Ä Area: InfiReligi ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ
Msg#: 3112 Date: 10-12-96 01:25
From: Elf Read: Yes Replied: No
To: All Mark:
Subj: Alt.Satanism FAQ [1/5]
ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ
>>> Part 1 of 5...
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
THE ALT.SATANISM FAQ
last major revision; July 20, 1994
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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)
Graeme Wilson
Balanone
Peggy Nadramia
Frater (I) Nigris (666)
Lupo the Butcher
Frequently Asked "Questions" of Alt.Satanism:
1. What is Satanism?
2. What is _The Satanic Bible_?
3. Satanic Organizations?
3.1 The Church of Satan
3.2 The Order of the Left Hand Path
3.3 The Order of Nine Angles
3.4 The Fraternity of Baelder
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? OT? NT?
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: should you feel inclined to preach.
You are all going to hell.
Jesus saves!
10. Satanic Music?
11. What is a Black Mass?
12. How can I get more information about Satanism?
13. Where can I get suplies?
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 action.
[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.
The one unifying theme among the Satanisms is the last of the
three definitions; one can say with some certainty that all Satanisms
and Satanists have diabolical or satanic dispositions in that they are
"like Satan." They possess the virtues of antinomianism,
self-reliance, rebellion and adversarialism.
There are several divisions one could make as to the belief
systems of various "Satanic" groups. This (arbitrary) division was
included to point out various currents or influences in modern day
satanism rather than an attempt at categorization.
1. The Dabblers: adopt Satanic trappings for a
brief period of time, usually for entertainment
rather than serious purposes. Many modern youths
fall into this category.
2. Churches of Satan: are patterned after the
teachings of Anton LaVey. These groups believe in
individualism, gratification of the ego,
self-reliance and the ideal of the Nietzchean
Superman. These groups use Magick as a tool for
earthly power. They see Satan as the driving
force behind achievment in mankind.
3. Gnostics: can be divided into two major categories
A. Promethian Gnostics: Believe in a literal
"Satan", but believe that the creator of the
world (Jehovah) is the evil deity. Satan is
seen as the "bringer of light"; a beneficient
god. This is an old "heresy" seen in groups
such as the Yezidis.
B. Dark Gnostics: Worship the dark force in
nature. These groups follow the whims of a
capricious god, which most westerners would see
as being "evil." There are a few historical
christian heresies which would fall into this
category. Kali worshippers could also be
categorized here.
4. Secondary Satanists: follow a faith outside the
Christian mainstream. Most would not consider
themselves as being "Satanic" and strictly
speaking should not be defined as satanists (as
per se with some of the Gnostic groups), but the
ignorant often categorize them as Satanists.
Voodoun and Santiera could be grouped here, as
could medeaval witchcraft (if it actually
existed). Certain forms of Tantric Buddism could
also be placed in this category.
5. Hellfire Clubs: Were a phenomenon of the 18th
century. The first of these was founded by the
Duke of Wharton in the early 1700's. Most
infamous was sir Francis Dashwood's Medmenham club
(Often incorrectly called the hellfire club).
Dashwood was a close freind of Benjamin Franklin,
who may have been a member of this group.
Franklin's description of the Medmeham club's
secret chambers is one of the few we have, so his
membership seems likely. In any case, Dashwood
and Franklin co-authored the "Franklin Prayer
Book" (often called the Book of Common Prayer)
which is commonly used in America. Another famous
member of the Medmanham club was the Earl of
Sandwich, inventor of (guess what) the Sandwich.
Hellfire clubs were exclusive groups dedicated to
much political intrigue, partying, and some
occasional occult activities.
6. Romantic/Promethean Satanists:
Literary/historical "Satanists" such as William
Blake, Charles Baudelaire, Maupertin, Lautremont
and Gabriele D'Annunzio.
7. Left-Hand Path Pagans: There are several European
groups, most of them consisting of small "covens"
of several people, that are or could be considered
Satanists. Two of the larger of these groups are
The Fraternity of Baelder and the Order of Nine
Angles (ONA). These groups allegedly have longer
traditions, and "more authentic" origins (whatever
that might mean). ONA is especially fond of
calling itself the "traditional Satanists." These
groups tend to have more "extreme" views than the
others mentioned, and have little, if any
authoritarian structure. Some allege these groups
do not exist, but they answer my mail.
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.
Many non-U.S. readers have written that _The Satanic Bible_ is
not available in their country for various reasons. I suggest dealing
>>> Continued to next message...
