From: rtsumn01@ulkyvx.louisville.edu
Subject: Alt.Satanism FAQ version 2.1
Date: Mon, 9 Nov 1992 20:43:41 GMT
Organization: University of Louisville

I was hoping to make a few updates to the FAQ before posting, but my computer's
been in the shop for repairs along with all my notes and the word processor.
Since it's been so long, here's a cleaned-up and slightly improved version
someone was kind enought to e-mail me.

--Semhaza

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
                           THE ALT.SATANISM FAQ
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

     This file is for all new readers of alt.satanism.

     Many groups of a `controversial' nature have noticed that new
     readers often come up with the same questions, misstatements or
     misconceptions and post them to the net.  The purpose of this
     file is to prevent continual restatement of previously debated--
     often several times debated--topics.

     This isn't to say that these things are not subject to further
     debate.  It is to say that these things *have* been considered by
     the readers here.  If you have something significant to add to
     the debate on a particular topic then please do post.

     Contributors to date are:
          Semhaza (The Antichrist)
          Shaitaneth Baphomet (The Adversary)
          Scott under the Elder Sign
          Frater (I) Nigris (666)

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

     Frequently Asked "Questions" of Alt.Satanism:

     1.   What is Satanism?
     2.   What is _The Satanic Bible_?
     3.   Are there other Satanic organizations?

     4.   Satan is a Christian God!
          You aren't Satanists, just nasty atheists!
     5.   Aren't Satanists ritualistic baby murderers?
     6.   Do Satanists have orgies?  If so, where do I sign up?

     7.   What is Xian?  COS?  TOS?  TSB?
          Do you say "Xian" rather than "Christian" in order to insult
          Christianity?

     8.   Have you considered the message of _The Bible_?
     9.   For the Christians among us....
          You are all going to hell.
          Jesus saves!
          [As regards Christian evangelism, see also the alt.atheism FAQ.]

     10.  How can I get more information about Satanism?

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

1.   What is Satanism?

     At first glance this may look like a simple question to answer:  "Go
     look it up in the dictionary." would seem to be straightforward
     enough.  In fact, I'll do it for you:

          Satanism, n.  1.  the worship of Satan or the powers of
          evil.  2.  a travesty of Christian rites in which Satan
          is worshipped.  3.  diabolical or satanic disposition,
          behavior, or actions.

     [from _Webster's Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary of the English
     Language_, (c) 1989]

     Unfortunately it's not that easy.  There is no one set of beliefs that
     comprise Satanism.  Because there is no set of doctrines or scriptures
     agreed upon by a majority of Satanists, would-be practitioners must
     define their beliefs for themselves, based upon a minimum of shared
     information.  The issue is further confused by the fact that,
     historically, most records of real or imagined Satanism have been made
     by Satanists' traditional enemies, Christians.  However a few
     generalizations can be made:  the average Satanist disagrees with much
     of Christianity, believes in no absolute moral code, and places
     emphasis on the individual and personal rights.  If you think this
     sounds like Libertarianism, you're right; many Satanists consider
     themselves Libertarians or feel close to the party on social issues.

     I would divide Satanists into several main groups:

          1.  The Dabblers:  adopt Satanic trappings for a brief
          period of time, usually for entertainment rather than
          serious purposes.  Some modern youth fall into this
          category, along with past groups like the 18th century
          Hell-Fire Club.

          2.  Atheistic Satanists:  don't believe in spiritual
          entities.  Satan is only a symbol for humankind's
          freedom from moral obligation.  Most Usenet Satanists
          fall into this category.

          3.  Miltonian Satanists:  do believe in a deity, Satan
          or another Entity with connotations to what has been
          recognized as evil in other societies.  This Entity has
          been misrepresented in history and is not actually
          maleficent.

          4.  Dark Satanists:  also believe in a literal Satan,
          but not the "higher" being of the Miltonians.  Rather,
          it is a force for self-gratification, power, or other
          craved "fruits" forbidden by Christian mythos.

          5.  Secondary Satanists:  follow a faith outside the
          Christian mainstream.  While they might not think of
          themselves as Satanic, outsiders sometimes perceive
          them as such.  Santeria is a good example.

          6.  Lovecraftian Satanists:  take their rituals
          seriously, conjuring dark beasties to devour their
          enemies or to destroy the ferocious neighbor's dog
          which barks incessantly during the most critical
          rituals.  One of their favorite deities is Cthulhu,
          lurker beneath the depths who is "dead but dreaming". 
          These Satanists take their Necronomicon seriously (I
          don't think it's the Necronomicon available from Avon
          Books).

