Satanism: The Feared Religion

  by Magister Peter H. Gilmore

  When Anton Szandor LaVey shaved his head and created the Churchof Satan
  on April 30, 1966, he knew that soon he would be thefocal point of
  attention for people throughout the globe. Nowthat the thirtieth
  anniversary of that fateful night has passed,has the world begun to
  understand the real meaning behind theonly organized religion in history
  to take as its symbol theultimate figure of pride and rebellion, and to
  many, of Evil?
  And are there truly some grounds for people to feel fear at theever
  growing phenomenon of contemporary Satanism? As a priest inthe Church of
  Satan and media representative, I can candidly say,Yes! However, what
  the general populace has decided to fear is aludicrous portrait that has
  been painted in lurid technicolor bymedia hypesters intent on
  titillation, evangelists struggling tofill their coffers and keep their
  mistresses in jewelry, and mostdistressingly, by a segment of the
  therapeutic community who havefound a gold-mine in the treatment of
  so-called ritual abusesurvivors who provide no evidence of their tales
  of terror(remarkably similar to stories told by women labelled by Freud
  ashysterics), save for their fervent belief that they werevictimised. I
  shall not waste time in refuting the absurd claimthat there is an
  international conspiracy of generationalSatanists bent on enslaving the
  world through drug use andsacrifice of babies bred for that purpose by
  emotionally unstablewomen. That mythology has been thoroughly exploded
  by othersources (The FBI's National Center for the Analysis of
  ViolentCrime: "Investigator's Guide to Allegations of Ritual
  ChildAbuse," January 1992; the Committee for Scientific Examination
  ofReligion's report "Satanism in America," October 1989; theBritish
  Government's Department of Health report: "The Extent andNature of
  Organised and Ritual Abuse," HMSO, 1994 ). Let usinstead look at
  contemporary Satanism for what it really is: abrutal religion of elitism
  and social Darwinism that seeks tore-establish the reign of the able
  over the idiotic, of swiftjustice over injustice, and for a wholesale
  rejection ofegalitarianism as a myth that has crippled the advancement
  of thehuman species for the last two thousand years. Is that somethingto
  fear? If you're one of the majority of human mediocritiesmerely existing
  as a media-besotted drone, you bet it is!
  The philosophy of Satanism is delineated in the writings of AntonSzandor
  LaVey. His books include _The Satanic Bible_, _TheSatanic Rituals_, _The
  Satanic Witch_, and _The Devil'sNotebook_. All are currently in print
  and should be consulted byanyone interested in a complete picture of the
  views held by theChurch of Satan. One can obtain further information by
  readingtwo books by Blanche Barton, personal secretary to Mr. LaVey
  andan administrator of the Church, _The Secret Life of aSatanist, the
  authorized biography of Anton LaVey_ (Feral House)and _The Church of
  Satan_ (Hell's Kitchen Productions). Theseworks have a great deal of
  material regarding the history andcontemporary practices of the Church
  of Satan.
  For those who have yet to study this literature, there are threesets of
  brief guidelines* issued over the years by the Church andauthored by
  LaVey, which can give the uninitiated a capsulizedversion of Satanic
  philosophy. The first are the "Nine SatanicStatements" (copyright 1969)
  which open _The Satanic Bible_ andgive a firm foundation for the
  Satanist. They are:

  1. Satan represents indulgence instead of abstinence.

  2. Satan represents vital existence instead of spiritual pipedreams.

  3. Satan represents undefiled wisdom instead of hypocriticalself-deceit.

  4. Satan represents kindness to those who deserve it instead oflove
  wasted on ingrates.

  5. Satan represents vengeance instead of turning the other cheek.

  6. Satan represents responsibility to the responsible instead ofconcern
  for psychic vampires.

  7. Satan represents man as just another animalsometimes better,more
  often worse than those that walk on all-fours--who, becauseof his divine
  spiritual and intellectual development, has becomethe most vicious
  animal of all.

