Alt-Religion Article: 8 Poor Reasons to Become A Satanist

[User1265455]

http://altreligion.about.com/od/satanis ... t.htm?nl=1

Due to misconceptions about what organized Satanism is, many people approach it with unrealistic goals or expectations. Here are eight misguided reasons for being a Satanist.

1. You seek power over others.
No real world magical practice can produce such dramatic results, and many Satanists do not believe in supernatural magic at all. Satanism encourages one to master control over the self, and then use that personal power to gain what they desire.

2. You seek access to ancient forbidden texts.
Such things do not exist. Organized Satanism is almost entirely a 20th century phenomenon. That means there are no ancient Satanic texts.

In addition, Satanists don't put a lot of inherent value in old things. If an old book has useful ideas, then by all means use it. But being old does not mean being good. Many actively embrace modernity over sentimental historical attachments.

3. You seek easier ways to get through life.
There is no cheat in life. Certainly stories and movies often depict Satanists easily gaining wealth and power through their pact with Satan. That is the traditional Christian view of Satanists. However, such people are mythological. They've never existed. They are the product of fiction, folklore and paranoia.

Actual Satanists are staunch realists. Results require effort. There's no magical shortcut around that reality.

4. You seek knowledge of the occult.
Some Satanists are also occultists. However, most occultists are not Satanists. Quite the opposite, many are Judeo-Christian in nature. If your interest in the occult, you would do better to study the occult directly, and you don't need to join an organization to do so. Many resources can be found in libraries and on the web from both modern and historical writers.

5. You seek dark rituals which will unlock your powers.
Many Satanists involve little or no ritual in their religious practices. Of those that do, many see magic as primarily or entirely psychological. It helps in the focus of the will, but it doesn't draw on supernatural forces. It might help you recognize your own strengths, but it is not going to grant you "powers." And whatever strengths you might see in yourself still need to be properly used. Being a solid researcher means nothing if you never actually research anything, for example.

6. You wish to subject yourself to a greater power.
Satanism is about the power of the self. Escaping the bonds of traditional religion, which generally places the believer in a secondary, subjugated position, is a part of Satanic practice. If you expect Satan to command your actions and rigidly delineate your life, organized Satanism is not what you are looking for.

Satanists are skeptics. They believe through evidence and rationality. They do not depend on revealed religion to tell them how to live their lives.

7. You seek orgies, drugs, animal sacrifice, and so forth.
You can find orgies and drugs without Satanism. Blood sacrifice of any kind is generally not a feature of Satanism. And if the ultimate goal is actually just to watch an animal suffer and die, Satanists, like everyone else, condemn the act as cruel and even psychotic.

8. You seek communion with the Christian Satan.
Satanists do not worship the Christian Satan. The Christian Satan is a being of torment, evil and wanton destruction, as well as a being still ultimately subject to God. The Satan of Satanists is often allegorical, and any form of him generally represents freedom, success, pleasure, knowledge and so forth.

Every once in a while a murderer claims to have committed their crime in the name of Satan. These people do not represent the beliefs of any organized Satanic group, and such groups actively condemn such people.

9. Conclusion
Joining a Satanic organization is more about empowerment and acknowledgement of one's own outlooks than receiving special benefits. Certainly information can be shared, but it isn't secret knowledge hidden away for ages that can only be revealed by a chosen few. Satanists are expected to be self-motivated, comfortable with their own nature, and understanding of Satanic philosophy.

In addition, they actively reject parasitic relationships. Satanists do not waste their time on people who constantly want more than they are willing to give. They also have no time for people who blind themselves with fantastical expectations. Change comes from within, not without. It's about hard work, talent and vision, not mere hopes and wishes.

[User1265455]

The above was an interesting article on About.com - their Alternative Religions Blog has a lot of REALLY good stuff... some of it relevant, some of it not - some of it accurate (for the most part) and some of it not. I think she's talking mostly about organized Satanism, as recognized by the Satanic Church. She wrote this in reply to the new notice on the Satanic Church's website, which basically says, "If you come from Africa and want to be a member, please send us a letter explaining your beliefs before we'll confirm you, because we keep getting a lot of fraudulent practitioners who only want to be members so they can set up religious practices in their areas that are screwy as f***."

From that perspective, she's accurate...

From the internal perspective of each individual practitioner, of COURSE yrmv - isn't that how it's supposed to be?

[User3246]

This is an interesting article, but I think you are right; it is more about organized Satanism I. E. the Satanic Church, than about Demons and Satan in general. I would call myself a Theistic Demonolator, and a Satanic Witch. I DO believe the oldest and wisest demons have become gods (The Demon Lords), and I respect all Demons as teachers and amazingly powerful beings. They are more powerful than me in this present incarnation, but they are NOT more powerful or learned or better than my own true form aspect (or anyone else's!). Satanic simply refers to my Patron or central 'god', whom I look towards for guidance. I am a Witch, because I believe in magick. how can one believe in Demons, and NOT believe in magick? they are the EMBODIMENT of magick! I am a firm believer in Arthur Clark's aphorism that "Any sufficiently advance technology is indistinguishable from magick".

