Satanism
ElementsinNewReligiousMovements
DOI:10.1017/9781009057349 Firstpublishedonline:December2024
JosephP.Laycock TexasStateUniversity
Authorforcorrespondence: JosephP.Laycock, j_l361@txstate.edu
Abstract: WhatisSatanism?Thewordhasfunctionedasapowerful indictmentofone’srivals,anexpressionofrebellionagainstauthority, andsometimesasalabelconnotingthedeliberateworshipofdark, supernaturalforces.ThisElementprovidesaconciseoverviewof SatanismfromitsoriginsinearlymodernEuropethroughthepresent.It coverssuchtopicsaslegendsoftheblackmass,hellfireclubs,the RomanticSatanismofLordByronandPercyShelley,andtheexpressed reverenceforSatanofnineteenth-centuryoccultists.Itdescribes modernsatanicreligionsincludingtheChurchofSatan,theTempleof Set,theOrderofNineAngles,TheSatanicTemple,andothers.Italso addressesthecontemporarySatanicPanicfromthe1980sthrough QAnon.ThisElementshouldproveusefultoanyoneseekingtolearn moreaboutthiscomplicatedandfrequentlymisunderstoodtradition.
Keywords: Satanism,satanic,SatanicPanic,blasphemy,AntonLaVey,Church ofSatan
©JosephP.Laycock2024
ISBNs:9781009479370(HB),9781009060295(PB),9781009057349(OC)
ISSNs:2635-232X(online),2635-2311(print)
1WhatIsSatanism?
In1992,supervisoryspecialagentKennethLanningoftheFederalBureauof Investigation(FBI)publishedaguideforlawenforcementoffi cialsinvestigatingallegationsofsatanicritualabuse(SRA).Theguidewaspublishedin responsetoconspiracytheoriesclaimingthatahighlyorganizedgroupof criminalSatanistswassystematicallytorturingandmurderingchildreninblasphemousrituals – aconspiracytheorynowrememberedastheSatanicPanic. Manypolicedepartmentsassumedstoriesaboutsataniccultsweretrueandbegan attendingconferencesonwhattheycalledritualisticorsataniccrime.Lanning specializedininvestigatingcasesofchildabuseandchildsexrings,which definitelyexist.However,hisguidecautionedthatlabelingcrimesassatanic wasadistractionthathinderedinvestigationratherthanhelpingit.Inachapter titled “Definitions,” Lanningexplainedhecouldnotdeterminewhatitwould evenmeanforacrimetobesatanicbecauseitissuchasubjectivecategory:
Itisdifficulttodefinesatanismprecisely.Noattemptwillbemadetodoso here.However,itisimportanttorealizethat,forsomepeople,anyreligious beliefsystemotherthantheirownissatanic.TheAyatollahKhomeiniand SaddamHusseinreferredtotheUnitedStatesasthe “GreatSatan.” Inthe BritishParliament,aProtestantleadercalledthePopetheanti-Christ.1
Lanningaddedthatlawenforcementtrainingmaterialslistabookcalled PrepareforWar (1987)byRebeccaBrownasareliablesourceabout Satanism.Butthisbooknames “fortunetellers,horoscopes,fraternityoaths, vegetarianism,yoga,self-hypnosis,relaxationtapes,acupuncture, Biofeedback,fantasyrole-playinggames,adultery,homosexuality,pornography,judo,karate,androckmusic” asmanifestationsofSatanism.2 Brown’s definitionofSatanismisnotonlysubjective;itissobroadastobenearly meaningless.
Next,Lanningnotedthatwhiletherearepeoplewhoself-identifyas Satanists,itisstilldifficulttomakeobjectiveclaimsaboutwhatSatanism actuallyis: “Whodecidesexactlywhat ‘satanists’ believe?Inthiscountry,we cannotevenagreeonwhatChristiansbelieve. ... Thecriminalbehaviorofone personclaimingbeliefinareligion,doesnotnecessarilyimplyguiltorblameto otherssharingthatbelief.Inaddition,simplyclaimingmembershipinareligion doesnotnecessarilymakeyouamember.”3
Indeed,varioussatanicgroupsincludingtheChurchofSatan(CoS),the TempleofSet(ToS),theOrderofNineAngles(ONA),andTheSatanic
1 K.V.Lanning, “Investigator ’sGuidetoAllegationsof ‘Ritual’ ChildAbuse” (FBI/US DepartmentofJustice,1992),p.9.
2 Ibid.,p.9. 3 Ibid.,p.13.
Temple(TST)oftenaccuseoneanotherofbeingfakeSatanistsorfailingto understandwhattrueSatanismis,muchasChristiandenominationsaccuseeach otherofheresy.TrueSatanismissubjectivefromwithinaswellaswithout.
Thisproblemofde fi nitionisaseriousobstacl eforanyoneattemptingto understandoreventomakeaccuratestatementsaboutSatanism.However,it isanassumptionofthisElementthatSatanismisameaningfulcategoryand thatitispossibletomakegeneralizedclaimsaboutwhatSatanismisandis not.Withthisinmind,whatisneededisanoperationaldefi nitionof Satanism.Religionsch olarRubenvanLuijkde fi nesSatanismas “ intentional, religiouslymotivatedvenerationofSatan. ” 4 Thisisaneffectiveoperational de fi nitionandithasseveralfeaturesworthnoting.First,andmostimportantly,VanLuijk ’sde fi nitionassumessome fl exibilityabouthowSatanists de fi neSatan.MostSatanistsdonotimagineSataninthesamewaythat Christiansdo,asafallenangeldedicatedtoevilandthedestructionof humanity.Infact,mostcontemporarySatanistsarenontheistic,meaning thattheyregardGodandSatanas fi ctionalcharacters,notsupernatural realities.TonontheisticSatanists,thestoryofSatan ’seternalde fi anceand rebellionisnotliteralbutsymbolic:i tfunctionsasanimportantmyththat articulatestheirvaluesandorientsth emtowardtheworld.So-calledtheistic SatanistsmayunderstandSatanasametaphysicalreality – althoughnot necessarilyagod – thatmayormaynotbeevil.WhateverelseSatanists maythinkaboutSatan,Satanisaboveallapowerfulsymboloftheirvalues andideals,andthecentralityofthissymbolisaprerequisiteforanythingtobe consideredasSatanism.
Second,thecriterionthatSatanismmustbeintentionaldisqualifiesaccusationsofSatanismusedtosmearone’spoliticalorreligiousopponents,suchas Brown’sclaimthatvegetarianismissatanic.EvenifthereisaliteralSatanwho ispleasedwheneversomeoneeatsaveggieburger,vegetarianismwouldstill notmeetthisdefinitionofSatanismunlesssomeoneisavegetarianwiththe intent thattheirdietveneratesSatan.
Third,whilethisdefinitionexcludesclaimsof “unintentionalSatanism,” it stillallowsforcategorizing imaginary groups – groupsthatexistonlyin fantasiesandconspiracytheories – asSatanism.DuringtheSatanicPanic,it wasallegedthatcultsweretorturingchildrenandsacrificingthousandsof peopletoSatan.Whilenosuchgroupsactuallyexisted,thisconspiracytheory canbecharacterizedasaclaimaboutSatanismbecausethepurportedcultists weresaidtodeliberatelyworshipSatan.
4 R.vanLuijk, ChildrenofLucifer:TheOriginsofModernReligiousSatanism (NewYork:Oxford UniversityPress,2016),p.5.
ThedistinctionbetweenrealandimaginarySatanistsisimportantbecauseit appearsthatformostofthehistoryoftheword “Satanism,” therewerenoactual Satanists.VanLuijknotesthatthetermappearsforthe firsttimeinFrenchand EnglishinthesixteenthcenturyduringtheEuropeanwarsofreligion.The availableevidencesuggeststhatSatanismbeganasanimaginaryreligion Christiansinventedtodemonizetheiropponents.Forthisreason,VanLuijk suggestsitisusefultothinkaboutthehistoryofSatanismas “acontinuous processofattributionandidentification.”5 PeoplelikeBrownhave attributed Satanismtovariouspeopleandactivities.Meanwhile,peoplelikeAntonLaVey oftheCoShave identified asSatanists.Thepublicconversationaboutwhat Satanistsareanddohaschangedovertimeandisshapedbythesetwoforces.
Whileausefulstartingpoint,VanLuijk’sdefinitionisnotperfect.Thecriterion thatSatanistsvenerateSatancanimplyChristiannotionsoffaithandworshipthat donotapplytonontheisticformsofSatanism.PerFaxneld,anotherSatanism scholar,simplyavoidsassumptionsaboutthenatureofreligionbydefining Satanismas “asysteminwhichSataniscelebratedinaprominentposition.”6 However,someofthegroupsdiscussedinthisElementdonotcelebrateSatan.The ToS’smythologyfocusesonanEgyptiandeity,yetitisakeygroupindiscussions ofmodernSatanismbecauseitsplinteredawayfromtheCoS.Satanismscholar KennetGranholmhasproposedtheterm “post-Satanism” todescribegroupssuch astheToS.Furthermore,Satanismispartofalargerconstellationofdarkesoteric traditionsthatpractitionersfrequentlyrefertoastheleft-handpath.Thisterm originatedinIndianTantra,whichmakesadistinctionbetween vāmamārga (heterodoxpractices)and dakṣiṇāmārga (orthodoxpractices). Vāmamārga canbe translatedas “left-handway” andbeginninginthenineteenthcentury,Western occultistsadaptedthistermtotheirownesotericcontext.Itisnowusedtoreferto traditionsthatemphasizeindividuality,antinomianism,andself-deification.7 Jesper AagaardPetersennotesthatdiscoursesurroundingtheleft-handpathpointstoward “anemerging fieldofcorrespondencebetweenSatanism,Paganismandceremonial magic,borrowingfromall,” andthat “Satanseemstohavelimitedimportancethe furtherwemovealongtheesotericaxisandintothe ‘LeftHandPathmilieu.’”8 That is,SatansharesthestagewithotherdarkentitiessuchasSet,Lilith,Hecate,
5 R.vanLuijk, “Sex,Science,andLiberty:TheResurrectionofSataninNineteenth-Century (Counter)Culture,” inP.F.andJ.A.Petersen(eds.), TheDevil’sParty:SatanisminModernity (NewYork:OxfordUniversityPress,2013),pp.41–52(p.41).