  8. Satan represents all of the so-called sins, as they all leadto
  physical, mental, or emotional gratification.

  9. Satan has been the best friend the Church has ever had, as Hekas kept
  it in business all these years.

  The next statements, "The Eleven Satanic Rules of the Earth"(copyright
  1967), were written at about the same time, but werethen considered too
  frank and brutal for general release andissued only to the membership.
  Here is the "Lex Satanicus," a lawof the jungle for social interaction:

  1. Do not give opinions or advice unless you are asked.

  2. Do not tell your troubles to others unless you are sure theywant to
  hear them.

  3. When in another's lair, show him respect or else do not gothere.

  4. If a guest in your lair annoys you, treat him cruelly andwithout
  mercy.

  5. Do not make sexual advances unless you are given the matingsignal.

  6. Do not take that which does not belong to you unless it is aburden to
  the other person and he cries out to be relieved.

  7. Acknowledge the power of magic if you have employed itsuccessfully to
  obtain your desires. If you deny the power ofmagic after having called
  upon it with success, you will lose allyou have obtained.

  8. Do not complain about anything to which you need not subjectyourself.

  9. Do not harm little children.

  10. Do not kill non-human animals unless you are attacked or foryour
  food.

  11. When walking in open territory, bother no one. If someonebothers
  you, ask him to stop. If he does not stop, destroy him.

  Since we have been issuing statements of what we are seeking, itwas
  considered time to make a list of behaviors that we wish tosee avoided
  in the Satanic community. Satanists acknowledge thatwe are human and
  work towards perfection, but can sometimes fallinto negative patterns of
  action. Thus was born the list of The"Nine Satanic Sins"(copyright
  1987), guidelines for whatSatanists consider to be non-productive
  behavior to be recognizedand eliminated from one's daily existence.

  1. Stupidity

  --The top of the list for Satanic Sins. The CardinalSin of Satanism.
  It's too bad that stupidity isn't painful.Ignorance is one thing, but
  our society thrives increasingly onstupidity. It depends on people going
  along with whatever theyare told. The media promotes a cultivated
  stupidity as a posturethat is not only acceptable but laudable.
  Satanists must learn tosee through the tricks and cannot afford to be
  stupid.

  2. Pretentiousness

  --Empty posturing can be most irritating andisn't applying the cardinal
  rules of Lesser Magic. On equalfooting with stupidity for what keeps the
  money in circulationthese days. Everyone's made to feel like a big shot,
  whether theycan come up with the goods or not.

  3. Solipsism

  --Can be very dangerous for Satanists. Projectingyour reactions,
  responses and sensibilities onto someone who isprobably far less attuned
  than you are. It is the mistake ofexpecting people to give you the same
  consideration, courtesy andrespect that you naturally give them. They
  won't. Instead,Satanists must strive to apply the dictum of "Do unto
  others asthey do unto you." It's work for most of us and requires
  constantvigilance lest you slip into a comfortable illusion of
  everyonebeing like you. As has been said, certain utopias would be
  idealin a nation of philosophers, but unfortunately (or
  perhapsfortunately, from a Machiavellian standpoint) we are far fromthat
  point.

  4. Self-deceit

  --It's in the "Nine Satanic Statements" butdeserves to be repeated here.
  Another cardinal sin. We must notpay homage to any of the sacred cows
  presented to us, includingthe roles we are expected to play ourselves.
  The only timeself-deceit should be entered into is when it's fun, and
  withawareness. But then, it's not self-deceit!

  5. Herd Conformity

  --That's obvious from a Satanic stance. It'sall right to conform to a
  person's wishes, if it ultimatelybenefits you. But only fools follow
  along with the herd, lettingan impersonal entity dictate to you. The key
  is to choose amaster wisely instead of being enslaved by the whims of
  the many.

