Concerning Satanism

By Don Webb, High Priest Emeritus (1998)

The Temple of Set has begun the process of distancing form the term "Satanism," a cultural fad of the latter part of the Twentieth Century of the Common Era. The usefulness of this particular tool as a means to antinomianism is fading in our post-Christian society, just as it had no meaning in the pre-Christian society where the first explorations of the Setian
path occured.

The tradition of spiritual dissent will not, nor cannot, cease to be a part of the Left Hand Path. We need that first trial of standing up and saying "I am not as you!" Breaking that fetter is the the first Willed piece of friction that is Necessary to annihilate resistance at other levels of being.

The questioning of distancing ourselves from Satanism is not what the profane think of the word. The profane guided by the forces in the human psyche that tend toward naturalization (hatred and ignorance) will manage to hate us quite nicely.

The question is, does the label "Satanist" provide any meaningful form of spiritual dissent? In the Year I, of course it did. In a society polarized between clear culture and counterculture, LaVey's formula provided enough of a challenge to set the individual apart, but not an unsurmountable one. In our postmodern society with a lack of clear ruling paradigms, simple
rebellion is not enough.

The word "Satanism" does not fulfill that function. Firstly, unlike in the Year I, it is now a word of the populace. TV evangelists lead perfectly La Veyan lives (total environments, money from LBM, etc.), and "rebelling" teenagers sport the most hideous "Satanic" T-shirts. "Satanism" is actually one of the ruling paradigms. Secondly, in our postmodern society, the paradigm to revolt against is dependence. The populace looks for a label to do its lobbying through and whine to the rest of the weak world with. Listen to the news -- every interview is filled with, "We, in our group, think . . ." or "I want them to do something about it. . . ." "Satanism" reached its all-time low in an interview with a Texas "grotto" wherein a member whined for the camera, "If they're real Christians they'll leave us alone. All we want is to give our lives to the dark lord." "Satanism" is unfortunately fulfilling La Vey's dream as a symbol for a new identity, a tribalism lead by the few who still preserve a fetish for but not a true sense of self. Thirdly, although "Satanism" provides almost no spiritual friction (afterall, Butthead does it), it can provide an easy target for the brutal in our world. In short "Satanism" isn't an aid to the Initiate -- something much more RADICAL and Independent is called for.

Our distancing needs to be filled with the statement that we are seeking a more radical form of the LHP, that is less bound to current cultural perceptions, and is more in line with a metacultural elitism. We seek to be immortal gods, not junkies who get off on how much they can shock society. La Vey's formula is based on the resistance between the individual and the Here and Now. It is a good formula, and one that any institution serious about furthering the LHP must use as a Gateway for those who, suddenly awakened, must seek it out.

However, "Satanism" is not the exterior model. Rebellion is VERY meaningful when the Two Partners rule the world. Focus and Independence are the antinomian paths of today and are the gateways that attract those who would joins us in ruling the Age. For this, we must, as magicians and philosophers, carefully design our exterior gateways. We choose to attract a leaner, meaner Initiate. Not one who is glad to come to us because we have stepped away from "Satanism" like an old lady avoiding a puddle in the street, but one who fully sees we have gone beyond to a more radical taboo-breaking experiment, whose effects last longer than this life only.

Let us further our rich historical background in studying antinomianism. Let us seek after the tradition of the LHP beyond those found opposing a Judeo-Christian culture (for example, reading Svoboda's Aghora: At the Left Hand of God). The Creation of a newer and more radical Dark is an activity not only for discussion, it is a Mission arsing out of our Bond with Set.

As for those who would dwell under that banner and carp at us in our Change -- let us come to view them as the rich forest loam, and hope that amidst their rot some seeds may sprout to produce new and different schools which, although they may lack our precision, will be lesser gateways for those who would break with the weakness of the world. There will be great rejoicing in their camp, since they will perceive our exit as a victory. Of course for the large part they weren't around when we used the word "Satanist" to provide the friction and strength we need to become the international organization we are today. The sun never rises on the Temple of Set. What that camp knows not, and cannot know, is that by the Power of our Mandate we lay upon them the Curse of Truth; that is to say, the Curse of Not Forgetting, so that they shall come to revalorzie their symbols, and that they too will be drawn toward a better understanding of the Prince of Darkness.

