"Since worship of fleshly things produces pleasure, there would then be a temple of glorious indulgence�" (La Vey 1969, 1) This is the underlying theme of modern, above-ground Satanism founded by Anton La Vey. For the majority of time, many religions with these philosophies have been underground religions, forced into hiding by the overbearing rule of Christianity. Until now, it has not been safe for people to practice openly religions looked upon as "evil" by church-ruled society.

The idea of a satanic cult is humorous in today's society. The media and churches have propagated ideas that Satanists steal and murder children after having large orgies where the participants sell their souls to the devil. In modern times, people find this more as amusement than fright, but still hold on to atrocities as being integral in satanic life.

According to the book Out of Darkness: Exploring Satanism and Ritual Abuse, there are 5 types of satanic cult:

• 1. Transgenerational Satanic cults-ones which date back several generations, with members born in through secret rituals. They allegedly have sacrifices, pagan restrictions, and the worship of Lucifer/Satan.
• 2. Neo-Satanic cults-which includes the Church of Satan and the Temple of Set.
• 3. Self-styled Satanic cult leaders-many of whom being dropouts from other cults or solitary venturers.
• 4. "Teen dabblers"-teens with no general theosophy who engage in Satanism as an experiment in one way or another.
• 5. Solitary Satanists-people said that they are called to the will of Satan. This includes serial killer Richard Ramirez.

For the most part, modern, above-ground Satanism deals with "Neo-Satanic cults" contrived mainly of the Church of Satan and its offshoots, one of which being the Temple of Set. Many of the "teen dabblers" go toward this type of "cult" since it is the most accessible. Often the Self-styled cult leaders came from the Neo-Satanic established cults, taking what they have learned and attaching a new spin to make it sound a little different. As far as Transgenerational satanic cults are concerned, it would be arduous, if not impossible, to find anyone who actually belongs to one or even knows of one other than by folklore. That is not to say that they do not exist, or did not in the past, but the possibility of stumbling upon one today would be minimal. On the other hand, the Solitary Satanists are usually only brought to fame through crime, further perpetuating the public image that Satanists are nothing more than pure evil people who kill and maim for fun and worship.

The Church of Satan is perhaps the instigator for the entire "Neo-Satanic" movement. It is because of the work of Anton La Vey that Satanism is a prevalent, albeit dark, section of modern society. By putting forth ideas for a religion that stemmed from man's own animalistic self, modern Satanism, and its creator Anton La Vey, has started an entire generation of religions based on letting people act the way they do without guilty interference. "La Vey may have had an impact far greater than observers would guess." (Sakheim and Devine 14)

Anton La Vey had two backgrounds. In the first, he was born Howard Stanton Levey, with no recorded background in the circus, police department, or San Francisco symphony, as his fable stated him an oboist. This is the history he would rather forget, pretending that it never was. In the much more exciting version, he was a carnie, calliope player, circus performer, police photographer, and hypnotist. This is the history he claimed and told anyone who would listen. His myth included playing for evangelists on the mornings after the carnival shifts he would work. He claims that he gained great insight into the nature of religion at this point in his life.

"On Saturday night, I would see men lusting after half-naked girls dancing at the carnival, and on Sunday morning when I was playing the organ for tent-show evangelists at the other end of the carnival lot, I would see these same men sitting in the pews with their wives and children, asking God to forgive them and purge them of carnal desires. And the next Saturday night they'd be back at the carnival or some other place of indulgence. I knew then that the Christian Church thrives on hypocrisy, and that man's carnal knowledge will out!" (La Vey 1969 1)

Like everything else about Anton La Vey, his newfound religion was specifically contrived. " 'Satanism is based on a very sound philosophy,' say the emancipated. 'But why call it Satanism? Why not call it something like "Humanism" or a name that would have the connotation of a witchcraft group, something a little more esoteric-something less blatant.' " (La Vey 1969, 50) La Vey's explanation? Humanism is not a religion, but rather a way of life. Religions have to have ceremony and dogma, and Satanism has both. This is the same reason that he did not call it "Hedonism" or some other innocuous name. "It has become necessary for a NEW religion, based on man's natural instincts, to come forth. THEY have named it. It is called Satanism." (La Vey 1969, 48)

He also knew that by calling his creation a "church," he could fulfill his formula of nine parts social responsibility to one part outrage. " 'We established a Church of Satan-something that would smash all concepts of what a "church" was supposed to be. � We didn't want it to be an unforgiving, unwelcoming place, but a place where you could go to have fun." (Barton 88) It was on the night of April 30, 1966 when Anton La Vey shaved his head and became High Priest in his creation, the Church of Satan. This night, Walpurgisnacht, is the most sacred and powerful in satanic belief, making it the perfect night to "come out" to the world as an above-ground religion emphasizing the Left Hand Path. Rather than pledge allegiance to deities or quake in the presence of God, participants of the Left Hand Path consciously decide to take their destinies into their own hands. "The Left Hand Path seeks to retain individuality of self, the Right Hand Path seeks "oneness" with God." ("What is Antinomianism?")

