Long has the debate over the label of Satanist been argued amongst those who prescribe it to themselves as to the individual validity of the concept. From there Church of Satan holding out it’s place like an occult Ayn Rand Institute, a place to point to, to the online spaces on platforms like discord perpetuating varying opinions in line with what LaVey set up, and diverging or even denying. So with that the query posed by Joseph Rose of the Hail Satan Podcast who runs his own independent congregation of Satanists located out of Philadelphia, Satanic Delco; as well as his own project of articulating Satanism called Outsider Satanism. What he calls a denomination of the supposed religion. While there is another argument to be had whether Satanism can be constituted religious, that is irrelevant to if it is, can there be denominations? What creates a valid denomination for an “alien elite”?
On a Sunday Witching Hour YouTube livestream the all around apostate took in voicemails to answer inquiries, I sent one in regarding the concept of denominations of Satanism, how and why his idea would be valid as such. Prompted by this he finished an essay with his opinions on the topic, after which the inquiry was opened up a bit more within sphere’s he can be found within.
From Joseph Rose:
We all know that many religions do have various denominations that all recognize a common central text or philosophy, despite whatever other differences they may have.
1. Is there something specific and unique to Satanism that somehow makes denominations completely impossible, unlike every other religion?
2. In your view, what conditions would need to be met for there to be a valid denomination of Satanism?
My response:
1. If we’re gonna go to the core sure I’d say denominations are impossible but only in the broad sense. The denominations would be in individual application and articulation, at least if it’s philosophically based in LaVey it would seem. I don’t think there’s room for a religion or denominations in the institutional or organizational sense with the concept of radical egoism with an alien elite, whatever that actually means as it would seem the ones who do end up doing that like yourself end up more often than not lambasted. Validly or invalidly it’s sort of just a dumb game of verbiage.
If the base is LaVey, fine, but there’s always room for expansion on those ideas that’s sort of the whole point of it, being adaptable to the circumstances. In theory. Wherein you (Joseph) say it becomes religion is the application, “thought and action” fulfilled so to say. Maybe. Though I’m not sure if that’s just living or being religious, I guess it’s a differentiation in verbiage.
What would be the base in Satanism? Satan? Which is a personification of what? The individual’s personally chosen archetype to align literally or anthropomorphically? Veneration of something can only go so far, the Process Church venerated Satan in their malformed cosmology where they Satanists? Some claimed the title with their own philosophical interpretations, some of which are not all too dissimilar from LaVey (though they also lived on the same street for a stretch of time lol, so who knows overlap).
Individuation and articulation, that’s what would do it. While he left and shifted ideas, Diabolus Rex as far as I can tell isn’t discredited in spite of his more mystical and theistic concepts, he’s still allocated the title by the apparent arbiters.
2.The valid conditions I think have at least a good idea for a base: the veneration of Satan and at least The Satanic Bible or maybe another form of understanding it in the archetype that would lend to psychological and conceptual credibility. So it would ultimately come back to individual application and articulation. Outsider Satanism is a cool personal glimpse into your microcosm of it, but it’s the same as CoS has done for decades with a different wording to it so it makes it seem a nuisance for them. It makes sense from a completely disconnected vantage point, cynically at least where all this argumentation comes from and where it’s counterproductive
The whole issue with verbiage is apparent all around I mean just say the word community around CoS people and it’s abhorrent of a concept, though it’s what would accurately label their niches whether connected on the basis of their identity as Satanists or not. The human animal as social is acknowledged but when it comes to the terminology it gets very, stupidly, puritanical.
End of Response
For more on the matter see my own thoughts more in depth on Denominations of Satanism. Also see the times I’ve interviewed Joseph or been mentioned on his podcast here and here.
No comments:
Post a Comment