6 P.Faxneld, SatanicFeminism:LuciferAstheLiberatorofWomaninNineteenth-CenturyCulture (NewYork:OxfordUniversityPress,2017),p.25.
7 K.Granholm, “EmbracingOthersThanSatan:TheMultiplePrincesofDarknessintheLeft-Hand PathMilieu,” inJ.A.Petersen(ed.), ContemporaryReligiousSatanism:ACriticalAnthology (NewYork:Routledge,2016),pp.85–102.
8 J.A.Petersen, “ContemporarySatanism,” inC.Partridge,ed., TheOccultWorld (NewYork: Routledge,2015),pp.396–406(p.402).
andChaos.Inpractice,scholarshiponSatanismgenerallyproceedsintermsof historicalconnectionsandfamilyresemblancesthatlinkideasandmovements ratherthanspecificbeliefsorpracticesthatmightconstituteSatanism.
AntonLaVeyandtheInventionofSatanism
Untilthetwentiethcentury,thehistoryof Satanismwasalmostentirelyattribution, withnoidentification.IntheimaginationofearlymodernChristians,Satanistswere peoplewhohadturnedawayfromGodandknowinglysidedwithafallenangel whohatesnotonlyGod,buttheentirehumanrace.Assuch,Satanistsliterally worshippedevilforthesakeofevil.Anychurchorgovernmentthatopposed Satanismwasactingnotonlyinitsowninterest,butintheinterestofhumanity, becauseitwascombatingaforceofpureevil.SincetheChristianreligionalso teachesthatSatanandhisfollowersaredestinedtolosetheirbattleagainstGodand suffereternalpunishment,itisdifficulttoimaginewhyanyonewouldactuallybe thissortofSatanist.InearlymodernEurope,mostpeoplewhoconfessedto worshippingSatandidsoonlyundertortureorotherformsofcoercion.
ForasignificantnumberofpeopletowillinglyidentifyasSatanists,itwas first necessarytoreimagineSatanasa figurewhoisopposedtoGod,butnothumanity. Thisreimaginingoccurredprimarilyintheearlynineteenthcenturyatthehandsof Romanticwriters.Inpoetry,plays,andnovels,these figurescastGodasatyrant whousedhisomnipotentpowertobullyothers.InrebellingagainstsuchaGod, Satanwasbrave,noble,andafriendtohumanity.Thesewritersdidnotbelievein aliteralSatan,butspeakingaboutGodandSataninthesetermsbecameawayof criticizingthepowerofchurchesandgovernmentsandchampioningthevaluesof reasonandliberty.TheRomantics’ poeticcelebrationofSatanwasstillnot SatanismasdefinedbyVanLuijkbecauseitwasnot “religiouslymotivated veneration.” Butitwaslikelyanecessaryprerequisitetothedevelopmentof religiousSatanism.
MostscholarsofSatanismacceptthatSatanismasaself-declaredreligiondid nottrulybeginuntil1966whenLaVeyfoundedtheCoS.LaVeyopenlyand publiclydeclaredhimselfaSatanist,andalthoughhedidnotbelieveinaliteral Satan,hisbookscontainessaysandritualscelebratingSatan.VanLuijkwrites, “Genealogicallyspeaking,everyknownSatanistgroupororganizationinthe worldtodayderivesdirectlyorindirectlyfromLaVey’s1966ChurchofSatan, eveniftheyaredismissiveofLaVeyorchoosetoemphasizeotherrealor allegedforerunnersofSatanism.”9 However,otherhistorianshavesuggested thatvarious figuresormovementsthatprecededLaVeymayqualifyasexpressionsofSatanism.Asdiscussedin Section3,followingtheRomanticscame 9 VanLuijk, ChildrenofLucifer,p.305.
aseriesofesotericreligiousmovementsthatpresentedincreasinglysympatheticattitudestowardSatan.Atexactlywhatpointthistrendproducedthe first Satanistissomewhatsubjective.Atanyrate,thesewereobscuregroupsand theirinfluenceoncontemporarySatanismisminimal.
SatanismscholarsAsbjørnDyrendal,JamesR.Lewis,andJesperAagaard Petersenhavesuggestedthatself-declaredSatanismisan “inventedreligion”–inthesensethatitwasconsciouslycreatedinthe1960sand1970sthrough aprocessofbricolageorcombiningdifferentelements.LaVeyandotherearly SatanistsdrewontheRomantics’ glorificationofSatan,legendsofblack massesandother “satanic” activity,andnumerousothersourcestocreate anewreligion.Dyrendal,Lewis,andPetersenalsonotethattheinventionof Satanismisnota finishedprocess,butremainsongoing.10
TheVarietiesofSatanicExperience
AlmostassoonastheCoSwasfounded,numerousrivalsatanicgroupsbeganto emerge,aswellasloneindividualswhoidentifiedasSatanists.Thesegroups sharedsomesimilarities,buttheyalsodisagreedonmanypointsofbeliefand practice – includingwhetherSatanreallyexists.Dyrendal,Lewis,andPetersen notethatthereisnotjustoneSatanismbutarangeofSatanismstheycall “the satanicmilieu.” Astheyputit: “Satanismisnotamovementwiththesingle voiceofdoctrine,buta ‘milieu’ withamultiplicityofdebatingvoices.What theyhaveincommonmaybeasmuchtheintentionalactofdeclaringoneself aSatanistasanyspecificpointofview.”11
However,thisdoesnotmeanSatanismisameaninglesscategory.Certain approachestoSatanismbearafamilyresemblance,creatingdistinctsubregions withinthesatanicmilieu.Petersen findsithelpfultotheorizeSatanisminterms ofthreeidealtypes:rational,esoteric,andreactionary.12 RationalSatanismis nontheisticandemphasizesreasonandmaterialismasantidotestosuperstition andarbitraryauthority.BoththeCoSandTSTcanbecalledrationalexpressions ofSatanism.EsotericSatanismholdsthatSatanreferstosomesortofmetaphysicalrealityandoftenemphasizesmagicalritualwiththegoalofpersonal transformation.TheToScanbelocatedwithinthiscategory.Reactionary SatanismischaracterizedbyanoppositionalorientationtowardChristianity. ExtremeexamplesofreactionarySatanisminclude figureslikeserialkiller RichardRamirez.ReligionscholarJ.GordonMeltononcereferredto
10 A.Dyrendal,J.R.Lewis,andJ.A.Petersen, TheInventionofSatanism (NewYork:Oxford UniversityPress,2015),p.3.
11 Ibid.,p.4.
12 J.A.Petersen, “Introduction:EmbracingSatan,” inJ.A.Petersen(ed.), ContemporaryReligious Satanism:ACriticalAnthology (Farnham:Ashgate,2009),pp.1–24(p.6).
SatanistslikeRamirezas “sickies” todistinguishthemfromlaw-abidinggroups liketheCoS.13 ReactionarySatanismwouldalsoincludecertainblackmetal bands,whosemusicinvokesSatanismprimarilyasarebukeofChristianity,as wellasteenagedabblers,whoseengagementwithSatanismismotivatedby shockvalueoradesiretodefyauthorityandsocialnorms.Itshouldbenoted thattheseareidealtypes – categoriesscholarsinventedasaframeworkfor comparison.Assuch,itisnotuncommonforsatanicgroupstoselectively utilizeelementsfromallthreetypes.
Inadditiontothethreeidealtypes,amorerecentdivisionwithinthesatanic milieuconcernswhetherSatanismismorefocusedontheindividualoron transformingsocietythroughpoliticalaction.LaVeyoftenspokeofSatanismas awayofself-improvementandundoingdamagecausedbyoverbearingauthority figures.Forexample,heframedritualblasphemyasaformofdeconditioningtoliberatetheindividualfromthestiflingeffectsofsocialization.
