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Satan in Cyberspace
A Study of Satanism on the Internet in the 1990's
by Roald E. Kristiansen, Ph.D.
Prepared for the Lomonosov Conference in Archangelsk, Russia, November 1995
An earlier version of this article has been published in: Religion, Church,
and Education in the Barents Region, ed. by Roald E. Kristiansen and Nikolay
M. Terebikhin. Arkhangelsk, Russia: Pomor University Publishing House, 1997.
The book contains articles by Norwegian and Russian scholars on themes
dealing with theology, philosophy and history. If you want a copy, please
let me know by e-mail .
If anyone had thought that Satanism was a medieval superstition that
humanity left behind in the dark ages of the past, they had better think
again. Satanism is very much alive and it no longer belong to the dark ages,
but can be found on the international technological highways of computer
networks that span the entire globe where it can be accessed by anyone with
a regular home computer and a modem. In this article, I shall take a closer
look at the phenomenon of Satanism as it can be encountered in the so-called
"Cyberspace," i.e., in electronic text files stored on computers in various
parts of the world that are accessible through the Internet by means of
programs such as Mosaic, Netscape, Gopher, Telnet, etc. As the Internet is
growing and changing extremely rapidly, such a study can soon become
outdated. [1] Most of the files referred to in this study were accessed
during the winter and spring of 1995. A search was also conducted at the end
of that year to check for possible new material. (A quick and incomplete
update as of August 2001 has been done for the purpose of publishing this
article on the net with some current links added.)
The study has been organized as follows. There are two major organizations
that present themselves on the Net: the Church of Satan and the Temple of
Set. [2] Both are based in California and the latter is a further
development of the former. This study will first focus on material from each
of those two organizations, both in order to analyze their basic thought
structures, and to clarify the relationship between their points of view.
The second part of the study will discuss the criticism of Satanists as it
can be found on the Internet, especially the charge raised by various groups
(including neo-pagans) that Satanist ideology represents a form of fascism
and even neo-nazism. The final part of this study will bring out for
discussion certain issues that need to be dealt with in more detail, and
will also focus on Satanism in the more general context of "Cyberspace
religion" as a phenomenon in its own right.
The Feared Religion
The Church of Satan was created by Anton Szandor LaVey on April 30
(Walpurgisnacht), 1966 in San Francisco. [3] LaVey is the author of several
books, which describes the philosophy of Satanism. Among the most important
are, The Satanic Bible, The Satanic Rituals, and The Satanic Which. [4] The
Handbook for Chaplains of the U.S. Army gives the historical roots of the
Church of Satan as follows:
The Church of Satan is an eclectic body that traces its origin to many
sources � classical voodoo, the Hell-Fire Club of eighteenth century
England, the ritual magic of Aleister Crowley, and the Black Order of
Germany in the 1920s and 1930s. It departs from its predecessors by (1) its
organization into a church, and (2) the openness of its magical endeavors.
[5]
The number of adherents (1978) is estimated to be between 10,000 and 20,000.
The Handbook describes the Church's basic teaching as a worship of Satan as
the personification of enlightenment. However, Satan is not viewed as an
anthropomorphic being, but representing the forces of nature. The individual
self is the highest embodiment of human life and is considered sacred as
such. Satanism can be regarded as a "human potential movement", and its
members are free to develop and excel in any capability whatsoever,
cautioned only by rational self-interest. When performing rituals, the
"minimum equipment" for worship is most likely to include a black robe, an
altar, the symbol of the Baphomet (Satan), candles, a bell, a chalice,
elixir (wine or some other tasting drink), a sword, a model phallus, a gong,
and parchment. Magic rituals consist of three types: sex magic (includes
masturbation), healing or happiness rituals, and destruction rituals
(usually performed in a group setting). Live altars (by nude women) were
previously favored, but is now rarely used. As far as the U.S. Army is
concerned, Satanism is considered to be one among of the religions of the
world that needs to be respected and dealt with in an adequate manner.
Peter H. Gilmore who has been both a priest in the Church and its media
representative, has created the Cyberspace material on the Church of Satan.
Gilmore gives a very precise description of contemporary Satanism as
follows:
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. [6]
The description has religious, ethical, ideological and political
connotations. Satanism is called a religion, which implies that it includes
a certain belief system and a set of normative values. Its ethics emphasizes
justice, but in the context of denying equal rights for all. Instead of
accepting a detailed list of rules of behavior, satanists affirm the need to
set up a political system of elitism, which shall promote social Darwinism
as the normative ideology. One can also discern in the above maxim that
Satanism is deliberately shaped as a protest against the prevailing
religious and political norms of the modern Western world. Christianity is
seen as the great adversary which has "crippled the advancement of the human
species for the last two thousand years" due to its ideals about
unconditional love and compassion. Politically, this ideal is transformed
into the democratic society in which power needs to be shared and where the
people itself is responsible for the selection of their political leaders by
popular vote, and the politicians themselves are responsible to the people
for their decisions and actions. In Satanism, these ideals are "dangerous"
because they prevent the "natural" and undisturbed play of forces which
ultimately will build up a society in the same way as nature builds itself
through the process of natural selection in which the strongest necessarily
will come out on top. Satanism can be considered as a form of social
Darwinistic "religion" which seeks to promote the rights of the strongest to
dominate the weaker because that is the way in which humanity will advance
as a biological species and thereby take care of its role at the spearhead
of natural and social evolution.
The twisting of values can be seen again and again in the material available
on the Internet. e.g., in the so-called " nine satanic statements " which
opens The Satanic Bible [7] written by Anton LaVey in 1969. A guilt-free
self-indulgence is promoted instead of controlled abstinence, vital
existence instead of spiritual dreams, vengeance instead of turning the
other cheek, and kindness should only be shown towards those who deserve it.
Humans need to be seen as "just another animal � sometimes better, more
often worse than those that walk on all-fours". That which Christianity
calls "sins" are in Satanism considered "blessings" because they lead to
physical, mental, or emotional gratification. The "sins" of Satanism are
therefore of a different kind than in Christianity, and are listed as
stupidity, pretentiousness, solipsism, self-deceit, herd conformity, lack of
perspective, forgetfulness of past orthodoxies, counterproductive pride, and
lack of aesthetics. [8]
The rejection of traditional values can make social interaction a problem
for Satanists. For this reason, LaVey developed the Lex Satanicus , a "law
of the jungle" for Satanists, [9] which include advice such as not to give
opinions unless asked, not to tell one's troubles to others unless they want
to hear them, not to visit people who cannot be respected, not to make
sexual advances unless given a mating signal, not to complain about anything
to which one need not subject oneself, not to harm children, not to kill
non-human animals except for food or when attacked, and not to bother
anyone. On the "positive" side, a Satanist should help others when so
requested, or destroy the one who is a nuisance, and acknowledge the power
of magic in so far as it works to one's benefit.
