debate-points, semantics, definition-of-atheism, satanismI thought that satanism involved worship and belief in a higher being, and am confused by the term “atheistic satanist”. In this context, what does it mean to be atheistic, and a satanist?
Are atheistic satanists truly atheists?
Wikipedia cites two varieties of Atheistic Satanism:
In both cases there appears to be a literary affinity for the "Satan" rather than a literal, or precisely worshipful one.
An atheistic satanist is a contradictio in adjecto.
A Satan is a religious concept. If a church wants to fool its followers, and prevent unsure believers from rational thinking, they proclaim their critics to be enemies, to work for the opposite force.
In a narrowed mind, there is no room for the freedom of a chaotic world. Either you belief in god, or you belief in the satan, the opposite of god.
There is another influence, the entertainment industrie, which likes to produce films with vampires, zombies, werwulfs and the like, and there is much interest in spinning stories, to make the people fear. They aren’t interested in philosophical accurate constructions. Atheists or satanists, who cares?
I’ve never heard an atheist self-identify as a satanist, although I concede that I have no explicit complaints with the teachings of either school of satanism. (Other than the same complaints I have with an unnecessary reliance on the supernatural)
Where we do tend to hear this kind of talk is from conservative Christians who apparently conflate any belief structure that is inconsistent with their brand of theology (including the lack of belief that is atheism) with the worship of Satan. I have even heard them attempt to argue that one of the greatest tricks the devil can play on a person, is to convince them that there’s no god.
With a weltanschauung as narrowly-focused as what comes from these christians, it’s little more than an attempt to understand something completely alien and anathema to what they believe to be true. It’s best to ignore them unless you can’t avoid it.
As far as I know Anton LaVeys biblie of satan mainly describes a way of life that is free from rules that hurt some ppl to please others. I remember the main idea was: “One should not treat others in ways that they would not like to be treated” as an oposite to: “One should not treat others in ways that one would not like to be treated”. The first focuses on rights of others rather then treating others the way one believes is right. If this means to be Satanist than I am Atheist Satanist as well:)
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