Satanism

Pentagram

The term “Satanism” encompasses a wide variety of ideological, philosophical, and theological beliefs.

There are different ways to classify satanic groups to help people understand how each group believes and behaves.

First, not every satanic group professes a belief in gods or spirits. While some Satanists believe in spiritual entities, others have a materialistic worldview and in relation to faith and religion they are atheists or agnostics. Satanic spiritualists, on the other hand, contend that Satan is a god or a chief evil spirit and they pursue interaction with him and other evil spirits. In contrast, those Satanists who are professed atheists and agnostics see Satanism as a philosophical worldview manifesting in a particular lifestyle often characterized by questioning authority.

Second, satanic groups include a wide range of adherents. Some Satanists are teenagers who are dabbling in self-proclaimed diabolical groups and covens These young people practice Satanism recreationally and their activities often include fantasy role-playing games, heavy metal music with satanic lyrics, and drug use.

Other Satanists belong to groups whose purpose is less recreational. This type of satanic order is often esoteric and regularly practices occult rituals. It's also populated by adults, not teenagers.

Third, satanic organizations have different purposes. Some are public, while others are private. Public groups are sometimes incorporated as non-profit religious organizations and have tax-exempt status in the United States. This subset of Satanism produces the most literature and is even recognized by the United States military. There are, however, private groups as well that largely operate in secret.

The following chart provides a starting point for understanding different satanic groups.

See Also:

• The Occult
• Vampirism