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Template:Unchristianity Template:Whoops (Q"THEY MAKE GREAT TORCHES!) Christianity is a monounsaturated religion whose followers believe that a white skinned Middle Eastern dude called Jesus aka Christ was nailed to a cross 2000 years ago, and so everything is now going to be OK.

Allegedly started in the year 0, no one really knows if it is all bullshit or not, but it remains popular today because it is the only socially acceptable large scale religion for Caucasians, and sometimes you get free bread and wine.

Worship involves praying to effigies to save you from Hell, eating Jesus's body and drinking his blood; finding security in the fact that someone is watching you-always, loves you, and is taking care of you, but will send you to burn in hell for all eternity if you disobey him once; believing that homosexuality between consenting adults is a sin that is on par with all others (yes, including that one) and routinely trying to get rid of the stereotype Catholics have given all the other other various types of Christianity. In addition most Christians wear nice hats.

Christianity is ruled by the Pope, although many Christians think he is an asshole.

History of Christianity

Christians first came to public attention when the Romans discovered that feeding them to their lions provided not only great entertainment for the crowds, but also vital nutritional sustenance.

Lions in the wild often suffer from a lack of Vitamin C (short for Christians). They contain essential vitamins and nutrients that maintain a proper diet and remain at the top of the food chain. This is opposed to Vitamin A (Atheists) who, contrary to popular belief, don't help you see the truth. "Finnah mess you up" (Leviticus 69:0.33)

It is said that if Christians ever evolve then the lions will be forced onto the endangered species list. Christians can only evolve by eating fruit from a tree in a Garden. According to a magical talking snake, this fruit contains knowledge.

The leader of the Christian insurgency, God, strictly prohibits this as it allows Christians to climb the evolutionary ladder. The worship of God's estranged hippie son Jesus is common among Christians as they often follow in herds. Although Jesus did not invent the famed leaflets, he helped in the construction of a popular hat/crown. This behavior is not unlike the so called "rack of lamb, of god" who was born to a woman named the Virgin Mary, who claimed her son was born after she "didn't have sex with a bottle of tomato juice"

The Bible

The Christian Bible is a rewritten version of the Jewish Torrah, via the Egyptians who copied theirs from the Babylonian, who copied the Indians.

It is THE story. The great story told all over the world, and has been told more times than all other stories. It is the story of God, and Good vs Evil and the Devil. Opinions differ between Atheists and Christians if that counts as 2 or 4 people in the story, so a compromise has been taken and the Bible ended up being about a trinity just like most of the others. To this day the formula remains popular with movie makers in such classics as The Matrix, Star Wars, Lord of the Rings and Watership down.

The Old Testament or Torrah was mostly copied from the Iraqis by an Egyptian named Aken Atan in an effort to convince everyone to worship him and not a load stone penises. He was also trying to help his brother Moses get laid, which failed, so Moses cut the end off his penis and left for the promised land.

Everything was going fine for the Romans until someone (possibly Jesus) suggested that maybe everyone should stop fucking everyone over so much. This was disastrous for Rome because its economy was based on fucking everyone over. As the Romans gradually all became Christian pussies and started acting all Christian Rome gradually began to collapse.

A few years after whatever Jesus was either walked upon England's mountains green or did not everyone agreed that something had happened to Rome. Although Jesus haters claimed he just nicked it all from Buddha his ideas of not fucking over thy fellow man were catching on and no one could deny it. Controlling Gods word and knowledge has always been pretty handy so there have always been lots of different versions of the story floating about. Some containing wisdom, usually containing bullshit.

The Roman emperors were willing to put up with people worshipping fish, owls, or volcanoes so long as the Emperor was still the boss, but when things got so bad that Roman soldiers started cutting off their own balls for religious reasons something had to be done. What was left of the Roman Empire had a vote around AD 340 and decided that Jesus was a supernatural being after all, buried the stories which said otherwise, and hid most of the stone penises. So that they could fuck things up thousands of years later they merged the mythologises of loads of old religions into their new Christianity so that one day they can claim there is no such thing as good because someone made a story up once.

When Rome finally ran out of people willing to kill for them they moved the Roman Empire to the Vatican and hid in a church. The Bible was printed for distribution on a massive scale at Walmart to help spread peace and love on earth.

Christian ties to the Sith

Indigenous Christians have only three sources of knowledge: The Bible, Fox News, and Emperor Palpatine. Many Humans today have evolved enough to not believe in Christianity. Still Logic is not part of Christian DNA. It is believed that molecules of the force influenced primitive Christians to believe in concepts now disproved by the Jedi Council, the US Supreme Court (and the Even Supremer Court), and the United Nations.

The leader of the Christians Pope Benedict XVIA.K.A Pope Bendydick controls all Catholics (Most normal Christians find him kinda wack-o) from his base, the Vatican City. The Pope is infallible, or he can't be wrong.

