Contrary to statements of extremists on either side of the political spectrum found on social media, the religion and attendant philosophy of Satanism does not support bigotry. There is nothing in the canon established by High Priests Anton Szandor LaVey and Peter H. Gilmore, or any other member of the organization’s hierarchy, to establish any policy promoting racism, sexism, transphobia, homophobia or any other ludicrous notion based on things individuals have no control over.
Claims leveled against Satanists by those with a particular political agenda and an axe to grind is nothing new and expected when you take on an adversarial name as part of your personality. I personally lean left of center on the political spectrum, yet I have found myself accused of being a conservative or a fascist sympathizer. Being a Satanist means you are not easily classified. Friends and associates who have chosen this religion who typically identify as being on the right side of the political spectrum have found themselves being labeled leftists or liberals. What these dunderheads typically refuse to acknowledge is Satanism is apolitical nor is it a cause to do things for others. If a Satanist does things for others because it gives them a sense of satisfaction, this is perfectly acceptable – it is still an ego-driven pursuit. The same goes for one’s own political leanings. Satanists are encouraged to find the path which is most pragmatic for themselves.
Satanism is meritocratic. Accidents of birth such as a person’s ethnicity, skin color, cultural upbringing, nationality, ancestry or national origin are irrelevant in this religion. Egalitarianism is seen for the fiction it is – in nature, there is no concept that all beings are created equal. However, this is not to say the administrators of the Church of Satan do not treat everyone equitably. As High Priest Peter H. Gilmore has written and stated repeatedly, those seeking Active Membership status within the organization are awarded titles based on what they can prove they have made of themselves outside of the organization. Everything else is irrelevant.
In recent months, certain political groups on the far-left have taken pieces of literature or video and attempted to twist it for their own ends. They intentionally present this material as proof positive the organization or the religion supports bigoted ideologies while failing to grasp the not-so-subtle subtext presented. Part of the misrepresentation of Satanism being in favor of bigoted views stems from an exaggeration or outright misrepresentation of its source material originally used for the creation of the religion. Other problems stem from a reader’s lack of skill in comprehending what they have read or a short attention span preventing them from watching and listening to all of what was said.
Much had already been made of Anton Szandor LaVey’s inclusion of several passages from Ragnar Redbeard’s, “Might is Right,” in “The Satanic Bible” for the “Book of Satan.” The primary complaint involving LaVey’s use of “Might is Right” has been unfounded accusations of plagiarism. These accusations are easily dismissed as LaVey always gave credit to the authors whose ideas he adopted. Another falsehood about the religion is the entirety of its philosophy is based exclusively on Redbeard’s book. (Others often incorrectly state LaVey’s religious philosophy is lifted completely from a specific author. In most cases, Redbeard, Friedrich Nietzsche or Ayn Rand are named.) Accusations of plagiarism occurred for years, though many people had never heard of “Might is Right” until July 2019 when Santino William Legan’s promotion of the tome on his own social media was revealed by the mainstream press after he murdered three people at the Gilroy Garlic Festival. The far-left Twitter crowd had a field day with this information and attempted to use this as proof that the Church of Satan was a white supremacist organization.
For those who have not read the book, “Might is Right” documents the history of mankind’s domination of its own species and their environment in its never-ending quest for personal power or survival. Unfortunately, the book’s author frequently employs misogynistic and racist writing, diminishing its impact. Such archaic attitudes from the 19th Century by the book’s author were eliminated by LaVey when codifying his new religious philosophy as they were not in congruence with the concepts LaVey was presenting to the world.
Matters have not been helped when white power groups attempting to push their narrative of racial superiority have published their own editions of Redbeard’s tome. A reproduction published in 1969 by the Aryan Publishing Company of Milwaukee was retitled, “The Whiteman’s Guide Book,” and a more recent publishing occurred in 1999 through 14 Words Press. Each edition deleted portions of the text to push a racist view. It is because of this association with white power groups the book has been further maligned.
