#for example; laveyan satanism

[jaysen-vor-hee-hees]

*taps mic*

ATHEISTS AND ATHEISTIC RELIGIONS ARE VALID

thank you

[lilianasgrimoire]

Witches & Witchcraft: Types & Definitions

There is an abundance of types of witches, some being more common than others, for example, death witch or hedge witch. I have provided the different types of witches with a brief description/definition of what they study, believe and tools most commonly used for each.

The types of witchcraft is entirely up to the individual which they prefer to do. One person may only follow on type of magick whereas another may follow several. Listed are a handful of the many kinds, but I'm listing the most common/known types of magick/witchcraft that people fall into.

I have grouped some witches together as they fit together under the same or similar definitions.

Types of Witches

Religious witches;

Christian, Satanic (Theistic), Laveyan Satanic, Hellenic, Celtic and Wiccan, etc. are witches that follow a primary belief system and incorporate their religion into the craft.

Non-Religious witches;

Secular - doesn't work with [a] deity(ies).

Science - (also a craft type), uses metaphysical and scientific fads and theories mixed together.

Other types of witches;

Solitary - works alone and is not part of a coven. Won't typically work with other witches for spell work or any part of their practice.

Eclectic - a practice that includes multiple practises from different areas. A mixture of all practices, may practise one more than another, or all equally.

Hereditary/Generational - a witch who is born into a family whom practice the craft. The term 'Blood witch' is often a hot topic of controversy as to whether it makes one a more powerful witch.

Traditional - a type that is based on honouring the traditional ways of magick, which also ties in nicely with generational/hereditary witches.

Chaotic/Chaos - a witch who utilizes new, non-traditional and unorthodox methods. It's still relatively new and highly individualistic practice while still drawing from common forms of magick.

Types of Witchcraft/Magick

Green Witch; A witch who uses natural magick, such as creating blends of different plants, or primarily using herbs and/or crystals spells in their craft. Tools mostly consist of herbs, crystals, stones, flowers, soil or other greenery.

Hedge Witch; Also know as an astral witch, this type of magick is orientated around spiritual work such as astral projection, lucid dreaming, spirit work, healing and out-of-body magick. Tools mostly consist tarot cards, runes, pendulum, stones, crystal ball, mirrors & candles.

Dream Witch; Mindful and internal magickal practice mainly based from interpreting dreams and/or engaging in lucid dreaming. Practises used to 'de-code' symbols and messages in the dream world can be used similarly to how one would use divination techniques. Tools mostly consist of dream catchers, candles, books of glossaries of symbols.

Sea/Ocean; Derived from materials and abstract ideas involving ocean and the oceanic world. Sea or ocean magick can be worked with by using things found on or relating to a beach/lagoon. A sea witch might draw their energy from such tools. Tools commonly consist of driftwood, pebbles/stones, seashells, ocean water, bones, seaweed, candles.

Storm/Weather; magick used through combining one's energy with the weather; most commonly rain. Weather witches will collect different ingredients provided by the weather, absorb energy from storms, manipulate winnds, or perhaps predict the weather. Tools most commonly consist of rain/snow water, symbols/weather maps, crystals.

Cottage/Hearth; Magick that is weaved and worked or embedded into mundane tasks around the house or for loved ones. Cottage magick is usually worked into cleaning, hobbies or cooking. Tools commonly consist of essential oils, incense, bells, flowers, cleaning utensils, spices and herbs.

Tea Witch; Creating blends of teas for protection, remedies or even to use for tea-leaf divination. Tools commonly consist of tea, herbs, waters, spices.

Tech Witch; Use of technology in the craft, mostly based through phones or computers. Mostly used for storing of information, grimoires, spell books and Book of Shadows/diaries. Tools consist of apps on the phone, digital sigils, online blogs and pages.

Garden/Flora; Mostly (if not all) focused on herbal and botanical measures. Many garden witches have their own garden and plant flowers and herbs to draw in energy for their home and to include in rituals and spells. Tools commonly consist of flowers, soil, seeds, greenery, twigs/tree branches, leaves.

Elemental; Using all 4 (or 5) elements in an honouring or acknowledging form. A witch can choose to work with all, or singular elements. One may have a dedicated area on their alters to a particular elements. Tools consist of anything related to said element.

Faery/Fae; Magick for those who communicate with, and/or work with the Fae. Those whom work with fae may also leave offerings regularly as thanks for the assistance of a faery in their spell work. Tools commonly consist of anything sweet, sigils, offerings.

Spirit; A practice which an individual will perform spell work in conjunction with (or the help of) any manner of spirit, including Ouija, demon spirits, spiritual contact of any kind, working with ancestors. Tools commonly consist of crystals, bells, incense, Ouija boards, tarot cards, pendulums, sigils.

Draconian: The use of dragons and dragon imagery; whether it be trough astral matters or in spells and rituals. May also be connected with dragon spirits on their journey. Tools commonly consist of dragons art, statues, candles.

Seasonal; Utilizing and drawing energy from specific time periods of the year for their magick. One individual may feel more powerful at a particular time of year. It can also be spread out into the 4 seasons. Tools commonly consist of herbs related to certain seasons, stones, ruins and the weather.

Music; Can be through singing, humming, playing an instrument, creating music or having it on during spell work to add energies. Tools consist of speakers, instruments, voice, chimes, lyrics & sheet music.

Art & Craft; Anything from painting to knitting to building something. Tools consist of anything you can craft with.

Sigils; Working majorly with sigils and the intent that can be put into them to activate their power. Tools commonly used are pens, paper, makeup, candles.

Astronomy/Space/Luna; Correlates their belief in conjunction with the planets, stars and/or moon. Versed in moon phases and tend to do spell work at night rather than day time. Tools commonly used are horoscopes, calendars, charts, moonlight, moon water.

Energy; Those who prefer to do magick through energy exercises and manipulation rather than many physical tools or materials. This may also include aura work. The only tools needed for this type is yourself.

Crystal; Magick that is worked commonly with stones and crystals. The practise may include chakra balancing, crystal meditation and even spell work or rituals. Extensive knowledge of stone, including how to identify them. Tools most commonly used are crystals, books, grimoires and stones.

Literacy; Those who practise through books and literature - studying the craft after the 'beginner' phase of learning. Tools are books, poems, written work.

[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.

[serpentstole]

Hey I was wondering what your view on luciferianism is? I know a lot about theistic satanism (as one myself) and the horned god but not much on Lucifer.

That's a bit of a complicated question! I'll try to keep things brief so I don't end up writing you an essay, but I welcome any follow up questions if there's something I didn't go into/cover/explain.

My view on Luciferianism as a whole is that it's a very vague label. It can encompass a lot of beliefs, both theistic and atheistic (as with Satanism). In the past, I made myself this working definition.

Luciferianism is a religion or system of belief held by those that appreciate and strive to embody the traits typically associated with Lucifer as Lightbringer, such liberation and rebellion over blind faith and obedience, and a pursuit of knowledge or enlightenment. It can be theistic or atheistic, and typically involves an equal appreciation for the arts and science. Incorporating the occult or some form of magical practice is common among theistic Luciferians, but not a requirement.

