"SATANISM AS UNRELIGION"
by Magister John M. Penkal of The Sanctum of the Black Sun
It is important that if religions such as Satanism which are carnal and based on reality are to survive, we must redefine what religion means. The traditional definition is "the belief in and worship of a superhuman controlling power, especially a personal God or gods." Satanism is a religion that only retains a semblance of this paradigm. We only believe in Satan and His Infernal Empire while in ritual. This is not definitive belief. It is better defined as suspension of disbelief. It is a temporary catharsis in an otherwise temporal belief structure. Many militant atheists, of who are secular and anti-theist, still consider Satanism to be a religion just like the rest. They hear the word “religion” and are immediately reviled and on the defensive. Such is understandable as the majority of world religions are of a nature in which they are opposed. Thus, as Satanists, we must redefine religion to mean "the belief in and practice of human power, especially that of one's self."
It is obvious that Satanists consider religion an important part of human psychology. If we did not, we would simply be atheists, still struggling to give structure to our minds. Therefore, if religion is to survive and be tolerated [read: non-persecuted], its entire approach needs to be reformed. If more people relinquished their faith in deities and started viewing the world more pragmatically and realistically, the psychological need for acceptance would be that of a human nature rather than a superstitious nature. There would be no more "it's against my religion" excuse. People would be human first and religionist second (if they chose to be). There would still be a duality in most cases, but it would be a completely different dichotomy altogether. We are far from ready to enter a non-dualistic reality and no simple ignorance of the natural duality of nature will make it go away.
Militant atheists would no longer have anything against religion in the traditional sense. Sure, there will always be those that oppose something, but it would be less offensive. Part of the Age of Enlightenment was to eschew faith and embrace reason. Philosophy played a dramatic role in that movement, and as long as gods are still worshipped and used as excuses for immoral behavior, non-theist philosophies will remain a better alternative for those who enjoy ceremonious activity and dogma. While it is instinctual for human beings to be religious, this does not mean that religion must rely on superstition and imaginary deities to function. We will take upon ourselves the responsible aspect of deities, and as animals we are incapable of being superhuman without technological means.
Satanists understand that our only gods should be those we create for ourselves, for we should be the ones to answer for our actions, especially if we try to use our created gods as an excuse. If you create a god and that god is like unto you, then any actions you might commit inspired by your god would effectively be your actions and yours alone. The problem with actions inspired by ancient gods is that those who believe in and/or worship these gods learn to misdirect the responsibility of said actions towards the gods. There would be no more “the Devil made me do it” or “it was God’s will” because both the Devil and God would essentially be you. True justice will result when actions are accountable only to those that committed the crime. If it is a conspiracy of individuals, all individuals should still be held responsible individually for their particular part in the crime, no matter how indirect it may seem.
“If you claim to be an individual, then why call yourself a Satanist? Why not just follow your own rules and forget labeling yourself?”
It is counterproductive to claim that you are superior to any fictional being, especially when you know that you are. Yes, you exist and that makes you superior to any fictional character by default. But who is it that you are trying to impress? If you know you are superior, why would you need to prove it? You should have nothing to compensate for when you’re the real deal.
The title of “Satanist” is a label that identifies us with others of our same mentality. While radical individualists will argue that this is a type of conformity, they misunderstand that it is because Satanists both relate to the mythological figure of Satan and are essentially envious of His individuality. We all know that envy is a motivator, as are all of the so-called deadly sins of Christianity.
Some think that calling yourself both a Satanist and an individualist is a contradiction. This is just as true as it is false. Contradictions aren’t always a bad thing if you really think deeply about it. If you are wise enough to understand that something is a contradiction, you are thus presented with an opportunity to find the truth behind it. If Satan is the Father of All Lies, then those who can see through the “lies” can decipher the truth. If only other religions understood this, perhaps they would be much slower to believe what it is they think is infallible and realize that the lies within their chosen beliefs can serve a greater purpose than they would be when taken at face value. It is our rebelliousness and defiance as followers of the left-hand path that make Satanists both vaguely similar and strikingly individualistic. Some would find it hard to believe that we disagree more with our own kind than with members of other philosophies (be they personal or religious).
Satanism can also be classified as an “unreligion”. Atheism is unbelief. It is the complete absence of faith in so-called “divine” spiritual entities due to a sheer lack of evidence to the contrary. It is in this sense in which Satanism is unreligion. It retains the ritual, ceremony, and catharsis which serve as an emotional outlet and efficiently omits indoctrination of faith. This is especially useful to those who were previously indoctrinated into a particular religion which required faith without question or doubt.
Not only Satanism an effective rehab program for those who feel lost after shedding their former faith (for whatever reason that may be), but it is also a tool for self-empowerment and the rebuilding of the ego. This is why those who switch from one theistic faith to another only feel emancipated for a short while before the same feelings of doubt return. An impoverished ego will always make its owner feel uncomfortable or “lost” no matter what path they are on. The left-hand path is one of self-deification for this very reason, and Satanism is at least a wise starting point, if not a solemn step in the left direction.
There is no shame in choosing to practice Satanism as a tool for conquering formerly indoctrinated stigmas. If you find that one day you no longer feel the need to call yourself a Satanist, know that it was your Satanic force of will that both led you away from your former lifestyle and onto something greater. The Black Flame will always burn within you until you forcibly attempt to extinguish it.
