i have a freind who claims to be Satanic, but i dont beleive that that is even a religion. can someone tell me
145126
There are different "denominations" of Satanism.  In some, the followers do not even believe in Satan.  They use the term symbolically and probably for shock value.  Others do believe in Satan or a being similar to Satan.  Some call themselves Satanists who do not belong to a specific denomination, but rather use the term for shock, and to express themselves in a certain way about society.  Many teenagers are this last type of "Satanic" and it usually just means they are into a certain type of music, wear a certain type of clothes, and are anti-establishment.\n\nhttp://www.religioustolerance.org/satanism.htm
997474
I am pagan, not Wiccan....but since Wicca is a branch of paganism I'd love to answer any of your questions. Wiccans don't believe in Satan....which makes it kind of hard for them to be Satanists. The two main beliefs are harm none and what you do comes back to you threefold. As to which Gods/Goddesses Wiccans believe in, it depends on the person. I'd love to answer any more questions you have...so feel free to email me!
550334
Firstly don't listen to any of these fools, they don't know anything about satanism.\nIt is entirely up to you to decide whether or not satanism is for you. Don't let any one tell you what you have to believe in. Which brings up my first point you don't have to believe in satan to be a satanist or sacrifice peole or any of the misconception that satanism is somehow evil. It isn't it is about being evil or anything like that it is about being yourself.\ni reccommend that you check out the church of satan website and read the satanic bible by anton la vey(a ledgend) then decide for yourself whether satanism is for you\ngood luck
482395
Your pastor is irresponsible for telling you that!! In fact I would go so far to say that his own 'satanic' ego said that to you, certainly and most definitely NOT God or Jesus!! (there is no power except God's --- 'satan' is the human ego which worships itself, but it has no true power and it is MORTAL, not eternal. Geez Christian literalists create an all powerful God out of Satan. Perfect Love casts out all fear. As long as you truly know this, and you will when you ask to receive the Holy Spirit directly, you will fear NOTHING. YOUR fear is the only thing that gives 'satan' power to 'act' in the world through you)\n\nGod is Love and perfect Love casts out all fear. Was your pastor aligned in the Love of God in telling you that, or the fear of the lower nature, which is based in luciferian principles? Jesus warned of the false prophets. These are the ones that create a 'god' of their own liking, a 'god' that controls the people by scaring them into believing. This is what CULTS do. It is a brainwashing tecqnique. If your church is scaring you, then get away as fast as you can, because that is NOT FROM GOD!!! \n\nThere is no such thing as luck. See every bad experience as an opportunity for learning. If you listen inside you will hear what God wants you to learn. When we don't listen, the same experience will come over and over till we 'get it.'You do not need anyone between you and God!! God wants a direct relationship with you. Ask for Light and know that you will receive it.\n\nBlessings to you and your family. May you receive God's Light and Love directly into your heart, to cast out all your fear. God Loves you and wants you at peace!!
