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This file is an exerpt from The Book of Darkness, an official work
of the Ordo Templi Satanis, P.O. Box 1093, Atwater, CA 95301. It is
copyright 1991. All persons are hereby given permission to make
copies and/or distribute this exerpt, so long as in so doing the
contents of this work is not altered in any way, including this
paragraph.
Dealing with Other Satanic Organizations
(From the Book of the Order)
There are a number of different Satanic organizations oper-
ating in the United States and across the world today. It can be
truly said, however, that most of them derive the core of their
philosophy from the Church of Satan, founded in A.S. I (1966
C.E.) by Anton Szandor LaVey. The Ordo Templi Satanis is no
exception to this.
The major differences in the various Satanic groups would
seem to lie in two areas; cosmology and organization. Cosmologi-
cally speaking, for instance, the Church of Satan is a materially
oriented group which does not believe in a literal Satan, but
which does profess belief in the powers of ceremonial magic. In
these respects the Church of Satan is much like the Ordo Templi
Satanis. Other groups, however, such as the Temple of Set, do
indeed believe in a literal figure, which they name Set (from the
Egyptian deity) and have a very involved cosmological explanation
of the universe, drawing on the works of Crowley and a purported
"infernal revelation" from Set to Dr. Michael Aquino, founder of
the Temple of Set (and a former member of the Church of Satan).
Organizationally, however, groups such as the Church of
Satan and the Werewolf Order (founded by Nicholas Shreck and
Zeena LaVey, daughter of Anton LaVey) are decentralized to an
extreme, saying that no organization is necessary or desirable.
Each Satanist, they claim, should follow his own Satanic path,
and eventually the goals of Satanism will be achieved by a con-
fluence of individuals working separately, but with a common mind
set. Other groups, such as the Ordo Templi Satanis and the Temple
of Set, have retained a much more organized structure (the Ordo
Templi Satanis is perhaps the most rigidly organized among them),
stating that such organization fosters the growth and development
of the membership along Satanic lines of thought, and that commu-
nication between members strengthens their commitment to Satan-
ism.
This very diversity among Satanists is indicative of the
depth of the Satanic philosophy, which is a big enough tent to
harbor many diverse groups. No group should claim any sort of
spiritual, moral, or political superiority over the others; such
claims are self-defeating and such dissension only plays into the
hands of Satanism's enemies.
How then should the Ordo Templi Satanis deal with these
other Satanic groups? Obviously we have much more in common,
philosophically, cosmologically, and politically, than we have
differences, and we are certainly closer to one another than we
are to any other religion. The Ordo Templi Satanis should there-
fore attempt to cultivate friendly and cooperative relationships
with the various Satanic groups and the major individuals who
represent the shining stars among Satanists today. All groups
have little to lose by such association, and everything to gain.
However, there will always be groups and individuals that
will, for whatever reason (usually pride) refuse to have anything
to do with others, claiming an exclusive lock on the truth or
some sort of inherent position of leadership which sounds more
like Christianity than Satanism. If such individuals and groups
persist in their hostility towards the Order, then by all means
the Order should react if necessary. In this (as in all things)
we should strive to apply the Fifth Satanic Rule of the Earth:
"If a guest in your lair annoys you, treat him cruelly and with-
out mercy."