So a debate once sprung up between myself and another "Satanist".  The individual in question was a CoS (Church of Satan) 3rd degree member, who like most CoS members had taken umbra with views on Laveyan Satanism that is not endorsed by the CoS. Namely the Lex Satanicus. I’ll cover each point of this here and cite my sources when possible, so they may be independently researched. But before I go into that, I was asked a question that I will answer directly.

 

The question was: But here is the question people like you cannot answer: what is your group doing that CoS members can't already do?

 

That is a good question. My answer is that we provide an alternative view of LaVey’s works that cater to people who do not agree with the CoS’s uncompromising atheism. Gilmore has ostracized and pushed out a large and long standing portion of people, who have read and identified with Anton LaVey’s works, yet do not identify as Atheists, yet are by LaVey’s definition Satanists in every way, simply because of a belief in an actual Satan. STS provides that desired connection without the atheist overtones, taking Satanism back to what we call Point Zero, and grows it from there. We allow our members to connect in physical real world Grottos and Covens (A system that was shut down by CoS long ago in spite of its effectiveness.), and to grow from LaVey’s literature organically. We are also not restricted by prejudices to LaVey’s or in house writings, and provide resources for our members from across the spectrum of occult and Satanic authors. This includes Aquino and other Setian works as much of it is directly derived from early pre-75 CoS concepts. While we do not promote CoS material under Gilmore, we do not censor it either, and encourage our members to study it with an open mind as we do with all material.

 

To ask what we provide that CoS does not is like asking what the Protestant Church offers that the Catholic Church does not. Simply put, we are a different denomination from CoS that uses the same foundational source material with a different view point, for a different congregation of adherents. Our services is not that far removed from CoS’s, but it is for a group of people CoS chooses not to cater to.  

 

STS was not formed over night as a religious organization. It was started as a small meetup group in my basement, in order to practice rituals and explore Satanic concepts as established by LaVey in his books. Over the course of many meetings and growing interest, we eventually decided that these ideas and the interest in our rituals was growing beyond just a simple meetup group, and we elected to turn it into an organization. Our members and supporters voted on a name, and despite my personal warnings, Satanic Thulian Society was chosen. The term is used in reference to reaching ones farthest elevated self, our “Ultima Thule”, as referenced by the poet and scholar, Virgil. I hope that answers your question.

 

Now moving on.

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The name Lex Satanicus was derived from Blanche Barton’s Book, The Secret Life of a Satanist, on page 301.

 

Lex Satanicus – Law of the Satanist, as described in the Eleven Rules of the Earth, inclusive of Lex Talionis and “Do unto others as they do unto you.”

 

In one part of the book Barton speaks about how LaVey would reference set of brutal unwritten rules of Satanism that were considered too inflammatory to write down. Eventually he did write them down piecemeal with the 11 Rules of the Earth and Lex Talionis and other articles.

 

In 1967, Anton LaVey worked up “Eleven Rules of Earth” to augment the “Nine Satanic Statements” he had already devised and published among his followers. LaVey long considered the Rules to be too brutal for the uninitiated, prefacing The Satanic Bible with the Statements alone. Page 219, The Invisible Revolution

 

LaVey wouldn’t stop there he would continue to formulate this brutal unwritten rule set in his later writings, though he himself never put it all together as it is now presented. It would go one to involve elements surrounding his views on Abortion, Politics, Responsibility, and Spiritualism both spoken and unspoken. Let us explore them with in depth references

 

The first part is the first statement of the Lex Satanicus.

 

Morality is a Lie:

Morality is a pretty lie told by society in order to hide behind the façade of social acceptability, and at times to escape ones’ own responsibilities. Interchangeable it is, at any moment, and in any culture, to escape wrong doings, by making them the moral and social rights.

 

This is derived from LaVey’s work; Two Wrongs Make a Right, in the Devil’s Notebook. It is also a for warning that this code of ethics, like all codes isn’t the final word, and can be changed. It is intended to be deliberately contradictory to the rest of the Lex Satanicus

 

Two Wrongs Make a Right:

By Anton LaVey: The Devil’s Notebook

 

 If a Wrong is gotten away with, and someone else repeats it and also gets away with it, a Right is birthed into existence. The Wrong becomes Righter each time it succeeds. Inasmuch as victors always assume historical rights, it can't be any other way. This is not to imply that anything becomes intrinsically noble through repetition, only that successive acceptance of anything confers rectitude.