[User1265455]

This is an interesting article, but I think you are right; it is more about organized Satanism I. E. the Satanic Church, than about Demons and Satan in general. I would call myself a Theistic Demonolator, and a Satanic Witch. I DO believe the oldest and wisest demons have become gods (The Demon Lords), and I respect all Demons as teachers and amazingly powerful beings. They are more powerful than me in this present incarnation, but they are NOT more powerful or learned or better than my own true form aspect (or anyone else's!). Satanic simply refers to my Patron or central 'god', whom I look towards for guidance. I am a Witch, because I believe in magick. how can one believe in Demons, and NOT believe in magick? they are the EMBODIMENT of magick! I am a firm believer in Arthur Clark's aphorism that "Any sufficiently advance technology is indistinguishable from magick".

I have evolved as a theist over time. While I still do not worship the All, which in theistic Satanism is named Satan, in agnostic paganism is called Source/All/Creator/Whatever, and in the Abrahamic faiths are called "God," the Demon Lords are absolutely Old Gods (which is a little opposite to you - I think the god came first, and became demonized - I think you're saying you believe that the demon became a god) and I enjoy a very healing relationship with them - and I definitely agree that there is a level of equality there. I also completely agree that if you believe in demons, you believe in magick. Even Christians agree with that - the ones that believe in demons, also believe in evil witches. The ones that don't believe in demons, don't believe in magick... though that does confuse me because they still take part in the rite of transubstantiation, and honestly, if you're going to symbolically eat your god every Sunday, somewhere in you there is a belief in magick. Either that or you're doing it like a robot, while your brain says, "Yay, a tasty snack with my moral lecture." Which is just... um. lol

[User3246]

This is an interesting article, but I think you are right; it is more about organized Satanism I. E. the Satanic Church, than about Demons and Satan in general. I would call myself a Theistic Demonolator, and a Satanic Witch. I DO believe the oldest and wisest demons have become gods (The Demon Lords), and I respect all Demons as teachers and amazingly powerful beings. They are more powerful than me in this present incarnation, but they are NOT more powerful or learned or better than my own true form aspect (or anyone else's!). Satanic simply refers to my Patron or central 'god', whom I look towards for guidance. I am a Witch, because I believe in magick. how can one believe in Demons, and NOT believe in magick? they are the EMBODIMENT of magick! I am a firm believer in Arthur Clark's aphorism that "Any sufficiently advance technology is indistinguishable from magick".

I have evolved as a theist over time. While I still do not worship the All, which in theistic Satanism is named Satan, in agnostic paganism is called Source/All/Creator/Whatever, and in the Abrahamic faiths are called "God," the Demon Lords are absolutely Old Gods (which is a little opposite to you - I think the god came first, and became demonized - I think you're saying you believe that the demon became a god) and I enjoy a very healing relationship with them - and I definitely agree that there is a level of equality there. I also completely agree that if you believe in demons, you believe in magick. Even Christians agree with that - the ones that believe in demons, also believe in evil witches. The ones that don't believe in demons, don't believe in magick... though that does confuse me because they still take part in the rite of transubstantiation, and honestly, if you're going to symbolically eat your god every Sunday, somewhere in you there is a belief in magick. Either that or you're doing it like a robot, while your brain says, "Yay, a tasty snack with my moral lecture." Which is just... um. lol

The weird thing is, the Catholic priests and people I have talked to REALLY DO believe that the blessed wine and wafers are ACTUALLY the blood and body of Christ. They may not Look like it, they may nor taste or smell like it, but in essence and in energy they are exactly the same. A priest I asked told me they taught them this in Catholic Seminary. Not a symbol of, mind you, but the actual thing. If that is not magick, then what the heck is?

[Chrysopaelian]

The weird thing is, the Catholic priests and people I have talked to REALLY DO believe that the blessed wine and wafers are ACTUALLY the blood and body of Christ. They may not Look like it, they may nor taste or smell like it, but in essence and in energy they are exactly the same. A priest I asked told me they taught them this in Catholic Seminary. Not a symbol of, mind you, but the actual thing. If that is not magick, then what the heck is?

This is correct. As someone who has been raised hardcore Roman Catholic, home schooled Catholic, and been to Catholic high school and university, I can tell you that the official Catholic teaching is called Transubstantiation, which means that the wafer and wine actually change substance. Not every Catholic believes this, of course, but it's the official teaching, and in fact one of the Church's core teachings.

[User1265455]

The weird thing is, the Catholic priests and people I have talked to REALLY DO believe that the blessed wine and wafers are ACTUALLY the blood and body of Christ. They may not Look like it, they may nor taste or smell like it, but in essence and in energy they are exactly the same. A priest I asked told me they taught them this in Catholic Seminary. Not a symbol of, mind you, but the actual thing. If that is not magick, then what the heck is?

