#AnarchoSatanism

[queersatanic]

(A Case Against) Identifying with Satanism in the Modern World

First, let’s make sure there’s no misunderstanding.

Most Satanists do not worship or even believe in a literal, supernatural devil. It is absolutely not the norm for Satanists to abuse or ritually harm children or animals; if anything, less than the general population, even. Satanists do not have much institutional power or influence in the world; most of what you hear along those lines eventually ends up being thinly-veiled antisemitism, frankly.

So who are Satanists, really? Mostly we’re just regular folk with some religious trauma.

If you’ve been raised by Christian reactionaries and particularly if told that you personally are evil because you have typical intrusive thoughts and human feelings, it’s going to mess you up. Or maybe you have an understanding of your own body, gender identity, and/or sexuality that your Christian family and church disapprove of. It can be quite natural to abandon trying to live up the expectations of those who will always hate you. When you notice that family members can justify abuse, rooting for genocide, and calling rank cruelty the way of heaven, it’s not surprising if you are one of so many who echo Huck Finn in saying, “All right then. I’ll go to hell.”

When you have watched those who say they are of-God make for years a convincing case that Satan is the logical and compassionate choice, why would a thinking, caring person not say, “Yes, I am of the devil. Be Gay, Do Crime, Hail Satan”?

Yet you should resist this temptation.

[queersatanic]

This is a really good summary of the lay of the land, and the only real point of departure we'd have is whether those esoteric fascists and Nazi Satanists are genuine forms of Satanism.

We would say: yes, they are genuine forms of Satanism, the same way that the Christian Identity movement and Greek Orthodox fascists are genuine representations of Christianity.

It's just that they are bad because of all the fascism, white supremacy, etc. Unfortunately, whenever media covers stuff like violence or abuse done in the name of those groups, they don't tend to talk about NAZI satanists, they focus on nazi SATANISTS, as though that label somehow makes it worse rather than the actual belief system itself.

What exactly is your definition of Satanism?

An excellent question! One that is quite difficult to answer, really. Satanism, in my eyes, is a category of religion and spirituality, centered around the figure of Lucifer/Satan/the Devil, or another, similar figure - be it another figure from Abrahamic tradition, such as Azazel or (somewhat controversially, due to Jewish claims of cultural appropriation), Lilith, or be it a figure from a polytheistic pantheon which has archetypal similarities to the Satanic archetype, such as Set, Loki, Prometheus, Pan or even Quetzalcoatl. Followers of such deities in the latter case are not necessarily Satanic, but they can be, and these deities can be approached and analyzed through a Satanic lens. Satanism comes in a myriad of varieties. To start things off, there is theistic Satanism, in which these Satanic entities (for theistic Satanists often venerate more than just the Devil, instead turning to other demons or deities as well) are seen as actual beings, able to be communed with. Often, they are seen as guides and mentors to be turned to for advise, and to be given respect, but not blind worship and adoration as one would do with a deity in most contexts, but this varies from case to case, with various practitioners holding different perspectives on this, and with it often varying from entity to entity as well. Theistic Satanists are often independent, individual practitioners, organizing with others from time to time to exchange ideas and perspectives, but otherwise not involved in an organized, religious structure. Their practice is typically deeply occult-oriented, with the practice of magic being a key component of their Satanism. Then, there is also atheistic Satanism. These individuals view Satan as an archetype and symbol, not as an actual entity. While they may practice magic and engage in occultism, this isn't always the case either. They are more likely to organize into official religious groups than theistic Satanists tend to be, and the two most famous Satanic organizations - namely, Anton LaVey's "Church of Satan", and Lucien Greaves "The Satanic Temple", fall into this category. While TST portrays itself as socially progressive, in contrast to CoS's more right-wing 'libertarian' leanings and claims of being apolitical, they in fact have plenty of skeletons in their closet, and fall into many of the same trappings that most if not all organized religions do. @queersatanic are the ideal people to turn to if you want to know more about the many messed up things TST has gotten up to over the years. Despite claims made by the Church of Satan to the contrary, there is no centralized, "official", Satanic doctrine. In my eyes, all these interpretations of the Satanic are valid in their own way, and I reject the idea of there being an official dogma within Satanism. It is, and ought to be, a "find your own path"- kind of faith. That said: There are also some "Satanic" groups that step beyond the acceptable. For example, "Joy of Satan" is a neo-nazi group, preaching antisemitism and white supremacy, and using the veneer of Satanism to draw in a new audience for their hatred. I would not consider them to be a genuine form of Satanism, due to the fact that I strongly suspect their "satanism" is in fact pure opportunism for the most part, instead of rooted in any actual convictions. In addition, in my eyes, Satanism as a faith is deeply rooted in the ideal of justified rebellion against unjustified authority. Given how fascism is the polar opposite of this, any Satanism which gives room to fascism is fundamentally at odds with my personal interpretation of the Satanic. I myself, personally, view Lucifer as the ur-anarchist, and by this point must confess to myself that I view him and other Satanic figures primarily as archetypes and symbols, not actual entities. ... And thus concludes my overly long ramble. I hope that answers the question?