1134460
The official: not believeing in one God:  paganism refers to 'one who worships something other than God'\n\nPaganism (from Latin paganus, meaning "a country dweller" or "civilian"). It goe back to even Witchcraft, Wicca and astrology \n\nIf you further interested in history:\nhttp://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/paganism/history/history.shtml\n\nBUT TO SUM IT ALL WITH WORDS FROM A PAGAN\n(for more question from him directly: earthreligions@yahoo.com)\n\n\n\nWhat are Earth religions? \nWhat is Paganism? \nWhat kinds of people are Pagan? \nDo Pagans worship Satan? \nWhat god do Pagans believe in? \nDo Pagans have holidays? \n \n\nWhat are Earth religions? \n\nEarth religions are religions which focus on connection to divinity through nature. Sometimes they are called alternative religions or earth-based spiritualities as well.\n\nWhat is Paganism? \n\nPaganism, many times referred to in our times as Neo-paganism, is a religion, or perhaps a set of various spiritual paths and traditions, that celebrates reverence for the Earth and all its creatures. This question is actually quite complex since every follower of an earth-based spiritual tradition would probably give you a different definition. Fortunately, there are several concepts that seem to be quite popular among most of us. "Pagans" generally believe that all life is interconnected and try to experience this interconnectivity as part of their religious practices. Some may choose to do this by taking care of the space they inhabit, while others try to deal with the problems that are destroying the earth on a wider scale. The ways in which each of us views our connection and duty to the Earth are truly limitless.\n\nWhat kinds of people are Pagan? \n\nThere can be no one stereotype applied to any of the individuals who follow these spiritual paths. Any person may choose to be Pagan no matter their station in life, and just because an individual is interested in this group, or in any of the traditions that fall under the general "pagan" umbrella, does not mean they are Pagan.\n\nDo Pagans worship Satan? \n\nThis is a very old myth, and one I will be happy to dispel. No, Pagans do not worship Satan. In fact, Satan is not even a part of Pagan lore. I'm sure there are some of us who agree with Christians and believe in the existence of the Devil, and just as fervorously as any Christian, I would also hope that no person would worship that type of evil icon.\n\nWhat god do Pagans believe in? \n\nPagans, in general, believe in many different gods and/or goddesses. Many individuals believe that the gods and goddesses are facets of the larger, unknowable Divine Source, which is neither male or female, and cannot be described with any specific characteristics since it is all inclusive. It is up to the individual to decide which god(s) or goddess(es), if any at all, they want to believe in and/or commune with. Unlike structured religions we do not have sacred, religious texts (ie. the Holy Bible or the Torah) describing a specific set of beliefs that we must follow. Some individuals see the Earth (or Mother Earth) as the ultimate divine symbol, while others believe in a single divine source referred to by many, many different names. Some also choose to worship a set of gods/goddesses derived from ancient pantheons (ie. Greek, Roman, Egyptian, African, Native American, etc). Generally, it is acceptable to believe in any divine concept, so long as that concept represents life-affirming qualities.\n\nDo Pagans have holidays? \n\nAbsolutely! Most traditions within earth-based religions have specific holidays that are observed by their members. There are too many holidays to name individually here, but many of our holidays tend to recognize the changing of the seasons, the passage of the earth around the sun, and the cycles of the moon. There are many resources (including the members of Earth Religions) available to help you learn about
269865
don't worry. its actually satanist for people to say all these hurtful words.. god (regardless of your religion) don't teach ppl to talk bad about others. whatever you believe.. rest assured this, you don't do bad.. you don't go to hell. guess i won't be seeing you after i die.. tata.
180350
Please ignore the idiot above.\n\nTry this link...\nhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Satanic_Verses_%28novel%29
209423
Yes. I have had people put my religion down before they even knew anything about it. Wicca. People(Christians in particular) assume that I worship Satan. I don't even believe in God or Satan. Satanists worship Satan, and Satanists came about after Christianity was thought of. My religion was around long before Christianity. It's just a form of manipulating energy. That's the easiest way of describing it.
1157862
Simple ! \nYou can pretend to be equally obsessed with some other vague religion - and keep-on speaking non-stop about it [even if you are spouting sheer nonsense, the other would never realise it, because he would never have bothered to study about any other religion but his own !] !\nHe will get 'bored' of it [and your 'company' !] in no time at all - and slowly slither out of your orbit !\nCheers !
870093
Satanism is a religion based upon the philosophy of Anton Szandor LaVey as outlined in The Satanic Bible and other works.\n\n"Satan" is appropriated as a positive symbol of this worldview, an archetype or the ultimate symbol of the self and egotism. LaVey explains that Satan is only a symbol in an interview with Washington Post magazine.\n\n"Satan is just a symbol, nothing more," LaVey says. "Satan signifies our love of the worldly and our rejection of the pallid, ineffectual image of Christ on the cross."\n\nAnton Szandor LaVey (11 April 1930 – 29 October 1997) was the founder and High Priest of the Church of Satan as well as a writer, occultist, musician, and actor. He is the author of The Satanic Bible and the founder of Satanism, a synthesized system of his understanding of human nature and the insights of philosophers who advocated materialism and individualism, for which he claimed no "supernatural inspiration”. LaVey viewed "Satan" not as a literal deity or entity, but as an historic and literary figure symbolic of Earthly values.\n\nMarilyn Manson bears the title of "Reverend" in Anton LaVey's Church of Satan.
