The reason there isn't much activity here.

[IanAlmighty]

There's nothing to discuss about religion among Satanists.
Laveyan Satanism is a religion which strives so much on individuality and personal goals and success that it's quite difficult to really discuss anything.

That, and the fact that Satanism is such a straight-forward religion as opposed to other religions based on random texts and conjectures which can be reinterpreted in so many ways.

The works by Anton Lavey are not up for debate. Modern Satanism is what it is. If you don't agree with it then it's not your religion.

What more is there to discuss? Perhaps various forms of inducing emotion through psychodrama, but even that is incredibly personal. There's no such thing as a "Satanic" community. That's just pure contridiction.

Thoughts?

 

[Random]

Maybe you could discuss all the conspiracy theories that lump Satanism in with the New World Order and the Illuminati and such. Is there any basis for it? Just a suggestion...

 

[IanAlmighty]

That would be like be like Jews discussing the world-wide media conspiracy.

 

[Random]

That would be like be like Jews discussing the world-wide media conspiracy.

Ha! Yes, I imagine it would...

 

[Ðanisty]

There really isn't much to discuss unless you take into account other brands of Satanism.

 

[IanAlmighty]

Exactly, and the vast majority of Modern/Laveyan Satanists don't aknowledge other 'brands' of Satanism as actually being Satanism.
Lavey said many times how annoyed he was about people saying his particular brand of Satanism wasn't the truest form even though he was the first to actually have the guts to form an above ground organization. In a way, Lavey made it "cool" to call yourself a Satanist even though all of these new 'theistic' and 'spiritual' Satanic groups claim themselves to be much 'truer' Satanists.
My point is, there's a large amount of contempt from Laveyan Satanists towards others who try to now revert the definition to it's older meaning. I think there's probably more tension between new-age Satanists and Laveyan Satanists than between Satanists and Christians.

 

[Ðanisty]

Exactly, and the vast majority of Modern/Laveyan Satanists don't aknowledge other 'brands' of Satanism as actually being Satanism.
Lavey said many times how annoyed he was about people saying his particular brand of Satanism wasn't the truest form even though he was the first to actually have the guts to form an above ground organization. In a way, Lavey made it "cool" to call yourself a Satanist even though all of these new 'theistic' and 'spiritual' Satanic groups claim themselves to be much 'truer' Satanists.
My point is, there's a large amount of contempt from Laveyan Satanists towards others who try to now revert the definition to it's older meaning. I think there's probably more tension between new-age Satanists and Laveyan Satanists than between Satanists and Christians.

Oh I absolutely agree! I've never seen arguments between Satanists and Christians get as nasty as between LaVeyan Satanists and other LHP groups.

The thing is, one isn't really truer than the other. They're just different beliefs that all connect to Satan. Theistic Satanists also have just as much reason to hold contempt towards LaVeyan Satanists who claim their ways are the only true Satanism. The funny thing to me is that Satanists really shouldn't even be concerned about it. It's a very individualized path. There are no two Satanists that practice the same way or believe all the same things. The in-fighting is no real suprise though considering the large role that ego plays for all Satanists. Every one of them is sure they're right and honestly, every one of them is.

 

[IanAlmighty]

I concur.

 

[Radio Frequency X]

Oh I absolutely agree! I've never seen arguments between Satanists and Christians get as nasty as between LaVeyan Satanists and other LHP groups.

The thing is, one isn't really truer than the other. They're just different beliefs that all connect to Satan. Theistic Satanists also have just as much reason to hold contempt towards LaVeyan Satanists who claim their ways are the only true Satanism. The funny thing to me is that Satanists really shouldn't even be concerned about it. It's a very individualized path. There are no two Satanists that practice the same way or believe all the same things. The in-fighting is no real suprise though considering the large role that ego plays for all Satanists. Every one of them is sure they're right and honestly, every one of them is.

I found it to be rather depressing to discover that Satanists fell pray to all the "my faith is better than your faith" thing. You'd think that this would be considered a sin of stupidity. Also, I think it would fall under Pretentiousness, Conformity to the Herd, lack of perspective, and conterproductive pride. I mean, it makes no sense.

 

[IanAlmighty]

You do realize that Satanism was founded on the basis that there were no religions serving human-kind well. The concept of Satanism being the best religion is what it was literally founded on.
There's no secret here. The Church of Satan is a crypto-facist, elitist and darwinist organization.
The only mistake Satanists make nowadays is forgetting the first Satanic rule of the earth:
Do not give opinions or advice unless you are asked.

