Secular Satanism

Secular Satanism is a loose term describing the ideologies of those who call themselves satanists while not believing in a literal Satan; they instead embrace a fictional Satan as a symbol of defiance against Abrahamic religions.

This article is primarily about the ideologies of Anton LaVey's Church of Satan and  The Satanic Temple, as they are the largest organisations in the movement. However, many smaller organisations with varying ideology and relevance within the movement have come and gone as well.

Beliefs
In general, Secular Satanism is a term applied to ideologies and pseudo-religious secular or atheist movements that claim the a symbol of "Satan" primarily as a way of defiance against abrahamic religions, particularly Christianity, without actually believing that such a being exists. They also however connect certain values to this symbol of Satan, these usually being primarily based in freedom and individuality, such as how Satan was portrayed in "Paradise lost".

The Satanic Temple
The Satanic Temple (TST) encourages,  rejection of tyrannical authority, application of practical common sense,  opposing injustice, and to undertake noble pursuits.

The Satanic Temple has publicly confronted christian and "hate" groups, fought for the abolition of corporal punishment in public schools, applied for equal representation when religious installations are placed on public property, provided religious exemption and legal protection against laws that unscientifically restrict people's, exposed harmful pseudo-scientific practitioners in mental health care, organized clubs alongside other religious after-school clubs in schools besieged by proselytizing organizations, and engaged in other advocacy in accordance with their tenets.

The TST organisation has been criticized for not always abiding my its own tenets and exploiting those it claims to help, as well as allegedly engaging in racism; most frequently criticized however, is the organisation's litigiousness, as the organisation goes before court for many occasions, including the silencing of former members and critics.

Despite the critiques of the organisation however, its tenets and ideology should be judged, and can be adopted, on their own and independently of the organization.

Seven Fundamental Tenets:
I. One should strive to act with compassion and empathy toward all creatures in accordance with reason.

II. The struggle for justice is an ongoing and necessary pursuit that should prevail over laws and institutions.

III. One’s body is inviolable, subject to one’s own will alone.

IV. The freedoms of others should be respected, including the freedom to offend. To willfully and unjustly encroach upon the freedoms of another is to forgo one's own.

V. Beliefs should conform to one's best scientific understanding of the world. One should take care never to distort scientific facts to fit one's beliefs.

VI. People are fallible. If one makes a mistake, one should do one's best to rectify it and resolve any harm that might have been caused.

VII. Every tenet is a guiding principle designed to inspire nobility in action and thought. The spirit of compassion, wisdom, and justice should always prevail over the written or spoken word.

Church of Satan
In general, LaVeyan Satanism advocates doing whatever makes one happy, as long as it does not infringe upon the rights of other people. Satanism advocates participating in the Seven Deadly Sins, on the basis that they all lead to personal pleasure. Selfishness is also advocated by LaVeyan Satanism, which states that doing something to help another will in turn make one happy. Regarding sex, LaVeyan Satanism advocates sexual freedom, with due consent between the parties.

LaVeyan Satanism also advocates favorable treatment to those who treat one kindly, and poor treatment of those who treat one badly, essentially "Do unto others as they do unto you." In general, LaVeyan Satanism opposes hurting others, and suggests placing a symbolic "curse" upon those that hurt others. LaVeyan Satanism opposes hurting or killing animals(except for defense or food) or children, as they are pure carnal beings and considered to be sacred. LaVeyan Satanism opposes suicide, except in instances where one is suffering extreme physical pain, in which case death would end one's suffering.

The Eleven Satanic Rules of the Earth:

 * 1) Do not give opinions or advice unless you are asked.
 * 2) Do not tell your troubles to others unless you are sure they want to hear them.
 * 3) When in another's home, show them respect or else do not go there.
 * 4) If a guest in your home annoys you, treat them cruelly and without mercy.
 * 5) Do not make sexual advances unless you are given the mating signal.
 * 6) Do not take that which does not belong to you unless it is a burden to the other person and they cry out to be relieved.
 * 7) Acknowledge the power of magic if you have employed it successfully to obtain your desires. If you deny the power of magic after having called upon it with success, you will lose all you have obtained.
 * 8) Do not complain about anything to which you need not subject yourself.
 * 9) Do not harm little children.
 * 10) Do not kill non-human animals unless you are attacked or for your food.
 * 11) When walking in open territory, bother no one. If someone bothers you, ask him to stop. If he does not stop, destroy him.

Personality
Secular Satanism is an atheist who (typically) was raised Christian. They are familiar with Abrahamic theology and view Satan as the sympathetic character, not God. The vast majority of the time they act either like an edgelord or a petulant child, especially around Christian ideologies.

