My Google alerts brought me news of an inmate in a Maine prison who is sueing to be allowed his Satan worship.
This matter came up every once in a while when I was doing Pagan chaplaincy in Canadian prisons.
Actually, this inmate can do it, whatever it may entail, in his cell. However, he wants to be able to do his rituals with others in the area of the prison used by adherents of other religions. (We used to refer to that location as the chaplaincy area, but perhaps PC has progressed to the point of eliminating a term too closely associated with Christianity, given that religious rights are for all religions. Technically.)
The three articles that Google brought up were written in a straightforward manner - just the facts. One of them even explained the varieties of Satanism:
Satanism is divided into three main sects, explains Black Goat Cabal . Theistic Satanists do worship Satan as a deity. Atheistic symbolic Satanists do not worship Satan, but do regard Satan as a symbol of independence, pride and individual ambition. Polytheist Satanists believe that both the Christian God and Satan are two of many gods. It is unclear which belief system [this inmate] subscribes to.
There's a fourth broad category, which could be characterized as being the realm of disturbed people - from silly teenagers tipping over gravestones to more 'mature' people doing nasty stuff they were ordered to by their *voices* or whatever. While these are the practices most people think of as Satanism, they are really better thought of as varieties of juvenile delinquency or mental illness. The formal Satanists, at least, consider Satanism to be a 'legitimate' (whatever that means) religion as outlined in the previous paragraph.
Occasionally prison chaplains consulted my colleagues and me on the question of Satanism, always (whatever they may have thought privately) with the understanding that our Paganism did not include it...but, on the other hand, we were the most likely to provide an informed opinion.
The Canadian chaplaincy position was the same as the American view in Maine: An inmate is free to do his thing in his cell (within the rules of the institution - which normally forbid candles, for instance, because of the fire hazard and incense because of neighboring inmate's sensitivity to smoke or perfume), but not in the chaplaincy area, and Satanic groups were not allowed.
There was a certain amount of uneasiness with the idea that this discriminated in some aspects against a particular religion, technically against the law (and as backed up by our Supreme Court)...while at the same time everybody would be happy if they could just snuff it out completely. People get uptight about words and ideas, apparently believing in 'occult' powers possessed by the addled losers in prison who declare themselves Satanists. Or they righteously want to 'protect' gullible inmates from being terrorized. Allowing inmates to practice in private (and we always tried to get our Pagan guys to understand that religion is mostly in the head, beyond the reach of staff), but not use the chapel area, was the compromise.
The reason given for the Maine decision, according to the Google articles, was that Satanism "espouses 'vengeance instead of turn the other cheek,' 'hate for your adversary' and 'extreme violence'." That was referencing Anton LaVey's Satanic Bible, which is the 'scripture' of Satanism#2, an atheistic sect that uses Satan as a symbol. May not apply to other varieties of Satanism. Though most public organizations tend not to 'espouse' 'extreme violence'.
I read The Satanic Bible years ago, and it struck me as a document aimed at, and possibly valuable for, people raised in really repressive fundamentalist Christianity - it was a particularly vivid self-esteem manual. Don't let yourself get trod on was the main message. In your face, world. You are not some miserable sinful worm. STAND UP FOR YOURSELF. Oh yeah, and sex is okay - stop feeling dirty already. I don't remember any 'espousing' of 'extreme violence' - I think I would have remembered that. Rather, I remember stuff like: If somebody disrespects you in your house, show them the door and don't ever let 'em in again. That kind of thing. Combined with an admonition, if I recall rightly, not to abuse children or animals. LaVey was a big animal-lover. He might 'sacrifice' 'virgins' on his altar (he went in for showy rituals), but no black cats, hear?!
However, LaVey Satanists, sort of like the notorious Aleister Crowley, are doing essentially harmless things, while taking some deep pleasure in shocking and even, if possible, frightening the huddled masses.
At any rate, it could be said that mainstream religions advocate 'extreme violence'. A letter writer commenting on one of the articles said: "That judges denying him on the basis that the Satanic Bible says basically if someone does you wrong to destroy them is bull. Because the Quaran says to Destroy Non believers and infidels of Islam throughout the Entire book yet Muslims are using the activity room for there [sic] rituals." And of course Christians, especially those who retain Old Testament values, 'espouse' extreme violence ... and in history have practiced it. Though that letter-writer sounds like an aggrieved inmate - it has that tone to it. Inmates (and quite understandably) are always complaining, particularly about any perceived privilege enjoyed by another group. At any rate, talk of violence (often symbolically!) is fairly common everywhere.
Did I ever run into any Satanists in the course of my prison chaplaincy? Well, one at least - but he was all over the map, Satanist today, booga-booga Pagan the next, taking over Christian groups the following week, according to what might bring him the most privileges or cause staff the most annoyance...and what would most intimidate other inmates. (And most facilitate his various in-house rackets.)
My bottom line: People who are shocked and horrified by the concept of Satanism, and rise up to forbid it, are just giving it power...a power that it otherwise lacks. If prison staff and others just shrugged and said, "Knock yourself out", Satanism would lose much of its attraction.
IMO. (Invocation before and after expressing any opinion.)
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Comments
I think it's pretty cool that the prison system in Canada respects all religions, even paganism, which I guess some would say isn't a religion. I love learning about different religions.
