Common Roots on the Left-Hand Path
By Thomas LeRoy
“The East/West division dissolves when an understanding is gained concerning the common traditional roots of both branches, which lie in the substrata of Indo-European philosophies. Furthermore, the entirely cross-cultural nature of the left-hand path will become more obvious.”
~ Stephen E. Flowers, Ph.D.
The fifth order in The Sect of the Horned God is called “The Order of Shiva”, and because of this we have been asked as to why we incorporate Eastern Left-Hand Path traditions into our philosophy. Truth be told, the East and West are not as different as you may think based upon the existence of similarities amongst the deities, religious practices and mythologies of the Indo-European peoples. Proto-Indo-Europeans (PIE), the people who gave birth to these common traditions, had a pantheon of gods with similar names and attributes as the gods we are more familiar with. Dyēus Phtēr, for example, was their god of the day-lit sky and the chief god of the Indo-European pantheon. The name survives in Greek with Zeus and the vocative form “Zeu pater”; Latin “Jupiter”.
Consequently, the different branches of Indo-Europeans religions (Greco-Roman, Germanic, and Celtic in Europe, and Hindu, Persian, etc. in Asia), have many similarities:
Zeus and Indra — Not only are they both the “King of the Gods” in their respective mythologies, but their weapons of choice (the lightning-bolt) are the same. In spite of being immortals they resemble human beings for they both show emotions of love, jealousy and anger. Both succumbed to the charms of pious mortal women and impersonated their husbands to seduce them and both of them have many wives.
Hercules and Krishna — Hercules tale of the killing of the Stymphalian Birds, and Lord Krishna killing Bakasura, the bird demon. Hercules capturing the Cretan Bull, and Lord Krishna slaying Arishtasura, the bull demon. Hercules rounding up the horses of Diomedes, and Lord Krishna battling against Keshi, the horse demon.
Cernunnos and Pashupati — The most well known depictions of these two gods, one Celtic the other proto-Indian, shows them horned, seated in a lotus position and surrounded by animals. Pashupati is a “proto-Shiva”, Shiva the Destroyer, the god of the left-hand path in the Hindu tradition.
Even the Celtic Druids and Hindu Brahmins share many similar traits. The Druids, for example, were not simply a priesthood, but were the intellectual caste of ancient Celtic society, incorporating judges, lawyers, medical doctors, ambassadors, historians and so forth, not unlike India’s Brahmin caste. Also, the Druid’s relationship with the tribal king, or ri, was very similar to that of the Brahmin and the raja. On a deeper metaphysical level, they also shared the idea of rebirth and the transmigration of the soul.
“The very name Druid is composed of two Celtic word roots which have parallels in Sanskrit. Indeed, the root vid for knowledge, which also emerges in the Sanskrit word Veda, demonstrates the similarity. The Celtic root dru which means ‘immersion’ also appears in Sanskrit. So a Druid was one ‘immersed in knowledge’.”
~ Peter Beresford-Ellis
Turns out there are many similarities between Old Irish (Celtic) and Sanskrit:
Old Irish – aire (freeman),Sanskrit – arya (noble)
Old Irish – noeb (good), Sanskrit – naib (holy)
Old Irish – bodar (deaf), Sanskrit – badhirah (deaf)
Old Irish – nemed (sacred/privileged), Sanskrit – names (respect)
It has been hypothesized that the spiritual traditions of both East and West are based upon the ancient Indo-European philosophy of “The Eternal Natural Law” (also known as “The Perennial Philosophy”), which emphasizes the aspect that both you and the Divine are one. The Asatru, or Odinists, call it “Örlögr”. In Egypt it was “Ma’at”. In Avestan Persian, “Asha”, and in Sanskrit it is called “Sanatana Dharma”. But in the West the Eternal Natural Law was forced into extinction by the Abrahamic faiths, namely Christianity and Islam, whose dogmas preach that one must seek salvation through subservience to the Divine. And much of what we know of The Eternal Natural Law (which in the West had eventually become known as Witchcraft), is filtered through a warped Abrahamic misunderstanding (examples would be The Malleus Maleficarum, or Compendium Maleficarum, books that set forth much of the modern misconceptions). Many throughout the Western World, though, have attempted to revitalize the old ways. But, whether they realize it or not, it is often based upon the bastardized Christian interpretations. This can obviously be seen in Wicca and other forms of modern paganism, while other revisionists have simply resorted to guesswork and faith. Examples of which would be those attempting to resurrect the Greco/Roman traditions, or the Modern Druids.
