I'm curious, Why Satanism is so FEARED?

[Era]

Fear comes when people don`t know something , when they can not understand it or when they reject it for some reason . They don`t know what Satan is and satanism . They still believe mithology . They reject satanism , because it makes them think more about themselves , about their desires . Even today people are shamed about their inner feelings , they are affraid to confront themselves , to know themselves , this is what satanism do , destroy fantasies and gives reality as it is and people are affraid of that .

 

[painted wolf]

I think it is a knee-jerk reaction to the name. Which incidently was part of why the name was chosen by LeVey in the first place.

the actual philosophy, self-respect, self-responcibility I find very enlightening and very appealing.

wa:do

 

[DianeVera]

In all honesty it`s because they have been manipulated by Satanism.

The whole point of the Satanists choosing Satan as their God was to freak the Christians out.

It worked so well most Christians have no real clue what Satanism is considering they`re to terrified to even study it awhile.

Above, are you speaking about LaVey Satanism in particular? At least some LaVeyans and other symbolic Satanists may well use Satan as their symbol largely for the purpose of freaking people out and attracting attention.

However, the more serious theistic Satanists have other reasons.

Anyhow, I don't think that even LaVeyans deliberately started the "Satanic Ritual Abuse" panic. Most likely, the SRA scare caught them completely by surprise. Back in San Francisco in the 1960's, it seemed as if Christianity was dying, and the main purpose of LaVeyan Satanism was just to have a little fun kicking the corpse around. They didn't expect the corpse to get up and walk, let alone become a major force in politics again. (See the section on "The contemporary environment" in the Temple of Set's General Information and Admissions Policies document.)

 

[DianeVera]

nobody I know believes Satan created anything (except some say he created sin)

Historically, many Christians have attributed various forms of music, art, science, etc. to Satan. Roger Bacon, the originator of modern scientific methodology back in the Middle Ages, was rumored to be in league with the Devil. To this day, many fundamentalist-leaning Christians consider rock music to be of the Devil. Back in the 1800's, many Christians felt similarly about opera. In the Renaissance-era grimoire known as the Goetia, many of the demons are said to teach people various arts and sciences.

In a few places in the New Testament, the apocryphal Book of Enoch is quoted or alluded to. In the Book of Enoch, Azazel (the Devil) is said to have taught people the art of working metal, and also the art of using makeup. Various other fallen "Sons of God" (Nephilim) are said to have taught people various other arts and sciences.

In the 1800's, quite a few well-known writers celebrated the idea of Satan as Muse, starting with William Blake's "Marriage of Heaven and Hell," in which he wrote that Milton "was a true poet and of the Devil's party without knowing it."

P.S.: I've copied the above into a new thread Satan as the Muse of our civilization in the Theistic Satanism subforum, which might be a more appropriate place to continue any resulting discussion.

 

[DianeVera]

My wife was discussing religion with some coworkers one day and my atheism came up. One woman replied" Your husband is a satan worshipper?".My wife had to explain that ,being an atheist, I did not beleive in satan.She still didn't get it.So I can see why the pagans deny being satanists.It is nothing about the satanists themselves.They are just trying to defend themselves against ignorance.

I don't have a problem with Pagans saying that they are not Satanists. However, quite a few Pagans have misrepresented Satanism as part of their disclaimers. (See my article A Critique of Wiccan and Other Neo-Pagan Disclaimers About Satanism.)

 

[DianeVera]

Now it would be difficult to answer from a diverse viewpoint so I will try and give responses to your questions which I feel reflect the beliefs held by the majority of Satanists and NOT what I have grudgingly come to call Luciferians.

LaVeyan symbolic Satanists are still the largest and best-known category of Satanists, but whether they are still a "majority" is questionable. At least in online forums, symbolic Satanists seem to becoming a majority these days.

 

[Prima]

Satan has also quite often been represented as an angel who just disagreed with the way God handled things, and wanted to leave. One book I have (actually a fantasy book) dramatizes the idea that what Christianity calls 'devils' originated from the 'fallen angel' but that fallen, in this sense, was literal - fallen down from heaven. The idea is that these angels were far more interested in being on Earth, the fascinating new paradise, and in humans, whom they wanted to help, that they were given a choice - be more godly, or leave. So they 'fell,' losing their wings and going to Earth.

I personally think that everyone is paranoid - everyone wants to believe that there's someone out to get them. Because if they believe this, then they can blame bad things on that person, and not on their own bad choices. So people have this ephemereal evil figure out there - and to the ignorant, Satan and Satanists are a very convenient name for that figure.

 

[lilithu]

Why so many christians goes white at the mere mention of Satanism? Tell me why the satanists get so much flak. I'm curious....

I'm not afraid of Satanism, but I do not care for Satanism. (I am speaking specifically of what I've learned from reading LaVay's books and in corresponding with the Temple of Set.)

Someone here has said that Satanism is just Humanism with a scary name. I disagree. It is true that both Satanism and Humanism emphasize human agency - our reason, our freedom, our power to change things - and both believe that human needs should never be subjugated by ideology. That is what I love about Humanism, and to that extent, I agree with Satanism. However, Satanism goes further in denying that desires of the individual should be constrained by the needs of the community. The Humanists that I know talk about the primacy of human freedom and then turn around and choose to constrain their freedom for the needs of others. They recognize the value of the community in addition to the value of individuals.

Now, I'm not saying that Satanists as individual practioners don't do that. But it is my understanding that Satanism as a religion does not. As a religion, it promotes the self above all else, and that is directly at odds with my values. It is directly at odds with the values of most of the world religions.

Having said that, of course I would not deny Satanists their right to believe and practice as they see fit. Of course I would relate to each Satanist as an individual and not judge solely on their religious label. But I do not care for their religion.

 

[Goddess]

It is just uneducated people, who are afraid of what they dont know. When I say "uneducated", I mean people who don't know what Satanism is. I respect Satanists, and Satan. I'm not scared of him, because I know he doesn't have any intentions of hurting me, since I respect him, and his followers, and do nothing to defy him.
Yes, I'm Wiccan, and yes, I do believe in Satan. Not many Wiccans do, but I'm a tad bit different.
It is just basically Christians are so scared of hell, and it attributes, they are forced to only look upon the path of their God. Not all Christians are like that, just the kind that have been misguided. I can see why they fear him, I just wish they knew he isn't the bad guy they think he is.

 

[Era]

I do agree with Prima and Goddess I`m glad that some wiccas do recognize that Satan is not the bad guy . God is one force ( the GOOD , as many might say) , Satan is another force ( the BAD one , as the same people might say) . Now it`s all up to you how you call one or the other , the people are those who give both Satan and God their meaning . The best way to understand Satan is by knowledge , by culture . Every god brings back with him a culture , a story . So to understand one thing you should understand all . Is not about just knowing satanism or monotheism (judaism , christianity and islam) , is about knowing other religious cultures too . Satan is everywere , in every culture so does God .