Traditional Satanism
Cult of evil?
Satan Summoning His Legions - Thomas Lawrence (1797)
The term Satanism derives from the concept of Satan, who is a figure originating from the Yahwist tradition.
In the article: “The Meaning and Function of Satan in the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) its author Leonce F. Rambau writes about the origin of the term Satan this way: “In the first two chapters of the Book of Job, we encounter a heavenly figure, identified as the Satan (hassatan) who is described as one of “the sons of God.”
The noun Satan is derived from the verb Sãtan, with the Semitic root śtn. The noun occurs 27 times in the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament), while the verb Sãtan occurs 6 times. Other related forms are śitna, śatam, and mastema, which are well attested in the Hebrew Bible. The meaning of the verb satan is variously rendered as “to accuse,” “to slander,” or “to be an adversary.” Sãtan is a pure Semitic word in early use among the Israelites.
Satan in the Old Testament appears in the following verses: Numbers 22:22, 32; Zachariah 3:1; Job 1–2; and 1 Chronicles 21:1
A careful analysis of the verses in which the figure of Satan appears shows his evolution in the Old Testament. According to the author of the article, first there is the appearance and development of the “heavenly” Satan in the four texts in which he appears, and the use of this name first describes his divine function, but slowly this function became more and more detached from God, and in the last text, i.e., 1 Chronicles 21:1, this character acts independently.
Rabbinical literature also speaks interestingly about Satan. Edward Langton, in his book Essentials of Demonology, quotes the following passages from the Talmud on this subject:
“In T.B. Baba Bathra (16a) Satan is identified with the Yetzer ha Ra, ‘evil impulse’ in man. This appears to be a rationalistic attempt to account for Satan as a personification of the evil inclination in man. As a rule, the Talmud not only distinguishes between a personal Satan without, and an evil inclination within, man, but also expressly ascribes to God the creation of the Yetzer ha Ra in man in the condition in which he was before the fall. In T.B. Berachoth (61a) it is argued that the occurrence of the two yodhs (yy) in the word Wayyicer (‘and he formed’, Genesis 27) indicates the existence of two impulses in man—the Yetzer Tobh and the Yetzer ha Ra.(Compare with the concept of Zaorstrian dualism, which I write about here.)
In T.B. Yoma (69b) it is urged that the existence of this evil spirit (identified with Satan) within us is absolutely essential to the existence of the world”.
The Christian branch of Yahwism further developed the concept of Satan. This is what they write about Satan in their writings:
“And the great dragon, the ancient serpent (demons incarnating in the form of animals, often in the form of a serpent, were widely known in the mythologies of the ancient Sumerians, Babylonians, Egyptians, etc.), called the devil and Satan, deceiving the whole world, was cast down. He was cast down to the earth, and with him his angels were also cast down”. Rev. 12:9
In the book of Isaiah in chapter 15, verses 12-15 it says:
“How is it that you fell from the heavens, Shining One, Son of the Dawn? How did you fall to the earth, Thou who didst conquer the nations? You who spoke in your heart: I will ascend to the heavens; Above the stars of God I will set my throne. I will sit down on the Mount of Sessions, At the ends of the north. I will ascend to the tops of the clouds, I shall be like the Most High. What do you mean? You have been cast down to Sheol To the very bottom of the Abyss!"
And this is how this text reads in Latin according to the Vulgate, the first translation of the Bible into Latin, which was written in the 4th century AD. The author of the translation was Saint Jerome.
12 quomodo cecidisti de caelo lucifer qui mane oriebaris corruisti in terram qui vulnerabas gentes
13 qui dicebas in corde tuo in caelum conscendam super astra Dei exaltabo solium meum sedebo in monte testamenti in lateribus aquilonis
14 ascendam super altitudinem nubium ero similis Altissimo
15 verumtamen ad infernum detraheris in profundum laci
The Latin translation of this passage uses the name Lucifer explicitly.
Isaiah's text here parallels the words attributed to Jesus about Satan:
“Then he said to them: "I saw Satan, falling from heaven like lightning”. - Luke 10:18
These texts prove that Satan and Lucifer are the same person. Read more about it here.