In the East, though, that tradition has remained unbroken for over 5,000 years. The Abrahamic influence did not supplant Sanatana Dharma. Throughout history the Islamists attempted to bring about its demise, but the old ways prevailed. There it need not be resurrected for it never died. In the West, though, there is a chasm separating modernity from the Eternal Natural Law. It is a wide expanse where we see only tiny, distant images on the far side. But there is a bridge across that chasm, secure and steady, and that bridge is Sanatana Dharma.
“An approach via the East will disentangle many of the arguments from the sometimes hopelessly confused jumble we find in the historical sources of the left-hand path in the West.”
~ Stephen E. Flowers, Ph.D.
We in The Sect do not want to guess as to what is maybe happening on the far side of the occult chasm. We don’t want to rely on guesswork and faith. We don’t want to believe.
We want to know.
A New Hurdle
By Austin S. ~ Member of the Sect of the Horned God
Painting by Zdzislaw Beksinski
An epidemic, a bunch of whining, millennial weakness, so on and so forth. It goes by many names, but the rise in mental health awareness and the bounds made in the field of medicine over the past several decades has led to mass speculation. Therapists can be damn near tripped over, as they have become so prevalent in society. Sufferers of mental ailments such as manic depression, O.C.D, or anxiety often fall under the radar however. Despite the amount of attention mental health has garnered in the medical community, the stigmas that have been implemented into societies internationally with surgical precision still exist. Even in the realm of the Left Hand Path, do these same “It’s just weakness” or “It’s a bunch of whining” stigmas bare their faces. This is not malarkey, and it is not weakness. As Satanists, hell-bent on a lifelong process of self-deification, it is our duty to maintain our health, both physically and mentally.
Of the nine Satanic sins, hypocritical self-deceit relates most closely with mental health. One who blatantly ignores their problems or attempts to control them on their own, will fall victim to this vice sooner than later. The essential Satanist recognizes that he and only he, is truly in control of himself. That is not to say that the cause of whatever ailments he suffers from is his fault alone, however, he must choose whether to be boxed-in by them, or to throw a combo of his own, and learn to turn his pain into prowess. The Left Hand Path is an often lonely one, but that does not mean all issues must be dealt with via iron will and perseverance. The recognition that perhaps the Satanist should consider therapy or any other source of aid, is far more impressive than the egotistical fool who, because of his boundless hubris, only tightens the chains and begs to be enslaved.
To continue to deny the need for help, as previously stated, only harms you. Pride itself, can be an overwhelmingly powerful force, and can bridge the gap between a strong individual, and a week one, if balanced properly. If one searches for and eventually claims success, then pride is the crisp bottle of champagne to uncork in celebration. Despite all its evident uses for good, counter-productive pride can make whatever gap one is trying to bridge, miles upon miles longer. The Satanist who believes himself to be so mighty, so ultimate, that resorting to outside sources for help would result in him becoming weaker, is a prime example of this. It takes wisdom and strength, true wisdom and strength, to recognize that outside help is necessary. As previously stated, pride is to be confirmed through successes and triumphs. Basking in the glory of false pride, that which has not been earned, is a disaster in the making. By being realistic, by staying true to the fact that you are human and have faults, pride can, at long last, be validated. Once the problems one has have been dealt with, the bottle can be uncorked, and savored.