[hypnosiacon-archived]

Anarchosatanic: A gender related to being Anarchist and Satanist.

✖ Requested by Anon!

[eco-friendlylovepod]

a cool g in the back @anarchosatanism

[suicidecircus]

@anarchosatanism :O can we pull a sister wives with moth man and share

[bruceedickinson]

DIRECTIONS: You can tell a lot about a person by the music they listen to! Put your MP3 player, iTunes, Spotify, etc. on shuffle & list the first 10 songs, then tag 10 people I was tagged by @deadrock-n-rollsociety, thank you! 1. United | Judas Priest 2. Aggressive Perfector | Slayer 3. Blue Sunday | The Doors 4. Hungry Daze | Deep Purple 5. Never, Neverland | Annihilator 6. Brain Dead | Exodus 7. The Trial (Chambre Ardent) | King Diamond 8. Happy Trails | Van Halen 9. Libusen | Windhand 10. Eyes of the Young | British Lion I tag @adreamofmirrors, @adrianseaottersmith, @anarchosatanism, @avangaysia, @bigcitynites, @brankiefello, @dank-dragon-of-death, @darthnihilvs, @mottokuro and @prideandperdition

[im-a-doctor-not-a-priest]

[glitchlich]

anarchosatanism

 my girlfriend talks in her sleep sometimes and...

chaotic neutral

tbh.... yeah

in my defense though I didnt PRESENT the blanket as food, I just said “its right here” about nothing in particular, hoping that would just make it like, manifest itself in her dream

[hamsolo]

yo!

Your aesthetic is pretty rad!

[queersatanic]

Hello !!! 💖 I'm a young satanist trying to figure out how to properly worship and live the lifestyle, but with all the Nazism and such that satanism is infected with, I'm a bit lost as to where to turn for good information that's not gonna accidentally get me on board with ideas that have nasty shit hidden in the shadows of them. Are there any good books/organizations I can look into or just some general tips? <3

We have a certain perspective on this, so bear that in mind.

What is attractive about Satanism as a concept is not really the "might is right" ideology of Anton LaVey and its worship of social stratification, and it's not The Satanic Temple's pyramid-shaped classical liberalism / Gen X trolling.

Rather, it's taking the idea that even if the story of Christian mythology were true, Satan is still the hero for looking at an omnipotent tyrant and that tyrant's proposed immutable hierarchy for the universe but choosing to rebel and grant people agency over their own lives.

And it's the idea that if the Christians say we are demonic or of the devil's party for being queer or seeking the common good of all people, well, then we're with the devil and down to party.

For that reason, anarchism is more central to Satanism than wearing black or lighting candles, even though the aesthetics are what distinguish it from other strains.

From that, Errico Malatesta is a good place to start because he wrote for a long time and focused on pamphlet-style works that could make sense to a typical person, rather than academics.

Malatesta is easy to read, and still relevant in lots of ways because he lived through so much and lived his ideals (famously, for example, refusing to talk to the cops after he was shot by a fellow anarchist over an ideological dispute).

"The ABCs of Anarchism" by Alexander Berkman is also a good introductory work for establishing fundamental values and why.

You also can listen to that one as an audio book over at Audible Anarchist.

Note that both of those are straight white men, and the "mainstream" of anarchism has often had a problem of failing to recognize or live by principles of opposing all hierarchies, including white supremacy and cishetero-patriarchy. The fact that anarchist Becky Edelsohn "dated" Berkman when she was 16 and he 36 (and that this was supported by Berkman's previous partner Emma Goldman) is one example of this. Mikhail Bakunin gave us one of the best quotes of all time regarding anarcho-satanism ("But here steps in Satan, the eternal rebel, the first freethinker and the emancipator of worlds"); Bakunin was also a racist.