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Ä Area: InfiReligi ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ
Msg#: 3113 Date: 10-12-96 01:25
From: Elf Read: Yes Replied: No
To: All Mark:
Subj: Alt.Satanism FAQ [2/5]
ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ
>>> Part 2 of 5...
with The Abyss bookstore (Address & phone# listed at the end of the
FAQ) or writing/phoning the publisher directly. (Special thanx to the
Italian fellow who came up with these addresses & phonenumbers)
Avon Books
1350 Ave. of the Americas, 2nd Fl.
New York, NY10019
TEL.: 212-261-6800
TOLL FREE: 800-238-0658
Ordering info:
Dist by: Hearst Corp., International Circulation Div
New York, NY 10019
TEL.: 212-649-4474
TOLL FREE: 800-223-0288
Orders to:
P.O. Box 767
Dresden, TN 38225
TOLL FREE: 800-223-0690
Members of a certain group have noticed that much of the Satanic
Bible is plagiarized from various sources; the above-quoted "Nine
Satanic Statements" are condensed from a passage in Ayn Rands _Atlas
Shrugged_ and the "Book of Satan" is plagiarized from Ragnar
Redbeard's _Might is Right_. In this, the SB seems similar to the
texts of most other religions; also plagiarized from earlier sources;
the Tao Te Ching, the Xian Bible and the Koran being obvious examples.
3. Satanic Organizations? Some may be interested in joining some
kind of organization of like minded individuals. Most Satanists will
agree that organizations are best when least intrusive on the
individual, and would recommend caution in joining or associating with
any group, including (and perhaps especially) those mentioned in the
FAQ. Some useful "common sense" cautions for the potential neophyte
Satanist; Don't let anyone tell you what to believe, or what to do.
Advice or recommendations are one thing; orders or commands quite
another. Remember that you are a free being, not a pawn in someones
power fantasy. Trust your feelings; if you feel you may be the victim
of a working of Lesser Black Magick, you probably are (in some sense).
It is important to realize that all organizations, Satanic and
otherwise, are _dangerous_; by their very nature they have more
available physical, economic and psychological resources than the
individual who would interact with them, hence one should exercise
caution in one's dealings with any organization or one could find
oneself with less freedom, a destroyed reputation, legal troubles, or
worse.
With this in mind; several of the more important Satanic
organizations:
3.1 The Church of Satan
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. 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.
The ideas and philosophy of the Church of Satan may be best
discerned by reading _The Satanic Bible_ by Anton Szandor LaVey (Avon
Books, New York, NY).
(From Peggy Nadramia): In modern parlance, the Church of Satan
may be called a user-driven organization. Members are involved and
advanced exactly as their own desires, abilities and accomplishments
dictate. There are no set activities, meetings or contacts. The new
member comes to the organization, ideally, with his own goals and
plans for achieving them; he presents them to us and is directed in
the way that would be most mutually beneficial. The CoS is not
looking for people who join and want us to "put on a show," taking
them by the hand, introducing them to their new friends, telling them
what time to show up for the weekly get-together and what to wear.
Satanists are not put in contact automatically, or by geographical
proximity; this has been tried and found a failure. True elitists are
by their nature very individualistic and neighboring members won't
necessarily have anything in common; "just being Satanists together"
isn't enough. When we observe members making advances on their own in
their chosen fields of endeavor, we will put them in contact with
other members running on the same track; we've watched this happen
many times and we're pleased and proud to say the results are magical.
There are also members who are satisfied simply to join and be counted
among the adherents to a philosophy that best embodies their own true
nature.
An excellent introduction to the philosophies of the Church of
Satan is available at ftp.lysator.liu.se in
pub/satanism/General/what_is.
nadramia@panix.com is the CoS online representative.
3.2 The Order of the Left Hand Path
The Ordo Sinistra Vivendi (OSV), formerly the Order of the Left
Hand Path (OLHP) is a non-sectarian, non-dogmatic forum of
philosophers and occultists. It was started in New Zealand a number
of years ago by Faustus Scorpius. The purpose of the OSV, as per the
Order's constitution, is as follows:
1. The OSV is an elitist Satanic Order existing to:
(a) Develop and actualize the full potential and
inner qualities of each indiviual initiate;
(b) Herald the dawn of human Self-godhood, within
the context of a Faustian Civilization.
OSV publish a quarterly magazine called _The Heretic_ (a
combination of two former magazines, _The Watcher_ and _The Realist_).