Before we are Satanists, we are flesh and blood. As much as we would like to think we are made of hellfire and brimstone, a force immune to trite illnesses like depression, we simply aren’t. The beauty behind being a Satanist, behind being a living example of carnal mastery, is that we embrace our flawed nature as humans and live a life free of guilt. Ignorance of our mental ailments is inexcusable. As research continues on into the whys-and-wherefores of mental illness, it is the sole responsibility of those embarking on the Left Hand Path, to avoid the trappings of hypocritical self-deceit and counter-productive pride, and to emerge with horns bared, cigar and glass in hand, awaiting the cheers of celebration
Rational Occultism
By Eric ~ Member of the Sect of the Horned God
I personally have seen what the power of myth can do to the human mind and how it can touch your very “soul”. My discovery of the occult came around at about the age of 15 and later, around the age of 20, I was introduced to the teachings of Anton LaVey. I loved it. It spoke to me. First I was a skeptic as a teen then, while growing and learning, I began combining my atheism with spirituality and psychology which I feel is the very definition of Rational Occultism.
I was raised into Christianity. Not the suburban Neo-Christians, but rather the hardcore, holy rolling Christians. My family claimed to be”Non-Denominational”, but for all intents and purposes they were Pentecostal. After watching people speak in tongues, casting out demons, dancing, running, screaming, anything you could imagine fanatics doing, they did it. When I was a child I couldn’t even sleep alone or leave my parents’ side because I was so afraid of not being good enough to be included in the “rapture” and would be left behind.
One evening at church, around the age of 14, an evangelist from our church had returned from a mission trip. In our congregation it was common practice for people to be “Slain In The Spirit” and fall out on the floor . The process included white sheets they would lay over the women who wore dresses so they wouldn’t expose themselves. This evangelist claimed that one of the sheets was anointed by god and allowed the “windows of heaven to open up and bless us with the Holy Spirit of god.” Everyone he put this sheet on went insane. The people even went as far to say that they could see six windows of light open up and all in attendance were blessed to be there because there are only 7 windows in heaven-so nearly all of heaven visited us that night. Eventually the cloth made its way near me. My Aunt was beside me and had remained calm through all of this. Once the sheet was placed on her, she began dancing, speaking in tongues, screaming and in, essence, mirroring the fanatic behavior of the congregation. Then the sheet was placed me; I felt nothing. Absolutely nothing. Seeing this, my parents, the children, some older than me, some younger than me, and absolutely everyone surrounded me and began praying and rebuked the spirit of hell that was causing me to resist the lord.
I knew then that I was an atheist and that everyone in my life had been indoctrinated. It started a long and hard path for me as I have never been silent about my beliefs and shouldn’t be expected to.
Common Sense
By Victor ~ Member of The Sect of the Horned God
As a youth I was raised in the church. One of the main tenants that was taught, at what seemed like every sermon or teaching, was the idea “we are to love our enemies, to bless those that curse us, to turn the other cheek”. In these and others was how we would show the world the true love of God, bringing the sinner to his knees. Even in my early teens I always felt that this was some how…..silly. Why should I freely give love to someone that would want to harm me and my family? What good will it do besides getting all of us killed? I battled with this a lot, to the point that this where I began my journey to seek a more common sense approach to who really deserves to be loved.
I began to look at other religions which I thought were not as “weak” as Christianity. I mean, who wants to serve a god that is willing to let me get my ass kicked everyday? I first began to look at Islam, knowing that they had a no nonsense approach to their beliefs. I liked the fact that they wouldn’t just let anyone bulldoze through them, and admittedly it was appealing . But closer examination saw that this too was a religion built on fairy tales and absurd “rules”. So my search continued.
On and on I went until I opened the forbidden door to LaVey and the Church of Satan. It was his words that finally opened my eyes to common sense beliefs. The idea that my love is just that…MY LOVE. I get to choose who or what deserves it. Not because some carpenter told me to “love my neighbor” but because I am more than just some leaf blowing in the wind. My love is more then a tool to bring “the lost” to god. NO! I’m not a leaf….I’m not a sheep either. I am a protector. Like the wolf, I need to to care for and protect my pack. In turn they will care and protect me. I need to keep my eyes open for any enemy that will try to take what is mine and I must fight to death to protect my pack.
