# Is Satanism too bland? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [November 5, 2008, 9:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-satanism-too-bland/471251 "2008-11-05T09:55:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![mutantmoose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a87d85/32.png) [@mutantmoose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mutantmoose)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2008, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-satanism-too-bland/471251/61 "2008-11-08T00:10:05Z")
Isn’t it a little misleading calling yourselves satanists if you don’t believe in satan? ---
**Author:** ![Illuminatiprimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/illuminatiprimus/32/11520_2.png) [@Illuminatiprimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Illuminatiprimus)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2008, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-satanism-too-bland/471251/62 "2008-11-08T00:34:42Z")
> [@mutantmoose](#): > > Isn’t it a little misleading calling yourselves satanists if you don’t believe in satan? _Drinks a shot_ ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2008, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-satanism-too-bland/471251/63 "2008-11-08T00:43:53Z")
> [@Illuminatiprimus](#): > > _Drinks a shot_ Made it to 61. That a record? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2008, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-satanism-too-bland/471251/64 "2008-11-08T01:27:52Z")
> [@Tamara+](#): > > Well, most who know her believe her. Some think her ill, but she has a good job, etc. > She used to practice ceremonial magick and didn’t need props at times. I am not sure what “ceremonial magick” is, and I am curious as to how it would differ from “ceremonial magic”. I can already see that one word has a “k” on the end of it, but I don’t know what difference that makes in the meaning of the word. I don’t understand what having a good job has to do with being able to travel out of one’s body, nor with being credible. I do understand what having a good job might have to do with being creditable. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2008, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-satanism-too-bland/471251/65 "2008-11-08T01:51:22Z")
> [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](#): > > Best possible neighbors, then. By all accounts, they are. Unfortunately, there neighbors aren’t. They suffered from pretty horrific massacres in the 19th century, and in 2007, gunmen killed 23 Yazidi near Mosul in retalliation for an honor killing of a Yazidi girl who tried to run away with her Muslim boyfriend. ---
**Author:** ![Walker\_in\_Eternity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/46a35a/32.png) [@Walker\_in\_Eternity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walker_in_Eternity)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2008, 10:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-satanism-too-bland/471251/66 "2008-11-08T10:24:07Z")
> [@Illuminatiprimus](#): > > Why do you think the COS wants to shock or be the bad guys? The people within it want a fulfilling life and suffering criminal records for misdeeds or having substance abuse issues get in the way of that. Satanists don’t need a bad guy badge to be happy with who they are. Probably just an erroneous assumption on my part. If it seems necessary to use Satan as a symbol of worship, whether you believe in him or not, seems to me like a “how can we shock people?” approach. Plus mythologically speaking Lucifer/Satan was the arch rebel in heaven, it seems like his ideals are a little watered down in the SB. The message seems to be rebel, but legally and only a little bit. Am I mistaken? ---
**Author:** ![Illuminatiprimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/illuminatiprimus/32/11520_2.png) [@Illuminatiprimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Illuminatiprimus)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2008, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-satanism-too-bland/471251/67 "2008-11-08T14:35:53Z")
You’re kind of right - Satan means adversary and Satanism sets itself up as the aversary to conventional thinking and morality. Just because Satanists work within the law it doesn’t necessarily follow that they’re typical people (I know that I’m not). But as I said upthread you have to remember the historical setting for the foundation of the Church of Satan, and I think as western society has become more secular and less driven by Christian morality so the need for such rebellion is slightly less. However the increase of stupidty in society and the ongoing democratisation of thought and achievement that seems to be occuring is definitely something Satanism puts itself into opposition against. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2008, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-satanism-too-bland/471251/68 "2008-11-09T00:40:16Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > I’m going to go out on a limb here and assert that you’re not, in fact, a vampire. > If Satanism actually exists, as a cohesive set of spiritual beliefs honestly held by a number of adherents, it is, by definition, a cult. Sorry if you don’t like the word, but it would be literally correct - again, assuming anyone really believes in Satanism. Let’s try this again: > [@Ludovic](#): > > I find it ironic that you are apparently insisting on the common language definition of a vampire but NOT on the common language definition of a cult. You were saying in effect: “hey, you dont really suck peoples blood and live in a coffin so you’re not REALLY a vampire,” but also in effect saying “well, using the religious-studies technical definition of a cult, you are a cult”. ---
**Author:** ![Walker\_in\_Eternity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/46a35a/32.png) [@Walker\_in\_Eternity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walker_in_Eternity)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2008, 9:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-satanism-too-bland/471251/69 "2008-11-10T09:37:04Z")
> [@Illuminatiprimus](#): > > However the increase of stupidty in society and the ongoing democratisation of thought and achievement that seems to be occuring is definitely something Satanism puts itself into opposition against. I can understand the opposition to stupidity and dumbing down, but could you expand upon the “democratisation of thought and achivement” line? If by that you mean you are against this whole “any opinion no matter how crazy” is valid then I agree. I always thought it would be amusing watching how the faith tolerance section of society would cope if a religious group arose who said, “but it’s my right to fuck dogs in the street, the holy book of K9 says so”. ---
**Author:** ![Illuminatiprimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/illuminatiprimus/32/11520_2.png) [@Illuminatiprimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Illuminatiprimus)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2008, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-satanism-too-bland/471251/70 "2008-11-10T13:34:28Z")
> [@Walker\_in\_Eternity](#): > > I can understand the opposition to stupidity and dumbing down, but could you expand upon the “democratisation of thought and achivement” line? > > If by that you mean you are against this whole “any opinion no matter how crazy” is valid then I agree. Yes, that and the notion that everyone, no matter how lacking in ability, skills, talent or achievement is the same as everyone else. Satanism believes in stratification, people will rise or fall to their own level in society based on their merits and abilities. People are not equal, and pretending they are doesn’t make it so. This is strictly based on merit however, as all the potential in the world is for naught if it’s not exercised. ---
**Author:** ![Walker\_in\_Eternity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/46a35a/32.png) [@Walker\_in\_Eternity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walker_in_Eternity)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2008, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-satanism-too-bland/471251/71 "2008-11-10T14:26:31Z")
True, I can’t disagree with you at all. Far too many people fail to reach their true potential (myself included here, mainly due to laziness) and far too many people with no noticeable talents at all make massive successes of their lives. Must be a message here somewhere. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-satanism-too-bland/471251.md?page=3)