Is anti-theism (satanism) better than atheism?

[lewisnotmiller]

Sorry if I don't understand how satanism could be atheistic. Could you explain?

As per their doctrine, they are fundamentally theists. So I really cant understand how they could be atheistic.

They don't have 'a doctrine' though.
There are a whole range of diverse doctrines under the umbrella of Satanism.

From my earlier post regarding what Satan is seen as for non-theistic Satanists;

A counter-culture symbol.
The whole thing seems a little reactionary to me, to be honest, so I'm not sure I'm the best person to explain. But LeVeyan Satanism (eg. Church of Satan, First Satanic Church) is non-theistic. There are theistic Satanists too, with examples being Luciferianists (who see Satan as either a positive force, or the true God), O9A (neo-nazi links), or Setianism (who often prefer not to be identified as Satanists at all, but are LHP).

 

[PureX]

That's kinda the equivalent of putting your hands in over your ears and saying 'lalala, can't hear you'.

You're suggesting LaVeyan Satanism isn't Satanism?
That the Church of Satan isn't Satanic?

Why?

I mean, I've got no horse in this game, the whole thing has nothing at all to do with me. I was just trying to help educate a couple of people here who were assuming Satanism is always theistic. It's not. Indeed, theistic Satanism is less common.

LaVey is just another huckster like Olsteen or any of the others running mega-churches. He believes in money, same as they all do. The question is what do the people that give him that money believe? And my guess is that varies widely, as outlined above.

 

[lewisnotmiller]

LaVey is just another huckster like Olsteen or any of the others running mega-churches. He believes in money, same as they all do. The question is what do the people that give him that money believe? And my guess is that varies widely, as outlined above.

*shrugs*

Same bucket as 'prosperity gospel' then. But those folk are Christians and these folk are Satanists.

I'm not validating their beliefs...why would I?

 

[PureX]

*shrugs*

Same bucket as 'prosperity gospel' then. But those folk are Christians and these folk are Satanists.

I'm not validating their beliefs...why would I?

Not just prosperity. People believe lots of things for lots of reasons. LaVay and Olsteen are just selling them the images and stories necessary to help them do so. Theism is a very big umbrella that covers a lot of different motives and ideologies.

 

[Tinker Grey]

Can we stick to just one spelling? We've had LeVay, LaVey, and LaVay.

According to wiki, it's the second one: Anton LaVey - Wikipedia

 

[IndigoChild5559]

@questfortruth
anti-theism, so matter how obnoxious it is, is not the same as satanism.

 

[lewisnotmiller]

Not just prosperity. People believe lots of things for lots of reasons. LaVay and Olsteen are just selling them the images and stories necessary to help them do so. Theism is a very big umbrella that covers a lot of different motives and ideologies.

Of course.
As is atheism.

 

[Aštra’el]

This is on the eugenics part:

Satanism: The Feared Religion - Church of Satan.

“Satanists also seek to enhance the laws of nature by concentrating on fostering the practice of eugenics. This is not some exotic doctrine hatched in the brains of Third Reich medical madmen. It is the practice of encouraging people of talent and ability to reproduce, to enrich the gene pool from which our species can grow. This was commonly practiced throughout the world, as even a text on eugenics endorsed by the Women’s Christian Temperence Union can prove, until it was given a bad name by Nazi excesses. Until the genetic code is cracked and we can choose the character of our offspring at will, Satanists seek to mate the best with the best. Satanists who know that they are defective refrain from reproducing…”

Call it what you will. I completely approve.

 

[TagliatelliMonster]

I am producing more anti-theists than Christians from atheists.
But it is a considerable improvement to make an anti-theist from an atheist. The anti-theist is defined as one who knows all about God but fights Him. So, he is on satan's side: "enemy of my enemy is my friend." Anti-theist. A Christian is theist. Hence Anti-theist is the same as Anti-Christian, shortly: Antichrist. You suggesting that Biblical Antichrist is not aware of God's existence?

Atheists are lukewarm, aren't they? Then God does not like lukewarm people:
"I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other!"
Revelation 3:15.

Let me do it again. According to Scientific American,
the Big Bang is absent:
JWST’s First Glimpses of Early Galaxies Could Break Cosmology
And according to Creationism by Kent Hovind, the Big Bang is absent. I see a clear connection.

To my knowledge, anti-theists are atheists who not only not believe in religions, but who actively oppose them and wish to see them disappear.

I might qualify in a sense. But not in a sense that I think religions should be made illegal or whatever.
But I do think the world would be better of with a populace that doesn't think believing things on faith is a good idea and who instead will actively try to always be rationally justified in their beliefs.

It's utopia though. It will never happen.
Humans simply are primates with certain psychological weaknesses and who are very very prone to superstitious beliefs. So I don't expect religion to ever go away.