  6. Lack of Perspective

  --Again, this one can lead to a lot of painfor a Satanist. You must
  never lose sight of who and what youare, and what a threat you can be,
  by your very existence. We aremaking history right now, every day.
  Always keep the widerhistorical and social picture in mind. That is an
  important keyto both Lesser and Greater Magic. See the patterns and fit
  thingstogether as you want the pieces to fall into place. Do not
  beswayed by herd constraints--know that you are working on anotherlevel
  entirely from the rest of the world.

  7. Forgetfulness of Past Orthodoxies

  --Be aware that this is oneof the keys to brainwashing people into
  accepting something newand different, when in reality it's something
  that was oncewidely accepted but is now presented in a new package. We
  areexpected to rave about the genius of the creator and forget
  theoriginal. This makes for a disposable society.

  8. Counterproductive Pride

  --That first word is important. Prideis great up to the point you begin
  to throw out the baby with thebathwater. The rule of Satanism is: if it
  works for you, great.When it stops working for you, when you've painted
  yourself intoa corner and the only way out is to say, I'm sorry, I made
  amistake, I wish we could compromise somehow, then do it.

  9. Lack of Aesthetics

  --This is the physical application of theBalance Factor. Aesthetics is
  important in Lesser Magic andshould be cultivated. It is obvious that no
  one can collect anymoney off classical standards of beauty and form most
  of the timeso they are discouraged in a consumer society, but an eye for
  forbeauty, for balance, is an essential Satanic tool and must beapplied
  for greatest magical effectiveness. It's not what'ssupposed to be
  pleasing--it's what is. Aesthetics is a personalthing, reflective of
  one's own nature, but there are universallypleasing and harmonious
  configurations that should not be denied.
  This basically sums up the rudiments of Satanic philosophy. Itcertainly
  has nothing to do with the prevailing Judeo-Christianoutlook of altruism
  and self-sacrifice, and can thus seem quitealien and frightening to one
  brought up in that world view.Realistically, the Satanic code of
  behavior is based on humannature as it is and thus comes naturally to
  most people who havenot been deeply indoctrinated in anti-life and
  anti-rationalbelief systems. It is a fact that many people today
  callthemselves Christians but really have no clear concept as to
  whatthat philosophy fully entails, so they generally behave in aSatanic
  fashion. We think that it is high time that this isrecognized and that
  people call themselves what they truly are,not what is socially
  convenient for them.
  As you can see, there are no elements of Devil worship in theChurch of
  Satan. Such practices are looked upon as beingChristian heresies;
  believing in the Christian world view of Godvs. the Devil and choosing
  to side with the Prince of Darkness.Satanists do not believe in the
  supernatural, in neither God northe Devil. To the Satanist, he is his
  own God. Satan is a symbolof Man living as his prideful, carnal nature
  dictates. Thereality behind Satan is simply the dark evolutionary force
  ofentropy that permeates all of nature and provides the drive
  forsurvival and propagation inherent in all living things. Satan isnot a
  conscious entity to be worshipped, rather a reservoir ofpower inside
  each human to be tapped at will. Thus any concept ofsacrifice is
  rejected as a Christian aberration--in Satanismthere's no diety to which
  one can sacrifice.
  Satanists do have experience of the super-normal in theirpractice of
  ritual or Greater Magic. This is a technique forinfluencing the outcome
  of human events to desired ends viareaching an extreme emotional state
  in the context of a ritual,sending forth a vision of what you want to
  occur (the Is To Be),which, if your levels of adrenaline are high
  enough, willpermeate the unconscious minds of those you wish to
  influence,causing them to behave as you Will when the time is right.
  Thisdoes not mean that anything is possible, for it takes a greatdeal of
  energy to make a strong sending, and it is oftendifficult to influence
  events from the inertia of their presentdirections. Awareness of your
  abilities and what is possible toachieve is the hallmark of a successful
  Satanic magician.Satanists also practice Lesser Magic which is basically
  the dayto day manipulation of your fellows to obtain your ends.
