The Truth About Satanism

The purpose of this thread to help dispel common misconceptions and inaccuracies regarding Satanism as a legitimate religion. It is my goal to help inform the reader as to the factual truths behind the practice of Satanism and to expose the wrong information put forth by other religious adherents.

Satanism is an often used term which, dependent upon the user, is used to describe anything from aberrant social behavior to New Age Mysticism to Crowley-esque occult practices. However, these are all misconceptions popularized by the media and other religious organizations. Satanism is often used as a religious slur in many contexts but this is not the proper usage of the term.

Before I begin talking about Satanic beliefs or practices I'd like to provide both an accurate working definition of true Satanism and outline some of the most common types of pseudo or false Satanism.

Below I have provided information from the web site of the Center for Religious Tolerance's information on Satanism which can be found here:

Center for Religious Tolerance Information of Satanism

Definition of Satanism:

Such (inaccurate) definitions create great confusion, and stir up religious animosity against followers of benign faith traditions. They have been known to trigger genocidal proposals, lynching, attempted mass murder, fire bombings, shootings, common assaults, etc.

We strongly recommend that the terms "Satanist" and "Satanism" be used only with a qualifier to refer to religions that have some direct involvement with Satan in some form. Thus a "Satanist" is one who either:

1. Theistic Satanist: One who worships the Christian devil. Although the Christian Churches taught during the Renaissance that devil worshipers were very common, such individuals were in fact quite rare, and remain so.

2. Religious Satanist: One who accepts Satan as a pre-Christian life-principle worth emulating. They follow a number of religious traditions, of which the largest by far is the Church of Satan.

Now that we know what is Satanism, let's look at what is not Satanism:

Pseudo Satanism:

16th century Satanism: This is an imaginary, profoundly evil religion that was invented during the late Middle Ages by the Christian church. The Church taught that Witches worshiped Satan, ritually killed children, boiled down their bodies to make magical implements, sold their soul to the devil, broke crucifixes, conducted black masses, created hail storms to damage crops, caused disease in farm animals and humans. etc. They were said to totally dedicate their life to harming others.

The church's creation of Satanism gave the theological foundation for the "burning times" in which tens of thousands of religious heretics, mentally ill people, and supremely unlucky individuals were burned at the stake (in Roman Catholic countries) or hung (in Protestant countries).

This form of Satanism never existed in the past as an organized entity. It does not exist today, except in the imagination of the public, and in horror movies. Belief in the reality of Satan-worshiping witches remains widespread in North America today, particularly among religious conservative.

Serial murderers: Occasionally, a serial murderer will claim to be a Satanist in order to justify his horrendous activities. This is "the Devil made me do it" defense. The perpetrator admits guilt, but says that he was not responsible for his crimes because he was under the control of Satan. Police investigations reveals that the perpetrator is faking it.

Psychotic murderers: Occasionally, news of a Satanic ritual murder will surface, complete with Satanic rituals, symbols, etc. But, after investigation, the prime cause of the murder will be found to be severe mental illness on the part of the perpetrator(s). A case in Germany hit the newsstands during 2002-JAN. The accused couple, the Rudas, talked about glowing eyes, a glowing knife used as a murder weapon, a glowing victim, "Several witnesses have testified that the couple suffered from personality disorders. They could both face long terms at secure psychiatric institutions."

Child molesters: A small percentage of abusive pedophiles and other child molesters have been known to abuse children in a Satanic setting as a means of controlling the victims. The molesters are pretend Satanists; they are simply using the facade of Satanism to further their criminal acts. They figure that if one of their child victim complains to authorities, their disclosures will not be believed. A government study in England found three such perpetrators.

Heavy metal rock bands: Some musicians pretend to be associated with Satanism. Their main motivation is to gain notoriety and capture free publicity. The suggestion of Satanic involvement increases record sales. Few bands are actually formed from sincere Satanists.