They also publish a wide variety of literature, including the _Liber
Diabolus_ (which contains the Order's main rituals, _The Covenant of
Samyaza_ - a reworking of _The Book of Enoch_, and various
philosophical essays by Faustus Scorpius).
The OSV operate 3 degrees (via correspondence), Neophyte, Adept,
and Priest/ess. The Neophyte and Adept courses are fairly simple and
are mainly to assist in determining what sort of person is seeking
affiliation. Entry into the priesthood by an Adept is at the
invitation of the Magister only, in order to keep membership standards
high.
A great deal of emphasis is placed on the Nietzschean concept of
'Self-Overcoming' as the basis of individual self-realization.
Contact points are being set up in all the main centres in New
Zealand: Wellington (The Capital of NZ), Auckland, Christchurch and
Dunedin.
The OSV welcomes all sincere seekers after wisdom undefiled and
students of those hidden depths of the human psyche and cosmos which
may properly be called 'occult'.
For all enquiries write to:
O.S.V.
P.O. Box 38-262
Petone
Wellington
New Zealand
Or send netmail to: gwilson@earthlight.co.nz
Fidonet: Graeme Wilson @ 3:770/510
[Note: The OSV has archived material at ftp.lysator.liu.se
pub/religion/satanism/OLHP]
3.3 The Order of Nine Angles
The Order of Nine Angles (ONA), based in England, are probably
the most controversial Satanic group that is around at present. Their
aims and intents, and indeed their teachings, seem to me misunderstood
and perhaps feared by many people, including some other Satanic
groups.
The ONA claim the title of 'traditional Satanists' and claim to
have been around for well over one hundred years. The system they
follow is known as the Septenary tradition, 'the seven-fold Way'.
'Physis' is divided into seven stages, which represent the
varying degrees of insight attained; the stages representing
Initiation, Second Degree Initiation, External Adept, Internal Adept,
Master/Mistress (or High Priest/Priestess), Magus, and Immortal. Much
of the work is very practical.
A great and refreshing aspect to ONA is 'The Star Game' which has
three main functions:
(1) Development of higher levels of consciousness.
(2) A new form of magickal working for the 21st
Century and beyond.
(3) Development of certain 'magickal' skills, aiding
mindfullness, concentration and visualization.
Some ONA literature:
The Black Book of Satan (Volumes 1-3)
Naos - A Practical Guide to Modern Magick
Hostia (Volumes 1-3)
Hysteron Proteron - Inner teachings of the ONA
The Sinister Tarot - 21 full color representations
of the major Arcana
The Satanic Letters of Stephen Brown (Volumes 1-2)
The Deofel Quartet:
Volume i. Falcifer, Lord of Darkness
Volume ii. Temple of Satan
Volume iii. The Giving
Volume iv. The Greyling Owl
The Self-Immolation Rite (Audio Cassette) - Pathworking
Fenrir - Journal of Satanism & The Sinister
Whatever rumours are told about the ONA one should check them out
for themselves. Whether you agree with them or not, they certainly
live up to the name 'Satanists'.
Anyone interested in the above should contact:
Rigel Press
PO Box 228, York
England
(Note: the ftp site ftp.lysator.liu.se has two files written by the
ONA; pub/religion/satanism/General/introduction and ~/t21sp)
3.4 The Fraternity of Baelder
The Fraternity of Baelder section is under construction pending
>>> Continued to next message...
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! Origin: the Burning Times BBS (318)747-5785 (68:68/0)
Ä Area: InfiReligi ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ
Msg#: 3114 Date: 10-12-96 01:25
From: Elf Read: Yes Replied: No
To: All Mark:
Subj: Alt.Satanism FAQ [3/5]
ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ
>>> Part 3 of 5...
new information. Address given in section 13 of the FAQ.
4. Satan is 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 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, which involved some elements of
Palo Mayombe (an African religion), and some rituals taken from
popular motion pictures.
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.
There is a copy of an FBI report on "occult crime" archived at
ftp.lysator.liu.se pub/religion/satanism/Crime/satanic_crime which
shows what the FBI thinks of the claims of fundamentalists. There is
also a good file on the subject at the same site
pub/religion/satanism/General/general.
The most definative book to date on the topic of rumors of
Satanic cults involved in ritual murder/abuse is _Satanic Panic; the
Creation of a Contemporary Legend_ by Jeffry S. Victor. Open Court
Press, 1992.