  Detailedtechniques are given in _The Satanic Witch_.
  Recently we have seen certain evangelists and even academicscalling
  Satanism a neo-Nazi movement. This is an innacuratelabel. The Nazi
  movement drew much of its power from a racistdoctrine of Aryan
  superiority. Satanism is far more discerningthan that. While there are
  provable biological differencesbetween the races and statistically
  demonstrable performancelevels in various activities, it is quite
  irrational to thinkthat someone can be elite or not simply because of
  the color oftheir skin. Even if one comes from promising genetic stock,
  andby that we mean from ancestors who have proven their abilities tobe
  superior in performance, this does not guarantee anindividual's
  advancement. No, we Satanists only recognize anindividual as elite if
  they prove it by cultivating theirnatually endowed abilities to the
  highest extent possible. Thisis something that requires the Satanic
  virtue of discipline, aquality we try to instill in our own iron youth.
  There are eliteindividuals from all ethnic backgrounds, and they are
  embraced bySatanism for the superior beings that they are--creating
  auniquely Satanic ethnic.
  Satanists treasure individualism, hardly something to be
  gainedgoose-stepping down the "strasse." Yet we do not embrace
  an"anything goes" atmosphere wherein all values are relative andnothing
  rises above a sludge of commonality. Satanism encouragesa return to more
  traditional values in art and literature such asmastery of technique and
  emotional communication, of form andfunction, design and execution.
  Satanists find a wealth ofmaterial in Western culture to be treasured
  for the pinnacle ofhuman achievements that they are, and not to be
  buried under theswill of multiculturalist attempts to displace them with
  dubiousachievements simply because they are non-Western as has
  becomerampant in some academic circles of late. We call to
  eachindividual to seek human greatness wherever it can be found, fromthe
  vaults of history and from the talented producers of thepresent, and to
  deride the trendy sham for the shallow facadethat it is. Since Satanism
  stands for acceptance of Man as ananimal, there have often been creators
  in many past cultures whoembraced this insight and explored it in the
  context of theirsociety, thus we seek out these artisitic and
  philosophicalexpressions and see them to be the roots of our
  currentawareness.
  Satanists see the social structure of humanity as beingstratified, thus
  each person reaches a level commensurate withthe development (or lack
  thereof) of their natural talents. Theprinciple of the survival of the
  strong is advocated on alllevels of society, from allowing an individual
  to stand or fall,to even letting those nations that cannot handle
  themselves takethe consequences of this inability. Any assistance on all
  levelswill be on a "quid pro quo" basis. There would be a
  concommitantreduction in the world's population as the weak are allowed
  toexperience the consequences of social Darwinism. Thus has naturealways
  acted to cleanse and strengthen her children. This isharsh, but that is
  the way of the world. We embrace reality anddo not try to transform it
  into some utopia that is contrary tothe very fabric of existence.
  Practical application of thisdoctrine would see the complete cessation
  of the welfare system,an end to no-strings attached foreign aid and new
  programs toaward and encourage gifted individuals in all fields to
  pursuepersonal excellence. A meritocracy will replace the practice
  ofsuch injustices as affirmative action and other programs designedto
  punish the able and reward the undeserving.
  Satanists also seek to enhance the laws of nature byconcentrating on
  fostering the practice of eugenics. This is notsome exotic doctrine
  hatched in the brains of Third Reich medicalmadmen. It is the practice
  of encouraging people of talent andability to reproduce, to enrich the
  gene pool from which ourspecies can grow. This was commonly practiced
  throughout theworld, as even a text on eugenics endorsed by the
  Women'sChristian Temperence Union can prove, until it was given a
  badname by Nazi excesses. Until the genetic code is cracked and wecan
  choose the character of our offspring at will, Satanists seekto mate the
  best with the best. Satanists who know that they aredefective refrain
  from reproducing.
  Satanists are particulary disgusted by the extraordinary level
