SabahTheLoner
Master of the Art of Couch Potato Cuddles
I am inspired by his work and I agree with a lot of what he says, but lately I haven't been thinking of myself as "LaVeyan". Lately I've been taking his rules to be more of advice.
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(Poll) Does Anton LaVey's work inspire you?
- Thread starter SabahTheLoner
- Start date
I think in many ways he was inspiring, but I find some of his writings (especially about Lex Talonis, might is right/etc) or the "alien elite" very tiring. Anyway, I think a certain amount of sanity is required in interpreting his writings, and realizing how much of it is impractical. Modern "athiestic" Satanism is pretty dogmatic, as with most other philosophies it cannot really exist without placing fences around various concepts to define itself. In many ways, theistic Satanism is easier - Satan Yes / No? (please circle, lol) But, I guess if you come from a strong religious background it would seem liberating.
At a certain juncture, you must have a bullet list of beliefs to be a LaVey Satanist to some degree - though most of them would be probably doing the eye-roll when you say that word to them. 
Liu
Well-Known Member
Not directly. I hardly ever read texts he wrote, and when I do then because someone else quoted them.
I didn't even read TSB in full, and there were many texts by other Satanists I read before and after that I took more from.
But indirectly, sure, he influenced so many of us that it's hardly avoidable.
I clicked "No, I am a theistic Satanist" above for the sake of the poll, even though neither the no nor the theistic are completely correct.
I didn't even read TSB in full, and there were many texts by other Satanists I read before and after that I took more from.
But indirectly, sure, he influenced so many of us that it's hardly avoidable.
I clicked "No, I am a theistic Satanist" above for the sake of the poll, even though neither the no nor the theistic are completely correct.
VioletVortex
Well-Known Member
LaVey's quite good work, especially in The Satanic Bible awakened my beliefs. I would go as far as to say that it sent me on my path towards theism, and it certainly played a big role in my formative early teen years. With that said, the Church of Satan is a scam. It did some decent work in the area of activism back in the 60s, but nowadays, a "membership" is a nice way of saying "The most expensive piece of paper you will ever buy". I am not very fond of the organization, to say the least.
I selected "other". I consider myself to be a Satanist while at the same time being a Germanic Pagan. I don't call myself a "Theistic Satanist" as it would lead to the assumption that I am exclusively or predominately a Satanist, which is not true. Satan is a title applicable to Odin, Ördög, Loki and so on and so forth.
I selected "other". I consider myself to be a Satanist while at the same time being a Germanic Pagan. I don't call myself a "Theistic Satanist" as it would lead to the assumption that I am exclusively or predominately a Satanist, which is not true. Satan is a title applicable to Odin, Ördög, Loki and so on and so forth.
He's okay when you don't got much else to go on and are just learning at first.
My story is a little weird, I didn't read LaVey until later. I found some of it spoke to me, mostly the stuff about human desire and being true to yourself and his essay on doubt, although I always kind of recognized how much I didn't like the imagery used for a lot of it. I was really into Lex Talonis for a while as I didn't have a lot of power in my life, and I wanted to "get back" and was pretty angry over some really ****ed up **** that happened to me. So it was therapeutic to explore for a while but I didn't start with it and ultimately didn't stick with it too long.
Now I'm mostly just annoyed by card carrying LaVeyan beliefs, particularly if they are the Gilmore style. Although I have known exceptions but I'd say of those who tend to take The Satanic Bible really seriously as this amazing thing do so for some emotional reasons and not so much a well-thought out one that isn't just regurgitating something the CoS said.
Also some of LaVeyan ideas seem kind of weird to me, since humans are not solitary creatures. We are defined more by our empathy and cooperation when compared to literally almost every other species. We have selfish traits too, but overall we are somewhat more cooperative and empathetic than not. If this wasn't true, civilization wouldn't of kept chugging along or even started. It's kind of necessary to form any kind of cohesive society. Unfortunately governments can go above this with force and let one or a few exert their will, but in large groups we work more as a unit with what we think is the common good in mind. It's just how we are programmed to normally act in most situations.
I know that feeling, effectively being a pantheist myself.
My story is a little weird, I didn't read LaVey until later. I found some of it spoke to me, mostly the stuff about human desire and being true to yourself and his essay on doubt, although I always kind of recognized how much I didn't like the imagery used for a lot of it. I was really into Lex Talonis for a while as I didn't have a lot of power in my life, and I wanted to "get back" and was pretty angry over some really ****ed up **** that happened to me. So it was therapeutic to explore for a while but I didn't start with it and ultimately didn't stick with it too long.
Now I'm mostly just annoyed by card carrying LaVeyan beliefs, particularly if they are the Gilmore style. Although I have known exceptions but I'd say of those who tend to take The Satanic Bible really seriously as this amazing thing do so for some emotional reasons and not so much a well-thought out one that isn't just regurgitating something the CoS said.
