Jonro's Flamebate Posts

Any Satanists out there?

Talk about trolling.

Basically, what everything Swine and Uplink said. I don’t believe in the Judeo-Christian god. I’m Laveyan. Satan is a symbol to me, not a real being somewhere under the ground. No offense, but I don’t know how you could have read the Satanic Bible and not have noticed that.

The concept of Satan, in fact, predates that god. Satan is a Jewish term meaning “enemy,” but his imagrey, values and origins lie a thousand years before, in ancient Egyptian, Sumerian, Babylonian, European, and even Native American ideas. Satanism is not evil, nor is it intended to be. In many ways, it is more “Christ-like” than Christianity itself. The black hoods and scary demeanors are simply useful tools for scaring away the closed minded and easily intimidated. It is not a fluffy, feel-good religion, but it has been propagated far out of proportion for what it truly is, and understandably so given the powers that be. For me, it is a dedication to enlightenment, self-fulfillment, and the advancement of mankind as a whole.

P.S. to Context: Actually, you nailed it. That’s the entire reason. Yup, I just want to be different. No search for truth on my part. I just want to eat babies.

I became one (or rather, realized I was one) because I read the Satanic bible, did my research on the history of the religion, and found it coincided with what I already believed and valued. While I don’t believe in “Satan” per se, his symbolism is very powerful to me.

Religious players

Touche’ on the southern comment. University of Louisville and Western Kentucky University are renown nationwide for Music and Journalism respectively, and I plan on attending both.

JUST SAYIN.

Anyway, I asked myself a similar question not too long ago. When you really stop to think about it, very few people will change what they believe to their religion. Rather, they will do the vice-versa; that is, they will change their religion to what best suits their beliefs. Obviously, as you pointed out, young people are an exception. But anybody with a self-sustaining intellect and some degree of integrity in their values will not likely force themselves to do or believe things that are too far out in their relative left field.

If, for example, the Catholic Church were to outlaw the imbibing of alcohol for all of its members, there would probably be a great deal of more Protestants in the world. That’s not meant as an insult, either. It’s simply the truth. I know I would convert!

I imagine most educated people in today’s world come upon their religion of choice in this manner. I, for one, came upon my religion for that very reason. I am a Laveyan Satanist. Anton Lavey actually encourages this. He points out in the preface to The Satanic Bible that if, while reading this book, you find yourself nodding or agreeing with most everything inside, you are already a Satanist. I find that to apply to everyone of all faiths and creeds, not just my own.

Religions, to me, are just labels. It is up to us to find which label suits us the best, not which religion is correct for everyone. If atheism/agnosticism/nihilism suits you best, more power to you!