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 (We are 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
CS = Church of Satan
ToS = Temple of Set
TS = Temple of Set
TSB = _The Satanic Bible_
OT = Old Testament
NT = New Testament
OLHP = Order of the Left Hand Path
OSV = Ordo Sinistra Vivendi
ONA = Order of the Nine Angles
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 (found in news.answers) before proceeding. Many of
its points are applicable to alt.satanism.
9. For the Christians among us: should you feel inclined to preach.
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; or 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. Satanic Music
This section under construction
11. What is a Black Mass?
(Balanone): Permit me to provide some education concerning the
Satanic use of the Black Mass.
1) Anyone can perform any ritual at any time. The
Catholic Church requires the celebrant of any mass
to be a Priest of that Church. Satanism doesn't
recognize any of the rules or expectations of the
Catholics (or any group of Christians), and so
hey don't care who might happen to be the
celebrant.
2) When looked at as black theatre in today's
strongly Christianized society, the black mass is
a fun ritual. I participated in one years ago, as
a Halloween presentation, before an audience. The
three of us doing most of the "work" in the ritual
had read up on it a little, but only one of us had
any Catholic background (I have no Christian
background at all, having been raised Jewish, and
the third one had been raised Mormon; none of us
had reached any level of clergy or even
near-clergy in any traditional religion). The
living altar was not a Satanist, and sought her
part only for the experience and showmanship (she
was the hostess of the party at which the play was
offered). None of the rest of the audience was
Satanic, and a goodly number were Christians of
one sort or another. The presentation bothered
three of the audience strongly enough that they
walked out. The others may have been bothered a
little (good theatre does try to reach into
people), but they generally enjoyed the
presentation, and had no problem talking with us
about it afterwards.
3) The personal black mass happens to be a very
strong ritual used by many to leave their Catholic
backgrounds behind. The individual involved must
be the primary celebrant, doing whatever is
necessary to break free of the chains and shackles
of the religion being left behind.
4) There is no devil worship in any Satanic black
mass. Except for some examples of the theatre I
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Ä Area: InfiReligi ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ
Msg#: 3115 Date: 10-12-96 01:25
From: Elf Read: Yes Replied: No
To: All Mark:
Subj: Alt.Satanism FAQ [4/5]
ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ
>>> Part 4 of 5...
mention in item 2 above, every modern Satanic
black mass that I've read about (including the
detailed texts of several) or heard about centers
on freeing the individual from the shackles of
Christianity, and on denying any value to the
so-called Jesus Christ, to the point of ridicule
and derision. None of them have any significant
reference to Satan, devil, or demon at all, under
any name.
12. How can I get more information about Satanism? [Lupo's note; in
addition to the sites mentioned above
ftp.netcom.com/pub/caw/Info/mage-guide2 has the mages guide to the
Internet, which is an excellent resource. The nic.funet.fi files are
in the path pub/doc/religion/occult/magick/thelema (this is the
original slopoke tree moved to funet).
Recommended Reading:
o _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.
o _The Compleat Witch_ (the new edition is called
_The Satanic Witch_), by Anton LaVey, Lancer Books,
1971.
o _The Satanic Rituals_, by Anton LaVey, University
Books, 1972. More books discussing LaVey's brand
of Satanism.
o _The Black Arts_, by Richard Cavendish, Perigee
Books (Putnam), 1967. An objective introduction to
magic, demonology, and classical views of Satanism.
o _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.
This is included mainly because of its availablity
and popularity; I actually strongly recommend that
you do _not_ buy this. Much information on books
of this name is available
o _The Necronomicon_ edited by George Hay 1978. This
is a more "Lovecraftian" Necronomicon which closely
follows what Lovecraft said was contained in the
famous book of the Mad Arab. It is, of course,
fiction, but much more fun than the Avon book in
that it does not take itself so seriously. Scoob
publishing is supposed to have a R'lyeh text in the
works as a sequel to this.
o _The Secret Life of a Satanist_ by Blanche Barton,
Mondo Press. The authorized biography of Anton
LaVey, and a basic guide to Satanic philosophy.
This book has been largely discredited as a serious
biography by an article in the 9/5/91 issue of
_Rolling Stone_.
o _The Church of Satan_ by Blanche Barton. The CoS
authorized book on the topic.
o _The Second Coming_, by Arthur Lyons, 1970 [out of
print] A history of Satanism through the Middle
Ages and the modern era.
o _Do What You Will_ by Geoffry Ashe. A history of
philosophers & groups who use this thelemic motto.