For years, Anton La Vey was the Black Pope in his church of the Left Hand Path, attracting people of every distinction with his philosophies, one of which being: "Do unto others as they do unto you." (La Vey 1969, 51) As "evilest man in the world," La Vey has become a "dark hero to the disaffected, the alienated, the marginal personalities, for whom his philosophy rang chords of recognition and identity." (Wright 64) This is not surprising when statistics show that The Satanic Bible, La Vey's personal manifesto, has sold over 600,000 copies since the book's release in 1969.

It has been said that history is a lie agreed upon. Some parts of history, however, do not agree upon the "truth" of a situation. This happened in 1975, with the schism in the Church of Satan. Michael Aquino, leader of the Temple of Set, said that in this time, La Vey turned his back on Satan. "I think Anton's loss of faith came later [post 1969]. It was a side effect of his insecurity at being the head of an institution that had outgrown him." (Wright 105) The public announcement of La Vey's extent of belief created a rift in the church of his creation.

Many groups sprang forth from this split, though few actually lasted for longer than a few months. The Temple of Set, however, has remained and strengthened since its creation. The Temple openly claims to share the philosophies of the pre-1975 Church of Satan, whilst attaching other doctrines for more modification into a separate sect. Aquino's version of history is that: "Virtually the entire nationwide priesthood resigned en masse." (Wright 105)

La Vey, on the other hand, had a very different historical view on the subject. "It was a drop in the bucket. Aquino took 28 people with him and started spreading the rumor that the Church of Satan was defunct and that he had gotten the divine word from the man downstairs to take over." (105)

For the remaining members of the Church of Satan, the announcement was simple: Anton La Vey did not believe in the literal existence of a devil, and neither would his church. Those who did not adhere to this philosophy no longer belonged, and they found refuge in one of the other groups that sprang forth from the divide.

The redefined Church of Satan strengthened in both numbers and credo. By the 1970's, Hollywood began to jump on the Satanism bandwagon, giving the Church of Satan more press and publicity than La Vey had thought possible. When people like Jayne Mansfield and other celebrities started to affiliate with the Church, notoriety grew to inane proportions, exposing the public to some of the truths about the newfound religion. When people started to see what La Vey's Satanism was all about, many began to delve deeper into the religion, openly studying the "black arts" and satanic ideas.

One of the basic principles of Satanism involves the fulfillment of human potential. La Vey likens it to a meal he had eaten with one magazine article writer. He claims, "I actually have more respect for vegetables than I do for people, but for this pea to be able to grow and fulfill its purpose on the planet, that's more than most humans ever accomplish." (Wright 66)

One of the cornerstones in the Church of Satan is the document of the Nine Satanic Statements (see Appendix A). The use of these nine statements is extraordinarily important for the members of the Church, providing the basic grounds for the religion. Each statement emphasizes the basic idea of do what you want, to a point. This does not mean doing things to harm other people who are not deserving, in the respect of the Satanist. "He [La Vey] started railing against the predominant notion that Satanists are child murderers or that they sacrifice animals. He himself has always preached against such practices." (Wright 106)

"Satanism does not advocate rape, child molesting, sexual defilement of animals, or any other form of sexual activity which entails the participation of those who are unwilling or whose innocence or na�vet� would allow them to be intimidated or misguided into doing something against their wishes." (La Vey 1969, 70) This is not to say that all people are innocent; the fifth statement describes the necessity of retaliation rather than acceptance to those who smite the satanic practitioner first.

Much of the Satanist's philosophy involves the use of magic. Society has deemed it "Black Magic," though La Vey claims that magic is magic and has no dividing lines. He states that it is the magician who controls the effects a spell has, and he or she is the deciding factor for the "blackness" of the magic put forth.

Unlike the magic Satanists use is what has been termed "white" magic. Practitioners of white magic claim that it is simply a belief in old religions with the said intent of study or research, with the idea that there was no correlation with the devil or evil. They feel that they are enacting the laws of karma, where anything put forth comes back three-fold, indicating the desire to stay fearful of "black magic." In 1951, all witchcraft laws in England were repealed; letting anyone who practiced magic, and some who were just interested, come out from the shadows and into mainstream society.

