Editing Satanism (section)

==Demographics==
A survey in the Encyclopedia of Satanism found that people became involved with Satanism in many diverse ways and were found in many countries. The survey found that more Satanists were raised as Protestant Christians than Catholic.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SEPuBgAAQBAJ&dq=encyclopedia+satanism+raised+protestant&pg=PA328 |title=Encyclopedia of Satanism |isbn=9781312360211 |last1=Lewis |first1=James|publisher=Lulu.com }}</ref>

{{Quote box|width=21em|align=right|quote=Beginning in the late 1960s, organized Satanism emerged out of the [[occult]] [[subculture]] with the formation of the [[Church of Satan]]. It was not long, however, before Satanism had expanded well beyond the Church of Satan. The decentralization of the Satanist movement was considerably accelerated when [[Anton LaVey]] disbanded the grotto system in the mid-1970s. At present, religious Satanism exists primarily as a decentralized subculture [...] Unlike traditional religions, and even unlike the early Satanist bodies such as the Church of Satan and the [[Temple of Set]], contemporary Satanism is, for the most part, a decentralized movement. In the past, this movement has been propagated through the medium of certain popular books, especially LaVey's ''[[Satanic Bible]]''. In more recent years, the internet has come to play a significant role in reaching potential "converts", particularly among disaffected young people. |source=— Religion scholar and researcher of new religious movements [[James R. Lewis (scholar)|James R. Lewis]]<ref name="Lewis 2001b">{{cite journal |last=Lewis |first=James R. |author-link=James R. Lewis (scholar) |date=August 2001b |title=Who Serves Satan? A Demographic and Ideological Profile |url=https://archiv.ub.uni-marburg.de/ep/0004/article/view/3748/3565 |journal=[[Marburg Journal of Religion]] |publisher=[[University of Marburg]] |volume=6 |issue=2 |pages=1–25 |doi=10.17192/mjr.2001.6.3748 |issn=1612-2941 |access-date=30 December 2020}}</ref> }}

Dyrendal, Lewis, and Petersen observed that from surveys of Satanists conducted in the early 21st century, it was clear that the Satanic milieu was "heavily dominated by young males".{{sfn|Dyrendal|Lewis|Petersen|2016|p=138}} They nevertheless noted that census data from New Zealand suggested that there may be a growing proportion of women becoming Satanists.{{update inline|date=May 2024}}{{sfn|Dyrendal|Lewis|Petersen|2016|p=138}} In comprising more men than women, Satanism differs from most other religious communities, including most new religious communities.{{sfn|Dyrendal|Lewis|Petersen|2016|p=158}} Most Satanists came to their religion through reading, either online or books, rather than through being introduced to it through personal contacts.{{sfn|Dyrendal|Lewis|Petersen|2016|p=146}} Many practitioners do not claim that they converted to Satanism, but rather state that they were born that way, and only later in life confirmed that Satanism served as an appropriate label for their pre-existing worldviews.{{sfn|Dyrendal|Lewis|Petersen|2016|p=142}} Others have stated that they had experiences with [[supernatural]] phenomena that led them to embracing Satanism.{{sfn|Dyrendal|Lewis|Petersen|2016|p=143}}