He has used his position of power to help contribute to Republican rule through force. This is mostly seen through the US Military Stormtroopers, The Lord's Resistance Army of the Galactic Empire of Africa.

Recently two Crusades have been commision in the Middle East, and Christian spies have instigated and backed blinded revolutions through out the East making it weak for a Crusader take over, The Republicans will then enslaved the Heathens to strengthen the Galactic Empire and use the slaves to build Weapons of Mass Slavery to take over the Universe!!!

Most Christians Deny

• Evolution (it's just a theory!)
• Allowing themselves to act or feel like an animal
• Their children their own minds.
• Having anything whatsoever to do with the Jehovah's Witnesses or Mormons
• Muhammed
• Gay people who are not members of clergy
• Agreeing on one story and sticking to it
• Stealing Pagan ideas
• Killing and discriminating against followers of other religions.
• Morgan Freeman, for making us realize he would make a pretty good God
• Global Warming
• Missing shots during church-league basketball games (I bet a Jew would've made that free-throw)
• Making lists of things they don't believe in

Practices

The bible supports numerous peaceful and god-worshiping practices such as:

Incest (QA FATHER MAY STICK HIS FINGER INTO HIS DAUGHTER TO HELP PROVE SHE IS A VIRGIN, REPEATEDLY.)

Sexism (QLET A WOMAN LEARN IN SILENCE WITH ALL SUBMISSIVENESS. I PERMIT NO WOMAN TO TEACH OR TO HAVE AUTHORITY OVER MEN; SHE IS TO KEEP SILENT.)

Not listening to rock music (QTHOU SHALT NOT LISTEN TO ANY MUSIC THAT CONTAINS AN ELECTRIC GUITAR OR CONTAINS THE USE OF INFORMATION NOT PRESENTED THROUGH THE BIBLE.)

Why Convert? (QCONVERT OR WE WILL KILL YOU)

Don't kill people (QTHOU SHALT NOT KILL)

Slavery (QYES.)

(QIF A MAN BEATS HIS MALE OR FEMALE SLAVE WITH A GOOD ROD AND THE SLAVE DIES AS A DIRECT RESULT, HE MUST BE PUNISHED, BUT HE IS NOT TO BE PUNISHED IF THE SLAVE GETS UP AFTER A DAY OR TWO, SINCE THE SLAVE IS HIS PROPERTY.)

The Dark Side of the force (QLET ALL MEN WORSHIP POPE BENEDICT TO DEFEAT THE JEDI REBELS AND GAIN INFINITE CONTROL OF THE UNIVERSE.)

(QGOOD. I CAN FEEL YOUR ANGER. I AM DEFENCELESS. TAKE YOUR WEAPON - STRIKE ME DOWN WITH ALL OF YOUR HATRED, AND YOUR JOURNEY TO THE DARK SIDE WILL BE COMPLETE.)

Homosexuality (QTHOU SHALT NOT TICKLE THE CHOCOLATE STARFISH. UNLESS YOU'RE OVER 45 AND A PRIEST WITH SCOUTS EXPERIENCE.)

Lion Chow Blends

Besides the Christians put into various blends of Purina Lion Chow, there is Catholic Lion Chow, Southern Baptist Lion Chow (tastes like chicken!) and for those lions that are picky eaters, Mormon Lion Chow. Today, as in ancient times, wild dogs, bears, and wolves are loosed on Christians. Research by veterinarians has borne out the theory that supplementing wild carnivore's diet with Christians is essential to good health and longevity.

There are also a number of less popular blends, composed of sinful Christians generally available, also called the Left Behind

In Sports And Entertainment

Many Pagans and Atheists enjoy watching lions eat, so much so that they began crowding into zoos. For this reason, the Roman Empire built structures known as "Colosseums" to accommodate the throngs of lion-enthusiasts. Weekends, invented by Julius Goober Prolapse in 12 AD, would fill these architectural behemoths to capacity with blood-thirsty citizens.

In modern times this has evolved into a highly successful commercial venture, especially after becoming syndicated with sports and news networks in the liberal media conspiracy. The most popular show featuring lions eating Christians is the 700 Club Lions Club. However, this sport is still high and alive, except the lion has been replaced with Charles Darwin's Pit bull.

Lawsuits

Animal rights activists are suing Purina, makers of Lion Chow, for including a non-Christian ingredient, the DaVinci Code, in shipments bound overseas in an effort to cut costs. It turns out that lions will eat and tolerate some DaVincii Code, but proves fatal when eaten in a den. Lawyers on both sides call each other filthy names on a regular basis, just to keep in practice.

Rival Gaines, of Gaines Burger dog food fame, was indirectly involved with Christian consumption lawsuits when they introduced Shark Chow, made of only the finest cuts of litagator. The resulting shortage of legal professionals caused the Great Litigation Shortage in 1986.

