Satanism?

[Jennifer RachaelAnn]

I have to ask:

I noticed in the avatar selection field that there is an inverted pentagram, and also one the specifically said SatanicbrokenS.

Is Satanic discussion allowed? Most forums that I have been to, while welcoming of most religions, would claim a TOS violation at the mere mention of Satanism. I left a forum for that very reason. While I am polytheistic, I also practice a Satanic lifestyle. I'm a member of the Church of Lucifer, and have a pro-Satanism website. I have read everything LaVey has written, a lot of it completely insane, a lot of it pure genius, take your pick. Just take what he wrote with a grain of salt.

There are quotes from TSB that I whole heartedly agree with. And a lot that I don't. For things I don't agree with, LaVey didn't believe in bathing. He believed it washed away the natural pheremones your body produces to attract the opposite sex. But he said if a part of his body became offensive he would wash that part. That doesn't mean he took a shower tho.

I would be more than willing to have a CIVILIZED conversation concerning Satanism with anyone willing and/or curious about it.




Jennifer RachaelAnn

[Dena]

I checked and I found two links that apply along with the TOS.

https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,218297.0.html
https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,162273.0.html

[Jennifer RachaelAnn]

I checked the links you gave Dena, but I'm still not sure if Satanism violates the TOS, or another rule I may have missed or forgotten. I have read the TOS a few times just to make sure I'm not violating them when I post. So is this cool, as long as it doesn't offend or cause problems?

[Wild Flower]

I consider myself a witch, and I read Anton LaVey books before.... I don't consider myself Satanic though.

I don't think the devil is inherently evil or good, but I think there is a Devil. I just think we don't know enough about him to judge him in that light. I think the Devil is more like the Grim Reaper/Hades, it's just a spiritual being that deals with the dead of the damned. If that makes sense.

Kind of like a Santa Muerte, in Mexican-Spanish off-culture folklore.  I don't think the devil is the reason people go to hell, people choose to go to hell, we have freewill. The devil is like that gatekeeper.

**my thoughts on the devil** take it as a grain of salt.

[Devlyn]

Devyl. We spell it Devyl here. 

[Jennifer RachaelAnn]

Personally I seriously doubt there is a devil, let alone the devil. Modern Satanism is best described as egotistical atheism. Basically you are your own god(dess). I don't subscribe to that theory, but I don't have to. While most view it as an alternative to religion, or an antireligion, it's not a religion at all to me. It's a lifestyle. Like goth, redneck, prep, scrub, etc. I take what I like and damn the rest. But that's one thing LaVey said he wanted. He didn't want everyone to take his word as gospel, like some of the more mainstream religions. He specifically said several times, that he wanted people to only accept what they liked. It was his stance against herd mentality and conformism. Take this for example:

"My brand of Satanism is the ultimate conscious alternative to herd mentality and institutionalized thought. It is a studied, contrived set of principles and exercises designed to prevent and liberate from the contagion of mindlessness which destroys innovation."

That basically sums up a lot of how he felt on the subject.

[Wild Flower]

He was a product of his time too. He was a young man in the real conservative Christian eras of America culture, white-picket fence and going to Church on Sundays in your best dress outfit. Being a Satanic in those days would be like a practicing witch during the Salem Witch trials.

I think he was a philosopher more than a religion icon too.

I have never met the devil either, and I called him out a couple of times to see if he's real. No results. So that says something I guess.

(I'm not afraid of the devil either)

[Wild Flower]

"My brand of Satanism is the ultimate conscious alternative to herd mentality and institutionalized thought. It is a studied, contrived set of principles and exercises designed to prevent and liberate from the contagion of mindlessness which destroys innovation."

That basically sums up a lot of how he felt on the subject.

To an extent, but the Compleat Witch / The Satanic Witch is one of my favorite books on lesser magick. I practices that book a lot, and it does bring results!

But it's more like how to seduce men and get what you want, type book, than magick and rituals.

[Jennifer RachaelAnn]

I've read the compleat/satanic witch a few times. It seems to lean more toward aleister crowley style magic than anything to me. It's mostly sexual magic, and a bit about bringing your inner dominatrix out. Crowley practiced what he called sexual magic. He believed that your magical power is amplified thru sex. I think a few of the ancient Pagans believed that, but I haven't studied Paganism in years, so I don't remember a lot of it, and may be so far way off not even looking at left field. If I'm wrong and offend someone, I'm sorry. If you feel it would be warranted, set me straight.

[Kylo]

As I understand Satanism, it's not worship of Satan per se but of the self and the power contained within the self for survival, greater knowledge and further achievement. As I heard it once described by a friend, "the greatest sin in Satanism is willing stupidity or weakness" (or just not bothering to try to reach your potential... laziness, indolence). I figure that's probably from one of the more modern forms of Satanism, in which case apparently I've been a Satanist all along.

It certain does seem that most religions encourage their participants to reach a more infantilized state of dependence and submission before god, whereas Satanism seems to say "become your own god" or rely on yourself, not on god.