How to Draw

 * 1) Draw a Ball.
 * 2) Fill it with Black.
 * 3) Draw a White pentagram symbol in the center of its body.
 * 4) Add a brown headband with horns atop its head.
 * 5) Add the eyes and you're done!

Friends

 * [[File:Totlib.png]] Total Liberationism (TST) - One should strive to act with compassion and empathy toward all creatures in accordance with reason.
 * [[File:Prog-u.png]] Progressivism (TST) - The struggle for justice is an ongoing and necessary pursuit that should prevail over laws and institutions.
 * [[File:Civlibert.png]] Civil Libertarianism (TST) - One’s body is inviolable, subject to one’s own will alone.
 * [[File:Thar.png]] Anti-Authoritarianism (TST) - The freedoms of others should be respected, including the freedom to offend. To willfully and unjustly encroach upon the freedoms of another is to forgo one's own.
 * [[File:Scientocracy_Small.png]] Scientocracy (TST) - Beliefs should conform to one's best scientific understanding of the world. One should take care never to distort scientific facts to fit one's beliefs.
 * [[File:Reform.png]] Reformism (TST) - People are fallible. If one makes a mistake, one should do one's best to rectify it and resolve any harm that might have been caused.
 * [[File:Anego.png]] Anarcho-Egoism - Do what thou wilt.
 * [[File:Obj.png]] Objectivism (Laveyanism) - Mother, we love you! Our ethics are basically yours. Even if we are not fans of capitalism.
 * [[File:Secular.png]] Secularism - We both agree that religion is harmful towards society, removing it from culture is far more humane.
 * [[File:Annil.png]] Anarcho-Nihilism - Many more anarchistic versions of me are similar to you.

Frenemies

 * [[File:Satan.png]] Satanic Theocracy - Wow dude, that's some sick cosplay--- wait, you actually worship Satan?! What the hell?!
 * [[File:StateathFedora.png]] State Atheism - We both agree that religion is harmful to society, but, doesn't this goes too far?
 * [[File:Eugen.png]] Eugenicism and [[File:Darwinist.png]] Social Darwinism - Yeah, about that...

Enemies

 * [[File:Christy.png]] Christian Theocracy - I'M NOT GOING TO CHURCH DAD AND YOU CAN'T MAKE ME!!!
 * [[File:Catheo.png]] Catholic Theocracy - OH MY SATAN IT'S LITERALLY PAVELIĆ!!!
 * [[File:Positive_Christianity.png]] Positive Christianity and [[File:Cfash.png]] Clerical Fascism - See, I told you.
 * [[File:Confess.png]] Confessionalism - F*CK YOU'RE LITERALLY THE EXACT SAME AS THE ABOVE!!!
 * [[File:Conserv.png]] Conservatism - Lol, no. We don't actually worship Satan.
 * [[File:Plcn2.png]] Paleoconservatism - Between the two of us, you're the only one who believes in the Devil.

Literature

 * by Anton Szandor LaVey (CoS)
 * The Satanic Bible
 * The Satanic Rituals
 * The Satanic Rituals
 * The Devil's Notebook
 * Satan Speaks!


 * [[File:TST.png]] The Satanic Temple Library
 * Speak of the Devil: How The Satanic Temple is Changing the Way We Talk about Religion, by Joseph P. Laycock
 * The Revolt of the Angels, by Anatole France
 * The Better Angels of Our Nature: Why Violence Has Declined, by Steven Pinker
 * The Little Book of Satanism: A Guide to Satanic History, Culture, and Wisdom, by La Carmina
 * Romantic Satanism: Myth and the Historical Moment in Blake, Shelley and Byron, by Peter A. Schock
 * The Satanic Epic, by Neil Forsyth
 * Paradise Lost, by John Milton
 * Etc.…

Wikipedia

 * Satanism
 * [[File:CoS.png]] LaVeyan Satanism
 * Anton Szandor LaVey
 * Church of Satan
 * First Satanic Church
 * The Satanic Bible
 * [[File:TST.png]] The Satanic Temple
 * Lucien Greaves
 * Hail Satan?

Videos

 * [[File:TST.png]] The Satanic Temple
 * Satan Is Becoming More Popular Than God. Here's Why
 * The Most “Sacred” Book In Satanism… Was Not What I Expected
 * Ben Shapiro Catches Himself Agreeing with Satanism
 * What REALLY Happened at the Largest Satanic Gathering Ever

Online Communities

 * r/Satanism
 * [[File:TST.png]] The Satanic Temple
 * The Satanic Temple TV
 * r/SatanicTemple_Reddit
 * [[File:CoS.png]] Church of Satan
 * r/ChurchofSatan