Reflex

Nowadays Jesus is also a reflex. This can be witnessed when your Dad is pissed off and yells, "JESUS" The origin of this can be traced to Christianity's growth in Spain. The legend states that the Spanish church had a dog named Jesus (pronounced Hey-Zeus). Locals had so much trouble pronouncing the dog's name correctly that they would often bear wittiness to Priests yelling the name "JESUS" at them. Today yelling Jesus is widely consider a proper way to respond to claims of the Church. Because contradictions are alright in Christianity, this is also a sin, unless watching the Detroit Lions play (Levitivitiviticus 69:.033). It is also due to the part of our brain which predisposes us toward Christianity. As they Bible says "...Therefore, thee who do not hold the strength of the Holy Spirit (the brain) are impaired, or according to Our Lord 'straight up retarded'".

See also

• Jesus
• Pope Benedict
• Virgin Mary
• Reasons to become an atheist
• Masochristian
• Are you a heretic

External links

• - Christian accomplishments.
• - Help You Find A church.
• - Google generated profile of "Christians".
• - Find a lion church in the united states.
• - Join prayer groups, view the bible, and search churches.
• - Videos of typical Christian]

Historical background

European Enlightenment, some works, such as Paradise Lost, were taken up by Romantics like Byron and described as presenting the biblical figure of Satan as an allegory representing a crisis of faith, individualism, free will, wisdom and enlightenment. Those works actually featuring Satan as a heroic character are fewer in number but do exist. George Bernard Shaw and Mark Twain (cf. Letters from the Earth) included such characterizations in their works long before religious Satanists took up the pen. From then on, Satan and Satanism started to gain a new meaning outside of Christianity.

Definition

Petersen noted that "Satanism as something others do is very different from Satanism as a self-designation".

Theistic Satanism

Theistic Satanism (also known as traditional Satanism, Spiritual Satanism or Devil worship) is a form of Satanism with the primary belief that Satan is an actual deity or force to revere or worship. Other characteristics of theistic Satanism may include a belief in magic, which is manipulated through ritual, although that is not a defining criterion, and theistic Satanists may focus solely on devotion. Unlike LaVeyan Satanism, theistic Satanism believes that Satan is a real being rather than a symbol of individualism.

Luciferianism

Luciferianism can be understood best as a belief system or intellectual creed that venerates the essential and inherent characteristics that are affixed and commonly given to Lucifer. Luciferianism is often identified as an auxiliary creed or movement of Satanism, due to the common identification of Lucifer with Satan. Some Luciferians accept this identification and/or consider Lucifer as the "light bearer" and illuminated aspect of Satan, giving them the name of Satanists and the right to bear the title. Others reject it, giving the argument that Lucifer is a more positive and easy-going ideal than Satan. They are inspired by the ancient myths of Egypt, Rome and Greece, Gnosticism and traditional Western occultism.

Palladists

Palladists are an alleged theistic Satanist society or member of that society. The name Palladian comes from Pallas and refers to the Greco-Roman goddess of wisdom and learning.

Our Lady of Endor Coven

Our Lady of Endor Coven, also known as Ophite Cultus Satanas (originally spelled "Sathanas"), was a satanic cult founded in 1948 by Herbert Arthur Sloane in Toledo, Ohio. The group was heavily influenced by gnosticism (especially that found in the contemporary book by Hans Jonas, The Gnostic Religion), and worshiped Satanas, their name for Satan (Cultus Satanas is a Latin version of Cult of Satan). Satanas (or Satan) was defined in gnostic terms as the Serpent in the Garden of Eden who revealed the knowledge of the true God to Eve. That it called itself "Ophite" is a reference to the ancient gnostic sect of the Ophites, who were said to worship the serpent.

Atheistic Satanism

LaVeyan Satanism is a religious philosophy founded in 1966 by Anton LaVey, codified in The Satanic Bible and overseen by the Church of Satan. Its core philosophy is based concepts of individualism, egoism, epicureanism, self-deification and self-preservation, and propagates a worldview of natural law, materialism, Lex Talionis, and mankind as animals in an amoral universe. Adherents to the philosophy have described Satanism as a non-spiritual religion of the flesh, or "...the world's first carnal religion".

Contrary to popular belief, LaVeyan Satanism does not involve "devil worship" or worship of any deities. It is an atheistic philosophy that asserts the individual as his or her own god. Adherents instead see the character of Satan as an archetype of pride, carnality, liberty, enlightenment, undefiled wisdom, and of a cosmos which Satanists perceive to be motivated by a "dark evolutionary force of entropy that permeates all of nature and provides the drive for survival and propagation inherent in all living things". He also serves as a conceptual framework and an external metaphorical projection of highest personal potential. Satan (Hebrew: שָּׂטָן satan, meaning "adversary") is seen as a symbol of defiance to the conservatism of mainstream philosophical and religious currents, mainly the Abrahamic religions, that see this character as their antithesis.