The surveys revealed that atheistic Satanists appeared to be in the majority, although the numbers of theistic Satanists appeared to grow over time.<ref name="Lewis 2001b"/>{{sfn|Dyrendal|Lewis|Petersen|2016|pp=179–180}}{{sfn|Introvigne|2016|pages=525–527}} Beliefs in the afterlife varied, although the most common beliefs about the afterlife were [[reincarnation]] and the idea that consciousness survives bodily death.{{sfn|Dyrendal|Lewis|Petersen|2016|pp=181–182}} The surveys also demonstrated that most recorded Satanists practiced [[magic (supernatural)|magic]],{{sfn|Dyrendal|Lewis|Petersen|2016|p=183}} although there were differing opinions as to whether magical acts operated according to etheric laws or whether the effect of magic was purely psychological.{{sfn|Dyrendal|Lewis|Petersen|2016|p=209}} A number of Satanists described performing [[curse|cursing]], in most cases as a form of vigilante justice.{{sfn|Dyrendal|Lewis|Petersen|2016|pp=210–212}} Most practitioners conduct their religious observances in a solitary manner, and never or rarely meet fellow Satanists for rituals.{{sfn|Dyrendal|Lewis|Petersen|2016|pp=151, 153}} Rather, the primary interaction that takes place between Satanists is online, on websites or via email.{{sfn|Dyrendal|Lewis|Petersen|2016|p=153}} From their survey data, Dyrendal, Lewis, and Petersen noted that the average length of involvement in the Satanic milieu was seven years.{{sfn|Dyrendal|Lewis|Petersen|2016|p=157}} A Satanist's involvement in the movement tends to peak in their early twenties and drops off sharply in their thirties.{{sfn|Dyrendal|Lewis|Petersen|2016|p=159}} A small proportion retain their allegiance to the religion into their elder years.{{sfn|Dyrendal|Lewis|Petersen|2016|p=160}} When asked about their ideology, the largest proportion of Satanists identified as apolitical or non-aligned, while only a small percentage identified as conservative.{{sfn|Dyrendal|Lewis|Petersen|2016|p=171}} A small minority of Satanists expressed support for [[Nazism]]; conversely, over two-thirds expressed opposition or strong opposition to it.{{sfn|Dyrendal|Lewis|Petersen|2016|p=143}}

=== 2021 Canadian census ===
The [[2021 Canadian census]] states that 5,890 Canadians identify as Satanist, representing 0.02% of the population.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Government of Canada |first=Statistics Canada |date=26 October 2022 |title=Religion by visible minority and generation status: Canada, provinces and territories, census metropolitan areas and census agglomerations with parts |url=https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=9810034201 |access-date=2022-12-31 |website=www150.statcan.gc.ca}}</ref>

Compared to the general population, Satanists are more likely to be male, aged in their 20s or 30s, and not a member of any recognized minority group, although the Japanese are an exception (with the Japanese comprising 0.3% of both Satanists and the population as a whole).
{| class="wikitable"
|+Comparison of Satanists in Canada against the general population<ref name=":0" />
! colspan="2" |
!General population
!Satanists
|-
! colspan="2" |Total population
|36,328,480
|5,890
|-
! rowspan="2" |Gender
!Male
|17,937,165 (49.4%)
|3,430 (58.2%)
|-
!Female
|18,391,315 (50.6%)
|2,460 (41.8%)
|-
! rowspan="8" |Age
!0 to 14
|5,992,555 (16.5%)
|175 (3%)
|-
!15 to 19
|2,003,200 (5.5%)
|210 (3.6%)
|-
!20 to 24
|2,177,860 (6%)
|810 (13.8%)
|-
!25 to 34
|4,898,625 (13.5%)
|2,755 (46.8%)
|-
!35 to 44
|4,872,425 (13.4%)
|1,250 (21.2%)
|-
!45 to 54
|4,634,850 (12.8%)
|470 (8%)
|-
!55 to 64
|5,162,365 (14.2%)
|165 (2.8%)
|-
!65 and over
|6,586,600 (18.1%)
|60 (1%)
|-
! rowspan="13" |Minority status
!Non-minority
|26,689,275 (73.5%)
|5,480 (93%)
|-
!South Asian
|2,571,400 (7%)
|40 (0.7%)
|-
!Chinese
|1,715,770 (4.7%)
|50 (0.9%)
|-
!Black
|1,547,870 (4.3%)
|100 (1.7%)
|-
!Filipino
|957,355 (2.6%)
|35 (0.6%)
|-
!Arab
|694,015 (1.9%)
|25 (0.4%)
|-
!Latin American
|580,235 (1.6%)
|55 (0.9%)
|-
!Southeast Asian
|390,340 (1.1%)
|20 (0.3%)
|-
!West Asian
|360,495 (1%)
|0 (0%)
|-
!Korean
|218,140 (0.6%)
|0 (0%)
|-
!Japanese
|98,890 (0.3%)
|15 (0.3%)
|-
!Visible minority, n.i.e.
|172,885 (0.5%)
|20 (0.3%)
|-
!Multiple visible minorities
|331,805 (0.9%)
|50 (0.8%)
|}