LaVeyan Satanism: Inside the Church of Satan’s Atheistic Philosophy

When people speak of modern Satanism, they’re often referring to LaVeyan Satanism, the form of Satanism founded by Anton Szandor LaVey in the 1960s. Far from the lurid tales of devil worship, LaVeyan Satanism is a non-theistic, philosophical movement that uses Satan as a symbol rather than a literal god. It’s named after LaVey, who established the Church of Satan in 1966 and authored The Satanic Bible. This branch of Satanism is all about individualism, self-indulgence (within reason), and shedding the guilt and repression that LaVey saw in conventional religions. In this article, we’ll dive into what LaVeyan Satanism really stands for: its beliefs, practices, and how it differs from both traditional religion and other forms of Satanism. Whether you’re just curious or considering exploring this path, read on to gain an inside look at the Church of Satan’s philosophy.

Origins of LaVeyan Satanism

LaVeyan Satanism began with one colorful man: Anton LaVey. In the 1960s, LaVey was a former carnival worker, musician, and occult dabbler in San Francisco who had a flair for drama. He observed that many people were hungry for something beyond traditional religion – something that celebrated the here-and-now rather than preaching self-denial. On April 30, 1966 (Walpurgisnacht, a traditional witches’ night), LaVey declared the founding of the Church of Satan, marking it Year One, Anno Satanas (Year of Satan). He soon became a media sensation, known as the “Black Pope,” performing Satanic weddings and baptisms and giving interviews with his signature shaved head and pet lion.

In 1969, LaVey published The Satanic Bible, which is the primary text of LaVeyan Satanism. This book isn’t a holy scripture but rather a collection of essays, philosophy, and ritual instructions that outline LaVey’s take on Satanism. It has since sold millions of copies, becoming a cornerstone for the movement. LaVey essentially codified a new religious movement that combined philosophy, skepticism, theatrical ritual, and iconoclastic imagery.

Importantly, from the start LaVey made it clear that his Satanism does not believe in a literal Satan. He chose Satan as the symbol of his religion because “Satan” means adversary or accuser – the one who stands in opposition to the ingrained religious norms. It was a provocative emblem for a philosophy that exalts the self and what traditional Christianity would call sin (indulgence, pride, etc.) as virtues. LaVey was influenced by thinkers like Friedrich Nietzsche, Ayn Rand, and Aleister Crowley, and you can see it in his creation: an individualistic, almost Nietzschean worldview draped in the aesthetics of the occult.

Since LaVey’s death in 1997, the Church of Satan continues under new leadership (currently High Priest Peter H. Gilmore) and remains an active organization, though relatively low-profile. They are headquartered online and do not generally hold public gatherings, focusing more on disseminating literature and recognizing members’ achievements. Another organization, The Satanic Temple (TST), emerged in the 2010s with similar non-theistic beliefs but a different approach (more politically active and socially minded). TST is not LaVeyan per se, but both share atheistic Satanism roots. LaVeyan Satanism remains the foundation that introduced Satanic philosophy to the wider public.

Philosophy and Beliefs of LaVeyan Satanism

LaVeyan Satanism is fundamentally a human-centered, materialist philosophy with a sensational name. Here are its key beliefs:

• Atheism and Satan as Symbol: LaVeyan Satanists are atheists – they do not believe in God, Satan, demons, or any supernatural beings as literal entities. Instead, each individual is their own “god.” This doesn’t mean they think they can control the weather or have cosmic powers; it’s a way of saying you are the highest authority in your own life. There’s no worship of an external deity. Satan, to a LaVeyan, is a metaphor for certain human qualities: pride, carnality, rebellion, wisdom gained through adversity. As LaVey wrote, “Satan represents pride, liberty, and individualism”. So, when they say “Hail Satan,” they’re basically saluting those qualities and the human potential they represent, not hailing an actual devil.