The prefix "LaVeyan" was never used by Anton LaVey or by the Church of Satan, nor does the term appear in any of its literature. The church has stated its contention that they are the first formally organized religion to adopt the term "Satanism" and asserts that Satanism and the 'worship of Satan' are not congruent. The term "Theistic Satanism" has been described as "oxymoronic" by the church and its High Priest. The Church of Satan rejects the legitimacy of any other organizations who claim to be Satanists, dubbing them reverse-Christians, pseudo-Satanists or Devil worshipers. Today, the Church of Satan promotes itself as the only authentic representation of Satanism, and it routinely publishes materials underscoring this contention.

The fundamentals of the religion's creed are synthesized in The Nine Satanic Statements, The Nine Satanic Sins, and The Eleven Satanic Rules of the Earth.

Accusations of Satanism

Historically, some people or groups have been specifically described as worshiping Satan or the Devil, or of being devoted to the work of Satan. The widespread preponderance of these groups in European cultures is in part connected with the importance and meaning of Satan within Christianity.

Christianity

• Pagans celebrating Pan, Odin, Perkūnas, or other pagan deities were often claimed by the Catholic Church to be worshiping the Devil and his crones and minions.
• Many gnostic groups have been regarded as Satanic, with its prominent details implying Lucifer, or the serpent, as being a true god or prophet that liberated Adam and Eve while the god of the Old Testament is regarded as a demiurge. Hegemonius accused Mani, founder of Manicheanism, of being Satanic when Mani said that Jehovah is "the devil god which created the world" and that "he who spoke with Moses, the Jews, and the priests, is the of Darkness, not the god of truth."
• The witch trials in early modern Europe, in particular, the notion that witches congregated at a Witches' Sabbath in order to serve the Devil.
• Gilles de Rais (15th century, France) was a French nobleman who was tried and executed for the murders of hundreds of children in quasi-Satanic rituals.
• Johann Georg Faust. (16th century, Germany) Many instructions, in German and in Latin, for making a pact with the Devil were attributed to him. These were collected and published in Germany in a few of the volumes of Das Kloster (1845–1849).
• Urbain Grandier (17th century, France). Although set up by the Catholic Church, a very famous document, in Latin, of a pact with the Devil he allegedly wrote has been preserved.
• People involved in the Poison Affair, such as Catherine Deshayes and Étienne Guibourg (17th century, France). The documentation from their trial is the principal Early Modern source for information on the Black Mass.
• The Marquis de Sade (18th century, France), described by Iwan Bloch as being a fanatic Satanist. His works graphically described blasphemy against the Catholic Church, such as an orgy resembling a Black Mass conducted by Pope Pius VI in the Vatican (in his novel Juliette).
• In 1865, the anti-Vatican Italian poet Giosuè Carducci published his poem Inno a Satana ("Hymn to Satan"), praising Satan as the god of reason and expressing religious hatred towards Christianity.
• Many adherents of the Decadent movement, such as the Polish author Stanisław Przybyszewski, the Belgian artist Félicien Rops, and the French poet Charles Baudelaire (who published Les Litanies de Satan in 1857) either called themselves Satanists, or created overtly Satanist artwork and literature.
• Some French movements widely described as being Satanist by French writers of the time (late 19th to early 20th centuries). The most well-known description available in English is the 1891 novel Là-bas by Joris-Karl Huysmans. However, there were numerous other well-known personalities in France that were related to the circles Huysmans describes, such as Joseph-Antoine Boullan, Stanislas de Guaita, Henri Antoine Jules-Bois, and Joséphin Péladan, who either wrote about Satanism in France, or were accused of being Satanists themselves.
• Freemasonry was described as being Satanist in the completely discredited Taxil hoax.
• In Germany, from about 1910 to 1925, Hanns Heinz Ewers, who was becoming a popular German horror writer (including for film scripts), was giving lectures on Die Religion des Satan (The Religion of Satan), inspired by Stanisław Przybyszewski's 1897 German work Die Synagoge des Satan (The Synagogue of Satan). In 1926, Eugen Grosche founded the Fraternitas Saturni, which dealt with both Lucifer and Satan, and published the book Satanische Magie (Satanic Magic) the same year.
• At least two Satanic (or "Luciferian") sects existed in France in the 1930s. One was led by Maria de Naglowska, and had rituals dedicated to Satan and Lucifer. Another, led by a former Catholic priest, celebrated an inversion of the Latin Mass (a "Luciferian Mass"), which included the phrase "In nomine Domini Dei nostri Satanae Luciferi Excelsi" (a phrase that re-appeared 30 years later in Anton LaVey's Satanic Bible).

Islam

The Yazidis, a minority religion of the Middle East who worship Melek Taus, are often referred to as Satan worshippers by some Muslims. Due to this, they have been targeted for conversion and extermination by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.

