Satanism FromWikipedia,thefreeencyclopedia

Satanismisadirectionandaschoolofreligiousbeliefsthatcomprisea number of relatedideologiesandphilosophicalbeliefs and social phenomena.Theysharethefeatureofsymbolism,traditions,veneration or admiration ofSatanand/or similar figures or personifications of powersorideologies. Generally,thoseSatanistswhobelieveintheJudeoChristianconceptof Satan are linked into the belief system of today's JudeoChristian religion,astheybelieveinthesametheologypresentedintheHebrew Bible.Satan,alsocalledLuciferbymanyChristians,firstappearedhere asanAngelwhochallengedthereligiousfaithofhumansandtherule ofYahweh. In theBook of Jobhe is called "the Satan" (meaning "the accuser") and acted as theprosecutorin God's court. A characternamed"Satan"wasdescribedasthecosmicenemyoftheLord andtemptorofJesuswithin many of theGospelsofearly Christians. ThischaracteristhebringerofArmageddonandApocalypseasfeatured within theBook of Revelation. Religions inspired by these texts (Christianity,JudaismandIslam) have typically regarded Satan as the adversaryorenemy[citationneeded],butextensivepopularredactionsand recompositionsofbiblicaltaleshaveinsertedhispresenceandinfluence into every aspect of adversarial role back to theCreationandFall. By Christians and Muslims especially, the figure of Satan was treated

variouslyasarebelliousorjealouscompetitortohumanbeings,toJesus, and characterized as afallen angelordemonruling the penitential Underworld,chainedinadeeppit,wanderingtheplanetvyingforsouls orprovidingtheimpetusforallworldlytravesty.Atpointsduringthe development of the Christian religion, Satan became its outspoken enemy,andthisservedtheinterestsofallthosewhowouldusethisto theiradvantage, inclusive of those who fashioned orrecomposed the mythos of Satanism. Additionally, particularly after theEuropean Enlightenment, some works, such asParadise Lost, were taken up byRomanticsand described as presenting the Biblical Satan as anallegoryrepresenting acrisis of faith,individualism,free will,wisdomandenlightenment.ThoseworksactuallyfeaturingSatan asaheroiccharacterarefewerinnumber,butdoexist;GeorgeBernard ShawandMark Twainincluded such characterizations in their works longbeforereligiousSataniststookupthepen. Antiwitchcraftlaws such as the BritishWitchcraft Act 1735(repealed 1951),reflectedpublicsentimentagainstwitchcraftandSatanism. Although the public practice of Satanism began in 1966 with the founding of theChurch of Satan, some historical precedents exist: a groupcalledtheOphiteCultusSatanaswasfoundedinOhiobyHerbert Arthur Sloanein 1948. Inspired byGnosticismandGerald Gardner'sWicca, the coven venerated Satan as both ahorned godandophitemessiah. A particular antiqueNorwegiangrimoire,[1]in contrast to other Christianoriented magical texts which describe Satan as an inferior spirittobeenslaved,containsaspellwhereinthemagicianisinstructed torenounceGodandtheHolySpirit,and"completelysweartoLucifer, ruleroftheDarkAbyss".Thetextitselfclaimstobeoriginallyfroma manuscript inWittenberg, similar to the manyoccultchapbookspseudonymouslyascribedtoDoctorFaustus. There was also a late 17th centuryFrenchmoral panicagainst alleged satanism during thePoison Affair(16751682), which occurred during

the reign ofLouis XIVand dealt with accusations of widespreadpoisonings,infanticideandforgery, presided over by an alleged satanic social network, which had no actual substance but reflected the aforementioned preEnlightenmentpopular religious anxieties.[2] ModernSatanistgroups(thosethatappearedafterthe1960s)arewidely diverse, but two major trends areTheistic SatanismandAtheistic Satanism.TheisticSatanistsvenerateSatanasasupernaturaldeity.In contrast, Atheistic Satanists[3]consider themselvesatheists,agnostics, orapatheistsand regard Satan as merely symbolic of certain human traits.ThiscategorizationofSatanism(whichcouldbecategorizedin other ways, for example "Traditional" versus "Modern"), is not necessarily adopted by Satanists themselves, who usually would not specifywhichtypeofSatanismtheyadhereto.SomeSatanistsbelievein God in the sense of aPrime Moverbut, like Atheistic Satanists, still worship themselves, due to thedeistbelief that God plays no part in mortallives. Despiteheavycriticismfromotherreligiousgroups,therearesignsthat Satanistic beliefs have become more socially tolerated. For instance, SatanismisnowallowedintheRoyalNavyoftheBritishArmedForces, despite much opposition from Christians,[4][5][6]and, in 2005, theSupreme Court of the United Statesdebated over protecting the religiousrightsofprisoninmatesafteralawsuitchallengingtheissue wasfiledtothem.[7][8]ThenumberofpractitionersofSatanismhasalso beenfoundtobeontherise[specify]inPolandduringrecentyears,despite Poland'slongreputationasEurope'smostdevoutlyCatholiccountry.[9] TheisticSatanism Mainarticle:TheisticSatanism Theistic Satanism (also known asConservative,SpiritualorTraditionalSatanism) is the worship or

