The truth about LeVay

I recently started reading a thread entitled 'The truth about Satanism' in which the original poster explained what Satanism is and isn't. Though I agree with his definitions and believe that the church has in fact embellished upon and sensationalised stories about satanists, I was surprised at the respect the majority of the posters had for Anton LeVay, the founder of the church of Satan.

Anton LeVay's daughter Zeena has some very interesting things to say about her late father. It turns out that he was rather mundane, a complete liar and extremely cruel. You can read it all in an article entitled Anton LaVey: Legend and Reality but I'll paste a few choice bits here as well....

When they refer to 'ASL' below, they are talking about Anton Szandor LaVey...

LEGEND: Claimed that "Anton Szandor LaVey" was his genuine birth name.

REALITY: Born "Howard Stanton Levey".

...


LEGEND: ASL purchased the house at 6114 California Street (which would later become the headquarters of the Church of Satan - the infamous "Black House") because he discovered on first inspection that it was the former brothel of Barbary Coast madam Mammy Pleasant. The house was honeycombed with trapdoors and secret passageways, built by Pleasant to elude police raids.

REALITY: 6114 was ASL's parents' home. It was never a brothel, nor did Mammy Pleasant ever live or work there. ASL's parents first allowed ASL and his first wife Carole to live in the house, then transferred ownership of it to ASL and his second wife Diane in 1971. Such secret passages and hidden rooms that exist were constructed by ASL.

...

LEGEND: ASL had a deeply affectionate relationship with his other pets.

REALITY: In the late 1960s ASL acquired a Doberman Pinscher (Loki) as an accent to his "sinister" image. ASL never took the time to housebreak or train Loki, and relegated him to the overgrown and unkempt backyard of the house, regardless of weather. If Loki ever tried to slip into the house for shelter, ASL routinely used Togare's cattle-prod on him to terrify him back outside. In his old age Loki developed such severe arthritis that he could not climb the stairs to the back door to eat, and began wasting away from malnutrition. ASL then gave him to one of his prostitute "students", who at least saw that Loki had a warm, inside home until he died a few months later. During her young childhood ASL's daughter Zeena once awoke late at night to hear slamming sounds and the shrieking of her German Shepherd puppy. Running downstairs, she saw ASL savagely beating the cowering, cornered dog with a wooden plank. When Zeena begged ASL to stop and asked him what the dog had done to deserve such treatment, ASL screamed, "She won't listen to me! I'm going to force her to obey me!" ASL continued beating the dog until her face was covered with her blood, then dropped the plank and left the dog quivering in the hallway, so injured and frightened that she wouldn't let even Zeena come near her. This incident left the dog traumatized for a long time afterwards.

There is so much more in the article, and I do urge anyone who has an interest in Anton LeVay or the Church of Satan to read it. You will find he is not the profound, mysterious, legendary individual that he marketed himself as. He's a sad case and definitely no one to look up to.

reply to post by the siren


So he lied about his past. He's an author who wrote the satanic bible I think if he said he lived a normal life no one would look at his book. Read it, very funny as a semi atheist awesome book to read during philosophy class.


I'd also like to add there are many bad people in this world, and they too have a right to publish books. I really don't understand what your trying to argue. Don't buy this, the guy abuses dogs? So the guys not a saint do you need to be one to write a book? Look at the creator of Scientology, he's got a record.

Originally posted by Xiamara
I'd also like to add there are many bad people in this world, and they too have a right to publish books. I really don't understand what your trying to argue. Don't buy this, the guy abuses dogs? So the guys not a saint do you need to be one to write a book? Look at the creator of Scientology, he's got a record.

I'm not saying he didn't have a right to publish a book. I'm not saying that you aren't allowed to enjoy that book either...I'm saying, given his penchant for telling lies, the book is likely full of them as well.

A lot of people don't realise what a fraud he was, and I think it's worthwhile bringing that info into the light.

Interesting about L.Ron Hubbard - didn't know he had a record. Do you know what for?

reply to post by the siren


I did a Quick Google Search link and this is what I found. Most modern day "messiahs" are unstable. *ahem* Glenn Beck *ahem* Anyways, my point is everyone has a skeleton in their backyard, if your famous that skeleton becomes 10 because people try and bring you down blow things out of the water.

Either way, anyone who abuses animals should be struck down, in my book.
But, that's my book.

Animal abusers lose instant credibility with me.
Even though I wasn't looking for anything in the guy that started the Church of Satan.

He was looking for fortune and fame, I bet.
Wonder what he found after death?

Good read, OP.




BTW:

Originally posted by Xiamara
reply to post by the siren

 

Most modern day "messiahs" are unstable. *ahem* Glenn Beck *ahem*

[facepalm] Glenn Beck is a 'messiah'?
Come on. He never claimed to start a religion, cult or sect.
Be it as it may, at least the man is getting a history lesson out to the idiots who idolize the television.
Most people who mock Glenn Beck just look at his 'big business' support and slam him for that.
They never realize that he is responsible for alot of people waking up out of their slumber.
(those that don't come to ATS)

reply to post by the siren


Not meaning to be an ass, but isn't his name LaVey, not LeVay?

"Love thyself!" ....and love thy neighbour with the same love

reply to post by havok


I'm not a glenn beck fan at all I think he's unstable and is a fear mongering lunatic. Its his side or your a terrorist, and history? Really he teaches history... Well Okay if you say so. He has a cult, and that's my opinion. I think all organized religion is a cult. But again my opinion you don't have to like it, your not going to change my mind and I'm not going to change yours so accept that, that is my opinion.

Not meaning to be an ass, but isn't his name LaVey, not LeVay?

No, you're not being an ass. Yes I spelled it wrong in most places...including the title it seems. Oh well...I must be a bit lysdexic.

reply to post by the siren


I jam sleightly dyslesbian myself, witch can beek white hard sin say jam a mail.

Originally posted by Xiamara
reply to post by havok

 

I'm not a glenn beck fan at all I think he's unstable and is a fear mongering lunatic. Its his side or your a terrorist, and history? Really he teaches history... Well Okay if you say so. He has a cult, and that's my opinion. I think all organized religion is a cult. But again my opinion you don't have to like it, your not going to change my mind and I'm not going to change yours so accept that, that is my opinion.

edit on 3-10-2010 by Xiamara because: (no reason given)

There must be a defense mechanism on ATS lately. Sheesh.
I'm not opposing your views. I agree to an extent. He is a sensationalist.
But, I wouldn't go as far as calling him a 'messiah'.
Now Obama, that's a different story. People actually called him that.
While I don't agree with the radical, "Save Big Business" strategy that Beck uses, I do see some things he says that are truths. Things about the founding fathers, communism compared from Europe to China and the direction we are heading. There is a history lesson involved when you learn things about the founding fathers that you didn't learn in school, or through your own research.
Not to say that there isn't a 'puppet-master' behind him.
He even admits that his writers come up with alot of the dialogue. Not him.

Either way it's off topic.