 

There is no such thing as "moral" Right. There is only true Right, the balance of the Natural Law, Lex Talionis, versus acquired Right, bestowed by popular consensus and usage (the rules of the Game). Morality is a human invention conferred by the self-serving interests of the sensuality impoverished.

 

We must constantly confront decisions of whether to live by the Law or by the Rules of the Game. Either way will be "Right." Of the two, I always prefer the way of the Law, but it is often riskier and more brutal. The latter -- beating them at their own game -- requires more planning, time, strategy and money. That's why in all issues enforced by false moralism’s and specious Rules of the Game but unfettered by legalities I apply my own rule, which is: "There are no rules."

 

If you create a new rule and it takes hold, you have made a Right for yourself, however self-serving. Whatever prevails, overwhelms, holds in thrall, disarms, terrifies, frightens, controls, constrains, enslaves, or otherwise contributes to man's masochistic needs will always be accepted as Right. No amount of lip service to the contrary can eradicate what the past has proven, and the present intensifies.

 

 If a thing or an act is naturally Wrong, a Satanist will try, albeit secretly, to lend Nature a helping hand -- as circumstance permits.

 

It has been stated to me that LaVey’s views on Morality was that it was subjective to the person in question. And The first Law agrees with that, but on a much larger scale, as well as the personal level. This means that morality is not universal, with no central foundation. It can be manipulated over time to turn what was once considered immoral in a society, to being perfectly acceptable. The laws of any given society are in fact based on its moral outlook. Thus morality in the grand picture of things can indeed be seen as a LIE. In deed we even see this today in our outrage and cancel culture. Things that was once considered to be perfectly acceptable are now taboos, whereas what was once forbidden, is now perfectly normal.

 

Think about it. Once we were allowed to bounce around unrestrained in the back seat of a car, but now kids up to preteen must be strapped into booster and car seats. Our parents could spank us if we got out of line, but if we even look sideways at our kids now for doing anything wrong, we could be slapped with child abuse charges and loose custody of our children. Once kids were shielded from sexual content and material, yet now we can send our children to go dance in strip clubs and take them to Gay Pride events where they are inundated with sexual situations. We even can force our children to get a sex change before they even hit puberty.

 

Morality is there for not only subjective, but changeable. And there for it is indeed a lie.

 

Embrace Lex Talionis at all times:

The Law of Nature is unchanging in all things, and at all times. The weak are dominated by the strong. The Satanist should seek to ever be strong in all things, and at all times. Lex Talionis!

 

This heralds directly to the notion of Lex Talionis. As described by LaVey, and defined in Barton’s book once again on page 301;

 

Lex Talionis – Law of the Jungle (lit. “Law of the Talon”); the natural order of which the weak are allowed to perish, the strong thrive. Described in Judeo-Christian Old Testament mythology as “an eye for an eye.” Described by Charles Darwin as “survival of the fittest,” on which he based his theories of evolution.

 

It is simply a reference of accepting the natural order of things. That not everyone is winners. Life is a teared pecking order of the, Have and Have not, classes of people and animals. However it also has a different Oxford definition citing it as simply the Law of Retaliation whereby the punishment fits the crime. But for the Satanic use of the term we use LaVey’s definition.

 

Responsibility to the Responsible:

The Satanist accepts the Responsibility of their actions and inactions at all times. By this acceptance, do they maintain power over themselves and lives at all times. Only the weak willed will seek to escape their Responsibility, and at no time is the true Satanist weak in anything.

 

Sometimes responsibility is not easy. LaVey promoted that people take credit for their wrongs and not to bear the burden of others or actions not of your own doing. There is in fact too many times he said this very thing to cite them all. In truth only one needs to be referenced.

