The Dark Side of Western Religion

By Dhyresh Mendis

Satanism

• Considered the direct opposite of Abrahamic Religions by followers of the latter and the general populace

• Has been a severely taboo topic and initiated the inquisitions and the Dark Ages

• Accusations of witchcraft has killed between 60 and 300,000 people during the Dark Ages and Inquisitions

Satanism

Satan

• Zoroaster created the first concept of Good vs Evil

• Ahura Mazda (good) vs Ahriman (evil)

• The universe was their battlefield

• Zoroastrianism was the state religion of the PersianEmpire (conquered Jerusalem)

Satan

• Hebrew for the opposer or the accuser• The Jewish form of Satan is an agent of God

who constantly argues with Him (refer Job) • Has constantly changed throughout history

from an extremely powerful foe of God (Zoroaster), to the root of all evil, to an even more powerful entity, to a rebellious hero, to an icon of business.

Historical Misconceptions

• Lucifer and Satan = one?• Lucifer (latin) means Light bringer or Morning

Star, an entity that promotes free thinking and the quest for knowledge and wisdom.

• Same as the Greek God, Phosphorus. • Morning Star because knowledge paves way

to true vision i.e : out of darkness and into light

The Reasons behind the devil’s appearance

• Dragons wings – dragons were an ancient symbol of evil

• Hooved feet and horns – from the pagan diety Pan – remniscent of a Satyr

• Two or Three pronged staff, ability to grant riches and dark beard – Hades to the Greeks or Pluto to the Romans

The Reasons behind the devil’s appearance

• Satan regained his goat-like appearance after a brief period of looking demonic after the execution of the templars in 1307 due to their worship of a pagan diety Baphomet

Anton Szandor LaVey

• Founded the Church of Satan in 1966• Wrote the Satanic bible• Bases his teachings on work from European

and Hebrew texts as well as life experience• Main Philosophy of Satanism : Do as you

please as long as no one else recieves ill effects of your actions and destroy anyone who obstructs your path

LaVeyan Satanism

• Is extremely liberal: Do as you please • States that the best friend of the church is the

Christian Devil• The Satanic Devil is not a being but a force – the

force of opposition (Newton)• Understands the carnal nature of man and thus

does not ask you to refrain unless another man is being hampered by it.

• Unholy books: The Satanic Bible, The Satanic Rituals and The Devil’s Notebook