what it is today.

     Today’s post highlights one of the most influential women in Satanism.  Her name is Diane Hegarty but you may know her as Diane LaVey, who was married to Anton LaVey, the founder of modern Satanism. Without her work in Satanism we would not have all the great things we have today.

    Diane helped to found the Church of Satan alongside Anton back in the late 60’s. She helped to write and edit many of his books including the Satanic Bible, The Satanic Rituals, The Satanic Witch, and the Devil’s Notebook. These influential books have helped many Satanists throughout the years to discover and work with Satanism in a variety of ways.

    Working behind the scenes, she dealt with the press and the media, arranging interviews and administering the duties of the Church. During the Satanic Panic era, Diane stood up for the Church of Satan when the media had questions about Satanism and their role in the allegations and accusations of ritual kidnapping and murders.

    She served as high priestess for 25 years, helping the Church of Satan in any way that she could. It is my belief, that without her, the Church of Satan would never have become what it is today, and Anton LaVey would not have had the kind of influence that he had in society. Even still, she let him have the spotlight while she took care of all the essential things that made the Church of Satan what it was.

    Diane also spent time taking care of her children, both of which ended up having successful careers in Satanism. Her daughter, Zeena, was the first child to be baptized in a public ritual at the age of three. Later on, Zeena overtook the duties of High Priestess of the Church of Satan, from 1985 to 1990. Zeena also appeared on daytime talk television during the height of the Satanic Panic, defending the Church from the false, politically motivated Christian conspiracies that were the focus of the nation at the time.

     Without all the work that Diane LaVey did behind the scenes, Satanism wouldn’t be what it is today. From administering the duties of the church, dealing with public relations, and also helping to write and edit the Satanic Bible, we have a lot to be thankful for in this wonderful woman of Satanism. Today is International Women’s Day so take a moment to appreciate the women in your lives that have helped to make it happen!

    To view my list of important women in Satanism visit my Pinterest pin of Women in Satanism dedicated to these awesome women!

     

  • Symbols of Satanism – The Pentagram and Goat

    Symbols of Satanism – The Pentagram and Goat

    A Pictorial History of Magic at Amazon

    The Bessy Pentagram [shown on right] is one of many versions of the Baphomet that is so familiar to Satanists. It was from the cover of the book known as A Pictorial History of Magic and the Supernatural (Amazon), written by Maurice Bessy. The symbol itself goes back much further than that but it had always been associated with Satan and the forces of the Underworld.

    It is a known fact that LaVey drew up his own version of this pentagram and Baphomet from this book, and took from it the same elements of design, including the “Leviathan” word that encircles the symbol on this book. Due to the popularization of this symbol as ‘Satanic’ it is recognized worldwide as a symbol of Satanism, much like the adoption of the Roman Cross became a Symbol of Christianity after 400ad.

    The controversy over this symbol extends to it’s copyright usage. While the Church of Satan claims to own copyright on this specific symbol, the simple truth is, that they do not. The original Bessy pentagram and all earlier versions of it are in the public domain. Public domain images can not be copyrighted. Now that it is an internationally recognized symbol of Satanism in general it is most certainly in the public domain as a religious symbol, which can not be copyrighted either. The Satanic Church does have their own specific version of this symbol which is known as the LaVeyan pentagram.

    LaVey had little regard from which he took his inspiration from, piecing together his versions of Satanism from various odd sources. Within the Church of Satan the book written by Bessy was used as a prop, much like LaVey adopted the Bessy pentagram for symbolic purposes.
    From the COS website: [http://www.churchofsatan.com/Pages/BaphometSigil.html]

    “In its early days, the Church of Satan used the version seen on the cover of the Bessy book on its membership cards and stationery as well as on the medallions which were created both by hand and by professional manufacturers.”

    Samael and LilithThe ‘Leviathan’ spelled in Jewish letters surrounding the symbol came from an earlier versions of the Baphomet, found in various books. In the 1700’s there was a symbol of the Baphomet within a circle in the book ‘The History of Magic, Eliphas Levi‘. This symbol was paired with the upright pentagram, or as some call it, the pentacle, around this were the words ‘Samael and Lilith’ and it is often referred to as the Samael and Lilith Pentagram. Its purpose was to illustrate the unholy union of Samael, the Jewish angel of Death, and Lilith, the Queen of Demons in Jewish mythology.

    All of these symbols – the goat and the names of Jewish demons, point to the obvious connection between Satanism and Judaism. Even deeper than its Christian association, the Judaic aspects of Satanism are represented by the Goat – known as Azazel. This creature was the Scapegoat of tradition, sacrificed to the wild, who carried the sins of the people. It became natural then to associate and contrast the Jewish goat with the Christian sheep, the natural reaction of Christians being that the goat represents evil, or the devil. This tradition has continued to this day.