SociologistEdwardMoody,afriendofLaVeyandoneofthe firstethnographers oftheCoS,describedsatanicritualsas “magicaltherapy” thathelpsSatanistsbe moreconfidentandsuccessful.14 Despiteitssinisterappearance,byemphasizingtheideaof “restoringone’sauthenticself,” Satanismsharesacommon lineagewiththeNewAgeandhumanpotentialmovements.BlancheBarton, aformerhighpriestessoftheCoSandthemotherofLaVey’sthirdchild, acknowledgesthisconnectioninherbiographyofLaVey,althoughsheclaims LaVey’sideascame first.Bartonexplains, “Visitthe ‘NewAge’ sectionofyour nearestbookstore.You’llseetheentrepreneurswhohavetakenupLaVeyan ideas,slappingamorepalatablenameonthemtotheircriticaland financial profit.”15 PetersenhasdescribedSatanismasa “self-religion” inthatitsacralizestheself,muchlikethehumanpotentialmovement.16 Since2013,TSThasdemandedtherighttogiveprayersbeforecitycouncil meetings,erectsatanicstatuesongovernmentproperty,distributesatanic materialsinpublicschools,andgenerallyclaimalltheprivilegesthegovernmentaffordstoChristians.Asthemovementgrew,TSTcongregationsbegan
13 J.G.Melton, EncyclopediaofAmericanReligions,7thed.(NewYork:Thomson-Gale,2003),p. 204.
14 E.J.Moody, “MagicalTherapy:AnAnthropologicalInvestigationofContemporarySatanism,” inI.I.ZaretskyandM.P.Leone(eds.), ReligiousMovementsinContemporaryAmerica (Princeton,NJ:PrincetonUniversityPress,1974),pp.355–82.ChrisMathewsnotesthat Moodyismentionedintheoriginaldedicationpageof TheSatanicBible(ModernSatanism: AnatomyofaRadicalSubculture [Westport,CT:Praeger,2009],p.173).
15 B.Barton, TheSecretLifeofaSatanist:TheAuthorizedBiographyofAntonLaVey (LosAngeles, CA:FeralHouse,1990),p.14.
16 J.A.Petersen, “ModernSatanism:DarkDoctrinesandBlackFlames,” inJ.R.Lewisand J.A.Petersen(eds.), ControversialNewReligions (NewYork:OxfordUniversityPress, 2014),pp.423–57(p.424).
campaignstocleanhighwaysandhelpthehomeless,inpartbecausethese actionsshowedtheywerenotevilandpossiblymorecompassionatethan theirChristianopponents.InmyownworkonTST,Ihavedescribedsuch activityas “sociallyengagedSatanism” becausetheprimaryfocusisontransformingsocietyratherthantransformingtheself.17
TheCoSregardsTSTessentiallyasplagiarismofitsmovementandhas suggestedthatSatanistsshouldbeabovepoliticsinsteadoftryingtoforce Satanismintothepublicsquare.TheSatanicTemple,inturn,accusestheCoS ofdoingnothingasidefrompostingonsocialmedia.However,thereare examplesoftheCoSweighinginonsocialissuesandTSTfocusingonselfcare.
Inthe finalanalysis,itisdifficulttomakeclaimsaboutSatanismbecauseitis notasingle,stablethingbutamilieuthatcontinuestoevolveasitisinvented andreinvented,drawingonwhatevermaterialsarearoundit.Understanding Satanismthereforerequirespayingattentiontoalargerconstellationofideas anddiscoursesastheyhaveintersectedandinfluencedeachotherovertime. However,thissituationisnotsodifferentfrommorefamiliarreligioustraditionssuchasChristianity,Islam,andBuddhism.Thesetraditionsalsovary widelyacrosstimesandculturesandcannotbeneatlyseparatedfromother aspectsofculturesuchaseconomics,politics,law,andart.Inthissense, analyzingSatanismisnotonlyusefulforitsownsakeorforrespondingto claimsoftheSatanicPanic;itisalsoamentalexercisethatcanhelptheorize otherreligioustraditionsinanewlight.
2ImaginingtheBlackMass
Longbeforetherewereself-identifiedSatanists,EuropeanChristiansspread rumorsaboutsataniccults.Thesecultsweresaidtooperateinsecret,often posingasrespectableChristians.Theyperformedblasphemousritualsand plottedtooverthrowthesocialorder.Themostenduringoftheselegends concernedtheblackmass.Thiswasbelievedtobeaninversionofthe Catholicmassinwhichaconsecratedcommunionhostwastrampledupon andscornedinsteadofadored.Blackmasseswerealsosaidtoinvolveorgies, thesacrificeofbabies,aspergingthecongregationwithurineinsteadofholy water,nudewomenservingasaltars,andotherpracticesdeemedevil,blasphemous,orsalacious.
Whileaminorityofcontemporaryhistorianshavesuggestedthatblack massesmayhaveoccurredbeforethemodernperiod,albeitrarely,most
17 J.P.Laycock, SpeakoftheDevil:HowtheSatanicTempleIsChangingtheWayWeTalkabout Religion (NewYork:OxfordUniversityPress,2020).
historiansassumetheywereentirelyinventedbyChristians.18 VanLuijksuggests thatSatanismandtheblackmasswereimaginaryandinvokedbycompeting churchesforpropagandapurposes.19 RumorsthatSatanistsinfiltratedcommunionservicestostealconsecratedhostsfordesecrationinblackmasseshelped supportthedoctrineoftransubstantiation,promulgatedaftertheFourthLateran Councilin1215CE,whichassertedthatconsecratedhostsarethephysicalbody ofChrist.ThelogicwasthatSatanistswouldnotgotosuchlengthstoabusethe hostunlesstheyknewtransubstantiationtobetrue.AccusationsofSatanism peakedduringthewarsofreligionthatfollowedtheProtestantReformation, demonstratingtheirvalueindisparagingrivalChristians.However,justbecause claimsofSatanismwerepoliticallyandtheologicallyusefuldoesnotmeanthat earlymodernpeopledidnotgenuinelybelievetherewereSatanists.
Sociologistshavenotedthatconspiracytheoriesaboutwitchcraft,Satanism, andotherformsof “evilritual” oftenariseduringperiodsofrapidsocialchange. ConspiracytheoriesfrequentlyclaimthatSatanistsengageininvertedor backwardversionsofnormalvalues.Onefunctionofthesefantasiesofinversionseemstobetoshoreuptheideathatthecurrentsocialorderanditsvalues arethewaythingsmustbeandcannotbequestionedorchallenged.20 Buteven thoughearlystoriesofsatanicactivitywerefalseandfunctionedaspropaganda, theyneverthelesslaidthegroundworkforthelaterinventionofreligious Satanismandtheycontinuetoinfluencethesatanicmilieutoday.Folklorists havenotedthatstorieshaveastrangewayofbecomingrealthroughaprocess referredtoas “ostension.”21 LegendsofSatanismprovidescriptsthatavariety ofpeoplehavedrawnupon,thusbringingthesestoriestolife.Charlatansand entertainersbegantoperformblackmassestosellmagicalservicestopaying customersor(moreoften)amusetourists.Insomecases,disturbedindividuals haveimitatedstoriesofsatanicatrocitiesinaprocessthatDavidFrankfurterhas called “mimeticperformanceofevil.”22 Oneexampleofthiskindofostension isPazuzuAlgarad(néJohnAlexanderLawson,1978–2015),whomurdered twopeoplebetween2010and2014.Algarad,whowasdiagnosedwithsevere mentalillnessfollowinghisarrest,namedhimselfafterademonfromthe film TheExorcist andprofessedanidiosyncraticversionofSatanismdrawing largelyfromhorror filmsandsensationalistmedia.
18 J.G.Melton, TheEncyclopediaofReligiousPhenomena (Detroit,MI:VisibleInk,2008),p.38.
19 VanLuijk, ChildrenofLucifer,pp.43–5.
20 N.Ben-Yehuda, DevianceandMoralBoundaries:Witchcraft,theOccult,ScienceFiction, DeviantSciences,andScientists (Chicago,IL:UniversityofChicagoPress,1985); D.Frankfurter, EvilIncarnate:RumorsofDemonicConspiracyandSatanicAbuseinHistory (Princeton,NJ:PrincetonUniversityPress,2006).
21 B.Ellis, Aliens,Ghosts,andCults:LegendsWeLive (Jackson:UniversityPressofMississippi,2003).
22 Frankfurter, EvilIncarnate,p.176.
FiguressuchasLaVeyalsodrewonsatanicconspiracytheoriesandimagery associatedwiththeblackmass,butinamoredeliberateandcreativefashion. LaVeyunderstoodthatstoriesofblackmassesweremerelylegends,buthesaw inthemthepotentialfornewreligiousritualsthatcelebratedindividualautonomyanddefianceofreligiousauthorities.Hekeptelementsofthelegendthat seemedinterestingorfunanddiscardedthosethatseemeddangerousorpointless.Inthisway,rumorsofsatanicactivitysetthestagefortheeventualriseof self-identifiedSatanism.
TheAffairofthePoisons
TheepisoderememberedastheAffairofthePoisonsoccurredinFranceduring thereignofKingLouisXIVbetween1677and1682.Severalprominentmembersofthearistocracywereaccusedofwitchcraftorpoisoning – understoodatthe timetobecloselyrelatedpractices.Intotal,thirty-sixpeoplewereexecuted.The detailsoftheirconfessionswereprintedinthegazettes,furtherpopularizing satanicconspiracies.TheAffairwascertainlyanexampleofapanicoverrumors ofSatanism.Itisalsopossiblethatsomeofthoseaccusedwerepracticingaform ofproto-Satanism.
Pariswashometoasizableclassoffortune-tellersanddivinerswhose servicesincludedsellingaphrodisiacsandprovidingabortions.Somewere alsoassumedtosellpoisons.InFebruary1677,afortune-tellernamed MagdelainedeLaGrangewasarrestedonchargesofmurder.Pleadingforher life,sheclaimedtohaveinformationaboutothercrimesandconspiracies.The claimsreachedtheking,andtheParischiefofpolicewasorderedtorootout poisoners.Policebeganarrestingfortune-tellersand,undertorture,severalof themoffereduplistsofclientswhohadallegedlypurchasedpoisontomurder theirspousesorrivalsinthecourt.Eachnewarrestofferedthenamesofmore potentialsuspectstoauthorities,eventuallynecessitatingthecreationof aspecialcourtcalledtheChambreArdente(BurningChamber).