How people then choose to put those concepts into action can vary wildly. For example, I'm personally of a belief that a focus on liberation, rebellion, a rejection of dogma, and a pursuit of higher understanding of the world around us should lead people to be more socially minded and aware of how many bigotries and biases are built into our cultures and our day to day exchanges. Meanwhile, many people who fall under the vague LHP umbrella (Luciferians, Satanists, etc) will regurgitate militantly evangelical talking points with a coat of black paint, use their animosity towards Christianity as an excuse to be Islamophobic and antisemitic, have incredibly homophobic or transphobic attitudes, so on and so forth. Everyone wants to think they have the actual enlightened truth, you know? I don't think Luciferians are any more or less immune to conspiratorial thought and systemic bigotry than the rest of the population.

I'll also give a quick list of what I (personally) think Luciferianism is not, or at least doesn't have to be, since there's some trends I see in discussions about it that I don't particularly like.

Inherently better or more thoughtful than Satanism. I often see the two described in contrast/opposition to each other, with the idea being that one focuses on the philosophical while the other trends towards being more carnal. I feel like the way they're compared gives an overly simplified view of both, and I don't like that I tend to see it written with the implication that Luciferianism is the more noble set of beliefs. I have my quibbles with LaVeyan Satanism especially, but they're far more to do with the writing that helped inspire it and how I see that put into practice by the Satanists I've known.

Automatically hostile towards other religions. This truly exhausts me. I think the harm that religious groups that have a massive amount of political or social power can inflict on individuals, communities, and even countries cannot be understated. However, I far too often see this devolve into animosity towards the very concept of that religion or the religious individual instead of examining what this says about power, control, corruption, the protection of abusers within their communities, and other important aspects of the issue.

Inherently demonic, infernal, edgy, and so on. I know this is a bold claim coming from me, given my personal aesthetic, and I have often been quietly irked by the Luciferians who try to push too hard in another direction and reject the concept that anyone should approach Lucifer as anything but a love, light, and knowledge Jesus alternative. However, I think a lot of people cling to the idea that a concept, deity, or style of magic needs to be appropriately "dark" enough to be incorporated into Luciferianism. The end result is a lot of appropriation from closed practices and very samey books or talking points.

If you wanted to take a look at some of my thoughts in great detail, I have a bunch of posts tagged as 30 Day Luciferian Challenge. Some of the links between them don't work since they were written before I changed my blog name, but I try to keep the tagging as coherent as possible. I stand by what I wrote (so far as I can remember) so they're a closer look at questions like who Lucifer is to me, what drew me to Luciferianism, my thoughts on the community, advice I'd give, that kind of thing.

[aliendeity]

wanted to make this its own post because there are a lot of misconceptions about satanism that i would like to clear up.

the majority of modern day satanists are atheists and do not believe in him as a real person or a deity, but rather a concept or figurehead in denouncing the problematic aspects of christianity. satanism is a vast belief system that has many splinter groups just as christianity does, with its share of as many controversial beliefs as it does positive. most satanists believe in the idea that humans should be able to not feel guilt in what they do so long as they do not harm others, believe in having a healthy relationship with skepticism, showing respect to people who respect them, and to not harm animals unless it’s for protection and food. some satanists believe in magic and perform rituals, others don’t believe in it at all. this is a very bare-bones overview, but it should serve as a good baseline. keep in mind that satanism is very personal to each individual, especially if the have come into satanism after religious trauma

very, very few ascribe to the idea of selling their souls to satan or making pacts with demons. those who do would be best described as theistic satanists. additionally, some satanists do not view their beliefs as a religion as one of the core concepts is that when you get a hierarchy of people, problems and primarily discrimination arises. the church of satan (anton laveyan) and the satanic temple (lucien greaves) are fine examples of an abuse of power, namely when you get a narcissistic white man as the head of your organization.

there are definitely edgelords within the mix, but you’ll find that in any belief system. but it’s a disservice to homogenize a diverse group.

[fantasyfantasygames]

HellBlaster

HellBlaster, Black Dog Games, 2009

HellBlaster is a blasphemous game of Satan worship and demon-summoning that will scare your parents and make your pastor faint. It is Totally Metal and evil as fuck. At least, that's what it tells you.

HellBlaster combines some generic devil imagery, LaVeyan Satanism, the games of id software, the more notorious parts of AD&D1e, and a big dose of Judas Priest and Manowar lyrics. Your characters "fight evil with evil". Examples given include burning down a house to kill a serial killer, and summoning a demon just to murder it. There are no real sample scenarios or "here's how you get your band together", it's just assumed that you're all there to kick Satan's ass in the name of Satan or something.

It's class-and-level-based, uses exclusively 6-sided dice, and has stats and skills that are both on the 3-18 range. Stats are Might, Speed, Power, Wisdom, and Cool. Classes include the Demon Summoner, Face Eater, Pyro, and Doom Reaper. Spells and level-based abilities are almost entirely focused around the game's janky combat, and the rules are too. To their credit they slimmed down the rules compared to AD&D1e - no weapon speed factors or encumbrance - but you roll both attack and defense, you roll both damage and damage reduction from armor, you roll both psychic power and magic resistance, etc. It all has twice as many rolls as it needs while still lacking any real tactics. It has detailed critical hits. Explicitly detailed.

The art is... um... evocative of its subject matter. I can't say it's badly drawn, but I can say that I would rather not look at a lot of it. I do like that the interior uses a 2-color process: white paper, black text, day-glow green accenting. It's reminiscent of the green used in DC Comics' Underworld Unleashed crossover, where they had a normal 4-color process but also this really vibrant, fluorescent green.

The spells are described at length. Each one of them is at least half a page, so there are only maybe 80, but you'll know exactly what your character is writing, chanting, and burning while they cast. There are no in-the-moment combat spells; instead you sacrifice something earlier in the day so that you can throw fireballs or call a Razor Demon later on. Everyone gets magic. Some classes are better at it than others, both in terms of power level and breadth. Balance seems ok.

I had a real hard time figuring out whether this game is in on the joke. I knew a fair number of people back in the day who were semi-serious about evil-metal-satan stuff and who would now find this book hilarious, but the book itself has no feeling of tongue-in-cheek. It's all delivered as if it were completely serious about getting you, the reader, into someone's misguided idea of the occult. I'm still not honestly sure how self-aware the book or its author are. I guess it's up to your play group to decide whether you can keep a straight face while having your black-leather-clad Exotormentor cast Devil Scream at a slasher with a demonic conjoined twin.

HellBlaster has two supplements. Devastation of the Lamb is a scenario, and Damnation Highway is a more-demons-and-spells book. If you're looking for any of them, luckily this was published well after the Satanic Panic. A lot of Black Dog Games' work is out of print, but this had a reprint recently enough that you can probably find copies around.

[agape-philo-sophia]

➝ Satanism - Dark Occultism - IT'S ALL A DARK OCCULT AGENDA.

This is one of the most difficult things for people to consider. Most of us have the capacity for empathy, so the idea that there are creatures in the world who look human but by all neurological and emotional standards aren't, is not easy to accept. Such creatures are called psychopaths and there are two specific types: Primary and Secondary. Primary psychopaths are born that way due to anomalies in the genome that completely shuts down their limbic brain. They make up a fraction of a percent of the population.

