Editing Satanism (section)

===Atheistic Satanism===
{{anchor|Atheistic Satanism}} <!-- Needed for redirect from lead section -->

====Church of Satan and Anton LaVey====
{{Main|LaVeyan Satanism|Church of Satan}}
[[File:Baphosimb.svg|thumb|right|The [[sigil of Baphomet]], official insignia of the Church of Satan and LaVeyan Satanism]]
Satanism as "a self-declared religion" began in 1966 with the founding of the Church of Satan (CoS) by [[Anton LaVey|Anton Szandor LaVey]]. Religious scholars have called the Church not only the oldest, continuous satanic organization<ref name=JPLS2023:sect.4/>{{sfn|Lewis|2001|p=5}}{{sfn|Asprem|Granholm|2014|p=75}}{{sfn|Faxneld|Petersen|2013|p=81}} but the most influential, with "numerous imitator and breakaway groups".<ref name=JPLS2023:sect.4/><ref name=Footnote9>R. van Luijk, Children of Lucifer: The Origins of Modern Religious Satanism (New York: Oxford University Press, 2016), p. 305.</ref>

The church was founded in San Francisco, California, in an era when there was much public interest in the [[occult]], [[witchcraft]], and Satanism. A "gigantic media circus"<ref name="Andrade-Girardian-2020">{{cite journal |last1=Andrade |first1=Gabriel |title=A Girardian Approach to LaVeyan Satanism: Theological Perspectives |journal=Irish Theological Quarterly |date=23 December 2020 |volume=86 |issue=1  |pages=50–62 |doi=10.1177/0021140020977656 |s2cid=232040703 |url=https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0021140020977656 |access-date=12 January 2024}}</ref> developed around Anton LaVey, "the Father of Satanism" and his Satanic aesthetics. LaVey shaved his head, wore a goatee, performed [[Black Mass]]es with nude women serving as altars.<ref name=JPLS2023:sect.4-Magic>[[#JPLS2023|Laycock, ''Satanism'', 2023]]: section 4. The Church of Satan. From the Magic Circle to the Church of Satan</ref> He was invited on national talk shows and mingled with celebrities attending his satanic parties.<ref name="JPLS2023:sect.4-LaVey's">[[#JPLS2023|Laycock, ''Satanism'', 2023]]: section 4 The Church of Satan. LaVey's Satanism</ref>{{sfn|Petersen|2009|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=1ovVPyL6AmwC&pg=PA91 91]}} As an entrepreneur, he saw an opening for a new religion in the spiritual void of a secularizing post-Christian West.<ref name="Andrade-Girardian -2020">{{cite journal |last1=Andrade |first1=Gabriel |title=A Girardian Approach to LaVeyan Satanism: Theological Perspectives. Satan according to LaVey |journal=Irish Theological Quarterly |date=23 December 2020 |volume=86 |issue=1 |doi=10.1177/0021140020977656 |s2cid=232040703 |url=https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0021140020977656 |access-date=19 January 2024}}</ref>

