What Do You Know About Satanism?

Question

Okay, how many of you ACTUALLY know what Satanism is about? Theistic or LaVeyan, it doesn't matter. I just want to know what people know about it. And please stay away from Bible rhetoric as your source of what Satanism is.

Answer 1

I have a friend who is a Satanist.

but don't be fooled, he's actually a very nice guy. He told me that Satanism is about worshiping yourself, and doing everything that benefits yourself, even if the action hurts others.

But he takes it another way. He argues that doing good can benefit him more than doing bad. He says that if he saves a boy from drowning, then he'll feel like a hero, which benefits him.

If he donates to the poor and needy, he'll feel warm and fuzzy (yes, he said that), and that is beneficial to him.

So, because of him, I don't Satanism is that bad when used by people like my friend.

Answer 2

Alot of people usually think that Satanism is some kind of evil religion, but this is only a stereotype blinding you otherwise.

Satanism is mostly about worshipping yourself or having the best interest for yourself for example, the nine satanic sins are; Stupidity, Pretentiousness, Solipsism, Self-deceit, Herd Conformity, Lack of Perspective, Forgetfulness of Past Orthodoxies, Counterproductive Pride and Lack of Aesthetics. If you know what that all means then it could basically outline what it is about. But no one can truly understand what any religion means without being told about for hours, or if that person fully embraced that certain religion.

The only reason so many people know about Christianity is because it is so widely publicised and a few centuries ago the Christian religion was very wealthy.

Oh yes and Satanists do not "worship" Satan, they also do not pray or anything like that, they do not "ask for their gods help in a time of need" either. Satan is merely a symbolic figure.

Answer 3

http://www.greatcom.org/resources/aready...

SATANISM AND DEMON POSSESSION

Chapter 36

The worship of Satan has deep historical roots. Known as Satanism, it is found expressed in various ways. Black magic, the Black Mass, facets of the drug culture, and blood sacrifice all have connections with Satanism.

In Escape From Witchcraft, Roberta Blankenship explains what two girls, both Satanists, wrote to her as part of their initiation ritual:

They had to go to a graveyard in the dead of night, walk across a man-sized cross, and denounce any belief in Christ. Afterwards, a ritual was performed and the girls had to drink the blood of animals that had been skinned alive.

In April, 1973, the battered, mutilated body of a 17-year-old boy, Ross "Mike" Cochran, was found outside of Daytona Beach, Florida. An Associated Press story said, "The verdict of police is that Cochran was the victim of devil worshippers: killed in a frenzied sacrificial ritual."

Lynn MeMillon, Oklahoma Christian College professor, reports, "One variety of Satanism consists primarily of s*x clubs that embellish their orgies with Satanist rituals. Another variety of Satanists are the drug oriented groups."

In the past Satanism's associations have been much more secretive than they are now. The anti-religious and anti-god aspect was prevalent in all forms of Satanism. Although this is not true of modern Satanism, traditional Satanism still is associated with black magic and ritualism.

Traditionally, Satanism has been interpreted as the worship of evil, a religion founded upon the very principles which Christianity rejects. As such, Satanism exists only where Christianity exists, and can be understood only in the context of the Christian worldview. Things are, so to speak, reversed -the Christian devil becomes the Satanist's god, Christian virtues become vices, and vices are turned into virtues. Life is interpreted as a constant battle between the powers of light and darkness, and the Satanist fights on the side of darkness, believing that ultimately this will achieve victory.

Answer 4

It's something that makes me roll my eyes so violently that I risk seizing.  

Answer 5

Bible Rhetoric?  I think Satanism is exercising your right to Worship, Follow mold your life after Satan.  But I am not sure how you would no who Satan is without reading the Bible.  Good Luck  xox   This is the first time I have ever given thumbs up to an Atheist!

Answer 6

Its based on the great work of transforming yourself into a God, and worships the Eldar Gods. The major point of ancient religion was man becoming God.

http://www.freewebs.com/eridu666/Origins...

Answer 7

I'm not a Christian but...

I've always wondered what attracts people to Satanism. If someone had proof of Satan's existence, the would have to also accept God's existence. Knowing that, one would have to accept that choosing Satan might result in everything you want in this life but result in an eternity of h**l afterwards. Alternately, choosing God's side might result in a slighty harder life but an eternity of Heaven.

So, given proof of either God or Satan, I would choose God.

Answer 8

Satan, who is best known for killing, stealing and destroying has the power to withhold these curses from his followers for a period of time. But, in the end, he can't help himself and he kills you. (sort of like the scorpion who wanted a ride on the fox's back across the river)

Answer 9

I don't know much about Satanism, but more important, I really could not care less. Delusion is delusion.

Answer 10

Largely, it involves people who get most of their ideas from the back cover of old heavy metal albums, and bad horror films.

Answer 11

Well personally, I prefer silk to satin, but that's just me.

Edit: Actually you spelt 'satin' wrong throughout your question, but you seem nice so I'm over-looking it. :D I just figured Theistic and LaVeyan had something to do with the Bayeux Tapestry.