It was a revelation to me. Now, I was more free than I ever was in the cell block of religion and no longer had to relinquish my pride and life to those who absolutely did not deserve an ounce of anything from me. It has also made me a happier person. I wasn’t chained to an unrealistic idea that we are some god’s clones and that we need to act like him or all those sinners will go to hell because I didn’t love them enough. I call B.S. on that. If a person needs my love so bad to feel better about themselves perhaps there is something deeper psychologically with them. Perhaps they need professional help beyond just me telling some random stranger or even worse an enemy “I love them”. I won’t let this type of vampire come into my life and drain away any of my emotions that only those I truly care about deserve.
Rebellion Vs Religion
By Eric ~ Member of the Sect of the Horned God
I base this essay on the YouTube video by Thomas LeRoy called The Sect Vs Online Satanists as it was moved me because of the message it held. In my mind, rebellion is a way of pushing back against views that you do not agree with, and in most cases, the views of teenagers. A teenager sees the world one way because he or she has not fully experienced everything that life has to offer. A rebellion should have purpose, it should mean something to those who are rebelling, and not have to do with religion.
Religion is a belief system that we are taught or learn as we grow and like some (myself included) the views can change over time. Thomas LeRoy and Mistress Babylon talk about how it shouldn’t matter to anyone what other religions do unless that religion affected us as children. I grew up Catholic and was forced to attend church. I never understood how the church could tell nuns and priests that they were not allowed to have sex, but the abuse of children was a hush hush situation. This is a fine example of who cares, and why rebel against something I cannot control?
To me a Satanist is his or her own god with his or her belief system and someone that respects all religion regardless of how he or she feels about that religion. I used to believe that way that I think today was ridiculous. How could anyone believe in Lucifer as the teacher or the bringer of light? A lot of these views changed for me after reading The Devil’s Apocrypha by John DeVito. Are we simply crazy for believing we are our own gods? Are all religions just mythology made up by man to help us sleep better? I don’t think we will ever have a true answer to these questions.
Like anything in life that we enjoy, we should not allow that thing to control our lives but rather allow it to help guide us only as far as we wish to go. Mistress Babylon talked about indulgence and not allowing this to justify you being an asshole. Yes we all need to calm down and stop pretending that we are somehow better than those who have different views. My path is not rebellion; my path is further knowledge about things I wish to understand.
In conclusion I see the path to enlightenment. I seek my new religion as a way of learning about what I was once told is wrong and taboo. The first time in my life I feel free of societies and families pressure to be part of something that I do not wish to be a part of. I will not pretend to have the answers because I purchased a satanic bible, and I will not pretend I have all the answers. I hope to one day meet others and learn from them as they help guide me to the truth. Religion should not be about hate or being considered and outsider due to sexual orientation, it should be about love and axcepting others for who they are.
The Virtues of Never Turning The Other Cheek
By Steve Sitri ~ Member of the Sect of the Horned God
“You cannot love everyone; it is ridiculous to think you can. If you love everyone and everything you lose your natural powers of selection and wind up being a pretty poor judge of character and quality. If anything is used too freely it loses its true meaning. Therefore, the Satanist believes you should love strongly and completely those who deserve your love, but never turn the other cheek to your enemy” – Anton LaVey
I was taken back to this statement by Anton LaVey during my studies to obtain the knowledge of The Order of Pan. When I was a child I wanted world peace. I wanted everyone to be able to “just get along” and live in harmony. I wanted violence to become a thing of the past.
Fast forward 30 years. Since then I’ve been beaten, robbed, hustled, ridiculed, and told countless times how I am going to burn in Hell for eternity. I’ve been through a marriage where I gave 110% and my ex-partner checked out as soon as we said our vows. I’ve been stabbed in the back repeatedly and left with nowhere to turn when I hit rock bottom.
