Satanism is a term that refers to a number of related belief systems. Their commonality is that they all feature the symbolism of Satan or similar figures. Originally, this figure was the one who challenged the religious faith of humans in the Hebrew Bible. Since then, the Abrahamic religions have variously regarded Satan as a rebellious fallen angel or demon that tempts humans to sin or commit evil deeds. Others regard the Biblical Satan as an allegory that represents a crisis of faith, individualism, free will, wisdom and enlightenment.
Before the 1960s, Satanic groups were considered underground and often illegal. Anti-witchcraft laws such as the 1735 British Witchcraft Act (repealed in 1951), reflected strong public sentiment against witchcraft and Satanism. Modern satanism came into broad public awareness in the 1960s, with events such as the founding of the Church of Satan in 1966, events that were given wide media coverage.
Modern Satanist groups (those which appeared after the 1960s) are widely diverse, but two major trends which can be seen are Theistic Satanism and Atheistic Satanism. Theistic Satanists are said to venerate Satan as a supernatural deity, whom some consider to be entirely benevolent. In contrast, Atheistic Satanists[1] consider themselves atheists and regard Satan as merely symbolic of certain human traits.
This categorization of Satanism (which could be categorized in other ways, for example "Traditional" versus "Modern"), is not necessarily adopted by Satanists themselves, who usually would not specify which type of Satanism they adhere to. Each "type" of Satanist will usually refer to themselves only as a "Satanist".
Theistic Satanism
Theistic Satanism (also known as Spiritual or Traditional Satanism) is the worship or reverence of Satan as a deity. It comprises several viewpoints, and may include a belief in magic, which is manipulated through ritual. It may also include the usage of meditation and self expansion. Traditional Satanists will often find inspiration from older sources (preceding the Satanic Bible of the 1960s), such the 1862 book Satanism and Witchcraft.
One group that falls under the definition of Theistic Satanism are Reverse Christians; this is sometimes used as a disparaging term by other Theistic Satanists and is embraced to a lesser or greater extent by the groups given this label. Groups called Reverse Christians are said to practice what Christians claim Satanists do, such as performing black masses.
Atheistic Satanism
LaVeyan Satanism
LaVeyan Satanism is a religion founded in 1966 by Anton Szandor LaVey. Its teachings are based on individualism, self-indulgence, and "eye for an eye" morality. Unlike Theistic Satanists, LaVeyan Satanists are atheists and agnostics who regard Satan as a symbol of man's inherent nature.[2] According to religioustolerance.org, LaVeyan Satanism is a "small religious group that is unrelated to any other faith, and whose members feel free to satisfy their urges responsibly, exhibit kindness to their friends, and attack their enemies".[3] Its beliefs were first detailed in The Satanic Bible and it is overseen by the Church of Satan.
Temple of Set
The Temple of Set is an initiatory occult society claiming to be the world's leading left-hand path religious organization. It was established in 1975 by Michael A. Aquino and certain members of the priesthood of the Church of Satan,[4] who left because of administrative and philosophical disagreements. The philosophy of the Temple of Set may be summed up as "enlightened individualism" – enhancement and improvement of oneself by personal education, experiment, and initiation. This process is necessarily different and distinctive for each individual. Some people who are not members of the Temple of Set find spiritual inspiration in the Egyptian god Set, and may share some beliefs with the organization. The belief system in general is referred to as Setianism.
Symbolic Satanism
Symbolic Satanism[5][6] (sometimes called Modern Satanism) is the observance and practice of Satanic religious beliefs, philosophies and customs.[7] In this interpretation of Satanism, the Satanist does not worship Satan in the theistic sense, but is an adversary to all, spiritual creeds, espousing hedonism, materialism, Randian Objectivism, antinomianism, rational egoism, individualism, suitheism, Nietzschean and some Crowleyan philosophy and anti-theism.
Pre-1960s Satanism
(Groups or individuals alleged to have practiced Satanism before the appearance of modern Satanism in the 1960s)
Historically, primarily in Christian European civilization over the centuries, but also in Muslim countries (for example, the Yezidis), some people or groups have been specifically described as worshipping Satan or the Devil, or of being devoted to the work of Satan. The widespread preponderance of these groups in European cultures, is in part connected with the importance and meaning of Satan within Christianity. When viewing the historical development of the phenomenon of Satanism in the list below, it becomes evident that, while the earlier Christian examples may reflect the goals of the Catholic Church to overcome pagans and heretics (or to dispose of opponents, as was the case with Urbain Grandier), the later examples (at least from the time of de Sade onwards), clearly express an open hatred, to the point of sacrilege and blasphemy in some cases, towards Christianity, and the Roman Catholic Church in particular.
