Does it make sense to use ''Satan'' for an atheistic religious group?

[Desert Snake]

That definition of ''atheist' is far broader than one that I would use. a 'pagan', to me, isn't an 'atheist'

The thread premise question, is not a refutation of atheistic satanism

 

[dgirl1986]

That definition of ''atheist' is far broader than one that I would use. a 'pagan', to me, isn't an 'atheist'

The thread premise question, is not a refutation of atheistic satanism

Satanism is considered by some to be pagan.

One can be a pagan and an atheist. Atheism only states a non belief of a god.

 

[Desert Snake]

Satanism is considered by some to be pagan.

One can be a pagan and an atheist. Atheism only states a non belief of a god.

'Can be' and practical usage are two different things. I personally would dismiss a claim of 'pagan', if the person identified specifically also as ''atheist'.

 

[Desert Snake]

Satanism is considered by some to be pagan.

Pretty arbitrary...

 

[dgirl1986]

'Can be' and practical usage are two different things. I personally would dismiss a claim of 'pagan', if the person identified specifically also as ''atheist'.

The term Pagan is an umbrella term, it does not specify a belief system or set practices. One can have a non belief in gods, but be pagan as well.

 

[dgirl1986]

Pretty arbitrary...

Please see my pervious post.

 

[leibowde84]

I won't disagree, at least right now.



Atheism? Pretty much nothing. Atheism is not a driving force at all.

An atheistic religious group will have its own motivations and goals, though. It just turns out that atheism is not capable of being one of those.

To the best of my understanding, atheistic Buddhists and Hindus tend to be faithful to certain ideals and to worship the beauty of some possibilities inherent in existence, while Atheistic Satanist groups tend to be faithful to what I would roughly describe as self-reliance and self-respect. But it is really their call to make - and I am fairly sure that they don't have much of a consensus on the matter anyway.

Isn't "Atheistic Satanism" counter-intuitive though? If they lack a belief in the existence of God, where does Satan fit in?

 

[leibowde84]

Lots of loose definitions of religion abound that do not require a god specifically or any figure of worship (which would include Raelism, Taoism, non-theistic forms of Buddhism, Hinduism, Unitarian Universalists and some Neopagan revivalism, LaVey Satanism).

I agree, but that wouldn't include "atheism". Obviously, there are plenty of groups that are atheistic in nature that might be "religious". But, how would "atheism" in general fit in?

 

[Sutekh]

Isn't "Atheistic Satanism" counter-intuitive though? If they lack a belief in the existence of God, where does Satan fit in?

Satan fits in symbolically as a character representing pride and carnality for the individual himself. In my own viewpoint this archetype called Satan drives the individual psyche to question certain things conventionally. I also regard the individual as the personification of Satan himself.

 

[Sutekh]

But, how would "atheism" in general fit in?

It all depends, many people who are atheistic in a religious sense be it Satanism or Wicca would primarily use these deities or demonic figures as archetypes. A character who therefore drives man and influences man himself.

 

[LuisDantas]

Isn't "Atheistic Satanism" counter-intuitive though? If they lack a belief in the existence of God, where does Satan fit in?

Apparently a fair share of Satanists like to use the concept of Satan as meaning, in essence, honest self-interest.

I suspect also that another segment has a slightly unusual understanding of atheism and diferentiate between belief in the existence of a supernatural Satan and the worship or reverence for that Satan.

I don't necessarily agree, but for a while now I have felt that when it comes to concepts related to belief in deities the field is very much a free-for-all with no clear boundaries.

 

[JeremK]

If I'm not mistaken, atheistic Satanists don't profess a belief in Satan as a spiritual being, but make use of the morals his rebellious nature proposes.

 

[ADigitalArtist]

I agree, but that wouldn't include "atheism". Obviously, there are plenty of groups that are atheistic in nature that might be "religious". But, how would "atheism" in general fit in?

I did not mean to imply that it would. Only that religious atheist is not a self-defeating term because religion and atheism aren't mutually exclusive, just atheism and belief in gods.

Edit: should add that theism in general is also not a religion, as belief in gods doesn't imply ritual practice, worship, code of belief, etc.

 

[Sutekh]

If I'm not mistaken, atheistic Satanists don't profess a belief in Satan as a spiritual being, but make use of the morals his rebellious nature proposes.

He is an adversarial figure, the one who questions and opposed that of light. These are my own interpretations.

 

[leibowde84]

Satan fits in symbolically as a character representing pride and carnality for the individual himself. In my own viewpoint this archetype called Satan drives the individual psyche to question certain things conventionally. I also regard the individual as the personification of Satan himself.

Why would atheism, or the mere lack of belief in deities, represent pride or carnal its? Atheists seem to accept ignorance when it comes to God, whereas theists seem to think they have the answer, right? Thus, I would argue that theism would represent pride much better. Agree? Disagree?

 

[leibowde84]

It all depends, many people who are atheistic in a religious sense be it Satanism or Wicca would primarily use these deities or demonic figures as archetypes. A character who therefore drives man and influences man himself.

Satanists aren't atheistic, as they believe in Satan and God, right? Wiccans also believe in a diety of some kind? What definition of atheistic are you using here?

 

[ADigitalArtist]

Satanists aren't atheistic, as they believe in Satan and God, right? Wiccans also believe in a diety of some kind? What definition of atheistic are you using here?

Satanism of the LaVey variety don't believe Satan is a real entity, just a symbol. They are self-described atheists.

 

[leibowde84]

Satanism of the LaVey variety don't believe Satan is a real entity, just a symbol. They are self-described atheists.

I stand corrected.

 

[Sutekh]

Satanists aren't atheistic, as they believe in Satan and God, right? Wiccans also believe in a diety of some kind? What definition of atheistic are you using here?

A Satanist is a Satanist, many Satanists such as myself have a different view. Some Satanists do not necessarily believe in a god or a devil some regard him as a force or an archetype a character who is therefore used as a personification and in influence to man. Their are also many branches of Wicca as well some are eclectic and some can be different to that extent as well. The definition of atheistic that I am using is within some organizations such as the Church of Satan, the Church of Satan regards Satan As a symbol of mans inherent nature to some extent Satanism and the Church of Satan is epicurean where you henceforth enjoy the most out of life and the here and now. Many people say that the Church of Satan had an attraction to some esoteric people like Dr. Aquino himself who broke out of the Church and Started the Temple of Set or TOS.

 

[Sutekh]

Atheists seem to accept ignorance when it comes to God, whereas theists seem to think they have the answer, right?

You tend to have a bit of a point, while I am perhaps an atheist myself to that extent I am not one of those Atheists who are ignorant when it comes to a debate to God or a higher power. With me I never really felt any spiritual connection to God himself, but I am not a huge atheist that has an axe to grine. A theist who is maybe an evangelical Christian or maybe a Mormon may think that they have the right answer themselves. But normally it comes to questioning their ways if their assumptions are correct of a higher power up in the skies. All of us may experience things out of the ordinary as I have experienced that in the past.