Wow, there is quite a bit of disinformation and outright bullsh*t on this thread. A few things:
1. Satanism does not embrace suicide. A Satanist does not hate him/herself. The objective in Contemporary Satanism is to become as one's own God,
or Self-Deification (auto-apotheosis haha). Constituent to this would be obviously to ENJOY life. The threat of death - the end of life, is what
should motivate the individual to live life to its fullest and make it the most enjoyable as possible (without being an unwarranted assh*le to others,
of course). Suicide, as an expression of personal weakness and general unhappiness, is frowned upon. However, an individual's choice to die as (or
when) he/she will is perhaps paramount in relation to how an individual chooses to live.
2. When did Dio admit he was a Satanist? Granted, Dio used quite a bit of fascinating imagery in his lyrics and album art-work, but I have yet to
find any interview where he admits that he was was a Satanist. He was most definitely into the occult, however, this is not tantamount to Satanism
(according to most modern occultists, not Christian fundamentalists).
3. It is doctrine of Christian theology that the 'soul' has but ONE life by which to choose to follow Christ, attain salvation and live in a heavenly
afterlife, or follow Satan (even unwittingly), and live an after-life in eternal torment. This doctrine offers no possibility of reincarnation, save
for the soul's immaterial 'reanimation' in but two other-worldly realms (three, if you get into that Purgatory stuff). Some Satanists do not believe
that there is currently possessed by modern science any reasonably compelling evidence for the possibility of reincarnation, and believe that when an
individual passes away, consciousness will also cease - forever. No heavenly realm where angels reside, and no hell-fire where sinners roast. Nada -
not even the possibility of coming back through the veil as a ghostly apparition to frighten stoned teenagers in graveyards, or little kids in haunted
houses.
On the other hand, some contemporary Satanists and Setians entertain the converse, and believe they have found sufficiently compelling evidence to
suggest that reincarnation is true, and not only in few cases, but as a 'given' as regards the condition of the existence of the immortal soul. Thus,
contemporary 'Satanism' dismisses the notion of 'selling one's soul' in exchange for wisdom and earthly power. Rather, the individual chooses to
'align' him/herself with the Powers of Darkness as a means of personal evolution.
4. The 'Devil,' is an horrific reinterpretation of a previously existing mythology. We all should know by now that certain Christian war-mongers in
days past would demonize the various Deities of local peoples they were trying to convert. Pan, Cernunnos, etc., being fairly high-ranking pagan Gods
of old, were reinterpreted by missionaries as the Arch-Nemesis of their God. Thus, because Pan had horns and cloven feet, the Devil was then afforded
these qualities.
To be fair, this practice was not only administered by Christians. The Legementon (or 'Lesser Key of Solomon the King' [to the point, B.C.]) is a
book of demon evocation (ceremonial magicians in really cool looking robes summon demons and commanding them to do their bidding). One of the
'demons' in this fascinating text has the name, Astaroth, a Crowned Prince of Hell. Scholars have suggested (and are very confident) that Astaroth is
the male version of the Canaanite Goddess, Astarte - a Greek version of the Sumerian Goddess, ISHTAR - yet again serving to illustrate the fact that
conquering tribes often demonized the various Gods and Goddesses of those they conquer.
5. For the record, the word 'demon,' is a corruption of the Greek, 'daemon,' which characterized the qualities of a beneficent 'genius,' or 'muse,'
that would inspire works of art, philosophy and music which were seemingly foreign to the mind of the artist, musician and philosopher.
6. The name, Satan, is the corruption of the Egyptian title, 'Seth-Ahn,' or 'Seth, the Eternal.' Seth was an Egyptian God, originally of a
beneficent nature (prior to rise of Osirian cults, wherein his nature and attributes were perverted by designating him an evil and corrupt Deity - the
nemesis of Osiris and Horus). The Hebrews equated this God of the Egyptians with that of their own nemesis in their mythology.
7. Darkness, as understood by contemporary practitioners in this field of 'the arts', is regarded as the realm of mystery, not necessarily a realm of
evil. Seth, being the original 'Prince of Darkness,' serves to demonstrate a variety of related ideas. Foremost, he was a Deity whose face does not
adequately match any known species of animal, ancient or modern. While this may be a point of contention among some scholars, it is nevertheless
believed by that this lack of resemblance to any earthy creature suggests that Seth was a truly 'otherworldly' being, and not of an 'earthly' nature -
a God of the mysteries in a most potent sense. Accordingly, reverence for, and petitions to such a Deity may take the form of asking Seth to uncover
some hidden mystery, knowledge, or understanding of an, 'as-yet-unknown' principle in nature and science (or in one's life); or perhaps in aid in
manifesting something in the physical world which remains unmanifest (say for instance, the birth of a child, or a most cherished wish). One can
easily witness the profundity of the mysticism associated with such a Deity given said title.
8. A poster above mentioned that 'Deals with the Devil,' happen all the time, and constituent to such a deal is the fact that the recipient
petitioning for such a pact with thereby lose 'his right to choose.' Such a statement makes absolutely no sense (not only due to the poor grammar).
It is my understanding that Satanists HIGHLY value the idea and capacity of freedom, and one's ability to make informed, intelligent decisions. While
I have no doubt that 'pacting' takes place in both historical and modern times, I have yet to read about the recipient of these various 'infernal
favors' losing his/her capacity for free-will. While the subject of free-will is another discussion entirely, my point shall rest on the following:
the notion that any deal with the devil is subject to the recipient becoming possessed and losing control of basic tactile and motor skills (heads
spinning 360 degrees, projectile vomit, etc.) is largely the fantasy of horror-films and religious propaganda.
9. Some people regard Abrahamic religions as being but tools used to enslave a populace by virtue of the mental mechanisms by which the belief 'sin'
is procured. Necessarily, there will be an outlash of individuals who, denying the God of these faiths as a 'true' Deity, seek a clarified account of
the nature of his opponent. In this undertaking, they may find themselves more or less aligned with this character and his attributes. On the other
hand, some people just want to align themselves with Satanism because it sounds spooky and is historically controversial. Sadly, these individuals
sometimes have a host of personal issues that should be addressed by trained mental-health professionals, as it is my understanding that Satanism
values the evolution and 'becoming' of the individual in a healthy and positive manner.
My two cents,
xox
-kissy
edit on 17-11-2013 by kissy princess because: spelling!