Anton Sandor LaVey
satanic bible
Publishers Preface
We are pleased to finally present the second, revised and expanded edition of Anton Szandor LaVey's immortal creation. We admit that it comes out not only because the first one became a bestseller without any promotion, but also because we consider ourselves obliged to correct the mistakes made both through our own and through no fault of ours. Unfortunately, the first edition was done in a terrible hurry, so the translation of individual chapters was entrusted to a person who is far from black magic and the concepts that LaVey operates in his worldview. This resulted in glaring errors, which, unfortunately, were noticed by us only after the publication of the book. We apologize for the unfortunate shortcomings of the first edition and assure you that in the second edition we did our best to convey to you in an undistorted form the philosophy of the Black Pope. We hope that this will serve to attract even more true followers of the Left Path Movement into our ranks. Simultaneously with the founding work of modern Satanism, we are releasing The Satanic Rituals, the book our magicians have been waiting for. Together with The Devil's Notebook, they form a trilogy of sorts, the legacy of thirty years of experience in the application of Satanic principles. Now this legacy is available to the Russian reader. It remains for him to put it into practice. Good luck in your work. World without end. Ave Satanas!
Moscow
July XXXII Anno Satanas
One winter evening in 1967, I was driving across San Francisco to hear Anton Szandor LaVey lecture at an open meeting of the Sexual Liberties League. I was intrigued by newspaper articles that referred to him as the "Black Pope" of the Satanic Church, in which baptisms, weddings, and funerals are dedicated to the Devil. I was a freelance journalist and felt that LaVey and his pagans could make a good article; in the words of the editors, the Devil "gave circulation."
I decided that the main topic of the article should not be the practice of black arts, since there is nothing new in this world for a long time. Devil-worshipping sects and voodoo cults existed long before Christianity. In 18th century England, the Hellfire Club, which through Benjamin Franklin had connections even in the American colonies, gained fleeting fame. At the beginning of the twentieth century, the press covered the deeds of Aleister Crowley, "the most unclean man in the world", and in the 20s and 30s, hints of a certain "black order" could be traced in Germany.
To this relatively old story, LaVey and his organization of modern Faustians have added two entirely new chapters. First, in contrast to the traditional Satanic assembly of witchcraft folklore, they blasphemously presented themselves as the Church, a term previously applied only to branches of Christianity. Secondly, they came out of the underground, engaging in the practice of black magic in the open.
Instead of arranging beforehand with LaVey to discuss his heretical innovations, which was usually the first step in my research, I decided to watch and listen to him as an unintroduced member of the public. In some newspapers, he was presented as a former circus and carnival lion tamer and magician, in which the Devil himself was embodied on earth, and therefore, to begin with, I wanted to determine whether he was a real Satanist, a mummer or a charlatan. I have already met people under the footlight of the occult business; Incidentally, I once rented an apartment from Jean Dixon and took the opportunity to write about her before Ruth Montgomery did. But, mindful of all the occult crooks, hypocrites, and charlatans, I wouldn't waste five minutes describing the various forms of their tricks.
All the occultists I have met up to this point, or heard of, have been White Lights: supposed clairvoyants, soothsayers and witches, with their supposedly mystical powers rooted in god-oriented spiritualism. LaVey, who seemed to mock them, if not to say spit with contempt, appeared between the lines of newspaper stories as a real black magician who based his art on the dark side of nature and the carnal side of human life. There seemed to be nothing spiritual in his "church".
The Satanic Bible by Anton Szandor LaVey is interesting, even though the book was written about forty years ago. The biography of the founder of the Church of Satan and a world-famous Satanist is shrouded in speculation.
In the article:
"The Satanic Bible" by Anton Szandor LaVey - the best-selling literature on Satanism
"The Satanic Bible".
The Satanic Bible by LaVey was written in 1967. Among adherents of Satanism, this is the most popular spiritual source. The books of Anton Szandor LaVey remain popular today: in the last century, The Satanic Bible was a bestseller among similar literature.
The introduction to the book was made by other authors, in particular, a journalist who wrote articles about the Church of Satan, the author of The Satanic Bible. The publication consists of four sections devoted to Satan, Lucifer, Belial and Leviathan- the four crowned princes of hell. The principles proposed by LaVey are considered authorial Satanism: there are no common features with the main postulates of devil worship, which have come down from ancient times.
The reason for this book is that, with a few exceptions, all treatises and books, all "secret" grimoires, all great writings on the subject of magic, are nothing more than sanctimonious fraud, sinful mumbling and esoteric gibberish of chroniclers of magical knowledge, unable or unwilling to provide an objective point of view on this issue.
Writer after writer, trying to signify the principles of "black and white magic", succeeded only in such a clouding of the object of consideration that a person who studies magic on his own conducts classes by stupidly standing in a pentagram, waiting for the appearance of a demon, shuffling a deck of cards for prediction, losing in cards any sense, and attendance at seminars that guarantee only the flattening of his Ego (and along with his wallet); and, in the end, exposes himself as a complete idiot in the eyes of those who know the truth!
The Satanic Bible encourages the reader not to believe in the existence of Paradise and the afterlife. Instead of trying to win a ticket to Heaven, a person should enjoy earthly pleasures. The author connects Satanism and the cult of hedonism and condescension to the desire to satisfy carnal desires.
Anton LaVey exposes Satan as a symbol of the proposed worldview. The author promotes freedom, individualism, healthy egoism, the desire for self-development, rejection of injustice and interest in the study of the occult.
Culturologist E. V. Belousova noted that Anton LaVey’s book allows us to understand the image of a modern Satanist. The Bible is able to dispel the stereotypes associated with the representation of Satanists by society. The culturologist called LaVey's Satanism an expression of the materialism and hedonism inherent in the modern West. Belousova is sure that it is worth reading The Satanic Bible to get an idea of the religion popular among young people. LaVey's Satanism has millions of followers.
The Satanic Bible is not LaVey's only book. Two more are widely known - "The Perfect Witch", which changed its name to "Satanic Witch" and "Satanic Rituals". LaVey distinguishes three satanic holidays - Walpurgis Night, Halloween and the Day of initiation into the mysteries of the cult of Satan with five stages.
Anton LaVey - what is known about the author of The Satanic Bible
Anton Szandor LaVey is the pseudonym of the founder of a modern version of Satanism and the first officially recognized Church of Satanists. In the documents of the man it was written Howard Stanton Levy. Born in Chicago, in the family of a booze seller, in 1930.
The last partner of the Satanist's widow was Blanche Barton, the chief priestess of the Church. The marriage produced a child named Satan Xerxes by Karnaki LaVey. The woman has written several books, including The Secret Life of a Satanist, dedicated to the biography of Anton Szandor LaVey, modern Satanism and the role of the church in the life of their family.