Other written material used by the far-left is a review of the book, “Siege,” by infamous American National Socialist, James Mason, in the print edition of the magazine, “The Black Flame: International Forum of the Church of Satan,” which was produced by Hell’s Kitchen Productions during the 1990’s. In the review, then Magister and now current High Priest Peter H. Gilmore wrote the collection was quite an achievement with the editor collecting Mason’s writings into a coherent, chronological whole. The Magus noted parallels between Mason’s own organization and efforts and those of the Church of Satan and its membership. But, absent in this review is any agreement with the philosophies espoused in the book.
Adding to these claims, in 2019, a piece of raw video used for Nick Bougas’ 1993 video documentary, “Speak of the Devil: the Canon of Anton LaVey,” was posted to the Internet by Anton LaVey’s grandson, Stanton, of the Magus leading a ritual wherein several ethnic slurs were used. Upon first viewing, even I was initially taken aback by what was being said in the footage. However, knowing the late Magus was notorious for intentionally provoking reactions from people, I knew there was something bigger being devised.
The ritual in the video is akin to what LaVey described in “The Satanic Bible” as an updated version of the Black Mass. Traditionally, the Black Mass was an inversion of the Christian rites designed to shock and outrage through its use of blasphemy against the established church. While the version included in “The Satanic Rituals” can be used as a psychodramatic template to break free of any lingering guilt or attachment caused by a Satanist’s previous religion, it would not necessarily be as shocking an act in the modern age when the Abrahamic religions have been losing influence over society. In his own discussion of the Black Mass in, “The Satanic Bible,” topics considered “sacred” to a modern day audience would be ridiculed while unpopular ideas would be championed, even if such beliefs were not held by the participants.
In a discussion with the Church of Satan’s Magistra Templi Rex, Blanche Barton, she noted Anton LaVey was more than happy to slay sacred cows of political correctness. During the early 1990’s, the environment had become quite oppressive. It has only worsened at the time of this writing. Two things are deliberately excluded from the ravings of the far-left Twitter PC police about this video. Amongst these epithets is an aspersion used against Jews. Anyone who has researched the man knows LaVey was born Howard Stanton Levey and was ethnically Jewish. (The Magistra also noted in our discussion in his younger days our former High Priest was thought to belong to other ethnic minorities – several California youth often mistook Anton LaVey for being Italian or Mexican.) The remainder of the video is typically ignored by political extremists. In it, LaVey explicitly states the participants of the ritual are superior based on their own creativity and resourcefulness and not because of any racial or ethnic superiority.
People will only see what they wish. Accusations leveled against LaVey being a con artist, sham or a showman frequently occurred during his lifetime, but the Magus never appeared to let it get to him publicly and he did not appear to be one to get in the way of a good rumor. Following his death in 1997, his estranged daughter, Zeena, published a dubious “fact sheet” regarding her father’s storied life. Our late High Priest was accused of many things, but the one accusation which does not appear from any of the man’s critics during his life or after his death, including his estranged progeny, was any demonstration of bigotry directed at anyone while he was alive. Even if Anton LaVey were a bigot – and no evidence exists to substantiate that claim – it would not diminish the religion he created, nor would it affect the Church of Satan as this religious body is not a cult of personality.
Satanism is a great tool for battling ignorance, especially when such attitudes lead to deleterious or overtly dangerous situations. As written in “The Book of Satan,” Chapter II, paragraph 6 in, “The Satanic Bible,” “No creed must be accepted upon authority of a ‘divine’ nature…No moral dogma must be taken for granted—no standard of measurement deified.” It’s been my own observation that Satanists typically search out information from a variety of sources, including those they may not agree with or which society has labeled verboten.
Many rail against the Church of Satan’s policy of stratification. In the mainstream, it is not a popular idea. What many non-Satanists do not understand and which I find most favorable is that while the religion rejects egalitarianism for the ludicrous fiction it is, its members are treated equitably. What someone can create and demonstrably prove they have accomplished is what is most important. This flies in the face of stupid “-isms” and “-phobias.” Pedigree is meaningless. Men and women of all persuasions start on a level playing field and are judged fairly and accordingly. Now, where else are you going to find a better deal than that?
Special thanks to Magistra Templi Rex Barton for her time and guidance in the writing of this essay.
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