But LaVey also promoted his ideas and his 1969 ''[[Satanic Bible]]'' as "the best-known and most influential statement of Satanic theology".{{sfn|Bromley|2005|pp=8127–8128}} It sold nearly a million copies.<ref name=JPLS2023:sect.4/> These had "very little" connection with "either Satan or the worship of Satan",<ref name="WELTON-Airship-2014">{{cite web |last1=WELTON |first1=BENJAMIN |title=Friedrich Nietzsche and Ayn Rand's Influence on Satanism |url=http://airshipdaily.com/blog/10152014-friedrich-nietzsche-ayn-rand-satanism |website=The Airship |access-date=20 January 2024 |date=15 October 2014 }}</ref> but were based on the [[Romanticism|Romantic]] literary concept of Satan, not as a symbol of evil, but as a rebel anti-hero, defying God’s tyranny with charisma and bravery.<ref name="Andrade-Girardian-LaVey-2020">{{cite journal |last1=Andrade |first1=Gabriel |title=A Girardian Approach to LaVeyan Satanism: Theological Perspectives. Satan according to LaVey  |journal=Irish Theological Quarterly |date=23 December 2020 |volume=86 |issue=1 |doi=10.1177/0021140020977656 |s2cid=232040703 |url=https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0021140020977656 |access-date=12 January 2024}}</ref> Together with the romanticism, "humanism, hedonism, aspects of pop psychology and the human potential movement" were woven together by LaVey,<ref name="JPLS2023:sect.4-LaVey's"/> and publicized with "a lot of showmanship".<ref name=JPLS2023:sect.4>[[#JPLS2023|Laycock, ''Satanism'', 1981]]: section 4 The Church of Satan.</ref> Philosopher [[Ayn Rand]], who argued that [[The Virtue of Selfishness|"selfishness" is a virtue]]<ref>{{cite book |last1=Rand |first1=Ayn |title=The Virtue of Selfishness: A New Concept of Egoism |date=1964 |publisher=New American Library |location=New York}}</ref> in that "unfettered self-interest is good and altruism is destructive",<ref name="Cummins-Rand-PBS-2016">{{cite web |last1=Cummins |first1=Denise |title=Column: This is what happens when you take Ayn Rand seriously |url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/economy/column-this-is-what-happens-when-you-take-ayn-rand-seriously |website=PBS News Hour |access-date=18 January 2024 |date=16 February 2016}}</ref> was a major influence. According to both LaVey{{sfnm|1a1=Lewis|1y=2001a|1p=18 |2a1=Lewis|2y=2002|2p=9}} and sociologist of religion [[James R. Lewis (scholar)|James R. Lewis]],{{sfn|Lewis|2002|p=2}} [[Ayn Rand#Philosophy|Ayn Rand's thought]] was a cornerstone of his philosophy, along with "ceremony and ritual" or "ritual magic".

Other influences were [[Friedrich Nietzsche]], who celebrated the [[Ubermensch]], proclaimed "God is dead", and preached against the 'slave's morality' of mercy, charity, and helping the weak;<ref name="WELTON-Airship-2014"/><ref name="Andrade-Girardian-2020-57">{{cite journal |last1=Andrade |first1=Gabriel |title=A Girardian Approach to LaVeyan Satanism: Theological Perspectives |journal=Irish Theological Quarterly |date=23 December 2020 |volume=86 |issue=1 |page=57 |doi=10.1177/0021140020977656 |s2cid=232040703 |url=https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0021140020977656 |access-date=12 January 2024}}</ref> English occultist [[Aleister Crowley]], famous for the axiom "Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the [moral] Law"; and [[Arthur Desmond]], who strongly associated with [[Social Darwinism]] and the expression "the [[survival of the fittest]]".<ref name=JPLS2023:sect.4-Magic/>

LaVey used Christianity as a "negative mirror" for his new faith,{{sfn|Schipper|2010|p=109}} rejecting the basic principles, theology and values of Christian belief,{{sfn|La Fontaine|1999|p=96}} along with other major religions and philosophies such as humanitarianism and [[liberal democracy]]—which he saw as negative forces. Instead of idealism, humility, abstinence, self-denigration, obedience, herd behavior, spirituality, and irrationality;{{sfn|Faxneld|Petersen|2013|p=80}} he praised the [[seven deadly sins]] (i.e. [[Hubris|pride]], [[greed]], [[wrath]], [[envy]], [[lust]],  [[Gluttony#Christianity|gluttony]] and [[sloth (deadly sin)|sloth]]), as virtues not vices.{{sfnm|1a1=Gardell|1y=2003|1p=288 |2a1=Schipper|2y=2010|2p=107}}<ref>LaVey, Anton |''Satanic Bible'',  
–BOOK OF LUCIFER–, chapter III, "Some Evidence of a New Satanic Age"</ref> LaVey went beyond discouraging sexual inhibitions and feelings of guilt and shame over fetishes,{{sfn|Lap|2013|p=91}}{{sfn|Faxneld|Petersen|2014|p=169}} calling for a celebration of, and indulgence in, humanity's animal nature and its desires, which Christianity sought to suppress.{{sfn|La Fontaine|1999|p=96}} Human beings should seek out the carnal rather than the spiritual;{{sfn|Lewis|2001b|p=50}} satisfying the ego's desires enhanced an individual's pride, self-respect, and self-realization.{{sfn|Lap|2013|p=92}}  Hate, and aggression were  necessary and advantageous for survival,{{sfn|Lap|2013|p=94}} victims should not "turn the other cheek"<ref>[[Gospel of Matthew]] [[Matthew 5|chapter 5]], the [[Sermon on the Mount]] in the [[New Testament]]</ref> but take an "eye for an eye".{{sfn|Gardell|2003|p=289}}