• Self-Indulgence, Not Compulsion: LaVey’s famous line is “Satan represents indulgence instead of abstinence!” This encapsulates that they value enjoying life’s pleasures. Whether it’s food, sex, comfort, or entertainment – Satanists don’t see virtue in self-denial for its own sake. However, this doesn’t mean uncontrolled hedonism to one’s own ruin. It’s about indulgence with wisdom. They often add: indulge, but don’t become a slave to substances or habits. If you want the cake, eat it – but don’t eat until you’re sick. Life’s joys are to be experienced fully, without guilt, as long as you are prepared to face any consequences and not harm the undeserving.

• Vital Existence and Here-and-Now: LaVeyan Satanism rejects the focus on an afterlife or spiritual realm. It affirms the here-and-now as the primary concern. “Satan represents vital existence instead of spiritual pipe dreams,” says one of the Nine Satanic Statements. They see humans as just another animal (albeit a clever one), and there’s no heaven or hell awaiting us – so one should make the most of this life. Concepts like sin are often viewed as constructs to control people; instead of sin, they talk about natural behaviors. They fully embrace worldly life: achievements, self-expression, sexual fulfillment, and so on are seen as good things as long as they are self-chosen.

• Individualism and Self-Responsibility: LaVeyan Satanism exalts the power and rights of the individual. Conformity for conformity’s sake is scorned. Every person is encouraged to develop their own talents, desires, and worldview rather than follow herd mentality. With this freedom comes responsibility: you are accountable for your actions, and you should take responsibility for your successes and failures (no blaming a deity or destiny). They despise whining and martyrdom; strength, self-confidence, and “responsibility to the responsible” are promoted. The phrase “You are your own god” means you are the master of your life – which is empowering but also puts the onus on you to make it what you want.

• Anti-Hypocrisy and Eye-for-an-Eye Morality: LaVeyan ethics can be summed up as reciprocal justice. They preach kindness, but only to those who deserve it – not to ingrates. Love is precious; don’t throw it away on those who harm you. If someone attacks you, you don’t turn the other cheek – you strike back (within reasonable limits, presumably). This “eye-for-an-eye” approach is clearly contrary to Christian forgiveness doctrine, which is intentional. They also emphasize honesty with oneself and others. One of the Eleven Satanic Rules of the Earth is, “When in another’s lair, show them respect or do not go there.” and “If someone bothers you, ask them to stop; if they don’t, destroy them.” (Destroy in practice might mean removing them from your life or standing up firmly; it’s more metaphorical empowerment than literally murder!) The point is, don’t be a victim and don’t be a hypocrite. If you claim to be tolerant, be tolerant; if you hate something, admit you hate it. Authenticity is valued over social nicety.

• Social Darwinism and Eliteism: This is a more controversial aspect – LaVey’s writings have elements of Social Darwinist thought. He believed not everyone is equal in ability or character, and Satanism celebrates excellence and achievement. He scorned egalitarianism that forces everyone into the same mold. The Church of Satan has an implicit hierarchy: members who achieve more (in life or contributions) gain higher degrees (titles like Witch/Warlock, Priesthood, Magister etc.). LaVey’s philosophy can come across as harsh – e.g., he viewed some people as “psychic vampires” (those who leech off your energy or resources) and urged followers to cut them off. The emphasis is on merit and strength (of will or talent) as virtues. Kindness is for the deserving; parasites deserve nothing. This elitism is part of why some see LaVeyan Satanism as a “fancy Ayn Rand with rituals.” Indeed, Ayn Rand’s Objectivism influenced LaVey strongly.

• Materialism and Skepticism: LaVeyan Satanists subscribe to a materialist, carnal view of the world. They generally accept science and don’t believe in an immortal soul or afterlife. Magic, to them, is largely seen as psychological. They are encouraged to doubt things and find logical explanations. Gilmore (current High Priest) has said Satanism is basically “just Ayn Rand’s philosophy with ceremony and ritual added” (paraphrasing) – highlighting its rationalist base. They reject concepts like “karma” in any cosmic sense (though they might say psychologically or socially, actions have consequences). Essentially, the supernatural is metaphorical. Even their “magic” can be seen as a form of applied psychology or a way to focus one’s will, not Harry Potter stuff.

