by Magister Peter H. Gilmore
When Anton Szandor LaVey shaved his head and created the Church of Satan
on April 30, 1966, he knew that soon he would be the focal point of attention
for people throughout the globe. Now that the thirtieth anniversary of
that fateful night has passed, has the world begun to understand the real
meaning behind the only organized religion in history to take as its symbol
the ultimate figure of pride and rebellion, and to many, of Evil?
And are there truly some grounds for people to feel fear at the ever growing
phenomenon of contemporary Satanism? As a priest in the Church of Satan
and media representative, I can candidly say, Yes! However, what the general
populace has decided to fear is a ludicrous portrait that has been painted
in lurid technicolor by media hypesters intent on titillation, evangelists
struggling to fill their coffers and keep their mistresses in jewelry,
and most distressingly, by a segment of the therapeutic community who have
found a gold-mine in the treatment of so-called ritual abuse survivors
who provide no evidence of their tales of terror (remarkably similar to
stories told by women labelled by Freud as hysterics), save for their fervent
belief that they were victimised. I shall not waste time in refuting the
absurd claim that there is an international conspiracy of generational
Satanists bent on enslaving the world through drug use and sacrifice of
babies bred for that purpose by emotionally unstable women. That mythology
has been thoroughly exploded by other sources (The FBI's National Center
for the Analysis of Violent Crime: "Investigator's Guide to Allegations
of Ritual Child Abuse," January 1992; the Committee for Scientific
Examination of Religion's report "Satanism in America," October
1989; the British Government's Department of Health report: "The Extent
and Nature of Organised and Ritual Abuse," HMSO, 1994 ). Let us instead
look at contemporary Satanism for what it really is: a brutal religion
of elitism and social Darwinism that seeks to re-establish the reign of
the able over the idiotic, of swift justice over injustice, and for a wholesale
rejection of egalitarianism as a myth that has crippled the advancement
of the human species for the last two thousand years. Is that something
to fear? If you're one of the majority of human mediocrities merely existing
as a media-besotted drone, you bet it is!
The philosophy of Satanism is delineated in the writings of Anton Szandor
LaVey. His books include _The Satanic Bible_, _The Satanic Rituals_, _The
Satanic Witch_, and _The Devil's Notebook_. All are currently in print
and should be consulted by anyone interested in a complete picture of the
views held by the Church of Satan. One can obtain further information by
reading two books by Blanche Barton, personal secretary to Mr. LaVey and
an administrator of the Church, _The Secret Life of a Satanist, the authorized
biography of Anton LaVey_ (Feral House) and _The Church of Satan_ (Hell's
Kitchen Productions). These works have a great deal of material regarding
the history and contemporary practices of the Church of Satan.
For those who have yet to study this literature, there are three sets of
brief guidelines* issued over the years by the Church and authored by LaVey,
which can give the uninitiated a capsulized version of Satanic philosophy.
The first are the "Nine Satanic Statements" (copyright 1969)
which open _The Satanic Bible_ and give a firm foundation for the Satanist.
They are:
The next statements, "The Eleven Satanic Rules of the Earth"
(copyright 1967), were written at about the same time, but were then considered
too frank and brutal for general release and issued only to the membership.
Here is the "Lex Satanicus," a law of the jungle for social interaction:
Since we have been issuing statements of what we are seeking, it was considered
time to make a list of behaviors that we wish to see avoided in the Satanic
community. Satanists acknowledge that we are human and work towards perfection,
but can sometimes fall into negative patterns of action. Thus was born
the list of The "Nine Satanic Sins"(copyright 1987), guidelines
for what Satanists consider to be non-productive behavior to be recognized
and eliminated from one's daily existence.
--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.
--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.
--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.
--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!
--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.
--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.
--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.
--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 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 basically sums up the rudiments of Satanic philosophy. It certainly
has nothing to do with the prevailing Judeo-Christian outlook of altruism
and self-sacrifice, and can thus seem quite alien and frightening to one
brought up in that world view. Realistically, the Satanic code of behavior
is based on human nature as it is and thus comes naturally to most people
who have not been deeply indoctrinated in anti-life and anti-rational belief
systems. It is a fact that many people today call themselves Christians
but really have no clear concept as to what that philosophy fully entails,
so they generally behave in a Satanic fashion. We think that it is high
time that this is recognized and that people call themselves what they
truly are, not what is socially convenient for them.
