if satanists dont worship satan, why "satan-ists"?

Question

who(what religion) gave them the title?

and why?


thanks in advance

ah.. what about those i saw in youtube. where they dress themselves with horns and look like the generic "hollywood satan" are they just freak punks or what?

Answer 1

Satan is used symbolically or metaphorically as the ultimate symbol of self and ego. Satanists don't believe he is real and they don't worship him. Their worship and ritual is directed inwards, for self-empowerment. Satanists are their own God.

edit - as for those horny types on youtube, they would most likely be f&cked-up christians.

Answer 2

Satanism is a word which has been used over the years to describe a number of different belief systems in a number of contexts. People claiming to be Satanists—or outsiders claiming to describe Satanism—ascribe a wide variety of beliefs to Satanism. These range from the literal worship of a malevolent spiritual being (Theistic Satanism); to a kind of subversive ritual performance stressing the mockery of Christian symbols (most notably the Black Mass); to the claimed rediscovery of an ancient but misunderstood religion (e.g. Setianism, which conflates Satan with the Egyptian god Set); to the exaltation of hedonistic recreation, and the celebration of selfishness and pleasure.
Therefore it depends on who is doing the describing the worshipper or someone from the outside. In the context you are referring to it is most probably a Christian way of describing a religion or belief system that conflicts with the Christian one - therefore being dubbed satanism in order to mantain anything other than their belief is wrong and evil.

Answer 3

One way to view this question is from a biblical angle.
Scripture says that anyone who is not for God, is against Him.
Since Satan (A/K/A Lucifer) is the one who tried to overthrow God; as a result Lucifer was cast out of Heaven along with 1/3 of the angels, because they were in on the overthrow attempt, also.
So if someone chooses not to be on God's side, then they are therefore sided with Satan; thus the name for Satan's followers- Satanists.
The term satanist need not necessarily refer to those who openly and consciously worship Satan, although that is the generality of the meaning.

Answer 4

In order to answer this question, we first have to know what and/or who is Satan. The word Satan originates from the Hebrew word SHEYTAN, who is in the Judaic belief a rebellious angel and an adversary of God and lord of evil. Satanists are those who practice Satanism which is the belief in Satan. Nevertheless, the word Satanism has been used over the years to describe a number of different belief systems ranging from worship of:

1. Male malevolent spiritual being (Theistic Satanism). Theistic Satanists experience a "dark" divinity or powerful entity behind the forces of darkness, knowledge, animal energy and freedom in their lives. He (or She) is sometimes perceived as the Muse and the Bestower of knowledge. Believers may place a great emphasis on the Serpent in the Biblical tale of Genesis whom they perceive to be one of the many emanations or incarnations of Lucifer. According to such teachings, Satan blessed mankind with the "forbidden” fruit of knowledge of good and evil. From this perspective, knowing good is a good thing, but knowing evil is even better, for someone who knows and recognizes evil is better-armed and equipped to fight evil. It is for this reason that Theistic Satanists perceive Satan not as a Force of evil but rather a Force of good .

2. to a kind of subversive ritual performance stressing the mockery of Christian symbols.

3. to the claimed discovery of an ancient but misunderstood religion (Setianism). The ancient Egyptian God Set is the real Dark Lord behind the name Satan. This type of Satanism maintains that the Hebrew ran into and adversary in Egypt who was the Pharaoh of the Set Dynasty. After the Pharaoh expelled the Hebrews from Egypt, the Hebrew Bible scribers wrote “Exodus” demonstrating the enormity of the event to the Hebrew people. Setian Satanists theorize that “Satan” is a wrong slanderous label for a legitimate Egyptian God, while others reverse Satan as a principle. The practices and theology of the Set sect are very oriented towards cultivating selfhood. They reject the dissolving of the individual into oneness with existence, and celebrate the separation of the individual self from the rest of the universe. Some followers believe in Set as a real theistic conscious being that appears in revelations and delivers messages.

There are probably dozens of different religious belief systems and practices that have been called Satanism. Conservative Christians generally believe that there are only two powerful supernatural forces in the world: their God and Satan. Christians are divided amongst themselves when definition of Satanism is involved:

1. A few believe that if a person does not worship their God and hold their beliefs, then they must be worshiping Satan.

2. Others feel that the major world religions are not Satanism. However, they view a wide variety of unrelated religions and practices such as Santeria, Vodun, New Age, Bruidism, and Wicca as forms of Satanism.

3. Others also feel that all religions other than three Abrahamaic religions Judaism, Christianity and Islam inspired by Satan and are thus a form of Satanism.

Now we should ask, is Satanism really the worship of Satan?

In fact, Satanism is a very old pagan belief and believes in Satan all right, but not Satan of the three Abrahamic religions. The concept of Satan has evolved over the centuries, as has Satanism. One of the first mentions of Satan (Ahriman) is in the Zoroastrian Avesta, a book that pre-dates Christianity, and Judaism.

In view of the above, Satanists believes in Satan and do not believe in Satan at the same time as it all depends on your definition of Statan. One definition demonstrate Satan as evil, tempter and hateful, but the other demonstrate Satan as adversary, a principle, a necessity as contrary to Good or God.

Other Satanists who have been known to commit atrocities in their worship of Satan as according to their own definitions, are as a matter of fact DEVIL WORSHIPPERS.

Answer 5

After reading about Leveyan Satanism I would say that 'Satan' is used metaphorically for the will of the 'Satanist' and the anti-establishment thinking tht they employ.

Answer 6

Honestly? I don't know why LaVey chose those particular names to represent his ideas. I think he probably just felt his ideas were at odds with christianity, and decided to use them as sort of a jab at the church. Or perhaps he used them because they're already well-known and established ideas, hence already familiar to almost everyone, as an attempt to make it easier for people to relate to. Either seems likely to me.

As for the dress-up people you're talking about? Every religion has those types. Just think about all the teenage girls who saw "the craft" and suddenly decided they knew everything about wicca, or christianity's "god-warriors" who are the holiest of holies but have probably never even cracked a bible, if they can even read. No one's proud of them, but every religion has posers.

Answer 7

Satan was a pre-Christian life principle before the writers of the New Testament hijacked the word and invented their devil.

Answer 8

Satanists worship themselves, like Satan did. They are like Satan, thus, Satanists.

Edit: If Christians worship Jesus, would they put on a Jesus costume?

Answer 9

i heard from one of the person i was having an argument about marlyn manson is a satanist, she said that satan means self or like something like that. she said it means believing in urself like humanism? i think

Answer 10

there are different sects of satanism.
1. Believe satan is a diety - worship satan.
2. believe satan is mans dark side - worship satan as mans errors and indulge in the 7 deadly sins(anton levay)
3. believe satan is a negative force in nature.