Satanists should be individualistic, non-conformist, contemptuous of "colorless" mainstream society.{{sfn|Dyrendal|2013|p=129}} LaVey saw Satanism as something like a personality type as much as a belief, since Satanists "are outsiders by their nature",{{sfn|Dyrendal|2013|p=129}} and "born, not made".{{sfn|Petersen|2009a|p=9}} Since gods are actually a creation of man and not the other way around, LaVey asked, "'Why not really be honest and if you are going to create a god in your image, why not create that god as yourself'....  every man is a god if he chooses to recognize himself as one."<ref>''Satanic Bible'' by LaVey, p.96, quoted in ...</ref>{{sfn|Taub|Nelson|1993|p=525}} Not everyone would measure up to being a god however. Human social equality was a "myth", leading to "mediocrity" and support of the weak at the expense of the strong.{{sfnm|1a1=Gardell|1y=2003|1p=289 |2a1=van Luijk|2y=2016|2p=366}}{{sfnm|1a1=La Fontaine|1y=1999|1p=97 |2a1=Lap|2y=2013|2p=95 |3a1=van Luijk|3y=2016|3p=367}} "Social stratification" was part of LaVey and the Church's "Five Point Program".{{sfn|van Luijk|2016|p=366}}<ref name="Pentagonal Revisionism-1988">{{cite web |last1=LaVey |first1=Anton Szandor |title=Pentagonal Revisionism: A Five-Point Program by Anton Szandor LaVey |url=https://www.churchofsatan.com/pentagonal-revisionism/ |website=Church of Satan |access-date=22 January 2024 |date=1988}}</ref>

A "true Satanic society" was described in Lavey's church's periodical ''The Black Flame'' and highlighted by anthropologist [[Jean La Fontaine]]; it would be one in which the population consists of "free-spirited, well-armed, fully-conscious, self-disciplined individuals, who will neither need nor tolerate any external entity 'protecting' them or telling them what they can and cannot do".{{sfn|La Fontaine|1999|p=97}} Another version of the Satanic society envisioned by LaVey was the breeding of an elite people "superior" in their creativity and nonconformity.{{sfn|van Luijk|2016|p=376}} These would live apart from the rest of the human "herd"—who would be relegated into ghettoes, ideally "space ghettoes" located on other planets.{{sfn|van Luijk|2016|p=375}}

LaVey's ideas were also said to "seem contradictory".<ref name="JPLS2023:sect.4-LaVey's"/> According to CoS priest Gavin Baddeley, LaVey's church combined "a love of life garbed in the symbols of death and fear",<ref>G. Baddeley, ‘’Lucifer Rising’’ (London: Plexus, 1999),  p. 67</ref><ref name="JPLS2023:sect.4-LaVey's"/> and while LaVey himself pontificated on personal freedom, he "micromanaged the lives of his followers".<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Andrade |first=Gabriel |title=Anton Lavey's Satanic Philosophy: An Analysis |url=https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1076&context=imwjournal |journal=Intermountain West Journal of Religious Studies |publication-date=2018 |volume=9 |issue=1 |page=34}}</ref> Some doubted his atheist naturalism.<ref name="Greaves-CoS-v-TST">{{cite web |last1=Greaves |first1=Lucien |title=Church of Satan vs. Satanic Temple |url=https://thesatanictemple.com/pages/church-of-satan-vs-satanic-temple |website=The Satanic Temple |access-date=11 January 2024 |date=c. 2019}}</ref> LaVey insisted the church scoffed at the supernatural, but also told an interviewer he considered  "curses and hexes" against enemies a form of human sacrifice "by proxy".{{sfn|Taub|Nelson|1993|p=529}}

