Dear Facebook Friends: I’m writing this because some people I’ve friended on Facebook have expressed a little concern over my affiliation with The Church of Satan. By knowing me, you know that if it involved anything illegal, or really questionable, I’d certainly have no part of it. In a nutshell, we are atheists. No god, no devil, no angels, no demons, no ghosts, no spirits (good or otherwise), no heaven, no hell, no afterlife. Man is an animal, as the other animals on this earth. Our carnal nature is something to acknowledge and to celebrate, not something to deny or “rise above.” We do not tolerate, encourage or condone anything illegal, particularly any kind of sacrifice -- human or animal, except in a purely symbolic and cathartic manner; we condemn such behaviors as pathological. Children are precious, they are to be guided and educated. Animals are our kin, to be respected and loved. We tolerate no abuse of children or of animals, and regard such behaviors, also, as pathological. So why “Satan”? Satan is a symbol of rebellion, of holding accountable. The ancient Semitic origins of the word mean “accuser” or “opposer.” We have taken that name as purely symbolic, as we oppose theistic religions and hold them accountable for the centuries of bloodshed and oppression they have caused. Why “Church”? We have no buildings in which meet or hold services. Our “congregation” is an affiliation of individuals who have discovered that they share a common philosophy. “Church” because we share that common philosophy with individuals around the world; “church” because we share the same (non-)theology and we have our answers to what theologians call the “first order questions.” No god, no devil, no angels, no demons, no heaven, no hell. It is all here and now. Our morality is not superimposed by some deity or theology; it comes from knowing we humans need to figure out our own ways of surviving. We cherish the company of like-thinkers, of those who enjoy life. Surely, there are other groups that have taken the devil’s name upon themselves, and strive daily for headlines and notoriety. There are those who do condone and practice animal sacrifice. They are the wannabes, the Johnny-come-lately groups who need sensationalism and publicity, offering no organized and consistent philosophy or body of guiding principles. Do let me know if you have any questions. You will find a huge amount of information on our website (churchofsatan), and most of your questions will find clear answers there. That being said, if it makes you more comfortable to un-friend me, thats ok. Not everybody gets it.
Posted on: Sun, 05 Oct 2014 22:09:53 +0000
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