Having strengthened the word "Satanism," we leave it as a runestone to transform those unfit to join us.

Horns Across the Water: Satanism in Britain and America

by Michael A. Aquino,Ph.D High Priest Emeritus


Retrospectively, it is difficult to say why British and American Satanic movements haven't interacted more with one another over the last two decades. The two principal American Satanic institutions - the Temple of Set and its forerunner, the Church of Satan - both inherited key components of their symbolism and ritual practices from British occult predecessors. And since we have enjoyed twenty-two years of success in the U.S. and Canada, it would seem natural that we would have developed overseas contacts in the U.K. With the exception of a few isolated memberships from time to time, however, such
cross-fertilization never took place.

During the same two decades, American Satanists have seen very little evidence of a strong Satanic culture in Britain. British occultism seems perpetually polarized into two principal camps, the Wiccan (in which one may lump neo-Druids and other assorted back-to-nature New Agers) and the quasi-Masonic (in which one may lump Rosicrucian, Thelemic, Theosophical, and other assorted Cabalistic/ceremonial movements). Wiccans - if yours are like ours - huffily deny any conncection with Satanism, although they are quite happy to affect and exploit the SATANIC glamor of the term "witch". And while Rosicrucian
movements are frequently labe:ed "cults" - hence "evil" - by conventional churches, anyone who has studied them realizes that, if anything, they are even MORE pious where the "Great Architect of the Universe" is concerned. Even Thelema, popularly regarded as the "bad boy" of Rosicrucianism, shies away from the Left-Hand Path. Although Crowley never hesitated to invoke Satanic imagery when it suited his whimsical or satirical purposes, he certainly did not consider either himself or his philosophy as Satanic in the traditional sense.

Contemporary America's first taste of something resembling an undiluted British Satanism came from the U.S. publication in the 1960's of three of Dennis Wheatley's Satanic novels: THE DEVIL RIDES OUT, TO THE DEVIL A DAUGHTER, and THE SATANIST. Wheatley borrowed liberally from G.'.D.'./A.'.A.'. terminology, of course, but still managed to portray his LHP villains as straight line Satanists rather than as Thelemites. Wheatley's Satanists were elegant, powerful, mysteri-
ous, and [except for the inevitable triumph-of-God finale] insidiously successful in whatever they wanted to do. This was a powerful aphrodisiac for certain American occultists who were impatient with "parlor" esoterica. A San Francisco sorceror named Anton LaVey founded the Church of Satan in 1966, and the spectacular success of "ROSEMARY'S BABY" a couple of years later catapulted the Church into national prominence.

The Church of Satan borrowed more atmosphere than substance from Wheatley. It had been conceived not as an "inverse-Christianity" movement, but rather as one dedicated to responsible and guilt-free self indulgence. Judaeo-Christianity was castigated for its hypocrisy and repression; otherwise it was considered irrelevant. Although the Black Mass was included in the Church's ceremonial inventory, it consisted of highly stylized psychodrama rather than ritual murder, crucified bats, or turnip-attacks on virgins.

The open, experimental culture of the late 60's and early 70's in the United States was stimulating to the growth of the Church of Satan. It developed local Grottos in many major cities, and its Priests and Priestesses were always in demand for lectures, media appearances, and symposia. By the early 1970's it had grown to a total membership of about 250 individuals, and was well on its way to becoming a permanent fixture in American society.

The Church of Satan didn't successfully transmigrate to the U.K., however, and never had more than one or two British members. Its activities were primarily U.S.-focused, and no real thought was given to encouraging overseas affiliations.


Then, in 1975, disaster struck. Anton LaVey suddenly announced that the Satanic Priesthood and all higher initiatory degrees in the Church would henceforth be available in return for cash contributions. Previously they had been strictly achievement-determined, and the Satanic Priesthood in particular had been regarded as a sacred office. Virtually the entire functioning infrastructure of the Church resigned in protest and created the Temple of Set to carry forward the principles of Satanism in their uncorrupted form. At the same time the symbolism and imagery employed were removed from the constraints of the Judaeo/Christian idiom. Set became the recognized image for the Powers of Darkness in their earliest historical personification by humanity, and many of the ceremonial Workings of the Temple oncorporated Egyptian, rather than medieval or Renaissance
European imagery accordingly.

