Anton LaVey and Satanism

Post by **The Yosemite Bear** » 2006-04-14 05:48am

just in refrence to the discussion of scientology. I was considering someone else who founded a religion in the 20th century. Anton LaVey and the church of satan. ok, so it was based primarily on existentizlism, anne rand, and alester crowley but it was founded primarily for making money and advancing the belief in earthly human needs=good. what is the rest of the board's take on the guy?

Zero · Post by **Zero** » 2006-04-14 06:09am

I have a tendency to hate people who start organized religions on principle. Besides, anyone promoting a concept as stupid as vengeance kind of pisses me off.

mr friendly guy · Post by **mr friendly guy** » 2006-04-14 07:08am

Zero132132 wrote:I have a tendency to hate people who start organized religions on principle. Besides, anyone promoting a concept as stupid as vengeance kind of pisses me off.

Ah, why is vengeance a stupid concept?

Rye · Post by **Rye** » 2006-04-14 07:23am

LaVey was a dick and he was cruel to animals and spouses, while taking pains to look like an animal lover in public. Satanist apologists try to disregard this as his daughters trying to smear his name due to not getting inheritence or something, but I don't buy it. Why would they attempt to smear the name of a guy whose "great contribution" was a primitive form of hedonism based around selfish behaviour, mixed with new agey occultism?

mr friendly guy wrote:Ah, why is vengeance a stupid concept?

In LaVey's case, it's because he promoted an absurd unweighted vengeance, like "if anyone comes into your lair uninvited, you may mutilate them to death." In satanism it is entirely okay to butcher the shit out of some girl that breaks into your house to escape a serial killer.

I'm glad that idiot's dead, his written ethics were half-baked ("the greatest sin is stupidity!!" on one page, "how to be a psychic vampire" and cast magick spells on another page), he made a load of teenaged weenies call themselves satanists, and all the rest of it. Most of it I wouldn't care about if it didn't affect me, just poke fun at it from a distance, but abusing animals really does set me off.

Stark · Post by **Stark** » 2006-04-14 09:09am

The CoS was NOT founded to make money. Indeed, I've never seen any actual 'organisation' per se mentioned in anything I've ever read on CoS. It's just a philosophy. It's hardly 'Randian', as far as I consider the writings of Ayn Rand.

Since members of the CoS aren't interested in convincing anyone to join, hurting anyone, etc, I don't really have a problem with it. They're selfish, but so what? Everyone's selfish. They hate stupid people, and don't care what other people think of them. The 'magic' of CoS is simply a psychological tool - there's no magic spirits or powers or shit, just self-actualising babble.

Keevan_Colton · Post by **Keevan_Colton** » 2006-04-14 11:33am

Rye wrote:In LaVey's case, it's because he promoted an absurd unweighted vengeance, like "if anyone comes into your lair uninvited, you may mutilate them to death." In satanism it is entirely okay to butcher the shit out of some girl that breaks into your house to escape a serial killer.

I'm glad that idiot's dead, his written ethics were half-baked ("the greatest sin is stupidity!!" on one page, "how to be a psychic vampire" and cast magick spells on another page), he made a load of teenaged weenies call themselves satanists, and all the rest of it. Most of it I wouldn't care about if it didn't affect me, just poke fun at it from a distance, but abusing animals really does set me off.

Oddly enough though, he's well in tune with the american legal system, after all in Texas you can blow someones brains out for knocking on your door. I did read the Satanic Bible, and it is spelled out pretty clearly that there's no real magic involved, that whole bit was "how to fuck with the heads of stupid people by pretending you've got evil powers, bwhahaha."

Rye · Post by **Rye** » 2006-04-14 12:12pm

Stark wrote:The CoS was NOT founded to make money. Indeed, I've never seen any actual 'organisation' per se mentioned in anything I've ever read on CoS. It's just a philosophy. It's hardly 'Randian', as far as I consider the writings of Ayn Rand.

The official CoS does use it to make money, they charge you money to join/be a minister/whatever, but they do reject tax exempt status, so that's cool.

Since members of the CoS aren't interested in convincing anyone to join, hurting anyone, etc, I don't really have a problem with it. They're selfish, but so what? Everyone's selfish.

You don't think the "enlightened self interest" of it all is Randian?

They hate stupid people, and don't care what other people think of them. The 'magic' of CoS is simply a psychological tool - there's no magic spirits or powers or shit, just self-actualising babble.

I know that, I still think it's evidence for LaVey being a dick.

Post by **The Yosemite Bear** » 2006-04-14 12:39pm

well since he personally statd he was influenced by Gerguif, Ragnar the Red, Ayn Rand, Fredrich Neiztche, and others.

Patrick Degan · Post by **Patrick Degan** » 2006-04-14 06:40pm

Anton LaVey was a consummate bullshitter. Unlike L. Ron Hubbard, however, LaVey did it to have some fun.

As for Satanism, to me its about as silly as any other religion.