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Church of Satan

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The Church of Satan is an organization for those who practice Satanism as articulated in The Satanic Bible, written in 1969 by Anton Szandor LaVey.

History

The Church of Satan draws its name from the mythological and cultural concepts of Satan. Satan stands as the central symbol for many different gods including Ahriman, Loki, Set, Amon, and Belial to name a few. They are all seen as symbolic of the same ideals and archetype. The Church of Satan claims that every individual can be his or her own god and is responsible for his or her own destiny. ("Satan" in their usage denotes a symbol and metaphor rather than a literal anthropomorphic deity.) People who follow this belief system are called "Satanists".

It was established in San Francisco on Walpurgisnacht, April 30, 1966 by Anton Szandor LaVey, who was the Church's High Priest until his death in 1997.

In the 1950s, Anton LaVey formed a group called the Order of the Trapezoid, which later evolved into the governing body of the Church of Satan. Those involved, or who attended LaVey’s activities included: “The Baroness” Carin de Plessen—who grew up in the Royal Palace of Denmark, Dr. Cecil Nixon—magician, eccentric, and maker of automatons, underground filmmaker Kenneth Anger, City Assessor Russell Wolden, Donald Werby, one of San Francisco’s most influential property owners, anthropologist Michael Harner, writer Shana Alexander, a dildo manufacturer, a plastic surgeon, a famous tattoo artist, the grandson of a U.S. president, and the owner of one of the world’s largest collections of Fabergé artifacts. Other LaVey associates from this time period include noted Science Fiction and Horror writers, Anthony Boucher, August Derleth, Robert Barbour Johnson, Reginald Bretnor, Emil Petaja, Stuart Palmer, Clark Ashton Smith, Forrest J. Ackerman, and Fritz Leiber Jr.

In the first year of its foundation, Anton LaVey and The Church of Satan attracted considerable media attention by publicly performing a Satanic marriage of radical journalist John Raymond and Judith Case. The ceremony was photographed by Joe Rosenthal, who took the famous photograph of Marines raising the U.S. Flag on Iwo Jima during World War II. Another event was the public funeral of Church of Satan member and Naval Officer Edward Olson, at the request of his wife.

The Church of Satan was mentioned in many books and the subject of many magazine and newspaper articles during the 1960s and 1970s. It was also the subject of a full length documentary, Satanis in 1970. LaVey also appeared in Kenneth Anger’s film Invocation of my Demon Brother, acted as technical advisor on The Devil's Rain, which starred Ernest Borgnine, William Shatner, and introduced John Travolta. The Church of Satan was also featured in a segment of Luigi Scatini’s film Angeli Blanca, Angeli Negra, released in the United States as Witchcraft ‘70.

In 1975, LaVey created controversy within the Church of Satan by phasing out the Church’s “Grotto” system and eliminating people he thought were using the Church as a substitute for accomplishment in the outside world. Thereafter, conventional achievement in the real world would be the criterion for advancement within the Church of Satan. At the same time, LaVey became more selective in granting interviews. This shift to “closed door” activities resulted in some rumors of the Church’s demise, and even rumors of LaVey’s death.

In the 1980s, there was a renewed hysteria, criminal conspiracy theories, and fear of Satanism created by Christian religious fundamentalists, therapists specializing in recovered memories and the media. Members of the Church of Satan, such as Peter H. Gilmore, Peggy Nadramia, Boyd Rice, Adam Parfrey, Diabolus Rex, and musician King Diamond, were active in media appearances to refute allegations of criminal activity made by Christian evangelists. The FBI would later issue an official report refuting the criminal conspiracy theories of this time. This phenomenon became known as “The Satanic Panic.”

In the 1980s and 90s, the Church of Satan and its members were very active in producing movies, music, films, and magazines devoted to Satanism. Most notably Adam Parfrey’s Feral House publishing, the music of Boyd Rice, and the films of Nick Bougas, including his documentary Speak of the Devil: The Canon of Anton LaVey. The Church of Satan and Anton LaVey were also the subject of numerous magazine and news articles during this time.

After the death of Anton Szandor LaVey, his position as head of the Church of Satan passed on to his common law wife, Blanche Barton. To this day, Barton remains involved in the Church; however, in 2001 she ceded her position to long-time members Peter H. Gilmore and Peggy Nadramia, the current High Priest and High Priestess who also publish The Black Flame, the official magazine of The Church of Satan. The Central Office of the Church of Satan has also moved from San Francisco to New York City's "Hell's Kitchen" neighborhood, where the couple resides. The Church of Satan does not recognize any other organizations as holding legitimate claim to Satanism and its practice, though it does recognize that one need not be a member of the Church of Satan to be a Satanist.

Many famous figures have at one time or another been publically associated with the Church of Satan, including; Jayne Mansfield, Kenneth Anger, Sammy Davis Jr., King Diamond, Marilyn Manson, Boyd Rice, Marc Almond, Alkaline Trio guitarist and singer Matt Skiba and drummer Derek Grant, professional wrestler Balls Mahoney, journalist Michael Moynihan, and the artist Coop. As the Church of Satan does not publicly release membership information, it is not known how many members belong to the Church.

Practices/Policies

Main article: The Satanic Bible

The Church of Satan acknowledges only certain books and essays as Church dogma. Key among these is The Satanic Bible, along with Anton LaVey's other books, The Satanic Rituals, The Satanic Witch, The Devil's Notebook and Satan Speaks!. The first three can be considered canonical in their entirety; the latter two contain a mixture of essays considered dogma to Satanism and essays of opinion by Anton LaVey. The essays considered personal opinion are typically self-evident in reading the books.