>From the above description, it is obvious that the satanic code of behavior
is based on an extreme social Darwinist ideology, and expressed in a
religious language that deliberately seeks to contradict Judeo-Christian
ideals regarding love, compassion, and altruism. Actually, the very word
"Satanism" is used primarily as a signifier to express the anti-Christian
code of ethics, not as an indicator that Devil worship is at the heart of
Satanist activity. Gilmore puts it clearly:
there are no elements of Devil worship in the Church of Satan. Such
practices are looked upon as being Christian heresies [...] Satanists do not
believe in the supernatural, in either God or 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 that permeates all of nature and provides the drive for survival and
propagation inherent in all living things. Thus Satan is not a conscious
entity to be worshipped, rather a reservoir of power inside each human to be
tapped at will. [10]
Satanism is best conceived as a radical form of atheistic social Darwinism
which views Christianity as its primary enemy and only in that context does
the word "Satanism" makes sense. The point is not to experience some kind of
super-normal unity with some kind of personal force of evil, but to develop
the human abilities to use their natural power to such an extent that it
transforms one's life and enables one to succeed in the personal struggle
for survival. The development of these abilities is the reason for engaging
in ritual and magical practices. Ritual and magic ("Magick") are seen as
techniques for influencing the outcome of human events to one's desired
ends, and the awareness of one's abilities and what is possible to achieve
is regarded as the hallmark of successful Satanic magicians. [11]
Referring to Satanism as a protest against "traditional" values can be
somewhat misleading. It is correct in so far as the "traditional" values
refer to ethical ideals specifically grounded in the Christian religion. At
the same time Satanism affirms "traditional" values in so far as they help
the individual to master their own lives and to achieve greatness in
practical living. The point is that each individual should develop his or
her natural talent for the sake of survival. If a person does not succeed,
then that person should be left alone to perish. The same rule applies on
the social level. Societies, cultures or nations that cannot handle
themselves, should take the consequences of this inability. From the
perspective of Satanism as the most consistent form of social Darwinism,
there ought to be a reduction of the world's population as the weak are
allowed to disappear:
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. [12]
The practical application of this ideology is the complete cessation of the
welfare system and an end to all programs that seek to help the poor and
disadvantaged. Instead, one should develop new programs to award gifted
individuals in all fields to pursue their goals to their utmost ability.
This also includes developing eugenics and to enrich the gene pool from
which human species can grow. Gilmore looks forward to the time when one can
choose one's offspring at will. In the meantime, Satanists need to mate the
best specimens available and the Church of Satan therefore encourages those
that know that they are "defective" to refrain from reproducing. In the case
of criminals, the Church of Satan advocates the institution of an elite
police force ("an American Schutzstaffel") who will deal with such persons.
Social rules should be established to secure maximum freedom for individuals
to interact, and those who disobey those rules need to be dealt with in an
adequate manner, e.g. as forced labor to do whatever work society deems
necessary.
The Church of Satan has developed a plan to move society in the desired
direction. [13] The plan includes (1) the advocating of general recognition
and acceptance of a stratified society where the best are allowed to succeed
and the weak are allowed to perish, (2) the enforcement of strict taxation
of all churches and religious institutions, (3) the re-establishment of Lex
Talionis ("do unto others as they do onto you") without mercy in which the
punishment fit in kind and degree the crime, (4) the promotion of a new
industry which shall seek to develop artificial humanoids to satisfy human
demands for labor and the satisfaction of one's dreams, and (5) the
construction of technological total environments as "pleasure domes" and
places of amusement and delight for people. Life is meant to be enjoyed, and
any means that help fulfill such enjoyment are to be pursued by science and
technology.
Satanists come in different kinds, and there are no specific rules for what
it means to be a Satanist. There is nevertheless one unifying theme in the
sense that all Satanists should have, or at least seek to develop, the
virtues of antinomianism, self-reliance, rebellion and adversarialism. [14]
There is no absolute moral code to be followed and the main emphasis is on
the individual's right to determine with is good and bad. Many Satanists
find ritual activity to be of great value and pursues it in groups or in a
solitary manner. Either path is acceptable to the Church of Satan. Ritual
celebrations are inventions that do not have any meaning in themselves, but
can have practical value in so far as they help participants to greater
insight into themselves and how to live in the world. It is therefore no
surprise to learn that the greatest "Satanic holiday" is one's own birthday.
[15] There is no higher god than oneself, and one should therefore worship
accordingly.
A Satanist should not actively seek to win adherents (proselytize), but
willingly share their philosophy only in so far as they are asked to do so.
The person who wishes to become a follower of Satan can become a Registered
Member of the Church of Satan by paying a one-time fee of US$ 100. By
filling out a questionnaire, one can be reviewed for further involvement in
special interest groups of all persuasions whowork on fulfilling their
"Satanic destiny." [16] International Satanic organizations recommended by
The Church of Satan are The Order of the Left Hand Path (European and New
Zealand), The Order of Nine Angels (England), and The Fraternity of Baelder
(England). [17]
Setian Philosophy
The Temple of Set, named after the Egyptian god of the night, Set, [18] was
established in 1975 after Anton LaVey had offended many [19] of its members
by turning The Church of Satan into a tool for his personal expression and
financial income. [20] In its place the Temple of� Set was set up under the
leadership of High Priest Michael Aquino. [21] The Temple was incorporated
in California as a non-profit church in 1975 and received both state and
federal recognition and tax exemption. Members consider themselves the sole
"Satanic" religious institution possessing these legal credentials.
The history of the Temple of Set is explained in detail in a document called
"The General Information and Admissions Policies Letter". [22] The Temple
traces its origin to the dawn of civilization where the human race for the
first time developed a sense of self-consciousness that places humanity
apart from and above all other known forms of life. Humankind reacted to
this development in two ways. Some were afraid of the expressions of
self-consciousness and sought to promote the view that humankind might
return to an Eden-like "state of nature" in which one did not have to take
responsibility for decisions and actions because a high-god demanded
absolute submission and loyalty. Others welcomed self-consciousness and
regarded it as a way to oppose and dominate the forces of nature by
exercising human "will to power." Whereas the Judeo-Christian tradition has
followed the former path, the Egyptian and Greek traditions, especially the
mystery and occult religions, chose the latter path. The adherents of the
Temple of Set see themselves as continuing the latter alternative.
The name "Set" is etymologically linked with the Hebrew word, Satan, and in
the Temple philosophy the two are considered the same in the sense of being
symbols for the Giver of ultimate Self-Awareness. In the Judeo-Christian
tradition, Satan has been regarded as the personification of everything God
was not, i.e., totally evil. Setians reject this view of Satan/Set as a
Christian heresy. "Set" rather stands for the development of the human
capacity for self-consciousness and will to power. According to Setian
philosophy, Christian propaganda throughout history has fought against
Setians by setting up a smoke screen of evil satanic cults and witchcraft in
order to terrorize their followers into docile obedience and to eliminate
those who could not be threatened. Due to the secularization of the Western
world, the way was gradually cleared to accepting an alternative
spirituality. From Freemasonry a ceremonial and magical offshoot came in the
form of Rosicrucianism, and then in the famous Hermetic Order of the Golden
Dawn (G.'.D.'.) from which� Aleister Crowley (1875-1947) developed his own
Order of the Astrum Argenteum (A.'.A.'.). Crowley is considered a
"grandfather" of satanic philosophy because he fused the ceremonial magic
with a strong emphasis on the possibility of attaining the highest level of
self-consciousness, and integrated this with Masonic/sexual practices of
Germany's Order of Oriental Templars (O.T.O.). (here is the U.S. site of
O.T.O. )
The establishing of the Church of Satan in 1966 marks the birth of Satanism
as a religion in its own right. From its headquarters in San Francisco it
branched out across the United States and Canada with local "Grottos "
headed by ordained Satanic priests (the Priesthood of Mendes). [23] The
total membership in the early 70s was about 250 individuals. [24] Its
ideology was pragmatic and utilitarian, primarily oriented to rational
self-interest, indulgence, and a glorification of the carnal and material.