  ofcriminal activity which abounds today and thus advocate a returnto the
  Roman "Lex Talionis"; let the punishment fit in kind anddegree the
  crime. To achieve this, we would be pleased to see theinstitution of an
  elite police force, of men and women in peakphysical and mental
  condition, trained in advanced techniques ofcrime fighting who would be
  truly equipped to handle the verminthat make so many of our cities into
  little more than concretejungles. Man is by nature a social creature and
  makes his socialcontract with his fellows, thus rules of conduct are
  establishedto allow maximum freedom for individuals to interact.
  Disobeythose rules and punishment must be swift and sure, and
  mostprobably public as well. This does not mean the incarceration
  ofindividuals in institutions at the expense of the victims for socalled
  rehabilitation. No, these criminals must be put to someuse, perhaps as
  forced labor to even clean up the environmentthat has so carelessly been
  soiled under the dominance ofChristian spiritual philosophy that sees
  man as superior to otherliving creatures with a God-given right to abuse
  them at will.Man is an animal, and must go back to acting like
  one--notsoiling his own lair as only twisted humans do.
  The Church of Satan pursues a five point plan to move society
  indirections that are considered to be beneficial to Satanists. Thefirst
  point is the advocation of general recognition andacceptance of
  stratification, which is no less than theelimination of egalitarianism
  wherever it has taken root.Mediocrity shall be identified and despised.
  The stupid shouldsuffer for their behavior. The truly beautiful and
  magnificentare to be cherished. Each individual must choose for himself
  hisown aesthetic standards, but we think that there are certainelements
  of achievement that are undeniable, even if they are notsatisfying to
  everyone. For example, one cannot deny the superioraccomplishment
  inherent in a Beethoven symphony, a Michelangelosculpture, a DaVinci
  painting, or a Shakespeare play. ManySatanists are working to create
  their own citadels of excellenceoutside of the cultural mainstream and
  have preserved the worthyfrom the past and continue to create new works
  of power to beunleashed to those who will be appreciative.
  The second point is the enforcement of strict taxation of allchurches.
  This would remove the government sanction of religionand force these
  parasites to live off of their own membersalone, and if they can't, then
  they will perish as they should.The Church of Satan has never pursued
  tax-exempt status andchallenges all the rest of the world's churches to
  stand on theirown feet. Let us expose the vampiric nature of the
  organizedreligions and see if they can withstand the light of day.
  Third, we call for the re-establishment of Lex Talionisthroughout human
  society. The Judeo-Christian tradition whichexists secularly under the
  guise of liberal humanism has exaltedthe criminal over the victim,
  taking responsibility away from thewrong-doer with their doctrine of
  forgiveness. Such thinking is adisgrace towards the ideal of justice.
  This must stop!Individuals must be held accountable for the consequences
  oftheir actions, and not be allowed to scapegoat society, history,or
  other supposed "outside" influences. It should come as nosurprise that
  many Satanists are part of law enforcementagencies, and a large number
  of people throughout this and othercriminal justice systems who fully
  agree with Satanic philosophyon this point. If the law is not being
  enforced, Satanistsadvocate the practice of seeking personal justice,
  but you arewarned to be fully aware of the consequences of such actions
  intoday's corrupt society. With the present state of affairs, theoutcry
  may yet come to welcome justice back to stay.
  Fourth, Satanists advocate a new industry, the development andpromotion
  of artificial human companions. These humanoids will beconstructed to be
  as realistic as possible, and available toanyone who can afford one.
  Recognizing that the human animaloften raises himself up throught the
  denegration of another, thiswould provide a safe outlet for such
  behavior. Have the lover ofyour dreams, regardless of your own prowess;
  every man a king whocan purchase his own subject; or contrarywise, buy
  the master youwish to serve. Freedom of choice to satisfy your most
  secretdesires with no-one to be bothered is now at hand. What could
