LaVeyan Satanism.. Its core beliefs and philosophies are based on individualism, secular humanism, religious skepticism, free thought, epicureanism and “eye for an eye” morality.
Contrary to popular belief, LaVeyan Satanism does not involve the worship of “the devil” or any such deities, it is an atheistic philosophy that uses the character of “Satan” as a symbol of pride, carnality, enlightenment, undefiled wisdom, and of a cosmos which Satanists perceive to be permeated and motivated by a force that has been given many names by humans over the course of time.
In The Satanic Bible, Anton LaVey describes Satan as a motivating and balancing dark force of nature. Satan is also described as being the “Black Flame”, representing one’s inner personality and desires. Satan is seen as analogous with nature and even, conceptually, with certain concepts of a supreme deity or god.
Satan appears in mythology and literature around the world as a trickster, rebel, and classical figure seeking the destruction or subjugation of man. Figures such as the Greek Prometheus are said to perfectly exemplify the qualities of Satan, the prideful rebel. Satan is seen as the powerful individual who acts regardless of what others might say.
Satanists do not believe that Satan is a god or godlike force; rather, the function of God is performed and satisfied by the Satanist themself. That is, the needs of worshipping, ritual, and religious or spiritual focus are directed, effectively, inwards towards the Satanist, as opposed to outwards towards a God. Religious acknowledgement and spiritualism are essential to one’s development and continued well-being, but should not be sourced from true belief in a deity.
Instead, LaVey proposes that if all gods are creations of humans, worship of an external deity is worship of its creator by proxy. He then suggests that the rational Satanist should instead internalize their gods and, therefore, worship themselves; hence the Satanist maxim, “I am my own god”.
It follows that Satanism shuns the idea of belief in all other deities as well. Belief in any such externalized deities is generally considered grounds for excluding someone as a Satanist. Devil-worship in particular is considered nothing more than a misguided perversion of Christianity, and practicers thereof are regarded as on par with Christians or other adherents of the ‘Right-Hand Path’.
The Nine Satanic Statements
Satan represents indulgence instead of abstinence.
Satan represents vital existence instead of spiritual pipe dreams.
Satan represents undefiled wisdom instead of hypocritical self-deceit.
Satan represents kindness to those who deserve it, instead of love wasted on ingrates.
Satan represents vengeance instead of turning the other cheek.
Satan represents responsibility to the responsible instead of concern for psychic vampires.
Satan represents man as just another animal (sometimes better, more often worse than those that walk on all fours), who, because of his “divine spiritual and intellectual development,” has become the most vicious animal of all.
Satan represents all of the so-called sins, as they all lead to physical, mental, or emotional gratification.
Satan has been the best friend the Church has ever had, as he has kept it in business all these years.
The Eleven Satanic Rules of the Earth
Do not give opinions or advice unless you are asked.
Do not tell your troubles to others unless you are sure they want to hear them.
When in another’s lair, show them respect or else do not go there.
If a guest in your lair annoys you, treat them cruelly and without mercy.
Do not make sexual advances unless you are given the mating signal.
Do not take that which does not belong to you, unless it is a burden to the other person and they cry out to be relieved.
Acknowledge the power of magic if you have employed it successfully to obtain your desires. If you deny the power of magic after having called upon it with success, you will lose all you have obtained.
Do not complain about anything to which you need not subject yourself.
Do not harm young children.
Do not kill non-human animals unless you are attacked or for your food.
When walking in open territory, bother no one. If someone bothers you, ask him to stop. If he does not stop, destroy him.
In 1987, Anton LaVey has stated that followers of LaVeyan Satanism should avoid the following actions, calling them the “Nine Satanic Sins.”
Forgetfulness of Past Orthodoxies
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