The Temple of Set: In 1975, a member of the Church of Satan, Michael Aquino, left the Church after a disagreement, and organized the Temple of Set. This follows the religion of Setianism. Members recognize a pre-Satanic deity, the Egyptian God Set as a living entity who stands separate and apart from the forces of the natural universe. He was typically portrayed as a man with the head of an animal (perhaps a hyena). Set was copied by the Chaldeans who called him Had or Hadit; this later became Shaitan, and still later the Satan of Christianity and Islam. The media have linked the Temple of Set with the Church of Satan and called both forms of Satanism. Leaders of both religious groups deny that they are related.

Now that we hopefully understand the difference between true and false Satanism I feel I should dispel one more common falsehood perpetrated by the media and those ignorant of true Satanism. I'm speaking of the ever popular Satanic Ritual Abuse or SRA. The following info is from the previous site:

On Satanic Ritual Abuse or SRA

Starting in 1980, there was a growing and widespread belief that Satanists were involved in Satanic Ritual Abuse (SRA) and killing of innocent infants, children and adults. In the late 1980s, believers in SRA expanded their accusations to include a wide variety of other small religious groups as perpetrators. Belief in SRA faded during the 1990s due to a complete lack of hard evidence. It is accepted by most investigators to be a Christian urban legend, based on fear, misinformation, and false memories created during recovered memory therapy.

And thus we have reached the end of the first part of my thread where in we define the proper usage of the term Satanism. In the second part I will outline a brief history of the Church of Satan and some information on it's founder.


[edit on 3-7-2008 by Shadowflux]

I shall begin part two of this thread with a brief bio of LaVey, the Church of Satan founder from IMDB (because it was the shortest bio I found):

Anton Szandor LaVey was born April 11, 1930 to Joseph and Augusta LaVey. His father was a liquor salesman. They soon moved to the San Francisco, California area. The name LaVey came from an immigrant ancestor who in passing through Ellis Island was given the name of his place of origin, Levey, France.

Known as Tony, he showed early musical talent, and received musical training. He was always an outsider. He left home after an incident where another youth knifed his face and Tony fought back. He joined circuses and carnivals, learned carny jobs and to play the calliope. He knew Clyde Beatty and Tim McCoy. He played organ for burlesque, and had a short affair with Marilyn Monroe.

He left Los Angeles and returned to San Francisco where he continued as an organist and became a police photographer. He married Carole and started his Magic Circle meetings. He later left Carole for even more beautiful Diane. There is a tape circulating of an episode of the local TV program "The Wonderful World of Brother Buzz", narrated by Pat MacCormick, which centers on LaVey's lion Togare, but also shows the life of his "wonderful normal family" with wife Diane, and daughters Karla (by first wife Carole) and Zeena, as well as many animals, who lived in the soon to be famous Black House.

At that time Anton was a psychic investigator. He and Diane founded the Church of Satan as a partnership in 1966. It was the world's first openly acknowledged Satanic Church. Anton was spokesman and still remains the very image of Satan and Satanism. High Priestess Diane LaVey was equally Satanic but performed the role of good wife and church administrator. Soon followed the first public Satanic wedding, then a first baptism (for their daughter Zeena) and first Satanic funeral. This period of public rituals, about 1967-70, generated intense worldwide publicity and growth in membership.

The movie Satanis (1970) allowed Anton to espouse many of his views, and shows the church at that time. The LaVey's associated with many famous and accomplished people, particularly actors, writers and circus people. Among them were Jayne Mansfield, Sammy Davis Jr., Kenneth Anger, Forrest J Ackerman, Joseph Cotten, Barbara McNair, Elke Sommer, Keenan Wynn, and directors Milo O. Frank Jr. and Robert Fuest.

Anton authored several well-known books on Satanism and witchcraft. Most of what he's told about himself is true as he saw it through his own biases, although he did not tell all. It was NOT a "self-created legend" as charged by critics.

