Top 15 Devilish Facts About Satanism

There isn’t just an ideological belief set behind modern Satanism. Non-theistic organizations such as The Satanic Temple have succeeded in becoming officially recognized by the United States’ Internal Revenue Service. This status has allowed The Temple’s spokesperson, Lucien Greaves[a], to enter the conversation when it comes to allowing alternative religious representation in schools. NBC News published an article in May of 2024, describing how The Satanic Temple is seeking to potentially install chaplains in states such as Texas and Florida. These latter areas have set precedents in allowing religious spokespersons in public school, a precedent that The Satanic Temple would very much like to exploit.

The 1960s and ‘70s saw an influx of alternative religions and spiritual viewpoints. Some of these would eventually fall under the banner of a “New Age” movement, yet the term “Paganism” possesses a much longer history. Still, Satanism and Paganism are often confused with one another, despite some rather notable differences. Although Luciferian[b] Witchcraft is a darker and more occult-focused offshoot of Wiccan religions, the modern face of Paganism, sometimes referred to as “Neopaganism,” tends to be more nature-focused. The term “Pagan” also no longer means “someone that isn’t Christian,” but rather an overarching umbrella of faiths that can be polytheistic or rooted in ancient cultural traditions.

One shared aspect between both Satanism and Paganism concerns considering Satan as similar to the Greek figure of Prometheus. This titan gifted man with fire and was punished with eternal torture. Satanists often view Satan as a Fallen Angel who is frequently seen as a rebel, one who thumbs their noses at authority and lives independently, with free thought. And he is punished by being banished from Heaven. Russian mystic and occultist Helena Blavatsky[c] spoke of Satan as a bringer of wisdom, similar to that old Biblical serpent that tempted Eve with knowledge from the tree. Supernaturalists tend to take a view of Satan as a literal figure, whereas rationalists see him as a symbol - but there’s a Promethean connection in either view.

Organizations such as The Satanic Temple currently enjoy what’s arguably the biggest public profile for commercial Satanism in recent history. That said, for every left-leaning, socially progressive organization such as The Temple, there are other Satanic splinter groups that lean into the term’s sinister pedigree. Groups such as The Order of the Nine Angles approach Satanism in a more traditional sense, while also retaining the right-leaning politics that have seen the Order labeled as a Neo-Nazi hate group. Members with ties to the O9A[d] have committed or plotted acts of violence and terrorism in countries such as Sweden, Canada and The United States.

Just as the term “pagan” was once loosely utilized by Christians to typecast those of non-Abrahamic[e] faiths, so too have the terms “Satanist” and “Devil Worshipper” been used interchangeably… and incorrectly. One need only look to the advent of Witchfinding and sham trials to witness how a social panic can influence accusations of devilry or witchcraft. These accusations weren’t limited to areas like Salem, however, since history has seen faiths both large and small, from Judaism to Paulicianism, being labeled as “in league with Satan.” The Catholic military order known as The Knights Templar even saw some of its members accused of ritual sacrifice and Luciferian behavior.

Yes, there are Nine Satanic Sins, and being a moron is the biggest of them all – not ignorance, that can be cured with learning, but stupidity allows people to be manipulated, and to do only as they are told. The subsequent sins on the list are quite pragmatic. Satanism also forbids pretentiousness, herd conformity, lack of perspective and aesthetics, and counterproductive pride. A lot of the Church’s principles are fairly aligned with the law and, to some degree, other religions. One major difference is they support the idea of lex talionis, or an eye for eye. So whoever strikes you on your right cheek, you go ahead and smack them on their left cheek. That’s the Satanist’s way.

Just as the sixties and seventies fostered a new interest in the new age, so too did Satan earn his flower power within the media. Films such as “Rosemary’s Baby” and “The Exorcist” did big dollars for The Devil, and many were morbidly fixated upon the dark side of what they saw as “hippie sexual liberation.” Susan Atkins was a notorious member of The Manson Family, one of those involved in the Tate-LaBianca[f] Murder. Atkins also possessed a connection to another notably dark figure from this period in Church of Satan founder Anton LaVey. The future Family member worked as an adult entertainer, or “nude witch,” for LaVey, in the latter’s attempt to utilize sex as a selling point for Church of Satan enrollment.

Confucianism was founded by Confucius, Buddhism was founded by Buddha, and Satanism was founded by…Nope, not Satan, but by Anton Szandor LaVey[g]. Details of his biography are often disputed or disproved, but supposedly he joined the Clyde Beatty Circus as a teenager, and soon became a lion tamer. His musical ability earned him a position playing the calliope and the organ for notable circus greats as he traveled along the Pacific Coast. After leaving the circus, he developed an interest in occult and magic. He became a bit of a local celebrity in San Francisco for his occult lectures and rituals. Ultimately in 1966, he founded the first official Church of Satan and was its leader until his death in 1997.

