Lane says that sort of risk-taking demonstrates real devotion. Both of those things are true. Because the core of Satanism is to embrace joking and pranking and being mischievous and freaking people out.
But then once you get there, what do the ideas have to offer? People stick around because—for a person who is a Satanist—Satanism brings them a great deal of meaning and value. And just as the Satanic Temple uses humor to communicate a serious message, Lane hopes that her documentary does the same. And check out some highlights from the discussion below. That was much more interesting to me. It plays like a comedy. And that can be nice, in a landscape of documentaries that are very somber and serious.
This is my role in life. But this one premiered at Sundance, and that was very interesting. But I had one festival volunteer, who I think was, like, 75 years old, tell me at the beginning of the screening, in no uncertain terms, with a very straight face, that she was not happy to have been assigned to my film. I worried that it would be baseline too offensive. So I worried that it would just be too offensive. Like, who cares what the Phoenix City Council does?
But I actually think that the real impact of the film was the opposite of that. It was people for whom [Arkansas State Sen. That was really interesting. So the Utah-ness of the premiere was helpful to me, in understanding that the film would actually resonate more in those places, not in New York and LA.
Maybe because of the legacy of the Satanic Panic? They were just all offended. Like, everyone. These are ideas that came from Hollywood movies and daytime talk shows, and then before that, thousands of years of fear that had manifested into fantasy, largely in the Catholic Church. They get real detailed. The whole notion of Satanism is a long history of fear and fantasy. Only very recently has it become an actual history of people who call themselves Satanists.
Which is amazing. Totally loved it. So great. But why do they call themselves Satanists? This is a very tough one to break through. But even I had those thoughts. Since the film makes the point that the Satanic Temple is not just an activist movement, but also a religion, how did that affect you? How did making the film change or challenge your conceptions of religion? I basically have no religious background. For those of us who have never been religious, you think, as an atheist who knows nothing, that religion is primarily about a list of beliefs that, from the outside, are patently absurd and stupid.
Who would believe these things? But I came to understand that for most people, the importance of religion is not about a list of beliefs, but about experience, day-to-day life, community, and a coherent narrative — a sort of organizing force that provides meaning and structure to existence. Then I came to understand that the function that religion plays for people in their lives is so valuable — not even valuable, just so important and foundational, in terms of what human existence is.
I think that was my own personal evolution in the project, which is somewhat irrelevant to the film. Only occasionally has he been taken as a literal figure of evil; more often, the devil represents the outsider, the provocateur, the one with the best tunes.
The Rolling Stones expressed their Sympathy and called an album Their Satanic Majesties Request , but nobody considered them serious satanists. LaVey is acknowledged as the founder of modern satanism, although he, too, was more theatrical showman than genuine prince of darkness.
He strove to look the part, with his shaved head, sharp little goatee and black cloak — imagery largely gleaned from old horror movies. He opened the First Church of Satan in San Francisco in , synthesising various occult sources into a semi-coherent philosophy, and attracting a few celebrity devotees, including Jayne Mansfield.
Again, the satanic messaging was largely theatrical: occult symbolism, demonic lyrics and horror-movie guitar riffs. The exception was the infamous Norwegian black metal scene, which devolved into genuine horror with the bands Burzum and Mayhem, whose horrific saga involved church-burnings, suicide and murder.
They become this creation of the hysteria against satanism. Then came lurid allegations of satanic ritual abuse around the world — child sexual abuse, murder, torture, cannibalism and gory rituals, ostensibly at the behest of a secret sect intent on undermining the foundations of civilisation.
This is the environment in which Greaves grew up. Things have hardly improved in recent years, Greaves admits. As a Satanist, one could say that Satanism permeates all aspects of daily life, but for me this as natural as breathing, and is largely an unconscious process and a result of following my instincts and passions. Satanic rituals are not a requirement of Satanism and should be used as an optional cathartic tool for those that gain psychological benefit from structured ceremonies of the kind found in our texts.
Through the designs, clothing and merchandise that I create for ASPculture. There is no requirement to celebrate any holidays, but as someone who embraces science, nature, and pre-Christian pan-European traditions, I tend to indulge in and observe the vernal equinox, Ostara, Walpurgisnacht, the founding of the Church of Satan, summer solstice, autumnal equinox, Halloween, and Yuletide, winter solstice, Saturnalia and New Year's Eve.
The Satanic Rules seem pretty reasonable. It doesn't seem to allow much room for negotiation. What's the philosophy behind that? Obviously if somebody approaches you in the street in a non-threatening manner, and continues to bother you after you ask them to stop, physically destroying them would be an irrational, unwarranted, and illegal response.
However, it is important to note that as strict advocates of law and order, we demand that each Satanist operate within the legal parameters of their country of residence with regards to all actions. As Satanists are free to align with any branch of politics, or remain apolitical if they wish, there are likely some anarchist and libertarian members of the Church of Satan.
Anarcho-capitalism and libertarianism in general appear more conducive to Satanic ideals. Mencken, one of the earliest Americans to identify as a libertarian, along with fellow traveller, Ayn Rand, were influential on Anton LaVey and Satanic philosophy, particularly in their advocacy of heroic individualism and rejection of religion, mysticism, supernaturalism in general.
A point of departure between Satanism and libertarianism that I have noticed, is that many schools of libertarian thought have a delusional view of human nature. This faulty notion leads many libertarians to conclude that all humans have equal potential ability and free will to become masters in any field of human endeavour, so long as the person is afforded the opportunity and necessary education. This utopian view of human potential is unfortunately unrealistic and un-Satanic.
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