Contradictions in his thought have been explained by his wanting it to have as wide appeal as possible,<ref name="JPLS2023:sect.4-LaVey's"/> balancing, in his words, "nine parts" of "respectability" to "one part" of  "outrageousness".<ref name="JPLS2023:sect.4-LaVey's"/><ref>R. H. Alfred, "The Church of Satan." in J. R. Lewis and J. A. Petersen (eds.), The Encyclopedic Sourcebook of Satanism (Amherst, NY: Prometheus Books, 2008), pp. 478–502 (p. 485).</ref> If Satanism was to be Satanic, it required some outrageous/anti-social elements, but if it was going to be a viable organization, these could not be allowed to frighten off potential congregants and attract unwanted attention.

One "outrageous" issue that LaVey was criticized for was his "ambivalent relationship" with far-right groups ([[United Klans of America]], [[National Renaissance Party (United States)|National Renaissance Party]], and the [[American Nazi Party]]) that he neither endorsed nor rejected.<ref name=JPLS2023:sect.4-Rise>[[#JPLS2023|Laycock, ''Satanism'', 2023]]: section 4. The Church of Satan. The Rise and Fall of Anton LaVey</ref><ref name=Footnote-110>"Evil, Anyone?" ''Newsweek'' (16 August 1971), p. 56.</ref>

LaVey died in 1997, but the church maintains a purist approach to his thought,{{sfn|Lewis|2002|p=5}} insisting he and the church have "codified" Satanism as "a religion and philosophy",<ref name="CoS-TST-FS">{{cite web |last1=Ethan |first1=Joel |title=The Satanic Temple Fact Sheet |url=https://www.churchofsatan.com/the-satanic-temple-fact-sheet/ |website=Church of Satan |access-date=11 January 2024}}</ref> and dismisses other Satanist groups (atheistic or otherwise), as reverse-Christians, pseudo-Satanists or Devil worshipers.<ref name=Stop>{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/national/wp/2014/11/07/the-church-of-satan-wants-you-to-stop-calling-these-devil-worshipping-alleged-murderers-satanists/|title=The Church of Satan wants you to stop calling these 'devil worshiping' alleged murderers Satanists |date=7 November 2014 |newspaper=The Washington Post |last=Ohlheiser |first=Abby |access-date=2015-11-19}}</ref>

==== First Satanic Church ====
{{Main|First Satanic Church}}

After LaVey's death in 1997, the Church of Satan was taken over by a new administration and its headquarters were moved to New York City. LaVey's daughter, the High Priestess [[Karla LaVey]] re-founded The First Satanic Church on 1999 in San Francisco. This church has been called "a lot more exclusive" than the original and as of late 2023 was known for producing a "Black X-Mass concert" in San Francisco "every year for the last couple decades".<ref name="Font-2023">{{cite news |last1=Font |first1=Amanda |date=20 October 2023 |title=How the Church of Satan Was Born in San Francisco |url=https://www.kqed.org/news/11964949/how-the-church-of-satan-was-born-in-san-francisco |access-date=5 January 2024 |work=KQED}}</ref>