2.   What is _The Satanic Bible_?

     _The Satanic Bible_ is a book describing the philosophy of Anton
     LaVey, founder of the Church of Satan.  This organization holds the
     view that there is no higher god than oneself, and that one should
     worship accordingly.  Life is the Great Indulgence and Death is the
     Great Abstinence, as there is no afterlife.  The basic ideas of _The
     Satanic Bible_ are laid out in the Nine Satanic Statements:

          1.  Satan represents indulgence, instead of abstinence!

          2.  Satan represents vital existence, instead of
          spiritual pipe dreams!

          3.  Satan represents undefiled wisdom, instead of
          hypocritical self-deceit!

          4.  Satan represents kindness to those who deserve it,
          instead of love wasted on ingrates!

          5.  Satan represents vengeance, instead of turning the
          other cheek!

          6.  Satan represents responsibility to the responsible,
          instead of concern for psychic vampires!

          7.  Satan represents man as just another animal,
          sometimes better than, 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!

          8.  Satan represents all of the so-called sins, as they
          all lead to physical, mental, or emotional
          gratification!

          9.  Satan has been the best friend the church has ever
          had, as he has kept it in business all these years!

     _The Satanic Bible_ can be found (in America) in most chain bookstores
     in the New Age, Philosophy, or Religion sections.

     The Church of Satan can be contacted at:

          Church of Satan
          P.O. Box 210082
          San Francisco, CA 94121

     $100 will get you a lifetime membership.  Contrary to popular opinion,
     the Church is not tax-exempt.  It turned down tax-exemption (despite
     being eligible) on the grounds that a church is a business and should
     not receive preferential treatment.

     Some people question whether the term "Satanism" is appropriate for
     the Church's beliefs, due to its atheistic stance.  Since the Church
     has been in existence for over 20 years its definition is probably
     here to stay, although it isn't the only definition.

3.   Are there other Satanic organizations?

     Yes.  The best-known and longest-lasting is the Temple of Set, founded
     by former Church of Satan member Michael Aquino.  The Temple
     encourages members to apply Setian philosophy to their soul or psyche
     in the process of Xeper, which means "coming into being". The goal is
     for the individual to achieve self-actualization and divinity.  The
     Temple operates in a more religious and supposedly more intellectual
     atmosphere than the Church of Satan.

     The Temple of Set can be contacted at:

          Temple of Set
          P.O. Box 470307
          San Francisco, CA 94147

4.   Satan a Christian God!
     You aren't Satanists, just nasty atheists!

     Most (probably all) religions have gods or demons that represent the
     principle of adversity:  that which is forbidden by society.  Satan is
     one among these, originally conceived by the Hebrews long before the
     birth of Jesus.  The name first appears (in _The Bible_, at any rate)
     in the book of Job.  Satan was a fallen angel, not a god, in the
     monotheistic religions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

     "Satan" is understood by most Satanists in a context different than
     that of Christian theology.  Satan is a powerful archetype, to the
     Euro-American Usenet majority at least, bringing to mind such things
     as sexuality, power, individualism and control over one's destiny. 
     The Satanist can choose what s/he likes from the varied portrayals of
     Satan, and may add principles of adversity from other cultures as
     well.

5.   Aren't Satanists ritualistic baby murderers?

     Some misleading reports exist about Satanists:  they are organized
     into nationwide cults; they commit ritual murders on a grand scale;
     they raise their children with psychological disorders; they kidnap
     people for blood sacrifice; they organize day-care centers and abuse
     the children placed in their care.  A whole class of books exists
     detailing the exploits of these Satanic groups.

     The problem with all these works is that they are fictional rather
     than truthful accounts.  Much is claimed based on scanty evidence that
     would be better explained by another scenario.  Claims of involvement
     with Satanism are made by patients under hypnosis (hypnotized subjects
     are notorious for their suggestibility and tendency to produce
     fictions).  Other "former Satanists" distort the truth in search of
     attention and money.  These sensationalists never go to the police
     regarding the criminal activities they allegedly took part in, which
     calls the veracity of their claims and the sincerity of their remorse
     into question.

     Evidence does not exist to support what is said to occur.  If the
     number of murders said to be committed by Satanists was accurate, some
     bodies should have been found by now.  While means have been suggested
     by which bodies could be concealed, it stretches the imagination to
     believe that every body has been successfully hidden thus.  Evidence
     in other areas is similarly lacking.

     Individuals investigating suspected Satanic crimes misinterpret what
     they find to fit their expectations.  The _Necronomicon_, published by
     Avon Books, is used as an authoritative guide to Satanic practices. 
     Yet few Satanists take the book seriously in any way, and none follow
     it to the letter.  This and other things lead some non-Satanists to
     see what simply is not there.