Especially nice history of the "Hellfire Clubs"
o _The Prince of Darkness_ by Jeffrey Burton Russell,
Cornell University Press, 1988. Historian's work
on the history of Satan from earliest history
through the twentieth century. A summary of a
four-book series (The Devil, Satan, Lucifer, and
Mephistopheles, by the same author) which may be
too much reading for casual interest.
o _The Old Enemy_ by Neil Forsyth, Princeton
University Press, 1987. Another history of Satan
focusing on the Middle East and early Christianity.
o _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.
o _The Occult_ by Colin Wilson. An excellent
objective introduction to the history of the
subject.
o _The History of the Church of Satan_ by Michael
Aquino. Probably the definative work on the topic;
it is unavailable to the general public due to
various copyright laws. It may be available to
historians and scholars through the Temple of Set.
o _The Devil in Legend and Literature_ by Maximillian
Rudwin. Open Court Press, Chicago 1931.
o _Satanic Panic; the Creation of a Contemporary
Legend_ by Jeffry S. Victor. Open Court Press,
1992. This book is an excellent debunking of the
many "evil satanist" rumors and legends that abound
in rural and mainstream America. It shows the
similarities between these rumors, and those of
the inquisition, European anti-semetism, and the
McCarthy red-scares.
o _The Satan Seller_, Mike Warnke's imagination,
Logos International, 1972. A Christian presents
his alleged experiences in a Satanic cult before
his conversion to Christianity. Has been exposed
by fundamentalist journalists as a fraud.
o _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.
o _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!) [Lupo note: Apparently Bob Larson
is going down the tubes faster than Warnke. See
relevant files from Scott Mikusko, available via
FTP-mail by sending the message
get \religion\garg\misc\larson\larson.zip to:
server@garg.campbell.ca.us]
Following are a number of works recommended dealing with
Satanism's links with crime, multiple personality disorder, etc.
o _The Satanism Scare_, ed. James T. Richardson, Joel
Best, and David G. Bromley (NY: Aldine, 1991):
145-172. [Lupo note; though I have not yet read
this book, the authors of the essays herin are
enough to recommend this book]
o _Battle for the Mind_, by William Sargent, Harper &
Row, 1957.
o _In Pursuit Of Satan_, by Robert D. Hicks
(Prometheus Books)
o _Satanism In America_, issued by the Committee for
the Scientific Examination of Religion.
o "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.]
o _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.
o _Paradise Lost_ by John Milton. An epic poem
telling the tale of Lucifer from when he is thrown
out of heaven, to the Fall of Adam and Eve. It
makes Lucifer into a heroic figure, whilst God is
made out to be a little vague and weak.
o _The Divine Comedy_ by Dante. Another epic poem in
three parts (Inferno, Purgatorio and Paradisio)
covering the author's pilgrimage through them.
o _La-Bas (Down There)_ by J. K. Huysmans (1891?)
translated by Keene Wallace. Semi-fictional novel
of the occult and the black mass in late nineteenth
century Paris.
o H. P. Lovecraft, collected works. Classic horror
fiction that has served as inspiration for many
Satanists.
o Frederick Nietzsche, various works. Nietzschean
philosophies form the core of Satanism. Much of
the _Satanic Bible_ owes its philosophical and
literary roots to works such as _Thus Spoke
Zarastrutha_ and _The Anti-Christ_ by Nietzsche.
o _Man and Technics_ by Oswald Spengler. An
extension of Nietzsches philosophy to the modern
age; Spengler's philosophy is condensed into this
small book; a must read. (Study of the voluminous
_The Decline of Western Civilization_ may prove
useful to those interested in theories of history
and politics)
o Gabriele D'Annunzio, various works. One of the
greatest Italian writers of all time, D'Annunzio
was a living archetype of the Nietzschean
"Ubermensch."
o _Cosmic Trigger_ by Robert A. Wilson. This book
describes various initiations and occult phenomena
experienced by Mr. Wilson. Good for promoting
open-mindedness. Wilson writes some great fiction
as well in his "Illuminatus" books.
o _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. Has
an article by LaVey.
o _TAZ (Temporary Autonomous Zone)_ by Hakim Bey,
Autonomedia 1991. Generally considered the
manifesto of the emerging anarchic cyber-culture.
A manual for freedom in the coming (or present,
depending on who you talk to) dark age of Airstrip
one. Described by RA Wilson as "A Blake Angel on
Bad Acid."
o _Might is Right_ by Ragnar Redbeard (Loompanics,
Port Townsend Wash). Part of the _Satanic Bible_
taken from this, the full work is occasionally
>>> Continued to next message...
