Different

The image of a LHP practitioner/Satanist/Okkultist/Luciferianist/Whatever has quite the bad reputation, as i’m sure you’re all aware. Whenever some misguided person(s) burn down a church and draw a pentagram on the wall we all are suddenly to blame. Whenever someone does a horrible act of depravity people will liken him/her to a devil worshiper.

Because of this, and perhaps because of the reputation that Anton LaVey has, certain people will be attracted to the LHP expecting a bunch of upside-down lowercase t’s and a red man with horns. Most will never venture past the figure of Satan or websites such as JoyOfSatan (which, in my opinion, brainwashes their younger ‘adherents’. . . but this isn’t the place for my comments on that) to learn of all the possible views, interpretations, and the other paths available.

Ask a supposed Satanist what the Crooked path is. Ask him/her if he knows what Gnosticism is. Question him/her about his/her views on organizations such as the Freemasons. Most will simply shrug or go off of conspiracies. Most will not spend their free time researching these paths, these rituals, let alone spend the time and money in trying to obtain our precious Grimoires (We really need to price those things lower. Seriously).

Many people who adhere to the LHP, as you pointed out, do not know it. One does not simply wake up and say, “I’m going to be a Satanist!” or something similar. . . and then truthfully do it and adhere to it. Most of us are very individualistic. Some of us are probably outcasts. Face it, some of us are fucking weird. . . but that is the beauty of it all.

The beauty of those who do follow the LHP, who do adhere to it, is that they dare to be different. Anton LaVey asked years ago “do you dare to be different?” I would rephrase that. Do you dare to ACCEPT that you are different? Are you able to look at the world, billions of people, and realize that you are simply different, odd, maybe even strange in their eyes? Can you handle this, yet walk with your head held high? If you answer is yes, then you truly are a goat for you had no hope of ever being a sheep. You cannot hide the horns you use to ram against others and to forge your own path, nor should you. We must know, accept, and foster the individuality that we are not only blessed with, but are lucky enough to express in a community during this day and age.

At times this can be difficult, at times this may be overwhelming. As adults we have a responsibility not only to ourselves but to our friends and loved ones. As LHP practitioners we work with demons, whether figuratively or in actuality (ritual-based/incense/etc.). This does not exclude our inner demons. Many a night have I sat in a chair for hours just contemplating and struggling with my life, even though I am just on the cusp of 20. No internet, no music, just alone in a dark room, staring into my mind, trying fruitlessly to find out where something could have gone wrong. . . but I am here to say that nothing went wrong. You are blessed to be an individual, and you are blessed to think for yourself. Many people will simply go along with what the higher ups say, as many LHP/Satanist groups show in their hypocrisy!, but not you. Not me. Not us. We think freely, and we MUST think freely. But, to think freely, you must know who you are.

So, I ask you. . . Do you know that you are different?