As with many '60s celebrities who were private people there was a burnout factor. Press distortion, harassment from many quarters, including gunshots, vandalism and pestering fans caused him to withdraw from most public activities in his last 20 years. Speak of the Devil (1995) (V) once again gave him a chance to express his views on film. He had a son Xerxes with his last companion and successor to the church leadership, Blanche Barton. He was able to spend some time with his grandson, Zeena's son Stanton LaVey. Many fascinating details of his life are still unknown to the public, and some points have been argued back and forth by those who do not know.

Many biographies have been written about Anton LaVey and some are more accurate than others. However, if one wishes to truly understand who LaVey was and what he stood for you should always go to the source.

Below is a link to a video entitled "Speak of the Devil", a 1995 documentary on LaVey which discusses his life, careers, music, and philosophies. You are also treated to a rare tour of the infamous "Black House" and see LaVey at home with his wife, children and their lion. You are also privileged to a short concert in his music room. I highly recommend this 90 minute movie.

Speak of the Devil


[edit on 3-7-2008 by Shadowflux]

Interesting! Growing up in a Catholic household Satanism was never ever discussed. I have always been curious about what it is about but never had the nerve to bring it up. Thanks for the interesting post

Now that we know a bit about LaVey himself and the founding of his church I would like to move on to the meatier issues. The essential beliefs and tenants held by the Church of Satan. Most of the information presented in this section has been borrowed from Satanism101.com

We shall start with the 9 Satanic Statements which represent the core philosophy of LeVayen Satanism:

I. Satan represents indulgence, instead of abstinence!

This first statement represents both a fundemental philosophy and the inversion of traditional Christian dogma. Christians are taught that abstaining from alcohol, sex, anger, and the like will ensure the devotees place in heaven. Satanists believe that through responsible indulgence one can achieve a proper understand of the physical world.

II. Satan represents vital existence, instead of spiritual pipe dreams!

This second statement means that Satanist do not pray to an obscure notion of God hoping that their wishes will be granted. Satanist understand that physical action must be taken to ensure the desired outcome of a situation.

III. Satan represents undefiled wisdom, instead of hypocritical self-deceit!

This third statement refers to the importance of objective truth and reality. Satanist value only what is observable and provable, they are not likely to include their emotions or opinions in their decision of whether something is true and real or not.

IV. Satan represents kindness to those who deserve it, instead of love wasted on ingrates!

While Christianity and other "white" religions teach that we should love both our neighbors and our enemies, that we should treat them with love and give to them regardless. Satanist see no point in wasting their time with those who seek only to take and gain from others. Satanists see no point in helping those who will not help them in return.

V. Satan represents vengeance, instead of turning the other cheek!

This statement is yet another inversion of traditional Christian and "white" philosophy. While it does not allow for a Satanist to indulge in a blood bath it does state that when wronged one should never be so naive as to expect it not to happen again. It is also, in a sense, related to the Babylonian concept of "An eye for an eye" as vengeance, even in small harmless forms, can return balance to an unbalanced situation.

VI Satan represents responsibility to the responsible, instead of concern for psychic vampires!

This statement couples nicely with the 4th statement although it refers to a different set of problems. Satanists see no point in claiming responsibility to someone who has no desire to be responsible for themselves. It is a typical everyday situation, the coworker who loves to complain and beg you for help but would never try to help themselves. The ungrateful friend who will always ask for your time and effort. Psychic Vampires are those people that drain you both mentally and emotionally until there is nothing left.

VII 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!

Satanist make no distinction between man and the animal world nor do they make claims to man's Divinity. While man is unique among the animals due to his cognitive capabilities it is these self same abilities which have led to the destruction of countless species, countless acres and our planet in general. It is this reason that Satanist see no real divinity in man as other white religions might.

VIII Satan represents all of the so-called sins, as they all lead to physical, mental, or emotional gratification!

