# what do satanists do? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 19, 2003, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-satanists-do/219924 "2003-12-19T05:49:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Belrix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed655f/32.png) [@Belrix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Belrix)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2003, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-satanists-do/219924/21 "2003-12-19T18:16:46Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by cmkeller \* > \*\*Again, I wouldn’t call KP incorrect about this - while Satan does carry out the harming, it’s clear from the story that he was only allowed to do so with G-d’s permission. He’s not a free agent, he has G-d as a boss. > > Chaim Mattis Keller \*\* While not disagreeing with you, I’d argue that our while God does not prevent Satan’s entaglements in our lives, he doesn’t necessarily approve of the process. A Christian like me would argue that the universe has God as its boss but that doesn’t mean that control is always exercised. Free will and all. Now I’ll drop this before we get into GD territory. ---
**Author:** ![Dunderman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecb155/32.png) [@Dunderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dunderman)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2003, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-satanists-do/219924/22 "2003-12-19T18:20:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by cmkeller \* > **Not true…see Zachariah 3:1-2 for at least one example that came to my mind immediately.** I suck today. You’re right. That makes it two places in the Bible (since I don’t agree with **Tinker Grey** ’s opinion on 1 Chr 21:1; see below). > [@](#): > > **However, “advocate” is probably not inaccurate if the term can be said to refer to an attorney of any sort (I believe it’s used as such in some countries, no?) and Satan acts as a prosecuting attorney.** Yep. However, I see no evidence that that was the original meaning of the word, which is what I meant. The word is used in a legal sense (at least in my opinion, views are divided) in Psalms 109:6. > [@](#): > > **Again, I wouldn’t call KP incorrect about this - while Satan does carry out the harming, it’s clear from the story that he was only allowed to do so with G-d’s permission. He’s not a free agent, he has G-d as a boss.** Yep, but **KP** claimed that there’s “no Biblical instance of him doing any harm, in each instance, God does it”, which is untrue. > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Tinker Grey \* > **Just to pick a nit, 1 Chronicles 21:1 (NIV) has "Satan rose up against Israel and incited David to take a census of Israel."** I know many observers feel that the word is a proper name here, unlike in Job, where it’s a title. Since it lacks the definite article it would have to be a proper name for it to refer to a specific entity, and I see no evidence of that being the case. For one thing, the word appears 28 times in the Old Testament, and the other 27, it’s not a proper name. There are to my knowledge no instances of the word used as a proper name _anywhere_ until the 2nd century. I just can’t agree that it’s a proper name here. I don’t see the case. ---
**Author:** ![Tinker\_Grey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tinker_grey/32/8136_2.png) [@Tinker\_Grey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tinker_Grey)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2003, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-satanists-do/219924/23 "2003-12-19T18:36:19Z")
> [@](#): > > I know many observers feel that the word is a proper name here, unlike in Job, where it’s a title. Since it lacks the definite article it would have to be a proper name for it to refer to a specific entity, and I see no evidence of that being the case. For one thing, the word appears 28 times in the Old Testament, and the other 27, it’s not a proper name. There are to my knowledge no instances of the word used as a proper name anywhere until the 2nd century. I don’t actually disagree with you … for one thing, I’m not qualified. As my understanding evolves, I find myself very inclined to agree with you. Nevertheless, the passage needed to be dealt with for completeness sake. Tinker ---
**Author:** ![akrako1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c77e96/32.png) [@akrako1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/akrako1)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2003, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-satanists-do/219924/24 "2003-12-19T19:32:20Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Derleth \* > \*\*One of the main groups of semi-organized Satanism is the [Church of Satan](http://www.churchofsatan.com/home.html), founded by Anton Szandor LaVey. I’ll let them speak for themselves on their philosophy: I think it’s rather overblown in style, myself, but I’m certainly not in much of a position to judge. > > Of course, various groups have, at times, been accused of Satan worship by other various groups. Wiccans, Neopagans, and other groups that follow shamanist, naturist, and/or pre-Christian faiths have all been accused of Satanism or Satanic leanings, for example. Most absurdly is that atheists, who really don’t believe in anything, have been accused of Satanism. Needless to say, those who accuse others of Satanism can, at best, be thought ignorant or, at worst, be thought malicious. \*\* For a more direct view of satanic practices, try renting ‘Satanis: The Devil’s Mass’. It is mainly a film of a Satanic Mass, performed by the Church of Satan. There are also discussions with LaVey and others. You can actually find it on NetFlix. ---
**Author:** ![wevets](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9a140/32.png) [@wevets](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wevets)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2003, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-satanists-do/219924/25 "2003-12-19T20:45:43Z")
The polka. ---
**Author:** ![vl\_mungo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/bc8723/32.png) [@vl\_mungo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vl_mungo)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2003, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-satanists-do/219924/26 "2003-12-19T21:13:25Z")
What do they do? _What don’t they do?_ Oh, they do so many things they never stop. Oh, the things they do there… my stars. ---
**Author:** ![nth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/58956e/32.png) [@nth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nth)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2003, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-satanists-do/219924/27 "2003-12-19T23:54:30Z")
hrm… Lucifer is not the devil. Lucifer is a human being. Right? ---
**Author:** ![Speaker\_for\_the\_Dead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c77e96/32.png) [@Speaker\_for\_the\_Dead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Speaker_for_the_Dead)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2003, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-satanists-do/219924/28 "2003-12-20T00:30:36Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by nth \* > \*\*hrm… Lucifer is not the devil. > Lucifer is a human being. > Right? \*\* Left. He’s a f a l l e n angel. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-satanists-do/219924.md?page=1)