 

[Ella S.]

Are you sure that there is no single sexual minority that 1. is consensual, 2. disgusting? What about exhibitionists?

Homosexuality isn't just about sex. It's often about loving, romantic partnerships between two people of the same sex which can have the same emotional depth and passion as love in a heterosexual partnership.

What's so disgusting to you about love?

 

[Ella S.]

Please explain how they are not theists. That's for my knowledge only. The statement "non-theistic satanists" is an oxymoron in my understanding. That's why I am asking you this question.

LaVeyan Satanism is a philosophy that uses Satanic and anti-Christian imagery for shock value.

When it was first created, it was based around the icon of Baphomet, who represents the God of Pantheism and could be interacted with through magic. As the Church of Satan grew in influence, its concept of magic became secularized to mentalism and it went from Pantheism to Naturalistic Pantheism to outright atheism.

During this change, many of the former members who were still theistic occultists left to form the First Satanic Church and the Temple of Set, which continued on the theistic traditions. Despite this, the Church of Satan continues to claim to be the only "true" form of Satanism, and rejects even other LaVeyan Satanists.

The actual philosophy, while loosely inspired by Crowley and Blavatsky's descriptions of the Left-Hand Path, is mostly taken from Social Darwinism.

LaVeyan Satanism used to be the most popular form of Satanism, but before LaVeyan Satanism there were the "Decadent" and "Symbolist" art movements that relied heavily on Satanic imagery inspired by Milton's Paradise Lost. These "Romantic Satanists" (as they came to be called) included figures like Baudelaire, Mary Shelley, Lord Byron, and Taxil. Being art, the use of Satanic themes was meant more as a critique of popular religious culture and an exploration of the taboo than literal devil worship.

This art movement inspired the current most popular secular Satanic philosophy, which is espoused by the Temple of Satan. The Temple of Satan pulls on the political philosophies of these Romantic Satanists, which are closely tied to socialism and anarchism.

There are Satanists who venerate Satan, which is sometimes called "Diabolism" or "Diabolatry" by LaVeyan Satanists to distinguish it from the secular philosophy, but they are more commonly known as "theistic Satanists." Technically, they predate both Romantic Satanism and LaVeyan Satanism, since they have ties to goetic demonolatry which traces all the way back to ancient Greece.

 

[firedragon]

LaVeyan Satanism is a philosophy that uses Satanic and anti-Christian imagery for shock value.

When it was first created, it was based around the icon of Baphomet, who represents the God of Pantheism and could be interacted with through magic. As the Church of Satan grew in influence, its concept of magic became secularized to mentalism and it went from Pantheism to Naturalistic Pantheism to outright atheism.

During this change, many of the former members who were still theistic occultists left to form the First Satanic Church and the Temple of Set, which continued on the theistic traditions. Despite this, the Church of Satan continues to claim to be the only "true" form of Satanism, and rejects even other LaVeyan Satanists.

The actual philosophy, while loosely inspired by Crowley and Blavatsky's descriptions of the Left-Hand Path, is mostly taken from Social Darwinism.

LaVeyan Satanism used to be the most popular form of Satanism, but before LaVeyan Satanism there were the "Decadent" and "Symbolist" art movements that relied heavily on Satanic imagery inspired by Milton's Paradise Lost. These "Romantic Satanists" (as they came to be called) included figures like Baudelaire, Mary Shelley, Lord Byron, and Taxil. Being art, the use of Satanic themes was meant more as a critique of popular religious culture and an exploration of the taboo than literal devil worship.

This art movement inspired the current most popular secular Satanic philosophy, which is espoused by the Temple of Satan. The Temple of Satan pulls on the political philosophies of these Romantic Satanists, which are closely tied to socialism and anarchism.

There are Satanists who venerate Satan, which is sometimes called "Diabolism" or "Diabolatry" by LaVeyan Satanists to distinguish it from the secular philosophy, but they are more commonly known as "theistic Satanists." Technically, they predate both Romantic Satanism and LaVeyan Satanism, since they have ties to goetic demonolatry which traces all the way back to ancient Greece.

Yes I understood this through this thread. Thank you very much.

I think we cannot call satanism as atheism by definition. But I understand some satanic groups are.

 

[questfortruth]

What's so disgusting to you about love?

I am sure, God of the Bible exists. He has own view on Sodom and Homora. I have seen God.

 

[Spirit of Light]

I am sure, God of the Bible exists. He has own view on Sodom and Homora. I have seen God.

What did God look like to you?

 

[questfortruth]

What did God look like to you?

One could reply that it looked like Shiny Light, but I know better. It was "Heightened perception of reality." People, things around felt extremely real and full of Life and Love. It was not near-death experience. More in How God looks like?