This is correct. As someone who has been raised hardcore Roman Catholic, home schooled Catholic, and been to Catholic high school and university, I can tell you that the official Catholic teaching is called Transubstantiation, which means that the wafer and wine actually change substance. Not every Catholic believes this, of course, but it's the official teaching, and in fact one of the Church's core teachings.

You know, of all the things that weird me out about Christianity (you know, like worshipping the image of their dead god's torture device) the ritualistic cannibalism was probably the biggest.

Like, even Christians who DON'T believe in actual Transubstantiation still say they're eating him at least symbolically. That's... Creepy af.

But... Like most polytheists who've escaped the snares of the dead god's followers, I'm a tad bit opinionated about the whole thing, so... Ymmv.

[Passchendaele]

The weird thing is, the Catholic priests and people I have talked to REALLY DO believe that the blessed wine and wafers are ACTUALLY the blood and body of Christ. They may not Look like it, they may nor taste or smell like it, but in essence and in energy they are exactly the same. A priest I asked told me they taught them this in Catholic Seminary. Not a symbol of, mind you, but the actual thing. If that is not magick, then what the heck is?

This is correct. As someone who has been raised hardcore Roman Catholic, home schooled Catholic, and been to Catholic high school and university, I can tell you that the official Catholic teaching is called Transubstantiation, which means that the wafer and wine actually change substance. Not every Catholic believes this, of course, but it's the official teaching, and in fact one of the Church's core teachings.

And then there is the little matter of calling on saints to help with "everyday" trials and tribulations. Every saint has a day dedicated to her/him. Each is a "specialist" to take on the particular thing you are praying for. You can pray to any saint any time you wish, but if you really want Saint Swittens to blast that toenail fungus, you will beseech him on his "day" and only because Saint Swittens is the Patron Saint of Those Who Have Toenail Fungus.

Which sound an awful lot like the household gods and goddesses our ancestors would turn to when they needed help around the farm, to say nothing of the aid one might receive from the "little people" if you approached them correctly with the right offerings.

[Passchendaele]

[/quote]The weird thing is, the Catholic priests and people I have talked to REALLY DO believe that the blessed wine and wafers are ACTUALLY the blood and body of Christ. They may not Look like it, they may nor taste or smell like it, but in essence and in energy they are exactly the same. A priest I asked told me they taught them this in Catholic Seminary. Not a symbol of, mind you, but the actual thing. If that is not magick, then what the heck is?[/quote]

I was an alter boy for five years, I had a ringside seat to whole thing and can say...it's bullshit. How could I tell? Cuz it was not a rare thing to see our priests have a wee dram of christ's blood before going on stage. That raised an interesting theological question...Are these guys getting trashed on...The Blood Of the Son-o-God? And let me tell you, I have seen many a priest doing the whole mass purely on the power of repetition. They had done it every day for years. They could be piss-your-pants drunk and still pull off a mass with no one the wiser. Especially the Irish ones, which, in my parish, were the only ones.

[Chrysopaelian]

You know, of all the things that weird me out about Christianity (you know, like worshipping the image of their dead god's torture device) the ritualistic cannibalism was probably the biggest.

Like, even Christians who DON'T believe in actual Transubstantiation still say they're eating him at least symbolically. That's... Creepy af.

But... Like most polytheists who've escaped the snares of the dead god's followers, I'm a tad bit opinionated about the whole thing, so... Ymmv.

It's been interesting for me to go from being Catholic to staunch atheism to whatever it is that I am now. Some demons have reminded me that they don't *want* the kind of ass-kissing that Catholics give their god. And also that no one being is a catch-all for giving answers and taking care of problems--but if I have to think there is, to think that it is myself. Going back to old "religious" patterns/habits doesn't work at all in this case for these reasons.

I was an alter boy for five years, I had a ringside seat to whole thing and can say...it's bullshit. How could I tell? Cuz it was not a rare thing to see our priests have a wee dram of christ's blood before going on stage. That raised an interesting theological question...Are these guys getting trashed on...The Blood Of the Son-o-God? And let me tell you, I have seen many a priest doing the whole mass purely on the power of repetition. They had done it every day for years. They could be piss-your-pants drunk and still pull off a mass with no one the wiser. Especially the Irish ones, which, in my parish, were the only ones.

Well, I don't doubt your story, but they don't teach that the wine becomes the blood of Christ until it is actually consecrated up on the altar, after which it is distributed and what's leftover is either poured into the Sacrarium (which drains directly into the earth rather than a sewer system) or diluted with water until it is no longer seen as the blood of Christ.

In short, if a priest drinks it *before* Mass, he's still sinning (because you're supposed to observe a 3 hour fast from alcohol before consuming the Eucharist) but according to Catholicism he is not drinking the blood of Christ at that point, and is just drinking special wine. If a priest drinks it *after* Mass, he is, according to Catholic teaching, drinking the blood of Christ.