A religion with many definitions. No one person can truly tell you what Satanism is as a whole. What CAN be told though, is that Satanism is devided into many different fragments. Some people believe in Satan as a symbol of independence and freedom. This is called being a Symbolic Satanist. Where you believe in Satan as a Symbol for things greater then mortality and every day life and not as a real icon to be worshiped.
Theistic Satanism (often reffered to as
Luciferianism or more comonly Traditional Satanism) is a religion introduced by a man called
Anton Szandor LaVey. I myself am a Theistic Satanist (you will prolly all vote thumbs down on this definition or hate me because I said that). Theistic Satanism is where you believe in Satan as an icon to be worshiped. Theistic Satanism is the opposite of Catholisicm but does not always include animal or
child sacrifice, or drug use. I do not agree with sacrificing any living creature to worship an icon, and I myself do not do hard drugs for meditation purposes, however have done minor drugs to increase the power of meditation. But basically where Catholics have the "Holy Trinity" consisting of The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit (which all happen to be the same person), Theistic Satanists/Traditional Satanists/Luciferians have Satan (Representing element of Fire), Lucifer (Representing element of Air),
Belial (Representing element of Earth), and Leviathan (Representing element of Water). Where Catholics have the Ten Commandments
Example:
Where Catholics have the "
Holy Trinity" consisting of The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit (which all happen to be the same person), Theistic Satanists/Traditional Satanists/Luciferians have Satan (Representing element of Fire), Lucifer (Representing element of Air),
Belial (Representing element of Earth), and Leviathan (Representing element of Water).
Where Catholics have the Ten Commandments:
I. Do not worship any other Gods
II. Do not make any false idols.
III. Do not use gods name in vain.
IV. Remember the Sabbath day, and
keep it holy.
V. Honour Your Father and Mother.
VI. Do not Murder.
VII. Do not commit Adultery.
VIII. Do not steal.
IX. Do not covet thy neighbours goods.
X. Do not covet thy neighbours wife.
Theistic Satanist/Traditional Satanists/Luciferians have the Nine Statements:
I. Satan believes in indulgence, instead of abstinence.
II. Satan believes in vital existence, instead of spiritual
pipe dreams.
III. Satan believes in undefiled wisdom, instead of hypocritical self deciet.
IV. Satan believes in kindness to those who deserve it, instead of love wasted on ingrates.
V. Satan believes in vengeance, instead of
turning the other cheek.
VI. Satan believes in responsibility to the reponsible, instead of concern for
psychic vampires
VII. Satan represents man as just another animal, sometimes better, more often worse than those who walk on all fours, who, because of his "divine spiritual and intellectual development," has become the most vicious animal of all.
VIII. Satan represents all of the so-called sins, as they all lead to physical, mental, or emotional gratification.
IX. Satan has been the best friend the church has ever had as he kept it in buisness all these years.
To wrap it up Satanism is a religion with many definitions.