reverence of Satan as adeity. It comprises several viewpoints, and typically includes a belief inmagic, which is manipulated through variousrituals. It may also include the usage ofmeditationand self expansion.TraditionalSatanistsoftenfindinspirationfromoldersources, suchthe1862bookSatanismandWitchcraft. Luciferianism Mainarticle:Luciferianism Luciferianismcanbeunderstoodbestasabeliefsystemorintellectual creedthatveneratestheessentialandinherentcharacteristicsthatare affixedandcommonlygiventoLucifer. Luciferianismisoftenidentifiedasanauxiliarycreedormovementof Satanism,duetothecommonidentificationofLuciferwithSatan.Some Luciferians accept this identification and/or consider Lucifer as the "lightbearer"andilluminatedaspectofSatan,givingthemthenameof Satanists and the right to bear the title. Others reject it, giving the argument that Lucifer is a more positive and easygoing ideal than Satan. They are inspired by the ancient myths ofEgypt,RomeandGreece,Gnosticismand traditional Western occultism. Palladists Mainarticle:Palladists PalladistsisanameforanallegedTheisticSatanistsocietyormemberof thatsociety.ThenamePalladiancomesfromPallasandreferstowisdom and learning. It is of no relation to thepalladian styleofAndrea Palladio. OurLadyofEndorCoven Mainarticle:OurLadyofEndorCoven Our Lady of Endor Coven, also known as Ophite Cultus Satanas (originally spelled "Sathanas"), was a satanic cult founded in1948 by

Herbert Arthur Sloane inToledo, Ohio. The group was heavily influenced by gnosticism (especially that found in the contemporary bookbyHansJonas,TheGnosticReligion),andworshippedSatanas,their name for Satan (Cultus Satanas is aLatinversion of Cult of Satan). Satanas (or Satan), was defined in gnostic terms, as theSerpentin theGardenofEdenwhorevealedtheknowledgeofthetrueGodtoEve. Thatitcalleditself"Ophite"isareferencetotheancientgnosticsectof theOphites,whoweresaidtoworshiptheserpent. Atheistic/DeisticSatanism LaVeyanSatanism Mainarticle:LaVeyanSatanism LaVeyan Satanism is a religion founded in 1966 byAnton Szandor LaVey. Its teachings are based onindividualism,selfindulgence, and "eyeforaneye"morality.UnlikeTheisticSatanists,LaVeyanSatanists areAtheists,AgnosticsandApatheistswhoregardSatanasasymbolof man'sinherent nature.[10]Accordingtoreligioustolerance.org,LaVeyan Satanismisa"smallreligiousgroupthatisunrelatedtoanyotherfaith, andwhosemembersfeelfreetosatisfytheirurgesresponsibly,exhibit kindnesstotheirfriends,andattacktheirenemies".[11]Itsbeliefswere first detailed inThe Satanic Bibleand it is overseen by theChurch of Satan. SymbolicSatanism Symbolic Satanism[12][13]is the observance and practice of Satanic philosophies,customsandrituals.[14]InthisinterpretationofSatanism, the Satanist does not worship Satan in thetheisticsense, but is an adversarytoallspiritualcreedsandreligions.

