# church of satan= child abuse? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 20, 2005, 7:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/church-of-satan-child-abuse/317866 "2005-08-20T07:26:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![pope\_hentai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@pope\_hentai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pope_hentai)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2005, 7:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/church-of-satan-child-abuse/317866/1 "2005-08-20T07:26:59Z")
[THIS](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=318385) recent thread reminded me of something i heard once upon a time that raising a child as a member of the church of satan was considered to be child abuse. Is this true? and if so how can it hold up under legal scrutiny? ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2005, 11:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/church-of-satan-child-abuse/317866/2 "2005-08-20T11:46:12Z")
> [@pope\_hentai](#): > > [THIS](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=318385) recent thread reminded me of something i heard once upon a time that raising a child as a member of the church of satan was considered to be child abuse. Is this true? and if so how can it hold up under legal scrutiny? It most likely isn’t true, and if it is there’s no way it could hold up legally. Child abuse (unless some local region has redefined it in odd ways) is completely defined by _actions_, not _ideas_. It’s perfectly legal to impart odious ideas to impressionable young people. It is illegal to hit them or abuse them psychologically. (Psychological abuse can be obvious or very difficult to pin down. The precept to remember is that our justice system operates on a case-by-case basis, and eventually everything comes down to the _people_ involved.) So there might be a law that defines raising a child in the Church of Satan to be child abuse. That law would be unconstitutional and completely at odds with how everyone else defines child abuse. ---
**Author:** ![Cliffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@Cliffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cliffy)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2005, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/church-of-satan-child-abuse/317866/3 "2005-08-20T17:21:55Z")
**pope**. most likely that claim is tied up in the hysteria about Satanic ritual Abuse that was big about 15 years ago. There were all these claims of a huge, shadowy, satan-worshiping conspiracy that abused and sacrificed children. It was all bullshit, of course, but it gave satan-worship a bad rap. –Cliffy ---
**Author:** ![CynicalGabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@CynicalGabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CynicalGabe)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2005, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/church-of-satan-child-abuse/317866/4 "2005-08-20T21:07:03Z")
> [@Derleth](#): > > The precept to remember is that our justice system operates on a case-by-case basis, and eventually everything comes down to the _people_ involved. Incorrect, but your underlying point is right. Our judicial system is based on _stare decisis_ and not a case-by-case basis. ---
**Author:** ![Jake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jake)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2005, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/church-of-satan-child-abuse/317866/5 "2005-08-21T00:11:33Z")
There is no “Satan” There is evil. If a person raises a child “evil” then society must judge. Through the courts. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2005, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/church-of-satan-child-abuse/317866/6 "2005-08-21T00:50:10Z")
> [@Cliffy](#): > > it gave satan-worship a bad rap. _giggle_ I know exactly what you mean (I’ve fought some ignorance re: LaVey and CoS on this board in the past), but this sentence still makes me giggle… 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2005, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/church-of-satan-child-abuse/317866/7 "2005-08-21T01:01:41Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > _giggle_ > > I know exactly what you mean (I’ve fought some ignorance re: LaVey and CoS on this board in the past), but this sentence still makes me giggle… > > 😃 Yeah, I was just wondering when Satan-worship had a good rap. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2005, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/church-of-satan-child-abuse/317866/8 "2005-08-21T02:24:28Z")
> [@CynicalGabe](#): > > Incorrect, but your underlying point is right. Our judicial system is based on _stare decisis_ and not a case-by-case basis. But it’s still possible to overturn an old ruling, and create a new precedent in its place. My point is that you can go back and forth on corner cases for years and prove _nothing_ until a court full of individual people actually decides a specific case. ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2005, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/church-of-satan-child-abuse/317866/9 "2005-08-21T02:41:03Z")