Symbols and Practices

Baphomet / Inverted Pentagram: The primary symbol of LaVeyan Satanism is the Sigil of Baphomet, which is an inverted pentagram (five-pointed star pointing down) with a goat’s head in it, and often the Hebrew letters for “Leviathan” around it. The Church of Satan adopted this symbol as their official insignia. It represents carnality and the material world – the inversion of the star signifies spirit subordinated to matter (opposite of the occult pentacle where spirit is on top). The goat image comes from the historical association of goats with pagan fertility and with the occult (Éliphas Lévi’s famous Baphomet drawing of a sabbatic goat). To a Satanist, this symbol is like a coat of arms that says: we stand for the earthly, the carnal, the “left-hand” path. It’s important to note this symbol doesn’t mean they worship a goat or anything; it’s a visual representation of their values (and sure, it’s meant to shock overly pious folks too). Many Satanists wear a Baphomet medallion or ring as a sign of affiliation.

The Black Mass (as Psychodrama): In the early days, LaVey staged some “Black Masses” – rituals parodying Catholic Mass – for publicity. However, in LaVeyan practice, a Black Mass is not a regular or required ritual. If done, it’s mainly a form of catharsis: to purge oneself of lingering Christian conditioning by satirizing it. For example, they might recite the Lord’s Prayer backwards or blaspheme symbols like the crucifix, not because they believe in a literal anti-God, but to symbolically break free of religious guilt or trauma. Most LaVeyan rituals, though, are focused on personal goals (see next point) rather than elaborate anti-Christian ceremonies. The Church of Satan actually doesn’t encourage public Black Masses as it feeds into sensationalism. They view it as intellectually valid but ritually passé in most cases – an artifact from older satanic lore.

Greater and Lesser Magic: LaVey divided magic into two types:

• Greater Magic is ritual magic – ceremonies performed in an intense, focused state to purge emotions or set one’s intentions. It’s often done in a ritual chamber with full pomp (candles, bell, chalice, parchment sigils, etc.). LaVey’s rituals are meant as psychodrama – like a theatrical act that helps the practitioner cathartically release emotions and imprint their will onto their subconscious. He identified three basic kinds of ritual: lust (to attract love/sex), compassion (to help or heal or get something beneficial), and destruction (a curse to harm or punish). The ritual involves raising emotional energy (through chants, visualization, etc.) and releasing it at a peak moment (often by ringing a bell and letting out a final statement of will). They don’t believe spirits are carrying out the change; rather, it’s influencing the practitioner’s mind and perhaps nudging probabilities in one’s favor in an unseen psychological way.

• Lesser Magic refers to day-to-day manipulation – essentially applied psychology and glamor to get what you want. This could be as simple as dressing in a way that influences others, using body language, charm, or bluff to bend situations to your will. LaVey in The Satanic Witch detailed techniques for women (and men) to achieve their desires by reading and controlling people. It’s called magic tongue-in-cheek, but it’s really about understanding human nature and leveraging it. In modern terms, you might call it “psychological stratagems” or even aspects of NLP (neuro-linguistic programming) and general social skills.

Ritual Practices: Although they don’t worship Satan, LaVeyan Satanists do enjoy ritual as a form of self-expression and catharsis. A typical LaVeyan ritual (performed alone or with a small group of trusted fellow Satanists) might include:

• A dimly lit room, altar covered in black cloth.

• Sigil of Baphomet displayed.

• Candles (black for negative works, maybe white for compassionate, etc.) and chalice (often filled with something like wine or even just water – they don’t believe it’s sacred blood or anything, it’s symbolic).

• A sword or dagger (for dramatic pointing and focusing energy), a gong or bell (LaVey started rituals by ringing a bell to mark the beginning and end), and parchment to write requests.

• The priest (or the individual if solo) might wear a black robe. If a female is present and consenting, LaVey sometimes used a nude woman as an “altar” (literally she lies on the altar) symbolizing the indulgence and human centrality of their philosophy – but this is not a common or required practice, more of a symbol LaVey employed to scandalize and also because he believed the female form carries natural magic energy.