 

Satan represents responsibility to the responsible, instead of concern for psychic vampires! The 6th Satanic Statement

 

In STS we exchange the term “Psychic vampire” for “Social vampire”, but the definition is the same.  This is a reflection upon ones own personal character. We judge others often by their actions and inactions via the consequences. Thus a person can be seen as strong if they can own up to their mistakes as well as achievements.

 

A responsible Satanist doesn’t do anything by accident. They leave nothing to chance when avoidable. This enables us to literally be the Gods in our own lives. We can create our own joys and our own pains. And we do not shirk that responsibility on to others, choosing instead to tackle it headlong.

 

Temperance your ego by the strength of your character:

Take to oneself, no titles that you cannot hold by virtue of the strength of your will and character alone. Lest you be mocked by your peers, and destroyed by your own pretentiousness.

 

This of course is a reference to at least two Satanic Sins, rolled into one. Counterproductive Pride and Pretentiousness. Satanists are known for our sense of Ego. It is a source of strength, admiration, and animosity from others. We hold ourselves in high standard and view ourselves often as living Gods. But that Ego, also gets many of us into trouble.

 

It is no secret that many would be Satanists desire to be the next Anton LaVey. Allot of them take to themselves very pretentious titles that they didn’t actually earn, then attempt to prop themselves up as the new Black Pope, or whatever. Most of the time such persons haven’t the faintest clue what they are doing and over step their personal boundaries. Inevitably they run smack into the wall that we call the Satanic Community and can’t do much more than regurgitate the same rhetoric that a thousand others have before, taken from sources they cannot cite. In this their Pretentiousness becomes their undoing.

 

This law is a warning and admonishment to move slowly, and earn the respect of others by your actions words and treatment of others. Literally speaking, to build up the strength of your Personal Character, so that if and when a title is used, it is respected and is seen as justifiably earned.

 

It should be noted that this one of the other reasons many non-CoS Satanists hate Gilmore. He did not earn his position from a LaVey, but bought it from Blanche Barton when he bought the CoS for $500. This was noted as being one point of contention between LaVey and Aquino too, that lead to their falling out in 1975. LaVey was giving away priesthoods for a sum of money, and Aquino felt that was a disservice to the position. The same general animosity is felt towards Gilmore because he bought his way to running the Church, not earning it.

 

Bodily Autonomy is a privilege, not a right:

 “Bodily Autonomy!”, is a myth cried by the enfeebled herd in a vain attempt to escape the blood splashed jaws of the predatory Satanist. It is by the rule of Fang & Claw, that the true Satanist guarantees their own Bodily Autonomy.

 

This of course is a reference to TST screaming about Bodily Autonomy being an inviolable human right. That of course goes against the nature of LaVey’s philosophy. How often did LaVey preach of Lex Talionis and the Rule of Fang and Claw? Satanist has always been based on the principle of Might is Right, and Social Darwinism. He even sang about it in his Hymn of the Satanic Empire. If Bodily Autonomy was a Human Right, then we could not arrest criminals and take away their freedom. We could not institutionalize the mentally ill and insane. We could not even make our children to eat their veggies at dinner.

 

Satanism is based on the notion of taking Responsibility for ones own self as already established, but that also means doing what is needed to retain the right to control ones own body and what goes on with it. If you want to retain your freedom, be aware and understanding of the laws. If you don’t want to have kids while being sexually active, then use birth control. If you want a good job with a high salary, pick a field and study hard.

 

Be the wolf in sheep’s clothing:

The true Satanist adopts the social norms and moralities of wherever they are at. Walking as a local in a foreign land so as not to be noticed. Casting off the veil of invisibility only when it suits his predatory nature. Just as the wolf instinctively blends in with the herd to stalk the sheep. Revealing himself only to strike and fade back into the either.

 

This is based heavily on the notion of walking in open territory. The 11th rule of the Earth. Not every Satanist is in a position to be open with their beliefs. And in all honesty, shouldn’t be. Truthfully being open with one’s beliefs can in effect reduce their power. LaVey was well noted for admonishing his followers on their ability to keep a secret. In this way they could move unhindered in their era. This of course at times is still necessary in our modern times too. In many areas Satanists can still be ostracized for not being Christian.