    Dark Moon Merchant
  • What Do Satanists think About Abortion?

    What Do Satanists think About Abortion?

    Church of Satan
    The issue of abortion and a woman’s right to choose, is a tough subject for many people to discuss, no matter what path they are on, and rightly so. There are many sides to this issue, and many reasons why people are for or against it.

    The Church of Satan was recently thrust into this debate with their commentary that appeared in a recent CNN interview:

    Satan was thrust into the Texas legislature debate with pro-choicers shouting ‘Hail Satan!’ at the right-to-life faction. However, whom Satan endorsed was not clear. A British organization called U.K. Church of Satan appeared to criticize the pro-choicers (according to Twitter comments) while the New York based Church of Satan ( founded in 1966 by Anton LaVey) insists on a woman’s right to choose, said its high priest Peter Gilmore – although he acknowledged that shouting ‘Hail Satan!’ To anti abortion activists was ‘ludicrous and meaningless’ “.. (Recorded in News of the Weird, Backstage Pass, August 12, 2013)

    While the Church of Satan has a pro-life stance, not all Satanists feel the same way. However it is a social issue that has been important for women for many centuries. In some parts of the United states, women are faced with hardship even when they do have a choice, suffering even if their life is in danger or even in the case of rape. Whoever made laws like these are obviously influenced by Christian right-to-life groups that seek to keep women ‘in their place’ in society by not giving them an option to choose.

    I feel that all women should have the right to choose. We are only given one opportunity in life and we should not be subjected to the laws of men who do not understand how some women can be at a great disadvantage both socially and economically due to pregnancy. Also there is the argument that people are more pro-birth than they are pro-choice, considering that there are few if any programs designed to take care of these unwanted children once they are born.

    However I do not feel that abortion should be a birth control method. Nothing will replace common sense or natural or artificial methods of taking charge of our own bodies. Women have been doing it for centuries and will continue to do so as long as we are able to, with or without government or religious interference.

    Regardless of how we as Satanists feel about this issue, is it right for us to have a public opinion on this matter? Does your affiliation with Satanism, no matter what path you take, influence your decision on this matter?

  • Why Satanism Does not have Churches

    Why Satanism Does not have Churches

    Satanic Church
    Many people have come to me to ask me where they can find a local Satanic Church to worship at. It’s a shame that in this day and age we do not have any churches to go to, let alone groups that we can gather in, in person to come together in the name of Satan.

    Other groups and organizations can be found worldwide, where you can contact them and easily find a local chapter, allowing you to talk with others in person regarding your faith. Wicca is a good example of this, at least here in America. You are able to go to any major city and find your local Wiccan organization and participate in festivals any time of the year.

    Satanists do not have this luxury. Not only is Satanism part of a new religious movement, meaning that it still has room to grow socially, but there are so few of us out there that even if we did have the opportunity to gather together it would be a rare occurrence.

    Most of us meet online, in chatrooms and in social networks. It’s safer for us as well, because despite our (supposed) freedom of religion, it would be too easy to attract attention from radical conservative groups who would want to make sure that our gatherings never happen.

    So, Satanism has no brick and mortar churches to worship at. And, do we really want that anyway? Shouldn’t that kind of thing be reserved for the kinds of religions that rely on social gatherings and long-held traditions? Satanism isn’t reliant on those kinds of things, generally. It is supposed to be a personal experience. While you can share your experiences with others, generally you are on your own when it comes to your personal relationship with Satan.

    Temple of Satan

  • Internet Satanism – Is it Enough?

    Internet Satanism – Is it Enough?

    Internet Satanism

    Internet Only Satanism? Is it enough? This topic is often discussed in Satanist chatrooms.
    Some of you may feel that its too difficult to be a Satanist while you are offline. While you are online, you can hide behind an identity, and talk with your Satanic friends. But offline you are faced with living in a world full of Christians and other peoples that will never share your beliefs. This article explores what can you do to remedy this, and it asks the fundamental question: is online Satanism good enough?

    Let’s start by reviewing some facts. There are [potentially] thousands of Satanists. Indeed, our numbers are growing. But our social presence offline isn’t growing at all. There are no physical churches, no brick and mortar buildings that we can gather in  to express our Satanism. The largest Satanic organization doesn’t even have  a physical church. Read my other blog post: Why Satanism Does not have Churches.

    Mostly, we meet online where we discuss our satanism among ourselves. The anonymous nature of the internet allows us to do what we like, even build online presences and websites without our friends and family offline knowing who we are. In some ways this is very beneficial. We live in a world that is full of hatred it seems, where people have been killed over their religion just because it was something that people feared or disliked. It happens all over the world in religions other than Satanism.