Secondary psychopaths are made that way due to extremely traumatic experiences. A great example in pop culture of a secondary psychopath is the TV character Dexter. Even everyday people can have psychopathic traits, especially lack of empathy due to constant desensitization, indoctrination, and social engineering.

While it's hard to accept for some that psychopaths exist at all, it's even more difficult to accept that some of these creatures are actually the hidden hands behind most of the world's institutions. We want to project our capacity for empathy and compassion onto the people we believe have our best interests in mind, and that makes it very easy for them to continue ruling.

The truth isn't always pleasant, but we have to acknowledge that there is a worldwide, covert, interconnected cult that is in control of everything in this world. They've operated throughout human history. They've been called many different things (although, in general, they do not call themselves by any name) and have been in positions of power on every throne, behind every government, and especially in the priest classes of religions. Such institutions are their creation, actually. There are plenty of naysayers who will say this is all paranoid posturing, but there is a multitude of evidence that supports it. You have to understand the occult to see it. If you have no deep understanding of the occult, then yes, this will seem absurd or ridiculous. That's the idea.

In the ancient past, for example: if a society had no knowledge of astronomical events like eclipses, a psychopathic king who does have that knowledge could stand on the top of a pyramid and tell the masses

"The great sky-beast has eaten the sun because you have disobeyed me! If you wish the sun's return you must do as I command, for I am God's regent!"

Then the people bow before him and the eclipse ends. A differential in knowledge creates a differential in power, and that's the situation we're in today. So, you cannot make proper judgments and come to any definitive conclusions of what's happening in the world if you do not have the required knowledge. And unfortunately, those who don't have such knowledge are quick to call this a "conspiracy theory." This is a term which was intentionally inserted into the public lexicon after the Kennedy assassination to discourage genuine discussion and inquiry into the truth.

The word "conspiracy" is etymologically derived from the Latin con- which means "together" and spirare which means "to breathe" (where we get the word spirit). So, to conspire means "to breathe together" or "to do something together in the same spirit." In other words, people working together towards the same goal. So, yes, there is conspiracy here, and it is Satanic at its core; but we need to understand what Satanism actually is.

There are a few groups out there calling their belief system "Satanism," but what I'm referring to is ancient. It is Ideological Satanism. It has nothing to do with the Christian notion of "the devil," or what is often portrayed in Hollywood. It has nothing to do with any one particular sect (especially any self-styled group such as The Satanic Temple). These are false notions.

Real, ancient Satanism is ultimately the apotheosis of out-of-control ego – the belief that you are a god with a right to rule. The closest thing to this in the public domain is LaVeyan Satanism, but the Church of Satan is very low-level in the hierarchy. Sects like that aren't in any position of overarching authority or control. They are only charged to propagate the ideology to the masses at a lower level and serve as a vetting system for the most psychopathic adherents. The higher-level dark occultists would ultimately throw groups like that under the bus at their earliest inconvenience. Satanism (the "old religion," as they call it) is way bigger than that.

WHY NAME IT AFTER SATAN?

If it's all about the ego, why not call it Egotism, right? The symbolism and trappings of the Christian "Satan" are used in modern Satanism for two reasons:

to make outsiders see Satanism as 'just another quaint religious belief' based upon traditional Christian belief systems.

to associate itself with the adversarial dynamic in Nature (referred to as Involution in the Occult world), the force which opposes True Evolution in Consciousness. The word “Satan” comes from the Hebrew word שָׂטָן (shah-tahn) meaning “adversary” or “opposer.” It isn't a name, it's a descriptive term. Satanism is ultimately about being opposed to the True Order of Natural Law (the Universal Laws of Morality).

THE 9 SINS OF SATANISM

The Satanic “Sins” – as given by LaVey – are what Satanists forbid among their own ranks, but want to peddle to everyone else so that they are easier to manipulate and control.

Stupidity – stupid and ignorant are the first things they want the public to be.

Pretentiousness – falsely claiming deservedness.

Solipsism – "Reality is whatever I want it to be." Satanists know Truth exists, but want humanity in a mindset of relativism based on beliefs and feelings.

Self-deceit – lying to yourself; buying into erroneous ideas.

Herd Conformity – No independent critical thought or reason; collectivism. Satanists want to be the farmers of the human herd.

Lack of Perspective – confusion; narrow-mindedness.

Forgetfulness of Past Orthodoxies – being easily fooled into accepting dangerous ideologies re-packaged into something "new."

8 ) Counterproductive Pride – Pride in things like identity rather than pride in one's work, self-mastery, or purpose.

Lack of Aesthetics – having no eye for beauty and balance; uniformity, etc.

THE 4 MAIN TENETS OF SATANISM

EGOTISM/SELF-PRESERVATION (AT ANY COST) – The idea that you should do whatever you can to advance your personal power, influence, and survival in the world no matter who you have to step on or hurt. The survival and comfort of the physical self being more important than doing what is Morally Right. It is the highest goal. It's the "ME ME ME, MY freedom, MY wants and needs, MY survival, SCREW EVERYONE ELSE" mentality. It's living for yourself ONLY, only caring about you and yours, no regard for the whole of humanity, no understanding or care of how we are all connected, no care for what's True and Right.

MORAL RELATIVISM – The idea that there are no such things as objective standards of Right and Wrong behavior; that we as human beings get to arbitrarily create or decide what Right and Wrong are based on personal whims, beliefs, preferences, likes or dislikes, and base our actions accordingly. And if you look at most of society, more people than not are moral relativists.

SOCIAL DARWINISM – The extension of the theory of Darwinian macro-biological "evolution" into society. It postulates that a) it is the "natural order" for human society to be ruled by the most dominating and vicious humans, and b) that such humans' genes are the reason they acquired and maintain positions of power. The existence of "kingship" or "government" is a result of this ideology, AKA "the divine right to rule."

EUGENICS/DYSGENICS – If you believe yourself a god with a right to rule and make up what Right and Wrong are – and since it's the "natural order" for the most ruthless to rule (whose genes are the "fittest") – then you have the "right" to decide who gets to propagate their genes and who doesn't; who gets to live and who dies. Keeping your own bloodline pure while corrupting or destroying others. The culling of the herd. We're seeing this play out today, especially epi-eugenics which is where the herd culls itself.

Again, Satanism is NOT a philosophical response to orthodox Christianity. Satanists and Dark Occultists aren't dressing up in black robes and going out into the woods to sacrifice goats. It is an ideology that is much older than that. It has nothing to do with the Christian deity. As you can see by the above tenets, this is a religion of self-worship, of ego. So you have to get these religionist and Hollywood variants out of your mind. We are given these false ideas about Satanism to make us dismiss and reject the truth of the matter and to more easily accept the Satanic mindset ourselves.

These Satanists (and Dark Occultists in general) are the self-appointed rulers of society. They operate in every possible institution you can think of including the medical field, education, government, police, military, intelligence agencies, all ostensible religious institutions, science, entertainment, mainstream media, banking, you name it.

