If you grew up as an evangelical Christian or knew a few during your childhood, you might remember television ministers’ polemics against “Satanism.” You might have seen cartoonist Jack Chick’s widely distributed tracts insisting that rock music, Halloween and popular role playing games such as Dungeons and Dragons were all “tools of the devil.” Also, Wiccans, practitioners of witchcraft and other pagans must frequently contend with the misconception that they are “devil worshippers.” However, literal Satanists do exist, with beliefs and practices that don’t match these commonplace stereotypes.
Wait—Satanists Really Do Exist?
First established by Anton Szandor LaVey in August 1966, the Church of Satan is one of the most famous organizations to call itself Satanic in nature. Other groups include the First Satanic Church, formed when LaVey’s daughter Karla broke away from the original Church of Satan in 1999. Also, the Satanic Temple exists as both a political and religious organization advocating for a wide range of causes, including reproductive rights and equal representation of non-Christian faiths in public spaces.
What Do These Individuals Believe?
While Satan as a religious, artistic and cultural figure has existed for thousands of years, most ideologies that focus on or use imagery associated with him originated in the 19th century. French occultist Eliphas Levi referred to a figure known as “Lucifer” in his writings, and the Theosophical Society saw him as a force that facilitated the spiritual awakening of humanity. Additionally, famed English occultist Aleister Crowley referred to himself as “the Beast 666.”
Interestingly, Crowley may have influenced the creation of the Church of Satan as well as its principles and teachings. Just as Crowley and previous thinkers have used this persona for symbolic intent, the Church of Satan sees him as a “symbol of pride, liberty and individualism…[serving] as an external metaphorical projection of our highest personal potential.” The Church’s website explains that its members are basically atheists and adds, “We do not believe in Satan as a being or person.”
LaVey’s and other brands of Satanism are also quite different from what many people have imagined. The Church clarifies, for example, that its members do not practice any form of sacrifice since their core philosophies do not call for reverence of a supernatural being. Moreover, the modern organization is less focused on communal rituals while drawing strong attention to its values such as individual liberty, mutual respect, personal responsibility and acceptance of LGBTQ individuals. To date, its fundamental ideologies have been published in two books: “The Satanic Bible” by LaVey himself and “The Satanic Scriptures” penned by current High Priest Peter H. Gilmore.
Famous Members of the Church
It’s probably no surprise that musician Marilyn Manson is the Church’s most well-known associate. Revolver Magazine reports that Manson became a card-carrying member in the 1990s and was ordained as an honorary priest. Furthermore, Manson knew LaVey personally and spent time with him, and Geek.com writer Aubrey Sitterson disclosed that Manson wrote the forward to the last book LaVey published before his death in 1997. Others who have joined include pianist Liberace, entertainer Sammy Davis, Jr. and actress Jayne Mansfield.
Religion, Philosophy, Both or Neither?
From some Christians, the word “Satanism” elicits condemnations and anecdotes originating from the moral panic gripping parts of the United States during the 1980s. However, the versions practiced by the Church of Satan and similar groups diverge drastically from popular stereotypes. Rather than the sensationalist accounts on talk shows and by conspiracy theorists, Satanism tends to be an individualistic belief system. Its use of this polarizing religious and cultural figure is intentional, to set itself in direct opposition to traditional, orthodox Christianity that focuses on self-denial and seeking approval and salvation from outside one’s self.