Satan Xerxes Karnaki is not Anton's only child. The Satanist has two more daughters, from his first and second marriages. One of the daughters, Zina, openly feuded with her father, and after the death of her father, she repeatedly gave interviews that were recognized by the society of Satanists as a lie and fiction. Much of the evidence from Zeena and her husband Nicholas Schreck was exposed as a forgery by Blanche Barton.
The Shrek couple claimed that the girl's father was repeatedly reported for sexual perversion and domestic violence (no evidence). Blanche and other followers of LaVey note the intensity and irrelevance of Zeena's and Nicholas's efforts to undermine the authority of the creator of The Satanic Bible.
Anton LaVey spent most of his life in San Francisco. The man appreciated classical music, had a perfect ear for music and was fond of playing keyboard instruments (he attracted the organ). Since childhood, the boy was fond of dark literature (horror and mysticism), German impressionism. Historical Figures LaVey Admired From Childhood: Rasputin Covered in Legends.
Anton LaVey dropped out of school during his high school years and left town with a circus troupe. He toured first as a laborer, then as a musician. He worked as an organist in cafes and disco clubs. According to the Satanist, at that time there was a brief affair with Marilyn Monroe, but this moment of the Black Pope's biography is in great doubt. Zina LaVey also refuted her father's acquaintance with the popular actress, who claimed that her mother forged proof of the connection (Marilyn's autograph and signature).
After a while, Anton LaVey returned home and became a photographer for the police department, while also doing paranormal research. According to some sources, LaVey was a member of banned Zionist groups.
In 1952, Anton LaVey married Carol Lansing, who became the mother of their first daughter, Carla Maritza LaVey. In 1960, the man became interested in another woman - Diana Hegarty, mother of Zina Galatea LaVey, baptized in the Church of Satan at the age of three. Perhaps a bad relationship with her daughter was the result of a family breakup due to the appearance of Blanche Barton in LaVey's life.
Even before the opening of the Church of Satan, Anton gained fame in the area as a researcher of the paranormal and a popular organist. On Fridays, LaVey arranged lectures for people who were interested in Satanism and the occult sciences. The meetings were called the Magic Circle and prompted the man to create the Church of Satan.
Anton Szandor LaVey died on October 29, 1997 from pulmonary edema in a Catholic hospital. The followers of the founder of a separate branch of Satanism gave birth to the myth that the Black Pope died on Halloween night. The funeral was held in secret in the small town of Colma, California. The body is cremated and the ashes are preserved by the followers.
Anton Szandor LaVey and the Church of Satan
The idea of creating the Church of Satan came about unexpectedly: after one of the Friday Magic Circle lectures, one of the members told Anton that there was enough room to develop a new religion. Anton LaVey ritually shaved his head and declared 1966 the beginning of the era of Satan and the founding of the church dedicated to the Devil.
The Church of Satan offered baptisms, weddings, and funerals according to Satanic rites. The media ignored the temple for a long time, but after the high-profile wedding of a scandalous journalist and socialite, the Church of Satan became the topic of American newspapers, and then mentions of the parish appeared in world-class publications. In printed publications, the founder was called Black Pope. Anton was the high priest of the Church of Satan until his death.
As his following grew, Anton LaVey began to publish books, three of which gained popularity. The man wrote pictures and music (he released several records). Many celebrities are associated with the Church of Satan: Marilyn Manson was an honorary member of the cult, King Diamond, Chris Cooper and many others were members of the Church of Satan.
The Church of Satan is associated with a high-profile event - the death of actress Jayne Mansfield, who, according to LaVey, was for some time his mistress and priestess of the cult. The press announced the death of a sex symbol as a side effect sent by a satanist to the wife of a film star.
Today, the Church of Satan exists as an officially recognized religious institution. Thanks to the activities of the parish, Satanism in the United States has become an officially recognized religion. The church does not provide information about the number of followers. The position of high priest is held by Peter Gilmour, and the priestess is Peggy Nadramia, who replaced Blanche Barton. The official symbol of the Church of Satan is the Seal of Baphomet.
The "Satanic Bible" by Anton Szandor LaVey can be considered an excellent source for a person who has decided to take the path of worshiping the dark forces. The Church of Satan has a lot of developments on this topic, and the biography of the founder of the parish is fraught with many mysteries.
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Anton Szandor LaVey is the man the press called the "Black Pope". LaVey brought Satanism out of the underground and was the first to officially use the term "church" for the organization he created. He is the author of a number of books, among which the most popular are three: The Satanic Rituals, The Complete Witch, and his most famous work, The Satanic Bible. For many Christians, LaVey and his famous book The Satanic Bible are symbols of Satanism. Many people in different countries of the world consider him their idol, many curse him. For a long time, the spiritual legacy of this man, thanks to the Iron Curtain, did not reach Russia, now the situation is different, for many of our compatriots the issue of spiritual self-determination is acute, and LaVey, as an alternative to Christianity, is considered quite seriously. This article is intended primarily for them, as well as for all those who are interested in this topic. Who was LaVey? Why does he have so many followers? Is it possible to trust his works and build your spiritual life on them? We will try to answer these and other questions in this work. The main object of analysis will be the "Satanic Bible", about which we will say a few words before moving on to LaVey's biography.
The Satanic Bible was written in 1969 in the United States, published by Avon Books the same year, and has been reprinted several times since. The main text remained the same, changes were made to the thanks section, the introduction was changed several times. The introduction for an early edition of The Satanic Bible was written by Barton Wolfe, which was dropped in subsequent editions and replaced by an introduction written by Peter Gilmour. When writing the article, a version with a preface by Barton Wolfe was used. Unfortunately, the author could not find a printed copy of The Satanic Bible, so I had to turn to the Internet. Comparing a number of versions of The Satanic Bible posted on different sites, the author came to the conclusion that the main differences are in the presence or absence of Wolfe's preface, as well as in the quality of the translation. Apparently, several translations were made, differing in details, while the semantic meaning of the book does not actually change. The titles of the chapters, depending on the translation, may sound a little different, but are still recognizable. The Satanic Bible is divided into four sections: The Book of Satan, The Book of Lucifer, The Book of Belial, and The Book of Leviathan. The author decided not to mention these titles in the footnotes, since, in his opinion, the title of the chapter is enough to search for a quote in the book. Considering that finding the "Satanic Bible" in Russian on the Internet is no problem (in the author's opinion, there are even too many of them!), The author did not indicate any specific resources on which it is posted. Anyone can find this book without difficulty, of course, if he still has the desire to read it after reading this article.
