Satanism as a Religion

[Racoon]

As a religion Satanism doesn't actually sound all that terrible...
I thought I'd look into it some, but I don't really find a bunch of misguided teenagers sacrificing farmer Jessup's goat..

Does Satanism have a bad rap because of the connotation of the supreme evil incarnate from Christian belief?? Doesn't Satanism posses some of the qualities that make it a beneficial religion??



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satanism

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 it has kept it in business all these years!

The Eleven Satanic Rules of the Earth

1. Do not give opinions or advice unless you are asked.
2. Do not tell your troubles to others unless you are sure they want to hear them.
3. When in another’s lair, show him respect or else do not go there.
4. If a guest in your lair annoys you, treat him cruelly and without mercy.
5. Do not make sexual advances unless you are given the mating signal.
6. Do not take that which does not belong to you unless it is a burden to the other person and he cries out to be relieved.
7. 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.
8. Do not complain about anything to which you need not subject yourself.
9. Do not harm little children.
10. Do not kill non-human animals unless you are attacked or for your food.
11. When walking in open territory, bother no one. If someone bothers you, ask him to stop. If he does not stop, destroy him

[Drip Curl Magic]

Originally Posted by Racoon

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 it has kept it in business all these years!

The Eleven Satanic Rules of the Earth

1. Do not give opinions or advice unless you are asked.
2. Do not tell your troubles to others unless you are sure they want to hear them.
3. When in another’s lair, show him respect or else do not go there.
4. If a guest in your lair annoys you, treat him cruelly and without mercy.
5. Do not make sexual advances unless you are given the mating signal.
6. Do not take that which does not belong to you unless it is a burden to the other person and he cries out to be relieved.
7. 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.
8. Do not complain about anything to which you need not subject yourself.
9. Do not harm little children.
10. Do not kill non-human animals unless you are attacked or for your food.
11. When walking in open territory, bother no one. If someone bothers you, ask him to stop. If he does not stop, destroy him

Here here! HAIL SATAN!!!

[Drip Curl Magic]

but on a more serious note, Satanism seems to take a more animalistic and realistic approach to it's moral code. In that sense, it's kind of appealing.

Certain aspects are a little weird, though....

"7. 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."

huh?!?!

[tmaromine]

I don't get #7 really either, but for me, who doesn't believe in any God or supernatural being, I'd probably rather believe in this than be Christian, by looking at what it 'tells' people.

And you know, if God is real, then somehow Satan would have to be a 'friend' of God, for they "work" together, and "Satan's Hell" is what doesn't pollute "Heaven".

[HydrogenBond]

Satanism is only possible for small groups and requires a large periphreal positive spirtual support system in place for it to exist. It is sort of like a virus religion that needs a large moral host to help satisfy its appetites.

A loose analogy is economics. If everyone wanted to buy only at wholesale prices, very few would make any money and prices would drop to rock bottom. It would be a buyers market. Making money requires most of the people buy retail. This large support group, willing to accept less than they deserve, allows a small group to gorge on the excess.

Picture what would happen if all the Christmas shoppers decides not to buy anything until wholesale prices appeared in the market place. Most of the businesses, who depend on sheepish retail shoppers, would go belly up. The shoppers would then feast on the small dead carcus of the retail merchants. This would be a more effecient allocation of resources, but would destabilize the economy. A virus religion needs a willing host in place, via morality, or else the virus would be eaten by host.

[Buffy]

Originally Posted by HydrogenBond

Satanism is only possible for small groups and requires a large periphreal positive spirtual support system in place for it to exist. It is sort of like a virus religion that needs a large moral host to help satisfy its appetites.

What is the basis for this claim? Just sounds like a bunch of epithets that are not based on the principles stated in "Satanism."

Its important to note of course that the elements Racoon quotes above are from Anton LaVey's branch of Satanism and there are others. In addition, its all very different than Wiccan beliefs, although people have the tendency to throw them all together.

Her Majesty's,
Buffy

[Southtown]

My take:

Nine Statements

1. Fools indulge
2. I would like more out of life than to just survive
3. agree of course
4. People can change (the life you save...)
5. vengeance begets vengeance
6. parttime responsibility is an oxymoron (wtf is a psychic vampire?)
7. How is being more animalistic supposed to be bad when regular animalistic is supposedly good?
8. adversity breeds strength
9. not by tithing

Nine Rules

1. why not?
2. why not?
3. agree of course (lair?)
4. why?
5. what signal?
6. then keep it rather than carry it for them?
7. I'll keep that in mind
8. complain whenever you think it will help
9. what's the cutoff age? and why?
10. or if they are mamed, or infectious, or...
11. so that his kin may take vengeance upon you...

[Racoon]

Originally Posted by Buffy

What is the basis for this claim? Just sounds like a bunch of epithets that are not based on the principles stated in "Satanism."

Its important to note of course that the elements Racoon quotes above are from Anton LaVey's branch of Satanism and there are others. In addition, its all very different than Wiccan beliefs, although people have the tendency to throw them all together.

Her Majesty's,
Buffy

Yes, Wiccan should not be associated with Satanism.
Of course its all lumped in as evil because its not proper Christianity..

Theres nothing to gain or benefit by learning about them consequently.