As you can see, there are no elements of Devil worship in the Church of
Satan. Such practices are looked upon as being Christian heresies; believing
in the Christian world view of God vs. the Devil and choosing to side with
the Prince of Darkness. Satanists do not believe in the supernatural, in
neither God nor the Devil. To the Satanist, he is his own God. Satan is
a symbol of Man living as his prideful, carnal nature dictates. The reality
behind Satan is simply the dark evolutionary force of entropy that permeates
all of nature and provides the drive for survival and propagation inherent
in all living things. Satan is not a conscious entity to be worshipped,
rather a reservoir of power inside each human to be tapped at will. Thus
any concept of sacrifice is rejected as a Christian aberration--in Satanism
there's no diety to which one can sacrifice.
Satanists do have experience of the super-normal in their practice of ritual
or Greater Magic. This is a technique for influencing the outcome of human
events to desired ends via reaching an extreme emotional state in the context
of a ritual, sending forth a vision of what you want to occur (the Is To
Be), which, if your levels of adrenaline are high enough, will permeate
the unconscious minds of those you wish to influence, causing them to behave
as you Will when the time is right. This does not mean that anything is
possible, for it takes a great deal of energy to make a strong sending,
and it is often difficult to influence events from the inertia of their
present directions. Awareness of your abilities and what is possible to
achieve is the hallmark of a successful Satanic magician. Satanists also
practice Lesser Magic which is basically the day to day manipulation of
your fellows to obtain your ends. Detailed techniques are given in _The
Satanic Witch_.
Recently we have seen certain evangelists and even academics calling Satanism
a neo-Nazi movement. This is an innacurate label. The Nazi movement drew
much of its power from a racist doctrine of Aryan superiority. Satanism
is far more discerning than that. While there are provable biological differences
between the races and statistically demonstrable performance levels in
various activities, it is quite irrational to think that someone can be
elite or not simply because of the color of their skin. Even if one comes
from promising genetic stock, and by that we mean from ancestors who have
proven their abilities to be superior in performance, this does not guarantee
an individual's advancement. No, we Satanists only recognize an individual
as elite if they prove it by cultivating their natually endowed abilities
to the highest extent possible. This is something that requires the Satanic
virtue of discipline, a quality we try to instill in our own iron youth.
There are elite individuals from all ethnic backgrounds, and they are embraced
by Satanism for the superior beings that they are--creating a uniquely
Satanic ethnic.
Satanists treasure individualism, hardly something to be gained goose-stepping
down the "strasse." Yet we do not embrace an "anything goes"
atmosphere wherein all values are relative and nothing rises above a sludge
of commonality. Satanism encourages a return to more traditional values
in art and literature such as mastery of technique and emotional communication,
of form and function, design and execution. Satanists find a wealth of
material in Western culture to be treasured for the pinnacle of human achievements
that they are, and not to be buried under the swill of multiculturalist
attempts to displace them with dubious achievements simply because they
are non-Western as has become rampant in some academic circles of late.
We call to each individual to seek human greatness wherever it can be found,
from the vaults of history and from the talented producers of the present,
and to deride the trendy sham for the shallow facade that it is. Since
Satanism stands for acceptance of Man as an animal, there have often been
creators in many past cultures who embraced this insight and explored it
in the context of their society, thus we seek out these artisitic and philosophical
expressions and see them to be the roots of our current awareness.
Satanists see the social structure of humanity as being stratified, thus
each person reaches a level commensurate with the development (or lack
thereof) of their natural talents. The principle of the survival of the
strong is advocated on all levels of society, from allowing an individual
to stand or fall, to even letting those nations that cannot handle themselves
take the consequences of this inability. Any assistance on all levels will
be on a "quid pro quo" basis. There would be a concommitant reduction
in the world's population as the weak are allowed to experience the consequences
of social Darwinism. Thus has nature always acted to cleanse and strengthen
her children. This is harsh, but that is the way of the world. We embrace
reality and do not try to transform it into some utopia that is contrary
to the very fabric of existence. Practical application of this doctrine
would see the complete cessation of the welfare system, an end to no-strings
attached foreign aid and new programs to award and encourage gifted individuals
in all fields to pursue personal excellence. A meritocracy will replace
the practice of such injustices as affirmative action and other programs
designed to punish the able and reward the undeserving.