==== The Satanic Temple ====
{{main|The Satanic Temple}}

[[File:The Satanic Temple, Salem, MA 2023-02-23 01.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|The headquarters of [[the Satanic Temple]] and Salem Art Gallery at [[Salem, Massachusetts]]]]
The Satanic Temple (TST), has been called the "most prominent" satanic organization "in terms of both size and public activity" (as of late 2023).<ref name=JPLS2023:sect.7/> Based in [[Salem, Massachusetts]] and active since 2012,<ref>{{Cite web |last=TST |title=New milestone: over 700,000 members! |url=https://thesatanictemple.com/blogs/news/new-milestone-over-700-000-members |access-date=2023-01-23 |website=TST |language=en}}</ref> it claims 700,000 members worldwide.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Romero |first1=Dennis |title=SatanCon, poking at religion and government, opens this weekend in Boston |url=https://nbcnews.com/news/us-news/satancon-poking-religion-government-opens-weekend-boston-rcna81275 |website=NBC News |date=25 April 2023 |publisher=NBC UNIVERSAL |access-date=25 April 2023}}</ref>   Like the older Church of Satan, its congregants do not believe in a supernatural Satan, but if the CoS saw Satanism as a "negative mirror" of Christianity, reversing Christian principles of altruism (helping the downtrodden and community-mindedness) to selfishness, the Christian principles TST wants to reverse are  politically conservative activist/fundamentalist ones—the elimination of the right to abortion, of the teaching of evolution, of the separation of church and state, etc. This "left-wing",<ref name=JPLS2023:sect.7/> "socially engaged Satanism",<ref>J. P. Laycock, ''Speak of the Devil: How the Satanic Temple Is Changing the Way We Talk about Religion'' (New York: Oxford University Press, 2020)</ref> involves activism,<ref name=JPLS2023:sect.7>[[#JPLS2023|Laycock, ''Satanism'', 2023]]: 7 Contemporary Developments in Satanism</ref>  rather than the individualism and right-wing-oriented,{{sfn|van Luijk|2016|p=326}} "getting what you want for yourself",<ref name=CoSPoP/> of the CoS.{{#tag:ref|"The Church of Satan's Policy on Politics"<ref name=CoSPoP/> is that the Church has no  "'official' political position". "Politics are up to each individual member", and those members embrace all sorts of different ideologies (it then lists every conceivable ideology including Communism and Socialism), but most  members will "support political candidates and movements whose goals reflect their own practical needs and desires".<ref name=CoSPoP/> It also describes "the emotional drive to 'change the world'" as a "common stage of early adult development typically beginning around age 16 and lasting until around age 24".<ref name=CoSPoP>{{cite web |title=The Church of Satan's Policy on Politics|
url=https://www.churchofsatan.com/policy-on-politics/ |website=Church of Satan|access-date=7 January 2023}}</ref>
Elsewhere however, Church writings argue for things not at all consistent with any leftward or even centrist politics. According to Ruben van Luijk and Amina Lap,  LaVey thought eugenics could and should be part of the human future, leading to the breeding of an elite reflecting LaVey's "Satanic" principles,{{sfnm|1a1=Lap|1y=2013|1p=95 |2a1=van Luijk|2y=2016|2p=376}} who would come to power, and then hopefully relegate the rest of the human "herd" into ghettoes, ideally "space ghettoes" located on other planets.{{sfn|van Luijk|2016|p=375}}  
|group=Note}}

They have been called "rationalist, political pranksters" (by Dyrendal, Lewis, and Petersen),{{sfn|Dyrendal|Lewis|Petersen|2016|p=219}} with pranks designed to highlight religious hypocrisy and advance the cause of [[secularism]].{{sfn|Dyrendal|Lewis|Petersen|2016|p=220}} One such prank was performing a "Pink Mass" over the grave of the mother of the evangelical Christian and prominent anti-LGBT preacher [[Fred Phelps]] and claiming that the mass converted the spirit of Phelps' mother into a lesbian.{{sfn|Dyrendal|Lewis|Petersen|2016|p=219}} The "Seven Fundamental" tenets of the temple on its website mention compassion, justice, freedom, inviolability of the human body, conforming to scientific understanding, human fallibility—but say nothing about Satan.<ref name="TST">{{cite web |title=There are Seven FUNDAMENTAL TENETS |url=https://thesatanictemple.com/pages/about-us |website=THE SATANIC TEMPLE |access-date=5 January 2024}}</ref><ref name=JPLS2023:sect.7-temple>[[#JPLS2023|Laycock, ''Satanism'', 2023]]: 7. Contemporary Developments in Satanism. The Satanic Temple.</ref><ref name="Oppenheimer">{{Cite news |last=Oppenheimer |first=Mark |date=10 July 2015 |title=A Mischievous Thorn in the Side of Conservative Christianity |newspaper=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/11/us/a-mischievious-thorn-in-the-side-of-conservative-christianity.html |access-date=2015-07-11 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> The Temple has been described as using the [[Devil in popular culture#Literature|literary Satan]] as metaphor to  promote pragmatic skepticism, rational reciprocity, personal autonomy, and curiosity;<ref name="Oppenheimer"/> and as a symbol to represent "the eternal rebel" against arbitrary authority and social norms.<ref name=":2">{{Cite news |title=FAQ |language=en-US |newspaper=TST |url=http://thesatanictemple.com/faq |access-date=2015-12-02}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=What does Satan mean to the Satanic Temple? – CNN |publisher=CNN |url=http://www.cnn.com/videos/tv/2015/11/30/satanic-temple-lisa-ling-orig.cnn |access-date=2015-12-02}}</ref>