In1679,authoritiesarrestedafortune-tellernamedCatherineDeshayes Monvoisin,betterknownasLaVoisin.LaVoisinalsoworkedasabeautician andabortionistandwassaidtohaveseveralmembersofthearistocracyas clients.AnastrologernamedLesageclaimedthatLaVoisinhostedamassinher homewhereapriestnamedDavotperformedmassoverawoman’sabdomen. Davotthencopulatedwiththewomanandkissedher “shamefulparts” while sayingmass.23 Thismaybethe firstreportofasatanicmassusingawomanas analtar.LaVoisinwasburnedatthestakein1680.
23 VanLuijk, ChildrenofLucifer,p.46.
Next,LaVoisin’stwenty-one-year-olddaughter,MarieMontvoisin,wasbrought inforquestioning.SheimplicatedanelderlypriestnamedÉtienneGuibourgas anotheraccompliceofhermother.Marieclaimedthetwoorganizedstrangemasses forclientssaidoverwomen’sabdomens.Furthermore,theking’smistressFrançoise Athénaïs,MarquisedeMontespan,wasonesuchclient.Shefearedlosingtheking’s favorandsoughthelpthroughLaVoisin’smagic.Marieclaimedshehadseen Montespanstripnakedandserveasanaltar.MariealsosaidshehadseenGuibourg slitababy’sthroat,pourthebloodintoachalice,consecrateitalongwiththehost, andofferitasasacrificetothedemonsAstarothandAsmodeus.Guibourg eventuallyadmittedtodoingthesethings.Healsoclaimedhesawanotherofthe king’smistresses fillachalicewithhermenstrualblood,whichwasmixedwithbat blood, flour,andthesemenofanEnglishman.Thisconcoction,itwasclaimed,was intendedasapoisonwithwhichtomurdertheking.Thekingshutdownthe ChambreArdenteafterhismistresswasmentionedintheconfessionsandthe AffairofthePoisonswounddown.GuibourgandMarieMonvoisinwerespared executionandwereinsteadchainedtoadungeonwallfortherestoftheirlives.
Itisdifficulttointerprettheseaccounts.Onepossibilityisthatnoneofthese massesevertookplaceandthattheseconfessionswereessentiallysexualfantasieselicitedundertorture.ItisalsopossibleLaVoisinwasengaginginsomesort ofmagicalpractice.IfwealthyclientsexpectedLaVoisintoknowhowtoinvoke demonsandwerewillingpayforsuchservices,shecouldhavethrownaritual togethertoobligethem,makingtheseritualsaformofostension.VanLuijk arguesthat,whateverhappened,theeventsdescribedarenot,strictlyspeaking, ablackmass.NooneconfessedtoadoringSatanorcondemningChrist.Rather, theseritualsresemble “anoddmixtureofclassicnecromancy,alternative Eucharisticdevotion,andsexualmagicofunclearorigin.”24 LaVeywroteabout LaVoisinin TheSatanicBible,callingheractivities “organizedfraud” that “stifledthemajestyofSatanismformanyyearstocome.”25 Butcontemporary Satanistsnotethatsubversive figureslikeLaVoisinweretheonlyoneswhocould provideabortionsandremembertheAffairofthePoisonsasforeshadowingthe connectionbetweenSatanismandthedefenseofreproductiverights.26
Lá-Bas
Pariscontinuedtobetheepicenterforspeculationoversatanicconspiraciesand theblackmass.In1891,novelistJoris-KarlHuysmanspublishedhisnovel LáBas.Huysmans’sprotagonist,Durtal,isalsoaParisiannovelistwhohasgrown
24 Ibid.,p.53. 25 AntonS.LaVey, TheSatanicBible (NewYork:Avon,1969),p.102.
26 LaCarmina, TheLittleBookofSatanism:AGuidetoSatanicHistory,Culture,andWisdom (Berkeley,CA:UlyssesPress,2022),p.61.
depressedwiththespiritualemptinessofthemodernworld.HebeginsexploringParis’soccultundergroundinsearchofasatanicmass.Hegetshiswishand thetaleendswithadetailedandgraphicdescriptionofablackmass.Afallen priestnamedCanonDocreperformsthemiracleoftransubstantiation,curses God,andthenthrowstheconsecratedbreadtoacongregationofprostitutesand homosexuals.Thecongregationdefilesthehostandawildorgyensues.Durtal leavesshaken,buthisexperiencepersuadeshimthatthedoctrineoftransubstantiationmaybetrue.
Itwasrumoredthat Lá-Bas wasnot fictionbutautobiographical,andthat HuysmansreallyhaddiscoveredasataniccultactiveinParis.However,thereis noevidencetosupportthisclaim.Inalettertoafriend,dated1890,Huymans wrote, “Iamplungedinworkinsearchofademonicalandsodomizingpriest whosaysblackMasses.Ineedhimformybook.Ihadtopenetratetheworldof theoccultistsforallthat – suchabunchofsimpletonsandswindlers!”27 Either way,LaVeyadmittedtocreativelyborrowingfrom Lá-Bas 28 TheSatanic Templealsodrewuponthistextfordesigningitsrituals.
TheTaxilHoax
In1892,anotherParisiancallinghimselfLéoTaxil(apseudonymofMarieJoseph GabrielAntoineJogand-Pagés)beganpublishinghismultivolumebook TheDevil intheNineteenthCentury.Thiswasanelaboratehoaxpublishedinserialform withthehelpofseveralaccomplices.ItdescribedtheadventuresofDr.Bataille, asurgeonservingintheFrenchmerchantnavy.BatailleinfiltratedtheFreemasons andhistravelsallowedhimtowitnessevilMasonicritualsoccurringalloverthe world.Taxil’shoaxtookeveryreligiousgroupthatFrenchCatholicsfearedand arrangedthemintoamassivesuper-conspiracy:Buddhists,Hindus,and SpiritualistswereallconspiringwithFreemasons.Taxilevenworked Lá-Bas intothisscheme,claimingthatHuysmanshadreallyencounteredSatanists,but thattheyhadbeenonlyonepartoftheconspiracy.Theconspiracywasheadedby anevenmoresecretorderwithinFreemasonrycalledthePalladistswhoworshippedSatanandtooktheirordersdirectlyfromdemons.
AsthesagaofDr.Batailleunfolded,itintroducedacharacternamedDiana Vaughn,aformerhighpriestessofPalladismwhohadconvertedtoCatholicism andwasinhidingfromMasonicassassins.Readersbecameobsessedwith findingVaughnandrescuingher.OnApril19,1897,Taxilheldapressconferencethatdrewjournalistsfromaroundtheworld.Hetoldtheaudiencethatthere wasnoDianaVaughnandthatthishadallbeenanelaboratehoaxmeanttomock thecredulityofCatholics.Aphotoof “DianaVaughn” wasactuallyhis
27 VanLuijk, ChildrenofLucifer,p.175. 28 Barton, SecretLifeofaSatanist,p.88.
secretarywhoobligedinaidinghishoax.Heannouncedthathehadcometo commit “infanticide” bykillingthePalladisthoaxandleftthebuildingunder policeescort.29
ButthiswasnottheendoftheTaxilhoax.Somebelieversconcludedthat theconspiracyhadcoercedTaxilintosayingthesethings,oreventhatTaxil hadassassinatedVaughn.The1943noir fi lm TheSeventhVictim wasamong the fi rstmoviestodepictSatanismandafavoriteofLaVey ’s.TheSatanistsin this fi lmarePalladists.EchoingtheDianaVaughnstory,ayoungwomanhas toldsomeoneabouttheirorderandth eirlawsdictatethatanyonewho betraysthePalladistsmustdie.DuringtheSatanicPanicofthe1980sand 1990s,someclaimsmakerscontinuedtosuggestTaxil ’sPalladistsreally existed. 30
AdditionalBlackMassLegends
AsmayhavehappenedwithLaVoisin,gossipsentthecuriousintoseedy neighborhoodsinsearchofSatanistsperformingblackmassesandcertain enterprisingpeoplewerewillingtogivethemwhattheywanted.Fromthe latenineteenthcenturyuntilasrecentlyasthe1950s,touristsvisitingredlightdistrictscouldpaytoseewhatwaspurportedtobeagenuineblack mass.Somewereevenlistedintouristguidebooks.31 Theseseemtohave beenlittlemorethanaformoflasciviousentertainment,orasHenry T.F.Rhodeswrotein1955, “vicedressedupinthegarmentsoftheology.”32 AsilentFrenchstag filmfrom1928titled MesseNoire:RéceptionetInitiation auCulteSataniqued’uneNéophyte depictsamandressedasthedevilengaged inasadomasochisticorgywithacongregationofSatanists.Itissignificantthat Frenchaudiencesin1928needednoexposition – thefantasyoftheblackmass wassufficientlyembeddedintothepopularconsciousnessforeveryoneto understandthepremise.GeraldGardner,thefatherofmodernWicca,reported thatinFebruary1952,hewasinvitedtoseeaproperblackmassinRomeledby fallenpriestsandnuns.Unfortunately,hedidnothavethetwentylireonhandto payforadmission.Gardneropined, “Ithinkitwasprobablyashowputonfor tourists,thoughIwasassuredbyresponsiblepeoplethatitwasnot.”33 In1963, PrincessIreneofGreecetoldaBritishmagazinethatshehadwitnessedablack
29 VanLuijk, ChildrenofLucifer,p.216.
30 J.R.NoblittandP.P.Noblitt, CultandRitualAbuse:Narratives,Evidence,andHealing Approaches,3rded.(SantaBarbara,CA:Praeger,2014),p.274.