Popular music

Black metal has often been connected with Satanism, in part for the lyrical content of several bands and their frequent use of imagery often tied to left hand path beliefs (such as the inverted pentagram). More often than not musicians associating themselves with black metal say they do not believe in legitimate Satanic ideology and often profess to being atheists, agnostics, or religious skeptics. In some instances, followers of right hand path religions use Satanic references for entertainment purposes and shock value. Most of black metal's "first wave" bands only used Satanism for shock value; one of the few exceptions is Mercyful Fate singer King Diamond, who follows LaVeyan Satanism and whom Michael Moynihan calls "one of the only performers of the '80s Satanic Metal who was more than just a poseur using a devilish image for shock value". One early precursor to Satanic metal was the 1969 rock album Witchcraft Destroys Minds & Reaps Souls, which contained numerous references to Satanism that reappeared in later Satanic rock music.

Glen Benton, vocalist and bassist of the band Deicide, once openly claimed to be a practitioner of theistic Satanism, and has spoken publicly to profess staunch anti-Christian sentiment. The controversial Dissection frontman Jon Nödtveidt openly spoke about his "chaos-gnostic" satanic beliefs, being a member of the Misanthropic Luciferian Order, and called his band "the sonic propaganda unit of the MLO". Norwegian black metal artists such as Euronymous from Mayhem and Infernus from Gorgoroth have also identified themselves as Satanists and actively promoted their beliefs. Numerous church burnings that covered parts of Norway in the early 1990s were also attributed to youths involved in the black metal movement, which included people promoting theistic Satanic beliefs and strong anti-LaVeyan attitudes. However, the legitimacy of such actions as Satanic endeavors, rather than simply rebellious actions done for publicity, is something that has been doubted by even some of those who contribute to the genre.

Organizations

The Church of Satan

The Church of Satan is an international organization dedicated to the religion of LaVeyan Satanism as codified in The Satanic Bible. The Church of Satan was established at the Black House in San Francisco, California, on Walpurgisnacht, April 30, 1966, by Anton Szandor LaVey, who was the church's High Priest until his death in 1997. In 2001, Peter H. Gilmore was appointed to the position of high priest, and the church's headquarters were moved to Hell's Kitchen, Manhattan, New York City. The Church of Satan describes its structural basis as a cabal that is "an underground cell-system of individuals who share the basis of philosophy". On their website, the Church of Satan urge anyone seeking to learn about Satanism to read The Satanic Bible, stating that doing so is "tantamount to understanding at least the basics of Satanism". The church emphasizes that one does not have to join the organization to consider themselves a Satanist, and that one only needs to recognize themselves in The Satanic Bible and live according to the tenets outlined therein. The church offers wedding, funeral and baptismal services to members. Such ceremonies are performed by a member of the church's priesthood.

Membership to the Church of Satan is available on two levels: registered membership and active membership. Registered membership is available for basic affiliation, while active membership is available for those who wish to take a more active role in the organization, and is subject to the completion of a more comprehensive application. The church follows a formulated system of degrees based on meritocracy. These degrees are not open to application or to request and are only awarded to those who demonstrate excellence in the understanding and communication of Satanic Theory coupled with personal achievements in the outside world. The Church of Satan evaluates active members for the Priesthood by their accomplishment in society—mastered skills and peer recognition within a profession—rather than by mastery of "irrelevant occult trivia." Membership in the Priesthood is by invitation only. As the Church of Satan does not publicly release membership information, it is not known how many members belong to the Church. However, according to an interview with the Church of Satan, "interest in the Church of Satan and Satanism is growing all the time if our mailboxes, answering and fax machines, and e-mail is any indication."

The church has stated its contention that they are the first formally organized religion to adopt the term "Satanism" and asserts that Satanism and the 'worship of Satan' are not congruent. The church rejects the legitimacy of any other organizations who claim to be Satanists, atheistic or otherwise, and promotes itself as the only authentic representation of Satanism.

First Satanic Church

After LaVey's death in 1997 the Church of Satan was taken over by a new administration and its headquarters was moved to New York. LaVey's daughter, the High Priestess Karla LaVey, felt this to be a disservice to her father's legacy. The First Satanic Church was re-founded on October 31, 1999 by Karla LaVey to carry on the legacy of her father. She continues to run it out of San Francisco, California.

Temple of Set

The Temple of Set is an initiatory occult society claiming to be the world's leading left-hand path religious organization. It was established in 1975 by Michael A. Aquino and certain members of the priesthood of the Church of Satan, who left because of administrative and philosophical disagreements. ToS deliberately self-differentiates from CoS in several ways, most significantly in theology and sociology. The philosophy of the Temple of Set may be summed up as "enlightened individualism" — enhancement and improvement of oneself by personal education, experiment and initiation. This process is necessarily different and distinctive for each individual. The members do not agree on whether Set is "real" or not, and they're not expected to.