I haven't slept for 57 hours.

Answer 12

The so called 7 deadly sins are in fact man's natural instincts.  If we suppress these instincts we need to find a substitute which more often than not turns out to be a religion of some kind.

Satanism is essentially atheistic.  It is not devil worship.  It is ego worship.   We live by our own rules.

Christianity has what LaVey terms as 'the good guy badge'.  But not everything about Christianity is good.  For instance the education of Christian children based on nothing more than faith.

To me, faith is not a virtue.  It is based on ideas that cannot be substantiated scientifically.  

Answer 13

at present all or as little or as little as required

Answer 14

I know that the Church of Satan requires you to be 18 to join their religion.  That's the best policy by any religion anywhere -- if only they were all that dead set against child indoctrination.

Answer 15

As little as possible.

Answer 16

I thought LaVeyan was Theistic with the whole "it's cool to be a Satanist" spin like the Scientologists do with their whatever ya wanna call it.

Answer 17

all i know is to stay away from it and to rebuke anything that is not of god in the name of jesus christ my lord and savior

Answer 18

answer: How about this - I've read the Satanic Bible (have 2 copies), I've read all of Anton's writings.  I have and have read Might is Right and I've read up on some theistic Satanism and I have Satanic friends of both groups.

here's what a contact of mine here wrote:

Satanism

Some believe the "Satan" was a name given to a much older god. The one that actually did create life. Xianity plagiarized much older religions, forced others to convert or die, then destroyed the evidence of the occult knowledge given to man by Satan, or Lucifer. This knowledge was to help mankind elevate themselves spiritually to the point of being gods themselves.  

There are some Satanists who don't believe in any of sort of deity at all. They usually follow the works of Lavey and are basically atheistic in their belief system. They worship themselves as being gods already, and their motto is something akin to "do what though wilt, shall be the whole of the law". They also teach a healthy dose of responsibility to go along with their doctrine, pointing out that it is only favorable to be responsible to others who are responsible for themselves.

"Devil" worship is usually practiced by fools and posers, A handful of pissed off Xtians who don't know anything except what they've been taught by the bible, and because they don't like god anymore, choose to do the opposite of what the bible says. Real Satanists despise these types of people because they really give us a bad name.

We teach that we are Natural beings, and as such, should do what comes naturally.

We teach that all the seven deadly sins are falsehoods, as they all lead to mental, emotional, or physical gratification. I could explain this in detail if I have to.

We also teach responsibility, that we are responsible for our own lives.

We teach that animals and children are sacred, as they are Natural in the most complete sense as they have not been sullied by the likes of preconceptions or interference from humans in an animals case.

We teach to love completely they whom deserve our love, and to hate they who would wish us ill, for then love and hate won't become watered down, by trying to love everyone, even people that do rotten things.

We teach to learn all we can about our natural world, to learn history and symbolism, so that we can better connect to Nature.

We teach an understanding of all the forces of Nature, and how to balance those forces within ourselves.

We show that self-preservation is the highest law, as if you cannot preserve yourself, then how you can preserve anything?

And we show how to ritualize our emotions into magickal workings, to accomplish something that would otherwise be unchangeable, and to rid ourselves of emotions that if held in could destroy us.

We frown upon drug use, as that makes a person less effective as a magician and a human being in general.

I could write a book but not here.

Your friendly neighborhood Satanist:)

Courtesy of Phoenix M

http://blog.360.yahoo.com/blog-GY450_chc...

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used with permission

Answer 19

Satanists do not worship Satan. They simply revel in bodily impulses, for which Satan is a clever metaphor. The merely live with their basic biological urges, nothing more.

Answer 20

I'm not a Satanist, but I have found good arguments towards it(for what it is), and it's basically:

"The Bible percieves God as the perfect being, the one you should WANT to be with. The thing is, we aren't getting an unbiased LOOK at God. The Bible WAS written by followers of God. And while God sits on his pedestal bashing Satan, Satan has never bashed God, and more or less played around with him. If you've actually read the Bible, you'll see that Satan is not the liar. God said eating the apple would cause death, while Satan said "Nah, it won't. Just try it" Satan was the only one not lying in that situation. God is also the one who caused the pain and suffering. Who the flip gives a shxt if you eat an apple? Another thing, you'll see that God caused all the plagues, floods, and famines. Satan chose to break away from God and his monarchy, and he was forever shunned for simply not worshiping. Sounds more like Hitler than a saint, don't you think? God has said you'll burn in h**l for not believing in him and worshipping him. Satan just didn't want to sleep in his dad's basment anymore."

So it's basically saying, if a n**i wrote a book of worship towards Hitler, it would sound a lot like the Bible.

Also, this is Satanism in the MOST literal sense. Most Satanists don't actually worship Satan.

Okay sooo. I have a feeling I'm one of your ignorant answerers. I just wanted to give a spin on what some people thought of it as, a different argument I figured wouldn't already be here. It's not here, and obviously I'm atheist so I think it's all cruddy poo-poo.