"White" witchcraft came about in England by people wanting to dabble in witchcraft while it was still technically illegal, though by calling it "white," there was no connotation with what has been historically seen as bad. According to La Vey, "Whenever a girl becomes a 'White Witch,' you know she is either kidding herself or has much to learn." (La Vey 1970, 9)

According to Satanic philosophy, the white magicians who only use the powers of magic for altruistic purposes are looked upon with disdain because they feel that "altruism is sinning on the lay-away plan. It is unnatural not to have the desire to gain things for yourself." (La Vey 1969, 50) "La Vey takes black magic seriously and has scant use for those witches who practice what he scornfully refers to as white magic." ("Satan")

Practicing black magic does not mean selling one's soul to the devil, especially since the Church of Satan does not believe in a literal devil. Rather, they feel that: "In order to be a successful witch, one does have to make a pact with the Devil, at least symbolically. She must recognize her very earthly heritage and realize that she is working on that level at all times." (La Vey 1970, 5)

What the magician must realize is the existence of energy in all things and learn how to employ it accordingly. The energy in question is not seen as a deity to Satanists, but rather the power that exists in all things. For others, this energy may be the existence of a God or deity, which gives them the ability to perform the magic desired. "White" magicians sometimes see this energy as a Goddess, since some sects of Wicca/Neo-Paganism have the female deity as a ruling power.

The rituals necessary to tap into this power are not what society has cultivated as Satanism. No child sacrifices or blood orgies are held in worship of a horned God. Tons of literature perpetuates these theories, which were mainly formulated by Christians wanting to repress and prove repugnant the former earth- and man-based religions. "The flames of Hell burn brighter for the kindling supplied by these volumes of hoary misinformation and false prophecy." (La Vey 1969, 21)

Rather than claim dependence upon an overpowering being which has the ability to do as it will, the members in the Church of Satan become empowered by drawing upon the energies of all things, making the will of the individual the greatest power. Magicians tap into the personal power that they have within themselves, as well as the energy of all things around them, and make what they want to have happen occur.

By telling people that they have the ability to change their own destinies, La Vey led people to believe in their own abilities as a god. " 'I promoted the idea where everybody is their own god. That's the Pandora's box I'm partly responsible for opening. I helped create this big-shotism in everybody.' " (Wright 64)

By refusing to believe in a literal devil, the Church of Satan members do not believe in a "fire and brimstone" Hellish afterlife. The belief is that by fulfilling the self-ego, people can be forever. This ties in to many other religions that claim the existence of a soul or self-entity. La Vey made a cynical comment once about his view of hell. He claimed that the natural instincts man has lead to what society considers sin. This, in turn, makes all men sinners, and sinners are supposed to go to Hell. "If everyone goes to Hell, then you will meet all your friends there." (La Vey 1969, 47)

The principles of Satanism may bring greatness to many, but they were not enough for the sects that sprang forth from the separation in 1975. According to Out of Darkness, Michael Aquino, Founder of the Temple of Set, considered La Vey's revelation to be "Atheism with psychodrama." Thus, he took the basic principles from the Church of Satan and expanded it to fit his own personal ideas to create the Temple of Set.

It must be understood, however, that the Temple of Set is not like the Church of Satan in its level of publicity. Essentially: it has none. The majority of information available is either done by personal contact with members or on Internet pages written by members. Because of this lack of consensus, some Setians disagree with other Setians on some principles or ideas. In any light, the basic notions placed forth by Michael Aquino and his followers shine forth, illuminating the truth behind this sect. One of the foundations of The Temple of Set is that it is divided into six degrees of membership. Members can tell each other apart by these divisions, emphasized by the color of medallion worn by the practitioner. Fourth degree Setians and above are considered in the priesthood and can form Orders within the temple. The Orders are like Departments within a college, each concentrating on a certain flavor of exploration for self-improvement and personal growth.

There are many Orders within the temple, each concentrating on different and eclectic practices. They range from an Egyptian emphasis with the Order of Setne Khamaust, to a vampyric emphasis with the Order of the Vampyre, to elements of the Northern European in some aspects of the Order of the Trapezoid, to magic that isn't known or available to the general public.

To enter into these Orders, one must start as a first degree Setian. Initiation into the Temple is easy enough, with yearly dues and no forced philosophy. It is only when reaching the higher levels of the Temple that the belief in an anthropomorphic devil is mandatory. That is not to say that those in lower degrees do not belief in this essential principle of Setianism, or that simply believing will ascend one into the priesthood, but rather that the members of these higher degrees represent both the Temple and Set, and therefore they must be obligated to believe in Set as a physical being. "Whether Set exists as an independent metaphysical being, or whether he's a symbol for man's most individualistic attributes, is a topic always under discussion somewhere in the Temple of Set." (Balanone)

" 'Satan' is a name given to the Prince of Darkness, just like 'Set' is a name given to the Prince of Darkness. However, 'Set' is a name given by a religion which found Setian principles attractive and noble. � 'Satan' is a name given to the Prince of Darkness by Christianity out of fear and revulsion. The Christian Satan is a twisted bastardization of the true Prince of Darkness." (Balanone)