31 N.Schreck, TheSatanicScreen:AnIllustratedGuidetotheDevilinCinema (London:Creation, 2001),p.15.
32 H.T.F.Rhodes, TheSatanicMass:ASociologicalandCriminologicalStudy,1stAmericaned. (Secaucus,NJ:CitadelPress,1954),p.212.
33 G.Gardner, WitchcraftToday (NewYork:Kensington,2004),p.28.
massinaPariscellarwhereablackcockerelwassacrificed.34 In1966,ablack masswasportrayedin MondoFreudo – afauxdocumentarypurportingtoshow sexualpracticesfromaroundtheworld.Itpresentedstagedscenesofsalacious activitycuratedbyadry,clinical-soundingnarrator.Theblackmassdepictedin the filmwasallegedlyheldbyPuertoRicanimmigrantsinManhattanandwas apasticheofEuropeanlegendsaboutSatanismandracisttropesofprimitive peopledriventofrenzythroughdrumminganddrugs.Thenarratorannounced thatatoplessdancerfeaturedinthescenewassacrificedtoSatanafterthescene ended.
Legendsaboutblackmassescontinuetogripthepublicconsciousness.In 2014,TSTattemptedtoholdareenactmentofablackmassatHarvard UniversityundertheauspicesoftheHarvardExtensionSchool’scultural studiesclub.AsnontheisticSatanists,TSTmembersattemptedtoexplainthat theblackmasswasalegendcreatedbyearlymodernChristiansthatSatanists hadrepurposedasanexpressionofpersonalautonomy.Butnumerousoutraged Catholics – includingofficialsfromtheArchdioceseofBoston – insistedthat ablackmassinvolvestheritualabuseofaconsecratedhostasanexpressionof hatredtowardGodandtheChurch.Inanarticlefortheuniversitynewspaper titled “HatredatHarvard,” aCatholicstudentwrote, “Historically,blackmasses haveinvolveddesecratingtheEucharist,whichCatholicsbelieveisthereal bodyofJesusChrist,byplacingitonthegenitalsofanakedwoman,urinating onit,andslittinganinfant’sthroattopourbloodoverit.”35 Someeven suggestedthatifTSTwas not planningonperformingahostdesecration,then theSatanistswerenotdoingarealblackmass.St.Paul’sCatholicChurchnear HarvardSquarestoppedallowingparishionerstotakecommunioninthehand, fearingSatanistswouldattempttostealaconsecratedhost.Intheend,Harvard persuadedTSTtoholditseventelsewhereasanestimated1,500Catholics marchedtotheuniversityinprotest.Thisincidentdemonstratesthattheblack masslegendstillholdsapowerfulinfluenceovertheCatholicimagination,even inplacessuchasHarvardUniversity.
3SatanicSympathizers
ThetransitionfromfolkloreaboutSatanistsandblackmassesinearlymodern Europetotheriseofself-declaredreligiousSatanismwaslongandinvolved severalstages.ThemostimportantshiftwasareimaginingofSatanasasymbol ofliberty,reason,andequality,whichwaseffectedprimarilybytheRomantics
34 A.Lyons, TheSecondComing:SatanisminAmerica (NewYork:Dodd,Mead,1970),p.5.
35 A.C.GriffinandL.E.Milano, “HatredatHarvard, TheHarvardCrimson (May12,2014). www .thecrimson.com/article/2014/5/12/hatred-at-harvard .
inthenineteenthcentury.EsotericwritersbegantoexpressincreasinglysympatheticattitudestowardSatan,addingareligiouselementtothisrebranding. Finally,smallgroupsperformedritualshonoringSatan,oftenalongsideother personages.Itisrathersubjectiveatwhatpointthisprocessproducedthe first Satanistorthe firstsatanicreligion,butreligiousSatanismcouldnothave emergedasitdidwithouttheseprecursors.
RomanticSatanism
Milton’s ParadiseLost (1667)introducedtheideaofSatanasarebelpossessing noblequalities.Later,WilliamBlakedescribedMiltonas “oftheDevil’sparty withoutknowingit.” EnglishscholarPeterSchockhasshownhowthe EnlightenmentdismissedSatan,leavingtheRomanticsfreetoreimaginehim inawaythatreflectedtheirownvalues.Anti-clericalists,includingVoltaireand CharlesDupuis,arguedthatSatanwasacharacterfromEasternmythologythat hadfounditswayintotheBible.Inresponse,sometheologiansattemptedto exciseSatanfromChristianity.TheologianJosephPriestleyarguedthatSatanis abiblicalallegoryforevilpeopleandthattheideaofaliteralSatanwasonly a “priestlyimposition.”36
WithfewertheologianswillingtodefendthetraditionalideaofSatan,poets andintellectualshadmoreroomtoreconceivethemythofSatan’sfallfrom heaven.Astheydidso,thismythbecameawayofcritiquingbothchurchand state.In1793,WilliamBlakecompleted TheMarriageofHeavenandHell. Blakereinterpretedhellasarealmofcreativityandfreedomthatbalancedthe stiflingorderofheaven.VanLuijkcalledthis “the first ‘SatanicBible’” because itinvertedtraditionalChristianattitudestowardSatan.37
In1821,PercyBissheShelleywrotethat, Milton’sDevilasamoralbeingisasfarsuperiortohisGodasonewho perseveresinsomepurposewhichhehasconceivedtobeexcellentinspiteof adversityandtorture,istoonewhointhecoldsecurityofundoubtedtriumph inflictsthemosthorriblerevengeuponhisenemy,notfromanymistaken notionofinducinghimtorepentofaperseveranceinenmity,butwiththe allegeddesignofexasperatinghimtodeservenewtorments.38
Thesameyear,LordByronpublishedhisplay Cain:AMystery.Byron’sCainis enlightenedbyLuciferandconcludesthatanyGodwhowouldcondemnall humanstodeathforthesinsofAdamandEveisunjustandunworthyof
36 P.A.Schock, RomanticSatanism:MythandtheHistoricalMomentinBlake,Shelley,andByron (NewYork:PalgraveMacmillan,2003),pp.13–17.
37 VanLuijk, ChildrenofLucifer,p.43.
38 P.B.Shelley, ADefenseofPoetry (Charleston,SC:BiblioLife,2009),p.30.
worship.Alsoin1821,RobertSouthey,aformermentortoShelley, describedShelleyandByronasparticipatingin “ TheSatanicSchool ” of poetry. “ ForthoughtheirproductionsbreathethespiritofBelialintheir lasciviousparts,andthespiritofMolochinthoseloathsomeimagesof atrocitiesandhorrorswhichtheydelighttorepresent,theyaremoreespeciallycharacterizedbyaSatanicspiritofprideandaudaciousimpiety,which stillbetraysthewretchedfeelingofhopelessnesswherewithitisallied. ” 39 VanLuijkcallsthispassage “ theof fi cialbirthcerti fi cateoftheSatanic SchoolofPoetry. ” 40
HellfireClubs
Itisonethingtocelebratethedevilinstoriesandpoetryandanothertodosoin practice.Oneofthe firstmovesinthisdirectionwastheso-calledhellfireclubs. TheseweregroupsofelitemeninEnglandandIrelandwhomettoholdlibertine partiesandmockreligion.Suchclubs firstformedintheseventeenthcenturybut thrivedduringtheEnlightenmentintheeighteenthcentury.In1721,GeorgeIof Englandissuedaproclamationagainstsuchclubs,butmoreclubsformed afterward.Bysomeaccounts,clubmembersengagedinanti-Christianrituals thatincludedorgieswithprostitutesdressedasnuns.Buttherearefewreliable sourcesdescribingwhatactuallyhappenedintheseclubs – whichwereonly laterdescribedashellfireclubs.
SirFrancisDashwood,theChancelloroftheExchequertoKingGeorgeIII,led agroupthatmetatMedmenhamAbbey – aformerabbeyheleasedthatcould easilybereachedbyboatfromLondon.Francisandhisfriendscalledthemselves “TheFranciscans” andtheiractivitiesparodiedFranciscanmonks.Dashwood hadthemotto Faycequevouldras,or “Dowhatyouwill” inscribedoverthe abbey’sdoor.Thiswasareferencetothe fictionalAbbeyofThélèmethatFrench monkFrançoisRabelaisdescribedinhissatiricalnovels TheHistoryof GargantuaandPantagruel (1532–64).Rabelaisimaginedabackwardmonastery whereinsteadofsubmittingtomonasticdiscipline,monkswereencouragedtodo whatevertheywished. Thelema isGreekfor “will” andRabelais’sideaof areligionbuiltaroundresistingrulesinsteadofobeyingthemwouldcontinue toinfluencethesatanicmilieu.
