An Eclectic Approach

I never fully understood how people can be upset about picking apart philosophies and taking the pieces that are useful (in good faith). I can understand how the issue arises when someone is avoiding problematic beliefs by cobbling together a ramshackle worldview in this way, but I am talking about genuinely breaking down thought-complexes to take the core bits that are important to oneself. I feel this way especially about Satanism or just the Left Hand Path in general. The LHP is all about individuation, self-discovery, and self-empowerment. I should be able to immerse the elements of each philosophy within myself and decide which are productive for me.

Satanism is, unfortunately, a greatly splintered philosophy. It happens to all things with time. However, it is really alarming to see so much territorial behavior among the splinters, especially when you're caught in the crossfire of any two of them. Any LaVeyan Satanist will likely shut down and call you a "fake satanist" if you mention The Satanic Temple (or they will call it a "feel-good social club"). I think what is being missed, here, is the sheer usefulness of the TST existing and being politically active. Sure, being politically active or giving a shit about others that are not of direct benefit to you is typically frowned upon in LaVeyan philosophy because of its adherence to Social Darwinish--survival of the fittest, might makes right, focus on yourself. While focusing on yourself to ensure your own happiness is a goal I can get behind, having the TST force religious nutcases to backoff from government policy certainly makes life easier. Say what you want about the TST, good or bad, they do good work by providing a secular perspective to the Judeo-Christian majority and forcing them to abide by their own rules, especially since the TST uses their religious banner to level the playing field. Too many times, atheists have been swept to the side because of their lack of belief; with a federally-recognized religion, theists have to play fair. Makes it quite a lot easier to be a Satanist without Christians brandishing gavels at you (not that it's necessarily a requirement. I would be a Satanist even if it were illegal. Religious protection lets me be myself in public without fear of unjust action). Additionally, the TST is helping to desconstruct or provide alternatives to organizations that are religiously charged; for instance, consider that they have a secular version of Alcoholics Anonymous called the Sober Faction. They also have an atheist alternative to the plague of after-school Christian clubs, called the After School Satan Club; this is primarily used to force the hand of school districts and show to them that religion has no place in the classroom or any government institution. LaVeyan Satanists will tell you this is proselytizing to children (which I think is not completely true, but I can definitely see the concern they have). Finally, I mentioned in another article that the TST provides a loophole that allows atheists to get proper access to abortion clinics and enforce their bodily autonomy in the face of Christian control of the legislative system.

Meanwhile, a lot of folks with raise eyebrows at LaVeyan Satanism for the aforementioned "might makes right" mentality. Some will argue it is Fascist or anti-egalitarian. Quickly, I will describe what I believe to be the reasoning behind the belief: in a MMR society, if you are really good at whatever it is you do, you can continue to be the best and dominate the field. It's looking out for yourself and ensuring your success/victory/resources/whatever. I am not saying that anti-egalitarianism is a good thing, do not think that for a second. LaVeyan Satnism intentionally has a habit of gatekeeping and elitism for not only the purpose of ensuring success, but it also prevents the wrong people from associating with the organization's name. In a way, they are preventing PR disasters for themselves (if such a thing could exist for the CoS, as they have made it clear they do not care what other people think [good for them]) and preventing the deacon/minsiter crisis that the TST is currently facing that threatens to erode their foundation from the inside (also observe how the TST pinched like an amoeba, its other half becoming the Global Order of Satan; most of its tenets are the same, sans one or two). You might also hear some people quote LaVey having said something about homosexual men, jockstraps, and bleu cheese (all of which are things I enjoy). All I can fully say about LaVeyan Satanism is that its underlying message about self-love, self-empowerment, and self-preservation is highly important and should not be overlooked! Too much of today's world demands personal sacrifice, and it frankly will not do; the individual is sacred and it should be preserved in whatever state its inheritor desires. In ensuring happiness, the one life we are allotted is made all the more valuable and enjoyable; you are allowed to curate your existence. Additionally, I really do enjoy its ideas regarding the material world & our material nature, its eye-for-an-eye philsophy, and the human need for ritualism. I appreciate that it opened my eyes to the sanctity of self and how one can make their own existence into a form of godhead. This is not to be taken in a narcissistic way. This is purely about nourshing the self in defiance of a world that wishes to erode the boundaries of self.

If the two main atheistic factions of Satanism could somehow mesh, I think that would be exactly what the movement needs. However, I do not see it happening because of the sides of a certain spectrum they fall on, and the sheer fact that the CoS is not built for conformity (no two LaVeyans necessarily believe the same thing, which is something I feel is oddly forgotten by a lot of the more belligerent CoS members on the web). Both splinters will tell you the other one is warped/incorrect. Comically, some LaVeyans will even declare that TST members ought to be destroyed (not necessarily meaning harmed. It's complicated, read the Satanic Bible for a better explanation). Very sad, honestly; and maybe a little puerile? Not intending to mininmize/downplay any of the good points either party make about the other, just the mudslinging.

I feel like there many additional interpretations of Satanic thought that are not given enough light, perhaps because they are more esoteric or, for some groups, too similar to the "magic" they've been divorced from. To me, though, magic is simply a state of mind. It does not do anything but put you in a different headspace. I greatly enjoy the concept of Satan/Lucifer being a form of liberator. When Adam and Eve roamed Eden, they were but animals working purely on instinct. It was when Eve and Adam were tricked into eating the fruit of knowledge were they given rational thought, the "knowledge of right and wrong." They were freed of their slavery under God and allowed to choose their own actions, furthering the image of Satan as a rebel, the first rebel. I like to call our ability to think rationally the "dark flame," as it allows us to perform alchemy on concepts, ideas, philosophies, etc; we can take ideas and smelt them like ore, refining them into something incredible. I admit, this concept was partly illuminated via the beliefs of a branch of Theistic Satanism whose name I cannot remember. The symbolism around Baphomet's image is also particularly admirable, representing duality in many forms: man versus beast, male versus female, dissolving versus coagulation; as above, so below and as below, so above. The hermetic principle of polarity is a useful tool for conceptualizing certain symmetries in the world.

Going even a step further, outside of the bounds of Satanism's many splinters, I find it to be of great inspiration to look at other thought-complexes: Jungian psychology, Lilly's metaprogramming, and even the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn (or its greatly deviated and bastardized descendant, Ordo Templi Orientis). These idea frameworks and magical systems can be adapted, I feel, to fit my own needs and serve as the basis of my own philosophy. If it works for me and isn't making me hurt myself or others, rattle off misinformation, or contribute to oppressing environments, should it really matter where the pieces come from? Lucifer, to me, is enlightenment (hence the name). Satan (figuratively) is the giver of knowledge the establishment does not want you to have. He represents empowering oneself to transcend flawed social boundaries (especially those resulting from Judeo-Christian background culture) and complete yourself on your own terms. And most of all, Satan comes from the name of a type of angel, translating to "accuser" or "adversary." I very much want to be an adversary to everything modern Christianity stands for: slavery, conformity, fear, hate, control. I will gladly cover myself in the symbols of the imaginary enemy of the Christians. If every religion that is not theirs is the work of the devil, then what's the harm in taking Satan and appropriating his image to better ourselves?