The following is information that was written by a Satanist for me to include in this site in hopes of clearing up more misconceptions:
Most people don't understand Satanism, or even want to try. "We are not Satanist" explanations tend to lump Satanism into the same position that Christians tend to lump Paganism for the most part.
First there is more than one kind of Satanism. The belief that there is only one is a popular misconception. The earliest forms of Satanism are of course the Judaic versions that actually do worship the Satan construct.
None of these versions are over 2000 years in age however as the evil deity Satan apparently didn't appear in the mythos until roughly the Common Era (Elaine Pagels does some interesting research on this subject in "The Origin of Satan").
One of the earliest forms of Satanism credits Satan with the rulership of Earth. Satan did rebel in Heaven, but is still a divine figure. As punishment for his revolution he was sent to rule Earth and live amongst mortals in a mortal shell. This version is still practiced in the Middle East (as late as the 1950's to the best of my knowledge). Many others still tend to hold similar beliefs, both in the Middle East and now the Americas. These people still live "Christian" lives, but realize that Earth is Satan's realm and he deserves as much worship here as Yahweh....when they reach Heaven all their worship will go to Yahweh.
Another form of Satanism I only recently learned about was one based on Shamanic Serpent Worship in Mexico. These Shamans worship Satan in the form of a serpent. Yahweh is still the Supreme God, but if he is unwilling to grant a prayer these Satanists will sell their souls or other souls to Satan. Other types of bargains are apparently also made to Satan. When not bargaining, they still grant sacrifices to Satan to appease the anger of the serpent god.
There are also the Christian Satanists (my term for them.) These Satanists accept the standard myth of Satan's rebellion and exile to Hell. However, they hold Satan as a hero....seeing him rather as the proud, strong, noble figure presented in Milton's Paradise Lost. Satan stood up to an unjust god and even after his defeat refuses to submit. They hold that one day Satan will overthrow Yahweh and institute a new Golden Age that they of course will enjoy the benefits of.
Of course there are also the Gothic Satanists. These are the ones that Hollywood and the media love to hear about, the ones that have given Satanism its current public image. They sacrifice chickens, rape their families, commit all kinds of crimes, atrocities, and pointless blasphemies. For the most part other Satanists either mock, beat, or alert the authorities when they encounter these nut cases.
By far the most populous group of Satanists is the La Veyans. They do not worship the Christian Satan, and indeed are for the most part atheists. They took the name of Satanists for a myriad number of reasons. Mostly for shock value however. They are better named secular humanists, but acknowledge a need for ritual in human life. They are for the most part hedonistic and machiavellian.
For the Le Veyans, Satan is not an actual being, but rather a principle. The principle of Satan is explained in the Nine Satanic Statements.
Nine Satanic Statements
(1) Satan represents indulgence, instead of abstinence!
(2) Satan represents vital existence, instead of spiritual pipe dreams!
(3) Satan represents undefiled wisdom, instead of hypocritical self-deceit!
(4) Satan represents kindness to those who deserve it, instead of love wasted on ingrates!
(5) Satan represents vengeance, instead of turning the other cheek!
(6) Satan represents responsibility for the responsible, instead of concern for psychic vampires!
(7) Satan represents man as just another animal, sometimes better more often worse than those that walk on all fours, who, because of his "divine and intellectual development" has become the most vicious animal of them all!
(8) Satan represents all of the so-called sins, as they lead to physical, mental, or emotional gratification!
(9) Satan has been the best friend that the church has ever had, as he has kept it in business all of these years!
They hold life sacred. Life is to be enjoyed, people are supposed to indulge in it. The concept of sin keeps people from fully enjoying everything life has to offer which is wrong. Enjoy everything you wish to do, provided you don't actively harm another (including yourself foremost).
The vast majority of Satanists do not engage in child abuse, or animal sacrifice. Indeed, these actions are among those explicitly forbidden by Satanism. Although many will not admit it, they seem to adhere to a code similar to the Wiccan three-fold rule, or even the Christian's Golden-Rule. The Satanist says "I shall not seek to harm anyone, I shall live my life as I please, so long as it does not harm another. However, if another seeks to harm me, I shall brook them no quarter and destroy them."
An offshoot of the La Veyans exists in the Temple of Set. Despite the name it is not a descendant of the ancient Egyptian religion. Rather it is a merger between many Wiccan concepts (although many are also attributed to some of the early occult groups of this century) and La Vey's Satanism with the god Set as its divinity. Setians tend to honor self-reliance, self-respect, and self-knowledge.
Finally there is a bit of an emergence in the Satanic philosophies. There appears to be a growing base of eclectic Satanists. People who are taking Satanic ideals into other religions, philosophies. Wiccans who worship Kali, such as the Church of the Inner Laiad, Asatru who worship Loki, Shamans who worship Raven; Serpent; Coyote in their darker motifs.
Written by Oak Thorn
(Note: This page was added in hope of clearing up misconceptions and educating people.)