[MaryT]

While I am polytheistic, I also practice a Satanic lifestyle. I'm a member of the Church of Lucifer, and have a pro-Satanism website. I have read everything LaVey has written, a lot of it completely insane, a lot of it pure genius, take your pick.

Before we can discuss how they relate to trans people, could you elaborate on your beliefs?  According tp Wikipedia,
"Sometimes mistakenly associated with Satanism due to the Christian interpretation of the fallen angel, Luciferianism is a wholly different belief system ...".

[MaryT]

As I understand Satanism, it's not worship of Satan per se but of the self and the power contained within the self for survival, greater knowledge and further achievement.

I haven't read The Satanic Bible yet, so I'm not well acquainted with Anton LaVey's beliefs.  Satanism existed long before LaVey was born, though, just as people who tried to practice malevolent witchcraft existed long before Gerald Gardner publicised benevolent Wicca.  The contents of some medieval and renaissance grimoires show that some people who believed that they were communicating with Satan's demons had beliefs that involved more than the worship of the self, or of tapping into the power of the self.

I would be interested in what Satanists, and Luciferians for that matter, have to say on how their beliefs relate to being transgender.

[Lady Lisandra]

I haven't read much about neither satanism nor luciferianism, but I do like Lucifer as an entity. I like the version in which he's the one that stays in earth and makes you fall, not to prevent you from reach heaven, but so that you learn from that fall and become better in order to reach heaven, and at the same time helps you stand up again so you continue your path. It's like a "god" of truth and revelations for me.

[MaryT]

Is there anything in Satanist literature that has a particular bearing on trans people?  Are trans people welcome in Satanist circles? 

One thing about Satan is he seems to be kind to animals, so I can understand people thinking that he can't be all bad.  In the Hebrew Bible, Satan is the angel that tells the wizard Balaam to stop hitting his donkey.  He even passed on God's order that Balaam should bless the Israelites.  He wasn't very nice to Job, though.

The Peacock Angel of the Yazidis is sometimes called Shaitan even by them, according to  travellers who have spent time with them.  This Shaitan is regarded as benevolent.  In spite of that, Yazidis were tolerated by the Muslims that surrounded them until ISIS persecuted them.

[cottoncandy-dreams]

I am a theistic/spiritual satanist. I worship Lilith, Lucifer, Enki, and Baphomet and I believe that together (along with the individual satanist) they make Satan. So to me, Satan is not one entity, but rather a coalition of multiple, sort of like a pantheon.

LaVeyan satanism always struck me as very "strong people deserve everything and don't have to bother with weak people" which translates to capitalism and oppression being natural. As a trans person, that ideology doesn't sit right with me. LaVey might argue that cis people earned the right to oppress us just by being "stronger." I disagree. I believe that it is best for strong people to help those cannot help themselves. I believe in being kind until kindness is not warranted. Until someone gives you a reason not to be kind.

I worship Satan because Satan represents self respect, knowledge, a search for a better you without trashing on the "you" you currently are. This is essential in my worldview. Bullying solves nothing; kindness will change the world.

[cottoncandy-dreams]

In relation to being transgender, I find satanism has given me an appreciation of myself as a trans man and other trans people that I never would have gotten elsewhere. In my beliefs, trans people are not just tolerated or accepted, but loved divinely and often rise to become great heroes.

Enki himself is said to have welcomed the first trans people warmly. (For those who don't know, Enki originated in ancient Sumer). In the myth "Enki and Ninmah," (http://etcsl.orinst.ox.ac.uk/section1/tr112.htm) the gods are having a creativity contest. Ninmah, a goddess, is drunk and creates intersex and trans people. Enki welcomes the first trans and intersex people and gives them a spot on the kings council, and he even gives a trans man and a trans woman a job for Ishtar, one of the most holy goddesses in ancient Sumerian religion. How does that relate to satanism? Well, when the Abrahamic religions came around in the area, they began to call the Sumerian religions "satanic" and Ishtar herself morphed into the demon goddess Lilith. Some people believe Enki and Lucifer are the same being, but I believe they are different entities.

Baphomet, another being called Satan, is depicted here:

Baphomet represents balance; and so naturally, Baphomet is bigender and intersex. The rod with the snakes in Baphomet's lap represents the phallus and the breasts can clearly be seen. 

As far as Lilith is concerned, I view her as a holy mother for satanists. She was said to give birth to hundreds of thousands of "demon children" (read the Alphabet of Ben Sira for more) and I believe that I'm one of her children that Yahweh couldn't kill. So naturally, she loves me as I am. I have no doubt she sees me as her son regardless of the fact that I am a trans man.

And Lucifer represents intelligence and knowledge. Why on earth would he dislike transness? I don't think he does.

So for me, satanism not only endorses transness, but celebrates it and regards it as holy.

[GingerVicki]

According to mainstream religions anything that isn't within the defined norm is Satanism. I've read LeVey and concluded that I relate more as a Witch.

"An Ye Harm None, Do What Ye Will"

As opposed to, which is not necessary Satanism.

"Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law"

I do recognize that if there is higher power mine would be Baphomet.