Editing Satanism (section)

==== Temple of Set ====
{{Main|Temple of Set}}

The Temple of Set (ToS) is an [[occult]] [[left-hand path]] religious organization. It was founded in 1975 when [[Michael Angelo Aquino|Michael Aquino]], the founder of a Church of Satan Grotto in Louisville, Kentucky, and editor of the Church's newsletter, ''The Cloven Hoof'', left the church, taking 28 members with him.<ref>{{cite book |title= Church of Satan |url= http://www.xeper.org/maquino/nm/COS.pdf |last= Aquino |first= Michael |year= 2002 |publisher= Temple of Set |location= San Francisco |url-status= dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20070712000522/http://www.xeper.org/maquino/nm/COS.pdf |archive-date= 12 July 2007 }}</ref><ref>Boulware, "A Devil of a Time"; Lyons, Satan Wants You, p. 126.</ref> Aquino's anger that LaVey had devalued his high level grade of "magister" in the church may have initiated his break, but Aquino also disagreed with LaVey's materialist philosophy, arguing that while the church might publicly be materialist, Satan as symbol was "only part of the truth". Aquino held a ritual to ask Satan "where to lead" his CoS defectors and, on the night of 21–22 June 1975, Satan allegedly told him to "Reconsecrate my Temple and my Order in the true name of Set. No longer will I accept the bastard title of a Hebrew fiend." Thus Aquino came to believe that the name ''Satan'' was a corruption of the name ''Set'', the  Egyptian god of darkness.<ref name=JPLS2023:sect.5-ToS>[[#JPLS2023|Laycock, ''Satanism'', 1981]]: 5 The Temple of Set and Esoteric Satanism.The Temple of Set</ref>{{sfn|Gardell|2003|p=390}} The philosophy of the Temple of Set may be summed up as "enlightened individualism"—enhancement and improvement of oneself by personal education, experiment, and initiation. This process is necessarily different and distinctive for each individual. The members do not agree on whether Set is real or symbolic, and they're not expected to.{{sfn|Harvey|2009}}

The Temple teaches that Set is a real entity,{{sfnm|1a1=Petersen|1y=2005|1p=436 |2a1=Harvey|2y=2009|2p=32}} and the only real god in existence, with all other gods being created by the human imagination.{{sfnm|1a1=Granholm|1y=2009|1pp=93–94 |2a1=Granholm|2y=2013|2p=218}} Set is described as having given humanity—through the means of non-natural [[evolution]]—the "Black Flame" or the "Gift of Set", which is a questioning intellect that sets humans apart from other animals.{{sfnm|1a1=La Fontaine|1y=1999|1p=102 |2a1=Gardell|2y=2003|2p=291 |3a1=Petersen|3y=2005|3p=436}} While Setians are expected to revere Set, they do not worship him.{{sfn|Granholm|2009|p=94}} Central to Setian philosophy is the human individual,{{sfn|Schipper|2010|p=109}} with [[self-deification]] presented as the ultimate goal.{{sfn|Faxneld|Petersen|2013a|p=7}}

Estimates of the Temple's total are between 300 and 500 as of 2005 (Petersen);{{sfn|Petersen|2005|p=435}} and approximately 200 as of 2007 (Granholm).{{sfnm|1a1=Granholm|1y=2009|1p=93 |2a1=Granholm|2y=2013|2p=223}} Members must remain active. New members have one year to join a pylon (a Local chapter) and must reach the second degree of adept by showing proficiency in magic within two years, or have their memberships revoked.<ref name=JPLS2023:sect.5-ToS/>

Aquino died in September 2019 at the age of 72. High priests after Aquino were Don Webb starting in 1996, Zeena Schreck starting in 2002 (who lasted only six weeks when Aquino took over again), Patricia Hardy starting in 2004.<ref name=JPLS2023:sect.5-ToS/>