Other people can give better advice and examples, but Indigenous Anarchism, Black Anarchism, Anarkata, Queer Anarchism, and Anarcha-Feminism are all areas that a person needs to put work into in order to undo the kyriarchy — the whole structure of interconnected systems of oppression we're indoctrinated into and subjected to.

"But what does that have to do with Satanism?" Mainly it's to help you spot when something you come across is engaging in the sort of hierarchical, fascistic, or even neo-Nazi ideas that LaVeyan Satanism and its offshoots have always had connected with them. They're not always obvious, and having good principles established is the best immunization and antidote to being exposed to new ideas with euphemisms and shibboleths you can't be expected to be prepared for.

You also can come up with your own rituals and ideas. For example, the Satanic Flame Ritual we have is not due to access to some secret knowledge but it helps externalize and objectivize an internal, subjective, emotional process. Things like candles and flames or altars are best seen in that light.

Anyway, hopefully that helps. It's not that you should never read something like The Satanic Bible or other esoteric works to get ideas. It is that Satanism is the exact opposite of place to look for good ideology or consistency, so you want to start somewhere else for that (we say anarchism) and then look to Satanism and other Satanists for aesthetics and inspiration for rituals that you can modify and integrate into your life in ways that best serve you.

[queersatanic]

To me, the archetype of Lucifer is one directly linked to that of Prometheus: To the concept of liberation of all, not just oneself. Too often do we forget that when Lucifer fell, he did not fall alone. That when Lucifer broke his chains, there were others too whose chains he broke on the way. This was no happy coincidence: This was his intent.

Why Anarcho-Capitalism and LaVeyan Satanism both miss the point completely.

A bold statement, there? Yes, I suppose so, to some. But one that needs to be made nevertheless. Neither anarchists nor satanists have ever shied away from confronting harsh truths, or challenging the status quo, the general consensus. There are ample critiques to be found of anarcho-capitalism, and the case has been made time and time again for why it isn’t actual anarchism - with anarchism seeking to abolish all unjustified hierarchies, to dethrone the rulers and cast down the ruling class to an even level with everyone else. To destroy the very concept of ‘‘rulers’‘. Capitalism, in our eyes, does the opposite thereof. Inherent to it, is the accumulation of wealth into the hands of the few: The more money one has, the easier it becomes to obtain more money still. The wealthy have an easier time becoming wealthier, and, thus, the rift between rich and poor will forever grow in an anarcho-capitalist society. And of course, with wealth comes power: So, the rift between the powerful and the powerless, too, will grow forevermore. Is it a meritocracy? Perhaps, to a certain extend. At first, that is. Through inheritance, luck and a plurality of other factors, it would be reduced to little more than a plutocracy in the long run - when wealth and merit inevitably split and go their own paths. There are also ample critiques of LaVeyan Satanism out there. In many ways, LaVeyan Satanism is firmly rooted in the same source of things that anarcho-capitalism is rooted in: To quote LaVey himself, his brand of the Satanic is ‘’just Ayn Rand’s philosophy with ceremony and ritual added’’ - now, of course, much can be said of Ayn Rand, and her right-wing libertarian philosophy, but at core, I believe we can all agree that it surmounts to Anarcho-Capitalism Lite if we oversimplify it.

Further, beyond this, we can also point towards the aspects of social darwinism that are found in LaVeyan Satanism. Upon doing some research into it, I found that it, at core, surmounts to a deep belief in the inevitability of the concept that ‘’might makes right’’, and the belief that this is not so much a moral statement, as it is a practical one: This is simply how the world functions. Then, they proceed to argue in favour of an as meritocratic system as possible. I find this to be morally objectionable on several levels, and objectionable in regards to the validity of it’s claims too. Yes, indeed, the current world functions on a basis of might makes right. Large corporations get away with abuse of various kinds, because they have the power to do so. The rich elites live in splendor, because they have the power to do so. Power, might - in all it’s forms - gives certain peoples an edge over others, which they proceed to exploit to the best of their ability. Perhaps, to an extend, this does indeed drive us towards progress of a certain kind too - I am willing to concede that much. A meritocratic system would lead to more of that still.