     The observant reader may note that there have been a few crimes linked
     to Satanism.  In all cases the criminal(s) worked alone with no
     connections to other groups.  Some cases have been publicized by the
     media as being related to Satanism when in fact they involve another
     religion, as in the Matamoros case.

     The lesson to be learned is that although a book may appear in the
     "Non-fiction" section of a bookstore, that doesn't make it so.

6.   Do Satanists have orgies?  If so, where do I sign up?

     Hmmm...I trust that some do, but I have been unable to locate any as
     of yet.

7.   What is Xian?  COS?  TOS?  TSB?
     Do you say "Xian" rather than "Christian" in order to insult
     Christianity?

     Some users in this and other newsgroups find themselves discussing
     Christianity frequently.  In order to cut down on keystrokes they type
     "Xian" and "Xianity" rather than the longer versions.  A few users may
     intend it partly as a slur, but most do it only for convenience.  The
     abbreviation itself is far from insulting; it is accepted and used by
     many Christians including (I am told) the Pope.

     A few other abbreviations occur frequently in this newsgroup.  They
     are normally defined in a conversation, but here they are for your
     convenience:

          COS = Church of Satan
          TOS = Temple of Set
          TSB = _The Satanic Bible_

8.   Have you considered the message of _The Bible_?

     Yes.  Most Satanists, along with most other members of Western
     cultures, are familiar with the teachings of Christianity and many
     have read _The Bible_ or part of it.  They simply consider _The Bible_
     to be false and disregard it much like Christians would disregard
     books which represent the foundation of another religion.  Attempting
     to discuss Christianity will, in most cases, only get you flamed and
     not inform the Satanist of "something they didn't know".  If you are
     still tempted to post about _The Bible_ because you feel that we may
     have missed an important point, I suggest you seek out and read the
     alt.atheism FAQ before proceeding.  Many of its points are applicable
     to alt.satanism.

9.   For the Christians among us....
     You are all going to hell.
     Jesus saves!

     Quite often, members of fundamentalist Christian groups see fit to
     post various evangelical messages in alt.satanism.  The reason for
     this is not clear.  It has been suggested by various members of this
     net, who I shall lump under the convenient category of "Satanist,"
     that the reason for this posturing is that many (perhaps most)
     Born-Again Christian types are closet masochists.  It has also been
     suggested that Christians need to save a certain number of souls to
     get a good seat in paradise, similar in spirit to selling candy-bars
     or magazines to fund various extra-curricular activities in school. 
     Presumably Satanist souls, being sold to the devil already, are worth
     more points.
          While these theories have some merit, considering the teachings
     of their (allegedly) chosen religion, an attempt should be made to be
     open-minded enough to see their side of things.
          Many Christians, when asked why they do this, respond something
     to the effect that it is charity, something they do out of the
     goodness of their hearts, out of concern for people etc. etc.  Well,
     if the Christian is really concerned with people, why not preach to
     those who have not heard the message?  Most "Satanists" are well
     acquainted with the messages of Christianity.  They have been preached
     to ad infinitum, and are fed up with it.  That is part of the reason
     they are Satanists instead of plain old agnostics.  Many Satanists are
     angered by such posts, and justifiably so.

     Now consider this:
          You will never convert a Satanist over USENET.  You either
               1) are too infuriating;
               2) look like a fool.

          There is NO logical reason to convert to Christianity.  The only
     appeals are to the emotions, and as stated before they either look
     foolish or infuriating.  Things like, "But Jesus LOVES you; he died
     for your sins!" or "Your soul is in danger!" are appeals to guilt and
     fear respectively; not reason.  As most Satanists have chosen this
     path out of reason, these appeals will never work.  As for those
     Satanists who are so for emotional reasons, their minds are as closed
     as that of the Born-again Christian.  Perhaps, if indeed preaching is
     done for humanitarian, and not egotistical or masochistic reasons,
     your energies are better spent educating those who know little of your
     faith: those born atheistic, communists, buddhists etc.  If, as
     suspected, your purposes are more egotistical (look reverend; I
     converted a Satanist!) forget it.  There are no "lost souls," waiting
     to be found, in this community.
          For the masochistically inclined, we suggest self-flagellation. 
     It costs less disk space, is probably more satisfying, and is
     certainly less offensive to the general public.

     Otherwise; GROWL!  BOOGA BOOGA!  HASTUR ASTAROTH LEVIATHAN
     ISHTAR!!!!!!!!!  XILKA XILKA!  BESA BESA!  go away already...

10.  How can I get more information about Satanism?
     
     Recommended Reading:

     _The Satanic Bible_, by Anton Szander LaVey, Avon Books, 1969. 
          Presents the Satanic views and doctrines of the Church of Satan,
          along with an introduction to its rituals.