Satanist believe that life is for the living, it is not a hardship to be endured until the final reward after death. They believe that one should responsibly indulge in whatever sins they so desire if it makes them happy. There is a stipulation, this statement does not suggest nor endorse the committing of violence on others, the molestation of children in any way, or the harming of animals. All sins that require a partner must be committed with a willing adult partner.

IX Satan is the best friend the church has ever had, as he has kept it in business all these years!

This statement is a simple one to understand. Satanist agree that without the notion of Satan or "the Devil" the church would have had a hard time convincing people to abstain from worldly pleasures, give up their money, and in some cases be subject to physical and emotional harm. Satan has always represented the established Christian church opposite and adversary and it was the stories of hellfire and damnation, of lurking demons and hidden devils, that has kept the pews packed all these centuries.

And there you have the 9 Satanic Statements as set down by LaVey in The Satanic Bible. They represent the basic teachings and philosophies of Satanism. By now I hope you are beginning to gain a better and more open understanding of Satanism as a legitimate religion and philosophy. Hopefully we are on the right path to putting to rest any ignorant notions or urban legends.

[edit on 3-7-2008 by Shadowflux]

Great thread, there is so much disinformation about Satanism people fall for it hook, line and sinker, may i also add that Paganism has nothing to do with the Satanic world, although there are quite a few kids who dabble and play trying to summon Lucifer and end up opening a can of worms, this can of worms is not Satan related, they open doors to Demons which they have no clue what to do with.

Im also glad you didnt throw Baphomet into the soup, seeing how Baphomet is the symbolic depiction of Wisdom, and was used by the Vatican as an excuse to destroy the Knights Templar.

i doubt your going to convert any devout christians into realizing Satan is another concocted excuse to destroy, and accuse the innocent who where a threat to the catholic church.

Also Kids that have dabbled have left myself and some friends trying to clear up their mess on more than one occasion, one poor girl student at Liverpool university last i heard was still recieving treatment for a mental breakdown she had after their little dabbles, so any kids out there wanting to play DONT!!!!! your opening a world that will suck your life in and wont let go until you finish what you started.

I shall now present the 11 Satanic Rules of the Earth, they are not so much rules or constants about the Earth as they are a guideline for proper and mature Satanic behaivoir. They are, in a way, like the 10 Commandments yet they are less spiritual and more worldly. These are taken from the Satanic Bible and appear online at Satanism101.com mentioned in the previous post.

The Eleven Satanic Rules of the Earth

I Do not give opinions or advice unless you are asked.

II Do not tell your troubles to others unless you are sure that they want to hear them.

III When in another's lair, show him respect or else do not go there.

IV If a guest in your lair annoys you, treat him cruelly and without mercy.

V Do not make sexual advances unless you are given the mating signal.

VI Do not take that which does not belong to you unless it is a burden to the person and he cries out to be relieved.

VII Acknowledge the power of magic if you have used 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.

VIII Do not complain about anything to which you need not subject yourself.

IX Do not harm little children.

X Do not kill non-human animals unless attacked or for your food.

XI When walking in open territory, bother no one. If someone bothers you, ask him to stop. If he does not stop, destroy him.

These rules alone dispel much of the propaganda put forth against Satanism. For instance the 9th rule clearly states that Satanists would have no part in anything that would harm a child. This seems obvious as LaVey had children of his own.

The 10th proves that Satanists do not participate in any type of animal sacrifice, this is obvious as LaVey was an animal lover himself.

The first two rules are simply saying that one should not engage others with opinions or advice as you are very likely talking to someone who would not understand your position, this could in turn lead to a lot of personal trouble. You should also not complain to others unless they ask for it as no one wants to hear you complain.

The 5th statement is fairly clear, it is saying that one should not be lecherous and make advances towards every women he meets. Because much of Satanism deals with human sexuality it is important that we know there are boundaries, that we should not make advances on someone unless we are sure they are interested in us.