To begin with, let's get acquainted with the biography of LaVey, in the version as it is presented by his followers. This biography is set out in the book of his disciple and priest of the "Church of Satan" Barton Wolfe "The Devil's Avenger" (Burton H. Wolfe. The Devil's Avenger, 1974), and in the book of LaVey's personal secretary and mistress Blanche Barton "The Secret Life of a Satanist" (Blanche Barton Secret Life of a Satanist, 1990). So, Anton Shandor LaVey was born on April 11, 1930 in Chicago, Illinois, in the family of a liquor dealer. Among his ancestors were Georgians, Romanians, Alsatians. Grandmother LaVey was of gypsy blood and from childhood told LaVey stories about vampires and sorcerers. From a young age, LaVey became interested in mystical literature. In 1942, when LaVey was 12 years old, he became interested in military affairs, and he became interested in literature with a military theme. While at school, LaVey spent a lot of time studying the occult. At the age of 10 he learned to play the piano on his own, at 15 he became the second oboist in the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra. In his senior year, LaVey leaves school, allegedly because he is bored with the school curriculum. He leaves the house and joins Clyde Beatty's circus as a cage worker. At the circus, LaVey feeds the tigers and lions. Beatty's trainer, noticing that LaVey has no fear of predators, makes him his assistant. One day, a circus staff musician gets drunk before a performance and LaVey fills in for him. The management of the circus after this incident leaves him the place of a musician and fires his predecessor. At 18, LaVey leaves the circus and joins the carnival, where he becomes a magician's assistant and masters hypnosis. In 1951, at the age of twenty-one, LaVey marries. After marriage, LaVey leaves the carnival and enters the Department of Criminology at the City College of San Francisco. It is interesting to note that LaVey's followers claim that at this time he becomes Marilyn Monroe's lover for a short period of time. He then takes a position as a photographer with the San Francisco Police Department. According to his biographers, there he encounters manifestations of violence and asks himself: how can God allow the existence of evil? In search of an answer to this question, LaVey plunges headlong into the occult, and on the last April night of 1966 (Walpurgis Night), he, in accordance with magical tradition, shaves his head and announces the creation of the "church of Satan." In order to identify himself as a minister of this "church", he begins to wear a pastor's collar and a black suit. In the early years of the "church" LaVey divided his time between performing satanic rites (created by him) and studying the occult. After his "church" got stronger, he wrote his famous books. His biographers state that LaVey was a consultant for a number of horror films, and even acted as an actor. All his life, LaVey was accompanied by scandals, he was invariably one of the favorite characters of the secular press. On October 31, 1997, during Halloween, Lavey dies. Now let's get acquainted with the teaching that LaVey bequeathed to his students.
Let's start with a list of the nine satanic commandments with which LaVey begins his book. The author will quote these commandments without any comments.
1. Satan represents indulgence, not abstinence!
2. Satan personifies the essence of life instead of pipe spiritual dreams.
3. Satan represents undefiled wisdom instead of hypocritical self-deception!
4. Satan represents mercy to those who deserve it, instead of love spent on flatterers!
5. Satan personifies revenge, and does not turn the other cheek after being hit!
6. Satan represents responsibility for those responsible instead of involvement with spiritual vampires.
7. Satan represents man as just another animal, sometimes better, more often worse than those who walk on all fours; an animal that, due to its “divine, spiritual and intellectual development”, has become the most dangerous of all animals!
8. Satan represents all so-called sins as they lead to physical, mental and emotional fulfillment!
9. Satan has been the Church's best friend of all time, supporting her business all these years!
LaVey was a Satanist. Who or what was Satan to him? As Lavey wrote: “Most Satanists do not accept Satan as an anthropomorphic being with cloven hooves, a tassel tail and horns. He simply personifies the forces of nature - the Forces of Darkness, so named only because no religion has bothered to take these forces from darkness. Science has also failed to apply technical terminology to these forces. They are like a vessel without a tap, which very few people have used, because not everyone has the ability to use the tool without first taking it apart and giving names to all the parts that make it work. As we can see, for LaVey, Satan is a natural force, impersonal in its essence. LaVey believed that Satan was given the role of an evil character only because he personified the carnal, bodily aspects of human life. Satan, as a personal force, the angel of darkness, was invented by the leaders of Christians in order to rule over them, intimidating them with his existence. It is interesting to note that LaVey denied the idea of his followers "selling their souls" to Satan, in his opinion, this statement is also a myth that Christian leaders invented in order to control their flock by telling "tales" about Satanism.
What is LaVey's idea of God? Lavey wrote: “A very popular misconception is the notion that a Satanist does not believe in God. The concepts of "God" as interpreted by man have changed so much over the centuries that the Satanist simply accepts the one that suits him best. According to LaVey, people invent gods. Therefore, for “Satanist…, “God”, whatever name he may be called, or even not named at all, is seen as a kind of balancing factor of nature, and has nothing to do with suffering. It is a powerful force that permeates and balances the entire universe, too impersonal to care about the happiness or misfortune of the flesh and blood creatures that live on a ball of mud that is our home. The doctrine of God in the "Satanic Bible" is very vague, but apparently, it is close to the theosophists' views on this issue: God, as some kind of impersonal energy, poured into the Cosmos. For everything that happens in the world, only people and the forces of "action and reaction of the Universe" are responsible.
In LaVey's teaching there is neither hell nor heaven; everything that a person has, he has “here and now”. LaVey denied the law of reincarnation. In particular, he wrote: “If there is nothing in this life in which a person could express his dignity, he delights in the thought of “lives ahead.” It never occurs to a believer in reincarnation that if his father, grandfather, great-grandfather, etc. created "good karma" by their adherence to the same beliefs and ethics as his own - why then does he live in deprivation and not as a maharajah? Belief in reincarnation provides a wonderful fantasy world in which one can find a suitable way to express one's ego while claiming to dissolve it." Belief in reincarnation, according to LaVey, is simply self-deception. However, it cannot be argued that LaVey's teaching completely denies life after death. LaVey believes that it is possible to live after death, although he does not develop this part of his teaching, only slightly touching on this issue. In particular, he wrote: “Satanism…encourages its worshipers to develop a good, strong egos that give them the self-respect they need for a vital existence in this life. If a person has been satisfied with life during his existence and fought to the end for his earthly existence, nothing but his ego will refuse to die, even after the extinction of the flesh that contained it ... ". LaVey denied death as a spiritual awakening into new life. Expanding on his teaching on the subject, he wrote: “Death in many religions is presented as a great spiritual awakening (of course, for those who have prepared for the afterlife). This concept is very attractive to those whose lives do not satisfy them, but to those who have known all the joys that life has to offer, death is seen as some great and terrible cataclysm, fear of the highest authority. That's the way it should be. And it is the thirst for life that allows a carnal person to continue life after the inevitable death of his bodily shell.
