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June 4th, 2011
01:00 AM ET
Study: How Satanists see deathBy Eric Marrapodi, CNN Belief Blog Co-Editor (CNN) - You probably won't hear "Amazing Grace" at a Satanist's funeral, but you just might hear "My Way" by Frank Sinatra. A researcher from Concordia University recently published a journal article with some rare access to high level Satanists exploring what they think about death and dying. Members in the Church of Satan are traced back to Anton LeVey who in 1966 founded the church in San Fransisco. He is also the author of the canon of sorts for the group, The Satanic Bible first published in 1969. Today, the church is based in New York and membership numbers are hard to come by. One of the main tenets of the faith is atheism. Not just a disbelief in God but also in the devil or Satan. Satanists believe God is an invention of man and instead deify themselves.
According to the official website of the Church of Satan: "We Satanists are thus our own 'Gods,' and as beneficent 'deities' we can offer love to those who deserve it and deliver our wrath (within reasonable limits) upon those who seek to cause us—or that which we cherish—harm." Cimminnee Holt, the author of the journal article explains further:
Holt writes that even though the Church of Satan does not believe in a physical afterlife (neither heaven nor hell), their doctrine speaks to a practitioner living on in this world through the life they led.
After a long back and forth between Holt and two high level clergy in the Church of Satan, the two Satanists agreed to speak as official representatives of the church. The Satanists gave the researcher unique insights into how they saw death and their own funerals. Holt writes:
The communications between Holt and the Satanists stretched over four years. Holt said she deliberately left out identifying details, like occupation and geographic location, about the two Satanists. The wall of privacy seems to have helped the Satanists to open up about their thoughts on death. Holt's article appeared in The Journal of Religion and Culture, which is produced by graduate students from the Department of Religion at Concordia University in Montreal, Quebec.
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The CNN Belief Blog covers the faith angles of the day's biggest stories, from breaking news to politics to entertainment, fostering a global conversation about the role of religion and belief in readers' lives. It's edited by CNN's Daniel Burke with contributions from Eric Marrapodi and CNN's worldwide news gathering team.  |
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whether you religious brainwashed people like it or not, all reigions ARE CULTS! GET OVER IT! on top of that, they harbor pedophiles!! then try to cover it up!!! the bible should be put in the comic book section where it BELONGS!!
Religions are man's outreach. Christianity is a relationship where my God reaches out to everyone through His son Jesus' death. Simple and childlike….
I think you are confusing Catholicism with Christianity. Christianity is Bible based and anyone can become a follower of Christ thru repentance. Christ is God's Son that died for our sins. God's plan, God's way. Catholics started there and added human rituals, doctrines, sacraments, dogmas, worship of people and all kinds of other things that the Bible clearly warns about. Havign said that, many Catholics still find Christ in the midst of all that. But do not be mistaken, Christ is real and if you seek Him in spirit and truth, you will need no religion to find HIm.
I hope they don't bite bats. I like bats.
Ok, Im I think its about time and you have come of age to know this. OK, here it goes. There is no santa, easter bunny, tooth fairy, god or devil. Oh and they did not eat turkey on thanksgiving! You people are so F-ing weak!
try harder troll
those people just don't get it!! it just blows my mind on how they believe in such NONSENSE!! LOL
I don't believe in this hogslop, but in re: this Satan character, can somebody tell me why rebelling against a maniacal baby-murdering tyrant is considered a bad thing?
Stupid troll is Stupid
Satanism is about self-empowerment, and (ironically) has almost nothing to do with Satan (except for the name of course). I believe that people should be able to do as they please as long as it harms no one else. Reality is what you choose it to be. A lot more people would probably do Satanism if it wasn't called Satanism (because of the negative connotations), as it (as stated in previous comments) bears many similarities to early Buddhism.
Like
So agree! It is what I totally espouse but the name is such a problem. At 52, I have fought the mainstream all my life and am tired of trying to open people's eyes. How about something that doesn't create such a knee-jerk reaction? My Pitbulls and I would appreciate it!
If Satanism is so great, then they are truly stupid for using that name for it. How great can it be when they are so dumb?
How about no one knows anything and let's just see how it all pans out? What more can you say of the afterlife since we have all never experienced it?
Touché. We're all just searching for the truth.
I have found some truth. I can't even give the stuff away, though. Disillusionment is painful and therefore avoided by a majority of people in all walks of life. Thus the ongoing conflicts continue. We are winning by the way. 😛
The Devil Didn't make me do it....I did. Whether I do right or wrong, I am the only one who made the decision. I'm not a Satanist, but a neo-pagan, leaning towards the Wiccan faith.
LOL!
What the Hell!?!?!?
How can you be called a satanist and not believe in satin? That's some grade A bull shiz right there. Because if they where true atheists they wouldn't be going to ANY church. I mean what are they worshiping there? The fact that they don't worship...come on!