I am hoping that the more you read the more you understand Satanism as a rational philosophical belief system and less like the horrid stories you may have heard in Sunday School or on Geraldo Rivera.

GREAT THREAD!!!!! This is awesome. Thank you for taking the time to dispel some of the myths surrounding Satanism. I would also like to add that as an avid meditator I have found that Satanism has some of THE BEST meditative exercises you can find. It is a great set of beliefs. I, personally, will not devote myself to any one religion but for those out there who are searching for something to follow I would highly recommend doing some research into Satanism. It follows the Natural way of things and promotes self growth.

As a side note Satanism is believed to be THE original religion. Obviously under different names, but the beliefs are ancient and founded on principles that do not change with time.

Good thread, with good research done on it.

I myself am a spiritual satanist, something similar to a Setian.

I can never talk to anyone about my beliefs, I have tried to explain before, but people look at me with blind eyed ignorance, deaf ears etc.

It is a useless fight to go into when trying to explain it to those who know nothing of Satanism.

There are as many varieties of satanism as there is different varieties of christianity, or other religions.

If people would take the time and actually study, or read up on true Satanism, they would see that it has nothing to do with the devil worship as portrayed in the bible,,,well of course some satanists do believe in the christian devil, but i personally believe those kinds of people are only seeking attention, rebelling, trying to be cool, scary, whatever.

anyway, there's alot to be said about this, but i'd rather not get too deep into it, people just never listen.

thanks for the thread tho.

starred and flagged



[edit on 3-7-2008 by The Soldier Of Darkness]

reply to post by The Soldier Of Darkness


I hear that! I have a bad tendency when I'm beligerently drunk of preaching Satanism at anyone who wants to debate with me. I usually have a couple onlookers come up to me afterwards with a question or two but it is impossible to open the eyes of those who do not realize their mind is closed. It is fun to see the disbelief on the faces of Christians when you pipe up about how great Satanism is though.

P.S. Great avatar, Behemoth rules.

This site explains my belief perfectly,

www.joyofsatan.com...

although, i have to admit, i wish they would do some work on their site, it's very unprofessional and not very well done at all.

They should put more effort into it, make it more respectable.

reply to post by Scurvy


I've given up explaining to people, but I understand why they are the way they are though, because I was brought up christian, and was taken to church quite a lot at a young age.

Christianity never interested me, in the least, and at age 13 i started reading up on Satanism, and i have to say, the hardest thing for me was letting go of all the christian dogma that was pounded into my little head as a child, fear of hell etc etc, you know the deal.

It was quite some years later, after stumbling across the site i mentioned above that i was finally set free after performing the dedication ritual to satan mentioned on their page....what an experience.

as i neared the end of the ritual my whole body was vibrating like crazy, i was light headed and was starting to freak out a little, but afterwards everything fell into place, and i felt at peace...

very awesome experience, never looked back since.

Joy of Satan is a great website with a lot of great information (and a MASSIVE list of meditative exercises). It is skewed though. There is a lot of anti-xian material, which is fair under the "eye for an eye" law but this is what turns me off from Satanism. The X-ians do deserve to be burned at the stake with their skin removed for all the deaths that can be laid at their feet, all the slander against non-xians, and their perversion of decency in search of power. I do not think that a true Satanist should really care about what other religions believe/do, however, and should simply see them as inferior and allow them to continue to funnel their energy into evil entities.

Edit to add: I have similar experiences through meditation. The vibrations are attributed to out of body experiences. An initiation ritual is a very profound experience and your interaction with the spirits probably brought on an out of body (or something close to)

[edit on 3-7-2008 by Scurvy]

As a Christian it is very hard to understand the principles and practices of Satanism. It goes against everything that has been taught to us from when we were weee babies. However, it is very important for us as Christians to be respectful of others and their own beliefs. Although I may or may not agree with the aspects of Satanism I respect it as I would any other religion.

reply to post by Scurvy


Tell me about it, they are a bit over the top on the whole xian bashing thing, but i simply scrolled down and went onto the good stuff, like the meditation you mentioned.

