Satanism
SatanismThe attention given recently by the mass media to some episodes more or less directly tied to the world of Satanism is a symptom and effect of a morbid curiosity exhibited today by many with regard to the occult in general and also to the satanic in particular. All the more urgent then is the necessity of acquiring clear and significant tools for discerning the cause and the forms of this phenomenon. This is necessary also in order to understand its relationship with contemporary culture and the subjective motives which lead people to let themselves become involved in, or attracted by, this dark world. First of all,we need to specify that the term Satanism embraces a broad plethora of phenomena, with a thousand faces and numerous facets. Here we will limit ourselves to an examination of only some of the more significant examples, capable of bringing to light its principal characteristics for the purposes of an anthropological analysis. More precisely, our anthropological view of Satanism has the intention of dealing with two distinct problems, which are closely connected and can throw light on each other. On the one hand, we will present some elements which can help to identify the image of man that emerges from the context of satanic teaching, and on the other hand, we will describe some of the subjective motives of those who approach the world of Satanism.
A perusal of the most significant and widespread works of recent and contemporary Satanism clearly brings to light a "Promethean" vision of man, manifesting itself in his exaltation and divinization. "You shall be as gods", promised the ancient tempter, and the promise has remained unchanged for those
inspired by him today. Aleister Crowley (1875-1947), undoubtedly the inspiration for many contemporary satanic authors, makes explicit the link between the exaltation of man and rebellion against God, particularly against the God of the moral precepts with which Crowley had been raised in a fundamentalist sect. "there is no law", Crowley writes in his Liber legis, "except 'do what you will'.... Be strong, O man! Desire and enjoy all things of the senses and ecstasy: do not fear that any God will reject you for this. Every man, every woman, is a star, if he finds his own true will; otherwise he is a slave, and
slaves will have to serve. Let mercy be excluded: all who have compassion are damned! Kill and torture, spare none!". Anton Szandor La Vey (born in 1930) is of the same line of thought. His Satanic Bible (Avon, New York, 1969) begins with nine satanic affirmations, a sort of hymn to the human desire of psychhophysical self-gratification at whatever cost. This holds with regard to oneself ("Satan represents indulgence instead of abstinence. Satan represents vital existence instead of vacuous spiritual/ dreams"), with regard to others ("Satan represents revenge instead of turning the other cheek"), and above
all with regard to God and his moral norms ("Satan represents man...
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