I realized more and more with each incident that I was cut from a completely different cloth than most of those around me. I’d slowly but surely had become emotionless and detached. I’d realized that I was alone and I had toughened up and become quite callous in the process. It didn’t take me long to realize how ridiculous my original line of thinking was! I’ve since learned to stop giving away my love so freely. I’ve learned that all who smile in my face are not my friend. I’ve also learned to stop turning the other cheek.
Now let’s rewind back to my childhood. I was a bully as a little kid. By third grade I moved past that and had completely given up on violence, wished for peace, buried myself into books, became an honor student, and tried my best to avoid fights. I became a nerd to put it lightly.
There was an incident when I was in middle school where I was at recess and was minding my own business. All of a sudden something hit me really hard from behind and I was face down, clothes full of mud. I stood up and turned around and the guy who did it was standing there laughing.
It was all fun and games for about 10 seconds. I stood up and smashed his left cheek as hard as I possibly could! He immediately lost his sense of balance and the smirk on his face. I felt a supreme sense of hatred surge through me after the first punch. It was a very deep, seething, malicious hatred – the depths of which I had never felt before. I embraced the rush of adrenaline and charged at him full speed. He was still dazed and I gave him the old 1-2 combo until a teacher broke it up. I explained what happened and I was not sent to the office. I felt real power for standing up for myself. I took my Grandfather’s advice from when I was a kid and I applied it firsthand: I struck first, I struck hard, and I made sure that everyone had seen it.
In hindsight that incident was a major turning point in my life. It had the effect of me becoming more outspoken, more confident in myself, and no longer was I going to be taking any shit from anyone. This was when I started to rebel against religion. This incident was my awakening – the beginning of my walk down the Left Hand Path.
So remember to always use your love sparingly, embrace the hatred when it finds you, and take matters into your own hands as needed so justice can prevail. It will save you a lot of pain and heartache. I can promise that you will be a much better person for it in the long run. Hail Satan!
The Free Will of Fate
By Dustin ~ Member of the Sect of the Horned God
“Gods will” is often the rhetoric from religious followers. For them it is the explanation of events that are played out in the form of destiny.
If life was destined, what life would that be? Are we all just puppets playing a role in the fantasy of a God that has always remained in indifferent to the world he choose to create? As with life, things happen that we don’t understand; Young or old, dumb, or wise. Chances are you have experienced something that made you question how or why. As a Satanist we all strive in some form to find the truth in the muddled water we call life and never relying on fate to give us everything we need or deserve.
Some would surmise lovers separating as an act of fate. Yet the real reason would more likely be a lack of communication, the fighting, and the cheating. The devil is in the details. So many people leave out these crucial details whether to make themselves look better, or perhaps preferred to remain from divulging private affairs. While doing so they would might rather say it was just God’s will and move on.
As have several other great thinkers in history, on numerous occasions Anton LaVey has stated that man is responsible for his actions in some way . I have always believed you get out what you put out and not necessarily in a karmic way but in a spiritually subconscious way. In Hindu karma is believed to be the description of what is a result of the actions you choose,thus still accepting ones on free will, yet believing the justification of ones on actions.
However, today’s meaning of karma is seen more of a spiritual force taking control of the good and bad deeds as a result of his or hers actions and in turn relying on something else to reap what you have sown while leaving it up to fate to decide when and where. By taking it in your own hands you can decide that. Just letting destiny take its course is taking the lazy way out. More often then not nothing happens until someone makes it. People confuse karma for something that is already bound to happen, not in a predetermined way, but by an action that has led to another action. It can be compared riding on a bald tire; It’s not letting fate determine if it will blow, but determining rationally and factually how long it will last. If someone has done you wrong in the past, chances are they have done wrong to several others as well. Obviously if karma did anything it would have already. The only revenge you will get is the one you choose to do.
What is free will anymore?