Contrary to popular belief, this isn't a rich, white male-dominated network or secret order. It involves individuals from all walks of life, all genders, all races, all financial classes, etc. Their symbolism is in our faces everywhere we go, their ideologies woven into our lives; and because of our aggregate ignore-ance of the occult, we don't see it. All we see is the charade, the theatre that they put on our screens to believe as reality. This is why it is vital that we teach this information, to help others become aware of and knowledgeable of the occult in order to see through the facade and understand the bigger picture. Knowledge is power when that knowledge is put to use, and it is our weapon against tyranny.

Above the lower-level Satanists in public view are the Dark Luciferians (again, not a name they call themselves) who operate in the shadows. They are the cult who are directly connected to whatever non-human force is at work, who deeply understand the occult and see Natural Law as a prison. They are the ones deeply embedded behind every ostensible religion. They are the hidden priest class. The lower-level Satanists are their rank and file. Again, public interface groups such as The Temple of Set and The Church of Satan are used as a means of vetting for the psychopaths of society – the people who are given public positions of power and influence.

SATANISM IN DEED (DE-FACTO SATANISM)

Some of you reading this may even identify with some if not all of those above tenets. There's a reason for that. The Dark Occultists want to create the world in their image and likeness like gods. Most people are unwittingly practicing Satanism on some level. The Satanic mindset permeates society the world over and we're completely oblivious to it. It doesn't matter what someone claims to be or claims to believe; it all comes down to mindset and behavior. This is called De-Facto Satanism.

Go over the tenets again: Self-Preservation, Moral Relativism, Social Darwinism and Eugenics. Think about your own life, your own choices. Do they align with any of those tenets?

• Do you always think "what can I do for ME today," from the minute you wake up the the minute you go to sleep, instead of what you can do to create positive change in the world? Do you always put "you and yours" first without ever considering the greater human situation? Do you put your own selfish needs and desires before doing the right thing?

• Do you think "right and wrong" are whatever you want them to be in any moment?

• Do you step on others in order to get what you want like wealth and success? Do you feel justified in doing so?

• Do you consistently indulge in immediate sensate gratification rather than delaying it to serve a higher purpose? In other words, do you give into ego desires over deep self-improvement and altruistic goals?

• Do you think your genetic makeup is superior and that all others should be treated poorly, dominated, enslaved, or even destroyed? The same could be applied to gender, sexuality, nationality, religion, etc.

• Do you always do what's easiest or "safest" rather than what's actually right and moral?

If you're answering "yes" to these questions, congratulations, you're a Satanist. You've bought into the Satanic mindset. The sad thing is, most people have, including myself. And that's where Shadow Work comes in to heal that damage and start making conscious choices in Conscience.

It doesn't matter what you call yourself, or what you say you believe. It doesn't matter if you genuinely believe you're a good person. What matters is how you act in the world. Behavior is everything, intent means nothing. What matters is whether or not you live by truth, principle, and morality. Doing the wrong thing is easy. Doing the right thing takes courage and will-power. Sometimes it requires sacrifice. We have to look beyond our own desires, our own selfish will, and remember that we're all in this together. My freedom is connected to your freedom.

We all have the same Rights under Natural Law, and those Rights are under attack. If you don't care about other people's Rights being violated, constantly living in "ME ME ME" thinking, you are a Satanist. The good news is, we can change that dynamic. It won't be easy, but it can be done. We came into this world with a purpose: to end this condition, not to perpetuate it.

"By their deeds you will know them." – Matt. 7:16

The Powers That Should Not Be are not one group of people. It's not exclusively "the Jews," or "the bankers," or "the Freemasons," etc. Again, it is a wide variety of beings from many walks of life who subscribe to a particular ideology rooted in covert religion. They have a belief system in which they act on surreptitiously. One example is the Die Schwarze Sonne (The Black Sun) secret society of the Nazi regime. The name symbolizes the inversion of Light, of the Divine; keeping vital spiritual knowledge in the shadows.

So no, the Nazis were not "the good guys." The word 'nazi' itself means "national socialist." It's shorthand for Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterparte. All socialism derives from Dark Occultism, whether it's Nazism, Marxism, Fabianism, etc. It all has the same origin and the same agenda: total abject slavery.

It should be no surprise that this worldwide "Cult of the Black Sun" would manipulate gullible masses into believing that all Jews are bad when it has absolutely nothing to do with the common people or modern-day Judaism. Today's Judaism is an exoteric religion given to the masses as a control system along with modern-day Christianity and Islam. These are not important to the Dark Occultists except as a means of dissuasion, control, and to be used as scapegoats.

What the "it's the Jews" people are basing this belief on are those who propagate Zionism. Zionism is an elitist and racist political ideology based on the Talmud (not the Torah). It's gone by different names throughout the world, but it is essentially pure Dark Occultism at its core. It propagates genetic superiority and the slavery of "lesser" people who are not "chosen," who they see as cattle and property. This isn't the common Jewish view, though. Zionism hides behind traditional Judaism, using it as a scapegoat, while simultaneously doing harm to the common Jewish people.

You could say Zionism is an "opposame" of Nazism. Their core ideology is identical in belief and methodology; one of the only differences being which race is idealized as the "Master Race." True Torah-studying Jews absolutely reject Zionism, but the Zionists don't want that coming out.

Zionists say, "Goyim were born only to serve us. They have no place in the world except to serve the people of Israel." It's the same mentality of Dark Occultism, because that's what's behind it. It's a dark occult front. And Israel is more than just a Jewish country. It represents something that is rooted in ancient cult traditions. I go into that in another section on Religion.

When you focus on just one group of people and fail to step back and see the bigger picture, you're being duped. It's far bigger than that, and far darker. Dark occultists will use certain groups of people more than others to cause distraction and misdirection, to reinforce ego identification (like obsession with race, gender, etc) and to keep us hostile towards each other when we should be looking in the mirror and acknowledging how our own egoic beliefs and behaviors are contributing to our current condition.

These psychopaths are adept psychologists who are proficient in mental and emotional manipulation to narrow and distort your perspectives. You have to raise your consciousness to a higher level – systems-level, holistic, big-picture thinking – and learn how to connect all of the dots instead of focusing on just one dot.

The conspiracy here is no theory. There is a worldwide network of psychopathic dark occultists working towards a single goal – the total destruction of the human soul to create the perfect slave and to rule the earth as gods – and they'll use any method possible to achieve it such as exploiting any group of people to sway focus away from themselves. It has nothing to do with any dogmatic religion they've given to the masses. It's about an ideology that says "I am a god, and I own you." The high-level dark occultists do have an attachment to maintaining their bloodlines, but their idea of a "master race" is ultimately beyond any earthly genetics. It's not about Judaism or ethnic superiority, it's about blood ties to the gods (divine right to rule) in which some tribes may have.

Ego-dominance is a huge part of the Satanic "old religion," and they want humanity in that mentality on a lower level. When they get people in the "ME ME ME, screw you" mentality, the "I'm superior to you" mentality, and the "what's right for ME is what's moral" mentality, they can play you like a piano. They could get you to believe the world was controlled by pigeons if they wanted to. So, the idea that some common race is behind everything is all just a ruse.

If you still insist that it's exclusively a Jewish plot, you're under mind control. It's bigger than that. If you think it's just about politics or money, you're under mind control. If you think it's about ethnic superiority, you're under mind control. I can't emphasize this enough: this is a Dark Occult agenda by a hidden priest class. Everything else is just a means to an end, a means of deception and misdirection. They give you the ego narrative to buy into so you remain divided in conflict and never find out what's truly at work behind the curtain.