The Temple of Set, however, is not merely or even principally a neo-Egyptian institution. From its founding it has endeavored to apprehend and incorporate the principles of what Judaeo/Christian culture caricatures as "Satanism" from all cultures and philosophical patterns of thought. Specialized Orders within the Temple exist much as academic departments in universities, to enable Setians to focus their personal initiatory efforts in areas most interesting and meaningful to them. While there are local groups (Pylons) within the Temple, similar to the old Church of Satn's Grottos, the Temple is configured to function primarily on an interpersonal basis. Most of its members are geographically remote from one another, co our administrative services emphasize maximum use of the electronic and postal mails.

This would seem to be an ideal situation for international interaction with the U.K., but once again the Temple devoted more time to building up its Untied States base of activity than to overseas expansion. And, in another deliberate departure from the Church of Satan, the Temple declined media exposure almost without exception - the rationale being that such activities had at least to some extent turned the Church of Satan - not unlike many other modern occult personalities or movements - into a "media whore" whose worth tended to be judged by press coverage. Disgusted with media-whore occultism in general, the Temple founders determined that we would concentrate on our own magical and philosophical development, and let the Temple grow primarily by the individual recommendations of satisfied Initiates. That accounted for the growth of the Temple in North America, but was not conducive to overseas exposure.

Visiting London in 1983, I looked around for individuals or organizations suitable for contact. In the U.S. we usually begin with specialized bookstores. Most London bookdealers, however, responded with something between mild distaste and outright horror when even the topic of Crowley was brought up, much less Satanism. Eventually I found my way to the Atlantis Bookshop, which by all accounts was the most diabolical bookstore in the city - but even its "Satanic" inventory was comparatively sparse and outdated. I left some Temple brochures with the old gentleman behind the counter, but his shocked reaction to the existence of a large, institutional Satanic religious organization didn't reassure me that they would be prominently displayed. [I should append that in 1987 I revisited Atlantis, now under new management, and was graciously received.]

The turning-point has apparently come with the British release of Nevill Drury's Australian book THE OCCULT EXPERIENCE, which includes a chapter on the Temple of Set. [THE OCCULT EXPERIENCE was originally a documentary film - remarkable not only for its first coverage of the Temple of Set, but also for Alex Saunders accidentally setting his Aztec jockstrap on fire, New York city shamans howling and waving rattles, H.R. Giger's mother telling him to behave himself, Wiccans freezing skyclad in the snow, and the Fellowship of Ithith.]

THE OCCULT EXPERIENCE has prompted a number of inquiries, and several new affiliations, from the U.K. Each year the Temple holds a Conclave where Initiates can meet for business, fellowship, and magical Workings. Although our fall 1988 Conclave is already set for Toronto, we are thinking of London for the fall 1989 event. This would enable as least some trans-Atlantic Setians to meet their British brethern, and would also bring a Conclave within easier reach of our Initiates in Belgium, Germany, and Spain.

A unique philosophical identity for Satanism is not really all that hard to establish. It focuses upon humanity as an actor exercising and strengthening its conscious opposition to the non-conscious inertia of the cosmos, not as a part of that cosmos whose salvation lies in the direction of increased assimilation into it. Here the Satanist is closer to Machiavelli, Hobbes, Nietzsche than to Crowley, and deliberately cultivates what Eric Hoffer referred to as "the unnaturalness of human nature". Once this principle is postulated, an entire corpus of initiatory development - the TRUE Left-Hand Path - opens before the aspirant. It is precisely upon this exhilarating adventure that first the Church of Satan and then the Temple of Set have been embarked these past 22 years. Therein, we feel, are to be found the true secrets of human psychic evolution and deification.

It would be pleasant indeed to share this adventure with fellow Satanists from those magical islands in the North Sea which can justly claim to be one of the world's true centers of civilization. We would like to see the Temple of Set become truly international. And if British Satanists yearn for the elegant malevolence of Charles Gray in his portrayal of Dennis Wheatley's Mocata ["I will not be back...but SOMETHING will!"], well, we shall not try to disappoint them in that regard either.