 

Take pride in one’s own natural self in every way:

Self-Deception is a sin to not just Satan, but oneself. A Satanist should at all times revel in their natural born nature and being. Masculinity for men, and femininity for women, undefiled and celebrated in their purist forms. To attempt to change what is natural to oneself and one’s nature, is an affront to the Infernal, and celebrates the insecurity of the mundane.

 

This is perhaps the most controversial of the Laws when one really stops and thinks about it. It is partly based on LaVey’s teachings of Self-Deceit, and the ongoing obfuscation of gender roles. Namely Transgenderism. It is an admonishment to stop and consider to one’s self, and find power in their natural born gender.

 

There is no one thing to quote of this accept perhaps the Satanic Witch, and later the Satanic Warlock as a whole. Both books that promote Satanists to embrace their inherent gender qualities before try to change them. Satanism itself is promotive of the notions of Eugenics to breed a much stronger next generation. LaVey was quite adamant about this in much of his writings. However to be clear, LaVey had zero qualms with Transgenderism in his era. It was honestly not a problem then. LaVey was noted as celebrating the LGBTQ Community of his time. It is only in recent years where the issue having been force fed to us by society, that this topic become an issue that must be addressed. Which is in my opinion very sad.

 

While LaVey had no problems with gender roles in his era being blurred at times, he was also a very strong proponent of the family dynamic and accepting natural instincts too. Trusting that when something gets too far out of balance, nature will instinctively attempt to correct itself. One quote from LaVey on this subject is; “Man prides himself on being the only animal who can modify his Nature, yet when he chooses to do so he is called a phony.” Which we are seeing now very clearly as Trans-males attempt to horn in on female athletics, and the clash that is brewing up there.

 

 

The act of abortion is an affront:

A woman’s womb is of the utmost sacred of temples. For within, the Elixir of Life is created and allowed to take root and flourish. Cursed are they who willfully destroys that life that has grown within the sacred temple of womanhood. For if such a gift is not desired, then let the temple be rendered barren and devoid of power.

 

Welcome to the big hot button topic. Abortion. And it certainly was for LaVey as well. Anton was noted as being very against abortion up until his death. He even wrote openly about it twice. Warning this is going to be a long one.

 

The staggering number of illegal abortions would diminish overnight, if the antiquated approach to birth control were replaced with a strict, government-controlled program, which made it mandatory for each person to adopt a method of contraception that would preclude the possibility of births due to "forgetfulness," ignorance, or irresponsibility.

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Abortion is unnatural and unnecessary. Man is the only animal who practices such wanton killing of its young. And yet man considers himself emancipated and more highly evolved than any other species. Legalized abortion would have a disastrously demoralizing effect on our society, for it would further instill the notion that human life is one of the cheapest commodities in the world.

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To anyone who would presume to "play god," nonchalantly turning thumbs down on any tiny person whose only crime is existing (as nature dictated he must), I say: either accept the blame and bear your cross, or else reject the barbaric religion which has distorted your reason and robbed you of the right to choose! How can these murderous deeds be rationalized? Does it not occur to the proponents of legalized abortion that their actions may result in the destruction of embryos which could mature into mighty leaders or great teachers?

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How can we even consider the senseless annihilation of our unborn children, when it is due to the stupidity and negligence of their parents that they were created. I would defy all logic to execute a child for a murder committed by one of his parents, but to me it seems equally illogical to punish an unborn child for the action of his parents. Society must reject any religious creed if it requires that its adherents produce unwanted human life only to have it destroyed.

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Anton LaVey, Letters from the Devil, March 21, 1971

 

This view was expressed by Dr. LaVey all the way up to his very death as we can see in the following quote from Satan Speaks, published the following year after his death in 1997.

 

For example, the science of eugenics provides solutions for the issue of abortion. Satanically speaking, I am against abortion. Yet I do consider a problem of overpopulation. Therefore, I advocate compulsory birth control. Unborn babies did not ask to be conceived. Once conceived, they should have loving, responsible parents, even if adoptive. A stupid, irresponsible woman should not have the right to "decide" what she does with her own body when in all other things, her mind is being controlled by impersonal vested interests. An unborn child's father should influence the outcome of a pregnancy if it can be determined that he is more responsible than the mother. If he is stupid, insensitive and irresponsible, he should be sterilized. Irresponsible parents, male or female, should simply be kept from conceiving children.