If you don't understand the occult, and even think you don't need to, you need to think again. It doesn't matter whether or not you believe it, THEY believe it, and they act on it. Know your enemy. It's time to get over the ego bullshit, understand what is actually taking place, and then do something about it.

SCIO VERUM. LOQUOR VERUM IN ESSE.

[alephskoteinos]

Easily the most embrassing thing about the fact that LaVeyan Satanists (or any Satanist to be found in "the libertarian right") base even part of their worldview on Ayn Rand is actually just the fact that Rand herself was, above all else, a moralist. Yes, Rand and her followers did indeed espouse "selfishness" as a virtue, but the only way they could bring themselves to do it is within the framework of what is essentially moralism. Think about the fact that the Randians/Objectivists constantly feel the need to define themselves against the idea that individualism means "I do what I want", and constantly feel the need to define themselves against thinkers like Nietzsche or Stirner. Rand in fact opposed Nietzschean egoism because she thought it was "subjectivism" and that it interpreted any action as "good" if it was meant to satisfy one's own desires, and naturally favoured "Apollonian rationality" over the Dionysian principle.

There's also an essay called Counterfeit Individualism, which was written by Nathaniel Branden and published by Ayn Rand, in which Branden opposed Nietzschean and Stirnerian egoisms while actually claiming that "altruists and collectivists" want people to think of egoism as "doing what I want" in order to control them. Instead, of course, Branden argues that individualism must be based on a rational ethical principle based on moral rights. The thing you have internalise from all of this is that Randian philosophy is, fundamentally, and above all else, a species of moralism. Realise that, and you will become aware that the standard objections to Rand and Randian philosophy actually fail to understand this aspect, and thus fail to understand the nightmare of capitalist austerity as the product of moralistic and ascetic accumulation.

It is exactly this ascetic morality of accumulation - which, if you think about it, isn't at all divorced from Kantian morality or Protestant Christianity - that is the real nature of how Rand and her followers define "selfishness". Of course, the implications should be rather embarassing for the Church of Satan and really any Satanist still following LaVey's example on Rand. Simply put, basing your Satanism on Rand is nothing more than a concession to the ascetic morality of Christian rationalism.

But the evasion of this fact is not only a product of ignorance. It also helps to preserve the dominant moralistic worldview, in which egoism must be always subordinated to the will of society, and therefore the control that societies can exert over individuals. Needless to say, progressives are entirely complicit in this project, by refusing to locate the affects of Randian capitalism as products of Randian morality in favour of recourse to libidinal greed and thus abstract "selfishness" (and therefore ontological evil). In reality, capitalist austerity has always regarded expenditure as an ideological and moral failure, for the same reason that Christians denied the satisfaction of the sex prnciple and the same basic reason that Kant argued that pleasure should be suspended by reason. The Objectivist concept of "altruism" is really nothing more than expenditure, and there's nothing unselfish about expenditure.

Bottom line: Rand and the Objectivists are simply moralists who want to be selfish, want to be egoists, and actually believe that they are selfish individualists who have broken free from the slave morality of society, when really they have failed to be egoistic because they have failed to break away from the confines of morality. Rand was always nothing more than someone who needed permission to be selfish or to be an egoist, and the difference is that, instead of the authority of God, she requires the authority of Reason. This is the primary difference between Randians and Christians, besides the sheer blinding arrogance of the Objectivists.

[sirenicornio]

Answering this question, yes. But...

What year is The Heart Of Thomas set in?

I will leave my contribution on a small investigation carried out to know approximately the years in which the manga is set.

So logically one says, "half of 100 is 50." So the first clue is that we are in the 50s.

In the prequel The Visitor (訪問者, Hōmonsha). The detective who is investigating the murder case of Oskar's mother mentions that he survived a war when he was a child and Oskar mentions that his music teacher lived through two wars. Referenced to the First and Second World Wars. With this information, we know that he is post-1940s, so it becomes even stronger that we are in the 1950s.

I believed this not long ago. But there was one character that I felt didn't quite fit the setting. And to the surprise of many, that character is Siegfried.

First of all, Siegfried's style and fashion is very reminiscent of the 60s, I give as an example a few icons and their most representative fashion and the style with which Siegfried dressed, where in the Play you can see it better represented:

The octagonal glasses that he has and that are a very important characteristic of him. Despite being designed in the 19th century, they had a very popular resurgence in the 1970s.

TW: Mentions of Satanism

Later in the manga, Juli mentions that Siegfried is a Satanist and that he followed that practice. With this, it means that the practice was already well known enough that people could easily recognize who they shared ideas with.

In the 50s a very strong religiosity still predominated. Where traditional family and religious values were aspirational. And the concept of Satanism that Siegfried preaches does not agree with the Traditional Satanism that was known in those years. So with this we can rule out that we are in the 50s.

There are several branches or currents of Satanism, among the most common:

Traditional Satanism: They see the figure of Satan as a Deity and worship him through rituals. It goes hand in hand with Witchcraft and extensive knowledge of Demonology, Demonolatria, High Magic and the Occult is needed to practice it. It is often attributed to typical blood rites and sacrifices.

Luciferism: Where they worship Lucifer, decontextualizing it from the typical image of the church and delving deeper through other visions from other cultures.

And finally Laveyan Satanism: An atheistic agnostic philosophy where its main focus is the worship of self, considering ourselves as our own God. He does not believe in the existence of any god and sees the image of the Devil as a symbol of rebellion, human nature and power, but not a truly existing entity.

With this information, it is quite obvious that the Satanism that Siegfried refers to would be Laveyan.

The most mediatic boom of the doctrine was from its founding in 1966 to 1972.

Finally, the few car models that are seen in the work. They match the most popular models from the 60s.

(I think Oskar's father's car seems to be a SEAT 850)

So, The Heart Of Thomas is set roughly between the late 60s and early 70s. My personal opinion is that it is located between the years 1968-1969.

The only thing that doesn't add up to me is that there isn't a fucking phone in the entire manga. That is, we are in a Private School where children with a higher than average economic and social status attend, BOARDING SCHOOL. And you're telling me that there isn't a single phone number?! They don't even look old, it was all through letters. It's the only thing I don't understand yet.

I hope it has served. If you have more context please share, or even if I'm wrong about something. Since I am not an expert in vintage and I am not a big fan and I did not live in that era.

HEART OF THOMAS TAKES PLACE IN THE 1960S???

[elixirvitae]

Alucard- Occult References

I’m putting my slideshow into text post format, so buckle up! It’s history lesson time!

The “Cromwell Initiative” is most likely a reference to Oliver Cromwell, a leader of Parliament armies during the English Civil War during the 17th century. Despite being one of Britain’s most widely regarded controversial figures, he was chosen as one of the Ten Greatest Britons” in a 2002 BBC poll.

A legend surrounds Cromwell. It is said that on the eve of the Battle of Worcester, Cromwell snuck away from the camp and met the Devil in the woods. In exchange for 7 years of prosperity, he would give his soul. He died precisely seven years after. So, who in Hellsing Cromwell contract sold his soul? Alucard to Abraham for survival, or Abraham to Alucard in exchange for a lethal weapon he could wield and monetize?