It did not concern itself much with the mystical and philosophical aspects
of Satanism. In its further development this lack of depth caused serious
problems as the satanic religion, according to the views propagated by the
Temple of Set, proposes to raise the individual to personal godhood, free
from enslavement to other powers. Since this is not only a question of
power, but also of ethics, morality, and psychological maturity, the
utilitarian attitude of the Church of Satan was insufficient to the new
movement, and so it degenerated into a popular commercialized version of
Satanism for its leader's self-propagation, and so the Temple of Set was set
up as a more viable tool to promote a more religious and philosophical form
of Satanism.
The Temple of Set defines "Satanism" as:
the belief in the existence of Satan as a sentient being or spirit in the
universe, and the worship of Satan and obedience to his perceived
principles, standards, and goals. As Satan is defined as a metaphysical
being � Devil or Archangel, such belief in him constitutes a religion rather
than a rational philosophy or an indoctrinated ideology. [25]
A Satanist is then one who believes in Satan, just as a Christian believes
in Jesus Christ, a Buddhist believes in Buddha, and a Muslim believes in
Mohammed. If the existence of Satan is denied, then such a person is an
atheist, not a Satanist. This "religious approach" to Satanism made it
natural, especially in its early years (1966-1975) to explore the so-called
Left-Hand Path from within the Judeo-Christian terminology as a reversion of
certain Christian ideals. Because the theistic religions created their
imagery of "Satan" as the ultimate evil, Satanists emphasized such
attributes as total independence, moral antinomianism, ceremonial artistry,
and intellectual development. The Setians regard this form of Satanism as
only a step along the way, a pedagogical means to free oneself from the
entire cage of Judeo-Christian reference-points in order to enter a much
larger universe of free thought and ideas. The goal is to develop a
completely non-Christianized, positive "high Satanism" that can stand by
itself as a viable alternative for anyone interested.
Until the 1980s, society at large had few problems with the development of
Satanism as exploration and innovation were tolerated and encouraged in
society. Generally, religion was seen as something quaint and obsolete, and
so even Satanism was not considered a threat to anyone. Since then, however,
a new wave of conservatism and intolerance has set in. New religious groups
have become the victims of hate-propaganda and Satanism in particular have
been accused of a variety of crimes: human and animal sacrifice,
cannibalism, kidnapping, sexual abuse, murder, etc. [26] Much energy has
therefore been diverted into answering accusations and defending one's right
to pursue the Satanic path for its own sake. Complicating the picture has
been groups of alienated youth and antisocial elements who have had the
desire to offend society through music or criminal activity. The Temple of
Set rejects such attempts to turn Satanism's image into nothing more than
anti-Christian devil worship and emphasizes that to become a Setian is not
something for unstable, immature, or otherwise emotionally or intellectually
weak-minded people. The priority task of the Temple is not to be a "savior
of the masses," but rather to encourage and help suitable individuals to
grasp and attain their own divinity, to make them "philosopher-kings" who
are able to move beyond the ordinary views of the world. The Temple
therefore affirms the right to determine on its own who are "worthy" of
membership and who are not.
According to M. Aquino, Satanism is based on two principles: (1) that the
individual human being is a free agent who stands apart from the
non-conscious forces of nature; and (2) that this fact is so frightening to
most people that they either have "demonized" it or suppressed its influence
on themselves. [27] Consequently, a Satanist must not only exercise and
enjoy the first principle, but also deal with the fear and hatred generated
by those who do not comprehend its meaning. The true Setian must be an adept
in Black Magic [28] who desires to live, to experience and to continue to be
indefinitely. Secondly, the true Setian is the one who believes that the
psychic consciousness can evolve towards its own divinity through deliberate
exercise of intelligence and will. This is seen as a process of becoming or
coming into being as expounded by Plato and explained by Nietzsche. Worship
as conducted in the Temple of Set is the affirmation of individualism. This
is not to be taken as mere indulgence in all the desires of body and ego (as
often was done in the Church of Satan). Individualism may be called a goal
in itself, but it must also be interpreted as a means to achieve a "higher
self" as expounded by Aleister Crowley in his earlier philosophy. This
process is called Xeper (pr. "Kheffer"; the Egyptian hieroglyphic term for
"becoming") and signifies the "Coming Into Being as an alert, oriented, and
balanced Magician capable of creating change in accord with Will." [29] In
the philosophy of the Temple, life is viewed as a process in which the
psyche can become aware of itself and then reach out towards the
limitlessness of its conscious existence. There are several methods to
obtain the kind of self-awareness that characterizes the higher self, and
the Temple has no ultimate answer as to how a person should develop one's
higher self. The individual must choose the path for him- or herself. The
task of the Temple is simply to set up a conducive atmosphere and a proper
forum (so-called "Pylons") in which such goals can be pursued and
communicated. Based on experience, however, the Temple recommends three
methods as particularly useful: Socratic reductionism (the act of
questioning and testing beliefs to eliminate falsehood), the use of correct
logic (an eclectic and creative synthesis of ideas from various sources to
understand the relation between humans and the universe), and noetic
intuition (the direct knowledge of one's own deity and the use of Black
Magic). [30]
The Temple of Set is led by the Council of Nine, which determines long-term
policies and goals, and appoints both the High Priest of Set and the
Executive Director. There are six degrees (I* - VI*) of initiation for
members (Setian I*, Adepts II*, Priests III*, Magisters IV*, Magi V*,
Ipsissimi VI*) along with various Orders, each supervised by a IV*+ initiate
as the Grand Master. [31] An Order is a group of members who emphasize
special interests of a historic, philosophical, geographic or psychological
kind within the total belief system of the Temple, and may be formalized by
special introductory and ritual procedures. The Grand Master exercises
complete authority over the specific Order, and the Master is only subject
to review by the High Priest of Set. An initiate may belong to one Order
only. The Temple have about one dozen Orders which include the Order of the
Trapezoid, [32] the Order of the Scarab, the Order of the Vampyre, the Order
of Shuti, and the Order of Leviathan. [33] Active work in the Orders are
usually performed by II* and IV* initiates. The V* initiates are the adepts
who have mastered the art of Black Magic, and it marks the top rank normally
maintained by Temple members. Priests are responsible for the integrity of
the Temple as a whole and have the authority to evaluate initiates'
competence and to expel individuals when necessary.
