The "satanic world" parts itself when it comes to Anton Szandor LaVey, his Satanic Bible or the Church of Satan. On this page, I want to reflect my personal opinions on this topic. This is neither a review nor an introduction, but merely a statement on what meaning this book had and has to me.
First Contact
To make a long story short, I had pretty enough of all the light and love, good and rightness I encountered during my first occult studies, my early life and "pre-phaylon times." That time was pretty much the start and the name-giving reason for what I later called Dunkelheit. Soon, thoughts started to spawn in my mind and I started to doubt and question. Society, moral values, people, opinions, facts and beliefs.
I was really surprised after finding many of my own thoughts in the Satanic Bible. As I later found out, I wasn't the only one. I think I can for sure say that this was an important point of my life. Sure, my view wasn't depending on Mr. LaVey's writings, but it certainly gave me a boost.
How I understand the Satanic Bible
I never understood it as the bible on satanism, more a very personal statement and guideline in which Mr. LaVey presented his satanism. I often encountered people following the Satanic Bible and his author, rather than thinking about what was written in it. All in all, satanism isn't about following but the extreme opposite: Think and decide for yourself. About stopping to be a slave and doing what other people tell and told you to do.
These are the basic things that have to be realized before you're able to start being yourself. It holds metaphors for the fundamental rules of being and existance. The shallow reader will find solutions and rules, the more attentive ones will find thoughts on how to find solutions and make your own rules for your world. Your World! Some people even get a strange look upon hearing this term.
Mr. LaVey introduced the world to the thoughts of satanism and it was him who founded this "religious movement," which is based on this philosophy.
The nine Satanic Statements
An often upbrought critique of the nine Satanic Statements is how rules fit into the satanic ideology. As stated above, I recognize the Satanic Bible as LaVey's satanic philosophy, which brings his thoughts and views to the point. And I wouldn't call it "satanic" if these are just followed without thinking about and bringing them into a persons individual context. This is my interpretation of them.
- Satan represents indulgence instead of abstinence!
If you want to do something, do it right. Do it with every part of yourself, your body and your mind. The only reason to be against something is because of your decisions. There are many things in life that can't be judged by hearsay, but only by living them. - Satan represents vital existence instead of spiritual pipe dreams!
Be yourself in the here and now, because it is the only thing that matters at the moment. The decisions you make for yourself are useless, when you're not acting according to them. A dream doesn't count, as long as you don't manifest it in your reality. - Satan represents undefiled wisdom instead of hypocritical self-deceit!
You, and only you, are (or better: should be) the person that knows you best. Or at least, that has the ability to do so. You can't decide where you want to go without knowing what's your will, and what was programmed into you. - Satan represents kindness to those who deserve it instead of love wasted on ingrates!
Your resources are limited and you should decide wise for what or whom you are going to utilize them. It is much more reasonable to spend them on the people and things you love, you can count on, and who're worth it. - Satan represents vengeance instead of turning the other cheek!
Bellum omnium pater. The first step back is the first step to underlying. This is not a statement against tacticts, but on knowing who your enemies are and destroying them if they are in your way. It doesn't focus on people alone, but on everything you encounter in your life and on the path you decide to walk. If you give them a chance to strike again, they will. - Satan represents responsibility to the responsible instead of concern for psychic vampires!
"Slaves shall serve!" Don't bother yourself with those that only want to take from you, those that want you to care about their problems for them. The first step to solutions of problems is to take responsibility, and those who can't, well, they just can't. - Satan represents man as just another animal, sometimes better, more often worse than those that walk on all-fours, who, because of his "divine spiritual and intellectual development," has become the most vicious animal of all!
An animal is itself, in every part of it's existance. It has no need for "abstinence" if it doesn't have a reason to. Mankind likes to imagine that it is parted from nature, but this is only valid in it's own definitions. The universe doesn't care about a human any more than it cares about a beetle. There are no rights or privileges, just life and death. - Satan represents all of the so-called sins, as they all lead to physical, mental, or emotional gratification!
This, for me, connects hardly to the former point. The commandments are the ground on which this illusionary arrogance is built upon, as they represent forces of nature. You should have no morals, no dogmas, no rules except those you define for yourself. - Satan has been the best friend the Church has ever had, as He has kept it in business all these years!
Well, I don't think I really have to explain this point, as it stands pretty clear.
Critiques
Many people and selfclaiming satanists say this work is useless and obvious. Well, it should be, but it isn't. I have to admit that I had times when I too thought the contents are pretty apparent, but this view changed over the years due to many experiences with mankind. Also, there are few people on this world who don't need to fight indoctrinations. Most, like myself some time ago, have yet to break the walls. So how can a book be useless that was written in 1969 if that much people still did not get the idea? It's not that they have to like it, but for most people this is an absolute new area of thought!
Some also state that this is no work of LaVey himself, more a composition of other influcences, authors and works. But: Who isn't influenced? It's not as if he had copied those writings one-to-one, it's a compilation of his thoughts, written down as a manifest and a call, if you will. And, well, he must have done something better, otherwise he wouldn't have been that much popular. At least that's my opinion on this matter, where minds start to differ.
Others rant about the place of christianity in the presented philosophy and claim it isn't needed. They also attest him christian traumata's. I sometimes ask myself if those people ever looked around themselves. At least in western civilization I find it ridiculous and ignorant to claim there's no christianity around. When I grew up, every classroom had a cross on the wall, and even now not all of them are gone. This book was written in the America of '69, so what'd you expect?
If I'd be asked what I'd critisize most on the Satanic Bible, that would be the Enochian Calls. I understand it as a great and powerful system and I wouldn't give it to someone looking for satanism or himself. But I'm sure he had good reasons to put them in, otherwise, they wouldn't be.
Conclusion
As you can see, I have a rather positive view on this work. I would recommend it to people who are interested in occult arts, satanism, individualism and especially to those who do not belong to any of these groups.