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Satansplain #075 – Atheism podcast interview, COS active application

Hear Bill’s 2019 interview on an atheism podcast, advice on applying for Church of Satan active membership, and a Satanic anecdote about some Satanists who made some 1980s Satanic Panic outrage work in their favor.

00:00 – Intro
01:20 – Questions about applying for COS membership
02:18 – A rant against shitty writing
05:45 – Be honest, Be patient
07:37 – Satanecdote
10:20 – About Satanism interviews in general
20:00 – More about Satanism interviews, and this one
23:17 – 2019 interview with Atheism Underground

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Satansplain #074 – Answers on Satanic Ritual, Infernal Names, Philosophy

Happy Halloween! Answering some listener mail questions on Satanic ritual (from the ritualistic expression of wearing Satanic symbols, to use of the Infernal Names, to finding Satanists for full Satanic group ritual) along with Satanically philosophical takes on “respecting life” and not-so-sincere questions.

00:00 – Intro
02:26 – Seeking out Satanists in Person
06:19 – Infernal Names
11:12 – Ritual extremes: no structure vs. perfectionism (avoid both!)
13:15 – Ritual resources
13:39 – A First Ritual
15:24 – Reminder: Public “Satanism” endorsement doesn’t help a cause
17:50 – Ritualistic Expression / Tucking in the Baphomet (but still wearing it)
20:34 – Lack of Aesthetics
22:39 – Ritualized Expression, continued
29:07 – YouTube Music?
30:31 – Philosophical Questions: “Respecting Life” / Annoying hypotheticals
39:51 – Satanecdote

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Satansplain #073 – The Seven Fundamental Tenets (which aren’t Satanic)

A deep look into the so-called 7 Fundamental Tenets: the prank group who created them, their history of being changed, why they have nothing to do with Satanism, and how they compare to similar lists created in modern times.

00:00:00 – Intro
00:04:18 – About Cevin Soling and his Satanic Temple
00:11:11 – The Tenets: The Original Preamble, and how TST originally professed to be devil worshipers
00:16:11 – Tenet #1 (and an overall examination)
00:19:58 – TST isn’t Satanism and their antics don’t work
00:26:49 – …and TST doesn’t care about children.
00:32:03 – Tenet #2
00:36:52 – Original Tenet #3 (later #6)
00:39:12 – Original Tenet #4 (thrown out)
00:42:22 – Original Tenet #5, “All life is precious in the eyes of Satan”?!?
00:46:49 – Original Tenet #6 (later #4)
00:49:38 – Original Tenets #7, 8, 9
00:53:00 – Like the list? You fell for a prank
00:56:30 – We can all write stuff better than the 10 Commandments; The Celestine Prophecy; The Secret
01:00:26 – “Atheist Mind, Humanist Heart” (2014)
01:03:47 – Unitarian Universalists and the 7 Principles

Sources:

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Satansplain #072 – Myth of Satanic Denominations (“No, it’s not like Catholics vs. Protestants”, part 2)

Continuing from the previous episode, a look at whether various “Satanic” groups can really be called different denominations of Satanism, with a particular look at groups formed after 1966, especially in the age of the Internet. No, it’s still not analogous to Catholics arguing with Protestants.

00:00:00 – Intro
00:02:15 – Review of episode 71, and why the Catholics vs. Protestants is still a bad analogy
00:07:25 – Why I don’t say “LaVeyan”
00:09:15 – Summary of episode 72, and “de facto Satanists”
00:14:26 – Dictionary argument and “Satanism is just any religion about Satan, right?”
00:18:54 – Summary of After 1966 – Theistic LHP Religions
00:23:04 – The Deism-to-Atheism Conspiracy Theory
00:31:15 – Non-theistic Satanic groups and Cevin Soling’s tax shelter (a.k.a. The Satanic Temple)
00:37:49 – Even more pseudo-Satanic groups I’ve seen
00:41:11 – No, these groups haven’t “evolved” anything
00:45:33 – Eco Satanism example, and collective action
00:48:43 – Rising up / Ecumenicalism
00:51:23 – Other lame reasons, e.g. wanting to do crime
00:55:06 – Other excuses: missing the boat on parts of Satanism, conspiracy theories of “Theistic LaVeyans”
00:57:27 – The Internet and the ease of declaring your own denomination/org
01:00:30 – Closing Remarks