The Church of Satan likewise acknowledges that Anton LaVey founded The Church of Satan as the first and only above ground Satanic religious organization in history. Other organizations claiming to be Satanic formed after the foundation of the Church of Satan are not recognized and are considered illegitimate at best. The Church of Satan therefore does not permit dual membership in these groups and such membership is grounds for termination of membership in the Church of Satan.

Also of note is that the Church of Satan does not officially endorse any political philosophy, party, or candidates. Individual members are free to hold any political philosophy, participate (or not) in politics any way they see fit, and vote or refrain without pressure from the Church of Satan. Individual members often hold very strong political opinions, but the Church of Satan itself is apolitical.

The Church of Satan does not have or desire tax-exempt status, though they are eligible. As part of what it refers to as Pentagonal Revisionism the Church of Satan is actively working towards taxation of all churches, and tries to put forth a policy of "responsibility to the responsible". It neither solicits membership nor offers a set course of degrees.

The Church of Satan also strongly supports law and order. Church of Satan members can be found in the armed forces of several nations, as well as law enforcement positions. Illegal activity by members is absolutely not tolerated, and criminals are universally condemned; the Church of Satan is very vocal in announcing its desire to see all criminals brought to swift and appropriate justice. The Church of Satan does not hesitate to expel members for engaging in illegal activity, as well as cooperating with law enforcement to bring them to justice.

Membership

The Church of Satan has two types of members: Registered Members and Active Members. Registered Members are simply people who have been inducted as members of the Church, and there are no requirements to achieve this position. To be deemed an Active Member, a person has to be involved with the Church and local members. Active Membership is divided into five Degrees:

First Degree - Satanist
Second Degree - Warlock/Witch
Third Degree - Priest/Priestess
Fourth Degree - Magister/Magistra
Fifth Degree - Magus/Maga

Active Members begin at the First Degree. One must apply and be approved for an Active Membership, and this is subject to how one answers a lengthy series of varyingly personal questions. One cannot apply for higher Degrees, and the requirements for each degree are not open to the public. Being promoted to a higher degree is by invitation only. Members of the Third through Fifth degrees constitute the Priesthood and may be addressed as "Reverend." Members of the Fifth degree may also be known as "Doctor."

Individuals seeking membership must be legally defined as adults by the laws of their nation of residence. The only exception made is for children of members who demonstrate an understanding of the Church philosophy and practices who wish to join. Their participation is limited until they reach legal adulthood. Members are instructed to follow the laws and statutes of their country and municipality.

Registering as a Member

The Church of Satan does not solicit membership. Those who wish to affiliate to show appreciation can become a Registered Member for a one-time registration fee of two hundred dollars in United States currency. Affiliates receive a red card declaring them as a member of the Church of Satan to other members. Instructions on applying for membership can be found at the Church of Satan website listed below.

The Church of Satan does not offer, or claim to offer, any kind of "initiation."

Church of Satan Agents

The Church of Satan authorizes some Active Members as Agents, qualified to represent the Church of Satan and to explain the philosophy of Satanism to the media and other interested parties.

The Church of Satan Priesthood

Also known as "The Priesthood of Mendes." Members of the Priesthood act as spokespersons for the philosophy of the Church of Satan, which include the titles of “Priest”/“Priestess,” “Magister”/“Magistra,” “Magus”/“Maga.” Members of the Priesthood make up the Council of Nine, which is the ruling body of the Church of Satan. The Order of the Trapezoid consists of the individuals who assist in the administration of the Church of Satan. The High Priest and Priestess act as administrative chiefs and primary public representatives; each position (High Priest and High Priestess) may only be held by a single individual at a time. The current High Priest is Peter H. Gilmore; the current High Priestess Peggy Nadramia.

The Church of Satan evaluates active members for the Priesthood by their accomplishment in the real world, by mastered skills and peer recognition within a profession, rather than people who have mastered irrelevant occult trivia. While expected to be experts in communicating the Satanic philosophy, members of the Priesthood are not required to speak on behalf of the Church of Satan, and they may even choose to keep their affiliation and rank secret in order to better serve their personal goals, as well as those of the organization. Membership in the Priesthood is by invitation only.

The Grotto System

Over the years, the Church of Satan social laboratory has embraced, then disbanded, and then revived the use of Grottos as a means by which individuals in geographic proximity form an association for ritualization, socialization, and the pursuit of various projects. With the ubiquity of the Internet and the ease of electronic communication, the Church of Satan have decided that they no longer require the formality of forming Grottos as a mode for members to socialize or engage in ritual. Should a group of Church of Satan members now wish to form a “magic circle” for purposes beyond basic social and ritual interaction, and if it can be kept healthy and active for a year and a day, the natural leader of that circle may apply to have it formalized as a Grotto with himself chartered as Grotto Master. But the Grotto is expected to remain clandestine, an underground cell that only the privileged may eventually come to know. If a Grotto outlives its usefulness it will be disbanded, as has always been the policy of the Church of Satan. Grotto Masters are not de facto spokespersons for the Church of Satan, nor are Grottos local representations of the Church of Satan.

Dis-Affiliation

Church of Satan members may resign and terminate their affiliation at any time by sending a written, dated, and signed letter stating “I hereby resign my membership in the Church of Satan,” along with their membership card, to the Central Administrative Office, and their file will be closed.

Administrative Termination

Memberships may be terminated at the discretion of the ruling body of the Church of Satan consisting of the High Priest, the High Priestess, and the Council of Nine.

See also

Further reading

Books by Anton LaVey

Wikiquote has quotations related to Church of Satan.

The Church of Satan

Writings by Anton LaVey

Interviews with Anton LaVey

About Anton LaVey

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