What is Satanism in LaVey's view? As he wrote: “Satanism is an overtly selfish, merciless philosophy. It is based on the belief that human beings are naturally selfish and cruel, that life is Darwinian natural selection, a struggle for survival in which the fittest win, that the Earth will go to those who fight to win in the relentless competition that exists in any jungle, including an urbanized society". Satanism is a kind of "controlled selfishness" and is based on "natural human instincts". His main goal is to satisfy these "natural instincts" of a Satanist. Satanism, in essence, is a form of hedonism addicted to nihilism. Lavey wrote: “Satanism approves of the actions of its followers when they give vent to their natural desires. Only in this way can you become a completely satisfied person without disappointments that can harm you and others. This phrase contains the most simplistic description of the meaning of the Satanic faith." One of the main goals of Satanism is material success. In the "church" of LaVey, there are even special rituals that contribute to material well-being.
Should a Satanist do only evil? It should be noted that LaVey rejects the Christian concept of good and evil. There are only "natural instincts" in his doctrine, and good and evil are fantasies of "weak" people whom he calls "masochists". Therefore, a Satanist does not have to do evil or good without fail, he just does what he wants without worrying too much about the degree of morality or immorality of his actions. As Lavey wrote: “Satanism is not a white light religion; this religion is carnal, worldly, bodily - everything that Satan rules is the personification of the Left Path. ... Satanism is the only religion known to the world that accepts a person as he really is, and offers a rationale for turning bad into good, instead of contriving to destroy the bad. The logical consequence of this philosophy is the acceptance of the norm of what is considered sin in Christianity. Lavey wrote: “Christian faith defines seven deadly sins: greed, pride, envy, anger, gluttony, lust and laziness. Satanism, on the other hand, advocates indulging each of them if it leads to physical, spiritual and emotional satisfaction. Sin is natural for LaVey, he wrote: “Satan never needed a set of rules, since the natural life forces supported man “in sin”, with the aim of self-preservation of man and his feelings” .
How should we treat our neighbors according to The Satanic Bible? LaVey wrote about rewarding others: “Satanism adheres to an altered form of the Golden Rule. Our interpretation of it is: “Repay others what they have repaid you,” because if “You repay everyone as they would repay you” and they, in return, treat you badly, it is contrary to human nature to continue to treat them with respect. You could repay others as if they repaid you, but if your courtesy has not been returned, they should be treated with the fury they deserve.
Lavey rejected the Christian idea of repentance. In particular, he wrote: “When a Satanist does something wrong, he realizes that it is only natural to make mistakes - and if he is truly sorry for what he did, he will learn from it and not do the same again. If, however, he sincerely does not repent of what he has done, and knows that he will continue to do the same again and again, he has no need to confess and pray for forgiveness. According to LaVey, there is no point in repentance if a person knows that he will continue to sin. The maximum that a Satanist can repent of is committing a mistake, and then, on condition that he wants it.
Love for LaVey is just an emotion. Much in his book, he paid attention to sexual freedom. In particular, he wrote: “Satanism promotes sexual freedom, but only in the true sense of these words. Free love, in the Satanic sense, can mean the freedom to do just that - whether to be faithful to one person or to give free rein to your sexual passions with as many people as you think is necessary to satisfy your individual needs. In his teaching, there is no hard line for everyone to indulge in orgies, rather, he encourages his students in the sexual field to do what they like. Lavey continues: “Satanism does not condone the orgiastic activities or extramarital affairs of those for whom it is not a natural inclination. For too many it would be unnatural and detrimental to be unfaithful to one's chosen ones. For others, sexual attachment to one person would be a disappointment. Everyone must decide for himself what form of sexual activity best suits his individual needs. … Satanism tolerates any form of sexual activity that properly satisfies your needs, be it heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual or even asexual, as you choose. Satanism also favors any fetish or deviance that enhances or enriches your sexual performance…” . The only restriction in sex, according to LaVey: sex should not harm others. You can engage in any sexual perversion, if your partner agrees to it. At the same time, according to LaVey, a real Satanist is no more concerned with sex than with any other of his desires.
How did LaVey feel about sacrifices? It should be noted here that the author of the article, before writing it, spent a lot of time getting acquainted with various satanic forums and sites, from which he learned that satanism is not a single, integral movement, rather it is a set of different groups that often have different views on one and the same questions. Undoubtedly, there are Satanists who resort to bloody sacrifices (at least on the forums they discuss this practice), most often animals, although, apparently, there are also killings of people, at least, there are special prohibitions on this in their ideology not found. But as for LaVey, he was ambivalent about the practice of sacrifice. On the one hand, he denied it: "Under no circumstances will a Satanist sacrifice an animal or a child!" On the other hand, he argued that “symbolically, the victim is destroyed through a hex or curse, which in turn results in the physical, spiritual, or emotional destruction of the “victim” in ways that cannot then be attributed to the wizard. The Satanist makes a human sacrifice only when it can serve two purposes at once: to free the wizard from evil in the form of a curse, and, more importantly, to get rid of a very disgusting and deserving individual ... you have every right to (symbolically ) destroy them, and if your curse leads to real destruction, take comfort in the thought that you served as an instrument in ridding the world of the pest (who is the pest, the Satanist decides at will. - V.P.)! If someone interferes with your success or happiness, you do not owe him anything! He deserves the fate of being crushed under the heel! . The purpose of the sacrificial ritual (for those who perform it), according to LaVey, is to release the energy stored in the blood of the murdered victim. At the same time, the main thing in this rite is not so much in the shedding of blood, but in the torment of the victim before death. Perhaps LaVey did not practice animal sacrifice, and even more so people, but he did not deny the possibility of killing by magical methods any person whom the Satanist considers his enemy.
How did LaVey feel about the black mass? He believed that it was a literary fiction. Since it was necessary to use candles made from the fat of unbaptized children in the black mass, the priests, in his opinion, used this "myth" in order to frighten "poor" mothers and push them to baptize their children, and thus enriched the Church. Lavey wrote: “There is an opinion that the Satanic ceremony or service is always called the Black Mass. The Black Mass is NOT a ceremony practiced by Satanists, the only use a Satanist would have for it is as a psychodrama. Going further, it should be noted that the Black Mass does not necessarily imply that all participants are Satanists. At its core, the Black Mass is a parody of the religious service of the Roman Catholic Church, but can also be loosely translated into a satire of any other religious ceremony.
The main satanic holidays are Walpurgis Night (the night of the first of May) and Halloween (the eve of All Saints' Day, October 31), as well as the Satanist's birthday. Lavey wrote: “The Satanist thinks: “Why not be honest with yourself, and if God is created in my image and likeness, why not consider yourself this god?” Every person is a god if he considers himself to be one. So the Satanist celebrates his birthday as the most important holiday of the year."