After years of being indoctrinated by higher religious groups only wanting to keep you in the confines of their hierarchy, is it all just predetermined by giving us only a few choices to make it seem real? . Questioning yourself and what you should do should come second nature. They will say you have free will with one hand, then slap you with lies with the other. To be transparent, it’s not only religious groups but schooling, parents, media, and society as a whole are all equally responsible. This is not to say these are necessarily bad. Learning morals, how to respect one another,etc, are all great things to know, however to see how they influence your thinking is an important aspect as well. Instead of free will, it would be closer to guided thinking. Part of being a satanist is breaking that mold we grew into and finding the truth within ourselves. Growing into free minded individuals who not only think for ourselves but act as well. Free will is the venom that seeps into the clouded mind. It is the reason destiny is impossible to the person that thinks, loves, and lives on his own terms.
The Adversary: Living a Life of Opposites
Austin ~ Member of The Sect of the Horned God
In no reality will Satanists live in a world of peace. It is a lie, a grim fantasy bereft of rage and legitimate accomplishment. Man is an animal of conflict, of war. The Satanist exists in a reality that is comprised of chaos and recognition of the not-so-pretty realities of life. This recognition is an undeniably positive one though, as the Satanist possesses the unique ability to grasp the destructive nature of humanity and claim it as his ally. As Satanists, we are aware that up is down, left is right, war is peace, and freedom is slavery. When the Satanist lifts himself from the ill-begotten, manufactured high-horse he has been told he must ride to Heaven, he recognizes that his reality is unique to him, and that, because of such a gift, he can expect nothing but war.
When confronted on why the Bible-thumper lives a life of submission and slavery, he would often respond with, “Well, the Bible says I must have faith in my good pal Jesus to get into Heaven.” This is easily one of the clearest picture the Satanist can paint when explaining why “up is down”. To him, Heaven is the place of torment, the one and only Hell. Spiritual submission is an outright revolting concept, as the biggest and most severe crimes one could commit against themselves would be to become a slave to his own imagination. Even if the Christ-Dildoer were to prevail in his proselytization, the illusion of eternal peace would so effortlessly crumble, as now he must live a life of alienation. Alienation from his instincts, alienation from his desires, and worst of all, alienation from truth.
An incarnation of the flip-flopped reality walkers of the Left Hand Path exist in, is found in the George Orwell novel “1984”. Although, the adversarial concepts like “left is right” were meant to outline Big Brother and his malevolence, the Satanist takes hold of this idea and proclaims it his ally. Intellectually and literally speaking, left truly is right, as the self is put through a process of deification. This inversion can be interpreted as an inversion of morality and its objectivity. “Responsibility for the responsible” is a commandment perpetuated by Doctor Anton LaVey in the Satanic Bible. Love and care is not to be wasted on those who are judged unworthy, a position completely opposite to the one found in the Holy Bible which praises perpetual abuse of love. From a moral standpoint, “left is right” could not possibly be a more apt descriptor. The Satanist obeys his instincts above his emotion, and shuns the “love your enemies” idea as a dishonest, unnatural pipe dream.
The Seventh Satanic Statement goes as follows, “Satan represents man as just another animal, sometimes better, more often worse than those that walk on all-fours, who, because of his “divine spiritual and intellectual development,” has become the most vicious animal of all!” (Lavey). Moreover, as such, man is privy to endless conflict, whether it be over territory, food, or potential mates. Man is vicious, and Satanism emphasizes the recognition of this aspect of our instincts, and embraces it. War is intertwined in the very blood that so many pious, righteous people of the faith pretend they would never, under any circumstances, shed (although history says otherwise). The aforementioned point that there is no creation without destruction outlines that conflict is an inevitability of life. This is not of course a bad thing however. Mental and creative conflict can be the greatest of influences in producing magnificent works of art, poetry, literature, etc. Through the conflict of all kinds that as humans, not just as Satanists, we will face, we are presented with a unique opportunity to turn our troubles into triumph.
