What is Satanism?

Question

this is a statistics question
i want to see what people know on this subject

Answer 1

Satanism is the belief that there is no god and no redeemer, so people must take care of themselves and live in the moment.

It is called Satanism because it is the exact opposite (or adversary) of Christianity. Satanists follow an inverted gospel, for instance, the Christian Bible states that "If any one strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also." The Satanic Bible states that, "if a man smite you on one cheek, SMASH him on the other!"

Many people think that Satanism has to do with human sacrifice, demonic rituals, etc., but it doesn't really. It's just people who prefer to worship themselves and do what feels right for them. They feel that if other people get hurt in the process, then they shouldn't have gotten in the way to begin with.

Answer 2

Satanism is a religion developed by Anton LeVey. Although it does not actually believe in Satan as a god-like entity, Satan is used as a personification of human desire. If you really want to know more, read The Satanic Bible. While I don't agree with it, I still found it an interesting book.

Devil worship is actually an offshoot of Christianity which does worship the devil as a rebellion against Christian doctrine.

Answer 3

Here's a statistics answer:
"The fact is that far more crime and child abuse has been committed by zealots in the name of God, Jesus and Mohammed than has ever been committed in the name of Satan. Many people do not like that statement, but few can argue it."

Answer 4

Satanism can be classified as either LaVeyan or classic theistic.

The LaVeyan Satanist is atheistic, usually worshiping themself. They adhere to the "Satanist's Bible."

The theistic Satanist is usually an embarrassed Christian who's pissed at the Abrahamic god and likes kinky stuff.

Answer 5

satanism is not the worship of satan as most people belive but it is the worship of yourself. it is stated there is no god or satan there is no heaven or hell YOU are responsible for your own good and evil and the reason it is called satanism is because the founder Dr. Antnon Szandor LaVey founded it with the belief in the ideals of satan and what satan represents (this is of course LaVeyism) theistic satanism is the worship of satan

Answer 6

^Satanists don't believe in the devil, that is a misnomer, they do believe in pleasure

Satan has nothing to do with Hell, demons, pitchforks, sadistic torture, demonic possession, and profound evil. True Satanism is not what most of us think.

Answer 7

Satanism, the kind practiced in America and the English speaking world, is based on the works of Anton LaVey. LaVey founded the Church of Satan in 1966 to cash in on the occult craze of the 1960's. LaVey's philosophy is one of hedonism and "free love" (hardly news for the 60's), and featured rituals with his nude wife and bare breasted female followers, which shows why males would want to join... even at the cost of $20 per meeting back then. LaVey didn't live up to his claims nor did he follow his own creed. Even though Satanism eschews charity of any kind, LaVey and his family lived on welfare and handouts during the late 70s-80s. Even though LaVey claimed Satanic magic could give "mastery of the earth", he still died bankrupt in a house he didn't own. LaVey lied about his accomplishments in life (i.e., an oboist for an orchestra, lion tamer, criminologist, etc.) and was in fact, just a high school dropout. While LaVey claimed he tried to "keep the nuts out" and disavowed criminal activity within his Satanic church, he admitted in several writings of engaging in a "cannibal feast" and forced females followers into prostitution... beating them when they did not bring back enough money. In the 1980s his common law wife Diane left him and sued, claiming LaVey beat her all during their relationship, which is confirmed by LaVey's children. LaVey claimed Satanists did not believe in harming children but according to his daughter Zeena, he was the passive witness to the molestation of his grandson Stanton, by a Church of Satan member. LaVey would reverse himself on many issues over the years. At first, the church of Satan welcomed gays and lesbians, but when LaVey saw the only people he could attract were mostly Neo-Nazis, his later writings gave hints of racism and of being anti-gay. After his death, the truth about him came out, but people still plunk down $7.95 for his "Satanic Bible", which is mostly plagiarized from other sources (Atlas Shrugged, Might Is Right, and the writings of Aleister Crowley).

Of course most Satanists would tell you it's the "worship of the self". Most people who identify themselves as Satanists are the "LaVeyian" variety. Anton LaVey was a liar, fraud, bankrupt wife beating pimp. BTW, one idiot actually had the nerve to say "Everyone beat their wife in the fifties" when informed of this (even though he beat Diane from the 60's into the 80's). And no, not everyone did, and it was still wrong.

This shows that rather than standing on their own two feet, Satanists slavishly make excuses for their cult figure, not unlike they way Scientologists do for L. Ron Hubbard.

LaVey was approached by Avon books to write a book on witchcraft to cash in on the occult craze of the 1960's. He cobbled together "The Satanic Bible" from a forgotten right-wing political tract (Where most of the material from the Book of Satan comes from), Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged, and the superstitous occult material of John Dee.

LaVey never really seemed to know what Satanism was himself. Some of his writings seemed atheistic, at other times he called Satan "the dark side of nature" and often refers to Satan as a personification. One thing is for certian, the Satanic Bible gives specific instructions on timing, tools to be used, specific rituals for sex spells, revenge spells, etc (The Book of Belial)., and it seemed he expected results.

Eventually, people realized the spells didn't work, and so began the whole "Well, it's really a philosophy" excuse. In the 1980's, when LaVey was living in poverty he then claimed he was shunning consumer materialism ( a complete role reversal from "Indulgence instead of abstinence!") ala Pee Wee Herman's "I meant to do that!"

LaVey claimed that nuts were given "the bum's rush" when trying to join the Church of Satan, but clearly nut was in the eye of the beholder. LaVey has admited to holding a "Cannibal feast" of a human leg in at least 3 books. The Satanic Bible &Satanic Rituals certainly describe many things most normal people would consider pychotic such as Nude girl is used as an altar (Satanic Bible, Satanic Rituals)A human skull is used in Die Elektrischen Vorspiele ritual (Satanic Rituals, p. 109)Human leg bone or arm bone is used in Homage to Tchort ritual (p.137)
Woman dressed as nun urinates before group into a bedpan in the Black Mass ritual (p.43) Urine is then sprinkled like holy water (p.44)Man climbs into coffin with nude woman (or nude man if he is gay) in Le Epais ritual (p.59).

As a "philosophy", Satanism could be boiled down to hedonism, which was hardly a new idea in the 1960's. Oddly enough, most Satanists don't fit the bill as swingers. Some seem to lead fairly uneventful lives. Here's an example:

"I've been forced to give up coffee - the acid was responsible for a minor ulcer and I can no longer take any chances with my health. This was my solitary vice - now it is gone. I do not drink, do not smoke, do not use recreational drugs and have nothing remotely resembling a sex life!"
--"Lord" Egan of "The First Church of Satan"

Wow! What a swinger! So then the picture begins to develop that Satanism is not so much a philosophy of life as it is a fantasy; a means to escape a life not worth living.

Answer 8

I believe it is when you are faithful to the Devil and not God. Kind of creeps me out...

Answer 9

worship of the devil.