Theistic vs Atheistic Satanism: Two Forms of the Devil's Path

Modern Satanism isn’t a one-size-fits-all label – within it lies a fundamental split: theistic vs atheistic Satanism. This divide centers on whether Satan is viewed as a real deity or spirit to be worshiped and worked with (theistic, also known as “traditional” or “spiritual” Satanism), versus seeing Satan as a symbolic construct or archetype with no literal existence (atheistic or “LaVeyan” Satanism). If you’re new to Satanism, you might wonder: do some Satanists actually worship the Devil? How can others call themselves Satanists but not believe in Satan? In this article, we’ll compare these two forms:

• Theistic Satanism: Believers in an actual Satan (or a pantheon of demons) that they may revere, invoke, or even pray to. We’ll look at their practices and mindset – often religious or magical, forming groups or covens, performing devotionals, etc. – and their rationale (seeing Satan as a god of freedom or ancient power, not as absolute evil).

• Atheistic Satanism: Adherents do not believe in Satan as a person; they see each human as their own god and use “Satan” as a symbol of individualism, anti-authoritarianism, and our natural instincts. We’ll examine how they practice (e.g., psychodramatic rituals, philosophical study) and why they identify with Satan if they don’t literally follow him (hint: it's about embodying that archetype).
  We’ll also dispel some myths – like atheistic Satanists are just edgy atheists with no rituals (false; they do ritual as self-psychology) and that theistic Satanists are all doing “black mass” evil stuff (usually false; their worship is often no more sinister than any pagan religion’s, just directed to a different deity). By the end, you’ll understand that while atheistic and theistic Satanists share a rebellious spirit and individualist ethic, they differ in theology and how they view the concept of the Devil. So, let’s draw the (inverted) pentagram in the sand and see where each side stands.

Belief in Satan: External Deity vs Internal Symbol

The core difference is simply:

• Theistic Satanists believe Satan (or “the Devil” by some name) exists as an external being or force worthy of reverence or worship. They might see Satan as a god, a powerful demon, a set of gods (some incorporate pre-Christian gods as aspects of Satan), or a spiritual “Father/Mother” figure. This belief can range from quasi-monotheistic (Satan is THE god, opposed to Jehovah) to polytheistic/demonolatrous (Satan is one of many dark gods or the leader of a demon pantheon, and they honor several). The key is: they are religious in the sense of having faith or spiritual experiences with this being. They pray or communicate with Satan. Many consider themselves priests or witches serving Satan. They may perform devotional rituals (praying to Satan, making offerings) and request Satan’s guidance or assistance in magic. Theistic Satanism is sometimes called “Devil worship” by outsiders – though the term is crude, they themselves might reclaim it pridefully, or prefer titles like “Traditional Satanist” or simply “Spiritual Satanist.” They tend to think of Satan not as a symbol of evil, but perhaps as a dark father who cares for his own, or as a champion of free will who deserves loyalty.

• Atheistic Satanists do not believe in any literal Satan or gods. Anton LaVey set this tone in 1966 by declaring Satanism a carnal, rational philosophy – “We don’t worship Satan; we see Satan as a symbol of Man’s carnal nature”. They are essentially atheist or agnostic regarding the supernatural. They don’t believe in a soul, afterlife, or actual deities (LaVey said each person is their own god). To them, religion is often psychological or metaphorical. They use Satanic imagery in ritual to channel emotions and invoke the archetype of The Adversary within themselves, not to summon a real devil. Their “worship” is self-worship effectively. Peter Gilmore of the Church of Satan calls theistic Satanism a “superstitious” oxymoron – from the CoS point of view, believing in Satan as an actual entity is seen as falling into the trap of externalizing power. They consider “God” and “Devil” to be parts of the human psyche or myth. Many atheistic Satanists are quite secular in day-to-day life – you might not distinguish them from a humanist except for their ritual hobby and edgy literature collection.

Implications of Belief:

• Responsibility & Power: Atheistic Satanists pride in the idea that they hold all power over their lives – no pleading to a deity, no blaming demons for misfortunes. LaVey wrote “Satanists are their own gods” and the only “prayer” is to oneself. Theistic Satanists, meanwhile, while often valuing self-empowerment, do cede some power or at least alliance to an external being. They might pray for protection or guidance to Satan as a Christian might to God. They shift some responsibility upward: e.g., “It’s in Satan’s hands” in a tough situation. Atheistic sees that as disempowering; theistic sees it as partnership with a greater force. Interestingly, though, even theistic Satanists seldom see their relationship as subservient like Christian God-fearing – they often view it as respect or familial (“Satan is like a father and I’m his child/student, not his slave”), still far more empowering than the God-sinner dynamic of Christianity. But the difference remains: one prays to actual Satan, the other “prays” effectively to themselves or uses ritual solely for internal change.

