I’ve wanted to read the Satanic Bible for a loooooong time. What better time to read it than the early days of Advent as the Christmas season unfolds?! I like the juxtaposition. Just in case, I made some images of Anton LaVey in a jolly good festive mood.
I lent a copy of the Satanic Bible to a friend who was interested in the occult back in college and never got it back. I wonder if she still has it…wherever she is. Anyway! I originally picked it up as a curiosity. It felt like a conversation piece someone might notice on my shelf one day and I could wax poetic about LaVeyan iconoclasm. This latest copy I picked up from Amazon. I couldn’t imagine buying this at my local bookstore in Kentucky.
And there is the point of it all, right? Modern Satanism directly confronts notions of religion, decorum, taboo, etc. It feels rebellious to buy a copy of this book..some would say dangerous. Serving in Kentucky, I cannot tell you how many times I’ve had to talk about Satanism here. I’m not kidding. Several times a year a Satanic group of some sort wants to use the grounds of the congregation I serve. I think that’s worthy of a more in depth sociological study, but that’s outside my expertise. But really, why are there so many Satanists in Kentucky? And why do they want to rent the grounds of a church?
I’m curious about seeing the intersections of Social Darwinism, the occult, and the image of Satan in this text. Founded by Anton LaVey, it is a religious group (and text) that could offend my sensibilities as a progressive in 2021. But, that’s also the point of the whole thing. This movement and their writings want to elicit a response.
My Soul Will Be Okay, I Swear.
Now, before anyone sends me a message of concern: I am not fearing for my eternal soul. I am not afraid of the devil. I do not believe in the stereotypical Satan with horns and a pitchfork. Satanists don’t believe in one, either. (Surprise!) This is a book. It’s a book that seeks to disrupt, challenge, and confront. But it is nothing more than a book. The only power it holds is the power people give it — and this is true with any sacred (infernal?) text.
So, dig into the Church of Satan if you like to learn more. Go ahead, it won’t hurt you. It’s just a website. Or just follow along as I spend a handful of days with a book many of us would pretend doesn’t exist. I’m excited!
The Plan
This is the fourth installment of my sacred text exploration. I think this time around it’s okay to say “unholy text” or something similar. Unless you are lucky and have an older edition or the special hardcover edition from their anniversary, there is really only one version of the Satanic Bible. That’s the one I’ll be using. I realize other Satanic groups might have their own texts, but for right now I’m looking to explore what LaVeyan Satanism has to offer as their sacred/unholy text.
There’s additional volumes that’ve been released, such as The Satanic Scriptures. I’m focusing on this one as it is the original by Anton LaVey. At some point, I might explore newer books. I’d be curious how the philosophy has shifted, if at all. It certainly has with newer Satanic movements like the Satanic Temple which, amusingly enough, has seven principles and feels very close to modern ethical religious movements (like Unitarian Universalism or the American Ethical Union). Their political advocacy is admirable if I’m being honest.
So, I endeavor to not judge the truthfulness of a sacred text, but I also recognize my biases leak through in some way every time. I think the Satanic Bible wants me to engage whether or not I buy into it. It’s a religion/philosophy of staking a claim and defending it without regard to others. Maybe I’ll play along. Maybe I’ll just lay it all out and let it speak for itself.
Here’s how I plan to spend 5 days with this infernal text: