Worship or Self-Worship? What is Satanism?

by John D. Allee, First Church of Satan founder

How can you call yourself a Satanist if you do not worship Satan?

It depends upon your definition of "worship." Are you expressing reverence to your deity or to yourself? Are you simply performing a ritual and following a religious practice? Are you groveling at the feet of some imaginary deity? Why debase yourself when you are an aspect of divinity?

Web of Lies?

Some see life as a web of interconnections. They believe everything is connected to everything else and the All derives from the One. They focus on the Source and view themselves as insignificant. While the theory of interconnection is valid and can be seen as part of Hermetic Law, no part of the web is insignificant. Reducing one's importance to a weak link is unhealthy. It diminishes your ego. Some Satanists realize this and move to the opposite extreme, exalting oneself as godhead while disregarding the source. While using the Law of Polarity to adjust the problem is a wise idea, this is going to far. This only causes the imbalance to continue, but in the opposite direction. As a result, we've witnessed a nonproductive clashing of egos between individual Satanists and Satanic organizations, each with an agenda. It is almost impossible to imagine a Christianity based entirely upon altruism and it is foolish to imagine a Satanism based entirely upon selfism. To lead a fruitful existence, the needs of the many must be balanced against the needs of the few, or the one. Again, balance is the key!

Co-Creationism and Satanism

Co-creationism is a theory where but deity and mortal create together. Some see this as a beneficial situation where "God helps he who helps himself" if you will. There is another way to view this relationship. The creator and the created are co-dependent - they exist for one another. God creates Man in his image because he wants to be worshipped. Man creates God in his image because he wants something to worship. Of course, when you hear a Satanist use the word "God," he is referring to Satan or the divine essence within, not Yahweh or Allah.

Well trained Satanists have a distinct advantage over other pagans. Because we see ourselves as god, and thus allow that our brethren are also divine, respect is vital. Showing deference and proper etiquette can be the trademark of a Satanist, provided the essence of that deity within each of us is accepted, and acknowledged appropriately.

Do you consider yourself better or above mere mortals?

If everyone were the same, life would be very boring. Everyone is born with different abilities and varying levels of talent. Everyone has unlimited powers that they may choose to awaken and hone. There are a few avatars born in such a way that they have a more direct connection to the power source, which makes them special. And I would draw that same comparison with anyone born with a special Gift. Concert pianists, for example, are born, not made. You can take a child out of the womb, set them on the piano stool from day one with a private tutor, send them to Juilliard or Berklee and the best you'll get is a flawless replication of some of the great masters. However, there will always be those who are born brilliant. If anything, I'm taking the talk of "daemons" which began around 1974 CE in LaVey's church with the Ninth Solstice Message and I am placing it in a context that is more natural, less supernatural.

Many ask where daemons come from such as an outside source of another dimension. They exist in a magnified and simultaneous multi-dimensional awareness! And as the soul evolves, its focus in the physical universe becomes stronger, not weaker as hypothesized by religious fundamentalists. You've probably read somewhere that I claimed to be a direct physical manifestation of a so-called higher power (daemon). If you understand the definition of what a Satanist is, then this would not be so hard to grasp. As a Satanist, I choose to see the divine within myself. This is a personal revelation. You do not have to believe me or accept what I say. One may believe a friend who thinks they have been reincarnated, for example. This does not necessarily make the person mentally unstable. Christians feel that Jesus has come into their hearts and "saved them." These are personal revelations of faith. These are not statements that need to be verified or reported to a mental health professional.

There is magic in all religions and all faiths. Even Satanism. For some that are uncomfortable with the word magic, they prefer the more passive word "miracle." Magic happens. The fact remains that anyone can perform a miracle if their Will is applied in the correct fashion, with diligence and persistence.

Energy Work

Supernatural powers or energy does exist. Some Satanists do not agree with this. Though most are surprised to hear this, many Satanists are excellent healers, counselors, therapists, spell casters and energy workers of all types. They do not just perform workings for themselves, but often perform rites of compassion for others. The most powerful energy work is done by working with the flow of nature and directing it by visualizing the results. The energy is out there, but like a lamp, you have to notice it, and turn it on. The analogy of electricity - AC (alternating current) compared to DC (direct current) is a way to point out the difference between a magician who has had to hone their skilled and a naturally gifted path worker both use the same energy. In fact, it is the same energy that the Wiccan uses and the Charismatic Christian uses. The Satanist likes to believe that the source of that energy is Satan, the Creator. The energy actually comes from the All, and may be coming from a female deity, or a god of any religion.

The energy may be easily stored in some people, others will need to work to build it. In the end, magic workers are results oriented. Anyone can find some form of success, depending on how devoted they are to their practice and concentration. The naturally gifted, of course, will have an easier time of it. Before anyone brands me as delusional, I would say that I do admit to having a natural gift, but would not use words such as "higher" or "lower" to describe them. Higher magic is that of a ceremonial nature. Lower magic is that of a folk healing tradition. These terms do not translate to your psychic gifts.

Think of your psyche as a macrocosm, a universe unto itself. Your subjective mind is a place where the pantheon of gods are reflected. Like it or not, we are all a reflection of the Creator, however we see him/her/it/them. In the final analysis it does not matter how far you've progressed spiritually - belief in one's own abilities is the most potent magic there is.

Why bother?

My objective in offering this information adheres to a set of Satanic principles outlined by Crowley, a man who also believed in praetor-human intelligences; "The essence of every missionary message has always been to assimilate the taught to the teacher, and it has always been accompanied by bribes and threats. My message is exactly opposed to any of this. I say to each man and woman, you are unique and sovereign, the center of an universe. However right I may be in thinking as I do, you may be equally right in thinking otherwise. You can only accomplish your object in life by complete disregard of the opinions of other people."

JDA/lca © 2002, 2003 First Church of Satan