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The most vocal anti-abortion crusaders are fundamentalist Christians. Their entire plan and purpose originated with the same motivation that propagates any ethnic or religious grouping: to fill the world with more people like themselves. The women's movement favors abortion on the grounds that a woman's body is hers alone, to control as she chooses. Neither advocates mandatory birth control and selective sterilization, which--as a third side--could eliminate most of the entire issue. Of course, whenever an issue becomes more important than a solution, don't expect to stumble over a third side.

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I respect someone who simply admits that he or she doesn't like kids--or dogs, cats, monkeys, zebras or potato bugs--for reasons of their own. It's when they cloak their reasons in the cant populist causes, that I become truculent.

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Anton LaVey, Satan Speaks! The third Side: An Uncomfortable Alternative 1998

 

I’ll wrap this up by saying that a Satanic woman who is responsible, and desires to be sexually active, would use proactive prevention to pregnancy. If she get’s pregnant in our modern era, then it is completely by her own choice. All forms of preventative birth control is 100% free with any form of healthcare plan, including state funded medical. Where as Abortion is not always covered and often has to be paid for out of pocket to some degree.

This of course leads into the argument concerning Rape and Incest victims, as well as that of medical necessity to save the life of the mother. Firstly the percentage of Rape and incestuous pregnancies in America is 5%. Most hospitals are supposed to provide the morning after pill to rape victims. Even if the hospital doesn’t, there is nothing stopping a woman from going to the pharmacy herself and getting it. Again healthcare plans make it free. What’s more is men too also have a responsibility to aid our female counterparts in this task. A simple condom in our wallets for those encounters isn’t very hard to do. And it accomplishes much. Responsibility to the Responsible.

 

We constantly hear about the right to abortion and women’s reproductive rights being fought over. Perhaps a better stance for women’s reproductive rights, would not be on abortion rights, but a woman’s right to voluntarily be sterilized. I’ve known numerous women who want nothing more than to never have children and fight for years to get their tubes tied or ovaries removed. Only to be met with non-stop push back from doctors who refuse to give them the time of day on the subject even when they meet all the legal requirement for age and other circumstances. This has led to many women to turn to herbal remedies to find a supposed permanent solution.

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With these options, it is a wonder the topic of abortion is still such an issue. But alas it is, and it is just one more factor that distinguishes the Real Satanists from the Pseudo Satanists.

 

Atheism is NOT Satanism:

Cursed are they who mock the truth of Satan with the lie of Atheism. Satanism is a religion of Faith. Faith in one’s self. Faith in Satanic values. Faith in one’s religious views. And Faith in Satan in any and all of his forms. The Atheist is FAITHLESS. Having faith in nothing or anyone. Anyone who claims the mantle of Atheist, has not any claim to the mantle of Satanist.

 

Another hot button topic, especially in the Satanic Community, and doubly so with modern CoS members is the topic of Atheism. Of course the biggest argument here is whether or not Anton LaVey himself was an Atheist or not. I will remind folks to the first Law of the Satanist, Morality is a Lie. It is subjective, just as your own personal views are.

 

LaVey himself was a difficult man to read on this topic. There are so many second hand sources that give remarkable evidence to both sides of the argument concerning LaVey’s personal views. But it is perhaps the first hand accounting that we can witness and see for our selves that is the most telling. Not in what he said so much as what he never said.

 

In five books, and countless magazine and news articles, as well as countless radio and video interviews, never once did he directly call himself an atheist. It’s true. Only once in an article in the late 80s, by a second hand source who later said that he made up the story of a particular meeting with LaVey under pressure from his editor, was LaVey quoted as saying “Look at me, I’m an atheist.” This of course is now still touted as the definitive proof of LaVey being an atheist by Gilmore, in spite of the authors admission of it never happening.

