Undoubtedly, the main pillar of Satanism is the belief in Satan and his sanctity. Belief in Satan has been, and continues to be, the main principle of this sect, both in the past and the present. The ancient Satanists viewed Satan as the only Lord of the Earth, the protector of humans, the first one, the flagship of the angels, the god of evil, and the ruler of darkness. Contemporary Satanists, however, have adopted a specific policy regarding the sanctification of Satan.
A) A Positive Image of Satan
This sect does not accept the view of the heavenly texts regarding Satan. LaVey writes: “The negative definitions of Satan—as rebellious, evil, outcast, misleading, and an enemy of man—are concepts ascribed by religious figures formed on their mistaken understanding of Satan in the 14th century.”
In 1992, after the US government murdered dozens of Satanists, the Church of Satan enacted a resolution known as Act 128, declaring: “The devil we worship is different in terms of attributes and appearances from the devil defined by Christianity or Islam.” Critics argue that the misleading nature of these claims is as clear as day, as the Holy Quran depicts the true face of Satan centuries before the 14th century. «يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ كُلُوا مِمَّا فِي الْأَرْضِ حَلَالًا طَيِّبًا وَلَا تَتَّبِعُوا خُطُوَاتِ الشَّيْطَانِ إِنَّهُ لَكُمْ عَدُوٌّ مُّبِينٌ إِنَّمَا يَأْمُرُكُم بِالسُّوءِ وَالْفَحْشَاءِ وَأَن تَقُولُوا عَلَى اللَّهِ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَ» Translation: “O people! Eat of what is on earth, lawful and good! And do not follow the footsteps of Satan! Indeed, he is your obvious enemy! He only commands you to evil and abominable deeds; (and also commands) to attribute to God that which you do not know.”
B) Satan, the Only Ruling Power Over the Universe
Just as the earlier Satanists attributed attributes to Satan, such as the god of evil, the god of darkness, the possessor of light, and the ruler of the world, the later Satanists also attribute new qualities to him, including pure wisdom, the only repelling force in the world, and the true ruler of the universe.
In a special ceremony called the “Commander’s Prayer,” after attributing several qualities to Satan, they address him with their secrets and needs in this way: “O great Satan! O commander of all the devils of hell, O lord of the abyss and the eagle, I beseech you to accept my prayer and grant your servant the success of serving you.”
“Fixen,” one of the Satanist theorists, in an article titled “Why I Became a Satanist,” lists the reasons for the sanctification of Satan as follows:
1. Satan is the only real driving force in life.
2. He is a symbol of independence.
3. Satan’s wisdom brings happiness and enjoyment to mankind.