Followers of the Nazarene prophet also gave Satan other proud names: Accuser, ruler of this world, ruler of the powers of the air, enemy, Evil, evil spirit, unclean spirit, ancient serpent, Dragon, ruler of hellfire. In ancient times, names were attributed with power.
Therefore, among the many belief systems, magical or philosophical sytems wishing to call themselves Satanism, for obvious reasons those that allude to the traditional Satan are closest to it. All other cults should not call themselves Satanism. These are non-Satanic belief systems, often in various ancient and pagan deities, or in other revealed (imaginary) supernatural entities.
There are also pathological organizations that seek out adepts from among people with psychopathic and sociopathic tendencies, or those who have such disorders, which teach that doing "bad things" is a sign of Satanism. Cynical leaders of such organizations or rather cults try to use their members, that is, their disturbed victims, for their criminal purposes. Such cults are not satanic. They are pathological and criminal. Satanism does not originate from mental disorders, it is the Abrahamic religions that originate from man with mental disorders.
The suggestion that true Satanism must be combined with a theistic belief in some supernatural being is false.
First of all, all deities that have ever existed and their names were invented by man and written down in various books that he himself declared sacred or cursed.
These beings would never have existed without the participation of the man who created them.
Secondly, Judeo-Christian theology, from which the enemy of the theistic God Yahweh, Satan originated argues that anyone who does not recognize the self-proclaimed son of God Jesus and denies that he is the messiah is acting under the influence of Satan
"And every spirit, who does not recognize Jesus is not of God; and this is the spirit of Antichrist, who, as you have heard, is coming and is already in the world." 1 John 4:3
"Who is a liar, if not he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is the antichrist who casts doubt on the Father and the Son." 1 John 2:22
"For many deceivers have gone out into the world who refuse to recognize that Jesus Christ came in the flesh. Such a one is a deceiver and antichrist." 2 John 1:7
The greatest sin according to Abrahamic delusional religions is unbelief:
„The sinners in Zion are terrified; trembling grips the godless: "Who among us can live with the consuming fire? Who among us can live with everlasting flames?" Isa 33:14
"...who go to perdition because they have not accepted the love of the truth in order to receive salvation. Therefore God allows deception to work on them, so that they will believe a lie, so that all who have not believed the truth (the gospel) but have taken a liking to iniquity will be judged." 2 Thess 2:10-12
It is the spirit of Antichrist that is behind unbelief. It is godlessness that is truly satanic. Therefore, godlessness by all theistic religions is seen as the greatest evil.
Therefore, a philosophy that does not recognize Jesus, that denies that Jesus is the Christ, questions the Father and the Son, and refuses to recognize that Jesus Christ came in the flesh is not of god, is Satanism.
And it is not some contrived Satanism arising from drug-induced fantasies or speculations, but Satanism commanded from the religious writings of the Yahwism faction, from which the very name Satan derives.
Moreover, Satanism can and even should be seen as a worldview that not only rejects belief in the Judeo-Christian god but is the very absence of all belief in any theistic superstition, for the reason that this is the greatest possible sin according to all theistic religions.
Satanism is an anti-theistic philosophy that arose from the total rejection of all theistic beliefs. Satanism is an attitude whose pre-image, archetype of motif is Satan's rebellion against god, his disbelief in god. Satanism, whose main characteristic is primordial godlessness, should be an instinctive reaction to the claims of religious dogma. Satanism, in order to show its full power, should, according to Ecclesia Luciferi, in itself, in the mind of the Satanist, approach the concept of the archetype.
How to become a Satanist read here.
Hail Satan, Hail Thyself!
LCFNS Lucifer Nostra Salus
I admit this gives me a lot to think about. I had always figured that the passage of Isaiah was interpreted later by Christians to fit their theology and reflect Lucifer/Satan, whereas I was of the understanding that Jews didn't ever make that same connection. However I don't know that for a fact and am happy to be shown to be wrong.
So while I had always felt that they were different beings, I am very comfortable with the understanding that they are, especially after reading this article.
Thank you.