    Not all of us only have an online presence in Satanism. Some of us, myself included, also have an offline presence in Satanism. I wear my pentagram both on my body and as jewelry on a regular basis. My co-workers at my former workplace also knew that I was a Satanist. I have nothing to hide. I feel that I have to immerse myself in Satanism totally in order for me to really appreciate it. But I totally understand that not everyone can be like this.

    There is a balance to be found  between both extremes- it means having the ability to bring Satanic philosophies and beliefs into your life. It means living by the virtues and vices that you hold dear. It means not sacrificing your self in order to please others all the time. Where there is a will, there is a way. You can also incorporate worship into your life, and ritual as well.

    Being an online-only Satanist does not make you any less of a Satanist but it does prevent you from experiencing all the good things that Satanism has to offer. Perhaps try and diversify your efforts and you may see that you experience less stress in your life because you will start living for what you want. Isn’t that what matters in Satanism?

    Dark Moon Merchant
  • Satanism and Spirituality – Not a Competition

    Satanism and Spirituality – Not a Competition

    Satanic Wolf
    Some Things to Consider
    In my many years of practicing Satanism I have seen an ongoing competition, almost everywhere you can go where Satanists are known to congregate. It is the competitive spirit of Satanism that causes Satanists to compete with each other. I think that this is a waste of time and effort, because spirituality and Satanism should not be a competition.

    Sure, there are Satanists that believe that they should be ahead of the ‘herd’, to be leader of the pack, and to generally stand out from the multitudes. Those who do stand out are taking a chance that they will be ridiculed for thinking (and acting like) that they are better than the rest. Those who don’t stand out are also ridiculed for being failures. It is a double standard and it makes me question the motivations of these spiritual seekers. I want to know why they do this, how it affects Satanism, and how things can change for the better.

    I think that spirituality is not a competition. This is because you can not ever really compete with anyone else when it comes to your spirituality. Spirituality is the expression of the self in a divine and sacred way. In this journey of Satanism, spirituality is supposed to be a tool of self development that allows us to seek new things, experience new horizons. It allows us to achieve the things that we want to create.

    Spirituality lets us explore the inner self and the world around us at the same time. Spirituality is personally experienced by those who seek to experience it. Since it is a personal journey, it can not be compared to the other seekers who are also on that same quest, that same path, because each of us are unique, individual and our spirituality is unique as well.

    So, each one of us does the best that we can with what we have. To look at another and be sad for what we don’t have, or to be jealous or suspicious of it, leads us nowhere. It leads us to that ‘false heart’ that we keep, that is planted as a seed, which continually grows until it takes over our complete perception of life, self and others around us. To say that “I’m better than you because…” is a moot point considering that each of us come from certain, unique and specific circumstances, and each of us will develop from that point onward, with our own unique qualities. We are no better than we allow ourselves to be.

    Our Role Models, Who are They?
    Within this discussion on spiritual development here, it is important to see that in Satanism, we don’t have any role models. Our competitive nature as Satanists prevents us from opening our heart and our minds to see how others around us can be inspiring in our own personal journey.

    What is a good role model, then? A good role model is someone that can teach, and it is an experience that you can learn from. I believe that every Satanist should have the self as their first role model, and each of us should have at least one other person in our lives who inspire us to reach for the stars, to be the best that we can be, because we see that another human soul on this journey has achieved great things, and if we open our hearts and minds, we can learn from this experience. We will grow in spirit because we use another as a reflection of our own greatness that is within.


    Satanism – a Competitive Path
    Our Competitive Nature in Satanism is projected outwards, foisted upon others, mostly because we use this as a tool to compare our own greatness to that of another. We don’t create and give by doing this.  We tear each other down in forums and on blogs where all we seek to do is to become a victor over meaningless, ego-filled battles. It is an empty victory because in the end, no one has learned from the experience. Perhaps the assailant has learned a new way of insulting others, or they learned how they can manipulate through harsh, cutting words. Maybe the victim learned not to cross another path or they learned that they were weak when they should have been strong. But what good does that do, within? How does that help the spirit? How does that make things better? What kind of victory is it? Why should it matter?

    Seeking to raise one’s own self esteem through insults is the mark of one who has low self esteem. It shows through a person who has a weak, undeveloped spirit. Satanists struggle with self esteem just like everyone else – but in Satanism it is presented with a special challenge. We have trained ourselves to mask this inner pain and weakness by bearing our teeth and tearing each other apart through word and deed. Masking this self esteem issue is no way to develop the self in the long term, and these (hurtful) experiences offer no real, lasting lesson. Methods like this work against our own so-called goals of self development. They work against Satanism in general, and many of us are too selfish to see this!