The Temple sees enlightenment as the gift of Set; to some it's intelligence, to some it's consciousness. Either way, the interaction with Set is one of the driving forces for a Setian. Much like many other religions, Setians feel the connection to a divine being, though just change the methods of interaction. Rather than meet every Sunday at a church and try to abstain from acting in ways contrary to natural human instinct, Setians hold more group-related meetings and do what they feel. "It occurred to me that, as Tolstoi might have said, all happy churches are alike. Frank smiles and firm handshakes welcomed me to the congregation. One of the elderly fellows asked me how I liked the service." (Rascoe 135)

Perhaps it is best stated in The Satanic Bible, which is still accepted by some Setians since it dates back to the roots of the Temple (pre-1975 Church of Satan, that is). "Herein you will find the truth-and fantasy. Each is necessary for the other to exist; but each must be recognized for what it is. What you see may not always please you; but you will see!" (21-22)

Fantasy is an intrinsic part of any ritual. "The subjective mind is less discriminating about the quality of the food than it is about the taste." (La Vey 1972, 15) Fantasy also includes understanding that it is indeed fantasy. Self-deceit is one of the cornerstones of humanity, but it must be eradicated in order to achieve truth. Setians often find "white" magicians deceiving themselves since they still subscribe to beliefs of the mainstream religions while packaging it as something entirely different.

Through black magic and rituals, Setians can tap into the forces of energy provided by Set. Many rituals are enacted to tap into Set and his power, having the magician symbolically say what he or she wants Set to do for the magician. With enactment of ritual, Setians can become empowered by Set, essentially becoming puppets for Set to work through. This differs from the Church of Satan in the way that Satanists believe that they have the power to do as they will, while Setians must depend upon a greater power for their will to be done. Set, however, is not seen as the horned devil portrayed in the media. Setians attempt to see him the way that he was in ancient Egypt. "It was not until the Fourteenth Century that he began to be depicted as an evil deity who was part man and part animal, with goat-like horns and hooves." (La Vey 1969, 55) The point of formulating a horned god was to indite pagans as heathens and therefore bad, making their Christian tormenters the good ones who could be trusted.

Because of this greater being in Setian philosophy, their tradition parallels others in many ways, whether they wish to admit it or not. Much like a Christian sect, Setians must realize that they are lesser than the greater being to whom they owe allegiance. By having this being, there is a constant feeling of safety; that if something happens, the person responsible will get what is due to him via Set.

Since Set is also a protector, Setians feel that after they die, they will never truly leave an existence realm, living as an immortal being fortified by the pursuit of knowledge in life.

"Their [the Church of Satan] take on the Left Hand Path is the Immanent Path wherein godhood is achieved by the worship of the carnal ego with no possibility of personal immortality save in some vague connection to the organic stream. We are followers of the Transcendental path, wherein person immortality is achievable by a strengthening of the idealized Self." (Balanone)

Many Satanists get flack for their beliefs simply due to the ignorance of modern society. The entire reason Anton La Vey wrote The Satanic Bible was to clear up the confusion of what Satanism was truly like. "Satanism is the only religion known to man that accepts man as he is, and promotes the rationale of turning a bad thing into a good thing rather than bending over backwards to eliminate the bad thing." (La Vey 1969, 53) Claiming that he just founded a religion based on what most people practice anyway, La Vey figures that Satanists will rise to the top of the social order to inherit the earth-which he felt was occurring more rapidly than he could have dreamed. "[Now] White, black, and gray witches have the freedom to practice a craft that had been traditionally forbidden." ("Anton La Vey")

Because of its acceptance of man's animalistic nature, some people tend to think that the worse they are in society the better they are in the religion. Anton La Vey believed that the true version of a Satanist, by whatever name, is the person who is in charge. Leaders, Masters, Controllers, and image-makers fit into his category since they all have practiced an intrinsically Satanic concept of life.

"I get confessions from people who feel that I'll pat them on the back or give them praise because of all the sinning they've done, so naturally ex-cons and people in prison write and say they're going to be out in three weeks, they want to join the church. They feel-and I feel The Satanic Bible is going to clarify all this-that this is a clearinghouse for perverts, sex creeps, really losers, people that have been rejected by society." (Rascoe 133)

Though his history may be an illusion, the original idea spawned from the mind of Anton La Vey has germinated into more than even he could have expected, much like his life. It didn't matter that his past was an invention, it was intended to be from the very beginning. " 'Anton La Vey' was itself his supreme creation, his ultimate satanic object, a sort of android composed of all the elements his mysterious creator had chosen from the universe of dark possibilities." (Wright 105)

"To reign is worth ambition, though in Hell: better to reign in Hell, than serve in Heav'n."

Paradise Lost.
-John Milton