Individuals admitted to the Temple are given a personal copy of the Crystal
Tablet of Set , which contain material on Black Magic, the philosophy of
magic, a list of activities and goals for novices, inter-member
communication, information about the Temple's various orders, a list of all
current Temple officials, a reading list, [34] and a variety of literature
written by Michael Aquino. [35] The novice has two years to qualify as an
adept. The evaluation is based on personal recognition by an already adept
person, who assesses the person's psychological and spiritual maturity and
capability to use magic in order to obtain desired goals. If the evaluation
is negative, the person's affiliation is cancelled. Persons who are approved
are given a red medallion and is now free to affiliate with an Order of the
Temple and to pursue specialized studies according to personal choice. One
can also seek initiation into higher degrees. This depends on personal
growth and the recognition of such growth from other members. The Temple has
a computer database and a bulletin-board system ("Glinda"), which serves as
a repository for an electronic library of documents. Some of these have been
downloaded and archived on various Internet and FTN sites along with other
material about the Temple of Set. [36]
Persons who wish to join the Temple of Set, can do so either by being
sponsored by someone already a member of the Temple, in which case
membership approval is automatic, or, one can apply to the Executive
Director, stating one's personal background and reason for seeking entrance
to the Temple. If the statement does not reveal any criminal or unethical
intent, the person is admitted and requested to pay the admission fee (about
US$ 60 with an annual renewal fee for all initiates of US$ 50). Members must
be over 18 years of age. There is no program for children as it is the
Temple's view that youthful years should be a time of exclusively rational
training and education, giving them a sound basis for choosing whatever
philosophy or faith they want.
� � � � �
The relationship between the Church of Satan and the Temple of Set is a
rather strained one. One source says, "there has been war of words raging
between The Temple of Set and the Church of Satan for the past twenty
years." [37] Nevertheless, Michael Aquino often refers to Anton LaVey with a
dues sense of respect, but at the same time criticizes LaVey strongly for
having compromised Satanism and the Church. Ideologically, the Temple of Set
(hereafter ToS) views the Church (of Satan, hereafter CoS) as only a
temporary setup, an Aeon of Satan which was preceded by the Aeon of HarWer
led by Alistair Crowley, and was followed by the Aeon of Set led by Aquino
himself. [38] From the perspective of ToS, the CoS is stuck in a somewhat
reactionary form of Christian "debunking" by keeping the Judeo-Christian
terminology in a reversed form. Instead, the ToS advocates liberation from
this terminology and thought patterns, and so uses the Egyptian mythology as
a means of overcoming the Judeo-Christian heritage.
The main difference between CoS and Tos, however, is to be found in their
anthropology. The CoS bases their religion on the view that humans are real
animals like any other animal, "a being of carnality" where the "key to
happiness is the acceptance of human nature as it is." [39] Satanists of the
CoS variety accept indulgence of their carnal nature as their key word
(their Xeper, in ToS terminology). Carnal pleasure in the present is the
actual goal of CoS adherents, and it is to this end that Satanic Magic is
applied as a way of "venting" emotional frustrations. The ultimate goal of
CoS is the setting up of a total system of social Darwinism in which the
stronger take control of their own destiny and uses the Lex Talionis as a
principle of how to deal with adversaries. Weak elements are determined
according to their performance and intelligence and will ultimately have to
be eliminated for the sake of superior beings.
The ToS adherents rejects this "reductionist" view of humans as mere animals
and advocates the view that humans are beings who stands apart and above
nature by virtue of their self-awareness. The point is precisely to develop
the individual's self-awareness further by opposing and conquering the
forces of nature by exercising human will to power, and Temple is relatively
indifferent with regard to the social and political implications of this
rise in the person's self-awareness. Whereas the CoS is primarily inspired
by a naturalistic philosophy of Darwinian origin in which the strongest will
survive, the ToS is inspired by the Nietzschean ideal of the Superman who
controls his or her destiny through one's personal will. Both agree in their
vision of the Super-human, but they disagree as to the means of how to
achieve this goal. The CoS pursues the goal in terms of "indulging"
(affirming) humanity's carnal nature, while the ToS pursues the goal through
philosophy and mysticism. Both use magic and ritual for their purposes, but
the form and content of those rituals are then shaped according to how they
envision their paths. CoS rituals emphasize the ventilation of emotional
frustration and the satisfaction of carnal desires, whereas the ToS
emphasizes the self's symbolic participation in a higher reality through
ceremonial magic. Both groups regards "Satan" as a powerful symbol of
rejection and as a means to affirm that human desires and exercise of will
is a positive element of human behavior, but they differ in the attribution
of significance to this symbol. For the CoS adherent, "Satan" is the primary
symbol of identity, while for the ToS adherent, "Satan" is just one among
several symbols and one which actually have to be transcended in order to
see the higher truth. Both groups affirm the need to adhere to society's
general norms and laws, at least when living among other people who do not
understand their views and sympathies. They strongly reject accusations
against them as perpetrators of criminal activity and regard those who
actually have performed cruel and criminal acts (murder, sacrifices,
kidnapping, child abuse, etc.) as not real Satanists, but as mere teen age
"dabblers" who "adopt satanic trappings for a brief period of time, usually
for entertainment rather than serious purposes." [40] Such groups might use
criminal behavior to attract attention and to create a name for themselves,
but they are not accepted by neither CoS or ToS as true (or "Religious")
Satanists. CoS or ToS Satanists are not, by virtue of calling themselves
Satanists, criminal or even dangerous persons in a legal sense. This view is
corroborated by an extensive report on the alleged "ritual" child abuse by
satanic groups. Having investigated allegations of Satanic crime for eleven
years, Kenneth V. Lanning, supervisory special agent of the Behavioral
Science Unit of the FBI Academy in Virginia, concludes that, "There is
little or no evidence for the portion of their allegations that deals with
large-scale baby breeding, human sacrifice, and organized satanic
conspiracies." This does not mean that ritual crimes do not occur, but that
such acts are not to be understood as a result of organized Satanic
activity, but rather as crimes performed by individuals who are using the
facade of Satanism to control their victims and further their criminal
behavior. Such persons should be regarded as criminals, not as Satanists. It
is, of course, possible that some Satanists are criminals, just as one can
find criminals within any specific group in contemporary society. In so far
as there is a problem with regard to Satanism, the core of the problem is
not crime, but ideology, and it is to this issue that we now shall turn our
attention.
Satanism and fascism
On November 11, 1990, Tim Maroney posted a message on The Northern Lights
BBS under the title, "The Nazi Trapezoid" about some unsettling questions
concerning Aquino's organization:
It harbors a subgroup, the Order of the Trapezoid, which is dedicated to
Nazi occultism. Aquino is known to have participated in black magical
rituals at Wewelsburg Castle, set up as a place of occult working for the SS
by Heinrich Himmler. Aquino counts Nazi occultism as one of his chief
interests, and the heraldry and symbolism of the SS is one of his favorite
topics of discussion. These facts would seem to indicate, at least on the
face of them, that Aquino is sympathetic to Nazism. [41]
Maroney complains that Aquino refuses to answer questions about his Nazi
relations. He does not want to deal with matters on the ethical quality of
Nazism or even the reality of the Holocaust. In Aquino's written statements
to initiates into the Order of the Trapezoid, he speaks positively about the
dynamism and life-worship which was endorsed by Nazi Germany "to a
world-shaking degree of success." The only problem with Nazism seems to be
that the Third Reich's dynamism got out of hand. Instead of creating a
"truly evolutionary synthesis of the most sublime concepts of Hegel and
Nietzsche," dynamism and life-worship became perverted into a hatred of
other groups and nations and led to irrational destructive foreign
invasions.