ThehellfireclubswerenotSatanism,althoughtheywereaproductofthe sameEnlightenmentculturethatprecededRomanticSatanism.Theyalso parodiedlegendsofblackmassesandsataniccultsinwaysthatresemble someformsofcontemporarySatanism.HistorianEvelynLordsuggestsclub memberswereseeking “sensualdelights,sexualpleasure,andanalternativeto
39 QuotedinVanLuijk, ChildrenofLucifer,p.73. 40 Ibid.
religion.”41 Thesemotivationscouldjustaseasilydescribeearlygatheringsof theCoS.LaVeymentionsDashwood’sclubin TheSatanicBible andinterprets theclub’sactivitiesas “gooddirtyfun” and “psychodrama.”42
SatanandEsotericism
Inthenineteenthcentury,esotericwritersreimaginedSatan.ÉliphasLévi(né Alphonse-LouisConstant,1810–75)wasaFrenchoccultistwhoseworkinfluencedHuysmans,CharlesBaudelaire,andothers.LévidismissedSatanas asuperstition,yetwasalsocriticaloftheCatholicChurch.Hiswritingdescribed alost “truereligion” thatunitedscience,religion,andpolitics.43 Hisbook Dogme etRitueldelaHauteMagie (1854–6)containedanillustrationcalled The SacredotalHand.Itshowsapriest’shandraisedinbenediction,butitsshadow resemblesthefaceofthedevil.Thesurroundingtextstates, “Perbenedictionem [sic]maledictusadumbratur”– bybenedictionthemaledictedone[theDevil]is shadowedforth.Theimagesuggeststhatwhenweattempttobanisheviland focusonlyonwhatisdeemedgood,weareparadoxicallyinvitingevil,anidea withwhichmanycontemporarySatanistswouldagree.44 Anotherimagein DogmeetRituel istitled Baphomet.Itportraysahermaphroditicentitywith agoat’shead,femalebreasts,andangelwings.AlthoughitresemblesSatan fromfolklore,theimagesymbolizesthereconciliationofoppositesandembodies Lévi’sideaoftruereligion.Lévi’sBaphomethasbeenrepeatedlyparodiedand pastiched,appearingonalbumcoversandT-shirts.
Onecandidateforthe firstSatanistisStanislawPrzybyszewski(1868–1927), adecadentBohemianwriterborninPoland.Przybyszewski’swritingssuggest hebelievedtheSatanistsdescribedin Lá-Bas reallyexisted.45 Hesometimes hintedthathehadattendedblackmassesinParishimself,althoughthereislittle evidenceheengagedinanysortofsatanicritual,eitheraloneorwithothers.But heistheearliestknownindividualtodescribehimselfasaSatanist.More importantly,Faxneldnotesthathiswritingsoutline “afairlywelldeveloped worldviewwithmetaphysicaldimensions,whereSatanwasthemostimportant symbolic figure.”46 In1897,hepublishedthenovel SatansKinder (Satan’ s
41 EvelynLord, HellfireClubs:Sex,SatanismandSecretSocieties (NewHaven,CT:Yale UniversityPress2010),p.xx.
42 LaVey, TheSatanicBible,p.102.
43 J.Strube, “The ‘Baphomet’ ofEliphasLévi:ItsMeaningandHistoricalContext,” Correspondences 4(2016):pp.37–79.
44 C.McIntosh, “EliphasLévi,” inC.Partridge,ed., TheOccultWorld (NewYork:Routledge, 2015),220–31(p.227).
45 M.Introvigne, Satanism:ASocialHistory (Leiden:Brill,2016),p.231.
46 P.Faxneld, “Witches,Anarchism,andEvolutionism:StanislawPrzybyszewski’sFin-de-siècle SatanismandtheDemonicFeminine,” inP.FaxneldandJ.A.Petersen(eds.), TheDevil’sParty: SatanisminModernity (NewYork:OxfordUniversityPress,2012),53–78(p.62).
Children),aswellasaseriesofmagazinearticlestitled DieSynagogedesSatan (TheSynagogueofSatan)thatwerecollectedasabookin1900. Przybyszewski’ssatanicphilosophycelebratedbrutalsocialDarwinism,the primacyofsexuallust,andanarchicnihilism.HeregardedChristianityas coddlingtheweakandtheugly,whilepraisingSatanas “thefatheroflife, reproduction,progression,andtheeternalreturn.”47
Przybyszewski’sinfluencewassmallbutsignificant.Acircleofartists formedaroundhimwhobecameknownasSatan’sKinder.Thisincluded CzechpainterandoccultistJosefVáchal(1884–1969)andPolishpainter WojciechWeiss(1875–1950),whopaintedPrzybyszewskiin1899asSatan leadingawitches’ Sabbathandwroteinalettertohisparentsaboutattemptsto “propagateSatanismamongthecrowd.”48 GermanhorrorauthorHeinzEwers (1871–1943)heldpubliclecturesbetween1910and1925onthetopicof Die ReligiondesSatan (TheReligionofSatan),inspiredbyPrzybyszewski’s writings.49
In1906,CarlWilliamHansen(1872–1936)ofDenmarktoldthenational censusthathisreligiousaffiliationwasLuciferian,makinghimanotherofthe firstself-declaredSatanists.(Hiswifeandtwochildrenidentifiedthemselvesto thecensusasLutherans).Hansenwasadairysalesmanbytradebuthadalso workedasanalchemist,andhejoinednumerousesotericorganizations.Alsoin 1906,hepublishedathirty-pagepamphlettitled Dennymorgensgry: Verdensbygmesterensgenkomst (TheDawnofaNewMorning:TheReturnof theWorld’sMasterBuilder)underhispenname,BenKadosh.Faxneld describesthistextasconfusingandunstructured.ItexplainsKadosh’sgoalof spreadingthecultofSatan/Lucifer(regardedasthesameentity)andeventually forminganewMasonicorderforsuchapurpose.However,Kadosh’sSatanhad nothingtodowithtraditionalChristianity.LikeLévi’sBaphomet,Satanfor Kadoshwasanesotericsymbolofavitalforcethatpermeatedtheuniverse. Kadosh’stextalsodiscussedHiram,thelegendaryarchitectofSolomon’s TempledescribedinMasonictraditionsandinitiation.Kadoshidentified HiramwithSatan,anideanotfoundanywhereelseinMasoniclore.Faxneld suggestsKadoshmayhaveborrowedthisideafromtheTaxilhoax,makingit aformofostension.
FaxnelddescribesKadoshas “asomewhatlaughableeccentric.”50 Kadosh doesnotseemtohavegainedmanyfollowers.Hisonlyotherknownwriting, publishedin1928,concernsesotericChristianityandcontainsnoopenlysatanic references.However,asatanicgroupcalledtheNeo-LuciferianChurch(NLC),
47 Ibid.,p.57. 48 Introvigne, Satanism,p.232. 49 Ibid.
50 P.Faxneld, “TheStrangeCaseofBenKadosh:ALuciferianPamphletfrom1906andItsCurrent Renaissance,” Aries 11(2011),1–22(p.13).
formedin2005,hasattemptedtoreviveKadosh’sideasandcombinethemwith otheresoterictraditions.TheNLC,whichisprimarilyactiveinDenmarkand Sweden,hasevenpaidfortheupkeepofKadosh’sgrave.Faxneldnotesthatthe NLCistheonlysatanicgroupwithacanonicalwritingthatismorethan acenturyold.
BritishoccultistAleisterCrowley(1875–1947)issometimesmistakenly describedasaSatanist.CrowleywasborntoawealthyBritishfamilyin Warwickshire,England.Hisparentswerestrictlyreligiousandbelongedto aconservativechurchcalledthePlymouthBrethren.WhenCrowleywas achild,hismothercalledhim “theBeast.” Ratherthanbeingshamedbythis epithet,Crowleyembracedit.Asanadult,hejoinedseveralimportantesoteric groupsandspenthisinheritancetravelingtheworldandself-publishinghis booksandpoetry.HeeventuallyfoundedareligioncalledThelema,built arounddiscoveringandembracingone’s “TrueWill.” Crowley’saxiom “Do asthouwiltshallbethewholeofthelaw” isafoundationalideainThelema. LikeDashwood’shellfireclub,itreferencesRabelais’sAbbeyofThelema.
Crowley’swritingsmakemanyreferencestoSatan,includinga1913poem titled “HymntoSatan” thatbeginswiththewords, “Iadorethee,KingofEvil.” Butinhisbook Magick (1912–13),hewrote, “TheDevildoesnotexist.Itis afalsenameinventedbytheBlackBrotherstoimplyaUnityintheirignorant muddleofdispersions.”51 InCrowley’swritings,Satancouldmeanamagical wayoftalkingaboutthesunandthephallus(whichheunderstoodasrelated), theastrologicalsignofCapricorn(withitsphallichorn),humancapacityfor reasonandself-determination,orvariousspiritsthatamagiciancouldinvoketo revealthedarkertruthsoftheuniverse.WhatSatanalmostnevermeantfor CrowleywasthecharacterdescribedintheBible.52 Infact,Crowleyarguedthat theSatanistsofearlymodernEuropewereactually “sincereChristiansinspirit, andinferiorChristiansatthat,fortheirmethodswerepuerile.”53 However, Crowley’stheoriesofmagick(whichhespelledwitha “k” todistinguishitfrom theillusionsofstagemagicians),hisrejectionofChristianauthorityand conventionalmorality,andhisphilosophyofindividualempowermenthave hadaprofoundimpactontheleft-handpath.
