The Church of Satan is Dead?

Naysayers are a dime a gross. I’d say, “A dime a dozen,” but that leaves out too many people and most of them aren’t worth that much to start with. Damn near everybody wants to say that you can’t do something, or something or someone is somehow worthless – you can’t reach an objective; you’ll never achieve that goal; you’re not worthy enough.

Many of those mentioned like to take cheap shots at organizations they are trying to compete against or that they simply can’t stand because it’s mere presence somehow represents a threat to their own mental well-being or their wallets, neither of which would really be affected either way if they would simply get over themselves and face reality.

Of particular interest is the plethora of puffed up, loud-mouthed chumps making claims that the Church of Satan is somehow dead or that it no longer follows the original mission set forth by Anton Szandor LaVey under the leadership of High Priest Gilmore. The majority of these clods you’ll find trying to head up their own quasi-Satanic organizations which exploit the name of Satanism for their own gain without giving any credit or thanks in return to Anton LaVey or the Church of Satan. They would love our organization to be gone so they could fill in the vacuum, provided that they actually had enough quality material to be able to fill in that large space that would be left in its absence. Alas, their claims are pure poppycock with zero basis in reality.

Frankly, I would really like to know where they base their opinion that the Church of Satan has fundamentally changed under Magus Gilmore’s leadership, or under the previous leadership of our former High Priestess, Magistra Templi Rex Blanche Barton. To me, it seems that they’re either not paying attention, never had any information to begin with, are former, disgruntled members or they’re simply trying to blow smoke up your ass in the desperate hope that you won’t notice so they can lighten the load upon your wallet.

With the exception of any unreleased material in “Satan Speaks,” Magus LaVey’s writings and interviews have been publicly available long before his passing. Even certain writings in “Satan Speaks” were found in other publications, i.e. The Black Flame Magazine or the Cloven Hoof newsletter. It is within those writings that we find what became the canon and policy of the Church of Satan.

When I originally requested information regarding becoming a member, I sent off my self-addressed, stamped envelope in 1995. Remember, this was in the days before the Internet became the ubiquitous entity it is. Much of the material regarding the Church of Satan’s already well-established policies for basic membership was included on paper in the returned envelope with some additional material, including Magistra Blanche Barton’s “Satanic Bunco Sheet.” While it would be another three years before I would send off my money and application, I actually read what it was that I had been sent, as well as any and all of the available writings of Magus LaVey I could locate and purchase, be it his books,essays or interviews of him in magazines such as Seconds or Answer Me!

One has only to read the Church’s website and literature of its membership to see that even since Magus LaVey’s death the tactics for the mission of the Church and Satanism in general may have altered slightly to reflect advances in technology and changes in the real world around us, but the basic objectives of the Church and the fundamental principles of the religion remain the same as they have since I first took an interest in joining its ranks.

Even to this day as the organization approaches Year 50 A.S., in keeping up with the public goings on of our membership as a basic Registered Member, it can still be seen that the Church of Satan and its membership is carrying on strong like the healthy beast it truly is and not some decaying, reanimated, shuffling corpse.

Rumors of the Church of Satan’s demise are greatly exaggerated. We regard naysayers with amused detachment and a cool disregard. They are clueless to what they’re saying.

The Church of Satan has succeeded in reaching Year 50. Can those other organizations? I highly doubt it.

Long live the Church of Satan!