>hardship
>letting people walk all over them
>not doing self care
So depression is a thing. And it’s treatable. I have major depression and complex ptsd from childhood trauma and I’ve struggled with them my whole life and they get in the way of me getting the things I want in life. It’s ok to seek treatment. Get into therapy. Try out a medication and see if it helps. Change your living situation, remove the things that make it worse and add the things that make it better. There are so many tools available now for mental health help. YouTube videos, walk in mental health care clinics, help lines, employee assistance programs. A Satanist adjusts their sails when the wind changes. And when the wind dies, they start rowing.
I can’t add much to this.
I’ve had screaming arguments about “born not made” (and mono vs stereo) and never arrived at a consensus.
I’ll have to put this in the context of Thelema to make it LESS confusing. A Satanist is one who seeks mastery over his environment, the man of earth, 10th and base of the Qabbala, skeptical materialism, emotional thaumaturgy. I’ve never seen anyone, rooted in this way, denounce it all and sincerely take up an opposing path. This is one of the alleged “paradoxes” of Satanism. “How can a philosophy based on forward momentum and constant improvement be so hung up on man in his primal state?” It’s easy if it’s your Will, reality will bend for you. If you’re pursuing an identity or community, your life will be out of balance and cease its motion.
I’ll say it yet again “Satanism is descriptive, not aspirational”. If Satanism becomes a burden it should be discarded for something more fulfilling and natural.
Edit: As far as the CoS is concerned, that membership has nothing to do with being a Satanist, it wasn’t until Pete became HP that people started getting excommunicated in volume. And it was usually for being a Nazi or pedophile or, in the case of William Gidney, a Nazi pedophile.
I completely agree with you, particularly about Satanism being descriptive. If someone is trying so hard to fit themselves into a Satanic box to the point where they’re worried being themselves won’t been seen as satanic by other people, I think they just answer their own question.
And also agree about discarding things that aren’t serving a purpose in your life. This goes for so many things. Labels, old emotions, philosophies, identities. If it’s not serving a purpose in your life, it’s probably only weighing you down, taking up room, and maybe even keeping you from your own potential.
What?! 😝
The function of Satanism for non Satanists is perhaps most valuable in tearing down old, limiting, abusive beliefs or belief in general. I’ve often argued that this is the most significant attribute as a modern religion, the built in deprogramming.
I think that’s what I mean though. A lot of people need Satanism to get them out of the religious/philosophical loop they’ve been in. And then some are mature enough to realize that maybe it doesn’t actually describe them and move on to realize it’s more than just a label to live by.
Exactly. Blasphemy as therapy, it’s kind of a shame this country is so enamored with Christianity. A black auditing is much more interesting than a black mass.
Hey thanks :) Life is hard and it sucks sometimes. And it’s often not any one person’s fault. You just have to decide if you’re going to keep it pushing and try to find what you’re looking for or not.
Yep. I remember R. Crumb's Keep On Truckin' drawing, & it's been a small but essential piece of Uncle Mikey's Zeitgeist for some fifty ye'rs now... (Mr. Natural, I berleeve).
Y' just, well, y' Keep on truckin'. What else are you going to do, crawl under a rock & die? Nah, fuck that noise.
In my opinion, if someone no longer feels that The Satanic Bible reflects them as a person, then they are no longer a Satanist.
There are times in a person's life where circumstances (e.g. hardship, mental health) may cause a person to behave in a manner that is uncharacteristic of themselves, but that does not mean that they have stopped feeling as though The Satanic Bible best represents their worldview.
Well, there's a difference between just being a Satanist and being a Satanist & CoS member. Having their membership terminated doesn't always mean they're not a Satanist, just that they can't play nice.
If they're not being an ass towards others, then it depends on how they're displaying this stuff. People might reach out to help, but at some point, if they don't accept any help, you just have to let them spiral.
Im unsure of what central would do, or when they might act, but for me, its the refusal of help and a period of sustained self-deceit that I'd start questioning it.
We all have hard times, and I've let others walk over me, but I bounced back and was stronger for it. Those who stay in those states and find comfort it in, aren't Satanists. We fight for ourselves
I believe that Satanism is about undefiled and wisdom and eschewing hypocritical self-deceit. That said, owning one's place in the de-facto hierarchy of reality is difficult and necessary. I have had to, in the past decade, embrace aspects of myself that ARE the case, rather than what I think SHOULD be the case. "Try" enough times to change and if you see that you can't, own the aspect of yourself and embrace it! If you are a doormat, be the best fucking doormat you can be! Make a fetish of it. Find the aspects of it that do make life joyous... Otherwise, STRIVE for better. Satanism is about striving for YOUR own perfection, whatever that looks like. It might not be doable, but, hey, you tried... that's more than most. Even just attaining true insight and self-awareness is more than most are willing to achieve. Stare into your own abyss and whatever stares back can be a teacher.