Setianism, in theory, is similar to theistic Satanism. The principle deity of Setianism is the ancient Egyptian god Set, or Seth, the god of adversary. Set supposedly is the Dark Lord behind the Hebrew entity Satan. Set, as the first principle of consciousness, is emulated by Setians, who symbolize the concept of individual, subjective intelligence distinct from the natural order as the "Black Flame". (Some people who are not members of the Temple of Set find spiritual inspiration in the Egyptian god Set, and may share some beliefs with the organization. The belief system in general is referred to as Setianism.)

Members of the Temple of Set are mostly male, between the ages of twenty and fifty.

Order of Nine Angles

The authors Per Faxneld and Jesper Petersen write that the Order of Nine Angles (ONA, O9A) "represent a dangerous and extreme form of Satanism". The ONA first attracted public attention during the 1980s and 1990s after being mentioned in books detailing fascist Satanism. They were initially formed in the United Kingdom and are presently organized around clandestine cells (which it calls traditional nexions) and around what it calls sinister tribes.

The Satanic Temple

The Satanic Temple is an organization founded around January 2013. The Temple uses the literary Satan as a mythological foundation for a non-supernatural religion, in order to construct a cultural narrative that can usefully contextualize life experiences and promote pragmatic skepticism, rational reciprocity, personal autonomy, and curiosity. Both of the co-founders are "atheistic Satanists" - they do not believe that Satan actually exists.

The church actively participates in public affairs. This has manifested in several public political actions and efforts at lobbying, with a focus on the separation of church and state and using satire against religious organizations that it believes interfere with freedom and the pursuit of happiness.

The only requirements to be a member are to support the tenets and beliefs of the organization, and to name oneself a member.

The Satanic Temple was founded by Lucien Greaves, and its largest chapter, in Detroit, Michigan, is led by Jex Blackmore.

The group has held worship services that include dance music, porn rooms, phallic imagery, S&M behaviors and nudity. It also considers gay marriage a religious sacrament, and therefore argues that bans on the practice violate Satanists' freedom of religion.

Because the group regards inviolability of the body as a key doctrine, it also views all restrictions on abortion, including mandatory waiting periods, as an infringement on the rights of Satanists to practice their religion.

Kuwaiti sect

According to Kuwaiti media, numerous teenagers in the country have been joining a Satanic sect that is managed from abroad. Every month, the sect's leaders encourage several members to commit suicide to promote Satanism. Members reportedly have piercings and tattoos depicting Satan, stars, or the number 666. Police have conducted raids on cottages allegedly used by the sect.