    Elitism – a Destructive Path

    Providing an environment of ‘elitism’ as so many have in Satanism, makes it no better. We can see this environment in forums, blogs, websites – where Satanists actively compete against each other, where Satanic organizations compete against other organizations. The Church of Satan is a prime example of this, from which many organizations have taken an example from. From their book, ‘The Satanic Scriptures’ by Peter Gilmore, the author describes their version of Satanism as an arena of battle. He compares it to the arenas of the Roman Gladiators. Other competing organizations enter the arena one by one and they are destroyed by the might of the Church of Satan’s overruling dictates and demands.

    So what, I say! They don’t own Satanism anymore than anyone else on this earth does, yet they will project that idea that they do, to feed the ego of those who are easily tempted by this ‘elite’ nature that the COS has bred among us. If those Satanists are busy fighting each other, they could possibly miss the opportunity to fight the real battles in life that make each one of us a better person, through hard work and effort.

    What Really Matters –
    Those who believe that Satanism is a battle against other Satanists are missing the main point of Satanism as a path of self-development. It does not matter if you are atheist, symbolic, spiritual, religious or any other kind of Satanist.. The main goal behind any (or most) of these systems is the development of the self in a positive direction. But, who taught us these ways, that make us battle among each other? Was it our christian upbringing that made us believe that all others who are not the same are not worthy to be considered like us?

    Was it the practice of exclusionary measures, and the demonizing of others through a religious upbringing that made us expect that Satanism would be the same way, and bring us the same result? Since when did that kind of prejudice matter, when the main goal of Satanism, in general, seems to be the development of the self? How can the Self develop if a person is making his or her self busy by attacking others and tearing others down for their own pleasure or satisfaction, or because they feel that they are expected to?

    If Satanists would lay down their swords maybe they would see that the real battle in Satanism is within. This means the tearing down of the walls of false beliefs and false ideas that have done nothing but kept Satanism from progressing past it’s christian roots. These same walls that are within, keep us reacting in the same way to the same situations that we face day to day in society.

    Because Satanism is still in this stage, we do not yet understand that the enemy is not within our own kind, but instead this enemy is found within our own spirit. This enemy is the various battles that we have to face within. To conquer this real enemy takes guts. It takes a certain kind of understanding that does not fall in line with what most of us are fed by our (well meaning!) Satanic organizations. And to emerge victorious from this kind of battle leaves us feeling so powerful and true to our own needs and desires. We become empowered by choosing the right battles and by having the courage to leave other battles alone, because we are spiritually mature and wise.

    Inner Issues
    Are we too egotistical, and that sets us up for seeing life as a battle? Are we too giving and kind, and so this makes us an easy target for those who would manipulate us? Where is our inner strength that shines from within? Where is our heart and our spirit? Does it lie within true self-deceit that robs us of our true spiritual, symbolic or philosophic life that we could be experiencing if we only laid down our weapons and started fighting that real battle from within?

    These are important questions that I have faced along my own path in Satanism. And, throughout time, I have learned to stop seeing that enemy as an outer, invasive force. As I matured in heart and spirit, I started to see that enemy as my own desire, and guilt, and pleasure, and whatever else stood in the way of my own personal, spiritual self development. Along my own path, those battles needed to be faced from within, and as certain, special people entered into my life.. these people were sometimes a reflection of those inner battles. They had helped me to see my own faults and it enabled me to work on them, for my own good.

    As long as I recognized this fact, it enabled me to not fight against those people, but to look within and find where my true spirit is, and to walk along that path that I was meant to walk, because it is my path, and my path alone. It can not compare to another spiritual life journey, even though we can share our ideas and experiences along the way.

    I am not suggesting a brotherhood, or a unity, but what I am suggesting is the fact that the battles that we have to face, and the competition that we perceive, is within our own mind and spirit. The real fight is within, not with others who are also on the same journey.

    We will all reach our own personal destinations in our own way, so what does it really matter how others also make that journey? To fight with them is to be spiritually weak and ignorant, and it will leave you without that self empowerment that is found among those who are spiritually strong and wise.  Satanism and spirituality is not a competition, because the only fight worth fighting is found within.

    -Venus Satanas
    Take some time to visit my other project, Left Hand Path Books – it’s a review site listing books on Satanism, dark paganism and left hand path magic.

    Dark Moon Merchant
  • The Ooze Radio Show Interview with Venus Satanas and Troll Towelhead

    The Ooze Radio Show Interview with Venus Satanas and Troll Towelhead


    THIS SATURDAY
    August 7th

    http://www.blogtalkradio.com/theooze/2010/08/07/character-and-history-of-satanism
    (copy/paste this link)

    Come and visit the Ooze radio show on BlogTalkRadio this Saturday. Troll Towelhead (of SatanService.org) and I will be guest hosts, discussing the ‘Character and History of Satan’. Listeners with an account are welcome to sign in and chat in the chatroom during the show.
    This was an excellent interview and as always, I enjoy talking with Troll Towelhead

    HAIL SATAN!