Running head: CHURCH OF SATAN

The Church of Satan Discourse Community

Brandon A. Salgado
The University of Texas at El Paso
RWS 1301
Professor Jose Gomez

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Introduction

Explore the light from the other seal. This lyric written by Anders Jacobsson, in the
song Silent Winter by Draconian, is intended to persuade someone to see the different side of any
rhetorical situation. You must allow yourself to believe in any principles that seem right to you
and find the people that can help you find that new light. Those people are a part of what is
known as a discourse community. A discourse community is a group of individuals that share the
same belief system and communication methods. This is done through a means of initiating
members in order to grow the knowledge of the affiliates. The discourse community that I have
chosen is that of Anton LaVeys Church of Satan. The dichotomy between the different factions
made after LaVeys Satanic Church will be differentiated to explain what is truly Satanic or
just for show.
Literature Review
As stated by Herzberg in Swales The Concept of Discourse Community a form of
social behavior, that discourse is a means of maintaining and extending that groups knowledge
(p.468). As Anton LaVey said to Burton H. Wolfe, But the main purpose was to gather a group
of like-minded individuals.., he explicitly describes his community as a discourse community
by bringing people together that share the same ideas about life in the introduction to his Satanic
Bible (1976,p.8). Swales also begins to explain about discourse communities that they tend to
separate people into occupational or speciality-interest groups (Swales,1990,p.471). This
applies to the Church of Satan and its constituents by them themselves, and by the media, have
ostracized themselves from the public and from the original founding ideals of Satanism.
Many members were people who felt themselves alienated have emotional problems or are

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unhappy with their lives, so they wanted to find solace in the Church of Satan. To start the

separation it must be known that the Church of Satan, founded by Anton LaVey, is not a religion.
It is a philosophy based on the realities of life in order to achieve an emotional level within
yourself that you can manage (Wolfe,1969,p.5). Satan was not a physical manifestation as stated
in the Christian religion , but as a symbol. The rituals presented by LaVey are used to evoke
emotion on the participants, not evoke spirits or the supernatural (Lyons,p.114). Many members
in the different grottos, which are the names of the local chapters in Satanism, began to
disagree with the system LaVey had set up so they started to form their own discourse
communities budding off of the predecessor. These included; the Universal Church of Man, the
Church of Satanic Brotherhood, the Ordo Templi Santanas, the Order of the Black Ram, the
Shrine of the Little Mother and the Temple of Set.
Artists in the Heavy Metal scene also used Satanism in their performances, demeanor,
story, and song lyrics. Most notably are the groups of Black Metal that first formed in Norway.
Most of the groups use Satanism for its shock value and to use for show (Moynihan and
Soderlind,2003,p.217). They merely use the images of the pentagram, upside down crosses, or
Baphomet in album covers or during performances with lyrics that deal with Satan. These
involved groups were very much anti-LaVey and had their own ideals on Satanism, much like
the religions that were made from former members of LaVeys Satanic Church to rival his
teachings (Moynihan and Soderlind,2003,p.220). They created their own discourse communities
that should not be in connection with Anton LaVey as they follow their own principles and ideas
on how Satan affects man and the way to live your life. LaVeys Satanism is a starting point
because he is the one who brought it to the media and made it widespread.
Discussion

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A discourse community requires a broadly agreed set of common public goals

(Swales,1990,p.471). According to Satanic researcher, Juan Salgado, the Church of Satan by

Anton LaVey can be seen as an alternative philosophy to get away from mainstream
constraints. It is the foundation of freedom to make your own choices (personal communication,
October 15, 2016). The members use this philosophy because they are tired of the forcefulness
and no questioning of the Christian faith. LaVey puts the goals and understandings that members
of his Church must learn from in The Nine Satanic Statements and The Book of Satan in his
Satanic Bible, he explains what Satan symbolizes in every man. Throughout the book there are
many teachings on how to be a true satanist with regulations that must be followed, some of
which involve the acceptance of your sexual desires without causing any harm on anyone, the
people that you should be keeping in your life to better yourself, and how to curse another person
without physically harming them or innocent people.
To advance these goals there must be a means of communication that is specialized to
each community. In LaVeys Satanism the central reference is his book of The Satanic Bible. All
teachings are located here and this allows any interested recruits to learn about the community
without being able to be in the vicinity of LaVey or a grotto. There is also the publishing of
The Satanic Rituals by LaVey to be in connection with his Satanic Bible. As well as monthly
newsletters named the Cloven Hoof to keep members informed (Lyons,p.122).
Rituals held by LaVey at his headquarters were also an open invitation for anyone
interested in attending and learning more or advancing their already found knowledge in
practice. These rituals were intended to help the new members who were of poor emotional
health reduce certain fears by confronting them and acting them out (Lyons,1988,p.111). This

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in turn allowed the people to become directly involved in this community by participating to help
them get over any problems they may have.
Within these rituals contain genres, or different symbols and items that are used that can
only be understood by those that are primary members. Within The Satanic Bible there are
various rituals that you can partake in after reading the steps for all of them (LaVey,1969,p.129140). But if you are just the observer of one such ritual you will not understand the process or
ideas behind any of these practices. These can help you with sex, success, and destruction of an
enemy. The chants within the rituals or tellings from the book are known as the lexis of this
discourse community. These range from the different names for Satan or those that are allied
with him.
And of those allied with LaVey, they have earned titles that raise their rank in the Church.
Starting from a Registered Member, Active Member, Witch/Warlock, Priestess/Priest,
Magistra/Magister and Maga/Magus (Church of Satan Website). All of this is then used to
further the understanding of all members and keep the same way of thinking alive.
Conclusion
Anton LaVey names his philosophy a discourse community without even knowing it. He
has created a purpose for people to come together and expand their knowledge on who they
really are on a emotional and physiological level. Not only has he made a community for people
to come together who would otherwise be alone, but he has made a lifestyle that leads to a
greater ultimatum. The heros of the past become the villains of the present (LaVey,p.56).

Clothing

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Altar

Sigil of Baphomet

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References

Church of Satan (1999-2016). Hierarchy in Church of Satan. Church of Satan. Retrieved October
20, 2016, from http://www.churchofsatan.com/hierarchy.php.
Church of Satan (Website). (1999-2016). The Altars at the Black House [digital image].
Retrieved from http://www.churchofsatan.com/altar-black-house.php
Church of Satan (Website). (1999-2016). The History of the Origin of the Sigil of Baphomet and
its Use in the Church of Satan [digital image]. Retrieved from
http://www.churchofsatan.com/history-sigil-of-baphomet.php
Etsy (Website). (n.d.) Satanic Fashion [digital image]. Retrieved from
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/574983077404161283/
LaVey, A. (1969). The Satanic Bible. New York, NY: Avon Books.
Lyons, A. (1988). Satan Wants You: The Cult of Devil Worship in America. New York, NY:
Mysterious Press.
Moynihan, M., Soderlind, D. (2003). Lords of Chaos: The Bloody Rise of the Satanic Metal
Underground. Port Townsend, Wa: Feral House.
Swales, John (1990). The Concept of Discourse Community Genre Analysis: English in
Academic and Research Settings. Cambridge,MA.: Cambridge University Press.

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