See also

• Devil (Islam)
• Prometheus
• Satan in literature
• Satanic ritual abuse

References

1. Jesper Aagaard Petersen (2009). "Introduction: Embracing Satan". Contemporary Religious Satanism: A Critical Anthology. Ashgate Publishing. ISBN 978-0-7546-5286-1.
2. Petersen 2012, p. 92. sfn error: no target: CITEREFPetersen2012 (help)
3. Partridge, Christopher Hugh (2004). The Re-enchantment of the West. p. 82. Retrieved 2008-05-12.
4. "Prayers to Satan". theisticsatanism.com.
5. Faxneld & Petersen 2013, p. 92. sfn error: no target: CITEREFFaxneldPetersen2013 (help)
6. ^ Gallagher & Ashcraft 2006, p. 158. sfn error: no target: CITEREFGallagherAshcraft2006 (help)
7. Handbook of Religion and the Authority of Science, Lewis & Hammer 2010, p. 77. sfn error: no target: CITEREFHandbook_of_Religion_and_the_Authority_of_ScienceLewisHammer2010 (help)
8. Handbook of Religion and the Authority of Science, Lewis & Hammer 2010, p. 74. sfn error: no target: CITEREFHandbook_of_Religion_and_the_Authority_of_ScienceLewisHammer2010 (help)
9. Faxneld & Petersen 2013, p. 80. sfn error: no target: CITEREFFaxneldPetersen2013 (help)
10. Handbook of Religion and the Authority of Science, Lewis & Hammer 2010, p. 76-77. sfn error: no target: CITEREFHandbook_of_Religion_and_the_Authority_of_ScienceLewisHammer2010 (help)
11. The Invention of Satanism, Dyrendal & Lewis 2016. sfn error: no target: CITEREFThe_Invention_of_SatanismDyrendalLewis2016 (help)
12. Who's? Right: Mankind, Religions & The End Times & Warman-Stallings 2012, p. 35. sfn error: no target: CITEREFWho's?_Right:_Mankind,_Religions_&_The_End_TimesWarman-Stallings2012 (help)
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14. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-satanjul09-story.html
15. Controversial New Religions, Lewis & Petersen 2014, p. 408. sfn error: no target: CITEREFControversial_New_ReligionsLewisPetersen2014 (help)
16. Religion and Reality: An Exploration of Contemporary Metaphysical Systems, Theologies, and Religious Pluralism & Darren Iammarino 2013, p. 191. sfn error: no target: CITEREFReligion_and_Reality:_An_Exploration_of_Contemporary_Metaphysical_Systems,_Theologies,_and_Religious_PluralismDarren_Iammarino2013 (help)
17. Catherine Beyer. "An Introduction to LaVeyan Satanism and the Church of Satan". About.com Religion & Spirituality.
18. 9sense - Peter H. Gilmore, High Priest of the Church of Satan, Walpurgisnacht XLVII A.S. YouTube. 4 May 2012.
19. ^ "Church of Satan". Church of Satan.
20. High Priest, Magus Peter H. Gilmore. "F.A.Q. Fundamental Beliefs". churchofsatan.com.
21. AbOhlheiser (7 November 2014). "The Church of Satan wants you to stop calling these 'devil worshiping' alleged murderers Satanists". Washington Post.
22. ^ Wikinews:Satanism: An interview with Church of Satan High Priest Peter Gilmore
23. ^ Gilmore, Peter H. (2007). The Satanic Scriptures. Scapegoat Publishing.
24. High Priest, Magus Peter H. Gilmore. "Rebels Without Cause". churchofsatan.com.
25. High Priest, Magus Peter H. Gilmore. "The Nine Satanic Statements". churchofsatan.com.
26. High Priest, Magus Peter H. Gilmore. "The Nine Satanic Sins". churchofsatan.com.
27. High Priest, Magus Peter H. Gilmore. "The Eleven Satanic Rules of the Earth". churchofsatan.com.
28. ^ Robbins, Rossell Hope, The Encyclopedia of Witchcraft and Demonology, 1959.
29. Manichaeism by Alan G. Hefner in The Mystica, undated
30. Acta Archelai of Hegemonius, Chapter XII, c. AD 350, quoted in Translated Texts of Manicheism, compiled by Prods Oktor Skjærvø, page 68. History of the Acta Archelai explained in the Introduction, page 11
31. Extensively described in: Zacharias, Gerhard, Der dunkle Gott: Satanskult und Schwarze Messe, München (1964).
32. Original sources: Ravaisson, François Archives de la Bastille (Paris, 1866-1884, volumes IV, V, VI, VII)
33. Dr. Iwan Bloch, Marquis de Sade: His Life and Work, 1899: "The Marquis de Sade gave evidence in his novels of being a fanatic Satanist."
34. Jullian, Philippe, Esthétes et Magiciens, 1969; Dreamers of Decadence, 1971.
35. Bois, Jules, Le Satanisme et la Magie - avec une étude de J.-K. Huysmans, Paris, 1895.
36. Huysmans, J.-K., Là-Bas, 1891
37. Waite, A.E., Devil Worship in France, London: George Redway 1896.
38. Per Faxneld, Witches, Anarchism, and Evolutionism, in The Devil's Party, Chapter 3, Oxford University Press, 2013: ...from the 1910s and onwards (until at least 1925), horror author and poet Hanns Heinz Ewers (1871-1943) held wildly popular lectures with the title "Die Religion des Satan", based almost verbatim on "Die Synagoge des Satan". In the 1920s, the satanic content in the teachings of the German esoteric order Fraternitas Saturni was greatly inspired by Przybyszewski's ideas.
39. Medway, Gareth (2001). Lure of the Sinister: The Unnatural History of Satanism. p. 18.
40. Messe Luciférienne, in Pierre Geyraud, Les Petites Églises de Paris, 1937 (Source here: Messe Luciférienne).
41. "The Devil Worshipers of the Middle East : Their Beliefs & Sacred Books" Holmes Pub Group LLC (December 1993) ISBN 1-55818-231-4 ISBN 978-1-55818-231-8
42. O'Loughlin, Ed (16 August 2014). "Devil in the detail as Yazidis look to Kurds in withstanding Islamic radicals' advance". Irish Times. Retrieved 16 August 2014.
43. Baddeley, Gavin (1993). Raising Hell!: The Book of Satan and Rock 'n' Roll.
44. de [Götz Kühnemund]: A History of Horror. In: Rock Hard, no. 282, November 2010, pp. 20-27.
45. Michael Moynihan, Didrik Søderlind: Lords of Chaos: The Bloody Rise of the Satanic Metal Underground, Feral House 1998, pp. 15f.
46. INTERVIEW FOR THE FANS BY THE FANS. - Final Interview with Jon Nödtveidt -.
47. Garry Sharpe-Young (2007). Metal: The Definitive Guide.
48. Grude, Torstein (Director) (January 1, 1998). Satan rir media (motion picture). Norway: Grude, Torstein.
49. Ihsahn Interview
50. "Official Church of Satan Website". Churchofsatan.com. Retrieved 2009-06-07.
51. High Priest, Magus Peter H. Gilmore. "Myth of the Satanic Community - churchofsatan.com". churchofsatan.com.
52. Lewis 2002, p. 12. sfn error: no target: CITEREFLewis2002 (help)
53. ^ High Priest, Magus Peter H. Gilmore. "Join the Church of Satan". churchofsatan.com.
54. High Priest, Magus Peter H. Gilmore. "Diabolical Endeavors - churchofsatan.com". churchofsatan.com.
55. High Priest, Magus Peter H. Gilmore. "F.A.Q. Ritual and Ceremony - churchofsatan.com". churchofsatan.com.
56. High Priest, Magus Peter H. Gilmore. "Active Membership - churchofsatan.com". churchofsatan.com.
57. High Priest, Magus Peter H. Gilmore. "Hierarchy - churchofsatan.com". churchofsatan.com.
58. "The Church Of Satan – Interview - Worm Gear". Worm Gear.
59. Ohlheiser, Abby (2014-11-07). "The Church of Satan wants you to stop calling these 'devil worshiping' alleged murderers Satanists". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2015-11-19.
60. Peter, Magus. "Rebels Without Cause". churchofsatan.com. Retrieved 2015-11-19.
61. Aquino, Michael (2002). Church of Satan (PDF). San Francisco: Temple of Set.
62. ^ Harvey, Graham (2009). "Satanism: Performing Alterity and Othering". In Jesper Aagaard Petersen (ed.). Contemporary Religious Satanism: A Critical Anthology. Ashgate Publishing. ISBN 978-0-7546-5286-1.
63. Per Faxneld: Post-Satanism, Left Hand Paths, and Beyond in Per Faxneld & Jesper Petersen (eds) The Devil's Party: Satanism in Modernity, Oxford University Press (2012), p.207. ISBN 9780199779246
64. Senholt, Jacob. Secret Identities in The Sinister Tradition: Political Esotericism and the Convergence of Radical Islam, Satanism and National Socialism in the Order of Nine Angles, in Per Faxneld & Jesper Petersen (eds), The Devil's Party: Satanism in Modernity. Oxford University Press, 2012. ISBN 9780199779246
65. FAQ About ONA
66. Angular Momentum: from Traditional to Progressive Satanism in the Order of Nine Angles
67. Sinister Tribes Of The ONA
68. Oppenheimer, Mark (July 10, 2015). "A Mischievious Thorn in the Side of Conservative Christianity". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2015-07-11.
69. Massoud Hayoun (2013-12-08). "Group aims to put 'Satanist' monument near Oklahoma capitol | Al Jazeera America". America.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 2014-03-25.
70. "Satanists petition to build monument on Oklahoma state capitol grounds | Washington Times Communities". Communities.washingtontimes.com. 2013-12-09. Retrieved 2014-03-25.
71. ^ Bugbee, Shane (2013-07-30). "Unmasking Lucien Greaves, Leader of the Satanic Temple | VICE United States". Vice.com. Retrieved 2014-03-25.
72. "Hundreds Gather for Unveiling of Satanic Statue in Detroit".
73. Kaffer, Nancy (February 17, 2015). "Can the Satanic Temple Save America?". TheDailyBeast.com. Retrieved July 11, 2015.
74. Kutner, Jenny (May 1, 2015). "Satanist challenges Missouri's 72-hour abortion wait: It's "a burden on my sincerely held religious beliefs"". Salon Magazine. Retrieved July 11, 2015.
75. "Teenaged 'Satanists' ending life in Kuwait".
76. "Kuwaiti cops raid 'satanist' cottage".