Also some of LaVeyan ideas seem kind of weird to me, since humans are not solitary creatures. We are defined more by our empathy and cooperation when compared to literally almost every other species. We have selfish traits too, but overall we are somewhat more cooperative and empathetic than not. If this wasn't true, civilization wouldn't of kept chugging along or even started. It's kind of necessary to form any kind of cohesive society. Unfortunately governments can go above this with force and let one or a few exert their will, but in large groups we work more as a unit with what we think is the common good in mind. It's just how we are programmed to normally act in most situations.
I know that feeling, effectively being a pantheist myself.
Many of Dr. LaVeys work has always inspired me, his Devil's Notebook and his Satanic Ritual book was one of those great literatures that inspired me among the Left Hand Path. Originally I've always adhered to the COS philosophy but I have always rejected the existence of an entity including Satan himself. But latley I am starting to come to the conclusion that the Prince of Darkness does exist. A few weeks ago I have experienced something that I cannot quite explain but I felt that the Prince of Darkness was communicating with me but in a different form of way. I have come to the conclusion that this Prince of Darkness has given me my own mandate of my destiny in the future and of what will I accomplish. When I was more or less of a hard noosed atheist I studied the ToS other than the COS. I am starting to understand of how some of us may experience these moments as to how we evolve over time. This Prince of Darkness in which I believe in is a unified aspect whether it is Satan, Lucifer, or Set these entity's are the unification of the Prince of Darkness but many of us may invoke the Prince of Darkness of whom we may realize in general. In Aquinos case he realized it was Set in my case I realized that it was Satan, and in that case I have come into being.
FooYang
Active Member
Not in any way shape or form. Never has and never will.
I like Setianism more, on account of Aquino himself who has more intellect and insight than LaVey but even Aquino's work doesn't do much for me and leaves much to be desired. Actually I tend to be more interested in his army stuff more ironically.
LaVey basically just represents the status quo of society, the bourgeois. Plus he never really had anything to say in the first place.
VoidoftheSun
Necessary Heretical, Fundamentally Orthodox
Only in the most basic political sense. I think he made lots of valid criticisms of Christianity but nothing he said particularly resonates with me beyond mere basic sentiments.
Most of my views don't align with him and I find him rather dogmatic actually (just as with Atheistic Satanists and Atheists in general).
I'm more interested in out-of-the-box thinking myself. His contribution to culture and his helping to bring Satanism more into the light out of obscurity though was something I do appreciate on those merits alone.
February-Saturday
Devil Worshiper
I enjoy LaVey's earlier work, and particularly his aesthetics. The Satanic Bible is, in many ways, the distilled essence of literary Satanism. Philosophically, it's quite close with many historical Satanists. I also appreciated his use of rituals and celebrations picked up from folk Satanists in Germany.
In these early years, while LaVey himself and his inner circle remained theistic, most of their work was pretty great. I don't agree with all of it, but neither did they, since they wrote from an atheistic perspective mostly to show that their philosophy didn't need to claim divinity to make sense.
Of course, with the later Temple of Set splinter, LaVey eventually started watering down his own practices and it really showed. It's infected the Church of Satan to this day and their misinterpretations of his earlier work to fit it into the mindset of his later life.
That said, LaVeyan philosophy is mostly just a Libertarian rendition of Thelema. His philosophy wasn't really earth-shattering, but it did codify the philosophy of Satanism and in that sense I do think it's valuable.
A wide range of Satanism was on display, from Nietzsche's Antichrist and Milton's Paradise Lost to Germanic black masses and Marquis de Sade's blasphemous eroticism.
The early work really solidified a number of already existing Satanic movements. It's just a shame that people think LaVey invented Satanism and that his antitheistic, egomaniacal gibberish after his rise to fame is a reflection of his earlier work. It gives LaVeyan philosophies and rituals a bad rap that it doesn't deserve, in my opinion.
In these early years, while LaVey himself and his inner circle remained theistic, most of their work was pretty great. I don't agree with all of it, but neither did they, since they wrote from an atheistic perspective mostly to show that their philosophy didn't need to claim divinity to make sense.
Of course, with the later Temple of Set splinter, LaVey eventually started watering down his own practices and it really showed. It's infected the Church of Satan to this day and their misinterpretations of his earlier work to fit it into the mindset of his later life.
That said, LaVeyan philosophy is mostly just a Libertarian rendition of Thelema. His philosophy wasn't really earth-shattering, but it did codify the philosophy of Satanism and in that sense I do think it's valuable.
A wide range of Satanism was on display, from Nietzsche's Antichrist and Milton's Paradise Lost to Germanic black masses and Marquis de Sade's blasphemous eroticism.
The early work really solidified a number of already existing Satanic movements. It's just a shame that people think LaVey invented Satanism and that his antitheistic, egomaniacal gibberish after his rise to fame is a reflection of his earlier work. It gives LaVeyan philosophies and rituals a bad rap that it doesn't deserve, in my opinion.