766841
Exactly who is us? Your profile has you as a Dark Pagan (something most pagans I know say isn't real because a dark pagan brings to mind satanism) and you've asked questions on satanism. Mind telling us a bit about your beliefs before you get twitchy about people judging you.
11941
Satanism is a religious, semi-religious and/or philosophical movement whose adherents recognize Satan as an archetype, pre-cosmic force, or some aspect of human nature. Although named for Satan, a name associated with evil and temptation, Satanism is more commonly the name given to certain spiritual paths which emphasize the Left-Hand Path, as opposed to the much more common Right-Hand Path. Left-Handers believe in spiritual enrichment through their own work on themselves, and that ultimately they are answerable only to themselves, while Right-Handers believe in spiritual enrichment through the dissolution or submission of the self to (or into) something greater. Many Satanists do not in fact worship a deity called Satan, or necessarily any other deity, nor do they follow a principle of evil. This aspect of their beliefs is very commonly misunderstood.\nThis is very different to people who worship Satan, these are usually emotionally immature people, because obviously satan doesn't want to be worshipped by the creatures he despises.
967907
Like Christian churches, there are different Satanic groups. Some are simply Christians who choose to worship the negative side of the religion, hence Satan.\n\nOthers are groups who follow such leaders as Anton LaVey. \n\nMost Satanists are people who urge peace and tolerance, and have a desire to fulfill their desires in a peaceful fashion.\n\nMany Christian curches would define anything other than Christianity as Satanism. Most believe that Pagans are Satanists.\n\nIf you want more information on the Church of Satan, founded by Anton LaVey, check the link below.
50429
originally, it came from the pagan/druidic belief system and evolved from there. It is NOT a form of satanic worship or any of that crap!
639166
I assume you are speaking from a Christian perspective, I do not think modern Satanists read the bible as such.  Modern Satanism is very much akin to humanism, where the self is supreme, a form of self-worship.  Satanists do not necessarily directly worship a god called Satan but revere themselves as gods.  Some of a christian background may choose this 'religion' as it seems rebellious or 'scary'\n\nAs for a genuine worship of Satan ... well at least Lucifer, there is a group of people in the middle-east called the Yezedis who revere Lucifer, they have a similar creation story to genesis but believe the 'peacock angel/feathered serpent' was a wise mentor to mankind, and that God is impersonal and distant from mankind.  The Yezedis are very secretive about their religion and never refer to Lucifer as Satan, but call him the peacock angel or the feathered serpent.  They don't drink blood or sacrifice children, but they worship Lucifer and think he is good rather than evil.\n\nIn the past there were several pagan religions in the middle east that endorsed child-sacrifice, but these religions involved worship of various fertility gods rather than acknowledging a Judeo-Christian Satan.  In the bible it is written that various kings endorsed such religions and this lead to the downfall of Israel and Judah\n\nAs answer to your question why would someone willingly worship Satan while knowing about Jesus, a need to be different, rebelliousness and perhaps a severe religious upbringing\n\nPS I am not a satanist but fascinated by unusual things
114243
The answer here is obvious.  Satan is a Christian symbol of evil (and most people here know a lot more about Christianity than Satanism), so they automatically assume they know what Satanism is.  Don't take it personally (if you are a Satanist, that is), they just don't know any better.\n\nThough I have to admit some confusion: why would anyone choose a symbol that to most people means something evil?  It's bound to invite confusion and ridicule.  I understand the overall reasoning, but surely another symbol would have sufficed, like the god Pan?
981170
to start, being a "satanist" doesn't mean you're a stan worshipper. in fact, satanists don't believe in satan at all. they beleive that they are in charge of their own fate and destiny, and cannot be controlled by a "higher power". They are called satanists because their beliefs mimick Lucifer, the angel who disobeyed god and took charge of his own destiny, becoming satan. now, back to the question, although this is speculation (based on interviews, but, for all i know, it's just an act), the band Mayhem claim to be real satan workshippers, Marilyn Manson is not.