Further reading

• Michelet, Jules (1862). Satanism and Witchcraft: The Classic Study of Medieval Superstition. ISBN 978-0-8065-0059-1. Considered the first modern work to discuss Satanism.
• Cavendish, Richard (1967). The Black Arts: An Absorbing Account of Witchcraft, Demonology, Astrology, and Other Mystical Practices Throughout the Ages. ISBN 978-0-399-50035-0. Summary of the history of Witchcraft, Satanism, and Devil Worship in the last part of the book.
• Passantino, Bob and Gretchen: Satanism: Grand Rapids: Zondervan: 1995.
• Zacharias, Gerhard (1980). The Satanic Cult. ISBN 978-0-04-133008-3. Translated from the 1964 German edition by Christine Trollope.
• Chornyisyn, Mykhailo (2009). Hail Satan. ISBN 978-0-557-06489-2.
• Wlodek, Nikodem (2004). Satans Raw.
• Medway, Gareth (2001). Lure of the Sinister: The Unnatural History of Satanism. ISBN 978-0-8147-5645-4.
• Noctulius, Emperor (2007). The Path to Satan. ISBN 978-1-4348-2055-6.
• Massimo Introvigne, I satanisti. Storia, riti e miti del satanismo, Sugarco, 2010

External links

• Religious Tolerance page on Satanism
• Template:Dmoz
• The Satanic Temple (official national website)

• Christianity
• Things that make Baby Jesus cry
• Satanism
• Left-Hand Path