faster pussycat... type! type!

Once I stole a pair of red underwear from the department store. My mom wouldn't buy them for me--she said they were Satan's panties!

Tomorrow I have writer's group. We've decided that we need to bring some writing to discuss. Previously, we've treated it more like a NaNoWriMo write in, and what happens is we just chat. Nothing wrong with that, but it's supposed to be a writing group. So we are going to bring little things to share and discuss. Point being, I need to finish my little scene today. Because I am going to need some time away, so I can look at it fresh tomorrow morning and notice all my mistakes and such. Problem is, I still haven't figured out all the crayon colors. I'll probably just have to drop that from the scene, as it's probably just an excuse I am using to keep from saying it's done. Or done enough for writing group. I'm not used to sharing any fictional writing with other people. I'm sort of self conscious I guess.

Yesterday, I was just sitting around, thinking about Satanism. It's Liloo Multisuck's fault, as she posted a link yesterday, on the 'brain, about a Satanist's view on "The Passion." It had been a long time since I thought about those darn Satanists.

Several years ago, I was sitting around with friends, having theological discussions, as I am wont to do, and I remember saying to Mr. Moon "You know, I am not entirely sure what Satanists are really about." So he loaned me his copy of the Satanic Bible, by Anton Szandor La Vey. Mr. Moon is always good for stuff like that. And so I read it. Most of it. Eventually, I sort of got tired. And, what I found was had far more in common with Wicca or Paganism than Christianity, in my mind. You don't even have to believe in Satan, to be a Satanists. In fact, they consider him to be an archetype, more than anything else. They don't sacrifice animals or people, if they are truly following the Satanic ways, because they find power if life, not in death. There is no power in a dead animal, nor the blood of a dead goat. I suppose their could be power in the blood of a live goat or living human being, tho. One thing they are very PRO on is sex. And it seems to factor greatly in their rituals. I remember reading about how to use a naked woman as the alter in your rituals.

Now, the Wiccans and Pagans would probably not like me drawing comparisons between them and the Satanists. I do so only because they all seem to be very earth driven. And more accepting of man and his true nature. The difference being, Wicca teaches you that anything you put out there will come back to you threefold. So, you mess with people, something is going to mess with you even more. Checks and balances. Satanism believes that if someone messes with you, go ahead and fuck them over. The Satanists are very PRO revenge. They are accepting of all of man's inner dark bits.

Satanism's connection with Christianity seems tenuous at best. Christianity's Satan is always out to lead you astray. Satanism's Satan isn't a deity they worship. And they don't believe in a vengeful God who would kill his only son to wipe away the sins of the people he created. I don't think there is such a thing as sin in Satanism. Why, I almost think you could easily do a search and find in the Satanic bible and replace all the accounts of "satan" with something or someone more along the lines of Pan. Mind your own business and leave others in peace, is more their way. But if they mess with you, you mess with them. And Vice Versa. They are not terribly interested in recruiting, either. it's not an evangelistic faith. It's a shame that the media portrays such a warped and erroneous view of Satanism, but they kinda ask for it... by calling it SATANISM. Don't name your spirituality after the most evil figure in Christianity, people. The name is going to come with a great deal of baggage.

All in all, the Satanic Bible eventually made me laugh. As anything that takes itself too seriously would. I wish I knew a Satanist, so I could ask more questions about it. However, I am not interested in visiting a ritual or participating in a group or whatever. When I was reading the S.Bible, originally, I was visited by a born again Christian friend named Briar, who was shocked and upset to see it on my desk. Seriously upset. He was sure that the evil power of that book, would sway me, would take hold of me and ... I guess... pull me to the dark side. Which just goes to show how little he thought of my own strength of will, how misguided he was in his knowledge of Satanism, and how misguided he was in his opinion of me being on the "light side" to begin with. I would think that if you considered something to be sooo evil and powerful, you'd want to learn more about it. If i had been him, I would have immediately gone to the library to check it out, to find out exactly what he was dealing with, how to save my soul. But Christians are not usually like that, at least not the fundamental ones. It's easier to just take the Good Things and Evil Things spreadsheet you are handed every Sunday, and behave accordingly.

One humorous point the Satanist in the article above made, in a later interview by the same website in which he answered questions form "viewers" about his faith:

Q: Do you consider the bible to be 100% accurate?

A: Yes. In the sense that it is 100% wholly a work of fiction.

Amen, my brother!

Posted by jodi at mars 24, 2004 06:55 AM

In my Anthro class on Introduction to Myth and Magic we talked a lot about satan. The term satan actually means adversary in aramaic or hebrew or one of those ancient languages. Lucifer, means light bringer, and he would act as a sort of prosecuting attorney for God before he was tossed out of heaven. Telling God what that bad human did. I have too much useless knowledge like this inside my lil head.

Posted by: Sarah at mars 24, 2004 12:28 PM

you see, that is why i think they were stupid for choosing SATANism. now, since the word has mean outside of christianity, maybe they had the name first, although their bible was written just last century. [isn't that cool that i refer to things that have occured within my lifetime as LAST CENTURY].

much better than they should choose another archetypal image. because we have several archetypal images for each type. half the Justice League could be images of Anima. Or the Hero. Except Batman, he is definitely the Shadow.

this is the kind of crap that stays in my head. i wonder exactly which archetype the satanists are calling to? the shadow? hmmmm.....

Posted by: jodi at mars 24, 2004 12:45 PM

Yeah, but this is Anton Le Vey we're talking about here, and he named his group that, purposefully, to fuck with people. The problem is that, when you hear about "Satanism" in the media, ala McMartin Preschool, the West Memphis 3, and such, the true, organized, Satanism, is not what is being referenced. Instead it's all the satan (Christian) worship mumbo jumbo, that has never been proven to be a driving force, anywhere, even in music(the vast majority of "Satanic" metal bands will now readily admit that it was nothing more than a gimick).

Posted by: Romy at mars 24, 2004 07:35 PM

"the vast majority of "Satanic" metal bands will now readily admit that it was nothing more than a gimick"

just like, in my opinion, the christian idea(l) for satan his badass self. the devil helps explain away the bad things, the things you don't feel comfortable with, the things that make no sense, the things that cause you pain, and STILL keep your faith in the benevolent christian god.

kinda like.... gw bush. maybe he believes he can still be perceived to be a good leader, if he can just divert enough attention to sadaam hussain. no matter what the problem, it stems from sadaam. and in that way, you can still love america, even when we act like the global bullies we are! and sure, g.w. bush does not believe that love between two men or two women is as sacred as hetrosexual love, but you don't need to pay attention to that bigotry cuz OOOOOOoooo... look! sadaam hussain!! boooo-hisss.

see? just like that.

Posted by: jodi at mars 24, 2004 08:02 PM

Satanism to G.W. Bush? Heh. Well, you do know that the conspiracy therorists who believe in Satanic (Christian) worship, also believe that there is a vast underground movement, which has heavily infiltrated our government, so, you may be onto something!

Posted by: Romy at mars 24, 2004 09:38 PM

maybe. but it was more of a christianity's satan/god ideals to gw bush. i don't blame satanism for gw bush. and i realize that, in my little analogy, gw is playing god, which is giving him more credit than he is worth. but it's just a harmless analogy, illustrating the slight of hand that modern christianity attempts to perform, by bringing the devil into everything.

poor christians, why am i picking on them? :) [you already know the answer to that... if you think about it, it's quite obvious.]

Posted by: jodi at mars 24, 2004 10:10 PM