Alchemy is referenced in the content of Alucard’s characterization as well. The quote inscribed on Alucard’s coffin (in Ultimate, it is written in its original Greek language) is translated as “The Bird of Hermes is my name/ Eating my wings to make me tame.” This quote is taken from the 15th century alchemical work known as the Ripley Scroll. While George Ripley is the suspected author and artist behind the scroll, the Hermes named is a reference to Hermes Trismegistus, a philosophy figure that was the product of merging the Greek god Hermes with Thoth, the Egyptian god of knowledge and wisdom.

The quote is taken from a part of the scroll that allegedly details the way to obtain the Philosopher’s Stone, a commonly sought after target by alchemists seeking power, immortality, and enlightenment.

The Left-Hand Path, which is one part of a dichotomy opposite the Right-Hand Path, focuses more on the elevation of the self through reaching one’s own potential, while rejecting religious authority and most commonly rejecting the notion of a higher power. Laveyan Satanism, Theistic Satanism, and Luciferianism are all Left-Hand Paths. We see references to Satanism in Alucard’s gestures, both in the inverted cross commonly (and widely mistakenly) associated with Satanism, and in the positions of his hands which match those of the iconic imagery of Baphomet.

Speaking of his hands, let’s look at his gloves. Working from the outside in, we find Theban script, also known as the Witches’ Alphabet. Hirano’s Theban is poor, but we can make out enough to correct the script into what translates to “Hellsing”, “Hell’s Gate Arrested”, and “Shine Heaven Now”. 

Closest to Alucard’s wrist, we see a number of 812. Knowing Hirano, this could just be a random number but I think the number refers to Gematria, a Jewish alphanumeric code that assigns numeric value to words and phrases, originally meant for the Torah. My favorite phrase I found that has a Gematric value of 812 is “Lucifer Begotten Son”, which would fall in line with the byname “Dracula” translating to “Son of the Dragon/Devil”. 

And then we have the sigil, all placed within a circle. The sigil itself is reminiscent of those belonging to Goetic demons, found in the Ars Goetia, a section of “The Lesser Key of Solomon”. In the Ars Goetia, the Goetic demons images, descriptions, and sigils are displayed. For example, here is Astaroth’s sigil.

I think the way the sigil glows during the Cromwell Invocation means the sigil acts like a binding to Alucard as the sigils of the Goetic demons act to them.  The characters around the five-pointed star in Alucard’s sigil contain the alchemical symbols for Uranus and Neptune, representing the elements of Air and Water respectively, and stylized characters from other languages and cultures that represent the other three elements Fir, Earth, and Spirit.  And that’s all I can remember now, save for the references made in Stoker’s novel. I hope these are fun facts, because I have had fun picking up on them over the years.

[deoffal-mp-adm7000-n-s1-2022]

A more concise progression with a lot more to still be desired:

This map is far simpler than the first, with key names being attributed to key subjects just to simply my first map’s ideas way better, it’s alot of the same really, not much to mention here other than naming certain figures and maybe giving a little context to terms that I feel I haven’t written about enough before now. 

The names featured here being listed in relation to their key subject:

Martin Heidegger - Nihilism, existentialism, and hermeneutics are all his key subjects, especially on subjects of orientation and relation to space etc in relation to nothingness. A common character in the works of Eugene Thacker in particular. 

Keiji Nishitani - From the Kyoto school of philosophy, a student of Heidegger and profoundly fascinated by the sunyata, a groundless nothingness, the natural progression of considering decadence against the force of the unknown and the will as first argued by Arthur Schopenhauer. 

Thomas Ligotti - Horror fiction and pessimist philosophy writer, none best for being one of the many authors who came after H.P. Lovecraft and continued his dark mystical legacy by writing quasi-philosophical works that are philosophically based in the works of Peter Wessel Zapffe (A fundamental iconoclast of Arthur Schopenhauer's teachings) and based on the fiction works of such horror writers as Robert W. Chamber (Famous for The King in Yellow) and Algernon Blackwood (Famous for naturalist horror stories like the willows, the wendigo and the Man whom the Trees Loved). 

Anton Szandor LaVey - Gets a mention here due to my religious connection to him and LaVeyan Satanism, a huge source of occult inspiration, a religion based on the works of Ayn Rand, Friedrich Nietzsche, Aleister Crowley and Charles Darwin. 

Emil Cioran - Romanian Philosopher who again deals in representing the legacy of pessimism found in the works of Schopenhauer and Nietzsche, in particular arguing against such things as natalism and fighting the will of the universe, a common thread among pessimists. 

Nick Land - Contemporary controversial philosopher, who writes prophetic works about accelerationism and the future of a techno-capitalistic world based in factionalism and a dystopia climate for socioeconomic issues, wherein we become our own doom through our own eventual and drawn out cannibalistic ways, something science fiction writers and horror artists quite like writing about and debating, especially on the concepts of mutually assured destruction and the Anthropocene’s eventual collapse, as written by Harlan Ellison in his short story, I have no mouth and I must scream (1967)

Jean Paul Sartre - Not too dissimilar to the works of Heidegger, yet instead of speaking explicitly on orientation and being in relation to the other and space, Sartre instead focused on the human connotations of existentialism, interpersonal relations and existentialism as humanism in particular (as lectured in 1946, Existentialism is a humanism), often writing plays and scripts for stories which discuss the absurdity of human relations and how our consciousnesses intersect and interpret each other in relation to our own experience phenom- logically speaking, such a notable example would be No Exit (1944). 

Now the last name (I won’t write more after this considering I have already said written about Agrippa and Thacker, Schopenhaur less so but more of him will come out soon and this map is just a simple summary of the last map, plus alot of the terms are quite obvious here if you’ve been reading the research closely):

Georges Bataille - A famous critic of Sartre for his discussions on the importance of literature as a media which has the ability to influence and encourage action in the people compared to the more contemporary liberal mind of Sartre, especially considering Bataille had more sympathy for fascism in history more than most other french philosophers at the time, but it’s still tricky to represent that part of his history well so I won’t go too much into detail here. Georges Bataille was a prolific written on the taboo, sadean media and psychology, the difference between animal and man, ritualism, mysticism and deconstructionism as a post-nietzschean writer. He often wrote about the values of philosophy in discourse while arguing it is still divorced from reality, he like say Thomas Aquinas, would often write in paradoxes and open contradiction to fully unpack a taboo subject such as death or incest to cover all side of the provocative and questionable, often playing devil’s advocate like Sigmund Freud and arguing that the nature of man is one loose cannon that is only now tied and bound by sociality from acting up and causing chaos, a common thread in psychology and the works of Bataille being to argue in objectively brutal terms that humanity is not some greater image of a god or superior power, but more chaotic than any other species in the animal kingdom, yet repressive of it’s nature to save the horrors that humanity’s consciousness creates when truly confronting the taboo and disquieting internally.  Bataille will be written about more in this project, as his work in Eroticism, as featured in my reading list, is all about confronting challenging subjects and why humanity has fear of the taboo, an important motif within the horror genre of course, in particular the subjects of death, discontinuity and nothingness in the universal. 