Magic occupies a special place in LaVey's teachings. He defines magic as: "Changing Situations and Events According to Man's Will, Impossible with Conventional Methods". Lavey does not divide magic into white and black, believing that the purpose of magic is to achieve power and satisfy personal desires. In particular, he writes: “He who pretends to be interested in magic or the occult for reasons other than the pursuit of personal power is the worst example of bigotry and hypocrisy…. It is generally believed that white magic is used only for good and unselfish purposes, and black magic, we are told, is used only for self-centered or "evil" deeds. Satanism draws no dividing line. Magic is magic, whether used to help or hinder. The Satanist, being a magician, should be able to decide for himself what is right, and then apply the powers of magic to achieve his goal. At the same time, LaVey rated most of the works on magic that are common in modern society very low. He wrote: “… with a few exceptions, all treatises and books, all “secret” grimoires, all “great works” on the subject of magic are nothing more than sanctimonious fraud, sinful mumbling and esoteric gibberish of chroniclers of magical knowledge, unable or unwilling to provide an objective point perspective on this issue. Writer after writer, trying to signify the principles of "white and black magic", succeeded only in such a clouding of the object of consideration that a person who independently studies magic spends his studies stupidly standing in a pentagram waiting for the appearance of a demon, shuffling a deck of cards to predict the future, losing cards have their own meaning, and attending seminars that guarantee only the flattening of his ego (and along with his wallet); and, as a result, exposes himself as a complete idiot in the eyes of those who have known the truth! .
Which of the leaders of Satanism that preceded him did LaVey sympathize with? He believed that the rituals created by the famous Satanist Aleister Crowley were closest to him in spirit. But Lavey also found a number of shortcomings in him: “In addition to charming poetry, mountaineering and a smattering of some magical knick-knacks, Crowley's life was an example of posturing and trying to appear worse than he really was. Like his contemporary, the Reverend (?) Montague Summers, Crowley no doubt spent his life with his tongue pressed to his cheek, but today's followers of Crowley manage to read the esoteric meaning in his every word. In fact, Lavey considered himself the pinnacle of Satanism, which, however, is not surprising given the egocentrism that underlies all his teachings.
As noted above, Satanism is made up of many groups that may have significant differences in their teachings and practices. LaVey is by no means a generally recognized authority among Satanists, many of them are critical of him. Therefore, it would be appropriate to say a few words about the criticism that they subjected to LaVey, although this criticism does not have the character of a “theological” polemic.
At the very beginning of the article, outlining the biography of LaVey, we mentioned that it does not quite correspond to historical facts. Let's turn to her critics. Studies of his biography were carried out, which resulted in the writing of the following works: Alfred Knopf "Saints and Sinners" (Knopf, A. " Saints and sinners», New York, 1993) and Michael Aquino "Church of Satan"Aquino, M. « The church of Satan», San Francisco: Temple of set, 1983). The author wants to acquaint readers with some conclusions of these studies.
First of all, according to Lavey's relatives, his grandmother was not a gypsy, but a Ukrainian. At the age of fifteen, LaVey did not play in the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra, since in 1945 such an orchestra simply did not exist. In 1947, LaVey did not run away from home and join the circus, his relatives and the ledgers of Clyde Beatty's circus testified to this. Marilyn Monroe was also never LaVey's mistress. Moreover, she never worked as a stripper at the club where LaVey allegedly met her. Paul Valentine, the owner of the Mayan Burlesque Theatre, testified to this. LaVey never worked as a photographer for the San Francisco Police Department. At least the archives of this institution do not have any information about him. It is a myth, and the story that on Walpurgis Night in 1966, Lavey announced the creation of the "church of Satan." In reality, during this time, LaVey was moonlighting by lecturing on the occult, which brought a very small income, and the future publisher of his books, Edward Weber, recommended that he create his own "church" in order to attract the attention of journalists. So in the summer of 1966, in announcements of his lectures, LaVey first began to call himself a "priest of the church of Satan." It is also a myth that LaVey was the technical consultant on Roman Polanski's "Rosemary's Baby" and played the role of the devil in it. In reality, according to the producers of this film, William Castle and Gene Gutowski, there were no "technical consultants" in the film. Moreover, Polanski and Lavey never knew each other. And the role of the devil in the film was played by an unknown young dancer. What did LaVey have to do with Rosemary's Baby anyway? In 1968, at the premiere of this film in San Francisco, the administration of the theater in which it was to be shown turned to LaVey with a request to advertise it, which LaVey did. Now about LaVey's famous book, The Satanic Bible. In the late sixties of the twentieth century in America there was a great interest in Satanism, and the publishing house Avon Books suggested that LaVey write a book on this topic. An agreement was signed, but LaVey did not have time to write a book by the deadlines stipulated in the agreement, and then he resorted to plagiarism. In his The Satanic Bible, there are borrowings from the following books: Ragnar Redbeard, Might is Right, Port Townsend: Loompanics (reprint), 1896, Aleister Crowley Equinox (Equinox), Ein Rand, Atlas Shrugged. LaVey died not on October 31, 1997 on Halloween, as his followers claim, but on October 29, this is stated in death certificate No. 380278667, signed by Dr. Giles Miller.
Now let's look at how LaVey felt about religions. First of all, he believed that “Religions must be questioned. No moral dogma should be taken for granted, no rule of judgment should be deified. There is no primordial holiness in moral codes." And this position is not surprising, given that he believed that "man has always created gods, not they him"; “All religions of a spiritual nature are invented by man. With nothing more than his carnal brain, he created a whole system of gods. Man has an ego, his hidden "I" and, only because he is unable to come to terms with it, he is forced to isolate it outside himself in some great spiritual creature called "God". In fact, LaVey denied all world religions, considering only his own to be true. In particular, he wrote: “Eastern mystical beliefs have taught people to touch their navels with their heads, stand on their heads, stare at empty walls, avoid labels in everyday life, and limit themselves in every desire for material pleasures. However, I'm sure you've seen many so-called yogis with the same inability to quit smoking as everyone else, or "elevated" Buddhists, who become just as aroused as a "less distracted" person when they meet with a person of the opposite, and in some situations, of the same sex. However, when asked to explain the reason for their hypocrisy, these people retreat into the ambiguity that characterizes their faith - no one can condemn them without receiving direct answers. A simple fact in its essence - this type of people, turning to a faith that professes abstinence, comes to indulgence. Their forced masochism is the reason for choosing a religion that not only advocates self-denial, but encourages it and, moreover, gives them a consecrated way to express their masochistic needs. The more abuse they can tolerate, the "holier" they become. All religious people, with the exception of Satanists, are masochists for LaVey. Moreover, martyrdom for the faith, when people accept death in the name of devotion to God and unwillingness to betray Him, is also declared by LaVey to be a form of masochism. He wrote: "... to give one's own life for something not personal, such as a political or religious belief, is nothing but the highest manifestation of masochism." Whether LaVey classified his beliefs as "personal" or not is open to question. Would he be able to die for his faith, or would he cast it aside if necessary? However, if religion is perceived as a business project, then it is really stupid to die for such a religion.
