In December 2007 the Associated Press reported that a teenager had sent an e-mail to the Church of Satan administration saying he wanted to "kill in the name of our unholy lord Satan." The Church told the Federal Bureau of Investigation about the message, which then told local police who arrested the teenager.
The Church of Satan has two types of members: Registered Members and Active Members. Registered Members just have to pay $200 to the Church, and are given a red card to show they are a member. An Active Member has to be involved with the Church and local members. Active Membership is divided into five Degrees:
Active Members begin at the First Degree. They must be approved for an Active Membership, and this is based on their answers to a long list of questions. Members cannot apply for higher Degrees, and the requirements for each degree are not open to the public. Promotion to a higher degree is only by being invited. Members of the Third through Fifth degrees are the Priesthood and may be called "Reverend." Members of the Fifth degree are sometimes called "Doctor," although ""The" Doctor" usually means Lavey. Some Active Members are called Agents, qualified to explain the Church of Satan and the philosophy of Satanism to the media and others who are interested.
People seeking membership must be old enough to be seen as adults in the country where they live. The only exception made is for children of members who show they understand the Church philosophy and practices who wish to join. What they can do is limited until they reach adulthood.
Memberships may be ended through a decision of the ruling body of the Church of Satan consisting of the High Priest, the High Priestess and the Council of Nine.
Over the years, the Church of Satan has stopped then restarted the use of Grottoes -small groups for people who live near each other to work on projects or do ritual together, or be friends. Now that most people have the internet, the Church of Satan has decided people do not need to join Grottoes to meet other Satanists. If a group of Church of Satan members now wish to form a “magic circle” for something more than simple friendship and ritual, and can keep it active for a year and a day, the leader of the group can apply to have it called a Grotto and the leader called a Grotto Master. A grotto is expected to be secret, and only those they think are worthy are supposed to know about it. If a Grotto stops being useful it will be closed, as the Church of Satan has always done. Grotto Masters and Grottos do not represent the Church of Satan unless they have other authority to do so.
Members of the Priesthood have the titles “Priest”/“Priestess,” “Magister”/“Magistra,” or “Magus”/“Maga.” The Council of Nine, which is the ruling body of the Church of Satan, and the Order of the Trapezoid who help in the administration of the Church of Satan are part of the priesthood. The High Priest and Priestess act as administrative chiefs and the two main public representatives. The current High Priest is Peter H. Gilmore, the current High Priestess Peggy Nadramia.
The Church of Satan say they judge whether Active Members can join the Priesthood by their accomplishment in society and recognition within a profession rather than knowledge of the occult. They are expected to be able to speak about the Satanic philosophy, but do not have to represent the Church of Satan publically, and might choose to keep their membership secret so they can do what they want in the world, meet their own goals and those of the Church. Membership in the Priesthood is by invitation only.
Zeena Lavey, Anton LaVey's daughter, was not a High Priestess of the Church and has left it.
Satanists within the Church of Satan follow these rules on how to live. But Satanists do not view the Satanic sins, statements, and rules of the earth as things that someone has to "try" to do. They think it's human nature, rather than a Jew or Christian who the Church of Satan think have to try hard to fit in with the rules of their religion.
The Nine Satanic Statements outline what "Satan" represents in the Church of Satan.
Pentagonal Revisionism is a plan consisting of five major goals written in 1988 by founder Anton Szandor LaVey:
These goals have another purpose, as said by the author, to let non-Satanists see how much they agree with Satanic views. Pentagonal Revisionism is the application of Satanist beliefs to society and economics with five goals to encourage members. Other books, such as "The Satanic Bible",say more about Satanic dogma.
Kung Fu Panda (movie)
Kung Fu Panda is a 2008 American-Indian-Chinese-French computer-animated action comedy movie made by DreamWorks. It was directed by John Stevenson and Mark Osborne. It tells the story about a big fat panda (Jack Black), a kung fu fan who becomes a kung fu master. It received critical acclaim and became a box office success. A successful sequel, "Kung Fu Panda 2" was released in 2011. Another sequel, "Kung Fu Panda 3" was released in 2016. There is also two short , a Christmas special, and a .
A big, fat panda named Po the panda dreams of becoming a kung fu master, but he doesn't know kung fu. One day, kung fu teacher Master Shifu holds a contest to see who will become the Dragon Warrior, the most powerful kung fu master in the land. Everyone thinks one of Shifu's students, the Furious Five will become the Dragon Warrior, but Po is chosen instead and begins learning kung fu. Shifu and the Furious Five don't like Po the panda and try to make him quit, but he becomes friends with them. When Master Shifu learns that the evil Tai Lung the snow leopard is coming to the land, he quickly teaches Po kung fu so he can be given the Dragon Scroll that will help him beat Tai Lung. Nothing is written on the scroll, but Po finds out that he doesn't need the scroll to be the Dragon Warrior and beats Tai Lung without it. Po becomes a kung fu master and Dragon Warrior loved by everyone and peace returns to the land.
Forrest Gump (novel)
Forrest Gump is a 1986 novel by Winston Groom. The novel tells the story of Forrest Gump, a man with an IQ of 75, and his epic journey through life, meeting historical figures, influencing popular culture and experiencing first-hand historic events while largely unaware of their significance, due to his lower than average intelligence. The movie adaptation differs substantially from the book on which it was based.
"Forrest Gump" was made into a movie starring Tom Hanks. The movie, however, covers a slightly different version of the later chapters, which deal with Gump's shrimp business and his meeting of his son Forrest, Jr. Also, Gump marries Jenny in the movie. Gump and Forrest Jr. do not have the loving relationship that the end of the movie features - in the movie, they actively tell each other that they love one another in their last conversation.
In addition, the movie invented one of its most famous scenes, in which Forrest chooses to run across America repeatedly over a three year period, before his meeting of Forrest, Jr.
Appendicitis
Appendicitis is the inflammation of the appendix. The appendix is a pouch at the start of the large intestine. Symptoms usually include a sharp pain in the lower right abdomen. Also, nausea, vomiting, and decreased appetite are common. However, about 40% of people do not have these typical symptoms. If the appendix ruptures (splits) the result is painful peritonitis, and sepsis. Therefore immediate treatment in hospital is needed for appendicitis. Usually the infected appendix is taken out.
The function of the appendix in apes is the digestion of vegetable matter such as leaves. Humans do not digest leaves, but we inherited some of the apes' vegetarian apparatus. Our appendix is much smaller than that of present-day apes, and for some reason our immune system does not serve it well. An infection there is not eliminated as it might be elsewhere in the body.