Editing Satan (section)

===Atheistic Satanism===
Atheistic Satanism, as exemplified by [[LaVeyan Satanism]] (practiced by the [[Church of Satan]] and [[First Satanic Church]]) and [[The Satanic Temple]], holds that Satan does not exist as a literal anthropomorphic entity, but rather as a [[symbol]] of a [[cosmos]] which Satanists perceive to be permeated and motivated by a force that has been given many names by humans over the course of time. In this religion, "Satan" is not viewed or depicted as a hubristic, irrational, and fraudulent creature, but rather is revered with [[Prometheus]]-like attributes, symbolizing liberty and individual empowerment. To adherents, he also serves as a conceptual framework and an external metaphorical projection of the Satanist's highest personal potential.<ref>* {{cite web|url=http://altreligion.about.com/od/alternativereligionsaz/a/satanism.htm|title=An Introduction to LaVeyan Satanism and the Church of Satan|author=Catherine Beyer|work=About.com Religion & Spirituality|access-date=2015-01-23|archive-date=2015-04-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150405143547/http://altreligion.about.com/od/alternativereligionsaz/a/satanism.htm|url-status=dead}}
* {{cite web|url=http://www.churchofsatan.com/Pages/WhatTheDevil.html|title=What, The Devil?|author= Magus Peter H. Gilmore|work=churchofsatan.com |date=2007 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029100415/http://www.churchofsatan.com/Pages/WhatTheDevil.html |archive-date= Oct 29, 2013 }}
* {{cite web|url=http://www.churchofsatan.com/Pages/_FAQ03.html|title=F.A.Q. Fundamental Beliefs |work=churchofsatan.com |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131027055432/http://www.churchofsatan.com/Pages/_FAQ03.html |archive-date= Oct 27, 2013 }}
* {{cite web|url=http://www.churchofsatan.com/Pages/ChaplainsHandbook.html|title=Religious Requirements and Practices of Certain Selected Groups. A Handbook for Chaplains  |work=churchofsatan.com |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029080656/http://www.churchofsatan.com/Pages/ChaplainsHandbook.html |archive-date= Oct 29, 2013 }}
* ''Contemporary religious Satanism: a critical anthology'', p. 45, Jesper Aagaard Petersen, 2009</ref> In his essay "Satanism: The Feared Religion", the current High Priest of the Church of Satan, [[Peter H. Gilmore]], further expounds that "...Satan is a symbol of Man living as his prideful, carnal nature dictates. The reality behind Satan is simply the dark evolutionary force of [[entropy]] that permeates all of nature and provides the drive for survival and propagation inherent in all living things. Satan is not a conscious entity to be worshiped, rather a reservoir of power inside each human to be tapped at will".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://churchofsatan.com/satanism-the-feared-religion.php|title=Satanism: The Feared Religion|author= Magus Peter H. Gilmore|work=churchofsatan.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171221194501/http://churchofsatan.com/satanism-the-feared-religion.php |archive-date= Dec 21, 2017 }}</ref>

LaVeyan Satanists embrace the original etymological meaning of the word "Satan" ([[Hebrew language|Hebrew]]: שָּׂטָן ''satan'', meaning "adversary"). According to Gilmore, "The Church of Satan has chosen Satan as its primary symbol because in Hebrew it means adversary, opposer, one to accuse or question. We see ourselves as being these Satans; the adversaries, opposers and accusers of all spiritual belief systems that would try to hamper enjoyment of our life as a human being."<ref>{{cite AV media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAjKXnsC_4A |last1= Thank God I'm an Atheist.  | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150720013749/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAjKXnsC_4A| archive-date=2015-07-20|title=The Church of Satan [History Channel]|date=12 January 2012|work=YouTube}}</ref>

Post-LaVeyan Satanists, like the adherents of The Satanic Temple, argue that the human animal has a natural altruistic and communal tendency, and frame Satan as a figure of struggle against injustice and activism. They also believe in bodily autonomy, that personal beliefs should conform to science and inspire nobility, and that people should atone for their mistakes.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://thesatanictemple.com/|title=The Satanic Temple |website=thesatanictemple.com |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240405182140/https://thesatanictemple.com/ |archive-date= Apr 5, 2024 }}</ref>