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Ä Area: InfiReligi ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ
Msg#: 3116 Date: 10-12-96 01:25
From: Elf Read: Yes Replied: No
To: All Mark:
Subj: Alt.Satanism FAQ [5/5]
ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ
>>> Part 5 of 5...
uproarious fun, occasionally offensive to "modern"
sensibilities.
o _Who Wrote the Bible?_, by Richard Elliott
Friedman, Harper & Row, 1987. A biblical scholar
attempts to answer the question of the title, and
in the process comes up with some interesting
reasons for events in _The Bible_ (why does Moses
have horns? Why the scene with the golden calf?).
An interesting read, and possibly amusing for the
cynic.
o _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 that 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.
o _Testament_ by John Romer (Henry Holt, NY 1988).
Considered an excellent and well balanced work on
Biblical history-also a PBS mini-series available
on video cassette.
13. Where can I get supplies? There are several "occult
bookstores" who do mail order. Some are listed below;
The Abyss
RR1 Box 213
Chester MA 01011-9735
413-623-2155 (FAX 413-623-2156)
[comment by Lupo; This is where _I_ obtained most of my books. They
have much that is of interest to the occultist. The catalogue is
outstanding and much of the merchandise is underpriced. Excellent
section of Crowley material, a decent LHP section, good selection of
various occult merchendise & books of all kinds. Highly recommended]
Loompanics Unlimited
PO Box 1197
Port Townsend, WA 98368
[Carries many books on forbidden topics, unobtainable elsewhere. ]
Occultic Haven
PO Box 257
Johnson City, TENN 37605
[Exclusively LHP distributers, They have a small selection of LHP
literature, swords/knives, candles, jewelry & several items that may
be unobtainable elsewhere. No experience with orders so YMMV]
Ancient Ways, Modern Means
An online Occult Supplier; contact tyagi@HouseOfKaos.Abyss.com
for more details.
'Zines: (note; the Watcher is archived at funet and lysator ftp
sites) Also, I have not included prices of these 'zines for various
reasons (mostly greed on my part)- they usually run around $5 per
issue. A later edition of the FAQ will include price listings &
self-descriptions of these groups will be archived.
The Black Flame (Journal of the Church of Satan)
P.O. Box 499
Radio City Station
N.Y., N.Y. 10101
[Extremely useful review section, eclectic articles. Hells Kitchen
Productions is also at this address-they have certain items that may
be unobtainable elsewhere.]
_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
Fraternity of Baelder [Name of group, not 'zine]
c/o Stephen Cox
60 Elmhurst Road
Reading, Berks
RG15HY
England, UK
[LHP "pagans" -interests include Sports Magick, Shamanism, Rune
Magick, Western mythology & etc.]
Black Jackal (Embassat of Lucifer)
P.O. Box 998
Stewart, British Columbia
VOT 1WO Canada
[Lupo Comments; I know little of this 'zine; the _Black Flame_ gives
it good reviews. YMMV]
Dark Cycle; Australian Journal of Occultism
P.O. Box 1639
Chatswood NSW 2057 Australia
The Heretic (Formerly the Watcher and the Realist)
P.O. Box 38-262
Petone, Wellington, New Zealand
[Lupo comments; An eclectic Zine (though an organ of the OSV), older
issues of which are archived in the various aformentioned FTP sites]
Onslaught
Luciferian Light Group
P.O. Box 7207
Tampa, FL 33673
[Lupo comments; Though they have advertised in various Satanic
journals for some years now, I know nothing about this group, so
YMMV. They have not answered any of my inquiries.]
Order of Nine Angles
PO Box 235
Shrewsbury,
Shropshire
England UK
[Lupo note: Several pricey books, a "sinister" tarot deck, and a
journal. The ONA was gracious enough to send me a microfilm
containing many of their major works; I found them very impressive.
This address may not be as current as the one mentioned previously.]
_Dark Lily_ "The Reality of the Left Hand Path"
BCM Box 3404
London WC1N 3XX UK
[Well respected journal of British LHP]
Blessed Be!
Elf22@juno.com
"Magick is not something you do, magick is something you are.
True magicians realize that since they can work magick and affect
their lives, they are really free to do anything they wish. True
magicians also realize that they are responsible for their
actions. Thus freedom and responsibility are signs of a magickal
lifestyle." -Donald Michael Kraig, _Modern Magick_
... When all think alike, then no one is thinking.
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