Alot of good info on that site

Now I would like to delve into what seems to be a contradictory title: Satanic Sins. In Satanism, the act of committing a sin does not lead to damnation or punishment of any form save for the personal misery achieved by breaking these rules. They outline the correct method for becoming a respectable mature Satanist. I am sure we are all guilty of one or two of these at any given time. As opposed to Christian sins such as lust and greed which are seemingly unavoidable the Satanic sins are quite easily avoided as long as they are kept fresh in the mind.

This info is again borrowed from Satanism101.com as mentioned previously

Stupidity The top of the list for Satanic Sins. The Cardinal Sin of Satanism. It's too bad that stupidity isn't painful. Ignorance is one thing, but our society thrives increasingly on stupidity. It depends on people going along with whatever they are told. The media promotes a cultivated stupidity as a posture that is not only acceptable but laudable. Satanists must learn to see through the tricks and cannot afford to be stupid.

Much of the world is guilty of this first sin and many would agree it is the biggest problem facing society today

Pretentiousness Empty posturing can be most irritating and isn't applying the cardinal rules of Lesser Magic. On equal footing with stupidity for what keeps the money in circulation these days. Everyone's made to feel like a big shot, whether they can come up with the goods or not.

This falls into the Satanic idea of avoiding self delusion. Pretentiousness in this case refers to "empty posturing" which is different from pride in one's work, ability or accomplishment. If someone is worthy of praise then it is likely that he will be praised.

Solipsism Can be very dangerous for Satanists. Projecting your reactions, responses and sensibilities onto someone who is probably far less attuned than you are. It is the mistake of expecting people to give you the same consideration, courtesy and respect that you naturally give them. They won't. Instead, Satanists must strive to apply the dictum of "Do unto others as they do unto you." It's work for most of us and requires constant vigilance lest you slip into a comfortable illusion of everyone being like you. As has been said, certain utopias would be ideal in a nation of philosophers, but unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately, from a Machiavellian standpoint) we are far from that point.

This is perhaps the sin I am most guilty of on a regular basis and has led to quite a bit of heart ache on my part. You should never assume that others are as intelligent, logical, enlightened or knowledgeable as you are. If you are reading this it is a very good possibility that you are smarter and more able to think freely than most people you will meet.

Self-deceit It's in the Nine Satanic Statements but deserves to be repeated here. Another cardinal sin. We must not pay homage to any of the sacred cows presented to us, including the roles we are expected to play ourselves. The only time self-deceit should be entered into is when it's fun, and with awareness. But then, it's not self-deceit!

Self deceit is an on going problem in today's world of MySpace and YouTube. Everyone desires to be more than they are and in lieu of achieving any new knowledge or abilities it is easier to simply begin believing yourself to be special. It also refers to the idea of "Sacred Cows" or that which must not be questioned. This aspect applies to many things such as government, religion, society, relationships and common thought.

Herd Conformity That's obvious from a Satanic stance. It's all right to conform to a person's wishes, if it ultimately benefits you. But only fools follow along with the herd, letting an impersonal entity dictate to you. The key is to choose a master wisely instead of being enslaved by the whims of the many.

Conformity is the death of creativity and variety. Conformity leads to the mundane and robs us of the gifts of difference. Variety is the spice of life as the saying goes.

Lack of Perspective Again, this one can lead to a lot of pain for a Satanist. You must never lose sight of who and what you are, and what a threat you can be, by your very existence. We are making history right now, every day. Always keep the wider historical and social picture in mind. That is an important key to both Lesser and Greater Magic. See the patterns and fit things together as you want the pieces to fall into place. Do not be swayed by herd constraints -- know that you are working on another level entirely from the rest of the world.