PseudoSatanism Casualoradolescentsatanism In this context, adolescents use satanic symbols like the inverted pentagram, the trappings of theblack mass, ordemonicimagery to provide the impression of satanism.[15]This is a liminal experience, reserved primarily for shock value, and does not necessarily imply actualinterest,orevenbelief,intherites,symbolism,andphilosophies ofthevariousformsofSatanistreligiouspracticecitedabove.[16] Organizations TheChurchofSatan Mainarticle:ChurchofSatan TheChurchofSatanisanorganizationdedicatedtotheacceptanceof the carnal self, as articulated inThe Satanic Bible, written in 1969 by AntonSzandorLaVey. FirstSatanicChurch Mainarticle:FirstSatanicChurch TheFirstSatanicChurchwasrefoundedonOctober31,1999byKarla LaVeytocarryonthelegacyofherfather,AntonLaVey,authorofThe SatanicBible.OnWalpurgisnacht,April30,1966,AntonLaVeyfounded the "The Satanic Church" (which he would later rename "Church of Satan").Afterhisdeathin1997theChurchofSatanwastakenoverbya newadministrationanditsheadquarterswasmovedtoNewYork. LaVey's daughter, the High Priestess Karla LaVey, felt this to be a disservicetoherfather'slegacy.SherefoundedtheSatanicChurchand continuestorunitoutofSanFrancisco,California,muchinthesame wayasherfatherhadruntheorganizationwhenhewasalive.

TempleofSet Mainarticle:TempleofSet The Temple of Set is aninitiatoryoccultsociety claiming to be the world'sleadinglefthandpathreligiousorganization.Itwasestablished in1975byMichaelA.Aquinoandcertainmembersofthepriesthoodof theChurch of Satan,[17]who left because of administrative and philosophicaldisagreements.ThephilosophyoftheTempleofSetmay be summed up as "enlightened individualism" enhancement and improvement of oneself by personal education, experiment, and initiation.Thisprocessisnecessarilydifferentanddistinctiveforeach individual.SomepeoplewhoarenotmembersoftheTempleofSetfind spiritualinspirationintheEgyptiangodSet,andmaysharesomebeliefs with the organization. The belief system in general is referred to asSetianism. Setianism,intheory,issimilartotheisticSatanism.Theprincipleadored deityofSetianismistheancientEgyptiangodSet,orSeth,thegodof adversary. Set supposedly is theDark Lordbehind theHebrewentity Satan.Set,asthefirstprincipleofconsciousness,isemulatedbySetians, whosymbolizetheconceptofindividual,subjectiveintelligencedistinct fromthenaturalorderasthe"BlackFlame." OrderofNineAngles Mainarticle:OrderofNineAngles The Order of Nine Angles (ONA) is a purported secretive Satanist organizationmentionedinbooksthatdetailfascistSatanism.Theywere initiallyformedintheUnitedKingdomandrosetopublicnoteduring the1980sand1990s.Presently,theONAisorganizedaroundclandestine cells(whichitcallstraditionalnexions)[18]andaroundwhatitcallssinister tribes.[19][20]

BeforemodernSatanism Historically, primarily in Christian European civilization over the centuries,butalsoinMuslimcountries(forexample,theYezidis),some peopleorgroupshavebeenspecificallydescribedasworshippingSatan ortheDevil,orofbeingdevotedtotheworkofSatan.Thewidespread preponderance of these groups in European cultures is in part connected with the importance and meaning of Satan within Christianity. When viewing the historical development of the phenomenon of Satanism in the list below, it becomes evident that, whiletheearlierChristianexamplesmayreflectthegoalsoftheCatholic Churchtoovercomepagansandheretics(ortodisposeofopponents,as wasthecasewithUrbainGrandier),thelaterexamples(atleastfromthe timeoftheMarquisdeSadeonwards)clearlyexpressanopenhatred,to the point of sacrilege and blasphemy in some cases, towards Christianity,andtheRomanCatholicChurchinparticular. Someofthemainpersonalitiesandgroupsthathavestoodoutoverthe centuries,are: IntheMiddleEast TheYezidis, a minority religion of theMiddle Eastwho worship theMelek Taus, are often referred to asSatanworshippers by someIslamicsectors.[21] InChristiancultures

PaganscelebratingPan,Athena,Moloch,Odin,Perkunasor other Pagan deities were often claimed by theCatholic Churchto be worshippingtheDevilandhisminions.[22] Witches(claimed by the Catholic Church to be servants of the Devil),resultingintheWitchtrialsinEarlyModernEurope.[22] GillesdeRais(15thcentury,France)wasaFrenchnoblemenwho wastriedandexecutedforthemurdersofhundredsofchildrenin quasiSatanicrituals.[22]

