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Okay, finally here is the latest version of the FAQ. Maybe someday we'll get
around to posting it at semi-regular intervals.
Alterations: very slight. A few words added here and there, where somebody
has complained about lack of clarity, and a few more books. The
introduction (which ran last time) is from the alt.atheism FAQ--maybe we
should ask their FAQkeeper for permission if we intend to keep it?
If anyone has suggestions, complaints, comments, praise, or offers of money,
go ahead and post it for discussion if you so desire, but please e-mail me
the information. I'll be out of town for the weekend and I get a high
turnover rate, so I may miss some posts.
--Semhaza (The Antichrist)
rtsumn01@ulkyvx.louisville.edu
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THE ALT.SATANISM FAQ
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This file is for all new readers of alt.satanism.
Many groups of a `controversial' nature have noticed that new
readers often come up with the same questions, misstatements or
misconceptions and post them to the net. The purpose of this
file is to prevent continual restatement of previously debated--
often several times debated--topics.
This isn't to say that these things are not subject to further
debate. It is to say that these things *have* been considered by
the readers here. If you have something significant to add to
the debate on a particular topic then please do post.
Contributors to date are:
Semhaza (The Antichrist)
Shaitaneth Baphomet (The Adversary)
Lupo the Polish Butcher
Frater (I) Nigris (666)
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Frequently Asked "Questions" of Alt.Satanism:
1. What is Satanism?
2. What is _The Satanic Bible_?
3. Are there other Satanic organizations?
4. Satan is a Christian God!
You aren't Satanists, just nasty atheists!
5. Aren't Satanists ritualistic baby murderers?
6. Do Satanists have orgies? If so, where do I sign up?
7. What is Xian? COS? TOS? TSB? OT? NT?
Do you say "Xian" rather than "Christian" in order to insult
Christianity?
8. Have you considered the message of _The Bible_?
9. For the Christians among us: should you feel inclined to preach.
You are all going to hell.
Jesus saves!
[As regards Christian evangelism, see also the alt.atheism FAQ.]
10. How can I get more information about Satanism?
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1. What is Satanism?
At first glance this may look like a simple question to answer: "Go
look it up in the dictionary." would seem to be straightforward
enough. In fact, I'll do it for you:
Satanism, n. 1. the worship of Satan or the powers of
evil. 2. a travesty of Christian rites in which Satan
is worshipped. 3. diabolical or satanic disposition,
behavior, or actions.
[from _Webster's Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary of the English
Language_, (c) 1989]
Unfortunately it's not that easy. There is no one set of beliefs that
comprise Satanism. Because there is no set of doctrines or scriptures
agreed upon by a majority of Satanists, would-be practitioners must
define their beliefs for themselves, based upon a minimum of shared
information. The issue is further confused by the fact that,
historically, most records of real or imagined Satanism have been made
by Satanists' traditional enemies, Christians. However a few
generalizations can be made: the average Satanist disagrees with much
of Christianity, believes in no absolute moral code, and places
emphasis on the individual and personal rights. If you think this
sounds like Libertarianism, you're right; many Satanists consider
themselves Libertarians or feel close to the party on social issues.
I would divide Satanists into several main groups:
1. The Dabblers: adopt Satanic trappings for a brief
period of time, usually for entertainment rather than
serious purposes. Some modern youth fall into this
category, along with past groups like the 18th century
Hell-Fire Club.
2. Atheistic Satanists: don't believe in spiritual
entities. Satan is only a symbol for humankind's
freedom from moral obligation. Most Usenet Satanists
fall into this category.
3. Miltonian Satanists: do believe in a deity, Satan
or another Entity with connotations to what has been
recognized as evil in other societies. This Entity has
been misrepresented in history and is not actually
maleficent.
4. Dark Satanists: also believe in a literal Satan,
but not the "higher" being of the Miltonians. Rather,
it is a force for self-gratification, power, or other
craved "fruits" forbidden by Christian mythos.