[upyrica]

How much weight would you give The Satanic Bible by Anton Levay? Does it impact your beliefs and practices at all?

I myself found the first half regarding the Church's oppressive mechanism of guilt and sin an interesting read, and appreciated the demonization of pre-existing nature gods/idols/symbols (read: the horned god, Pan etc. and its associations). However, the spellwork component was utterly dismal. It seemed... shallow or unreal. Perhaps fabricated to present an image to the reader. I feel it went against the spirit of the aforementioned first half.

Ah, The Satanic Bible, a fine example of a book about being critical of what you are told and independent that in itself is too seldom approached critically or independently.

The item is profoundly mid-century American. It is peculiar as a mark of its time, perhaps, but its regard as the source on Satanism is laughable.

And, indeed - the entirety of LaVeyan spellwork is a shallow spectacle by its very design. Do remember one is not supposed to believe in silly fairy tales.

[thelunastusco]

Hi there! We’re more or less Theistic Satanists, meaning yeah we worship Satan* and have been for 15+ years. Generally there are going to be atheistic and theistic branches, with different groups in each branch. (LaVeyan Satanists are atheistic, for example.)

Beliefs and ideals vary, as with any belief system with smaller groups within it, but we personally tend to go with the “Satan as fed-up patron of rebellion and liberation from chains” angle, and a very laid back “do and believe what you want just don’t harm people or animals or the environment needlessly” sort of outlook. (With focus on anti-fascism and supporting marginalized communities.)

But anyone looking into it needs to be careful because, sadly, as with some Norse traditions, neo nazis have gotten into and they are very gross.

* interpretation of “Satan” may vary

Does anyone actually worship Satan?

Because satanists are really just atheists with a sense of humor.

[queersatanic]

What's the best way to join/start practicing Satanism in your opinion?

Joining Satanism is sort of inherently fraught because the main organizations, The Satanic Temple and Church of Satan, both have no shortage of fundamental issues. Hence our standing advice of "do your own thing":

Also feel free to pillage from other smaller organizations out there keeping in mind that it's the ideas you're concerned with rather than the authority of any particular person or group in itself.

But with that out of the way, you are going to want to familiarize yourself with what Satanism is and has been. The Satanic Bible is something you're going to need to understand in some way, even if you're ultimately rejecting most of it (which is advisable). Anton LaVey and LaVeyan Satanism loom very large over the whole subculture, and you have to address the self-described elitism, social stratification, eugenics, and sympathies with fascism in your own life and interactions if you're calling yourself a Satanist.

After that, what is attractive to us about Satanism is putting a religious spin on a rebellion against all forms of tyranny, and anarchism is a better basis for that than Might Is Right.

Errico Malatesta's Anarchy and Alexander Berkman's The ABC of Anarchism are both good starting places for that, as well as Felix Pignal, and Mary Nardini Gang wrote some good insurrectionist queer anarchist pieces.

That's our advice for philosophical grounding, but then as it comes to aesthetics and rituals, you should really defer to your own tastes, what gives you meaning, and what serves you.

Here's one example, a Satanic Flame Ritual, as a place to start. Formalizing something and making it an objective, external practice can be much more effective than just sitting and stewing with thoughts in your head.

[wxlfbites]

The Church of Satan

I can only imagine the amount of criticism and hate I'm going to get for this, so I just want to preface this post by saying that in 2015 I considered myself a LaVeyan Satanist for a while. I was a teenager and felt like what I was reading was exactly how I felt, it gave me a sense of justification for the views I had. I am not just some random, misinformed individual who only read anti-satanism propaganda. In fact, I've still actually never read anti-satanism propaganda. My opinions have been formed based exclusively on what I've read on the Church of Satan's own website. These are of course, my own opinions and people are allowed to disagree... I just think it might be something to think about if you're considering becoming a satanist.

THIS WILL BE AN EXTREMELY LONG POST

Firstly, I'm addressing the membership the Church of Satan is now implementing. ~ While the Church of Satan says that you do not need to become a member in order to consider yourself a satanist, it is clear that they encourage you to do so. It has registration and payment based memberships that allow you access to confidential information, rituals, and online chat groups you are otherwise not entitled to. Their website claims these memberships have always been in place, but I do not remember any such kind in 2015. ~ It is their policy that affiliated members are discouraged from exchanging member-exclusive information with non-members. They also express that if you are a non-member of the church, you should not expect members to keep up extended exchanges or promotion of your wares. Further, your membership is subject to rejection and retraction at their discretion and they openly state that when you apply for a membership, they gather information on you to ensure you are someone safe and trustworthy to allow in. ~ Whether or not it is intentional, they use guilt tactics in order to persuade people into becoming members. To quote some of these phrases on their own website: "Those who proudly carry our red cards identifying themselves as members have the strength and dedication to implement the tools traditionally associated with Satan". "Look to your other possessions and expenses (most people spend far more than this on general entertainment) and we’re certain you can do this if it means something to you to become a member." "We’ve discovered that most individuals can muster these funds if membership is something they truly desire." ~ They describe your membership card as a key that you must show and scan to other members to prove your affiliation. They make a few references to the underground secrecy that members may or may not choose to maintain, and so to protect their identities as members, these... calling cards if you will.. are used to discretely confirm ones membership in the Church. ~ They do not tell you where the money for your registration fee goes. In fact, they say: "That is up to the administration. It will be applied to whatever is most required at the time it is received. If you feel the need to know in more detail, then don’t join." Implying you don't have the right to know exactly where your money goes? ~ Their membership application includes inappropriate questions that no organization, religious or otherwise, should ever ask. These include: " Are you satisfied with your sex life? Describe your ideal of a physically attractive sex partner." "How many years would you like to live?" "In what organizations do you hold membership?" "Are you a smoker? If so, to what extent." "Do you drink alcoholic beverages? If so, to what extent? State preferences." " Secondly, how does satanism compare themselves to other religions and philosophies? ~ The Church of Satan declares themselves to be "a formidable threat to those who would halt progress in the name of spirituality and theism of any sort." "We are a group of dynamic individuals who stand forth as the ultimate underground alternative, the “Alien Elite.” ~ They state things like "Our members and officials will not serve as teachers nor as entertainers—we have neither the time nor the inclination.", "It is our policy not to spoon-feed information to students who are too lazy to do research." and "Your schedule is of no importance to us." so it's no surprise that the satanic texts they do not provide in full on their website, including the Satanic Bible, - which is there main text and one they highly encourage you to read - cost money. ~ They believe themselves to be the only form of satanism, stating: "People who believe in some Devilish supernatural being and worship him are Devil-worshippers, not Satanists.", "Anton LaVey was the first to define Satanism as a philosophy, and it is an atheist perspective." and “Theistic Satanism” is an oxymoronic term and thus absurd." ~ Statements like: "we stand in opposition to theist religions and their

inherent hypocrisy.", [regarding the word Shemhamforash] - "So, Satanists use it for traditional blasphemy’s sake.", [regarding someones question about their experiences with demons] - "Satanists do not believe in demons or other supernatural beings, nor do we believe in spells. Seek help from local mental health professionals to assist you to get over these delusions.", "We Satanists are all anthropologists to some degree and can find that not upsetting people who think in such simplistic and erroneous terms of “belief equals goodness and truthfulness” might be worthwhile to smooth the proceedings in which one is involved. Trying to teach them that they are mistaken in such a belief may not be worth one’s efforts." are pretty much self explanatory as to the lack of consideration satanism has for other religions as being true for others.