Aquino's evasion of the issue is by Maroney connected with the fact that
Aquino is a military intelligence officer by profession who knows how to
handle covert actions. The fact that he does not answer the question in
itself indicates that the issue is a real one and that he is actually
involved. Furthermore, a positive attitude towards nazism is hinted to in
his remarks on certain books in the ToS reading list. In reference to Mein
Kampf by Hitler, Aquino recommends the reader to "look for the discussions
concerning the selection of leaders, control of the masses, and the
justification for human social organization. You may be surprised at what
you find." [42] About the book, Hitler's Secret Conversations 1941-1944 by
H. R. Trevor-Roper (ed.), Aquino concludes that this is "an impressive look
into the mind of an individual whom the postwar world has been conditioned
to dismiss as a crude, criminal, and unintrospective thug." He also gives
credit to books that extol the history of the European race "which would
have done credit to Hitler and Rosenberg." When reviewing the books in the
reading list related to "Fascism, Totalitarianism, and Magic," Maroney finds
that a majority of the books are pro-nazi in content and that Aquino
obviously thinks highly of Hitler and Rosenberg, that he presents little
criticism of Nazi ideology, and he unambiguously endorses the study and
practice of Nazi occultism.
A representatives of ToS, Ammond Shadowcraft, responded to these charges by
refering to the fact that theToS cannot be fascist nor racist because many
of the Temple leaders are of minority descent (black, Jewish, Hispanic,
etc.). He does not deal with the accusations as such except to refer to M.
Aquino's doctoral degree in political science, which is taken as a
reassurance that the reading list gives "a complete view of this very
emotional subject." [43] The discussion continued on various Internet
newsgroups and to many occultists and neo-pagans the ToS seemed to a group
of neo-fascist and/or Nazi sympathizers.
A more substantial rebuttal was a given by a member of ToS (no author
listed) who summed up the discussion and gave specific answers to the more
important accusations. [44] The author begins by a disclaimer as s/he
reminds the reader that the ToS as an organization has no opinion or point
of view of its own concerning fascism because this is outside the Temple's
realm of concern. Any opinion, including that of the author, is a personal
one.
The basic question to be answered is, "Is the ToS a fascist organization
headed by a Nazi sympathizer?" On the basis of dictionary definitions of
Nazism and fascism, the author states an emphatic No! for the following
reasons: (1) Aquino disagrees with Nazi ideology of the totalitarian
principle of government. As evidence, it is pointed to the organization of
the Temple which conforms to standard democratic principles. (2) Aquino
disagrees with the Nazi ideology of the state control of all industry. The
evidence is found in the Temple's ideal of Black Magicians who should be
able to successfully make their own way in a capitalist society. (3) Aquino
disagrees with Nazi ideology of the predominance of gorups assumed to be
racially superior. The evidence is that people of various races are treated
according to the individual capabilities, not according to race. (4) Aquino
disagrees with Nazi ideology of the supremacy of the Leader ( F�hrer).
According to Setian philosophy, the only entity to be worshiped is one's own
higher Self, not any other's self.
The thrust of the argument against fascism is that the ToS as an
organization and Aquino as its leader discard the basic fundamentals of Nazi
social and political ideals. There is, however, a genuine interest in Nazism
in the ToS, and particularly among the Trapezoid Order, but this interest
concerns itself only with two issues: the philosophy of Nazi occultism and
how the Nazis obtained so much power so rapidly. It is this limited
interest, which is the reason why the reading list includes several pro-Nazi
works, not as a means to pursue their political ideals, but to get a clearer
grasp of their occult ideas and practices. [45] Third Reich occultism is
rooted in the philosophy of German Romanticism, which advocated
individualism, dynamism, and the worship of life in all its diversity. The
Nazi development is seen as an aberration and deviation from these original
ideals in which political goals and social ideals got out of hand in the
irrational attempt to conquer and dominate other nations and peoples. The
positive aspect of Nazism, that which enabled it to gain power so quickly,
was at the same time responsible for its demise and recourse to the use of
war as the irrational means to conquer its opponents and enemies.
Is the Order of the Trapezoid (O.Tr.) oriented towards promoting fascist
ideology and ideals? Clearly not, says the author, as the rules of the Order
makes quite clear:
The O.Tr. is an Order of knighthood characterized by strict personal honor
and faithfulness to the quest for the Grail. The Order is a knighthood in
that its members are pledged to the traditional chivalric virtues as
appropriate to each situation encountered. By honor is meant a sense of
justice, ethics, and responsibility prior to personal comfort, convenience,
or advantage. This honor is known by one's faithfulness to the Quest of the
Grail, which is the self, soul, or psyche made perfect through conscious
refinement and exercise of the Will. Attainment of the Grail results in
transformation of the individual into a state of dynamic existence energized
by the psyche, not by the physical body derived from the objective universe.
Hence the O.Tr. is the gate to psycho-centric immortality beyond physical
death. [46]
Such ideals are not conducive to the setting up of Nazi structures or
promoting fascist ideas. The Order promotes the growth of the individual
self-awareness that includes the application of ethical norms when
exercising one's Will to power. [47] The author therefore concludes that
there is nothing in the Temple of Set that can be taken as representative of
Nazi ideology or fascist policies. All there is to it, is that Setians
should be aware of and understand the philosophy and practice of Black Magic
and occult rituals during the Third Reich as a late development from German
Romanticism and as a source of inspiration for their own personal
development.
It might very well be the case that this is all there is to it, but then one
is faced with an entirely different problem. The ToS (and to a certain
extent also CoS) emphasis on the development of the individual's
self-awareness and its uninhibited philosophy of individualism make its
adherents insensitive and even indifferent to the social and political
implications of their philosophical ideals. Satanism has developed within a
social vacuum where only the private and individual concerns have been dealt
with. The laws of society are adhered to, not because there is any meaning
to social and political life as such , but because of convenience. The whole
point in most Satanists' minds, are the rebellion against traditional
religions, ideologies and morality. As stated in the New Zealand Satanist
journal, The Watcher,
Satan and the Watchers are thus symbols of rebellion against tyrannical god
and moral concepts, which stifle human ascent. We take our stand on the side
of rebellion leading to liberation from slave religions, moralities and
ideologies, the chief one being in the West at this time
Judaeo-Christianity, with Marxism and the Puritan money ethic (ideological
liberalism) being excrescences of this heritage. [48]
It is very easy to criticize Satanism for their lack of ethical norms, but
the problem with such criticism is that it merely proves the point which
Satanists want to make: that traditional morality is a remnant of the
Judeo-Christian tradition that needs to be done away with. Ethics and
morality is simply not a concern for Satanists of any "denomination," and so
to charge Satanists for their lack of moral standing is at best a waste of
time.
A more fundamental and constructive approach to come to terms with Satanists
on their own home field, is to focus on the issue which is at the heart of
their own thinking, namely, anthropology, and in particular the social
aspects of their anthropology. If there is any "danger" in Satanism, it is
in their view of human beings and especially in the social and political
consequences of their anthropological views. Both CoS and ToS represent
extreme forms of individualism in which the social and political reality of
life is obscured by the desire to develop the individual's minds strictly
within its own personal context. With regard to the CoS, the "danger"
becomes acute due to this group's embrace of social-Darwinist ideals in
which they envision a society that has rejected the principle of equality
among persons, discarded all social security systems, and envisages the
introduction of an elite police force to secure a strict enforcement of the
Lex Talionis . But the CoS and ToS do not differ in any fundamental way on
this issue. I think that it is possible to say that what the CoS states
explicitly as their social and political ideals, are actually the implicit
consequences of the Setian philosophy as it might be applied on the social
arena. In so far as Satanism can be called a "human potential movement," it
is indeed necessary to clarify what kind of anthropology that allows one to
set up such ethical standards that can be expressed in terms of the "do what
thou wilst" principle, and the social and political implications of such a
philosophy. If this is not done, then the movement's adherents might soon
find themselves in exactly the same position as the Nazi sympathizers, i.e.,
the irrationalism of the dynamic and life-affirming movement will ultimately
take over and create a situation in which political and social goals will be
determined and pursued without regard for their consequences for other
people(s). It is not possible to work out a philosophy, a religion or a
system of any kind, without clarifying one's anthropology and doing it apart
from the social and political context in which the person envisages one's
ideals to be actualized. To assume that this is possible, and to isolate
oneself as a person � often literally by disguising one's identity to others
as it is done in the rituals of their Temples and Churches � is the gravest
mistake and self-deception by Satanists of any kind.