Not only Canada, but U.S. laws and judicial decisions also (which a lot of people would like to keep secret from inmates...and others) say that all religions must be respected and, in government institutions, accommodated as far as possible. AND...(and this is crucial)...whether anything is a 'religion' is ENTIRELY UP TO THE PRACTITIONER and not to any outside 'authority'. Even religious 'authorities' within one's own religion has no say over one's personal convictions. Freedom of religion apparently covers freedom from one's own popes and mullahs and and what-not. (Which put us, as Pagan chaplains, when asked for opinions on 'legitimate' practice, in a funny position.)
Thanks for sharing, very informative.
Also, is Satanism Judeo-Christian dependent? What I mean here is that there is no "Satan" or "Lucifer" in Buddhism or Hinduism, nor even in Aztec religions. There might be deities or demons that represent the concept of evil, I believe, but not under the specific name and cultural traditions we associate with "Satan" or "Lucifer."
Lucifer and Satan, even, may not even be the same person in the Judeo-Christian tradition. Many Jews see Satan as nothing more than a Prosecutor type angel, as he is depicted in the Book of Job, but that he is inherently good and obedient, a servant of the Judaic God of Abraham.
Lucifer seems to be a latter Christian invention interposed onto the earlier conception of Satan.
That said, "Satanism" as it exists in the West, seems to be a religious form of protest against the dominant judeo-Christian religious establishment, because they are embracing a figure that is seen as "bad" by said establishment, but not necessarily creating their own, new faith. It is, by way of history and definition, inherently dependent upon the Judeo-Christian definition of Satan. Satanists merely put a spin on these conceptions and say they are good, and individualistic.
An Atheist would say that Satanism would actually be seen as an offshoot of Christianity (because it falls in the same theological, world view family). A non-Christian or Jew, somebody who doesn't even come from that Western tradition, would have no conception of Satan as such. He would be meaningless.
:p religion's hard. everyone wants guidance and support, it's just a matter of what other parts of yourself you are willing to give up to fit into a group of 'like-minded' individuals.
Yep, just like the Christians!! ~:D
is
"particularly vivid self-esteem manual. .."
i gotta ask you: what the hell isnt, these days?
ay.
maine is where BIG SIS does her social work.
she must run into satanists here & there.
ha! i would love to see them face mz S;
she would have them praying on their knees to the Goddess
\who is ever alert & active in this world, the unending Magnificence
of the female.
men are coasting.. they gotta step up & dance with their girls.....
Boy did people make up a lot of bullshit...wait...that's what the Republicans and other fundamentalists are doing right now.
I'm staying home and locking the doors.
VRw005g - Hmm, your questions practically require a whole post. I'll try to be brief.
Q - "What's the difference between the Celtic form of paganism that existed prior to Roman occupation and later Christianization, and the later forms of Celtic-inspired paganism that became popular in Britain. Is Wiccanism directly descended from earlier forms of Celtic paganism, or is it a recreation of the original faith?"
A - Celtic schmeltic - the whole "Celtic" thing is a kind of romanticism. Wicca is a religion born in England in the middle part of the last century, with some Celtic decoration, and includes probably some pre-Roman remnants plus lots of romanticism of the 1800s. It's synthetic - in the sense of made-up (as were all religions at some point in time) and also in the sense of putting a bunch of stuff together.
Q - "Also, is Satanism Judeo-Christian dependent?"
A - In a word, yes.
You said - "That said, "Satanism" as it exists in the West, seems to be a religious form of protest against the dominant judeo-Christian religious establishment, because they are embracing a figure that is seen as "bad" by said establishment, but not necessarily creating their own, new faith. It is, by way of history and definition, inherently dependent upon the Judeo-Christian definition of Satan. Satanists merely put a spin on these conceptions and say they are good, and individualistic."
Me - Yup.
You - "An Atheist would say that Satanism would actually be seen as an offshoot of Christianity (because it falls in the same theological, world view family). A non-Christian or Jew, somebody who doesn't even come from that Western tradition, would have no conception of Satan as such. He would be meaningless."
Me - One of our Pagan 'lines' is that Satan is part of the Christian pantheon, their god of evil, and isn't a part of our world-view, so of course we don't 'worship' him. (We try to keep a distinction between Paganism and Satanism, which a lot of people tend to conflate.)
ccdarling - Christianity really took the Satan thing and ran with it.
Agree, Julie - except (see above) we Pagans don't think Satanism fits under our umbrella.
Tink - I'm reporting you. (Oh wait a minute...)
James - speaking of Christians running with other people's concepts, they did a real number on Isis(et al), Queen of Heaven.
Don't let them hear you say that in the US.
The Roman Catholic Church clearly integrated the new faith with prior existing practices. The Roman holiday of Saturnalia, for example, strongly coincides with the Christmas-New Years winter celebration season and the custom of gift giving. So much so, that during the early Middle Ages, the Church tried to ban "gift giving" during Xmas, because they didn't like the pagan-Roman origins.
Of course, in northern Europe, the traditions from Yule, another winter holiday, also influenced their Christmas traditions, and later came to influence Western Christmas practices as a whole, particularly through the tradition of the Christmas tree, a teutonic practice, adopted by Britain and later spread through the world.
interesting
Karen's pagan, and we had a priestess (her best friend) and my best friend (who got ordained somewhere for giggles) do our hand fasting.
Not that that lasted, but the moment was beautiful and did mean something for me at least. Pagan is one of the 'does no harm' religions in my jaded eyes. In the few moments that I do actually have faith (usually only working hospice, sadly) the goddess is who I pray to.
And by the way Myriad isn't Pans other name the Horned God?
I think this may have had a major influence on early semitic theology.
I'd love to hear more about your pagan prison chaplaincy.