LaVey’sdetractorsaccusedhimofstealingCrowley’sideas.Bothmen,after all,cultivatedasinisterpublicimageandsportedshavedheads.LaVey expressedsomeadmirationforCrowley,especiallyhispoetry,butregarded hismagicassilly.Heonceopined, “Thosewhospell ‘magic’ witha ‘k’ aren’t [magic].”54 AccordingtoLaVey’sfriendSwedishwriterCarlAbrahamsson,
51 QuotedinIntrovigne, Satanism,p.242. 52 Ibid.,pp.242–3. 53 Ibid.,p.245.
54 A.S.LaVey, SatanSpeaks! (Portland,OR:FeralHouse,1998),p.166.
LaVeyconsideredCrowleyadefactoSatanist, “albeitanultra-romanticone.”55 MichaelAquinobuiltonsomeofCrowley’sideas,butlikeLaVey,usedwhat seemedhelpfulanddiscardedtherest.Today,someSatanistsarealso Thelemitesandviceversa,andCrowley’sideascontinuetocirculatewithin thesatanicmilieu.
In1926,abooksellerandesotericistinBerlinnamedEugenGrosche(1888–1964)foundedamagicalordercalledFraternitasSaturni.Theordercombined Przybyszewski’swritingswithavarietyofmagicalpractices,includingastrology,sexmagic,anddrug-inducedtrances.TheirmythologyequatedChrist (Chrestos)withthesunandLuciferwiththeplanetSaturn – thefurthestof thesevenclassicalplanets.Chrestos/sunandLucifer/Saturnformedanecessary duality.Asabeingassociatedwiththethresholdofthefurthestplanetarysphere, Luciferwasregardedbytheorderasadoorwaytotranscendence,salvation,and therealmofthedead.Inaritualknownasthepseudo-MasonicSaturnicMass, theorderwouldinvokeSatan,whomtheyaddressedas Ophishoarchaios, “the ancientSerpent.” TheorderwassuppressedundertheNazis,butrevivedafter WorldWarII.Theorderstillexists,withmembersmostlyinGermanyand Canada;however,itsLuciferianelementsarelessemphasizedthantheywere beforethewar.56
In1930,aRussiannoblewomannamedMariadeNaglowska(1883–1936) foundedagroupinPariscalledtheOrderoftheKnightsoftheGoldenArrow. TheothernameforthisgroupwasTempledeSatan.Curiously,thegroup appealedtoChristianmillennialismandclaimedtobeusheringinthereignof theHolySpirit.However,NaglowskaassociatedtheHolySpiritwithwomen andwithapositiveattitudetowardthehumanbody.LiketheFraternitasSaturni, NaglowskasawGodandSatanascomplementaryforcesoftheuniverse.Satan representedthedeconstructiveforceoftheuniversethatclearsthewayfornew growth.NaglowskispokeofherselfasapriestessofSatanandclaimedthat initiationintotheGoldenArrowcouldprovide “TruthoftheWholesome SatanicDoctrine.”57
InitiationinvolvedsexualmagictomanipulatethedualitiesofGod/Satanand male/female.The finalinitiationinvolvedamansurrenderingtothefemale(the personificationofthecomingeraoftheHolySpirit)byhavingintercoursewith herwhilehangingfromagallows.ThemalegenitalswereequatedwithSatan andtheritualrepresentedbanishingSatantotheunderworld.Afterthisritual
55 QuotedinA.Dyrendal, “SatanandtheBeast:TheInfluenceofAleisterCrowleyonModern Satanism,” inH.BogdanandM.P.Starr(eds.), AleisterCrowleyandWesternEsotericism (NewYork:OxfordUniversityPress,2012),pp.369–94(p.388).
56 VanLuijk, ChildrenofLucifer,pp.301–2. 57 Ibid.,p.300.
deathandresurrection,theinitiatebecameaNewMan,helpingtousherinthe ageoftheHolySpirit.
In1936,NaglowskaleftParissuddenly.Itwasrumoredthatacelebranthad nearlyasphyxiatedtodeathduringtheinitiationandpolicewereinvestigating. NaglowskaendedupinZurich,whereshediedlaterthatyear,markingtheend ofthemovement.AlthoughNaglowska’sgroupseemstohaveemphasizedGod morethanSatan,theGoldenArrowneverthelessmarkedanimportantmilestoneintheevolutionofSatanisminthatthecongregationidentifieditselfas satanicandheldritualsthatwereopentothepublic.58
TheFirstSatanicChurch?
TheCoS,whichLaVeyfoundedin1966,insiststhatitwasthe firstorganized, abovegroundsatanicreligion.WhilemanyscholarsofSatanismareinclinedto agreewiththisassessment,thisdependsonwhetheroneconsidersanyofthe proceedinggroupsormovementstoqualifyasSatanism.Twoothermidtwentieth-centurymovementsareworthmentioningonthiscount.
InDecember1968,the ToledoBlade newspaperreportedonabarberin Toledo,Ohio,namedHerbertA.Sloane(1905–75)wholedasatanicorganizationcalledeithertheOphiteCultusSatanasorOurLadyofEndorCoven – after thewitchdescribedin1Samuel28.59 Inadditiontoworkingasabarber,Sloane wasafortune-tellerwhoreadcardsandtealeaves,sometimescallinghimself Kala.HisgroupwassmallandmetinSloane’sbedroombehindhisbarbershop, whichSloanecalledtheDragon’sDen.HewasheavilyinfluencedbyMargaret Murray’sbook TheWitch-CultinWesternEurope (1921)andHansJonas’s The GnosticReligion (1958).SloanetaughtthattheGodChristiansworshippedwas, infact,theDemiurgewhotrappedhumanbeingsinarealmofmatterratherthan spirit.Satan,orSathanas,asSloanecalledhim,hasworkedtofreehumanity fromtheDemiurgeandtookCainashis firstpriest.Sloaneclaimedthat Sathanasappearedtohimwhenhewasthreeyearsold.Sathanasappeared againwhenhewastwenty-fiveandsenthimtofoundhisnewreligion.60 This storywouldplacethebeginningofSloane’sgroupasearlyas1930.However, thereisnoconcreteevidenceofthisgroupexistingbefore1968.Citingtheir ownarchivalrecords,theCoSclaimsthatSloaneappliedtofoundalocalCoS groupinMarch1968andwasrejected.TheyconcludethatSloanebeganhis groupafterthisrejectionandinventedafalsehistoryforit.61 Iftrue,thiswould
58 Faxneld, SatanicFeminism,p.35.
59 F.Aberjonois, “WitchesReportedActiveinToledo,” ToledoBlade (December2,1968),p.1.
60 S.Roberts, WitchesU.S.A. (NewYork:Dell,1971),pp.206–7.
61 P.H.Gilmore, “RegardingHerbertA.SloaneandHisaffiliationwiththeChurchofSatan,” ChurchofSatan.com(July22,2018). www.churchofsatan.com/regarding-herbert-a-sloane.
certainlynotbethe firsttimeanesoterictraditioncreatedahistoryforitselfin thisfashion.
TheotherrelevantgroupwasknownastheProcessChurchoftheFinal Judgment,orjustTheProcess.TheProcessbeganwhenRobertdeGrimston(né RobertMoore,b.1935–unknown)andMaryAnneMaclean(1931–2005)metat aScientologyclassinLondon.Theymarried,leftScientology,andfoundedThe Processin1965.ProcessmemberslivedinacommunalhomeinLondon.In 1966,thirtymembersmovedtoanabandonedsaltmineinYucatan,Mexico,to waitouttheendoftheworld.AfterahurricanestruckYucatan,theymovedto theUnitedStatesandthegroup’smythologybegantotakeshape.TheProcess taughtthatGodandtheuniversehadfouraspectsnamedJehovah,Christ,Satan, andLuciferandredeemingtheworldinvolvedreunitingthesefourpersonages. Bytheendofthe1960s,Processmembersweresolicitingdonationsonthe streetsofSanFrancisco,LosAngeles,NewYork,andotherUScities.They woredistinctiveblackuniformsdecoratedwithalargesilvercrossand atriangular “badgeofMendes” withagoat’shead.GrimstonandMaclean divorcedin1973,sendingTheProcessintoalongdecline.FirstSatanand Christ,thenLucifer,weredroppedfromthegroup’spantheon.Thelastiteration ofthegroupwastheBestFriendAnimalSociety,ananimalsanctuaryinUtah. LikethegroupsfoundedbyGroscheandNaglowska,TheProcesshonored SatanandLuciferbutwerenottrulysatanic.FollowingtheMansonFamily murdersin1969,journalistsbeganallegingaconnectionbetweenTheProcess andCharlesManson.DuringtheSatanicPanicofthe1980s,journalistMaury Terrywroteabookcalled TheUltimateEvil (1987)suggestingTheProcesswas linkedtothemurdersoftheMansonFamilyinLosAngelesandDavid BerkowitzinNewYork.Terry’sevidencewaslargelylimitedtothefactthat TheProcesshadapresenceinbothcities.However,satanicconspiracytheories haveswirledaroundTheProcesseversince.62
ItistruethattheCoSistheoldestsatanicreligionincontinualexistence,and ithascertainlybeenthemostinfluential.Forhistoriansofthistradition,itisless importanttosettlethequestionofwhodevelopedthe firstsatanicreligionthanit istounderstandthegradualprocessbywhichSatanwasreimagined,given metaphysicalsignificance,and finallybecamethesubjectofreligiousritual.