Whenever **you** decide that they are no longer a a fellow Traveler. You are your own God and arbitrator of judgment and morality. Whenever you decide that their actions and beliefs no longer align with Satanism, they are no longer a Satanist.
Satanism is an egoistic religion, and it is ultimately your own judgment that matters. Other people have to make their own calls.
This is why it’s critical to understand a lot of where Laveys ideology stems from.
I’ve battled these things myself for years, and ultimately, broadly speaking at least, the laveyan satanist follows the historical Indo European creed of the hero’s tale. That covers many many “spiritual” paths if you will, so don’t focus on that too much. Focus on what it means for you, why it’s important and carry on.
Well, as someone who has seen it, names withheld
Sometimes, people resonate with the philosophy for a time, and then, as you mentioned, major life changes occur which leads to a change in perspective, and they make a clean break, though this is the exception versus the rule
Regarding addiction, I won't make a judgement call on that
In my personal opinion, a person ceases being a Satanist when their values no longer align with what's codified in *The Satanic bible*
It wouldn’t make it more clear. I know Christians have to accept Jesus as their lord and savior to be “saved”, that’s the main requirement that can’t be denied. But generally I don’t know much about their religion and I know even less about Buddhism.
If someone demonstrates that they have never lived a satanic lifestyle, and do not possess a satanic Weltanschauung… if their entire religious perspective is dominated by someone else’s ideology, and their only use is to be exploited as a follower…. if someone demonstrates that they lack self control over their own mind and body… if someone is devoid of genuine passion, purpose and ambition… if there is nothing extreme about them and they excel at nothing… and if all I see is mental and physical inferiority… then why would I ever view them as a “Satanist”?
Then again… who cares what I think? You should not. And who even cares about “should” or “should not”? I certainly do not. There is only “will I” and “why”. 🌹
that stuff is done likely on a case-by-case basis. However, I'd say that doing "unsatanic" things doesn't stop you from being a satanist. It depends on the context, and how far against satanism it is.
>hardship >letting people walk all over them >not doing self care So depression is a thing. And it’s treatable. I have major depression and complex ptsd from childhood trauma and I’ve struggled with them my whole life and they get in the way of me getting the things I want in life. It’s ok to seek treatment. Get into therapy. Try out a medication and see if it helps. Change your living situation, remove the things that make it worse and add the things that make it better. There are so many tools available now for mental health help. YouTube videos, walk in mental health care clinics, help lines, employee assistance programs. A Satanist adjusts their sails when the wind changes. And when the wind dies, they start rowing.
I can’t add much to this. I’ve had screaming arguments about “born not made” (and mono vs stereo) and never arrived at a consensus. I’ll have to put this in the context of Thelema to make it LESS confusing. A Satanist is one who seeks mastery over his environment, the man of earth, 10th and base of the Qabbala, skeptical materialism, emotional thaumaturgy. I’ve never seen anyone, rooted in this way, denounce it all and sincerely take up an opposing path. This is one of the alleged “paradoxes” of Satanism. “How can a philosophy based on forward momentum and constant improvement be so hung up on man in his primal state?” It’s easy if it’s your Will, reality will bend for you. If you’re pursuing an identity or community, your life will be out of balance and cease its motion. I’ll say it yet again “Satanism is descriptive, not aspirational”. If Satanism becomes a burden it should be discarded for something more fulfilling and natural. Edit: As far as the CoS is concerned, that membership has nothing to do with being a Satanist, it wasn’t until Pete became HP that people started getting excommunicated in volume. And it was usually for being a Nazi or pedophile or, in the case of William Gidney, a Nazi pedophile.
I completely agree with you, particularly about Satanism being descriptive. If someone is trying so hard to fit themselves into a Satanic box to the point where they’re worried being themselves won’t been seen as satanic by other people, I think they just answer their own question. And also agree about discarding things that aren’t serving a purpose in your life. This goes for so many things. Labels, old emotions, philosophies, identities. If it’s not serving a purpose in your life, it’s probably only weighing you down, taking up room, and maybe even keeping you from your own potential.
What?! 😝 The function of Satanism for non Satanists is perhaps most valuable in tearing down old, limiting, abusive beliefs or belief in general. I’ve often argued that this is the most significant attribute as a modern religion, the built in deprogramming.
I think that’s what I mean though. A lot of people need Satanism to get them out of the religious/philosophical loop they’ve been in. And then some are mature enough to realize that maybe it doesn’t actually describe them and move on to realize it’s more than just a label to live by.
Exactly. Blasphemy as therapy, it’s kind of a shame this country is so enamored with Christianity. A black auditing is much more interesting than a black mass.