5. Secondary Satanists: follow a faith outside the
Christian mainstream. While they might not think of
themselves as Satanic, and strictly speaking do not
fall under the definition of Satanists, outsiders
sometimes perceive them as such. Santeria is a good
example.
6. Lovecraftian Satanists: take their rituals
seriously, conjuring dark beasties to devour their
enemies or to destroy the ferocious neighbor's dog
which barks incessantly during the most critical
rituals. One of their favorite deities is Cthulhu,
lurker beneath the depths who is "dead but dreaming".
These Satanists take their Necronomicon seriously (I
don't think it's the Necronomicon available from Avon
Books).
2. What is _The Satanic Bible_?
_The Satanic Bible_ is a book describing the philosophy of Anton
LaVey, founder of the Church of Satan. This organization holds the
view that there is no higher god than oneself, and that one should
worship accordingly. Life is the Great Indulgence and Death is the
Great Abstinence, as there is no afterlife. The basic ideas of _The
Satanic Bible_ are laid out in the Nine Satanic Statements:
1. Satan represents indulgence, instead of abstinence!
2. Satan represents vital existence, instead of
spiritual pipe dreams!
3. Satan represents undefiled wisdom, instead of
hypocritical self-deceit!
4. Satan represents kindness to those who deserve it,
instead of love wasted on ingrates!
5. Satan represents vengeance, instead of turning the
other cheek!
6. Satan represents responsibility to the responsible,
instead of concern for psychic vampires!
7. Satan represents man as just another animal,
sometimes better than, 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!
8. Satan represents all of the so-called sins, as they
all lead to physical, mental, or emotional
gratification!
9. Satan has been the best friend the church has ever
had, as he has kept it in business all these years!
_The Satanic Bible_ can be found (in America) in most chain bookstores
in the New Age, Philosophy, or Religion sections.
The Church of Satan can be contacted at:
Church of Satan
P.O. Box 210082
San Francisco, CA 94121
$100 will get you a lifetime membership. Contrary to popular opinion,
the Church is not tax-exempt. It turned down tax-exemption (despite
being eligible) on the grounds that a church is a business and should
not receive preferential treatment.
--- Squish v1.01
* Origin: Casino & Micro Maniacs Combo (2:220/801.801)
? ALT.SATANISM (2:222/352) ?????????????????????????????????????? ALT.SATANISM ?
Msg : 28 of 29
From : rtsumn01@ulkyvx.louisville.e2:220/801.801 Wed 25 Nov 92 19:24
To : All Sun 29 Nov 92 11:42
Subj : 02/alt.satanism FAQ version 2.11
????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
.UFGATE newsin 1.27
.SPLIT: 25 Nov 92 19:35:50 @220/801 3 02/03 ++++++++++++++++++++
Some people question whether the term "Satanism" is appropriate for
the Church's beliefs, due to its atheistic stance. Since the Church
has been in existence for over 20 years its definition is probably
here to stay, although it isn't the only definition.
3. Are there other Satanic organizations?
Yes. The best-known and longest-lasting is the Temple of Set, founded
by former Church of Satan member Michael Aquino. The Temple
encourages members to apply Setian philosophy to their soul or psyche
in the process of Xeper, which means "coming into being". The goal is
for the individual to achieve self-actualization and divinity. The
Temple operates in a more religious and supposedly more intellectual
atmosphere than the Church of Satan.
The Temple of Set can be contacted at:
Temple of Set
P.O. Box 470307
San Francisco, CA 94147
4. Satan is a Christian God!
You aren't Satanists, just nasty atheists!
Most (probably all) religions have gods or demons that represent the
principle of adversity: that which is forbidden by society. Satan is
one among these, originally conceived by the Hebrews long before the
birth of Jesus. The name first appears (in _The Bible_, at any rate)
in the book of Job. Satan was a fallen angel, not a god, in the
monotheistic religions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.
"Satan" is understood by most Satanists in a context different than
that of Christian theology. Satan is a powerful archetype, to the
Euro-American Usenet majority at least, bringing to mind such things
as sexuality, power, individualism and control over one's destiny.
