Definition For Satanism

Term Paper Title	Definition For Satanism
# of Words	1647
# of Pages (250 words per page double spaced)	6.59

Definition For Satanism

     Most religions like Christianity, Hinduism, and Islam have well defined
meanings on exception is Satanism.  Most people have their own definition for
Satanism.

     Some people feel that non-Christian religions and all Christian
denominations other than their own are forms of Satanism.  This would imply that
all Buddhists, Hindus, Moslems, and Jews. In fact at least 75% of the world's
population would be Satanists.

     Others feel that all religions other than Judaism or Christianity are
inspired by Satan and thus are forms of Satanism. This would still leave the
vast majority of people in the world being Satanists.

     Large numbers of people feel that a wide variety of unrelated, benign
religions (such as Santeria and other Caribbean religions, Druidism, New Age,
Wicca, ect.) are forms of Satanism.

     Such definitions create great confusion.  The following are recommended
terms and descriptions for four essentially unrelated religions that have been
called Satanism.

     The first is Religious Satanism, This faith includes the recognition of
Satan either as a deity or as a principle.  Three main denominations exist: the
Church of Satan, the Temple of Set, and the Church of Satanic Liberation.  Other
short lived Satanic groups currently exist and have existed in the recent past.
According to Statistic Canada, the 1991 census found 335 Canadians who
identified themselves as Satanists.  The actual Number is probably significantly
larger. A United States Department of the Army pamphlet #165-13 "RELIGIOUS
REQUIREMENTS AND PRACTICES OF CERTAIN SELECTED GROUPS - A HANDBOOK FOR
CHAPLAINS" (1978 - April) estimated that there were 10 to 20 thousand members of
the Church of Satan in the United States. Accurate data is impossible to
estimate, since the largest group (The Church of Satan) does not release its
membership totals.

     It is important to realize that the Satan they recognize has few if any
point s of similarity with the Christian concept of Satan. The Satanists'
concept of Satan is pre-Christian, and derived from the Pagan image of power,
virility, sexuality and sensuality.  To most Satanists, Satan is a force of
nature, not a living quasi-deity. Their Satan has nothing to do with Hell,
demons, pitchforks or profound evil.

     The image of Satanism spawned by Christianity is called Gothic Satanism.
It is an imaginary and profoundly evil religion that was invented during the
late Middle Ages. Concepts included ritual killing of children, selling their
soul to the devil, breaking crucifixes, conducting black masses, ect.  It has
never existed in the past, and does not exist today, except in the imagination
of the public.

     Another form of Satanism is Teen Satanism: A syncretistic religion which
is a blend of Religious Satanism, Gothic Satanism, ceremonial magick, and any
other useful sources of ritual that they can find.  It is practiced by
rebellious teenagers or young adults - typically for a short interval.  They
probably number in the tens or hundreds of thousands at any one time in North
America.  An exact estimate is impossible to obtain, since they are totally
devoid of any central organization.  They occasionally engage in minor criminal
activities such as vandalizing cemeteries and graffiti involving Satanic symbols.
In rare instances, a few have been known to sacrifice animals.

     Other types of Satanism:  Occasionally, serial murderers will claim to
be Satanists in order to justify their horrendous activities. Police
investigation reveals that they know little about the religion. A small
percentage of child molesters will abuse children in a Satanic setting as a
means of controlling the victims. The molesters are not actual Satanists; they
are simply using the facade of Satanism to further their criminal acts.  Some
heavy metal rock bands pretend to be associated with Satanism.  Their main
reason is to gain notoriety in order to sell more records.  These tree forms of
quasi-Satanic groups will not be dealt with any further in this...

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