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Satansplain #127 – Greater Magic, part 2 (2020)

Hear a long-lost 2020 discussion on the topic of greater magic and the role of Satanic ritual in Satanism, including addressing popular misconceptions, advice on finding other Satanists for group ritual, and some of the hilariously demented messages the speakers had received. This was a follow-up from the 2016 interview heard in Satansplain episode #125.

00:00 – Intro
01:05 – About the 2020 interview
04:39 – Interview intro
07:46 – Working definition of “Greater Magic”
09:32 – Yes, it’s still atheistic
15:24 – Infernal Names
17:27 – Satanic magic vs. “black magic”
20:46 – “If you don’t believe magic works, then why do it?”
30:35 – Curse throwing
32:13 – “Can a non-Satanist practice greater magic?”
35:47 – “Do I need to have all the altar tools?”
41:00 – Witnessing effects
43:18 – Finding other Satanists for group ritual
48:38 – Crazy messages

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Subscribe to Satansplain on Locals.com

Many have asked how they can support Satansplain. Well, here’s how! Create an account on Locals.com and join the Satansplain channel at satansplain.locals.com. It’s free. If you’d additionally like to show your support, become a subscriber for $5 a month. You can get the first month free if you use the promo code mentioned in the latest Satansplain episode.

So what the heck is Locals? Locals is a special website for content creators and their audiences. What will you see when you sign up and go to the Satansplain channel? Right now, I have written transcriptions of the first 30 or 40 episodes, but I’m planning on adding more soon: unreleased essays, photos from Satanism events, live streams, and who knows what else. Let’s take this one step at a time.

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Satansplain #126 – The Myth of Human Rights

A look at the concept of “human rights” and some of the all too-often unquestioned dogma that goes along with that. Also responses to listener mail on topics including self-sacrifice and leadership, and some amusing Satanic anecdotes.

00:00 – Intro
00:58 – “Free” Satanic Bible redux
06:52 – Leadership and self-sacrifice?
15:47 – Satanecdotes: Marching band, Devil in his own home town
23:11 – Dyer’s Email
28:57 – Freaking out over Magister Michael Rose’s quote
34:20 – “Human Rights”
39:23 – “Civil Rights”
44:22 – Satanism, “Two Wrongs Make A Right” essay
47:37 – “Two Wrongs Make a Right”

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Satansplain #125 – Greater Magic and Satanic Ritual (2016)

Hear a long-lost 2016 recording of a discussion on Greater Magic, answering questions and addressing misconceptions of Satanic ritual and how the Satanic concept of magic fits within an atheistic worldview.

00:00:00 – Intro
00:00:51 – About the 2016 recording
00:03:34 – 2016 introduction
00:05:43 – Defining “magic” in Satanism
00:08:37 – Place in the brain?
00:11:41 – An every day thing?
00:13:52 – Conjuration of Lust
00:18:17 – Conjuration of Compassion
00:19:36 – Conjuration of Destruction
00:22:04 – People who want to misunderstand
00:24:18 – Group vs. Solitary rituals
00:25:27 – Memories of 6/6/06
00:28:00 – Ritual vs. Ceremony
00:29:16 – Getting hung up on details
00:30:39 – When to ritualize
00:33:50 – Excuses and the human need for ritual
00:37:31 – How it fits in an atheistic worldview
00:45:48 – Music in the ritual chamber
00:50:29 – The chamber itself
00:54:18 – Tools: not that complicated
00:56:36 – Broken bell
00:58:15 – Recommendations to teen Satanists
01:00:47 – Ritualizing with non-Satanists?
01:03:56 – Group vs. solitary (again)
01:04:36 – Destruction question
01:06:27 – Lust rituals and groups
01:08:12 – “wHy aRnT aLL sAtUnitz rich?”
01:14:18 – Ritual blooper stories

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Satansplain #124 – Why a “Free” Satanic Bible is Unsatanic

Hear why a free Satanic Bible is, ironically, unsatanic. Also hear talk about Satanically-relevant trademarks and copyrights, and one particularly ridiculous conspiracy theory regarding Dolly Parton.

0:00 – Intro
0:56 – Dolly Parton, and why conspiracy theorists are the worst
5:50 – James asking about DaddyBaphy and Black Craft Cult’s rip off
17:13 – To the idiots who say “the name Satanism isn’t copyrighted”
19:46 – Satanecdote: Elevator
21:38 – Satanecdote: The $20 bill
26:03 – Lost emails?
27:03 – Why a Free Satanic Bible isn’t Free: origin (and why we don’t have official forums)
30:21 – Why a ‘Free’ Satanic Bible is Unsatanic
34:58 – Bootleg = illegal; unauthorized book = gamble
38:31 – Is it really that hard to get?
39:50 – More about electronic books
42:08 – Free Spells?
47:13 – Point six: Books are cool
49:39 – Afterword

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Satansplain #123 – Life, Death, and Grief (part 2)

After covering what Satanism has to say about life and death in part 1, part 2 continues with a deeper dive into the topic of dealing with death and grief.