     _The Compleat Witch_, by Anton LaVey, Lancer Books, 1971.
     _The Satanic Rituals_, by Anton LaVey, University Books, 1972.
          More books discussing LaVey's brand of Satanism.

     _The Second Coming_, by Arthur Lyons.  [out of print]

     _Satan Wants You_, by Arthur Lyons, Mysterious Press (Warner), 1988.
          Presents an overview of Satanism and the history of Satan, plus
          an in-depth look at popular misconceptions.

     H. P. Lovecraft, collected works.
          Classic horror fiction that has served as inspiration for many
          Satanists.
     _The Black Arts_, by Richard Cavendish, Perigee Books (Putnam), 1967.
          An objective introduction to magic, demonology, and classical
          views of Satanism.

     _Black Magic in Theory and Practice_, by Michael Aquino.

     _The Necronomicon_ [by the Mad Arab], Avon Books, 1977.
          Purported ritual book of great efficacy.  Generally regarded as
          fiction interspersed with translations of Mesopotamian texts. 
          Mileage may vary, depending on how seriously you take babble.

     _The Satan Seller_, Mike Warnke's imagination, Logos International,
     1972.

     _Cornerstone_, Volume 21, number 98, "Selling Satan," Jon Trott & Mike
     Hertenstein, 1992.
          This gets *highest* recommendation.  From a Christian magazine
          which does a great job of discrediting Mike Warnke's accounts
          mentioned in _The Satan Seller_ and elsewhere (thanks Bill!)

     _Satanism: The Seduction of America's Youth_, Bob Larson, Thomas
     Nelson Publishers, 1989.
          The facts on the *conspiracy* now coming to a lonely town near
          you!!! (You're reading the FAQ, so it's already here!)

     _ABRASAX #4_ A magazine published by the American Gnostic Church.
          Issue #4 is dedicated to Satan & satanic matters generally.  They
          can be reached at:

               American Gnostic Church
               PO BOX 1219
               Corpus Christi, TX, 78403-1219

          (This is an old address--I have not checked yet.)

     _The Occult_ by Colin Wilson
          An excellent objective introduction to the subject.

     _Cosmic Trigger_ by Robert A. Wilson
          This book describes various initiations and occult phenomena
          experienced by Mr. Wilson.  Mr. Wilson has had a great influence
          on 20th century occultism, and his books should be read by any
          serious student of the occult.

     _Apocalypse Culture_ collected by Adam Parfey.
          A shocking work, depicting the worldviews of various "fringe"
          sects and individuals, ranging from necrophiliacs to ultra-right
          wing Christians.

     _Snapping; America's Epidemic of Sudden Personality Change_ by Flo
     Conway & Jim Siegelman.
          An interesting work utilizing information theory in the study of
          sudden personality change as occurs in religious cults, and the
          "Born-Again" phenomenon.
     _The Dead Sea Scrolls_
          There are many good books on this subject for those who need to
          debunk Christianity historically as well as philosophically. 
          Among them:

          _Dead Sea Scrolls & the Bible_ by Roland E. Murphy (a Roman
          Catholic at that) 1968

          _A Crack in the Jar; What ancient Jewish Documents tell
          us about the New Testament_ by Niel Fujita (also a
          Christian scholar) 1986

          _The Dead Sea Scrolls and the Christian Myth_ by John
          Allegro (one of the original Dead Sea Scholars) 1984

          Note than all of the above scholars are of the old school of
          scroll study.  While all do a good job of debunking Christianity,
          the latest generation of scholarly works is even more damning.

     Following are a number of works recommended dealing with Satanism's
     links with crime, multiple personality disorder, etc.

     _The Satanism Scare_, ed. James T. Richardson, Joel Best, and David G.
     Bromley (NY: Aldine, 1991): 145-172.

     _Satan's Power: A Deviant Psychotherapy Cult_, by William Simms
     Bainbridge, U of CA Press, 1978.

     _Battle for the Mind_, by William Sargent, Harper & Row, 1957.

     _In Pursuit Of Satan_, by Robert D. Hicks (Prometheus Books),

     _Satanism In America_, issued by the Committee for the Scientific
     Examination of Religion.

     "Occult Crime:  A Law Enforcement Primer"
          [To obtain a copy of this report, write to

               California Office of Criminal Justice Planning
               1130 K Street, Suite 300
               Sacramento, CA 95814

          (Phone: (916) 324-9100).  Request the "Research Update, Special
          Edition, Winter 1989-1990, Volume 1, Number 6" issue.  No mention
          is made of a donation, but it may be useful to inquire
          beforehand.]