Starting your path | Forum
I consider the satanic bible to be the greatest failure of modern Satanism as it has only created misconceptions about Satanism. The satanic bible was only a provocation against the conservative Christian groups in a time when the hippie movements was on a high level. The satanic bible is useless IMO and should be burned...You can not intertwine everything that self indentifies as "satanism" into the same group. I would admit that the last parts of the satanic bible is mostly provocation methods but if you think that the first philosophical half is useless and should be burned as well, then I would wonder if you have actually read it.Satanists are born to be their own gods so they shapes their own moral, values, philosophy and occult systems they find practical useful to guide their destiny.
To be clear my original response was that philosophy in certain parts of the satanic bible would be useful to the general public who are not exposed to anything like it. I disagree with you, but even if those people had nothing to do with satanism what does that have to do with me saying the book isn't disserving of being burned?
You can not intertwine everything that self indentifies as "satanism" into the same group. I would admit that the last parts of the satanic bible is mostly provocation methods but if you think that the first philosophical half is useless and should be burned as well, then I would wonder if you have actually read it.
LaVey promotes in TSB a philosophy that incorporates elements from social-darwinism, Ayn Rand and Crowley who has nothing to do with Satanism. The system of ritual magick in TSB has nothing to do with Satanism either because it comes from western occultism that some Satanists applies and has done through the ages. The problem with TSB is that it misleads people to believe that Satanism has a bible or manifest that describes the satanic beliefs and practice. LaVey also confuses Satan with Pan who are not the same in mythology. The satanic bible was relevant in the time of the hippie movement but today it only creates trouble...
It seems that the opposing movement to the "hippie movement" would have been hardcore, strictly materialistic atheism and not LaVeyan Satanism.Anton LaVey would like a word with you.
He knew it deep inside and he knew that if he did not created CoS someone else would have done it because of the time of the hippie movement...
Yes but I think you don't quite understand that provoking conservative Christians was also a big incentive of the hippie movement, afterwards they forgot their acid dropping days and became moralists like their parents.
It seems that the opposing movement to the "hippie movement" would have been hardcore, strictly materialistic atheism and not LaVeyan Satanism.
The point is that LaVey lived in the right time at history and the right place even to create CoS... The satanic bible was only titled that to provoke the conservative Christians...
After reading all of the above it brings to light a question or two,,,
Is this path you talk about an action or reaction?
Do your constructs become something new that is built from a solid foundation or are they just rearranged to fit you likes and dislikes?
While I have nothing against the Satanic Bible and what followed on that string, I found many of Bruce Lee's books more left hand path than it. Does this mean I start a new religion called Lee-ism, no it does not. The idea that a book that says nothing is sacred becomes sacred to some is more than a little funny.
If all of your eggs (understanding) come from the same basket (book) then maybe it needs rethinking. In fact if all of your understanding is referenced by books I would recommend moving from theory to practice.
Path baby steps; Start with finding out who you are without all the outside telling you who to be.
It's the most practical piece I've come upon. All it does is open your mind, and it's up to you where that leads. A perfect fit for the everyday Satanist!!!
As far as other texts for the next step on your path, I highly recommend the complete works of Idries Shah, and "Be Here Now" by Ram Dass. Both are believers in, and promoters of, religions that are not Satanism. But both of them cut deeply past dogma, and both teach concepts that can free the mind and develop the depth and breadth of the spiritual person, including on the Left Hand Path.
MemberI've often had it explained to me that satanism and laveyan in particular is best used as a temporary tool in deprogramming your mind away from the fear and guilt religion teaches us, once this has been accomplished then you will be properly suited to carve your own path in the occult/LHP. After reading and practising the philosophy of LaVeyan satanism i now understand the message that these individuals were trying to get across, and I now feel ready for the rest of my occult journey. My question is what academic texts could you recommend to someone new exploring these things?As far as the occult goes in terms of practicing magic I can't recommend anything, but if you mean finding your own path then I would read Nietzsche. I just finished Thus Spoke Zarathustra and really enjoyed it. Or even Joseph Campbell. Their books aren't Satanic but nonetheless they write about self discovery.
In centuries gone by we would have these Lavey fags drowned in the mud and sacrificed.
Member> ...satanism and laveyan in particular is best used as a temporary
> tool in deprogramming your mind away from the fear and guilt
> religion teaches us,
Almost. It isn't the whole of those it is the Black Mass that does that. After you've freed yourself then pursue your own pleasures and never look back.
> ...carve your own path in the occult/LHP.
Unnecessary. Most won't have the aptitude for it and will be wasting their time. Instead, they should be pursuing ordinary pleasures and ignoring what they've been told (like you're continuing to tell them) is what they want and will make them happy.
> ...my occult journey.
This sounds like Setianism or some Hermetic trip. Occultism is just tricks to get what you want using symbolism, subtle influence, and keying to particular unknown harmonics like sex and trapezoids.
> ...what academic texts could you recommend to someone new
> exploring these things?
I wouldn't, for someone new who is typing like you, but if you insisted, i'd recommend that you look for "Contemporary Religious Satanism" edited by Petersen. If that suited you well enough and this was what you were searching for, then try "The Devil's Party", eds. Faxneld and Petersen. If you were serious about learning about its backdrop, then get "The Satanism Scare", eds. Best, Richardson, and Bromley.