So what kind of anthropology do we find among adherents of the Satanist
persuasion? In order to answer this question, one has to distinguish clearly
between the views of CoS and ToS respectively. As for the CoS, one can find
their views very clearly represented in the above-mentioned journal, The
Watcher. [49] In an article in Issue # 2 (April-June 1990 CE) called
"Satanism and Morality", the main view is that the human being should be
considered an animal. To be an animal means that the purpose of life is to
follow one's instinct in order to satisfy one's desires. This view conforms
to the 8th Satanic Statement of LaVey: "Satan represents all of the
so-called sins, as they all lead to physical, mental, or emotional
gratification." However, the gratification of primary drives and stimulus
motives does not mean giving up self-control and will. There is at least one
way in which the human being differs from the animal, and that is that a
human being has the capability of exercising self-control and will. But the
Satanist's point is that this capability should be exercised to support
one's "animalhood" by seeking the best possible way of attaining physical,
mental, and emotional gratification. This means that a human being need to
consider the available means of obtaining gratification and to choose the
way according to the rules of "Satanic morality" which can be summarized in
three words: pride, wisdom and individuality. Pride means not conforming to
the ideals of the masses, but to one's own desires for gratification; wisdom
means to be able to control one's destiny through knowledge and power;
individuality means the strength of the body, mind and will which allows one
to stand above common people and their herd mentality. Consequently, to be a
human being, means to exercise one's capabilities to the utmost for the sake
of satisfaction of bodily, mental and emotional desires. The person who
actualizes this ideal has reached "the highest embodiment of life."
>From the ToS perspective, the human being is not understood as essentially
different, but there is nevertheless a significant shift in emphasis.
Whereas the CoS puts the main emphasis on carnal aspect (the mental and
emotional aspects are clearly subordinated to the primary drives of the
body), the ToS puts its main emphasis on the mental aspect in which the
"highest" is understood as obtaining the correct knowledge which enables one
to take control of one's life and destiny. The difference between the CoS
and ToS anthropology thus follows a very old line of conflict within
anthropology itself, namely, the conflict between body and mind. Are humans
best perceived in terms of the body or in terms of the mind? The CoS and ToS
adherents come down on different sides when answering this question.
The practical results of their answers, however, make little difference
because the answer is kept strictly within the individual's personal horizon
of meaning. Satisfaction and gratification is exclusively for the sake of
the individual, and the social and political implications are only given
attention in so far as they support the individual's interests. And even
more, it is not just any individual that is the object of concern here, but
the strongest among all human beings. The Satanists' anthropology is of an
extremely hierarchical nature. Humans are divided into categories according
to their physical, mental and emotional strength. Those with superior
strength in these areas are more valueable than those with lesser strength,
and the ultimate ideal is to get rid of the lesser individuals as they
disturb the exercise of the will of stronger persons. It is in this sense
that the charge of fascism still makes sense. The link to fascism and to
Nazi ideology is found in their anthropology, which advocates the rights of
the stronger because they are the superior beings. The practical result of
this anthropology is identical with Nazi social and political ideologies,
which sought to eradicate peoples considered to be of lesser value (Jews,
gypsies, blacks, homosexuals, etc.). Satanists can only escape this
conclusion by evading a closer examination of their anthropology and
disregarding the application of their ideals in a social and political
context. This is the main danger of Satanism today � but that is also
precisely the reason why a dialogue is needed with the Satanists, at least
with those of a more serious persuasion (not the "dabblers"). Taking into
consideration that Satanic organizations have existed for the past 30 years,
they need to be taken seriously also among those who belong to the "Right
Hand Path" in order to dispel misunderstandings and to obtain a clearer
understanding of their fundamental presuppositions and ideological concerns.
Unfounded attacks and misrepresentations based on a lack of knowledge about
Satanism hardly cause anything else than further radicalization and
self-isolation among Satanist adherents which in its turn give rise to an
increasing gap between the alienation between Satanic groups and the rest of
society.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Selected books on Satanism:
Aiken, Satanism: Sacrilege-silly or Serious? USA: Amer Focus Pub Co, 1989.
Michael Aquino, The History of the Church of Satan. (no publ. info.).
[Available through the Temple of Set.]
Geoffry Ashe, Do What You Will. (no pub. info.). [History and philosophy of
Satanic groups and the "Hellfire Clubs".]
Blanche Barton, The Secret Life of a Satanist. USA: Mondo Press, 1990.
[Basic biography of Anton LaVey, and a basic guide to Satanic philosophy.]
----------, The Church of Satan. USA: Hell's Kitchen Prod, n.d. [Authorized
by Church of Satan.]
Wade Baskin, Satanism: A Guide to the Awesome Power of Satan. Citadel press,
1988.
Hakim Bey, TAZ (Temporary Autnomous Zone. USA: Autonomedia, 1991. [The
manifesto of an emerging anarchic cyber-culture, and a manual for freedom in
the coming dark age.]
Valentin Boss, Milton and the Rise of Russian Satanism. Toronto: Univ. of
Toronto Press, 1991.
Richard Cavendish, The Black Arts. USA: Perigee Books, 1967. [Introduction
to magic, demonology, and classical views of Satanism.]
The Church of All Worlds, Witchcraft, Satanism & Occult Crime: Who's Who &
What's What, A Reference Manual for the Professional Investigator. USA:
Phoenix Pub Co, 1994.
The Church of Satan, The Black Flame. Journal of the Church of Satan.
The Committee for the Scientific Examination of Religion, Satanism In
America. (no pub. info.)
Flo Conway & Jim Siegelman, Snapping; America's Epidemic of Sudden
Personality Change. (no pub. info.) [Information theory used to study sudden
personality change as it accurs in religious cults and the "Born-Again"
phenomenon.]
John W. Decamp, The Franklin Cover-up: Child abuse, Satanism, and Murder in
Nebraska. USA: A.W.T. Inc., 1992.
Neil Forsyth, The Old Enemy . Princeton: Princeton Univ. Press, 1987.
[History of Satan.]
Bruce Frederickson, How to respond to Satanism. USA: Concordia Pub House,
1988.
Karl R.H. Frick, Satan und die Satanisten: Ideengeschichtliche
Untersuchungen zur Herkunft der Komplexen Gestalt "Luzifer/Satan/Teufel",
ihrer Weiblichen Entsprechungen und ihrer Anhngerschaft. 3 vols. Graz,
Austria: Akademische Druck- und Verlagsanstalt, 1982-1988.
Jeff Godwin, Dancing with Demons: The Music's Real Master. Chino, CA: Chick
Publ, 1988.
