satanism

solidgear wrote: »

Is satanism alive & well in Ireland? How does one find out about it here?

Hi everyone, just joined Boards.ie so excuse the 6year gap between the above quote and my reply but I do think this is an interesting thread worth reviving.

So do I think Satanism is alive and well in Ireland? Well, that depends on how you define Satan really. If you see a world run by a good guy and a bad guy, and that a satanist is on the side of the bad guy then I would say yes, satanism (small 's') is alive and well in many teenagers seeking to release some rebellious angst. Thank fully I am not one of them. One the other hand, if you see a world or cosmos run by regular laws, which is opposed by desire, and you see Satan as an emblem of that desire, then Satanism is alive and well in me.
Satan is an archetype, a kind a symbol of a rebel against cosmic injustices. It is a potent and powerful symbol for many beginning on a path of Self discovery and individual sovereignty (aka the Left Hand Path). Such an emblem can provide a model and can help the individual burn away guilt or past inheritated belief systems (normally indoctrinated into a child).
So yes, very much alive and very well.


Will

smithcity wrote: »

I don't know if the Church of Satan is active in Ireland, but when I was younger I met a handful of people who considered themselves as Satanists in the vein of Anton LaVey. For some of them there was very much an air of teenage angst but I had some very interesting conversations with others who approached it as a valid contrarian philosophy.

For sure, I have known many who began with LeVayen Satanism but not many who stuck with it exclusively through the years. I myself have a well worn copy of the Satanic Bible and the Satanic Rituals here in my apartment and from my experience 'Indulgence' (the key word of the Church if Satan) only takes you so far. Like I mentioned above Satanism is a great way to experience a breaking away with cultural norms through deliberate acts of antinomianism (to go against culturally conditioned values) and the Church of Satan is a fascinating history of such. Although, since LaVeys death back in the 90s, the CoS seems more like an Anton LeVay worship Society, well the card carrying membership does anyway. Kinda ironic when you think about it.
There was a huge split away from the CoS in the 70s when LaVey turned the CoS into his own personal business and stopped exploring Darkness and Greater Black Magic as a means of Self refinement. This split resulted in the Temple of Set (www.xeper.org) which to my mind is the most progressive form of Satanism, high Satanism if you will.
The ToS is definitely active in Ireland, I know that from personal experience (see here www.hellfirelodge.com ).
I might start a differ thread about the ToS in the future.

Will

smithcity wrote: »

I used to be far better informed about all this than I am now. I remember when I first learned about LaVey and the Temple of Set, I felt that they were more or less offshoots of Crowley era Thelema. They seemed to have very similar philosophies based on not so different "religious" paradigms

Well they are all Left Hand Path in that they practice antinomianism, Self deification, initiation and Magic. Outside of that, each is very very different. There are 2 very different branches of Left Hand Path, the Immanent and the Transcendental. The Immanent is more objectivist and rational with a material outlook, with methods normally steeped in diabolical imagery and a focus specifically on the mundane (objective) world. This is exemplified by LaVeyan Satanism with its carnal approach to the universe.
Transcendental LHP has it focus on the intellect or psyche (psyche centric ) and is highly idealistic with methods usually founded on archetypes or some sort of platonic forms. In this branch Self divinising is especially pronounced with much focus on the subjective world of the individual, this results in a far more intellectual approach to the universe. The ToS would be a good example of this.

smithcity wrote: »

Lol, well when you put it like that, I imagine Thelema would fall somewhere between the two, depending on what mood Crowley was in on any given day, carnal or transcendental.

Yes possibly. In many ways I think Crowley understood that too (despite being a precursor to the CoS and the ToS). I believe Crowley saw his mundane personality as a fiendish daemon, but his true Self he saw as God like, his Higher Self being reborn after an annihilation of the personality.
I've experience with Satanism and the Temple of Set but not the OTO, I only know Crowley from what I have read in available literature. Again, another fascinating and accomplished individual.

smithcity wrote: »

Again, he's someone I used to be well versed on but it's all half remembered now. I read everything of his that I could get my hands on, but struggled with a lot of it. I found that when I started reading Crowley, I then had to read Agrippa and Eliphas Levi just to understand the references, and then had to read something else in order to understand them, and back and back it went down the rabbit hole till I found myself reading biographies of John Dee and supposed copies of the Goetia et al.