• They would recite invocations, possibly including the Enochian Keys (which LaVey included in The Satanic Bible – originally angelic script from John Dee but used in a Satanic context).

• The working itself: if it’s a compassion ritual, they may light a white candle and speak words of helping someone. If lust, they might fixate on a sigil or image of the desired one and raise sexual energy. If destruction, might involve sticking a pin into an effigy or loudly cursing the target.

• Finally, after releasing the energy (through intense visualization, chanting, or a climax of emotion), the request is often written on paper and then burned (fire as a purifying and sealing element).

• Then they ring the bell again, and the ritual is done. They exit expecting that subconsciously they’ve now set themselves on a course to attain the goal.

The important thing to highlight: LaVeyan rituals are not supplications to Satan. They’re more like self-psychology. As Gilmore said, ritual is a tool to rid oneself of emotions that could hinder you or to build motivation. For example, doing a destruction ritual on someone you hate is meant to get that hatred out of your system in a dramatic but harmless way, rather than stewing or acting out illegally. In a sense, it’s therapy with costumes and candles.

Everyday Life: Outside of ritual, being a LaVeyan Satanist is more about mindset and lifestyle. They value success in whatever form is meaningful to the individual – career, art, relationships, etc. LaVey encouraged enjoyment of life’s pleasures without guilt (have that good food, enjoy consensual sex how you like it, adorn yourself to feel confident, etc.). They often have a dark sense of humor and enjoy blasphemous or taboo art, seeing it as cathartic or truth-revealing. But they also live by “responsibility to the responsible” – treat those well who treat you well. Many are very supportive within their community and can be quite kind, they just don’t advertise kindness as a rule for enemies.

The Eleven Satanic Rules of the Earth (a set of “rules” LaVey wrote, internally used) include common-sense stuff like “Do not harm little children” and “Do not kill non-human animals unless you need food or are attacked”, which shows that despite the fierce facade, the ethic includes basic decency and respect for innocence. These rules also state things like “If a guest in your lair annoys you, treat them cruelly and without mercy” (i.e., kick them out or verbally let them have it – again reinforcing property and respect boundaries). It’s a dramatized way of saying: mind your space, don’t be a sucker, but don’t be a predator either unless provoked.

LaVeyan Satanism vs. Other Satanic Paths

It’s useful to mention how LaVeyan Satanism compares to some other movements:

• Versus Theistic Satanism: As detailed in another article, LaVeyans don’t believe Satan is real, whereas theistic Satanists do. In fact, LaVeyans often deride theistic “devil worship” as missing the point; to them, worshiping Satan as a god is trading one spiritual shackle for another, whereas LaVey freed people from all gods.

• Versus Luciferianism: LaVeyan Satanism is more carnal and materialist, while Luciferian groups (especially those that are theistic or philosophical) focus on enlightenment and spiritual ascent. A Luciferian might find LaVeyans too cynical or earth-bound; a LaVeyan might find Luciferians a bit too mystical or still hung up on spiritual ideals. They’re siblings on the Left-Hand Path, but emphasis differs.

• Versus The Satanic Temple (TST): TST is atheistic like LaVeyans, and they also use Satan as a symbol. However, TST is more socially and politically active – they frame Satanism in terms of promoting secularism, justice, and egalitarian ethics. TST’s seven tenets talk about compassion, freedom, and scientific understanding, which sound altruistic compared to LaVey’s might-makes-right tinge. In practice, TST is like a non-theistic activist religion, whereas CoS (LaVeyans) is a non-theistic philosophical religion. CoS often criticizes TST as being too “humanitarian” or just political activism in devil costumes, whereas TST folks might view CoS as self-centered and outdated in its Social Darwinism. Nonetheless, both do not believe in Satan literally.

Misconceptions

“Satanists worship the Devil/Evil.” As made clear, LaVeyan Satanists do not worship Satan or any being. They actually “worship” themselves – meaning they hold themselves as most important. They might ritualistically invoke Satan’s name, but only as a personification of their own primal nature or to add drama to the ritual. They don’t see Satan as listening or intervening. Also, they don’t worship “evil”. In fact, they don’t even believe in the Christian concept of evil. They have no interest in misery or chaos for its own sake. They are hedonists and individualists, not looking to promote suffering. If anything, they want to enjoy life and see willful cruelty (to innocents) as stupid because it can jeopardize one’s own well-being (plus, most aren’t psychopaths – they have empathy for those they care about).

