Do you worship evil?
You can not even define evil without discussing what is good. Therefore, the two are inseparable. One can not understand darkness without experiencing light. One cannot appreciate day, without having night. Opposites compliment, define and complete one another. To destroy all evil in the world means there would be no good left to appreciate, therefore the Shadow Dweller does not worship or disrespect either quality! We value ourselves and nature instead and venerate opposition in balance!
The definition of good and evil is subject to change because it exists only as a perception. "Evil" is a label we assign according to our mood swings to those who are politically incorrect. The ascended masters of Eastern Philosophy become the fallen angels of Western Philosophy. One man's "demons" are another man's "saints." Theologians create gods and devils in man's image, then conflict between them to divide the heart and conquer the soul! They pit spirit against matter, then appoint themselves position of supreme arbiter, divine interpreter of right and wrong, good and evil.
"Good" are the things we like. "Evil" are the things we dislike. It often depends on who or what you are. As Diane Vera says, if you're a mouse, cats are evil, but to the pet owner, cats are heavenly. Therefore, evil is not an essence - it is a value judgment. From a Christian point of view, Satan is "evil." Shadow Dwellers are truth seekers who desire to peek behind such labels.
Of course, there are certain ethical wrongs, but they are set by a society or culture so that all can live harmoniously. Examples of these would be thieving, disrespectful behavior and killing or abusing an innocent.
A chief attribute of the trickster god is the role of Devil's Advocate. The Shadow Dweller illustrates "opposition in balance," wielding contradiction like a scalpel in the hand of a skilled surgeon. Our objective? Closure to this unnatural dichotomy, this madness you call "good and evil." Bringing flesh and spirit together. The establishment of a New World Order, free of guilt, self-loathing and shame, where every man and woman is the god of his or her own life. We look upon religion as the starter of wars and the breeder of hate and intolerance. We believe that people are intelligent enough to instill moral and ethical codes into a societal structure without a threat of an imaginary supernatural being wreaking havoc on an offender.
Are God and the Devil enemies?
Some religions certainly pit the two together in a constant battle of good versus evil, while others seem to illustrate it as a tension that keeps the universe in balance. It is curious that these same religions claim to have "one god." Islamic fundamentalists and Christians define themselves as monotheists, but practice dualism; they imagine a devil opposed to the creator, but creation cannot be divided against itself. If the devil physically exists, then God exists.
Here is another concern. If God created Satan, then God is Satan. You cannot create something unless it is a manifestation of your own will. How can you make a computer if you don't know how? You would have to base it on knowledge of that computer, or in this case, God's knowledge of "evil." So, God is evil. If God created hell, he'd have to know about eternal torment, meaning God is tormented. If God created humans, and humans are imperfect, God is imperfect. Christians blind to reason should refer to Isaiah 45:7, "I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things."
Do you believe in a personal god or devil?
Not necessarily. You see, individual perception is everything. Each one of us is the center of a Universe. And if your Universe is an atheist one, then FOR YOU a deity really doesn't exist. On the other hand, if you believe in Allah, Vishnu, Yahweh, Satan or whatever.. then FOR YOU a deity really does exist. The self-assumed delusion becomes one's operational and functional personal reality. We create gods in our own image from a force within our psyche and the universe tends to mirror back what individual consciousness projects upon it. This is the whole idea behind co-creationism. It's that simple and that difficult to understand. Personal reality is NOT a one-size-fits-all situation.
Is Satanism a negative, destructive force in the world today?
The result of manifesting something in your life can be pleasant or catastrophic. In this case, it all depends on how the individual relates to this dark figure. Do you believe in a Devil who was a heroic symbol for some during the Middle Ages, liberating the serfs from the shackles of slavery to an oppressive Church system? If you attach yourself to this hero figure, that will be reflected in your life - you may even become a positive role model for others. But if you follow the current Hollywood trend and worship a nasty Devil who rebels against everyone, chances are, you will become the thing you worship: an outcast - someone who can't work or play well with others - in other words, a loser.
Is Satanism a valid path?
The validity of a spiritual or philosophical path, can only be weighed and determined by the individual because we are essentially dealing with relative truths. If you were to rephrase the question and ask if I believed Satanism helps one to excel, again I would state that it depends on how the individual relates to various aspects of the philosophy and what it reveals to them. People look for a symbol or metaphor to attach blame or praise, but much has to do with the will and intent of the individual responsible and the way in which these symbols are interpreted.
Do you believe in two realities?
Yes. The Objective Universe is the one we all share, and it cannot be modified or colored by our own personal views, bias or prejudices. It is the world of solid form - one that can be weighed, measured or analyzed with scientific apparatus. In this world, certain observations can be made with "absolute" certainty.
The Subjective Universe is the one that exists between your two ears. It is the reality you PERSONALLY perceive, arising from conditions within the brain or sense organs and not directly caused by external stimuli. This world is modified or affected by personal views, experience or background. Observations are made with "relative" certainty. It is sometimes said to be an illusory world, because it is affected by your state of consciousness.
The Subjective Universe is a place where thoughts and ideas can and do take form. And when these ideas are focused upon and infused with power from your own consciousness, anything can happen. This is a Universe inhabited by Satan, Jesus, the Easter Bunny, Father Christmas, Saint Peter and the Tooth Fairy... all as "real" or "unreal" as you want or need them to be. This is the place where magic comes from - the place that provided the dream landscape whereupon Einstein concluded E=mc². It is a world where anything is possible.
Is the Devil all about repressed thoughts and desires?
Certainly, throughout history, we have seen that people believe that the devil is responsible for thoughts and actions considered "evil" and "wicked." This would include alternative sexual lifestyles, radical beliefs, or anything that is not what could be considered a societal norm.
When Founder John Allee was featured in a Boston weekly entertainment newspaper, he found himself contacted by a lot of transvestites - men who were fond of wearing women's clothes. At first, this confused him, because he could not understand why they would have any interest or feel a connection to what he had to say about Satanism. What he found is that the devil often represents repressed thoughts and desires; those things we never want anyone to know about or that we are ashamed of in our lives. The devil represents those characteristics within ourselves that we find undesirable - that we would rather shove into one corner and totally ignore. Some of these naturally should be explored, others are best given an alternative outlet.
Our question to you as a Satanist is, "Do you really think it is wise to repress thoughts and desires? When a person goes for psychological counseling, they are attempting to focus on certain memories or experiences locked away in the shadows and bring them out into the light where they can be examined. This is why I tell people they should not fear the devil, but attempt to look beyond good and evil in their search for the truth."