• Morality Source: Neither typically believe moral rules come from God – both often believe in self-determined ethics. But a theistic might say “Satan encourages me to pursue vengeance when justified” or “Satan taught me x in a meditation” as a guidance for morality, whereas an atheistic would frame everything as “I decided x is right by using Satan as a symbol of my values in reasoning.” The difference is subtle but there: one might attribute moral insight to a communion with an entity, the other to purely their own thought process.

Practices: Ritual and Organization Differences

Ritual tends to differ in tone:

• Theistic Satanist rituals often resemble other religious ceremonies but with Satanic trappings. They might have altars with statues of Satan or demons, recite prayers or conjurations asking Satan or specific demons to be present, maybe even do “Satanic sacraments” (like an un-baptism or a Satanic wedding/funeral inviting Satan’s blessing). There's an element of worship or at least veneration. For example, a theistic ritual might involve a prayer like: “Lord Satan, we invite you into this sacred space. Guide us in the path of knowledge and freedom...” followed by offerings (wine, blood, incense) to please Satan. Many theistic Satanists practice demonolatry – respectful working with various demons (seen as gods or spirits under Satan’s leadership). Magic for them might involve literally asking demons/Satan to carry out the working or give power. Another example: A Joy of Satan-style group might have meditations to contact Satan or do group prayer towards him much like a church to God, but with Satanic iconography. Theistic groups sometimes adopt hierarchical structures like priesthoods, etc., similar to other religions, albeit smaller and more secretive in many cases.

• Atheistic Satanist rituals are often described as psychodramas or emotional catharsis sessions. They don’t pray to Satan, they invoke Satan within or call upon the idea of Satan to focus their psyche. For instance, a LaVeyan destruction ritual would involve intense cursing and symbolism of destroying an enemy, but the practitioner knows it’s primarily to expel their hatred and sharpen their intent – any change in the real world will come either from subtle manipulation or just the psychological effect of catharsis on their own behavior, not because “a demon does it for them.” They might recite an “Invocation to Satan” that sounds religious (“In the name of Satan, the ruler of Earth, true God of flesh...” etc.) but they mean it symbolically. They use names of demons in chants (Enns, Enochian keys) because these alter consciousness and provide dramatic effect, not because they expect those demons to literally appear. Atheistic rituals often permit a kind of suspension of disbelief – they get into it as if Satan were real for emotional payoff, but afterwards, they reaffirm they don’t actually believe it happened externally. It’s akin to method acting or a psychological therapy session than a prayer meeting.

Organization & Community:

• Theistic groups: Historically fewer large public orgs, more secretive or small covens. Examples include the Temple of Set (though Setians would argue Set is not exactly Satan, but TS is an offshoot of CoS that became theistic, somewhat), various “Order of Nine Angles” cells (theistic but also controversial for extremist ideology – not representative of all), Joy of Satan Ministries (an internet group mixing theistic Satanism with other weird elements), and many independent practitioners. Theistic Satanism being decentralized means many solo practitioners or small circles exist. Some may even attend or form something like “Satanic covens” which might mirror some aspects of Wiccan covens (but honoring Satan). Theistic folks are sometimes more underground due to stigma; ironically, atheistic Satanists have somewhat normalized Satanism by doing interviews and public events (TST’s public actions, etc.) but those speak for non-literal stance. A theist might hesitate to proclaim “I worship Satan as a deity” because that draws heavy misunderstanding. There are also demonolatry organizations or forums where theistic Satanists exchange experiences working with demons, sharing channeled messages from “Father Satan,” etc. Their community feels more like a religious fellowship (even if rebellious and not dogmatic).

• Atheistic groups: The Church of Satan and The Satanic Temple are two prominent ones. CoS is atheistic, hierarchical only internally (members join but mostly keep to themselves, occasionally network). TST is atheistic, activism-focused, with chapters doing social work or church-state separation protests. Because atheists don’t fear being in the open about “worship” (since they can always clarify they don’t worship any actual devil), they often are more out and about. They might host public “Satanic ceremonies” that are half-performance art (like the “Black Mass” event at Harvard which TST did for educational demonstration – ironically basically a performance with consenting adults and no belief in God or Satan behind it). Atheistic Satanists interact in more formal way, e.g., going to Satanic conferences or heavy metal/Satanism symposia as secular speakers. Theistic ones might gather more clandestinely in forests or private temples to do actual worship (which is typically low-profile).