Thats like me saying im a democrat but i don't believe in democrats. What kind of retards do they take us for?
... The whole point of Satanism is, well... that you can do what you want (within reason). If you want to go to a church, go for it. If not, don't. And again, Satanism has almost nothing to do with Satan (a bit uncreative, I admit...)
Amen! If they're atheist then say they're atheist. Atheist don't believe in and gods or devils. I grew up Catholic and was scared all my life of Satan. Then I finally grew up. Guess what, Satan doesn't scare me any more. It's just another silly story from people who need to read a science book. And for you holy-rollers out there, GROW UP. There have been thousands of religions throughout the history of man, what are the chances that yours is the one true one?
You're totally right! I mean, if they don't believe in satin, then what are my favorite sheets made of, hmm??
Narrow is the path to heaven and few shall enter..... over here, aiming for the road less traveled, thats for sure.
philipians 4:13 (words to live by)
i can do all things through Christ that strengthens me.
i can assure you that we will all fall to our knee, like it or not.
You get on your knees for Jesus, Chad. Give him all you've got... Feel that warm, sticky salvation as it flows over you.
I beg to differ. I will only get on my knees for 7 inches or greater.
Based on their assertions, they're not actually Satanists. It sounds like they're simply a "religion" of humanists and hedonists.
you can ignorance any name;these are lost children!
*give
Although, Hedonists /only/ do things if it brings them pleasure. Satanists are about self-fulfillment.
These Satanist are wrong and have just given in to the devil and his demons. Hell is real and so is satan and these people are being fooled into thinking otherwise. The Lord Jesus Christ is the only way and no one can get into Heaven unless they accept Him as their Personal Savior.
Amen.
And the boogeyman is going to water-board you if you don't make a donation to Joel Osteen
Waiting for some mystical being to miraculously come down and fix all of your problems is a quick road to nowhere and can lead to a life full of inactivity and stagnation. Trusting in the power of yourself and your intellect above some ancient piece of propaganda places oneself among the Gods (figuratively of course) and serves as your own 'guiding light' so to speak.
I've got news for you folks, this viewpoint has been around since long before Christianity, and it has nothing to do with Satan (Lucifer, maybe).
Most popular beliefs arn't Bibical. The doctrine that hell is burning right now is not bibical. How can the wicked be punished when judgment day hasn't happened yet ? Satan distorts the Bible to make God look like a cruel sadist. If Christ died for our sins, and he payed the full penalty. 7 hours on the cross. and then death. He didn't suffer for eternity, cause the wages of sin is death, no less and no more. Stop asking your pastor about the bible, and start asking your Bible about your pastor.
The thing i dont get is how im all ways told "god has a plan" or "this is all part of gods plan" well then where dose my free will come in to play? And if im simply playing a part in gods plan then why is he judging me for his plan?
And all that aside no one has ever told me WHY!!!???? Why are we here what is the point? to live a life and then be judged? Why did god make us what is our purpose what is it all for? Is this just some game for god or what?
But i guess this works well for those in charge because you now have an army that follows with out asking questions and anyone who dose is deemed the "non-faithful" and banished from the click.
And then to have the self righteous gall to say Islam and there 30 some virgin heaven is crazy and just a ploy to get people to join. But your version of heaven is not even limited to one thing or set of things its "Everything and Anything you could ever want" and thats not a clever carrot on a stick?
And thats why im Buddhist because unlike faith based religion the Buddha told us why not just what...
Amen, Benji!
CANON, not cannon!!!! C'mon, I hate seeing typos in newspapers and online.
I dislike how they assume their disbelief in traditional gods define them as atheists.
If they believe they are gods – if they believe anything based on "faith" – they are theists, not atheists. Atheism rejects this type of crap. I think their beliefs are just as preposterous as beliefs from any other religion.
Narrow is the path to heaven and few shall enter..... over here, aiming for the road less traveled, thats for sure.
philipians 4:13 (words to live by)
i can do all things through Christ that strengthens me.
i can assure you that we will all fall to our knee, like it or not.
And I respect your belief and right to say so. But reality is what you make it. Even Atheists believe in Science (energy and matter as the cosmic fiber of the universe, governed by the laws of physics). Not all "religions" have a god.
The Flying Spaghetti Monster says you guys are bad, so knock it off, or no sauce for you.
WOW.............
ngc1300 is oozing of insite
word
For it is he who holds us to the earth with his noodles?
chad miller is oozing in ignorance of how to spell! In all the many years you've lived thus far, you've gone through your whole life thus far thinking that the word "insight" is spelled as "insite"? Really? I mean we ALL can makes "slips of the fingers" (which i what a TYPO is) but it is apparent that typing "insite" instead of "insight" is NOT a typo but rather a reflection that you actually think that this is how that most-basic word is spelled. Really, Chad?