JohannGeorgFaust.(16thcentury,Germany)[22]Manyinstructions, in German and in Latin, for making apact with the Devilwere attributedtohim.ThesewerecollectedandpublishedinGermany inafewofthevolumesofDasKloster(18451849). Urbain Grandier(17th century, France). Although set up by the CatholicChurch,averyfamousdocument,inLatin,ofapactwith theDevilheallegedlywrote,hasbeenpreserved.[22] People involved in thePoison affair, such asCatherine DeshayesandEtienne Guibourg(17th century, France). The documentationfromtheirtrialistheprincipalMedievalsourcefor informationontheBlackMass.[23][24] TheMarquis de Sade(18th century, France), described by some authors as being devoted to Satanism.[25]His works graphically describedblasphemyagainsttheCatholicChurch,suchasanorgy resembling a Black Mass conducted byPope Pius VIin theVatican(inhisnovelJuliette). In 1865, the antiVaticanItalianpoetGiosu Carducci, published his poemInno a Satana("Hymn to Satan"), praising Satan as the god of reason and expressing hatred towards Christianity. (Carducci's poem contains bothItaliandeclinations ofSatan:SatanaandSatani). Many adherents of theDecadent movement, such as thePolishauthorStanisaw Przybyszewski, theBelgianartistFlicien Rops, and theFrenchpoetCharles Baudelaire(whopublishedhispoem,LesLitaniesdeSatan,"The Litanies of Satan" in 1857) either called themselves Satanists, or createdovertlySatanistartworkandliterature.[26] Some French movements widely described as being Satanist by Frenchwritersofthetime(Late19thtoearly20thcenturies).The most wellknown description available inEnglishis the 1891 novelLBasbyJorisKarl Huysmans. However, there were numerous other wellknown personalities in France that were

relatedtothecirclesHuysmansdescribes,suchasJosephAntoine Boullan,Stanislas de Guaita,Henri Antoine JulesBois, andJosphinPladan,whoeitherwroteaboutSatanisminFrance,

orwereaccusedofbeingSataniststhemselves.[27][28] Freemasonrywas described as being Satanist in the elaborate, completelydiscreditedTaxilhoax[29] AtleasttwoSatanic(or"Luciferian")sectsexistedinFranceinthe 1930s. One was led by Maria de Naglowska, and had rituals dedicated to Satan and Lucifer.[30]Another, led by a former Catholicpriest, celebrated an inversion of theLatin Mass(a "LuciferianMass"),whichincludedthephrase"InnomineDomini DeinostriSatanaeLuciferiExcelsi"(aphrasethatreappeared30

yearslaterinAntonLaVey'sSatanicBible).[31] TheOphite Cultus Satanas("the Ophite Cult of Satan"), a group foundedinOhioin1948,saidtheyworshippedtheOphiteserpent, whichtheycalledSatanas(Satan).

Relationshiptopopularmusic BlackmetalmusichasoftenbeenconnectedwithSatanism,inpartto thelyricalcontentofseveralbandsandtheirfrequentuseofimagery often tied toleft hand pathbeliefs (such as the invertedpentagram). More often than not, such musicians say they do not believe in legitimateSatanicideologyandoftenprofesstobeingatheists,agnostics, orreligious skeptics. In some instances, followers ofright hand pathreligions use "Satanic" references for entertainment purposes andshockvalue.[32] Glen Benton, vocalist and bassist of the bandDeicide, once openly claimed to be a practitioner ofTheistic Satanism, and has spoken publicly on numerous occasions to profess staunch antiChristian sentiment.MercyfulFatesingerKingDiamondhasalsoopenlyadmitted to practicing Satanism, which is widely and explicitly present in the albumDon't Break The Oath. The late and

controversialDissectionfrontmanJonNdtveidt,strongheartedlyspoke about his "chaosgnostic" satanic beliefs, being a member of theMisanthropic Luciferian Order, and claimed his band and music beingsonic(satanic)propagandadevices.Norwegianblackmetalartists such asEuronymousfromMayhemandInfernusfromGorgorothhave also identified themselves as Satanists and actively promoted their beliefs.[33]NumerouschurchburningsthatcoveredpartsofNorwayin the early 1990s were also attributed to youths involved in theblack metalmovement, which included people claiming to have theistic Satanic beliefs and strong "antiLaVeyan" attitudes.[34]However, the legitimacy of such actions as Satanic endeavors, rather than simply rebelliousactionsdoneforpublicity,issomethingthathasbeendoubted byeventhosewhocontributetothegenre.[35] RapperJayZhas also been accused of Devil Worship;conspiracy theoristssay his "Roc hand Sign" is really a representation of theAll SeeingEye.Therapperdeniedtheserumors.[36]