> [@Cliffy](#): > > It was all bullshit, of course, but it gave satan-worship a bad rap. Is there any satan-worshippig cult out there that could get a bad rap, anyway? The church of satan doesn’t worship Satan (nor anybody or anything else, for that matter). It’s about self-achievment or somesuch. ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2005, 6:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/church-of-satan-child-abuse/317866/10 "2005-08-21T06:47:30Z")
> [@clairobscur](#): > > Is there any satan-worshippig cult out there that could get a bad rap, anyway? > . Temple of Set, founded by Michael & Lilith Aquino, spun-off of LaVey’s CoS, does indeed worship a Satanic deity, the Egyptian Set. Also, I’ve heard the late Anton’s daughter Zeena & her hubby Nikolas Schrek have also adopted an edgier Satanism which may worship a personal devil & isn’t against animal sacrifices. ---
**Author:** ![Turek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/turek/32/18782_2.png) [@Turek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turek)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2005, 11:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/church-of-satan-child-abuse/317866/11 "2005-08-21T11:28:06Z")
> [@Derleth](#): > > It’s perfectly legal to impart odious ideas to impressionable young people. This is usually referred to as “sunday school.” ---
**Author:** ![CynicalGabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@CynicalGabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CynicalGabe)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2005, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/church-of-satan-child-abuse/317866/12 "2005-08-21T17:17:20Z")
> [@Turek](#): > > This is usually referred to as “sunday school.” Don’t forget “high school”. ---
**Author:** ![Good\_Egg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/96bed5/32.png) [@Good\_Egg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Good_Egg)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2005, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/church-of-satan-child-abuse/317866/13 "2005-08-22T03:38:00Z")
> [@FriarTed](#): > > Temple of Set, founded by Michael & Lilith Aquino, spun-off of LaVey’s CoS, does indeed worship a Satanic deity, the Egyptian Set. > > . Wasn’t he accused of child abuse or molestation? ---
**Author:** ![ouryL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ouryl/32/6067_2.png) [@ouryL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ouryL)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2005, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/church-of-satan-child-abuse/317866/14 "2005-08-22T04:31:17Z")
When Christians have a psychotic break, they see demons. They see demons and devils all having the kind of sex they deny themselves. ---
**Author:** ![Good\_Egg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/96bed5/32.png) [@Good\_Egg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Good_Egg)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2005, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/church-of-satan-child-abuse/317866/15 "2005-08-22T04:38:11Z")
I’ve known a lot of christians, and none have “seen demons”. Where on earth are you coming from? How many christians do you know who have had proven psychotic breakdowns? ---
**Author:** ![bdgr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a87d85/32.png) [@bdgr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bdgr)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2005, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/church-of-satan-child-abuse/317866/16 "2005-08-22T04:44:41Z")
> [@ouryL](#): > > When Christians have a psychotic break, they see demons. They see demons and devils all having the kind of sex they deny themselves. I am a Christian, and when I have a psychotic break I never get to see anything that interesting. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2005, 7:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/church-of-satan-child-abuse/317866/17 "2005-08-22T07:57:56Z")
> [@FriarTed](#): > > Temple of Set, founded by Michael & Lilith Aquino, spun-off of LaVey’s CoS, does indeed worship a Satanic deity, the Egyptian Set… This is a bit misleading. In the context of the Setian mythos, Set isn’t a malign figure, and in no sense do Setians “worship” Set. In practice, the Temple of Set is pretty much equivalent with that more respectable Egyptian-flavoured path, Hermeticism. It really is focused on self-actualization and whatnot – developing and projecting will through ritual. Set is considered to be a magician, mentor, and ally. If you talked to Setians, you might find that they have more in common with Freemasons than Hammer Studios devil-worshippers. (Except they seem to bend your ear about being under “psychic attack” a bit more.) ---
**Author:** ![Tristan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tristan/32/18058_2.png) [@Tristan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tristan)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2005, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/church-of-satan-child-abuse/317866/18 "2005-08-22T14:08:32Z")
> [@Jake](#): > > There is no “Satan” There is evil. If a person raises a child “evil” then society must judge. Through the courts. Uh… Cite? Seriously, this kind of statement serves no purpose whatsoever in this thread.