The Satanist can choose what s/he likes from the varied portrayals of
Satan, and may add principles of adversity from other cultures as
well.
5. Aren't Satanists ritualistic baby murderers?
Some misleading reports exist about Satanists: they are organized
into nationwide cults; they commit ritual murders on a grand scale;
they raise their children with psychological disorders; they kidnap
people for blood sacrifice; they organize day-care centers and abuse
the children placed in their care. A whole class of books exists
detailing the exploits of these Satanic groups.
The problem with all these works is that they are fictional rather
than truthful accounts. Much is claimed based on scanty evidence that
would be better explained by another scenario. Claims of involvement
with Satanism are made by patients under hypnosis (hypnotized subjects
are notorious for their suggestibility and tendency to produce
fictions). Other "former Satanists" distort the truth in search of
attention and money. These sensationalists never go to the police
regarding the criminal activities they allegedly took part in, which
calls the veracity of their claims and the sincerity of their remorse
into question.
Evidence does not exist to support what is said to occur. If the
number of murders said to be committed by Satanists was accurate, some
bodies should have been found by now. While means have been suggested
by which bodies could be concealed, it stretches the imagination to
believe that every body has been successfully hidden thus. Evidence
in other areas is similarly lacking.
Individuals investigating suspected Satanic crimes misinterpret what
they find to fit their expectations. The _Necronomicon_, published by
Avon Books, is used as an authoritative guide to Satanic practices.
Yet few Satanists take the book seriously in any way, and none follow
it to the letter. This and other things lead some non-Satanists to
see what simply is not there.
The observant reader may note that there have been a few crimes linked
to Satanism. In all cases the criminal(s) worked alone with no
connections to other groups. Some cases have been publicized by the
media as being related to Satanism when in fact they involve another
religion, as in the Matamoros case.
The lesson to be learned is that although a book may appear in the
"Non-fiction" section of a bookstore, that doesn't make it so.
6. Do Satanists have orgies? If so, where do I sign up?
Hmmm...I trust that some do, but I have been unable to locate any as
of yet.
7. What is Xian? COS? TOS? TSB?
Do you say "Xian" rather than "Christian" in order to insult
Christianity?
Some users in this and other newsgroups find themselves discussing
Christianity frequently. In order to cut down on keystrokes they type
"Xian" and "Xianity" rather than the longer versions. A few users may
intend it partly as a slur, but most do it only for convenience. The
abbreviation itself is far from insulting; it is accepted and used by
many Christians including (I am told) the Pope.
A few other abbreviations occur frequently in this newsgroup. They
are normally defined in a conversation, but here they are for your
convenience:
COS = Church of Satan
TOS = Temple of Set
TSB = _The Satanic Bible_
OT = Old Testament
NT = New Testament
8. Have you considered the message of _The Bible_?
Yes. Most Satanists, along with most other members of Western
cultures, are familiar with the teachings of Christianity and many
have read _The Bible_ or part of it. They simply consider _The Bible_
to be false and disregard it much like Christians would disregard
books which represent the foundation of another religion. Attempting
to discuss Christianity will, in most cases, only get you flamed and
not inform the Satanist of "something they didn't know". If you are
still tempted to post about _The Bible_ because you feel that we may
have missed an important point, I suggest you seek out and read the
alt.atheism FAQ before proceeding. Many of its points are applicable
to alt.satanism.
9. For the Christians among us: should you feel inclined to preach.
You are all going to hell.
Jesus saves!
Quite often, members of fundamentalist Christian groups see fit to
post various evangelical messages in alt.satanism. The reason for
this is not clear. It has been suggested by various members of this
net, who I shall lump under the convenient category of "Satanist,"
that the reason for this posturing is that many (perhaps most)
Born-Again Christian types are closet masochists. It has also been
suggested that Christians need to save a certain number of souls to
get a good seat in paradise, similar in spirit to selling candy-bars
or magazines to fund various extra-curricular activities in school.
Presumably Satanist souls, being sold to the devil already, are worth
more points.