Satanists also seek to enhance the laws of nature by concentrating on fostering
the practice of eugenics. This is not some exotic doctrine hatched in the
brains of Third Reich medical madmen. It is the practice of encouraging
people of talent and ability to reproduce, to enrich the gene pool from
which our species can grow. This was commonly practiced throughout the
world, as even a text on eugenics endorsed by the Women's Christian Temperence
Union can prove, until it was given a bad name by Nazi excesses. Until
the genetic code is cracked and we can choose the character of our offspring
at will, Satanists seek to mate the best with the best. Satanists who know
that they are defective refrain from reproducing.
Satanists are particulary disgusted by the extraordinary level of criminal
activity which abounds today and thus advocate a return to the Roman "Lex
Talionis"; let the punishment fit in kind and degree the crime. To
achieve this, we would be pleased to see the institution of an elite police
force, of men and women in peak physical and mental condition, trained
in advanced techniques of crime fighting who would be truly equipped to
handle the vermin that make so many of our cities into little more than
concrete jungles. Man is by nature a social creature and makes his social
contract with his fellows, thus rules of conduct are established to allow
maximum freedom for individuals to interact. Disobey those rules and punishment
must be swift and sure, and most probably public as well. This does not
mean the incarceration of individuals in institutions at the expense of
the victims for so called rehabilitation. No, these criminals must be put
to some use, perhaps as forced labor to even clean up the environment that
has so carelessly been soiled under the dominance of Christian spiritual
philosophy that sees man as superior to other living creatures with a God-given
right to abuse them at will. Man is an animal, and must go back to acting
like one--not soiling his own lair as only twisted humans do.
The Church of Satan pursues a five point plan to move society in directions
that are considered to be beneficial to Satanists. The first point is the
advocation of general recognition and acceptance of stratification, which
is no less than the elimination of egalitarianism wherever it has taken
root. Mediocrity shall be identified and despised. The stupid should suffer
for their behavior. The truly beautiful and magnificent are to be cherished.
Each individual must choose for himself his own aesthetic standards, but
we think that there are certain elements of achievement that are undeniable,
even if they are not satisfying to everyone. For example, one cannot deny
the superior accomplishment inherent in a Beethoven symphony, a Michelangelo
sculpture, a DaVinci painting, or a Shakespeare play. Many Satanists are
working to create their own citadels of excellence outside of the cultural
mainstream and have preserved the worthy from the past and continue to
create new works of power to be unleashed to those who will be appreciative.
The second point is the enforcement of strict taxation of all churches.
This would remove the government sanction of religion and force these parasites
to live off of their own members alone, and if they can't, then they will
perish as they should. The Church of Satan has never pursued tax-exempt
status and challenges all the rest of the world's churches to stand on
their own feet. Let us expose the vampiric nature of the organized religions
and see if they can withstand the light of day.
Third, we call for the re-establishment of Lex Talionis throughout human
society. The Judeo-Christian tradition which exists secularly under the
guise of liberal humanism has exalted the criminal over the victim, taking
responsibility away from the wrong-doer with their doctrine of forgiveness.
Such thinking is a disgrace towards the ideal of justice. This must stop!
Individuals must be held accountable for the consequences of their actions,
and not be allowed to scapegoat society, history, or other supposed "outside"
influences. It should come as no surprise that many Satanists are part
of law enforcement agencies, and a large number of people throughout this
and other criminal justice systems who fully agree with Satanic philosophy
on this point. If the law is not being enforced, Satanists advocate the
practice of seeking personal justice, but you are warned to be fully aware
of the consequences of such actions in today's corrupt society. With the
present state of affairs, the outcry may yet come to welcome justice back
to stay.