But the cost, in those who are left behind, is too high. I, for one, value empathy and compassion a great deal, unlike, to my surprise, many other satanists I have met. To me, the archetype of Lucifer is one directly linked to that of Prometheus: To the concept of liberation of all, not just oneself. Too often do we forget that when Lucifer fell, he did not fall alone. That when Lucifer broke his chains, there were others too whose chains he broke on the way. This was no happy coincidence: This was his intent. And it needn’t be this way, this world of strive and power-hungry despots. Is not the very purpose of anarchism to cast down those who are up high? To break the hold of the powerful over the powerless? To create a system in which no one holds power over another, through use of direct, decentralized consensus democracy or other systems with the same intended goal?  Altruism does not make one weak. We are, to refer to Kropotkin, by nature a cooperative species. Competition is what weakens us, what encourages the worst in us: Cooperation is what brings out our best qualities. Or, to put it in more fluffy terms: Through mutual aid, can we as humans achieve divinity.

It was through mutual aid that the Tower of Babel was supposedly built, and it was through the instigating of competition and conflict that our efforts were supposedly thwarted by the Demiurge. It was through mutual aid that we humans achieve greatness, and rival the gods. Mutual aid… And knowledge.

Compassion, and wisdom. The Promethean flame.

LaVeyan Satanism does not properly represent the nature of the Satanic, Luciferian, Promethean archetype. Anarcho-Capitalism does not properly represent the ideals and goals of anarchism, and would lead not to a stateless, classless society, but to a plutocracy. There are alternatives to both out there. I encourage you to find them, if you haven’t already.

[fuckyeahanarchopunk]

[queersatanic]

forever glad I dodged the bullet of aligning myself with TST. Satanism has appealed to me for years, but not like they do it. Too much bad history. I'm a very "live and let live" kind of person. Congrats on winning!!

Thank you!

Yeah, there's a lot the matter with this subculture.

A question that comes up a lot is, "Wait, which ones are the cool Satanists again?"

Assume it's none of us.

There are some communities that do good work you can learn from, but "no, this one is the good pyramid" is always a bad idea to trust.

[queersatanic]

For a long time, I’ve thought I aligned with what I’ve heard of Satanism, so I started to read the Satanic Bible and Satanist Scripture. A lot of Satanism still resonates with me, but I’m having trouble with parsing the Randian philosophy part of Satanism with with my queer-socialist/anarchist values.

Is it still possible to identify with being a Satanist if I’m in conflict with one of the core beliefs? Do you know any other texts I can read?

We've answered this sort of question before.

Your mileage may vary, but radical insurrectionary queer anarchism seems like a good place to go if you're looking for a new way forward for Satanism.

Anton LaVey was a pretty basic dude in lots of ways, he believed in greater social stratification, and his politics of rebellion were closer to Nixon's "silent majority" than anything.

But take Mary Nardini Gang and Bash Back! and throw in some 19th century political Satanism — baby, you got a stew goin'.

Note that this isn't quite the same thing as "individualistic Satanism"; you are going to want to work with people collectively who you have an affinity with.

But do definitely avoid at all costs hierarchical organizations and systems that encourage abuse and cultish behavior.

[queersatanic]

The term queer in this book [Queer Ultraviolence: Bash Back! anthology] is used both loosely and inclusively. We view queer as the blurring of sexual and gender identities. Queer is the refusal of fixed identities. It is a war on all identity. In line with the Bash Back! tendency, for the uses of this anthology queer is trans because the gender binary is inherently oppressive. More often than not, our use of the term queer is interchangeable with our use of trans, though that is not necessarily true of the way in which trans-whatever is used. We acknowledge that society ensures Queer is an oppressed identity. Anti-Queer oppression is the systematic violence encountered by people who fall outside of traditional sexual or gender categories. This terminology might be confusing, but it is likely that the content within this anthology will clear the air. Admittedly, it might create more confusion among our straight counterparts. With revolution complete and the black flag burned, the category of queer must too be destroyed.

[queersatanic]

could you rec some Satanic/Luciferian blogs or sites?

Two people asked this pretty close to each other, and we answered something fairly similar in terms of non-fascist, worthwhile Satanist writers and groups to find.

On here, @thelostarchangel is also a good follow.

But @afro-freyjan might also be someone who knows more.