While these theories have some merit, considering the teachings
of their (allegedly) chosen religion, an attempt should be made to be
open-minded enough to see their side of things.
Many Christians, when asked why they do this, respond something
to the effect that it is charity, something they do out of the
goodness of their hearts, out of concern for people etc. etc. Well,
if the Christian is really concerned with people, why not preach to
those who have not heard the message? Most "Satanists" are well
acquainted with the messages of Christianity. They have been preached
to ad infinitum, and are fed up with it. That is part of the reason
they are Satanists instead of plain old agnostics. Many Satanists are
angered by such posts, and justifiably so.
Now consider this:
You will never convert a Satanist over USENET. You either
1) are too infuriating;
2) look like a fool.
There is NO logical reason to convert to Christianity. The only
appeals are to the emotions, and as stated before they either look
foolish or infuriating. Things like, "But Jesus LOVES you; he died
for your sins!" or "Your soul is in danger!" are appeals to guilt and
fear respectively; not reason. As most Satanists have chosen this
path out of reason, these appeals will never work. As for those
Satanists who are so for emotional reasons, their minds are as closed
as that of the Born-again Christian. Perhaps, if indeed preaching is
done for humanitarian, and not egotistical or masochistic reasons,
your energies are better spent educating those who know little of your
faith: those born atheistic, communists, buddhists etc. If, as
suspected, your purposes are more egotistical (look reverend; I
converted a Satanist!) forget it. There are no "lost souls," waiting
to be found, in this community.
For the masochistically inclined, we suggest self-flagellation.
It costs less disk space, is probably more satisfying, and is
certainly less offensive to the general public.
Otherwise; GROWL! BOOGA BOOGA! HASTUR ASTAROTH LEVIATHAN
ISHTAR!!!!!!!!! XILKA XILKA! BESA BESA! go away already...
10. How can I get more information about Satanism?
Recommended Reading:
_The Satanic Bible_, by Anton Szander LaVey, Avon Books, 1969.
Presents the Satanic views and doctrines of the Church of Satan,
along with an introduction to its rituals.
_The Compleat Witch_, by Anton LaVey, Lancer Books, 1971.
_The Satanic Rituals_, by Anton LaVey, University Books, 1972.
More books discussing LaVey's brand of Satanism.
_The Secret Life of a Satanist_ by Barton Blanche, Mondo Press.
The authorized biography of Anton LaVey, and a basic guide to
Satanic philosophy.
_The Second Coming_, by Arthur Lyons, 1970 [out of print]
A history of Satanism through the Middle Ages and the modern era.
_Satan Wants You_, by Arthur Lyons, Mysterious Press (Warner), 1988.
Presents an overview of Satanism and the history of Satan, plus
an in-depth look at popular misconceptions.
H. P. Lovecraft, collected works.
Classic horror fiction that has served as inspiration for many
Satanists.
_The Black Arts_, by Richard Cavendish, Perigee Books (Putnam), 1967.
An objective introduction to magic, demonology, and classical
views of Satanism.
_Black Magic in Theory and Practice_, by Michael Aquino.
_The Necronomicon_ [by the Mad Arab], Avon Books, 1977.
Purported ritual book of great efficacy. Generally regarded as
fiction interspersed with translations of Mesopotamian texts.
Mileage may vary, depending on how seriously you take babble.
_The Satan Seller_, Mike Warnke's imagination, Logos International,
1972.
A Christian presents his alleged experiences in a Satanic cult
before his conversion to Christianity.
_Cornerstone_, Volume 21, number 98, "Selling Satan," Jon Trott & Mike
Hertenstein, 1992.
This gets *highest* recommendation. From a Christian magazine
which does a great job of discrediting Mike Warnke's accounts
mentioned in _The Satan Seller_ and elsewhere
_Satanism: The Seduction of America's Youth_, Bob Larson, Thomas
Nelson Publishers, 1989.
The facts on the *conspiracy* now coming to a lonely town near
you!!! (You're reading the FAQ, so it's already here!)
_Paradise Lost_ by John Milton.