The temple has also demanded the privileges the government affords Christians, such as giving prayers before city council meetings, erecting (satanic) statues on government property, distributing it is materials in public schools. As the movement became bigger, its congregations volunteered to clean highways and help the homeless, at least in part to demonstrate they were civic minded and not evil.<ref>{{cite web |author=Massoud Hayoun |date=8 December 2013 |title=Group aims to put 'Satanist' monument near Oklahoma capitol &#124; Al Jazeera America |url=http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2013/12/8/satanists-aim-tobuildamonumentonthebiblebelt.html |access-date=2014-03-25 |publisher=Al Jazeera}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=9 December 2013 |title=Satanists petition to build monument on Oklahoma state capitol grounds &#124; Washington Times Communities |url=http://communities.washingtontimes.com/neighborhood/world-our-backyard/2013/dec/9/satanists-petition-build-monument-oklahoma-state-c/ |access-date=2014-03-25 |work=The Washington Times}}</ref> It has made efforts at [[lobbying]],<ref name="greaves">{{cite web |last=Bugbee |first=Shane |date=30 July 2013 |title=Unmasking Lucien Greaves, Leader of the Satanic Temple |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/unmasking-lucien-greaves-aka-doug-mesner-leader-of-the-satanic-temple/ |access-date=2014-03-25 |publisher=Vice.com}}</ref> with a focus on the separation of church and state and using satire against [[Christian Church|Christian groups]] that it believes interfere with personal freedom.<ref name="greaves" />

[[Lucien Greaves]] has described the Temple as being a progressive and updated version of [[LaVeyan Satanism|LaVey's Satanism]],{{sfn|Dyrendal|Lewis|Petersen|2016|p=220}} posted a fairly detailed refutation of LaVey's doctrines,<ref name="Greaves-CoS-v-TST"/> accusing the Church of fetishizing authoritarianism,<ref name="greaves"/><ref name="AfterSchoolSatan">{{cite web |title=FAQ |url=https://afterschoolsatan.com/educatin-with-satan/faq/ |website=After School Satan |access-date=29 November 2018 |archive-date=16 January 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170116170111/https://afterschoolsatan.com/educatin-with-satan/faq/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> and explaining how elements of [[Social Darwinism]] and [[Nietzscheanism]] within LaVeyan Satanism are incongruent with [[game theory]], [[reciprocal altruism]], and [[cognitive science]].<ref>{{cite AV media |url=https://davidpakman.com/interviews/douglas-mesner/ |title=Satanic Temple Founder Talks Atheistic Religion |work=[[The David Pakman Show]] |date=9 October 2014 |access-date=29 November 2018}}</ref> The Church of Satan, on the other hand, has declared the TST members as only "masquerading" as Satanists,<ref name="COS1">{{cite news |title=Third Side Intelligence: Missouri Abortions |website=Church of Satan|url=https://www.churchofsatan.com/third-side-intelligence-missouri-abortions-the/ |date=10 October 2017 |access-date=29 November 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/satans-lawyers-try-christian-right-tactics-to-erect-winged-goat|title=Satanists Go to Court Seeking Right to Pray at City Meetings|website=Bloomberg Law|last1=Larson|first1=Erik|date=22 March 2021|accessdate=28 March 2021}}</ref> being in violation of the "five decades of a clearly defined belief system called Satanism expounded by a worldwide organization" (i.e. [[LaVeyan Satanism]]).<ref name="CoS-TST-FS"/>