This states that we should always keep an historical perspective fresh in our minds, we must realize that we are part of both a long history and a long future. You should always remember that what you do today may be remembered for centuries. Conversely you mustn't forget the centuries that have led up to your current situation in life. We are all very historically significant as we are making history every day.

Forgetfulness of Past Orthodoxies Be aware that this is one of the keys to brainwashing people into accepting something "new" and "different," when in reality it's something that was once widely accepted but is now presented in a new package. We are expected to rave about the genius of the "creator" and forget the original. This makes for a disposable society.

This tells us that we should always be on the look out for repackaged ideas and philosophies lest we be tricked into following failed and outdated ideals. This applies to many things such as the repackaging of Christianity as "Spiritual Self Help".

Counterproductive Pride That first word is important. Pride is great up to the point you begin to throw out the baby with the bathwater. The rule of Satanism is: if it works for you, great. When it stops working for you, when you've painted yourself into a corner and the only way out is to say, "I'm sorry, I made a mistake, I wish we could compromise somehow," then do it.

This one is simple, always own up to your mistakes, if you know you are wrong about something admit it, you will do yourself no good in defending something you know to be wrong.

Lack of Aesthetics This is the physical application of the Balance Factor. Aesthetics is important in Lesser Magic and should be cultivated. It is obvious that no one can collect any money off classical standards of beauty and form most of the time so they are discouraged in a consumer society, but "an eye" for for beauty, for balance, is an essential Satanic tool and must be applied for greatest magical effectiveness. It's not what's supposed to be pleasing -- it's what is. Aesthetics is a personal thing, reflective of one's own nature, but there are universally pleasing and harmonious configurations that should not be denied.

This refers not the typical notion of physical beauty proposed by the media. This refers to the perfect balance, the proper composition of things and the nature of true beauty. For instance, we may see a dead tree, to those brainwashed by "beauty" it will seem ugly and useless, but to a Satanist with a good eye for aesthetics will recognize it's true beauty and therefore it's true power.

And there we have the Satanic Sins, are logical rules to live by. I defy anyone to claim they are not guilty of one or two of these sins.

[edit on 3-7-2008 by Shadowflux]

[edit on 3-7-2008 by Shadowflux]

Arguably there is in this thread a very cogent evangelical presentation of Levayan satanism "on paper' which represents a kind of tiny 'Protestant' or 'Reformed' wing of satanism beginning in the 1960's at the same time as the Process Church -- a sort of ecletic Scientologist, neo-Yezidi grab bag bound up historically with the crimes of Charles Manson.

There are also more humorous representations of satanism: Redeemer Church of Satan

While Levayan satanism is at pains to distance itself from occult crimes, Susan Atkins of the Charles Manson family maintains that Anton LeVay was a theistic satanist in private. Susan Atkins is one of the principals in the satanic murder of Sharon Tate.

There is always a lot of talk from the ignorant as to what Satanism is all about and many a Satanist has wasted time trying to defend against these ludicrous accusations. So now I would like to answer the question of what exactly Satanism is all about. Every religion has a goal, an ideal world they wish to build on this planet and these five points as outlined by LaVey describes the goals of Satanism in regards to changing our current society.

This info is taken from the Official Church of Satan website found here:

Church of Satan Official Website

1. Stratification—The point on which all the others ultimately rest. 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. Water must be allowed to seek its own level without interference from apologists for incompetence. No one should be protected from the effects of his own stupidity.

2. Strict taxation of all churches—If churches were taxed for all their income and property, they’d crumble overnight of their own obsolescence, and the National Debt would be wiped out as quickly. The productive, the creative, the resourceful should be subsidized. So long as the useless and incompetent are getting paid, they should be heavily taxed.