It’s not uncommon for young people to seek out music that will deliberately annoy their parents. This generation gap is natural, as teenagers seek to differentiate themselves from expectation and tradition. That said, the rise of Black Metal music, specifically from countries like Norway, made headlines back in the 1990s with some reports of real murder and church arson. Some viewed it as a fully-fledged movement, largely rooted in anti-Christian Satanism, and point to cases like heavy metal fan Ricky Kasso’s murder of his friend as resulting from it. Others dispute the extent of its influence. Black Metal may have been spawned in the 1980s, but the scene as it exists today was reinvented a decade later, with a fresh coat of corpse-paint.

Our society still gets all shaken up when talking about sexuality in the military, churches, government and other institutions. But not at the Church of Satan. Satanism doesn’t discriminate against any sexual orientation or acts, as long as it’s consensual between two adults… or however many adults are involved. The religion values gratification and pleasure very highly, and doesn’t believe in any absolute morality that might condemn one’s sexuality. LaVey himself encouraged sexual exploration and expression, and so if one is transgendered, gay, bisexual, lesbian, or asexual, the Church of Satan welcomes you with open arms.

What do we do on our birthdays? We make ourselves the center of attention, eat a big fat cake, get bombarded with gifts, and spend the whole day restaurant-hopping for free birthday meals. Well, that’s a core tenet of Satanism: self-indulgence. Although Halloween is also important to Satanists, one’s birthday is the most important day since Satanism is a self-centered religion. The holiday doesn’t require anything spectacular as long as it’s celebrated however the Satanist wants. If you find this revelation repulsive, just look back on your past birthdays and see how well you behaved…

The Satanic Temple and LaVey’s Church of Satan aren’t the only instances of those associated with modern Satanism shifting positions. Former Church of Satan member Michael Aquino left behind the rationalist position of LaVeyan Satanism in favor of his newly founded Temple of Set. This organization took a supernaturalist view of real occult worship, as opposed to the Church’s metaphorical Satanic stance. LaVeyan Satanism is also, generally speaking, one of right-leaning Libertarianism. The Satanic Temple, on the other hand, has openly endorsed causes of social justice and body reproductive rights advocacy in a manner that’s comparatively more liberal.

It’s easy, particularly with hindsight, to label LaVeyan Satanism as simply an orgiastic exercise in excess and indulgence. There’s a lot of truth to that, and Anton LaVey was showman enough to exploit that - as well as to allegedly get people like actress Jayne Mansfield and entertainer Sammy Davis, Jr. involved. LaVey’s text, “The Satanic Bible” became popular and influential after its publication in 1969. It helped codify a Satanic point of view, one that assisted in softening Old Scratch’s reputation as a demonic opponent into something more sympathetic…even heroic. This contemporary view of Satan felt linked to the poetic, Byronic portrayals of romance, while some of the Bible’s essays outlined the Church’s atheistic views of morality and behavior.

The rise of heavy metal groups like Slayer and Bathory[h], combined with shock-news pieces on tabletop games like Dungeons & Dragons, helped usher in the popular term “Satanic Panic.” This phenomenon peaked during the 1980s, and was largely a conservative reaction to these aforementioned elements, specifically with regard to their perceived contribution to moral decay. This paranoia had some real-life casualties, however, as evidenced by the McMartin Preschool trial and hysteria regarding the allegations of ritual Satanic abuse in daycares across the country. Satanism had turned a corner, it seemed, as the generation that previously asked the question “Is God dead?” now had kids of their own, and were scared to death of The Devil.

You’re probably scratching your head with this one. According to The Satanic Bible, written by LaVey, the Church of Satan is atheistic. To a true Satanist, the idea of a God or a Devil, is pure fiction. Satan is used as a metaphor, a symbolic paragon of enlightenment, hedonism, wisdom, individualism, and liberty. LaVey discouraged the worship of Satan as a deity, though Satan is an appropriate symbol for the church as he represents non-conformity and rebellion, especially against the Abrahamic religions, which LaVey saw as irrational. The church sees no real connection between Satan and the number 666, though they enjoy using it to mock superstitious Christians. And to those looking to sell their soul to the devil, the church says "if you want something out of life, get off your lazy butt and work for it."


Do you feel that interest in the occult has increased over recent years? Let us know in the comments!