  bebetter for blowing-off the tension that exists throughout oursociety,
  and promoting healthier interaction among true humans?
  Finally we advocate the construction of total
  environments,technologically up-to-date but theatrically convincing, to
  beliteral pleasure domes and places of amusement and delight. Wehave
  seen the beginnings in some of the major theme parks, butlet us take
  them on to the heights depicted in films like_Westworld_. Here you will
  be able to indulge in whateverenvironment you can imagine. Re-creation
  of past history wouldnot only be ripe for these constructions, but
  science fiction andfantasy will provide fertile sources for many of
  theseplaygounds. Even now such projects are gearing up.
  Would the average person be able to spot a member of the Churchof Satan?
  Since Satanists cover the total spectrum of economicand professional
  achievement, unless someone is sporting a sigilof Baphomet medallion, or
  wearing the Baphomet lapel pinsignifying an official representative, you
  really can not pindown a Satanist by appearance and behavior alone. In
  their dailypractices, Satanists are individuals who are enjoying their
  livesin the here and now. They eat what they please, dress as
  theyplease, and generally follow whatever life style suits them best,so
  long as it is within the laws of their country of residence.
  There is no requirement for participation in ritual activity.
  Thetechniques presented in our literature are for members to makeuse of
  as they so desire. Some Satanists enjoy the socialatmosphere of group
  ritual and seek out others for this purpose.Many Satanists find their
  ritual activity to be very personal andprefer to remain solitary. Either
  path is acceptible to theChurch of Satan. Indeed, there are no rules for
  frequency ofritual activity. Some celebrate the equinoxes and solstices
  asholidays, but of course one's own birthday is the highest
  Satanicholiday of the year. The ritual process is often used as
  acathartic, to cleanse the individual of desires that could turninto
  compulsions if they remained unfulfilled, thus suchpractices take the
  place of therapy. Satanists cherish theirindividuality and do not try to
  conform to others' standards ofnormality. Also, Satanists do not
  proselytize so you will notfind yourself approached by someone in a
  black cloak wavingtracts in your face. We have our literature readily
  available,and should someone find the philosophy to be to their
  liking,they may approach us to investigate the possibility ofaffiliation
  (Church of Satan, P.O. Box 210666, San Francisco, CA94121). The general
  public would probably be surprised to findthat they have been
  interacting with Satanists for many years,and that these Satanists will
  be some of the most interesting,fair, trustworthy, and enjoyable people
  that they know.
  The world, when fully permeated by Satanism, will provide achallenging
  environment wherein you can achieve much, or little,based on the level
  of input you can muster and the extent of yournatural abilities. Yes,
  this is frightening to the masses whowish to sit back and be herded from
  one media-hyped product tothe next. Our world challenges you to think,
  and do somethingwith those thoughts! As ulimate realists, we do not
  expect alarge percentage of the human population to have the energy
  anddiscipline needed to excell, nor would a Satanic society attemptto
  force people to do that which is beyond their capabilities--but we will
  not refrain from judging these people by ourstandards. Those who wish to
  lead a drugged existence, whetherthe addictive element is chemical or
  media, shall be recognizedfor the slaves that they are and held in
  contempt. They cancontinue their self-destructive paths if so desired,
  but theyshall not be allowed to hold back those who want to
  achievegreatness.
  Don't worry, you who have been fooled into believing the papertiger
  displayed by today's media; we Satanists aren't after yourchildren, for
  they are probably as hopelessly mediocre as theirparents. But we are
  moving the world towards a state wherein thefreeloaders will either work
  or starve, and the parasites will beremoved to wither and die. So, you
  need only fear real Satanismif you are a criminal, a parasite, or a
  wastrel. Are _you_afraid?

  * The "Nine Satanic Statements," "The Eleven Satanic Rules of theEarth,"
  and "The Nine Satanic Sins" are copyrighted by AntonSzandor LaVey and
  may not be reproduced without pemission.