The Nine Satanic Statements

Good Friday seemed a good day for this post! 😉

Here is our take on the Nine Satanic Statements made famous by Anton LaVey and followed to some degree by quite a lot of Satanists including us.

1. Satan represents indulgence, instead of abstinence!

Sophie    I admit to being a hedonist. I think you should live life as fully as possible and that means sometimes indulging in the things you enjoy. I think most of the rules laid down by religions and governments are only there to reinforce other peoples control over you. I think we should take responsibility for ourselves and our own enjoyment, however that does also mean being sensible and making compromises where necessary. I could eat chocolate all day long but then I’d lose my teeth and my figure and my health which would mean I wouldn’t be able to enjoy other things… I am sure the effects of heroine are nice at first or people wouldn’t do it, but I have seen too many lives ruined by it and I don’t want to end up the same way. What people need is the education and knowledge to make informed choices about how they want to live and enjoy their lives.

Cassie. I couldn’t have put it better!

2. Satan represents vital existence, instead of spiritual pipe-dreams!
Sophie. I think this is quite similar to the first statement. It means taking joy in being alive and concentrating on what you do and achieve in this lifetime rather than investing all your energy in preparing for the next life; be that in heaven or hell or in another human life.

Cassie    I agree. I think a lot of religions almost ignore the realities of this life both the pleasant things and the suffering, and emphasise instead storing up treasure in heaven. This often means ignoring the real problems and suffering that many people have, or even blaming them for it… These statements were written by a man who was essentially an atheist so I suspect he was a bit suspicious of anything that seemed too spiritual or other-worldly. Personally I think it is good to focus equally on the spiritual side of life, but we need to keep questioning things and make sure that our spiritual beliefs make sense and can stand up to arguments and criticism.

3. Satan represents undefiled wisdom, instead of hypocritical self-deceit!
Sophie   I think this means not kidding yourself… Or others… Living according to what you really believe rather than what others expect you to believe. So in short it means being honest with yourself and others.

Cassie   I think it is also a reference to science and the scientific method. I think it means we should test things and work things out for ourselves in a logical, scientific way and beware of superstition and rules and laws which are only there to prevent people being self empowered.

4. Satan represents kindness to those who deserve it, instead of love wasted on ingrates!
Sophie.   We have a right to choose who we are kind to and who we may not be so kind to. I choose to be kind to most people, at least at first, but I don’t want to feel “obliged” to be kind to all people all the time. It also depends what you mean by “kind”. Sometimes you really do have to be a bit cruel, or harsh, to help people learn the lesson they  need. A drug addict might think you were kind if you went out and scored drugs for them when they pleaded for it, whereas in fact it would be kinder to lock them in a dark room and listen to their screams of agony while they went through withdrawal symptoms.

Cassie   I think I am generally a kind person but I have learned that it is sometimes a waste of my own energy to be kind to people who are stupid or abusive in return. I think Christianity encourages people to be kinder and more forgiving than is really useful. It sounds like a “nice” idea but I have seen so many people continue to do stupid and nasty things to the people around them because their constant forgiveness gives the impression it is okay or safe to continue being an idiot. When you are known to be kind to everybody, no matter what, people will take advantage of you. I guess I have developed a slightly harder edge, but I would prefer to save my energy and my kindness for those who really deserve it.

5. Satan represents vengeance, instead of turning the other cheek!
Sophie.   I think this is just honest and logical in a belief system that is focused on the self. If I am responsible for all things in my life that must include justice. If somebody hurts me or somebody I care for, I have the right to make them pay for it. That is natural justice.

Cassie.   I wasn’t sure about this one at first because I think vengeance can become all consuming, obsessive and self destructive. I still think you have to guard against those things but overall I agree completely with Sophie that vengeance is a natural consequence of taking full responsibility for your life. Vengeance doesn’t belong to the Christian God, it is our own right. However when most people think of vengeance they probably think of various extreme things but while I wouldn’t rule anything out, vengeance can equally well be got through the police and the processes of law.
6. Satan represents responsibility to the responsible, instead of concern for psychic vampires!
Sophie.   To be honest I’m not exactly sure what he meant here as it seems to repeat the gist of previous statements. I’d say we are only responsible for our own actions and we are not responsible for the actions of others. However, if we do something to affect the actions of others then we must have some degree of responsibility for how they react.

Cassie    Well on the subject of psychic vampires there are basically two types. The first are people who just drain you of energy. They tend to cling, tell you their problems but never take any advice… I used to waste time on such people but now I don’t. Some of them are actually the second type but don’t realise or understand it.
So the second type are people with the psychic ability to give and take energy to and from other people at will. It can be a useful psychic ability and/or magical skill which I have and use myself so I don’t think there is anything wrong with it if is done responsibly.

7. Satan represents man as just another animal, sometimes better, 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!
Sophie.    I like this in the sense that it means we are part of nature and not separate from it. Some religions try to make us ashamed of our animalistic nature while Satanists on the other hand celebrate that fact. Also even though this was written decades ago there is a slightly critical edge to it, warning that we often don’t treat other animals or the environment as respectfully as we should. In that way I think this particular statement was ahead of its time.

Cassie.   And I think it is also a warning that we don’t treat each other as well as we should, it says we have become the most vicious animal of all which in many ways is true. But you have to recognise that fact before you can do anything about it. I think this is where Satanism is grounded in reality and where from the start there is implied advice that we need to take a more balanced approach to life.

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

Sophie. This is quite similar to the first statement about indulgence and I would say the same now as I did then. However I think as well as gratification the so called sins can also lead to well being… How many people make themselves Ill because they have to constantly repress their strongest desires? Still, just because we can indulge in anything doesn’t mean it is always a good idea. We have to develop the intelligence and will power to know when to stop ourselves and you can’t do that if you are always avoiding or repressing the things that tempt you. You have to face your weaknesses and take control of them.

Cassie.    It is all about self control rather than relying on the church or the state to tell you how to live.

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

Sophie.    Maybe. To be honest, I don’t care. I was never a Christian and I don’t really care much what happens to the Christian Church now. That statement seems a little bit irrelevant to me.

Cassie.    I think he means portraying The Devil as an evil creature to be feared is what kept the Church in business all that time. But I agree with you; I also find that statement a bit irrelevant now. I understand that Anton LaVey was setting out to challenge the orthodoxy of his time and I see that last statement as a bit of a throw away joke that was meant to provoke Christians. But I think it is time to leave the past behind. We don’t want Satanism to become stilted and bound to the past. Satanism is evolving. I am a Satanist because I see it as a positive, life affirming religion in its own right. I am a Satanist because I like what Satan represents. I accept that it is anti Christian but it is also anti many other things.. It is more important that it is pro individualism, pro freedom, pro knowledge, pro science and pro self development.

Sophie and Cassie
Actually what we like most about these statements is that they are just that. They are statements, not rules or laws. They are designed to challenge perceived norms and wisdom. They are supposed to provoke thought and discussion. They encourage us to re-examine what we thought to be true and come to our own conclusions.

…Note… It turns out this was the 100th post in this blog!

Hail Satan! Hail Ourselves!

 

 

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