Fourth, Satanists advocate a new industry, the development and promotion
of artificial human companions. These humanoids will be constructed to
be as realistic as possible, and available to anyone who can afford one.
Recognizing that the human animal often raises himself up throught the
denegration of another, this would provide a safe outlet for such behavior.
Have the lover of your dreams, regardless of your own prowess; every man
a king who can purchase his own subject; or contrarywise, buy the master
you wish to serve. Freedom of choice to satisfy your most secret desires
with no-one to be bothered is now at hand. What could be better for blowing-off
the tension that exists throughout our society, and promoting healthier
interaction among true humans?
Finally we advocate the construction of total environments, technologically
up-to-date but theatrically convincing, to be literal pleasure domes and
places of amusement and delight. We have seen the beginnings in some of
the major theme parks, but let us take them on to the heights depicted
in films like _Westworld_. Here you will be able to indulge in whatever
environment you can imagine. Re-creation of past history would not only
be ripe for these constructions, but science fiction and fantasy will provide
fertile sources for many of these playgounds. Even now such projects are
gearing up.
Would the average person be able to spot a member of the Church of Satan?
Since Satanists cover the total spectrum of economic and professional achievement,
unless someone is sporting a sigil of Baphomet medallion, or wearing the
Baphomet lapel pin signifying an official representative, you really can
not pin down a Satanist by appearance and behavior alone. In their daily
practices, Satanists are individuals who are enjoying their lives in the
here and now. They eat what they please, dress as they please, and generally
follow whatever life style suits them best, so long as it is within the
laws of their country of residence.
There is no requirement for participation in ritual activity. The techniques
presented in our literature are for members to make use of as they so desire.
Some Satanists enjoy the social atmosphere of group ritual and seek out
others for this purpose. Many Satanists find their ritual activity to be
very personal and prefer to remain solitary. Either path is acceptible
to the Church of Satan. Indeed, there are no rules for frequency of ritual
activity. Some celebrate the equinoxes and solstices as holidays, but of
course one's own birthday is the highest Satanic holiday of the year. The
ritual process is often used as a cathartic, to cleanse the individual
of desires that could turn into compulsions if they remained unfulfilled,
thus such practices take the place of therapy. Satanists cherish their
individuality and do not try to conform to others' standards of normality.
Also, Satanists do not proselytize so you will not find yourself approached
by someone in a black cloak waving tracts in your face. We have our literature
readily available, and should someone find the philosophy to be to their
liking, they may approach us to investigate the possibility of affiliation
(Church of Satan, P.O. Box 210666, San Francisco, CA 94121). The general
public would probably be surprised to find that they have been interacting
with Satanists for many years, and that these Satanists will be some of
the most interesting, fair, trustworthy, and enjoyable people that they
know.
The world, when fully permeated by Satanism, will provide a challenging
environment wherein you can achieve much, or little, based on the level
of input you can muster and the extent of your natural abilities. Yes,
this is frightening to the masses who wish to sit back and be herded from
one media-hyped product to the next. Our world challenges you to think,
and do something with those thoughts! As ulimate realists, we do not expect
a large percentage of the human population to have the energy and discipline
needed to excell, nor would a Satanic society attempt to force people to
do that which is beyond their capabilities-- but we will not refrain from
judging these people by our standards. Those who wish to lead a drugged
existence, whether the addictive element is chemical or media, shall be
recognized for the slaves that they are and held in contempt. They can
continue their self-destructive paths if so desired, but they shall not
be allowed to hold back those who want to achieve greatness.
Don't worry, you who have been fooled into believing the paper tiger displayed
by today's media; we Satanists aren't after your children, for they are
probably as hopelessly mediocre as their parents. But we are moving the
world towards a state wherein the freeloaders will either work or starve,
and the parasites will be removed to wither and die. So, you need only
fear real Satanism if you are a criminal, a parasite, or a wastrel. Are
_you_ afraid?
* The "Nine Satanic Statements," "The Eleven Satanic Rules of the Earth," and "The Nine Satanic Sins" are copyrighted by Anton Szandor LaVey and may not be reproduced without pemission.