 

[Radio Frequency X]

The only mistake Satanists make nowadays is forgetting the first Satanic rule of the earth:
Do not give opinions or advice unless you are asked.

Excellent point.

 

[Dr. Nosophoros]

Lavey encouraged disbelief in his beliefs, even saying that if you didn't disagree with him at some point, you probably weren't a Satanist wisely realizing there was no one cookie cutter for everyone- that is where we are at and you are exactly right- there is no one cohesion, mantra etc. and to me that is exactly where it should be.

 

[Viconia]

Lavey encouraged disbelief in his beliefs, even saying that if you didn't disagree with him at some point, you probably weren't a Satanist wisely realizing there was no one cookie cutter for everyone- that is where we are at and you are exactly right- there is no one cohesion, mantra etc. and to me that is exactly where it should be.

Where did he say that?

Satanism doesn't dictate morality, but there is a distinct set of ethics.

 

[Guitar's Cry]

The works by Anton Lavey are not up for debate. Modern Satanism is what it is. If you don't agree with it then it's not your religion.

Isn't that true of any religion?

 

[IanAlmighty]

Suprisingly, no.
The Bible is vague enough so that it can be easily reinterpretated into several different meanings.
Christianity, although only one religion, has hundreds of denominations, each with their own specific interpretations.
There are no denominations of Satanism. The Satanic Bible is not up for interpretation.

 

[Ðanisty]

Suprisingly, no.
The Bible is vague enough so that it can be easily reinterpretated into several different meanings.
Christianity, although only one religion, has hundreds of denominations, each with their own specific interpretations.
There are no denominations of Satanism. The Satanic Bible is not up for interpretation.

There are no denominations of Satanism that stem from LaVey's Satanism, but as I said earlier, there are different kinds of Satanists.

 

[IanAlmighty]

I typically use the word Satanism to refer to Laveyan Satanism since it was the first large, organized, and aboveground Satanic movement.
I do recall our past discussions on this topic though, but I still don't see Theistic/Traditional Satanism as being any older than Lavey's Satanism.

 

[Dr. Nosophoros]

Where did he say that?

I believe it was in the Satanic Bible, maybe in the Devils Notebook, a personal favorite, I'm too lazy to look but it's there (a little sloth ain't bad!). I think if he didn't include that he would have been a fool (which IMO he wasn't) to claim one belief, one set of rules would seem an anathema to his whole creed. I feel that his approach, an open ended belief system with a firm foundation to fall back on is the best, the question is what do we fall back on (what seems the most true) in the end I'd say that Laveys Satanism overall encourages exploration and imagination beyond the static rules set down him or another, but if his rules are what you always come back to or are inpired by, then there you go.

 

[Guitar's Cry]

Suprisingly, no.
The Bible is vague enough so that it can be easily reinterpretated into several different meanings.
Christianity, although only one religion, has hundreds of denominations, each with their own specific interpretations.
There are no denominations of Satanism. The Satanic Bible is not up for interpretation.

That's pretty interesting. I've only skimmed the Satanic Bible, but perhaps I should read it in more depth.

Specifically, though, I was referring to the idea that if you don't agree with a particular religion, it just simply isn't for you.

I'm curious, though. Do LaVeyan Satanists believe in a Satanic deity? From my limited research, I always thought that they used the figure of Satan as a guideline for their philosophical viewpoints, and that he was more of a symbol than an actual being.

 

[Ðanisty]

I typically use the word Satanism to refer to Laveyan Satanism since it was the first large, organized, and aboveground Satanic movement.
I do recall our past discussions on this topic though, but I still don't see Theistic/Traditional Satanism as being any older than Lavey's Satanism.

Well, it doesn't really matter if theistic/traditional Satanism is older or younger than LaVeyan Satanism. The LDS church isn't as old as the Catholic church, but that doesn't make the Catholic church the only form of Christianity.

I'm curious, though. Do LaVeyan Satanists believe in a Satanic deity? From my limited research, I always thought that they used the figure of Satan as a guideline for their philosophical viewpoints, and that he was more of a symbol than an actual being.

LaVeyan Satanists are atheistic. They do not believe in a Satanic deity or any kind of deity.