Theistic Satanism

Theistic Satanism is the belief that Satan is a god or force, and the worship of him. It is a kind of Satanism. It is different from Atheistic Satanism, which sees Satan only as a symbol.

Theistic Satanists do not all believe the same things. Many have their own ideas. They disagree with Anton LaVey, who said that Satan is only a symbol.Satanism: The Feared Religion  Both kinds of Satanists may believe in magic and use rituals. But Theistic Satanists also believe that Satan is real and pray to him. Some say people in the past worshipped Satan in the same way, such as La Voisin, a French witch. Some even say they learned Satanism from their family.

 History 
In history, many people were called Satanists when they only had unusual beliefs. Because of this, it is hard to know if people really worshipped Satan. Paul Tuitean says that the idea of "reverse Christianity" was invented by the Inquisition. George Bataille, however, says that a Black Mass may have existed before the witch trials.

The poet John Milton was not a Theistic Satanist. But his poem Paradise Lost inspired many people who later admired Satan. The poet William Blake said that Milton was "of the Devil’s party without knowing it." 

 says that writers like Milton, Dante, Marlowe, and Goethe created the modern idea of Satan. He argues that these writers had a special "Luciferian vision" and a "diabolical consciousness" that shaped their works.thumb|200px|right|A depiction of the typical features of historical descriptions of the thumb|200px|right|Satan in the Garden of Eden, depicted by William Blakethumb|150px|right|Theistic Satanists may respectfully work with demons found in traditional grimoires.
 Related pages 
 Satanism

 Devil
 Left Hand Path


 Magic
 Folk religion

References

Further reading
 Ellis, Bill, Raising the Devil: Satanism, New Religions and the Media (Lexington: University Press of Kentucky, 2000).
 Hertenstein, Mike; Jon Trott, Selling Satan: The Evangelical Media and the Mike Warnke Scandal (Chicago: Cornerstone, 1993).
 Brown, Seth "Think you're the only one?" (Barnes & Noble Books 2004)
  Medway, Gareth J., The Lure of the Sinister: The Unnatural History of Satanism (New York and London: New York University Press, 2001).
 , : A Study in Medieval Superstition (English translation of 1862 French work).
 Palermo, George B.; Michele C. Del Re: Satanism: Psychiatric and Legal Views (American Series in Behavioral Science and Law) . Charles C Thomas Pub Ltd (November 1999)
 ,  (1871)
 Richardson, James T.; Joel Best; , The Satanism Scare (New York: Aldine de Gruyter, 1991).
 Vera, Diane, Theistic Satanism : The new Satanisms of the era of the Internet
 Translated from the German 'Satanskult und Schwarze Messe' by Christine Trollope.

 Other websites 
Articles and essays about Theistic Satanism  from about.com
Theistic Satanism and Left Hand Path oriented links 
Open Directory Project: Satanism Organizations 
Sinagogue of Satan

Category:Satanism