“They perform human/animal sacrifices or abuse people.” Absolutely not – that violates their core rules and would be counter to their principle of respecting the innocent. LaVey explicitly wrote against any kind of ritual sacrifice. The only “sacrifice” allowed is symbolic, like sacrificing your own negative emotions, or in some texts, the idea of sacrificing someone in effigy who truly deserves it (like a tyrant or a personal tormentor), but never literally. CoS members found to harm animals or children would be excommunicated immediately. They pride themselves on being rational and law-abiding in general – committing murder or abuse is seen as the realm of lunatics or those fooled by Christian propaganda into thinking that’s what Satan demands (which LaVeyans reject as Christian absurdity).

“It’s all about orgies and perversion.” LaVeyan Satanism is permissive about sexual matters: as long as it’s consensual and legal, they have no moral qualm. They champion sexual freedom – whether you’re straight, gay, kinky, vanilla, poly, etc., it’s all fine if it suits you. LaVey had a hedonistic streak, but ironically he wrote that there’s no place for orgies in actual Satanic ritual (contrary to popular belief). That line came because some expected wild sex parties; LaVey’s rituals were mostly serious affairs or theatrical psychodramas, not group sex. Now, individually, Satanists can have whatever private life, but it’s not like a requirement or common activity at Church of Satan meetings or something (which are mostly correspondence and maybe occasional meetups to socialize, not group debauchery). In short, they are sex-positive, but not all of them are into extremes – many are fairly normal people in terms of relationships.

“Satanists are mean, angry people.” They can come off as abrasive in writing because they revel in shock value and a “no-BS” attitude. But many LaVeyan Satanists you meet might actually be pleasant, witty, and creative individuals. They just don’t suffer fools gladly. The philosophy encourages pride in self – which can sound like arrogance – but also encourages self-awareness and not whining. So you might find them refreshingly blunt but not necessarily out to pick fights. They channel their aggression intelligently (perhaps in competitive careers, or in art/music). A lot of artists and musicians aligned with LaVey’s philosophy over the years for its championing of free expression and rejection of censorship. They can be excellent friends – loyal and honest – but if you cross them, they’ll drop you without remorse.

Conclusion: The Legacy of LaVeyan Satanism

LaVeyan Satanism carved out a unique niche in the landscape of alternative religions. It took the fearsome image of Satan and repurposed it into a symbol of empowerment, liberty, and earthly joy. By doing so, Anton LaVey offered a tongue-in-cheek yet sincere alternative to those suffocating under religious guilt or society’s pressures to conform and self-sacrifice. He essentially said: “Be your own god, live life to the fullest, and don’t let anyone tell you to be ashamed of being human.” Wrapped in gothic, taboo-trappings, this message resonated with many nonconformists.

For a newcomer, the key takeaway about LaVeyan Satanism is that it’s not about devils and black magic in the comic-book sense. It’s a rational yet rebel philosophy that uses Satanic imagery to inspire self-empowerment and to shock the status quo. It encourages one to be strong, confident, and un-apologetically indulgent in what makes you happy (again, within reason). Simultaneously, it reminds you to take responsibility for yourself – there’s no god or devil to blame or praise for your lot in life.

Today, the Church of Satan continues quietly, and its ideas have permeated wider culture (the emphasis on self-love and casting off shame in much of pop psychology has a bit of Satanic flavor, minus the aesthetics). Whether one agrees with all of LaVey’s ideas or not, his Satanism undeniably helped demystify “the Devil.” It showed that sometimes wearing horns and calling yourself a monster is a way to laugh at those who label you one, and to find freedom in that satire. LaVeyan Satanists find strength in the archetype of Satan as the ultimate iconoclast – and in a world that often demands conformity, that devilish grin of defiance can indeed be liberating.