00:00 – Intro
01:12 – Overview, superstitious vs. scumbag
05:37 – Grief: What we DON’T do
08:08 – The 2025 letter (death of a pet)
12:06 – Cremation vs. burial and Satanism’s “requirements”
13:36 – Answers from Infidels.org’s “Introduction to Atheism” FAQ, 1997
20:15 – On friends and family, Rule #2, myth of the “Satanic Community”
26:14 – Counterproductive Pride!
34:55 – Reminder: Satanism is a religion
40:40 – Satanic Funerals
43:50 – Other ritual, and the Satanic journey symbolism via elements
49:40 – Quotation

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Satansplain #122 – Life, Death, and Grief (part 1)

Presenting part 1 of a 2-part set of episodes on life, death, and grief. We’ll look at how Satanism particularly views the phenomenon of death, from views on the afterlife, to Satanic funerals, to dealing with the death of those around us.

0:00 – Intro
0:53 – Overview
3:56 – Life After Death Through Fulfillment of the Ego
9:08 – Labels are good. Buddhism sucks.
18:12 – I-Theism vs. Pretentiousness
22:15 – Aside: ECI, afterlife
26:46 – Fearing death, spiritual pipedreams
30:52 – About grief (continued in part 2)

Other ways to listen:

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At the Devil’s Ball: Satanic Songs of the 1910s

In honor of America’s 250th anniversary, I put this music article together. It was originally planned to be posted on churchofsatan.com on July 4th, but technical problems beyond my control have stalled that. In the meantime, it’s available to subscribers on Locals:
https://satansplain.locals.com/upost/8046046/at-the-devils-ball

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Satansplain #121 – Bible in Texas Schools, Citizen Vigilante, “Move and Appear”

A third-side look at the recent news story about the Texas Board of Education allegedly forcing Bible study. Also, a Satanic review of the 2026 movie Citizen Vigilante, and the origins of the Satanic ritual phrase, “Move and appear”.

Texas BOE 2030 reading list: https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/28277289-texas-religious-school-readings/

0:00 – Intro
1:01 – Announcements
2:46 – Bible in Texas schools: Did you read the article?
6:06 – What happened?
10:08 – Lame, but not illegal
20:58 – Satanecdote 1
22:22 – Satanecdote 2
25:12 – Origin of “Move and Appear”
30:59 – Citizen Vigilante

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Satansplain #120 – 1970 Church of Satan article from McCall’s magazine

No, Anton LaVey did not refer to Satanism as a “new conservative movement” in a 1970 issue of McCall’s magazine, as some liars claim. But we’ll take a full look at that long lost article anyway, showcasing one of many journalist’s entertaining reports from the early years of the Church of Satan.

McCall’s article (subscribers only): https://satansplain.locals.com/post/8015531/mccalls-1970-article-san-franciscos-church-of-satan

00:00 – Intro
00:57 – Where is episode 119?
02:03 – Questions about Judith Rascoe’s “San Francisco’s Church of Satan”, 1970 McCall’s article
04:18 – Politics redux
10:47 – About that article
14:45 – Does anyone know? Apparently not.
17:19 – What to expect
25:58 – McCall’s Article
29:12 – Anton LaVey
34:29 – The Satanic Bible
38:31 – Would you like to see the rest of the house?
41:50 – Satanic ritual
48:53 – After ritual

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Satansplain #119 – Reverend Jared Mammon interview commentary

Recently, Reverend Jared Mammon of the Church of Satan was interviewed on a podcast whose host tried to sneak in some post-production rebuttals. Satansplain invites Jared to share a listen and his responses.

01:00:00 – Intro
01:02:08 – “Once again, that isn’t Satanism” (Facebook)
01:03:40 – Interviewer’s intro
01:05:04 – Interview start
01:07:50 – Connecting to Satanism
01:11:15 – Satanic Bible “Interpretations”?
01:13:01 – Hunting for contradictions / “can pseudos infiltrate the COS?”
01:17:58 – Seeing oneself in TSB
01:19:36 – More on “interpretations” / percentage arguments
[23:49 – PHG
01:23:58 – Oh no, not the “pLAgiARiZed rEDbEArd” argument again
01:35:57 – “Can we quote every single thing you say as being official?” and other lame “Gotcha!” games
01:38:35 – Oh no, not the “dogma” argument again
01:56:03 – Next false dichotomy: “can Satanism evolve (in which case, I’m free to be a pseudo) or is it unchangeable (in which case, you’re a conformist and I win again)”.
01:00:50 – “Can I take everything from the COS website as canonical?”
01:06:00 – Oh no, not the “community” argument again.
01:22:35 – No, Satanic ritual is not “anything goes”.
01:36:00 – Oh no, not the “gatekeeping!” complaint again.
01:40:33 – Oh no, not the “Aren’t you giving your opinion without being asked” argument again.
01:49:19 – “Denominations”? Ugh, here we go.
01:56:45 – Being new to Satanism
01:58:18 – Awesomeism, Schrodinger’s Moron
02:08:53 – Echo chambers / could’ve been worse
02:15:05 – Closing
02:23:43 – Final thoughts