Given that in Russia, the main opponent of Satanism is Christianity, it would be appropriate to pay special attention to the issue of LaVey's attitude to Christianity. Reading the "Satanic Bible", the author of the article was amazed at how you can distort and slander him. However, it is quite possible that this is due not only to LaVey's desire to belittle Christianity, but also to the elementary ignorance of the author of The Satanic Bible in this matter. In any case, the author will not only try to describe the main accusations made by LaVey against Christians, but also dare to give them his own assessment, and also to find out how well these accusations are valid. So how did LaVey feel about Christianity?
It is not difficult to guess that LaVey did not like Christianity. In his book The Satanic Bible, when talking about Christianity, he uses a technique that was actively used by militant atheists in the former Soviet Union, the essence of which is to profane Christianity, to present it in a grotesque form that has little in common with reality. Considering that the majority of LaVey's followers in our country have a vague idea of Christianity (mostly young people), this technique works well. However, the war with "windmills" has always been a popular pastime for those who criticized Christianity. At least the author of the article, studying sectarian literature, is constantly faced with the situation of active struggle of various sectarian ideologists with their own invented "Christianity". As for LaVey, he, first of all, considered Christians to be hypocrites. In particular, when he “worked” (did he work?) as a musician, then, according to his testimony: “... I saw men devouring the eyes of half-naked dancers at the carnival, and on Sunday morning, when I played the organ at the tent evangelists at the other end of the carnival, I saw the same men on the benches with their wives and children, and these men asked God to forgive them and cleanse from carnal desires. And the next Saturday evening, they were again at the carnival or elsewhere (I wonder if LaVey was at the carnival and at the “other place” at the same time? - V.P.), indulging their desires. Even then I knew that the Christian church flourished on hypocrisy, and human nature found a way out, despite all the tricks with which the white-light religions burned and cleaned it out. It should be noted that hypocrisy is condemned, first of all, by Christians themselves. Many examples of his condemnation can be found in Holy Scripture (see: Matt. 6:2; 6:16; 15:7-9; Mark 12:15, etc.) . The apostle Paul wrote about human weakness: “For I do not understand what I am doing: because I do not what I want, but what I hate, I do” (Rom. 7:15). So LaVey did not discover anything new, and the fact that a person is weak is well known to Christians. If a person is weak, wouldn't it be wise to offer him a path in which he will become stronger? The path of struggle with passions is very difficult, and not everyone reaches its heights. But there are people who are at least trying to do it, and these are Christians. And there are people who “go with the flow” of their passions, considering themselves to be some kind of chosen ones. In fact, LaVey's philosophy is the philosophy of weak people. Any more or less significant achievement in this life requires work. Knowledge is given through work, achievements in sports also require work. Working on yourself is also work. LaVey, in fact, invites his followers to "go with the flow" of their passions. The path of LaVey is the path of a slave of passions. The path that turns a person into an animal, into a biological machine. However, this is not surprising, because for LaVey a person is just an “animal”. But where is freedom here? What is the strength and pride of Satanists here? That they satisfy animal instincts? Well, cows also live by “natural needs”, instincts, that's why they are cows. Therefore, the path of Satanism is the path of weak people who do not have enough strength to curb their own instincts, and who try to justify their weakness through the ideology set forth in books like LaVey's Satanic Bible.
The Satanic Bible states that: “… the churches based their teaching on the worship of the spirit and the denial of the flesh and the intellect. He (LaVey. - V.P.) realized the need for a church that would again raise the human mind and its carnal desires to the rank of objects of worship. I want to note that this statement is a lie. If LaVey had studied the Bible more carefully, he would have learned that it teaches otherwise, in particular it says: “When wisdom enters into your heart, and knowledge is pleasing to your soul, then discretion will protect you, understanding will guard you, in order to save you from the evil way, from the man who speaks lies” (Prov. 2: 10-12). Moreover, Christianity denies blind faith, the apostle Paul called on everyone to test and hold on to what is good (1 Thess. 5:21). And the denial of the flesh is not characteristic of Christians, but of the Manichaeans, with whom Christianity fought. The Manicheans considered matter to be an evil principle, which they fought, in particular, through the mortification of the flesh. Christians, on the contrary, rejected such ideas as the assertion that matter can be evil. What kind of matter is evil, if God has clothed himself in it? Matter was created by God, but God did not create anything evil (Gen. 1:31). The goal of ascetic practice in Christianity is not to fight the flesh for the sake of its destruction, that would be suicide, an unforgivable sin, but to curb passions, to control the flesh, which is far from the same thing.
LaVey claimed that “... Catholics believe that Protestants are doomed to perish in hell just because they do not belong to the Catholic Church. In the same way, many schismatic groups of the Christian faith, such as the evangelical… churches, believe that Catholics are pagans who worship idols.” Do Roman Catholics believe that Protestants will "perish in hell"? Satanists will have to be disappointed. The Roman Catholic Church considers Martin Luther (the founder of Protestantism) a heretic who was excommunicated, but does not believe that the fault of the fathers lies with the children. A person brought up in Protestantism is not responsible for Luther's personal guilt, and therefore will not burn in hell just because he was not born among Roman Catholics! So that the author’s statement does not sound unfounded, let the Roman Catholics themselves express their attitude towards the Protestants: “... those who believe in Christ and have received actual baptism are in some, albeit incomplete, communion with the Catholic Church ... justified by faith in baptism, they are united with Christ and, therefore, rightfully bear the name of Christians, and the sons of the Catholic Church correctly recognize their brothers in the Lord. ... Also, many of our brethren who are separated from us perform sacred rites of the Christian religion, which, in various ways, according to the various provisions of each Church or Community, without any doubt, can really give rise to a grace-filled life and it must be recognized that they are capable of opening access to communion in salvation". Now, regarding Protestants, do they consider Roman Catholics to be pagans? Considering that Protestantism is a very vague trend, we will talk about classical Protestants, Lutherans. Martin Luther was a very emotional person and allowed himself to speak very harshly about the Pope. Undoubtedly, this does not do him credit. In his letters, he even called him "antichrist". Although, as an excuse, it can be noted that at that time any controversy rarely did without swearing (such were the morals). In addition, as already mentioned above, Martin Luther was a very impulsive person, which could not but be reflected in the books and letters he wrote. As for the attitude of the Lutherans to the Roman Catholic Church, I want to upset the Satanists again, they do not consider Her pagan. However, let us give the floor to the Lutherans themselves: “Luther, who threw thunder and lightning into the Catholic Church of his day, the “Roman harlot,” never even thought that the baptism performed on him in this very church was not valid and required repetition. And subsequently, the Lutherans never, under any circumstances, allowed a second baptism. which would be impossible in principle if they considered Roman Catholics to be pagans.