Philosophical Differences:

• View of Magic: Theistic – magic is often seen as real spiritual workings aided by demons (many practice Goetic magic where you call a demon to do something). Atheistic – magic is “change in conformity with will” but likely psychological or using lesser magic (manipulative techniques) to influence situations, not supernatural. LaVey said any “supernatural” aspects of magic are currently unexplained science, but did lean that most of it is in the mind or coincidence amplified by focus. So a theist might attribute success to Satan’s blessing, an atheist to their own efforts empowered by ritual focus.

• View of Satan figure: Theistic see Satan perhaps as a being with personality, preferences (some share “revelations” – e.g., “Satan doesn’t like when you do X” or “Satan teaches Y”). Atheistic see “Satan” as a symbol or metaphor encompassing certain values (rebellion, carnality, etc.), not a thinking entity who cares what they do beyond as a symbolic narrative.

Ethics and Lifestyle:
Both theistic and atheistic Satanists often live by similar ethics ironically – because modern theistic Satanists generally borrow a lot from LaVey’s ethos (except for the actual belief part). So both likely believe “responsibility to the responsible,” do not advocate harming innocents, support indulgence not compulsion, and champion individual liberty. Theistic groups sometimes have “tenets” or “rules” too – Joy of Satan for example had guidelines that echo Satanic philosophy (minus the atheist part). Some theistic might bring in more occult moral ideas (like “law of the strong” or some might get into shady territory like ONA did, but those are extremes and widely condemned by other Satanists). Meanwhile, atheistic groups like TST have their Seven Tenets which are basically humanistic ethics with a Satanic flair.

Misconceptions and Interrelations

It’s worth noting:

• Many people start as atheistic Satanists and later become theistic or vice versa. The paths are fluid. One might initially think “It’s all metaphor” but after some intense ritual or personal experience start feeling a presence and shift to theistic. Or a theistic might become disillusioned with lack of proof and slide to atheistic symbolic usage but keep the identity.

• They all call themselves “Satanists.” There is sometimes friction: CoS (atheistic) will say theistic are doing it wrong (Gilmore’s quote: “Theistic Satanism is an oxymoron” because Satanism by CoS definition is atheistic). Theistic don’t care what CoS says and often call CoS posers or just edgy atheists. But practically, they occupy largely different circles. They don’t war in the streets or anything. Occasionally online spats happen like “You don’t even believe in Satan!” vs “You’re just trading one god for another.” But both are small minorities in society, so many figure there’s room for all under the broad Satan umbrella.

• Some groups blur lines – e.g., the Temple of Set identifies Set (a.k.a. one version of Satan concept) as an objectively existent being, but stresses self-deification too. Michael Aquino (founder of ToS) argued that by acknowledging a real Set, Setians could receive the “Gift of Set” (consciousness) and more effectively become gods themselves; whereas LaVey he thought limited his growth by denying any cosmic source of that Gift. So Aquino’s approach was theistic, but ironically with the end goal of self-godhood which is akin to atheistic stance of being your own god. It’s philosophical nuance on whether an external higher being is involved or not.

Two Sides of the Satanic Coin

Theistic vs atheistic Satanism essentially comes down to belief vs symbolism. Do you hail an actual dark lord or do you hail the dark lord within?

Both forms are legitimate expressions of Satanism. They serve different psychological needs: some people need that feeling of a powerful ally or father figure (especially those breaking out of other religions – they sometimes replace God with Satan rather than go deity-free), while others find strength in fully owning that power themselves.

They can also coexist in the world; they have common cause often – for instance, both generally support secularism (theistic Satanists don’t want Christian oppression either, they just quietly worship their devil). In fact, one might attend a Satanic Temple rally for pluralism (TST is atheistic) and still privately pray to Satan at home.

If one is exploring Satanism, understanding this split is crucial to finding a community or practice that suits them. Want ritual and reverence? You might drift theistic. Want philosophy and personal empowerment without “belief”? Atheistic is your jam. Some try out one side and move to the other.

At its heart, whether calling on an external Satan or invoking the inner Satan, the goal is similar: empowering the self, questioning dogma, and living life fully. It’s just a matter of technique – do you want to ride with the devil as a companion or become the devil driver of your own destiny? Either way, you’re on the Left-Hand Path, forging a road that conventional religion dared not travel.

And remember, as both types would agree: “No Gods (even Satan for the atheists), No Masters.” If Satan exists, he’d likely respect those who stand up as his proud friends, not groveling slaves – and if he doesn’t exist, the point is moot and you stand proudly on your own anyway.

In the end, theistic and atheistic Satanists may take different metaphysical stances, but both raise a glass (or chalice) to the figure of Satan – one literally, one figuratively – and say “Hail Satan!” meaning “Hail to the Adversary, Hail to the Spirit of Free Will and Individual Greatness – within us or without.”