 

Gilmore himself has zero qualms in stating that he is an atheist. To be honest the man can’t not drop this fact into nearly every article he writes and interview he does. Yet LaVey never once publicly called himself an atheist and never said that Satanism was atheism. That is all Gilmore.

 

Seriously look it up. In all of his books LaVey only speaks passingly of Atheists less than ten times, and never associates himself with their beliefs or lack thereof. In fact he is noted as speaking more frequently of Satan being a “Dark Undercurrent of Energy”. Something that is present in all things, and at times externalized from himself during ritual. There is also miles of first and second hand accounts of LaVey’s beliefs on the subject. Most importantly is that his own family, people who lived with him day in and day out, all have said he actually did believe in a very real Satan.

 

But perhaps the greatest argument against Satanism being Atheism is in the semantics. Atheism as it is currently defined is a lack of belief or faith in a God. Yet even a Gilmorean I-theist does not fall into that category because they do believe in one particular deity. Themselves.

 

Satanism acknowledges the Satanist as being a living deity, or God. It says so right in the Satanic Bible. And if we are Gods to ourselves, then how can we deny our own existence? Thus we cannot be Atheists.

 

There is also the less convoluted fact that Satanism is a religion, and all religions are defined as having faith. Atheists are defined as lacking faith. There for no matter how one tries to slice it, Satanism is not, and cannot be atheism.

 

Celebrate one’s own Creativity and Magick:

Harken to one’s soul the Black Flame of Satan at all times. For it is the gift of Satan and Hell. The Gift of Creativity. The Gift of Magick! Deny the power you wield at your own peril. For to do so, is to undo all that you have done and achieved by the power of the Black Flame.

 

This Law is clearly based on the 7th rule of the Earth and reiterates it in depth. But what should be noted is the use of the “K” in Magick. LaVey spoke loudly against this, in his opinion it represented a lack of understanding of real magic. How ever when we read deeper into the Law we get a sense that it is used differently, a reference to something deeper.

 

The K is used by modern occultist to separate the use of the word magic from fictional or stage magic, and actual occult or metaphysical arts. The purpose of its inclusion here is the same by acknowledging what Satanisms magical practices are at their core. That being Creativity. Much like the 7th rule of the earth it is a reminder of the true power of the Satanist and the source of that power. It like wise cautions against turning one’s back on that power lest the magician looses all they have created in their life.

 

In Conclusion

 

I’ll wrap this up by returning to the original question of what STS can offer or does that CoS cannot or will not. The answer is very simple when one fully reads and looks at our material. Growth.

 

CoS has become stagnant and stuck in its own idol worship of Gilmore and of LaVey too, as well as embracing old prejudices towards outside teachings. Creating around itself an echo-chamber for the sake of self-flagellation. STS doesn’t fall into this trap, and while being very well versed in LaVey’s teachings, we embrace a larger world of occultism making room within our structure for growth from other sources that may not fully line up with our personal world views.

 

I find it funny that people call us Nazis and try to lord it over us as an excuse to hold onto their ignorance. Displaying their ignorance even of the full history of the word “Thule”, and what it has meant for thousands of years. Refusing to see the faults in their own selves. Refusing to acknowledge that perhaps other folks may have a different point of view that is still completely valid. How hypocritical it is of CoS to claim that they are the only ones who understand LaVey’s teachings, and then criticize other religious groups for making the same claim about their teachings.

 

People wonder why I never joined the Church of Satan. CoS members often say it is because I don’t have what it takes. But no, it isn’t. It is the same reason I have never joined any organization, but instead built my own. I am a Satanist. I do not conform to others definitions of me other than what I choose for myself. I am not a sheeple blindly following along with what is force fed to me by some overlord with an overinflated ego. Be them Gilmore or otherwise. I did what we are all encouraged to do as Satanists. Step outside the norm and be an individual. If people choose to follow me or read my books that is on them. STS is an organization for individuals. Sometimes we butt heads with each other, most of the time we work together. Some choose to follow, while others are given the opportunity to grow into their own leadership and systems of practice. But we all follow one ultimate credo. To never stop striving to reach our highest self. Our furthest abilities. Our… Ultima Thule!