It is fair to say that as people, we are not equal. Science, for example, is continuously discovering physical and psychological differences between the sexes for example. The Satanist recognizes the innate characteristics that set him apart from the rest of the world, and can clearly see himself as an animal living in a cruel, unforgiving world. As animals, humans too are imperfect, selfish, and flawed. The concept of freedom is unattainable, as man is again, selfish and will cause chaos in order to get what he needs. Naturally, governments have tried and failed to establish a limited form of freedom and have repeatedly failed. The Satanist sees man as incapable of handling the responsibilities that freedom entails. The manufactured form of freedom so-called “Democratic” societies embrace, has been built upon Holy foundations, and, as such, people have been taught to deny themselves and their instincts. Christian slavery has seeped into every facet of society, and has embraced Capitalistic money-mongering in an attempt to control man. To the Satanist, freedom is only found when he looks inward.
The word Satan simply means, “The Adversary”. To be a Satanist, you live a life centered around morals and values that are an inversion of those said to be Holy. Satanism recognizes that living any other way would be a farce, and welcomes the struggles of living an honest, fleshly life. To us, Heaven is Hell, wrong is right, destruction is necessary for creation, and inequality is equality. Conflict is as essential to the Satanist as his heart, as without it, his heart would have no reason to continue beating.
Satan as a Symbol
By Vladislav ~ Member of The Sect of the Horned God
Although the phenomenon of atheistic religions (there are many as Satanism is not unique in this regard) should be known to the average educated person, many people are confused when they hear of someone calling themselves a Satanist without believing in the literal existence of Satan.
It is often claimed that the LHP Atheist is emotionally addicted to “Satanic imagery” or “It’s just Dawkins in gothic clothes” and even “They would be more honest by identifying themselves as just Atheists.”
While there is an absence of belief in Satan (or any gods) as a literal being in modern Satanism, to reduce it to “Just Atheism” indicates intellectual laziness or very limited knowledge of what the core of Atheism is actually about. Dawkins, Marx, Nietzsche, Rand, Comte, Hume, Hill, Sartre, Russell, Schopenhauer, Spencer, Democritus, among many, did not believe in existence of deities, nor did they have not much in common. Each of them created a unique system of thought where much more than just the absence of god could be learned from (In fact, there is more diversity in Atheistic philosophies than in Theistic). LaVeyan Satanism as an Epicurean philosophy / Social Darwinism / Objectivism / Secular Humanism with Satanic trappings would be more accurate than trying to dissolve it under a broad “Atheism” label. But this is still not correct since LaVeyan Satanism differs from each of the above mentioned.
What Theists do not realize is that their own claim and use of Satanic (or any other, e.g. Egyptian, Pagan etc.) imagery is nothing more than self-deceit only for sake of glamour, and would apply, as well, (or even more) to themselves, if accepted with all its consequences. First, it takes much more substantial self-deceit to actually believe in literal existence of deities. Second, many Theists themselves use imagery and symbolism on top of their superstitions, although they are not always aware of it.
Let’s assume that the Theist in question does not actually believe in a deity in the form of a being with horns and tail, or a donkey resembling Set, and that his concept of this deity is little bit more abstract and ambiguous. It can be, for example, some “(anti)cosmic force” which controls evolution or wants (note that subtle anthropomorphism) to destroy the cosmic order. It could also be the “principle of individual consciousness,” without which/whom individual consciousnesses would not exist. In this case, the horns, tail (or the donkey head), the name “Satan” (or “Set”) and any associated imagery and names are largely of symbolical nature, since this Theist would admit that his deity – his lame metaphysical concept, does not actually have horns, and the name “Satan” is not inherent to it. So if this Theist asks: “Why are you calling yourself Satanist if your worldview is just Atheism wrapped in satanic imagery? It would be more honest to label yourself an Atheist”, he should then be aware that he could be asked similar question: “Why are you calling yourself a Satanist if your worldview is just superstition wrapped in satanic imagery? It would be more honest to get rid of the delusional mumbo-jumbo and fancy imagery you believe in so it will be exposed for what it is” Choosing examples, I stayed in the realm of a Satanist, but this applies to any other theistic religion.
