Truth in the Satanic bible
Certainly about the last place I'd expect to find truth would the be Satanic bible (do notice I intentionally spell that with a small "b"). I was shocked at how accurately it describes how many people actually live – especially in their corporate lives. Please carefully read what I write in this blog. I am by no means supporting or advocating Satanism in any possible form and I would not recommend reading the Satanic bible to anyone. The thought someone would worship the adversary of God and the epitome of selfishness is utterly reprehensible. I do not want to be misunderstood or lead anyone unsuspectingly down this dark path. In fact, if I happen to awake in the night at 3:00 AM, the hour of satanic mockery, I usually pray a chaplet of Divine Mercy expressly for those who have overtly given themselves over to Satan – thinking what inordinate misery they must bring upon the world, on themselves and those around them.
Sadness in the bookstore
The other night, I strolled into an interesting looking and quite large bookstore after a delightful dinner out with my wife. I was a bit disappointed to see how small the religion section was and how it was filled with books that were not particularly religious. It reflected more a populist fascination with the hidden, lost and secret gospels than with the eternal gospel of Jesus Christ proclaimed by the Church. Just as saddening, the New Age section was as large as the religion section.
Among the books of the New Age section was the Satanic bible. I would not recommend anyone pick it up but I scanned through to see what my brother and sister book lovers were being fed for "spirituality." My comments are not based upon a close reading of the book but of a cursory scan.
What unexpectedly leapt off the pages to me was the book's startling honesty, if I could use that word. The author of the Introduction stated Anton LaVey's purpose in founding the Church of Satan was not so much the worship of Satan as the blatant repudiation of the hypocrisy he saw in Christianity and an embracing of what he deemed to be fully human.
Here is a quotation from a different edition I found on-line. This is the impression Anton LaVey made on a reporter who subsequently wrote the introduction for this on-line edition:
As I listened to LaVey talk that first time, I realized at once there was nothing to connect him with the occult business. He could not even be described as metaphysical. The brutally frank talk he delivered was pragmatic, relativistic, and above all rational. It was unorthodox, to be sure: a blast at established religious worship, repression of humanity's carnal nature, phony pretense at piety in the course of an existence based on dog-eat-dog material pursuits. It was also full of sardonic satire on human folly. But most important of all, the talk was logical. It was not quack magic that LaVey offered his audience. It was common sense philosophy based on the realities of life.
Sadness at a truthfully satanic world
As I glanced at some of the beliefs espoused by LaVey, I could not but help sadly agreeing that he described much of what I see in humanity. Whether humans claim a benign atheism or espouse positive religion with their words, their actions are more accurately described by LaVey's tenets of Satanism than by Jesus' tenets of Christianity.
It used to be we lived in a world of hypocrisy. People spoke of selflessness, humility and love but acted in selfishness, self-importance and self-advancement at the expense of others. Today, we have remedied hypocrisy not by turning from our evil behavior toward love and God but by espousing selfishness, self-importance and self-advancement at the expense of others as the normal, accepted and encouraged practice. This is what our culture, business practices and especially our own actions broadcast loud and clear to our children – live a life for self. This is the life of Satan and accurately described by LaVey's Satanic bible.
Think of the way we conduct business, the way reality TV shows portray reality, the gospel of self being proclaimed as the norm and see if it does not resonate completely with these verses from the Satanic bible. Is this not a page from the play book of business competition? Are they not the words of a people that live for the here and now, for the pleasure and reward of the moment rather than the long term and eternal consequences of our actions upon others?
Blessed are the strong, for they shall possess the earth - Cursed are the weak, for they shall inherit the yoke!
Blessed are the powerful, for they shall be reverenced among men - Cursed are the feeble, for they shall be blotted out!
Blessed are the bold, for they shall be masters of the world - Cursed are the righteously humble, for they shall be trodden under cloven hoofs!
Blessed are the victorious, for victory is the basis of right - Cursed are the vanquished, for they shall be vassals forever!
Blessed are the iron-handed, for the unfit shall flee before them - Cursed are the poor in spirit, for they shall be spat upon!
Blessed are the death-defiant, for their days shall be long in the land - Cursed are the gazers toward a richer life beyond the grave, for they shall perish amidst plenty!
Blessed are the valiant, for they shall obtain great treasure - Cursed are the believers in good and evil, for they are frightened by shadows!
Blessed are those that believe in what is best for them, for never shall their minds be terrorized - Cursed are the "lambs of God", for they shall be bled whiter than snow!
Blessed is the man who has a sprinkling of enemies, for they shall make him a hero - Cursed is he who doeth good unto others who sneer upon him in return, for he shall be despised!
Thrice cursed are the weak whose insecurity makes them vile, for they shall serve and suffer!
Yes, there is an honesty in the Satanic bible – it honestly describes the way so many of us live. Even sadder, it describes the way many of us want to live – not being selfish out of weakness but out of desire for we are now told the path of self is the path of fulfillment.
Thankfully, there is joy - for the wisdom of the Cross and the triumph of selfless love will ultimately be complete. Although the Satanic bible truthfully displays our darkness, it espouses the greatest lie – to live for self! May the the light of selfish love vanquish the darkness of self. Indeed, no need to pray this for there is no question of "may it." It shall – praise be to God!
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