Although I found a lot of the broad ideas very appealing and easy to understand, when it got down to the nitty gritty it was incomprehensible to me.

It really depends on your Intentions and why you are learning or studying different magical paradigms. Is it the history? The mystery? Part of a great work? Etc or is it for some sort of Self change or personal evolution? Thats one of the things LaVey was good at, taking a blowtorch to all the occultnik mystical nonsense out there and creating a system dealing with fundamentals that can deliver results without all the occultnik trappings.

MorezCOTR wrote: »

I'm a novice on the Left Hand Path as in I dedicated to SATAN 2 months ago, and am having the experience of my life walking the path to HIM. It has enlightened me so much and yes its a lonely path (Satan walks with me) but most fullfilling. I wish to make contact with fellow Satanists in Ireland and to share from them gems of knowledge and experiences.
Private Message me if you are a Satanist and want to converse more about our journey along the Left Hand Path.

Greetings MorezCOTR,
For the purpose of this thread I thought I would post my questions here and not in a PM.
I am glad to hear you are finding your path enlightening. Can I ask how do you define both Satan and Satanism? I ask this as these definitions will form the basis of our exchanges.
Will

MorezCOTR wrote: »

Satan to me is the True God and I believe and love him unconditionally as I feel I'm HIS child. I see nothing evil in HIM only wonderful beauty and truth, much honesty and love also.

Satanism to me then is a decision to dedicate yourself wholey to Satan and walk on his path of enlightenment to HIM, eventually leading you through the gates of Hell to be by his side for eternity.

I hope this answers your question.
AVE SATANAS 666
Morez

Not really, being honest. As you, by your own admission, are new to Satanism and the Left Hand Path You may need to 'dig' deeper and learn some more about the organising principles behind Left Hand Path thinking and application. This is one of the main reasons I recently started A Temple of Set thread on Boards.ie, to discuss such concepts.
Can you be more specific as to how you have arrived at your runderstanding of Satan? What discernment have you used in reaching this opinion about Satan and Satanism?
One of the tenants of LHP Schools is Individualism, of being a Self starter and energising force in ones own life. Dedicating ones life to any external god or gods is decidedly un Satanic in that sense as you are submitting both your power, drive and results to another being or principle. The Satanist ultimately knows that he/she is responsible and only sacrifices self to the self, not to some outwardly given standard. I'm pretty sure Satan does not love you unconditionally or conditionally. Think of Satan (or in a wider context, the Prince of Darkness) as a role model, nothing more, nothing less.

MorezCOTR wrote: »

I do have much to learn as I journey on my Left Hand Path and I will listen to your wise words brother William, I only know what I feel so far on this journey and that is what I have written above. I'm open to being enlightened by your knowledge and experience.
HAIL SATAN

Lol, well that's all good and well but the work is up to you.
My advice, read this book. At the very least it may provide a context for what you feel.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Uncle-Setnakts-Essential-Guide-Left/dp/1885972105/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1339794321&sr=8-5

Once you have that context it will greatly improve your understanding, that's when the fun begins.

Paperback only it seems.

Specifically speaking, Set is the earliest recorded 'form' of the Prince of Darkness, Satan is an anthropomorphised Judeo - Christian figure.
Set would be seen as the oldest known mythological expression of this principle of Isolate Intelligence. This is a transcultural, universal principle, a form, which results in there being different cultural manifestations of this principle throughout the world.

the purple tin wrote: »

Saw a good documentary on BBC a few months ago about Satan.
Basically said that the whole cast out of heaven for trying to overthrow God thing is a myth that was made famous by renaissance painters and writers.

Sounds interesting. Of course, all religion could be classed as mythology, not that such classing diminishes its inherent wisdom mind you.

Here is a doc I came accross some time ago called The Occult Experience'.
Another sensationalist oldie but still with some great clips from late Church of Satan and LaVey, Michael and Lilith Aquino and the Temple of Set and aesthetics from HR Gigar. Worth a look see, I'll leave it up to the discerning viewer to pick and choose the wheat from the chaff.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-7944695466357169426