Thus, symbols and metaphors are used even in theism, whether its proponents are aware of it or not (otherwise, they had to admit they are on that “comic book level of their religion”). Sketchily understanding of this notion has led some people to conclusion that the two approaches differ only seemingly. This is not true. The difference is in what the symbol is used for and what is behind it. Using a rational approach, it represents natural phenomena that is not in conflict with scientific the understanding of the world, nor can they be considered superstitions which fills gaps in current knowledge. For example, indulgence, life, death, sexuality, freedom, justice, some aspect of the self etc, and are in no way supernatural. If a rational individual regards this phenomena as sacred, he may feel the need for their symbolic representation in the form of mythological deities in order to engage the same layers of mind which respond to dream and art. But he never crosses the line between knowingly using metaphors and confused childlike magical thinking ascribing causality, will, mind and purpose where there is none.
Belief in literal existence of deities does not make the use of mythology and satanic imagery more valid, as some often argue. It is quite the contrary. In the case of theists, use of trappings and symbolism (for which he reproaches the rationally inclined satanist) only conceals ambiguousness and uselessness of that very supernatural concept he believes in.
The Seven Deadly Sins
By Logan ~ Member of The Sect of the Horned God
According to Christianity the Seven Deadly Sins are
1) Lust
2) Gluttony
3) Greed
4) Sloth
5) Wrath
6) Envy
7) Pride
“Satanists are encouraged to indulge in the seven deadly sins as they need hurt no one; they were only invented by the Christian Church to insure guilt on the part of it followers.” -Anton LaVey, The Satanic Bible, pg. 85
But herein lays the issue:
Is it not as detrimental to indulge, as it is to abstain? Is the “over-correction” of a malady its salvation? I would venture to say it is not. The “Yin and Yan” of life ebbs and flows, like the cylindrical pendulum of life. Is abstinence not the indulgence of inaction?
A man dying of thirst need not sink to the bottom of the ocean to quench it nor does he need to jump directly into a blazing fire to warm himself on a freezing winter night. Too much of anything is just too much. Now the rebellions and heretical nature of LaVey’s teachings would have us naturally gravitate to the opposite of the dogmatic Right-Hand Path. While there is justification clearly outlined in “The Satanic Bible,” I would also like to point out that this book was written during a time of great social reform in the United States.
Anton LaVey was a pioneer of the Left-Hand Path regarding the Western thought. Both he and his teachings have stood the test of time and faced the scrutiny of over fifty years of interest, fear and speculation. But I believe that as all things naturally evolve, so has our understanding of the Left-Hand Path. And of Satanism specifically. I believe both time and the devout practicioner of Satanism have both equally realized the folly of this philisophical polarity. I need not spray my arm with dry ice to treat a burn. Neither will I practice either indulgence or abstinence of anything. And this includes the infamous Seven Deadly Sins.
Satanism promotes logic and rational thought. It should not take the aspirant long to realize the potential dangers of mere contradiction. This is responding emotionally to an issue that can be circumnavigated logically. To merely oppose an archaic or pseudo-sanctimonious dogma, is to simply rebel for rebellions sake. Such a knee-jerk reaction can be exploited by the nefarious observer. I cannot think of any self-respecting Satanist that will not take this into account.
Finally, the very word “Sin” is a misnomer in Satanic terms. If we refute the slavery of dogma; and defy the oppression of the Right-Hand Path, how then can we use their terms without appearing subservient to them or even in rebellion? The time has come for The Left-Hand Path to find the equilibrium of logic and belief within itself. We must break away from these simplistic ideas of “Sin” and “Hell.” These terms were coined and used by those who would enslave the world by its out-dated and simple fairy-tales.
The Orders of The Sect of the Horned God
