View Single Post
Old 03-28-2013, 01:31 PM   #36 (permalink)
Cretaceous Bob
Senior Member
 
Cretaceous Bob's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Virginia
Posts: 2,358
Quote:
Originally Posted by chelseagirl19 View Post
Which brings me to Cretaceous Bob. I respectfully disagree with your characterization of "true, real Satanism" being theistic. 'True' and 'real' have very specific meanings, and Anton LaVey and the Church of Satan are real and true in that they exist and don't sell lies. That is the domain of Christians. -

Words change meaning through their usage. Satan is a symbol for members of the Church of Satan, based of course on the idea of the biblical Satan, but in no way do they mean it in any corporeal sense. Satan is not the Church of Satan's mascot the way that poor nailed-up bastard Jesus is for Christians. CoS members do not believe in Satan.
Right, this is all why personally I reserve the term Satanism for theistic Satanism. I guess part of what I mean by that is "real, true" Satanism is the bound counterpoint to God and Jesus in Christianity; that kind of theistic Satanism is literally a part of Christianity's mythology and doesn't exist without it.

By calling it "LaVey Satanism", I am indicating that it is an independent system of beliefs that references an external source. That's how it goes in my head, anyway.

But yes, this is really splitting hairs.
Quote:
Originally Posted by chelseagirl19 View Post
"He exploited Satanism for commercial purposes, even if he doesn't admit it and even if he is a member of LaVey's church." Nothing is more Satanic than this.
Yeah, I'm just pointing out that King Diamond involved Satanism in his music for reasons other that his deep devotion to a malevolent deity. I'm not saying that's at odds with LaVey Satanism at all, just saying that's what he's done.
Quote:
Originally Posted by chelseagirl19 View Post
"The LaVey stuff" as you call it, most certainly chose Satan for its sensational and adversarial connotations, and so what? Satanism is not just 'let's be everything that Christians aren't cuz fuck them." It's a rather sophisticated philosophical position. It should go without saying that it has nothing to do with animal sacrifice and nothing to do with ritual abuse, in case the 90s satanic panic propaganda worked too well on you (and here, I don't mean you, Bob, I mean you as in anyone else reading this. I have a feeling Bob knows all this already.) Satanism is probably not what you think it is, and that's fine. It's not a religion in the traditional sense, and it certainly has nothing to do with the Devil, save in symbolism.
Yeah, that's basically what I'm trying to say but I skip over steps because I know it already.

LaVey Satanism certainly is called Satanism for very clear and relevant reasons, but for all intents and purposes, it really has nothing to do with the Christian conception of Satanism or Satan.
(Offline)   Reply With Quote