4TheChurchofSatan
AntonSzandorLaVey(1930–97)foundedtheCoSinSanFranciscoin1966.He soonbecameaminorcelebrityandtheCoSbecamethemostestablishedand influentialsatanicorganizationintheworld.LaVey’sSatanismcombined
Introvigne, Satanism,pp.328–37.
humanism,hedonism,aspectsofpoppsychologyandthehumanpotential movement,andalotofshowmanship.HedidnotbelieveinaliteralSatan andalthoughhesometimeshintedatthepossibilityofparanormalforcesnotyet discoveredbyscience,histeachingsandphilosophyrepresentedtherationalist approachtoSatanism.
LaVey’sheyday,inwhichhehostedcelebritiesathissatanicpartiesand appearedontalkshows,lastedonlyafewyearsandwasfollowedbyalong decline.Buthismarkonthesatanicmilieucannotbeunderstated.Almost immediately,theCoSinspirednumerousimitatorandbreakawaygroups. Beyondformalsatanicorganizations,LaVey’sinfluencehasspreadwidely throughhisbook TheSatanicBible andthroughinternetforums.Even SatanistswhoarenotformalmembersoftheCoSsometimesdescribethemselvesasLaVeyanSatanistsiftheirbeliefsandpracticesareprimarilyderived fromLaVey.
FromtheMagicCircletotheChurchofSatan
LaVeyonceconfessed, “I’monehelluvaliar.Mostofmyadultlife,I’vebeen accusedofbeingacharlatan,aphony,animpostor.Iguessthatmakesmeabout asclosetowhattheDevil’ssupposedtobe,asanyone. Ilieconstantly, incessantly.”63 AsinterestingasLaVey’slifewas,someofthestorieshetold abouthimselfareclearlyembellishedandpartsofhisbiographyremaincontested.LaVeywasbornHowardStantonLeveyonApril11,1930,inChicagoto MichaelJosephLevey(1903–92)andGertrudeAugustCoultronLevey(1903–84).64 HisfamilymovedtotheSanFranciscoBayArea,wherehisfathermade asuccessfulcareerintheliquortrade.HowarddroppedoutofTamalpaisHigh SchoolinMillValley,California,atsixteenandwaslargelyself-educated. Atalentedmusicianfromayoungage,hesupportedhimselfbyplayingthe calliopeandorganinnightclubsandothervenues.LaVeyclaimedthathe workedfortheClydeBeattycircus, firsthandlinglargecatsandthenplaying thecalliope.HealsosaidheworkedasacrimephotographerfortheSan Franciscopolicedepartment.InvestigativereporterLawrenceWrightfound noevidencethatLaVeyeverworkedforacircusortheSanFrancisco police.65 Ontheotherhand,LaVeydidownalionnamedTogarethatlived withhimforatimeinSanFrancisco.Healsohadalifelonginterestin photographythatinformedhisideasaboutmagicalritual.
63 LaVey, SatanSpeaks!,p.101. 64 ThesedatesarebasedonAncestry.com.
65 L.Wright, “SympathyfortheDevil:It’sNotEasyBeingEvilinaWorldThat’sGonetoHell,” RollingStone 612(1991),p.68.
LaVeyhadthreechildrenbythreedifferentwomen.In1951,hemarried fifteen-year-oldCarolLansinginReno,Nevada.Theirdaughter,Karla,was bornin1952.LaVey’sparentsallowedthefamilytoliveinahousetheyowned inSanFranciscothatLaVeywouldconvertintohisBlackHouse.In1960, LaVeyandLansingdivorcedandhebeganarelationshipwithDianeHegarty. Thetwohadacommon-lawmarriageandin1964,LaVeyandHegartyhad ZeenaGalateaLaVey.DianeplayedanactiveroleinrunningtheCoSthrough itspeakintheearly1970s.In1971,LaVey’sparentssignedthehouseoverto LaVeyandHegarty.Thecoupledivorcedin1980andLaVeyformed arelationshipwithBlancheBarton,withwhomhehadhissonSatanXerxes CarnackiLaVeyin1993.
Inthe1960s,LaVeybeganhostingagroupofbohemiansathishome,whom heentertainedwithlecturesonoccultandmacabretopics,includingvampires, cannibalism,andpsychicabilities.HisgroupcametobecalledtheMagicCircle andincludedsuchnotablesas filmmakerKennethAnger(1927–2023)and science fictionwriterForrestJ.Ackerman(1916–2008).Heeventuallyopened thelecturestothepublicandbegancharging$2.50toattend.66 Duringthis enterprisingperiodofhislife,LaVeywashiredbyastripclubcalledGigito organizeanactcalledtheWitchesSabbathfeaturingdancersdressedasvampiresandwitches.OnedancerwasSusanAtkins,wholaterbecameaparticipant inthe1969MansonFamilymurders.Healsotaught “WitchesWorkshops,” wherestudentscouldlearnmagicaltechniquesofseductionandfortune-telling.
TheCoSseemstohaveevolvedorganicallyoutoftheseactivities,startingin 1966.TheofficialstoryisthatLaVeyfoundedhischurchonApril30and markeditbyshavinghisheadanddeclaring1966 AnnoSatanas,the firstyearof thesatanicage.April30isknownasWalpurgisnachtinEuropeanfolklore. Originallyapaganholidaytowelcomespring,thisdateisalsoassociatedwith storiesofwitchcraft.AcatalystforLaVey’schurchseemstohavebeenan articleabouthislecturesinaSanFrancisconewspaperthatcalledhim “the priestofthedevil.” ApublicityagentnamedEdwardWebberfrequentedabar whereLaVeyworkedandsuggestedLaVeycapitalizeonhiscelebrityby founding “somekindofreligion.” ApoliceinvestigatornamedJackWebb whoknewLaVeyfromtheLostWeekendnightclubofferedasimilar suggestion.67
WorkingwithWebber,LaVeygainedtheattentionofthepresswithpublic satanicrituals.HeperformedasatanicweddingonFebruary1,1967,marrying journalistJohnRaymondandJudithCase,aNewYorksocialite.Thewedding
66 Barton, SecretLifeofaSatanist,p.77.
67 Schreck, SatanicScreen,p.143;Barton, SecretLifeofaSatanist,p.80.
attractedalotofreporters,butwasnotlegallybinding.68 OnMay23,LaVey heldasatanicbaptismforhisdaughterZeena.LaVeybaptizedherthreetimesto maximizemediacoverage.69 HealsomadeheadlinesonDecember11whenhe heldasatanicfuneralforEdwardD.Olsen,anavalmachinistwhohadjoined theCoSsixmonthsbeforedyinginacaraccident.Anavalhonorguard participated.70
LaVeycultivatedasinisterimageforhimselfthatfueledhisgrowingcelebrity.Hepaintedhishomeblacktoserveastheinternationalheadquartersofthe CoS.There,heheldpartiesandblackmassesthatoftenfeaturedanudewoman servingasanaltar.Hewassometimesseendrivingacoroner ’svan.Healso owneda1968JaguarwiththelicenseplateSATAN9anda1966Oldsmobile withthelicenseplateVAMPYR.71 In1968,hereleasedhis firstrecordalbum, TheSatanicMass.Theseactivitiesearnedhimappearancesontalkshowsand interviewsinmajormagazines.
Somecelebritieswantedinonthefunandattention.ActressJayneMansfield joinedandhadaspecialblack-and-pinkpentagrammedallionmade.72 Sammy DavisJr.alsojoinedforatime.Hereflectedonthisexperience:
Ireadenoughaboutittoknowthattheyweren’tSatanists,theywerebullshit artistsandtheyfoundanexoticwaytheycouldballeachotherandhaveanorgy. Andgetstoned.Itwasallfunandgamesanddungeonsanddragonsand debaucheryandaslongasthechickwashappyandwasn’treallygoingtoget anythingsharperthanadildostuckintoher,Iwasn’tgoingtowalkawayfromit.73
Inthe1980sand1990s,LaVey’swritingsattractedrockmusicians,suchasKing DiamondandMarilynManson,whotookSatanism’ssinisteraspectsmore seriously.
OnekeytoLaVey’ssuccesswasthehighlevelofpublicinterestinwitchcraft andSatanismattheendofthe1960s.In1967,IraLevin’snovel Rosemary’ s Baby aboutaconspiracyofsatanicwitchesbecameabestseller.Whenthe film adaptationcameoutin1968,LaVeywasinvitedtothepremiereandcalledit “thebestadforSatanismeverscreened.”74 LaVeyclaimedheappearedinthe filmwearinganelaboratedevilcostume.(Intruth,thedevilwasplayedbyactor ClayTanner.) Rosemary’sBaby helpedLaVeyinanotherway:whilethe film wasstillinproduction,PeterMayerofAvonPublishingapproachedLaVey
68 Schreck, SatanicScreen,p.144. 69 VanLuijk, ChildrenofLucifer,p.297.
70 “SatanicRitesforSailor,” CapitalJournal (December12,1967),p.20.
71 FederalBureauofInvestigation, “FreedomofInformationAct/PrivacyActsRelease – Subject: AntonLaVey.” https://bit.ly/46VxhTk
72 Barton, SecretLifeofaSatanist,p.90.
73 G.Fishgall, GonnaDoGreatThings:TheLifeofSammyDavis,Jr.(NewYork:Scribner,2003), pp.236–7.
74 G.Baddeley, LuciferRising (London:Plexus,1999),p.88.