Friedrich-Wilhelm Haack, Anmerkungen zum Satanismus. M�nchen:
Arbeitsgemeinschaft f�r Religions- und Weltanschauungsfragen, 1991.
George Hay, ed., The Necronomicon . (no publ., 1977). Also The Necronomicon
[by "the Mad Arab"]. Avon Books, 1978. [A popular fictional book of
rituals.]
Robert D. Hicks, In Pursuit of Satan. USA: Prometheus Books, n.d.
Jerry Johnston, Edge of Evil: the Rise of Satanism in North America. USA:
Word Books, 1989.
Larry Kahaner, Cults that kill: Probing the Underworld of Occult Crime. New
York: Warner Books, 1988.
Bob Larson, Satanism: the Seduction of America's Youth. Nelson Thomas Inc,
1989.
Anton LaVey, The Satanic Bible. USA: Avon Books 1969. [Presents the Satanic
views and doctrines of the Church of Satan.]
----------, The Compleat Witch. USA: Lancer Books, 1971.
----------, The Satanic Rituals. USA: Avon Books, 1972.
Kevin Logan, Satanism and the Occult. England: Kingsway Pub, 1994.
Arthur Lyons, The Second Coming. 1970. (A history of Satanism through the
Middle Ages and the modern era.)
----------, Satan Wants You. Mysterious Press (Warner), 1988. [Overview of
Satanism.)
Robert S. Mayer, Satan's Children: Shocking True Accounts of Satanism,
Abuse, and Multiple Personality . USA: Avon Books, 1992.
Joyce Mercer, Behind the Mask of Adolescent Satanism. USA: Fairview Press,
1991.
Jules Michelet, A.R. Allinson, transl., Satanism and Witchcraft: The
Classical Study of Medieval Superstition . USA: Citadel Press, 1992.
Anthony Moriarty, The Psychology of Adolescent Satanism: A Guide for
Parents, Counselors, Clergy and Teachers .USA: Praeger Pub, 1992.
Allen J. Ottens & Rick A. Myer, Coping with Satanism. USA: Rosen Publ.
Group, 1993.
John Parker, At the Heart of Darkness: Witchcraft, Black Magic and Satanism
Today. England: Sidgwick & Jackson, 1993.
Bob Passantino, Satanism . New Zealand: Harper & Collins, 1995.
Phil Phillips, Halloween and Satanism. USA: Starburst Pub, 1987.
Lyle J. Rapacki, Satanism: the Not so New Problem. USA: Crossroads
Ministries, 1990.
James T. Richardson, Joel Best, & David G. Gromley, eds., The Satanism
Scare. New York: A. de Gruiter, 1991.
Maximillian Rudwin, The Devil in Legend and Literature. USA: Open Court
Press, 1931. [On and pertaining to Christian ideas about Satanism.]
Jeffrey Burton Russell, The Prince of Darkness. USA: Cornell Univ. Press,
1988. [Scholarly work on the history of Satan.]
David K. Sakheim & Susan E. Devine, Out of Darkness: Exploring Satanism and
Ritual Abuse. USA: Lexington Books, 1992, reprint: Simon and Schuster, 1994.
William Argent, Battle for the Mind. USA: Harper & Row, 1957.
Emil Schneweis, Angels and Demons According to Lactantius. USA: Ams Press,
1944.
Jeffrey J. Setton, Satanism: Is it real? USA: Servant Pubns, 1992.
Valerie Sinason, ed., Treating Survivors of Satanist Abuse. London:
Routledge, 1994.
Joachim Schmidt, Satanismus: Mythos und Wirklichkeit. Marburg: Diagonal
Verlag, 1992.
Hilton Sutton, Familiar Spirits, Witchcraft and Satanism. USA: Harrison
House Pub, 1989.
Jeffry S. Victor. Satanic Panic: the Creation of a Contemporary Legend. USA:
Open Court Press, 1992. [Response to the accusations about Satanic ritual
abuse.]
�
------------------------------------------------------------------------
NOTES:
[1] As the Internet is constantly changing and revised, "hyperlinks"
(references to specific directories and files on computer servers) quickly
can become outdated. All links refered to in this article, however, were
checked as of November 1995 as operational. Links no longer in operation are
indicated as "dead links". Some (as on the server lysator.se) can still be
accessed by ftp.
[2 There are, of course, numerous other Satanic groups and organizations,
but many of them are related in some way or other to these two "Mother
Churches." A list of Satanic Cults organized in the United States can be
found at http://www.tardis.ed.ac.uk/~feorag/sram/ dossier/UScults.html along
with numerous other pagan and occult groups. Other short-lived spinoffs
include The Church of Satanic Brotherhood, Ordo Templi Satanas, Order of the
Black Ram, the Church of Lucifer, Thee Orthodox Satanic Church, etc.
[3] Material regarding the history and practices of the Church of Satan can
be found in The Secret Life of a Satanist (Feral House 1990) and The Church
of Satan (Hell's Kitchen Productions n.d.) by Blanche Barton, personal
secretary to LaVey and an administrator of the Church of Satan.
[4] Avon Books 1969; Avon Books 1972; Feral House Books 1989.
[5] The text is taken from U.S. Army pamphlet no. 165-13 entitled "Religious
Requirements and Practices of Certain Selected Groups," Headquarters,
Department of the Army, April 1978. The file can be found at
http://www.marshall.edu/~allen12/pamp.html (dead link).
[6] http://www.prairienet.org/~xx052/SATAN.html (dead link).
[7] http://www.prairienet.org/~xx052/Nine.html (dead link).
[8] http://www.prairienet.org/~xx052/Sin.html (dead link).
[9] http://www.paririenet.org/~xx052/Eleven.html (dead link).
[10] http://www.prairienet.org/~xx052/Sin.html (dead link).
[11] The above pertains to the definition of so-called "Greater Magic,"
whereas "Lesser Magic" is basically the daily manipulation of other humans
to obtain one's desires. Detailed techniques can be found in LaVey's book,
The Satanic Whitch, op.cit.
[12] http://www.prairienet.org/~xx052/Sin.html (dead link).
[13] http://www.prarienet.org/~xx052/Five.htm (dead link).l
[14] http://www.prarienet.org/~xx052/faq01.html (dead link).
[15] http://www.prarienet.org/~xx052/Spot.html (dead link). Other important
holidays are the solstices in June and December, the equinoxes in March and
September. Satanic revels are usually held five to six weeks after each
equinox and solstice.
[16] http://www.prarienet.org/~xx052/cosmem.html (dead link).
[17] For introductory statements about the nature of those groups, cf.
html-pages faq032, faq033 and faq034 on http://prarienet.org/~xx052/ (dead
links).
[18] Cf. http://www.lysator.liu.se/ftp/pub/religion/satanism/ToS/history_set
[19] According to Peter Gilmore, the number of persons who disassociated
themselves from LaVey were about thirty, cf.
http://www.marshall.edu/~allen12/pretend.txt (dead link)
[20] It was considered a disaster when LaVey announced (1975) that the
Satanic Priesthood and all higher initiatory degrees in the Church would be
available in return for cash contributions. The reason why this was done,
according to LaVey, was that the status of Church members should reflect
their standing in the world outside of the organization, and not only
reflect simple book learning and esoteric knowledge.