~ This statement: "Knowing this, if you choose to affiliate with any pseudo-Satanic or anti-Satanic groups, you may well find yourself disaffiliated from the Church of Satan. Forewarned is forearmed." might sound harmless at first glance, but this kind of reminds me of an isolation tactic where cults discourage their followers to read or engage with opposing or differing opinions because it might open their eyes to the truth of things?

Finally, here are some statements that I personally don't find are morally or ethically okay?

~ In terms of kids worrying about their parents approval the Church says: "Satanism teaches that, so long as you live with your parents, you are in “their lair” and must show them respect". Which... is literally the same shit abuse victims hear all the time..... (example "you live in their house, they're your parents and you should love and respect them no matter what")...

~ "There can be no more myth of “equality” for all—it only translates to “mediocrity” and supports the weak at the expense of the strong." is a statement I just .... wish I were making up at this point.

~"The emotional drive to “change the world” is a common stage of early adult development typically beginning around age 16 and lasting until around age 24. Usually, individuals who become aware as to how the world actually functions—rather than being lost in a fantasy wherein they will be some sort of savior figure—come to realize that idealism (such as changing the world) is less important than the principle of getting what you want for yourself.",

Also! Um.. they are fully aware and okay with people who uphold discriminatory political views....

To quote their website regarding politics: "Our members span an amazing political spectrum, which includes but is not limited to: Libertarians, Liberals, Conservatives, Republicans, Democrats, Reform Party members, Independents, Capitalists, Socialists, Communists, Stalinists, Leninists, Trotskyites, Maoists, Zionists, Monarchists, Fascists, Anarchists, and just about anything else you could possibly imagine."

And to justify this, they say: "Members who demand conformity from other members to their particular political fetish are welcomed to depart.”, "For a Satanist to expect, much less demand, consensus on any given issue, beyond basic advocacy of individual liberty within local laws, is an enterprise which is probably as masochistic as it is insane.", "Some naïve idealists seem to think that the Church of Satan as an organization risks irrelevancy if it does not become an advocate of certain political positions—usually their own pet issues which are assumed “must” be shared by other Satanists. This fear is based upon the assumption that the Church of Satan needs to change the world or risk “fading into obscurity.”

Again, all of this information comes directly from the Church of Satan website itself. It it not "propaganda". It comes from their own mouths. You're free to disagree with my interpretation and views of the above. But if you do agree, I'd love to know.

The things above make me uneasy. They give me huge cult vibes and are actually disappointing to read as someone who once considered themselves a satanist. As an omnistic pagan now, I do believe that all religions hold truths within them and can say that there are certain things within satanism I do agree with. But overall, I feel like calling satanism a religion is a stretch and should be joined with caution if it's something you are really interested in. I am only one person, I can't tell anyone what to do. But if you were considering becoming a satanist but hold values and views that the things in this post opposed or were opposite to, then maybe satanism isn't right for you. It's definitely not right for me.

I hope this post was educational at the very least. I hope that it might help people make a decision either way if they were interested in joining the Church.

[minnesotadruids]

Hasidic Druids of North America (HDNA) Analysis

Year founded: 1976

Location Founded: Saint Louis, Missouri, USA

Origins, inspirations, or parent org: Parent - Schismatic Druids of North America (SDNA). Inspirations - New Reformed Druids of North America (NRDNA), Jewish heritage, mysticism, and “repaganized” cultural and religious customs.

Founders: Isaac Bonewits, Vicki Rhodes

Official Symbols: Not specified in the modern historic record. One third-party example exists as a Star of David with RDNA Druid Sigil at the center. The inverse would also work.

Theological compatibility: Intended for pagans with Jewish heritage, spirituality, culture, mysticism, neopagan syncretism and eclecticism, especially people who really like lots of rules in their religion.

Founder prior involvements: Isaac Bonewits - RDNA, occultism, LaVeyan Satanism, witchcraft. Vicki Rhodes - RDNA, Jewish & neopagan practices.

Active, Hiatus, or Defunct, & Rebootability: Defunct from late 1970s to 2001, active from 2002-2003 before becoming defunct again. Is rebootable. Rebooting would require RDNA or NRDNA Third Order ordination lineage.

Centrally organized: Under SDNA umbrella.

Governing body: The Provisional Council of Arch-Druids (PCOAD) was formed to voice their concerns on behalf of their Groves, though it seems the authority for all legislative decisions was still held by Bonewits to make it easier to get things done, effectively as “benevolent dictator.”

Study Program or Mentorship: No formal study program but had narrower guidelines than regular SDNA educational policy.

Member degrees, ranks, or levels of achievement: Initially identical to RDNA - First Order (entry level), Second Order (training for priesthood), Third Order (priesthood), plus seven higher orders of priesthood as areas of focus or dedication. There is also the Order of the Acorn as a self-dedication rite for those who wish to affiliate with the RDNA or its direct offshoots. The SDNA later began to develop a rank system of Circles - First, Second, and Third Circle, allegedly with more than one circle below First. Specifics now seem to be lost, but a ranking system of five circles were later incorporated into ADF until the 1990s and are likely close approximations to the SDNA. The SDNA and ADF are otherwise very similar, the latter being founded a year after the SDNA became defunct.

There will most assuredly be rituals that are open only to members who have been admitted to the First Circle or higher, and rituals closed to lower Circles. -The Fifth Epistle of Isaac, A Reformed Druid Anthology, 2nd ed.

Membership fees and recurrence: Like the RDNA, membership to the HDNA is free. Individual Groves have the autonomy to charge membership dues to offset operating costs. Entering the Third Order (priesthood) informally costs “breakfast” to feed the person who ordains you. It is viewed as a courtesy, not a requirement, after the All-Night Vigil and ordination ceremony.

Estimated membership: 0.

Estimated number of Groves or study groups: 0

Current grand poobah & title: N/A currently and no definitive title was recorded. Whoever becomes the next SDNA or HDNA priest would first have to be an RDNA or NRDNA Third Order, but we might suggest adopting the title “Benevolent Dictator” or at the very least, Chairperson of PCOAD.

Cult danger (A. B. C. D. E. F. version 2.7) estimated rating: LOW-MODERATE

Alleged cult criteria:

Dogma - Strict requirements detailed across 13 chapters that are vaguely reminiscent of Levitical Law but much more pagan.

Sexual Manipulation - Nine laws regarding sexual conduct including the expectation of sex on weekends and holidays, no restrictions on the grounds of age or species, bonded partners are expected to gratify each other at least weekly, menstrual periods are to be enjoyed and celebrated, and another creepy one is “Be careful about seducing their [outsiders’] children.”

Lots of these rules have caveats and exceptions akin to “void where prohibited” but some of them just shouldn’t be rules if they need disclaimers. If anyone wants to reboot the HDNA they should seriously amend the rules and laws to make them more acceptable to reasonable society.

If anything needs to be rectified, please contact me with proof for correction.

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