Types of Satanism and Their Beliefs

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* Satanic sects share three characteristics in common: An interest in magic, played
out as psychodrama or mystical events; the creation of a community; and a
philosophy that thrives on non-conformity.

* Satanists usually follow the left-hand path

* Satan means adversary

- Reactive Satanism
* The term "reactive Satanism" or "adolescent Satanism" refers to groups of
individuals who adopt the stories of mainstream religion but invert its value.
* Christian Satanism
* Islamic Satanism
- Rationalistic Satanism: The Church of Satan
* Found in the 1960s by Anton Levey
* Atheistic
* We are our own gods
* "Do unto others as they do unto you"
* Baphomet is their icon
* Satan is a symbol representing the qualities embraced by Satanists.
* Encourages self-indulgence in the earthly pleasures
- Theistic or Esoteric Satanism: The Temple of Set
* Founded in 1974 by Michael Aquino and Lilith Sinclair
* Broke away from the Church of Satan on philosophical grounds
* Recognize the existence of one or more supernatural beings
* The major god is often called Satan, but some groups identify the leader as a
version of the Egyptian god Set.
* Set is a spiritual entity, based on the ancient Egyptian notion of xeper --
"self-improvement" or "self-creation"
* Regardless of the being or beings in charge, none resemble the Christian Satan
* Instead, they are beings which have the same general qualities as the symbolic
Satan: sexuality, pleasure, strength, and rebellion against Western mores
- Luciferianism
* Combines elements of rational and theistic forms
* Largely a theistic branch, though some see Satan (Lucifer) as symbolic
* Uses the term "Lucifer" in its literal sense... Lucifer meaning "light bringer"
in Latin
* Lucifer is as a creature of enlightenment, the one who brings the light out of
the darkness
* Practitioners embrace the seeking of knowledge
* They stress the balance of light and dark
* They seek to balance between the physical experience and spirituality
- Spiritual Satanism: Joy of Satan
* Satan and the demons are an alien species
* Jehova and the angels are a different alien species who are at war with Satan
and the demons
* Satan is the true creator God
* The demons are the original gods
* Jesus Christ is a lie used to remove all true spiritual knowledge and disarm
the populace of their spiritual powers. This knowledge was systematically
destroyed, twisted, and corrupted to SPIRITUALLY AND FINANCIALLY ENSLAVE US ALL.
* Jehova and the angels want us to be their slaves; worship gives them powers
* Christianity was created so the people at the top can control us

- Demonolatry
* The worship of demons
 * Some see each demon as a separate force or energy that can be used to aid in
the practitioner's rituals or magic
* "Modern Demonolatry" by S. Connolly lists over 200 demons from a multitude of
different religions, ancient and modern
* Adherents choose to worship demons that mirror their own attributes or ones
with whom they share a connection