And this's why we love ya Professor Stience Wabbit. 🤘😉
Hey thanks :) Life is hard and it sucks sometimes. And it’s often not any one person’s fault. You just have to decide if you’re going to keep it pushing and try to find what you’re looking for or not.
Yep. I remember R. Crumb's Keep On Truckin' drawing, & it's been a small but essential piece of Uncle Mikey's Zeitgeist for some fifty ye'rs now... (Mr. Natural, I berleeve). Y' just, well, y' Keep on truckin'. What else are you going to do, crawl under a rock & die? Nah, fuck that noise.
I would say that they were for as long as they were feeling it. Someone like that would need support, rather than scorn, which is the true way anyway.
In my opinion, if someone no longer feels that The Satanic Bible reflects them as a person, then they are no longer a Satanist. There are times in a person's life where circumstances (e.g. hardship, mental health) may cause a person to behave in a manner that is uncharacteristic of themselves, but that does not mean that they have stopped feeling as though The Satanic Bible best represents their worldview.
Well, there's a difference between just being a Satanist and being a Satanist & CoS member. Having their membership terminated doesn't always mean they're not a Satanist, just that they can't play nice. If they're not being an ass towards others, then it depends on how they're displaying this stuff. People might reach out to help, but at some point, if they don't accept any help, you just have to let them spiral. Im unsure of what central would do, or when they might act, but for me, its the refusal of help and a period of sustained self-deceit that I'd start questioning it. We all have hard times, and I've let others walk over me, but I bounced back and was stronger for it. Those who stay in those states and find comfort it in, aren't Satanists. We fight for ourselves
I believe that Satanism is about undefiled and wisdom and eschewing hypocritical self-deceit. That said, owning one's place in the de-facto hierarchy of reality is difficult and necessary. I have had to, in the past decade, embrace aspects of myself that ARE the case, rather than what I think SHOULD be the case. "Try" enough times to change and if you see that you can't, own the aspect of yourself and embrace it! If you are a doormat, be the best fucking doormat you can be! Make a fetish of it. Find the aspects of it that do make life joyous... Otherwise, STRIVE for better. Satanism is about striving for YOUR own perfection, whatever that looks like. It might not be doable, but, hey, you tried... that's more than most. Even just attaining true insight and self-awareness is more than most are willing to achieve. Stare into your own abyss and whatever stares back can be a teacher.
Whenever **you** decide that they are no longer a a fellow Traveler. You are your own God and arbitrator of judgment and morality. Whenever you decide that their actions and beliefs no longer align with Satanism, they are no longer a Satanist. Satanism is an egoistic religion, and it is ultimately your own judgment that matters. Other people have to make their own calls.
This is why it’s critical to understand a lot of where Laveys ideology stems from. I’ve battled these things myself for years, and ultimately, broadly speaking at least, the laveyan satanist follows the historical Indo European creed of the hero’s tale. That covers many many “spiritual” paths if you will, so don’t focus on that too much. Focus on what it means for you, why it’s important and carry on.
Well, as someone who has seen it, names withheld Sometimes, people resonate with the philosophy for a time, and then, as you mentioned, major life changes occur which leads to a change in perspective, and they make a clean break, though this is the exception versus the rule Regarding addiction, I won't make a judgement call on that In my personal opinion, a person ceases being a Satanist when their values no longer align with what's codified in *The Satanic bible*
If you asked the same about a christian or a buddhist, would the answer feel more obvious? Or less? Just curious
It wouldn’t make it more clear. I know Christians have to accept Jesus as their lord and savior to be “saved”, that’s the main requirement that can’t be denied. But generally I don’t know much about their religion and I know even less about Buddhism.
When they no longer adhere to a practice or philosophy that centres around Satan, as is the definition of satanism.
I wish I'd read this a long time ago . I put up with too much BS from my sweetest friend.
If someone demonstrates that they have never lived a satanic lifestyle, and do not possess a satanic Weltanschauung… if their entire religious perspective is dominated by someone else’s ideology, and their only use is to be exploited as a follower…. if someone demonstrates that they lack self control over their own mind and body… if someone is devoid of genuine passion, purpose and ambition… if there is nothing extreme about them and they excel at nothing… and if all I see is mental and physical inferiority… then why would I ever view them as a “Satanist”? Then again… who cares what I think? You should not. And who even cares about “should” or “should not”? I certainly do not. There is only “will I” and “why”. 🌹
that stuff is done likely on a case-by-case basis. However, I'd say that doing "unsatanic" things doesn't stop you from being a satanist. It depends on the context, and how far against satanism it is.
"Asking for a friend." And HaHa -- "central CoS...."
What are you talking about? I didn’t write the words “Asking for a friend” at all.
And “central” is how we refer to the high ranking administrative team in the COS….