Satanism

Satanism is a religious, semi-religious and/or philosophical movement whose adherents recognize Satan as an archetype, pre-cosmic force, or some aspect of human nature. Although named for Satan, a name associated with evil and temptation, Satanism is more commonly the name given to certain spiritual paths which emphasize the Left-Hand Path, as opposed to the much more common Right-Hand Path. Left-Handers believe in spiritual enrichment through their own work on themselves, and that ultimately they are answerable only to themselves, while Right-Handers believe in spiritual enrichment through the dissolution or submission of the self to (or into) something greater. Many Satanists do not in fact worship a deity called Satan, or necessarily any other deity, nor do they follow a principle of evil. This aspect of their beliefs is very commonly misunderstood.

Satanic philosophy

LaVey's "9 Satanic Statements", a sort of philosophical outline to defining Satanism, were as follows:

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• Satan represents indulgence instead of abstinence.
• Satan represents vital existence instead of spiritual pipe dreams.
• Satan represents undefiled wisdom instead of hypocritical self-deceit.
• Satan represents kindness to those who deserve it instead of love wasted on ingrates.
• Satan represents vengeance instead of turning the other cheek.
• Satan represents responsibility to the responsible instead of concern for psychic vampires.
• Satan represents man as just another animal, sometimes better, more often worse than those that walk on all-fours, who, because of his ?divine spiritual and intellectual development,? has become the most vicious animal of all.
• Satan represents all of the so-called sins, as they all lead to physical, mental, or emotional gratification.
• Satan has been the best friend the Church has ever had, as He has kept it in business all these years.

Matching these, LaVey also identified 9 Satanic sins, namely:

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: Stupidity, pretensiousness (putting on airs), solipsism (expecting others to give back to you what you give to them), self-deceit, herd conformity, lack of perspective, forgetfulness of past orthodoxies (i.e. accepting something as new and different which is merely a repackaging of the old or the discredited), counterproductive pride (ie pride of a type which undermines one's own goals), and lack of aesthetics.

Related Topics:
Stupidity - Solipsism - Self-deceit - Herd conformity - Pride - Aesthetic

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He further outlined 11 so-called Satanic rules, which while not exactly a moral code, appear to be some kind of general guidelines for living:

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• Do not give opinions or advice unless you are asked.
• Do not tell your troubles to others unless you are sure they want to hear them.
• When in another?s lair, show him respect or else do not go there.
• If a guest in your lair annoys you, treat him cruelly and without mercy.
• Do not make sexual advances unless you are given the mating signal.
• Do not take that which does not belong to you unless it is a burden to the other person and he cries out to be relieved.
• Acknowledge the power of magic if you have employed it successfully to obtain your desires. If you deny the power of magic after having called upon it with success, you will lose all you have obtained.
• Do not complain about anything to which you need not subject yourself.
• Do not harm little children.
• Do not kill non-human animals unless you are attacked or for your food.
• When walking in open territory, bother no one. If someone bothers you, ask him to stop. If he does not stop, destroy him.