Some of the main personalities and groups that have stood out over the centuries, are:
In Muslim cultures
- Yezidis worshiping Melek Taus (often called Satan worshippers or Roman Catholics by some sectors of the Muslim religion)[8]
In Christian cultures
(in chronological order)
- Pagans celebrating Pan, Diana, or other Pagan deities (claimed by the Catholic Church to be worshipping the Devil and his minions).[9]
- Witches, resulting in the Witch trials in Early Modern Europe.[9]
- Gilles de Rais (1400s, France).[9]
- Urbain Grandier (1500s, France). Although set up by the Catholic Church, a very famous document, in Latin, of a pact with the Devil which he allegedly wrote, has been preserved.[9]
- Faust (1500s, Germany)[9]. Many instructions, in German and in Latin, for making a pact with the Devil were attributed to him. These were collected and published in Germany in a few of the volumes of Das Kloster (1845-1849).
- People involved in the Poison affair, such as Catherine Deshayes and Etienne Guibourg (1600s, France). The documentation from their trial is the principal middle age source for information on the Black Mass.[10][11]
- The Marquis de Sade (1700s, France), described by some authors as being devoted to Satanism. His works graphically described blasphemy against the Catholic Church, such as an orgy resembling a Black Mass conducted by a Pope in the Vatican (in his novel Juliette ).[12]
- In 1865 the anti-Vatican Italian poet Giosuè Carducci, published his poem praising Satan as the god of reason and expressing hatred towards Christianity, Inno a Satana ("Hymn to Satan"). (Carducci's poem contains both Italian declinations of Satan: Satana and Satani).
- Many adherents of the Decadent movement, such as the Polish author Stanisław Przybyszewski, the Belgian artist Félicien Rops, and the French poet Charles Baudelaire (who published his poem, Les Litanies de Satan, "The Litanies of Satan" in 1857) either called themselves Satanists, or created overtly satanist artwork and literature. [13]
- Some French movements widely described as being Satanist by French writers of the time (Late 1800s to early 1900s). The most well-known description available in English, is the 1891 novel Là-Bas, by Joris-Karl Huysmans. However, there were numerous other well-known personalities in France which were related to the circles Huysmans describes, such as Joseph-Antoine Boullan, Stanislas de Guaita, Henri Antoine Jules-Bois, and Joséphin Péladan, who either wrote about Satanism in France, or were accused of being Satanists themselves.[14][15]
- Freemasonry was described as being satanist, also in France at the same time, by the elaborate, completely discredited Taxil hoax[16]. It is true, however, that some personalities popularly associated with Satanism during that time (such as Félicien Rops), were also Freemasons.
- At least two Satanic (or "Luciferian") sects existed in France in the 1930s. One was led by Maria de Naglowska, and had rituals dedicated to Satan and Lucifer.[17] Another, led by a former Catholic priest, celebrated an inversion of the Latin Mass (a "Luciferian Mass"), which included the phrase "In nomine Domini Dei nostri Satanae Luciferi Excelsi" (a phrase which would re-appear 30 years later in Anton LaVey's Satanic Bible).[18]
- The Ophite Cultus Satanas ("the Ophite Cult of Satan"), a group founded in Ohio in 1948, said they worshipped the Ophite serpent, which they called Satanas (Satan).
Satanism and heavy metal music
Heavy metal music has often been connected with Satanism, in part to the lyrical content of several bands and their frequent use of imagery often tied to left hand path beliefs (such as the upside-down pentagram). As a result, members of several bands, including Slayer and Black Sabbath, have faced accusations of being Satanists. More often than not, such musicians say they do not believe in legitimate Satanic ideology and often profess to being atheists or, in some instances, followers of right hand path religions, while using that which appears to be "Satanic" for entertainment purposes and shock value.[19]
However, while some debate their authenticity, other artists have professed Satanic beliefs. Glen Benton, vocalist and bassist of the band Deicide, once openly claimed to be a practitioner of Theistic Satanism, and has spoken publicly on numerous occasions[20] to profess staunch anti-Christian sentiment. Norwegian black metal artists, such as those from bands Mayhem, Emperor and Gorgoroth, have also defended modern Satanic ideology.[21] Numerous burnings of churches that covered parts of Norway in the early 1990s were also attributed to youths involved in the black metal movement, who claimed to have theistic Satanic beliefs and strong "anti-LaVeyan" attitudes.[22] However, the legitimacy of such actions as Satanic endeavors, rather than simply rebellious actions done for publicity, is something that has been doubted by even those who contribute to the genre.[23]
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