An epic poem telling the tale of Lucifer from when he is thrown
out of heaven, to the Fall of Adam and Eve. It makes Lucifer
into a heroic figure, whilst God is made out to be a little vague
and weak.
_The Divine Comedy_ by Dante.
Another epic poem in three parts (Inferno, Purgatorio and
Paradisio) covering the author's pilgrimage through them.
_The Prince of Darkness_ by Jeffrey Burton Russell, Cornell University
Press, 1988.
Historian's work on the history of Satan from earliest history
through the twentieth century. A summary of a four-book series
(The Devil, Satan, Lucifer, and Mephistopheles, by the same
author) which may be too much reading for casual interest.
_The Old Enemy_ by Neil Forsyth, Princeton University Press, 1987.
Another history of Satan focusing on the Middle East and early
Christianity.
_La-Bas (Down There)_ by J. K. Huysmans (1891?) translated by
Keene Wallace.
Fiction novel of the occult and the black mass in late
nineteenth century Paris.
_ABRASAX #4_ A magazine published by the American Gnostic Church.
Issue #4 is dedicated to Satan & satanic matters generally. They
can be reached at:
American Gnostic Church
PO BOX 1219
Corpus Christi, TX, 78403-1219
(This is an old address--I have not checked yet.)
_The Occult_ by Colin Wilson
An excellent objective introduction to the subject.
_Cosmic Trigger_ by Robert A. Wilson
This book describes various initiations and occult phenomena
experienced by Mr. Wilson. Mr. Wilson has had a great influence
on 20th century occultism, and his books should be read by any
serious student of the occult.
_Apocalypse Culture_ collected by Adam Parfey.
A shocking work, depicting the worldviews of various "fringe"
sects and individuals, ranging from necrophiliacs to ultra-right
wing Christians.
_Snapping; America's Epidemic of Sudden Personality Change_ by Flo
Conway & Jim Siegelman.
An interesting work utilizing information theory in the study of
sudden personality change as occurs in religious cults, and the
"Born-Again" phenomenon.
_Who Wrote the Bible?_, by Richard Elliott Friedman, Harper & Row,
1987.
A biblical scholar attempts to answer the question of the title,
and in the process comes up with some interesting reasons for
events in _The Bible_ (why does Moses have horns? Why the scene
with the golden calf?). An interesting read, and possibly
amusing for the cynic.
_The Dead Sea Scrolls_
There are many good books on this subject for those who need to
debunk Christianity historically as well as philosophically.
Among them:
_Dead Sea Scrolls & the Bible_ by Roland E. Murphy (a Roman
Catholic at that) 1968
_A Crack in the Jar; What ancient Jewish Documents tell
us about the New Testament_ by Niel Fujita (also a
Christian scholar) 1986
_The Dead Sea Scrolls and the Christian Myth_ by John
Allegro (one of the original Dead Sea Scholars) 1984
Note than all of the above scholars are of the old school of
scroll study. While all do a good job of debunking Christianity,
the latest generation of scholarly works is even more damning.
Following are a number of works recommended dealing with Satanism's
links with crime, multiple personality disorder, etc.
_The Satanism Scare_, ed. James T. Richardson, Joel Best, and David G.
Bromley (NY: Aldine, 1991): 145-172.
_Satan's Power: A Deviant Psychotherapy Cult_, by William Simms
Bainbridge, U of CA Press, 1978.
_Battle for the Mind_, by William Sargent, Harper & Row, 1957.
_In Pursuit Of Satan_, by Robert D. Hicks (Prometheus Books),
_Satanism In America_, issued by the Committee for the Scientific
Examination of Religion.
"Occult Crime: A Law Enforcement Primer"
[To obtain a copy of this report, write to
California Office of Criminal Justice Planning
1130 K Street, Suite 300
Sacramento, CA 95814
(Phone: (916) 324-9100). Request the "Research Update, Special
Edition, Winter 1989-1990, Volume 1, Number 6" issue. No mention
is made of a donation, but it may be useful to inquire
beforehand.]