LaVey did not like the Christian Sacrament of Repentance either. In particular, he wrote: “... even if a person has lived his life without following the laws of his faith, he can send for a priest in his last hour and perform his last repentance on his deathbed. A priest or a preacher will immediately come running and “settle” with God the issue of a pass to the Kingdom of Heaven ... ". Indeed, Christianity bears witness to a God of Love, a God who is merciful. God is not a judge who is subject to formal legislation and has no power over it, He is the Legislator! At the same time, He puts mercy above the law of formal justice. This is evident from the parable of the vinedressers (Matthew 20:1-15). God does not look at what kind of recompense should be given to a person for his deed, but at what a person is. He judges not by form, but by human essence. As for the Sacrament of Repentance, it is again presented in LaVey's work in a perverted form. Repentance is not a magical rite, as a result of which sins are automatically removed from a person, and he goes to heaven. The teachers are distorting the Christian doctrine in this way. At least, the Orthodox Church does not perceive this Sacrament in this way. The Sacrament of Repentance is much deeper than just a magical act, to which LaVey is accustomed. A Christian does not repent before a priest, but first of all before God, the priest is only a witness. It should also be noted that it is not the priest who forgives sins, but God. The priest only asks God for their forgiveness, but if God sees that there is no sincere repentance (and repentance is, first of all, a change of mind, an inner readiness to completely eliminate sin from one’s life), that a person has not changed internally, then there is no automatic removal of sins happens, and a person will not go to any paradise, no matter how many rites of confession he formally goes through.
LaVey also understood “original sin” in a very peculiar way. In particular, he wrote: “In order to insure the process of reproduction of mankind, nature has made lust the second most powerful instinct after self-preservation. Realizing this, the Christian church nevertheless made fornication an "original sin." Thus, it turns out that no one can escape sin. After all, the very fact of our existence is the result of sin - Original Sin. It should be noted that LaVey's statement is sheer nonsense. Unfortunately, there are no footnotes in his work and it is not clear whether he himself invented what he wrote about Christians, or picked up some sectarian literature, which is in abundance in America. In any case, as far as the author knows, neither Orthodox, nor Roman Catholics, nor Protestants (at least Lutherans) equate "original sin" with sex. Sex itself is not a sin, moreover, God blesses it in marriage (Gen. 1:28). Fornication is the betrayal of a loved one. A fornicator deprives himself of the fullness of spiritual unity (Matt. 19:6) with a loved one, and thereby cuts off the possibility of his spiritual growth, embarks on the path of degradation. In Christianity, the family is considered a small church, just as Jesus Christ is one with His Church, so the husband and wife should be one with each other. This unity spiritually replenishes the spouses, transfers them to a new spiritual quality, which is lost through fornication. But again, fornication and "original sin" are not the same thing, rather fornication is a consequence of "original sin", but by no means an identical concept. As for the “original sin” itself, it consists in renunciation of God, in the desire to become “gods” without God by illegal magical means, in the desire to achieve this without spending any effort, and, above all, moral labor. The “original sin” manifests itself in people as a tendency to do sinful deeds. A vivid manifestation of "original sin" is the ideology of LaVey, in which, as he himself admitted, the main thing is not sex, but service to one's ego. So the problem of “original sin is not in sex, but in the relationship of man with God.
Interestingly understands Lavey and the Christian doctrine of an afterlife existence. He wrote: “Since the natural instincts of man lead him into sin, all people are sinners; and sinners go to hell. If we all go to hell, we will meet our friends there. Paradise, on the other hand, must be inhabited by very strange creatures, if all for which they led a righteous life on earth was to get to a place where they could spend all eternity strum the harps(highlighted by us. - V.P.) ". It should be noted that the "natural instincts" of a person cannot lead to either heaven or hell. The presence or absence of sinful aspirations leads there, i.e. "unnatural instincts". Sin is a renunciation of God, this is just an unnatural desire, and now it will really have a strong impact on the posthumous fate of all people. But Christians do not plan to “strum on harps”, and they don’t even imagine devils with frying pans in hell. Paradise is a state of being with God, but this is not a kind of sleep or a state of complete inactivity, or even more so “strumming harps”, no, on the contrary, it is an endless growth in the spirit through the knowledge of God, through personal communication with Him. As for hell, hell is a place devoid of light, a place where there is no God (although such a place is even possible!). In any case, hell is a place where God, by His grace, allows those who want to live without Him to live, to make this dream come true. Hell is a place where a person does not know peace, where he is tormented by unsatisfied passions, which LaVey so recommends to indulge. Passion can be satisfied as long as there is a body, there is no body - there is no satisfaction, and passion does not disappear with the death of the physical body. The hell that LaVey's disciples will fall into lies within themselves, although they don't realize it. In general, Christianity does not set itself the goal of drawing a map of heaven or hell, it pays more attention to issues of moral perfection. And how it will be, we will find out when we get there.
satanic bible
Cover of the English edition " satanic bible»
| Satanism LaVey |
| Associated organizations |
| Church of Satan First Satanic Church |
| Notable figures |
| Anton LaVey · Peter H. Gilmour Diana Hegarty Karla LaVey |
| Concepts |
| Left hand path Pentagonal revisionism Suitheism Power is right Lex talionis Theistic Satanism |
| Publications |
| satanic bible Satanic rituals Satanic Witch · Devil's Notebook Satan speaks! · Black flame Church of Satan The Secret Life of a Satanist Satanic Scriptures |
History
The Satanic Bible was first published in 1969 by Avon Books and has been reprinted many times since. The main text has always remained the same, but the acknowledgments section has been changed from the very first edition (the first edition contained the famous extended acknowledgments section, later shortened), and the introduction has been replaced and supplemented several times. Burton Wolf ( Burton Wolfe), a journalist and member of the Church of Satan from its early days, is the author of the introduction that has been published in the book for many years. Peter Gilmour, now High Priest of the Church of Satan, wrote a new introduction that replaced Burton Wolfe's text and is now included in The Satanic Bible, beginning with . University Press published The Satanic Bible and The Satanic Rituals in hardcover, but these editions have been out of print for a long time and have become second-hand books (some copies on eBay sell for over $1,000).
Sections of The Satanic Bible
The Satanic Bible, in addition to an introduction written by other authors, is divided into four sections under the following titles:
Book of Satan
In this section, LaVey also coined for the first time the term psychic or spiritual vampire, which refers to people who "drain the life force from other people." Now this term, which can be considered a synonym for the phrase "energy vampire" (probably more commonly used in Russian), is included in the active vocabulary of many people. The author suggests avoiding any kind of relationship with psychic vampires who are trying to play on human guilt. At the conclusion of The Book of Lucifer, LaVey warns of "pseudo-Satanists."