Question for you, Chad: Why didn't the Holy Spirit that is supposed to reside within you (as a believer) inform you of your error before you placed it here for all the world to see? It makes you look like a less-well-developed person in terms of basic intelligence, which doesn't do well for your cause as a proselytizer. Tsk, tsk, tsk!
For in that most holy and ancient of menus it is stated that "It is easier for a glass of Calabria to pass through the loop of a noodle than it is for a man without sauce to order the crostata di frutta." People please! Open your eyes and turn from the deception of the Terrestrial Biscotti Deamon. The spaghetti longs to be consumed, but it will not keep indefinitely! WHOA BE ONTO ANY WHO FAIL TO PARTAKE OF THIS BOUNTY.
To MayonnaisePatty:
Have you lost your noodles? (get it? arr arr arr arr arr!)
Sounds like spaghetti logic to me. (get it? arr arr arr arr arr!)
"I would much rather live like there is a heaven and hell and find out they do not exist than live like they do not exist and find out they do."
think about this. very true and simply put.
Amen...the ignorant will start whining now. About fairies and spaghetti monsters and all that. But that's just plain confidence on the outside – a hope that their brave exterior will somehow make everything true. That they are truly alone in this universe.
You won't hear people say "There's no such thing as satan..." or compare satan to flying spaghetti monsters.....its only God they ridicule.
I totally agree with your quote. I for one am sure....and not a thing in this world can convince me otherwise....even if I'm seen as the stupidest person on the planet.
I like to live my life being a kind person that does no harm to others, and helps and comforts when she can. If it turns out there is a "God" and "He" is angry with me for not worshiping him the right type of way and dams me to "Hell", then "He" isn't the type of "God" I would care to please anyway. If there is an all knowing, powerful being that judges us based on our actions and feelings, "He" should be able to recognize the good from the bad without forcing us to practice religious ceremonies and such.
I would rather spend an eternity in hell with my honorable ancestors than spend a day in heaven with all of you christian pansies
Your appeal to Pascal's Wager is noted, but dismissed as fallacious ... since, like the Wager, it's predicated on a false dilemma.
"Satanists believe God is an invention of man and instead deify themselves." What does this sentence mean?
It means that people, humans can be a "First Cause". The idea is certainly not new with this group.
Alfie, it's a way of them saying that since man created the image of god, then man as a satanist is also therefore equally capable of viewing himself as a god, deify themselves as in the word "Deity" which roughly translates to "Central Spiritual Figure" example: Jesus, Zeus, etc. So through their actions they commit in their own living lives, the goal is to accomplish things so significant, especially in the eyes of those either near to them or loved, that even if there is no heaven or hell, they technically live on forever, in the memories of those still living, thus obtaining a form of immortality. Examples: Elvis, 2Pac, John Lennon, Jim Morrison, etc. (And just about any other person of either fame or infamy that will quite literally never die, because their image or their legacy is damn near everywhere.)
In short: You can kill a man or a woman, but if that man or woman's image or ideals echo forever into the eternity of those still living, then I suppose you could say that man or woman has quite literally deified themselves. We may have killed Hitler, and Jesus may have been crucified, but I'm pretty sure you can safely bet that as long as the world still spins, there will be Christians and Nazi's.
Satanists cmon;these sinners are going straight to he11.
Check out their site. It makes sense. I'm not saying like it, or even accept it, but at least know what it's actually about.
It kind of sounds like I'm a satanist, except I don't feel a need to participate in "death" themed rituals. Satanism just sounds like an anti-religion, the article says they don't even believe in satan. Interesting.
Another fool thought what he thinks matters.
The fool said in his heart, There is no God
Religions are like cults...with more members. Because someone wrote in a book 1700-2000 years ago, is it true???
They told me religions were tax exempt.
So I started my own church.
They told me that religions are based around the idea of making money
So I started my own religion.
David... the big difference between a cult and a religion is that cults discourage or forbid members to ask questions. Christianity (assumed by your time reference) is most assuredly NOT a cult, and Christians never need to fear digging deep into questions about their faith. Apart from Christianity, Western Civilization as we know it would not exist; had the monks not preserved the classics of antiquity (sparking the Renaissance), it is questionable if humanity would have ever emerged from the Dark Ages.
@David – I'm not super religious or anything, but something important enough to restart the count of time has to mean something doesn't it?
@Chris – A lot of churches do seem much more like a business than anything else.
Interesting article, but to spread the belief of not believing seems kind of contradictory to me.
The only problem with John's statement is the fact that a questioning of the status quo and of religion (specifically Christianity) is exactly what brought us out of the Dark Ages (and into the Renaissance). DISCLAIMER: I have no problem with Christianity (or any religion for that matter). What I do have a problem with is when it is used to take advantage of people (as with anything).
Defining people as "fools" based solely on your own subjective whims cannot, and will never, actually make them "fools."