Links:
Church of Satan
Satanism FAQ
Basis of Satanism
The Feared Religeon
Satan
The Deathtoll (On Site)
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Lucifers Playplace
There is likely no religious group more misunderstood than the Satanists. Their
very name evokes the image of devil-worshipping heathens in the minds of
Christians. Ironically, Christianity's "Great Enemy" does not involve (or even
acknowledge the existance of) the Christian Satan. While many Satanists are
anti-Christian, they are not the dark version of the same religion as is popularly
believed.
Satanists DO NOT worship the devil. They do not worship anything. Satanism is a
belief in the Self. One seeks to attain the highest state of existance through
magick, experience, and knowledge. There is no room for kowtowing to a god.
To the true Satanist, Satan is more like a force of nature than an entity. However,
acknowledging such a force does not obligate one to worship it.
Modern Satanism really began in 1966 with a man named Anton LaVey.
He wrote the Satanic Bible and started what would become the Church of Satan
(CoS). LaVey (the Black Pope) is the current head of
the CoS. Until LaVey, there was no true organization to Satanism.
LaVey started an Occult revival. His Church flourished, and, as in most religions,
internal strife began. In 1975, some on LaVey's actions caused many of the
Priesthood of Mendes (the name of the Satanic order of priests) to disavow the
Church and resign membership. They then formed the Temple of Set (ToS). The
ToS is based on ancient magickal philosophies from many ages in man's history.
Set is the Egyptian version of the Prince of Darkness (predating the Christian
Satan).
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