3. No tolerance for religious beliefs secularized and incorporated into law and order issues—to re-establish “Lex Talionis” would require a complete overturning of the present in-justice system based on Judeo-Christian ideals, where the victim/defender has been made the criminal. Amnesty should be considered for anyone in prison because of his alleged “influence” upon the actual perpetrator of the crime. Everyone is influenced in what he or she does. Scapegoating has become a way of life, a means of survival for the unfit. As an extension of the Judeo-Christian cop-out of blaming the Devil for everything, criminals can gain leniency, even praise, by placing the blame on a convenient villain. Following the Satanic creed of “Responsibility to the responsible,” in a Satanic society, everyone must experience the consequences of his own actions—for good or ill.

4. Development and production of artificial human companions—The forbidden industry. An economic “godsend” which will allow everyone “power” over someone else. Polite, sophisticated, technologically feasible slavery. And the most profitable industry since T.V. and the computer.

5. The opportunity for anyone to live within a total environment of his or her choice, with mandatory adherence to the aesthetic and behavioral standards of same—Privately owned, operated and controlled environments as an alternative to homogenized and polyglot ones. The freedom to insularize oneself within a social milieu of personal well-being. An opportunity to feel, see, and hear that which is most aesthetically pleasing, without interference from those who would pollute or detract from that option.

There you have it, in the founder's own words :

This is the encapsulated version of the current thrust of Satanic advocacy. So when someone asks you, “Well, what do Satanists do?”, you will be qualified to tell him.

I have a question. What is the standpoint of Satanism on the hereafter? I had heard an interview on C2C with a man named Joshua P Warren that stated that Satanists do not believe there is anything after life here on Earth.

Satanism is often compared to Crowley and his teachings. However, one thing must be made clear, that Satanism does not endorse or participate in Crowley's use of narcotics. The common media representation of Satanist sometimes includes drug addled junkies. Here are a few statements on Drug Use taken from the Church of Satan website mentioned before:

If a substance is legal, a Satanist may or may not choose to indulge in it. “Indulgence, NOT compulsion” is your guide. Since survival is the highest law, the Satanist will not ruin or poison his or her body, even if it is legal to do so. This is an important distinction. Self-destructive, suicidal hedonism—via whatever means—is ultimately un-Satanic as it threatens the very thing a Satanist holds most dear: his own life. There is no mystical “Scoreboard in the Sky” dictating whether such an act is Wrong or Right; it simply IS, and dead brain cells, blackened lungs and non-functional livers are not a matter of opinion.

These are quotes from LaVey:

From The Satanic Witch, originally titled The Compleat Witch, publication date: 1970.

“Let me state categorically at this point that drugs are antithetical to the practice of magic, as they tend to disassociate the user from reality, even though he oftentimes thinks himself closer.”

Letters From the Devil*, publication date: January 10th, 1971

“The official stand of the Church of Satan on the subject of drugs is vehement opposition! Asking me to provide you with drugs is like asking a hippie to give an eulogistic speech on the merits of big business.”

Letters From the Devil, published in 1971

“You obviously have a good mind and possess the potential to attain, through proper training, your self-godhead. Don’t throw it all away for cheap miracles; drugs are NOT the answer nor even the first step. They are, instead, a step backwards for any aspiring magician.”

From an interview in Black Magic, Satanism and Voodoo by Dr. Leo L. Martello, publication date: 1972.

“...drugs are great for slaves, but no good for the masters. The glories attained through a drug experience are no more valid than the meaningless baubles with which the status-seeking drone surrounds himself... Those who eulogize on unfoldment gained through drugs have obviously been insensitive to such awareness-provoking stimuli as complete sexual fulfillment, beautiful music, inspirational literature, etc. The excuse that certain drugs are a necessary adjunct to the practice of magic is quite lame... “I consider drug abuse a polite alternative to suicide. Perhaps one day euthanasia will be be made attractive enough and the drug problem will be solved.”

Satanists do not indulge in the use of narcotics nor do they condone their use. In fact, LaVey was always quite adamant in regards to the detrimental effects of narcotics in relation to the practice of both Satanism and ritual magic.

Forgive me if I do not sound very educated on this subject I'm new to this website