[21] The mandate for the new Temple can be found in The Book of Coming Forth
by Night. Excerpts can be found on the discussion list Alt.Satanism under
the title, "N Solstice" where the authenticity of the excerpts have been
hotly debated.
[22] Current link: http://www.xeper.org/pub/tos/infoadms.html . The current
(Oct 2001) info address of the Xepera-L mailing list is
http://www.xeper.org/pub/tos/xepera.html .
[23] Some Church of Satan grottos and groups represented on the Internet are
to be found on http://www.marshall.edu/~allen12/ (dead link). Among them
were: The Infernal Garrison (iggreet.html and iglaws.html), Grotto ODM
(Oderint Dum Metuant) (odm.html), the Order of the Evil Eye (oeeinfo.html,
oeeparts.html and oeestand.html) and the Grotto of the Wolf � the only
Grotto that existed only on the internet
(http://www.prairienet.org/religion/wolf/homepage.html) (dead link). There
were many other groups that sympathized with the Church of Satan, but
preferred to stay independent.
[24] http://www.lysator.liu.se/ftp/pub/religion/satanism/ToS/horns.gz .
According to Statistic Canada, a 1991 census found 335 Canadians who
identified themselves as Satanists. The actual number is probably higher,
cf. http://www.kosone.com/people/ocrt/glossary.html (dead link).
[25] ftp://ftp.netcom.com/pub/jy/jyouril/infoadms.txt (dead link).Current
link as in fn #22.� "Setnakt," a priest of the Temple of Set, has a somewhat
different view: "Although the majority of the Temple has come to believe in
the existence of this entity [Set], such belief is not required of a member.
Set is regarded as the best model of initiation -- a vast powerful but
finite being." http://www.lysator.liu.se/ftp/pub/
religion/satanism/ToS/Setnakt.gz
[26] Entries to a variety of sources that deal with of Satanic ritual abuse
could in 1995 be found on http://www.kosone.com/people/ocrt/sra.html. Cf.
also: http://parc.power.net/users/aia;
http://www.user.aol.com/doughskept/witchhunt_links.html;
http://www.ra-info.org ;
http://www.tardis.ed.ac.uk/~feorag/sram/srindex.html (some are dead links).
Current information on Satanic ritual abuse can be found on
http://www.religioustolerance.org/sra.htm
[27] ftp://ftp.netcom.com/pub/jy/jyouri/bonewit1.txt (dead link).
[28] Black Magic is explained as "a refined understanding within which one
develops the skills AND the power to control the influences which may
directly affect his/her existence, the power to sense one's own relationship
to those influences, and the balance necessary to create delicate changes �
altering the swing of the pendulum � in one's favor." Cf.
http://www.lysator.liu.se/ftp/pub/religion/satanism/ToS/made_me_do_it
[29] http://www.lysator.liu.se/ftp/pub/religion/satanism/ToS/word.set
[30] http://www.lysator.liu.se/ftp/pub/religion/satanism/ToS/Setnakt.gz
[31] http://www.lysator.liu.se/ftp/pub/religion/satanism/ToS/orders
[32] This is the only Order to which all initiates can belong. The Order has
been accused of promoting Nazi occultism and will be further discussed
below.
[33] For an introduction to these orders cf.
http://www.lysator.liu.se/ftp/pub/religion/satanism/ToS/ol-stm.set
(Leviathans), the Order of Shuti , and -/ ToS/vamp.set (Vampyres). The
latter file included a liturgy for the Black Mass. An explanation of these
orders' purposes can also be found in
http://www.lysator.liu.se/ftp/pub/religion/satanism/ToS/fascism_debunked.gz
[34]
http://www.lysator.liu.se/ftp/pub/religion/satanism/ToS/Reading_lst/tsrl01
(-/tsrl24)
[35] http://www.lysator.liu.se/ftp/pub/religion/satanism/ToS/crystal_tablet
[36] In addition to the already mentioned netcom (USA) and lysator (Sweden)
servers, two other sites were ftp://nic.funet.fi (Finland) and
ftp://etext.archive.umich.edu/pub/Quartz/occult/set (USA) (dead links). ToS
documents are sometimes made available to researchers.
[37] Cf. Peter Gilmore, "Pretenders to the Throne: Regarding the Temple of
Set" at http://www. marshall.edu/~allen12/pretend.txt (dead link).
[38] According to The Book of Coming Forth by Night, on alt.satanism, aug.
1994.
[39] "What is Satanism?" by Azazel of the "Illuminati of Satan," a sub-group
of the CoS, cf. http://www.marshall.edu/~allen12/ioswhat.html (dead link).
[40] http://prarienet.org/~xx052/faq01.html (dead link).
[41] ftp://ftp.netcom.com/pub/jy/jyouril/nz_nazitrap.txt (dead link).
[42] Ibid.
[43] ftp://ftp.netcom.com/pub/jy/jyouril/nz_ntdisclm.txt (dead link).
[44]
http://www.lysator.liu.se/ftp/pub/religion/satanism/ToS/fascism_debunked.gz
(the same file is also listed in the same directory under the name nazism.gz
[45] This is the reason why Aquino participated in a Black Magical ritual at
Wewelsburg Castle in Germany on Oct. 19, 1983. The occasion was the
reconstitution of the Order of the Trapezoid as a functioning Order under
the authority of the ToS. That this very place was chosen, does not,
however, imply that Aquino thereby embraced the political and social goals
of Nazi ideology.
[46] http://www.lysator.liu.se/ftp/pub/religion/satanism/ToS/trapezoid.gz .
This file is a reprint from The Crystal Tablet of Set, "Order of the
Trapezoid � Statement" an was released on the Internet by permission from
ToS.
[47] One might object, of course, that it is very hard to speak about a
moral code among Satanists (at least CoS adherents) when this code is
reduced to its bare minimum: "Do whatever you want to do." What kind of
restraints is built into this code that might prevent a Satanist to become a
Nazi collaborator or fascist propagator? The answer is obvious and can be
found expressed repeatedly in alt.satanism discussions: the only restraint
is the fear of being punished (put to jail or beaten up) or that there is no
need to interfere (they don't have anything I want). Hurting is simply a
waste of time; only when there is a good reason are Satanists allowed by
their moral code to hurt somebody. But then, to a non-Satanist, the question
is what is worse, fascism or Satanism? Is there any reason to choose any
alternative if one knows that is not going to be any "fair play" in either
case?
[48]
http://www.lysator.liu.se/ftp/pub/religion/satanism/Watcher_mag/watch01.gz
[49] The magazine came out with 11 issues from January 1990 until April 1992
when it joined with another Satanist journal in New Zealand, The Heretic .
All published issues can be found as e-text at the lysator site mentioned
above as files watch01.gz - watch11.g
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Some current links (August 2001)
* Satanism 101
* About Satanism (from ReligiousTolerance.org)
* Official Church of Satan Website
* Church of Satan Grotto in Vancouver (Midgard)
* Church of Satan Grotto in Saint Louis (Legion of Loki)
* Church of Satan Grotto in Chicago (Mefisto)
* Church of Satan Grott in New York (Maninblack)
* RadioFreeSatan
* Temple of Set
* see also Balanone at: http://www.bigfoot.com/~balanone
* The Order of the Infernal Light
* Text archives at Maledicta
* Svensk satanisme: Belial , Templi Serpens , Dj�vulens revansch ,�
* Norske artikler om satanisme
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