Book of Belial
Table of Contents of The Satanic Bible
| Chapter | Chapter |
|---|---|
| Foreword | |
| Prologue | |
| The Nine Foundations of Satanism | |
| (FIRE) THE BOOK OF SATAN - Infernal diatribe - |
I |
| II | |
| III | |
| IV | |
| V | |
| (AIR) THE BOOK OF LUCIFER - Enlightenment - |
I. Wanted!: God - dead or alive |
| II. The god you worship can be you | |
| III. Some Signs of a New Satanic Age | |
| IV. Hell, the Devil and how to sell your soul | |
| V. Love and hate | |
| VI. satanic sex | |
| VII. Not all vampires suck blood | |
| VIII. Indulgence...but not coercion | |
| IX. On the issue of human sacrifice | |
| X. Life after death through ego satisfaction | |
| XI. Religious holidays | |
| XII. Black mass | |
| (EARTH) THE BOOK OF BELIAL - Power over the earth - |
I. Theory and Practice of Satanic Magic |
| II. Three Types of Satanic Ritual | |
| III. Ritual room, or room of intellectual emancipation | |
| IV. Ingredients of Practicing Satanic Magic | |
| 1. Desire | |
| 2. Timing | |
| 3. Image | |
| 4. Direction | |
| 5. Balancing factor | |
| V. Satanic Ritual | |
| 1. Some notes to consider before starting the ritual | |
| 2. Thirteen steps | |
| 3. Devices used in satanic rituals | |
| (WATER) THE BOOK OF LEVIATHAN - Raging Sea - |
I. Appeal to Satan |
| II. devilish names | |
| III. Appeal aimed at challenging lust | |
| IV. An Appeal for Destruction | |
| V. An Appeal for Compassion | |
| VI. Enochian Keys and the Enochian Language | |
| First key | |
| Second Key | |
| Third Key | |
| Fourth Key | |
| Fifth Key | |
| sixth key | |
| seventh key | |
| Eighth key | |
| ninth key | |
| tenth key | |
| Eleventh Key | |
| Twelfth Key | |
| Thirteenth key | |
| Fourteenth Key | |
| Fifteenth Key | |
| sixteenth key | |
| seventeenth key | |
| eighteenth key | |
| nineteenth key |
see also
- devilish names
Other books by A. S. LaVey
- "Satanic Witch"
- "Satanic Rituals"
- "Devil's Notebook"
- "Bible of the Damned"
Links
- Church of Satan (English) - official site
- The Satanic Bible, as well as the Eleven Earth Rules and the Nine Satanic Sins.
- (M., 1996)
- A. S. LaVey, "The Satanic Witch"
- A. S. LaVey, "Satanism" () - a monograph, the material of which was included in the "Satanic Bible"
- Interview with Peter Gilmour - author of the introduction to the latest edition of The Satanic Bible
Bibliography
- LaVey, Anton Szandor. The Satanic Bible(Avon, 1969, ISBN 0-380-01539-0).
- LaVey A. Sh. Satanic bible. Moscow: Unholy Words, Inc. (RCS), .
In 1969, the American occultist and ideologue of Satanism Anton Szandor LaVey published a book under a rather pretentious and even scandalous title. "Satanic Bible" or "Black Bible" Satanic Bible.
It is a kind of "handbook" of the modern Satanist. Apparently, the author tried to put together and present to readers a "squeeze" or the quintessence of the satanic worldview.
The treatise consists of 4 parts, in a complex forming a certain philosophical, theoretical, moral and practical platform for all those interested in Satanism and wishing to “profess” this teaching, so to speak. Although the concept of worshiping the ideology of Satanism is contradictory.
The first part sets out the basic concept or creed of Satanism - the rejection of traditional or official Christianity.
It should be clarified that the very word "Satan" is translated as "adversary or accuser." It is known from the history of religion that initially Satan was one of the angels close to God, whose duties included identifying and informing the lord of Heaven about earthly violators of the Laws of God.
But then "something went wrong" and Satan fell out of favor.
After that, the main occupation of Satan was the denial of all the postulates of religion, from the very existence of God to the consistent debunking of each of the Commandments, in the form of parables presented in the Gospels.
Actually, the denial of religion is the central line of the first part of the Book of Satan.
What is the theoretical basis for this denial? The concept of the absence of "life after death" is proposed as the main argument. That is, since human life is limited only by a mortal physical existence, the moral principles of religious faith lose all meaning.
The second part of the satanic path is a rather contradictory attempt to reconcile the principles of universal morality and the basic concept of goodness and peaceful coexistence of people with the principles of extreme individualism, hedonism (as the devil said in a children's cartoon: "Love yourself, sneeze at everyone and success awaits you in life" ).
As you can see, the author of the treatise does not offer any lawlessness, as it appears in the ordinary consciousness about Satanism. On the contrary, the line about the need to respect the living space and respect the personal interests of other people is being rather persistently pursued.
The third book is a practical guide to satanic magic. Descriptions of various rituals, during which a person, with the help of mysterious mystical powers and otherworldly beings (demons), could achieve personal goals.
Love spells, influencing other people, achieving wealth and success, obtaining carnal satisfaction, and so on. That is, everything that traditional religion calls "sin."
In this section, extreme pride is palpably present, as one of the basic qualities of a Satanist. It is proposed to seek help not from any demons, but only from . Attached is a long list of such demons.
At the same time, a serious emphasis is placed on the fact that the prevailing in society perception of Satanism as wild orgies and covens with violence, the killing of innocent babies, the rape of virgins, disgusting sexual perversions does not correspond to the behavior of a “true Satanist”, but is a consequence of the deliberate demonization of competing teachings from the established church.
However, it can be assumed that since the Satanic Bible is a work of a public nature, intended for public judgment, for the "crowd", then there is probably a steeper teaching "for the elite" Satanists.
In any case, the practice of dividing teaching into public and intended only for initiates is very common in secret, forbidden or semi-forbidden religious movements.
Although Satanism cannot be called a religious trend, since it is based on the denial of religion and religious postulates.
The fourth part focuses on the "power of the word". It describes a number of magical spells that have the power to influence the events and inhabitants of both this and the other worlds.
Approximately the same as in the third part, but here the magical powers are set in motion by the pronunciation of special words and the casting of spells. Without the need for complex practical rituals.
Conclusion
The general direction and "interlinear thoughts" of the Book of Satan obviously indicate the author's aspirations to some kind of "legalize" Satanism, to make this teaching at least a little more organic part of the modern "civilized" society, to distance himself from the established sharply negative attitude towards Satanism.
The second line of the treatise is an attempt to systematize the satanic teachings, disparate satanic ideas and practices into something unified. So to speak, the standardization of unsystematic denial of religion, with a touch of hope for reconciliation with the official religion and further peaceful coexistence. In non-contiguous social niches, of course.