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Satansplain #071 – No, Dummy, It’s Not Like Catholics vs. Protestants (part 1)

Exploring the allegation of Satanism having different “denominations”, why this view is inaccurate, and what’s really going on with these so-called “types of Satanism”. Also, why “gatekeeping Satanism” is a wise and necessary thing.

00:00 – Intro
02:16 – The problem of misinformation
06:32 – Reminder: Non-theistic religions exist, and Satanism is a religion
08:10 – The arguments I hear (re: this episode’s title)
11:26 – The TL;DL Summary (No, these aren’t “denominations of Satanism”)
16:16 – Who is (or gets called) a “Satanist”?
23:12 – What makes a religious denomination? Example: Catholics vs. Protestants
26:31 – Why “It’s like Catholics vs. Protestants!” is a bad analogy
30:31 – The Duck Test (and why it doesn’t work here)
33:15 – Before 1966, continued
36:42 – 1966: The Church of Satan and taking up a pejorative with pride

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Satansplain #070 – Supernatural vs. Supernormal

The twilight zone! The outer limits! The X-factor! No, we’re not talking about television shows. Rather, a phenomenon called the supernormal. A look into the supernormal and how it differs from the so-called supernatural.

00:00 – Intro
01:33 – Supernatural vs. Supernormal
03:44 – Supernatural claims
07:06 – Why I reject the “supernatural”
08:32 – …and equally-annoying Reddit Atheists
12:01 – Summary: the problem with both extremes
13:08 – …and the compulsively non-committal types
14:17 – Quotations from “We Are Satanists”
23:10 – Listener mail (why I disable YouTube comments)
26:45 – Satanecdote (Denny’s, 666)
31:34 – Listener mail (Satansplain & The Devil’s Mischief)
32:40 – Listener mail (Stepford Wives and the Church of Satan film list)

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Satansplain #069 – Satanic Sex

It’s episode sixty-nine. So, let’s talk about sex.

00:00 – Intro
01:23 – “We already know, Bill!” Do you?
03:05 – 1969: The Satanic Bible and counterculture
05:10 – The Satanic Bible, “Satanic Sex” (No, we’re not here to provide you orgies)
08:22 – “Free Sex” clubs (encounter groups) vs. actual sexual freedom
09:58 – We don’t care what you’re into, so long as it’s with consenting adults. Duh.
15:43 – Yes, even asexuality. We’ve been years ahead of you.
17:38 – Transvestites / Transsexuals / Transgender = OK. Shut up, whiners.
24:08 – Yes, you complainers from the other side, too: shut up.
26:44 – The Church of Satan: No forced social obligations
31:48 – No, Magus Peter H. Gilmore wasn’t on Satansplain to talk about the Olympics. Stop lying.
36:36 – Listener mail from “J”
41:16 – Bill’s Satanecdote
44:04 – Master of, not Mastered by

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Satansplain #068 – Psychic Vampires (Satanic Statement #6)

“Satan represents responsibility to the responsible, instead of concern for psychic vampires.”
That’s Satanic Statement number six, the meaning of which is covered in this episode of Satansplain. Also, some emails regarding Satanism and teenagers: the stereotypes versus the ones who “get it”.

00:00 – Intro
01:00 – Satanic Statement #6 and related essays
05:35 – “Not All Vampires Suck Blood!”
08:58 – Review: Envy vs. Jealousy
09:55 – Vampirized by groups
11:49 – “obligations [to] respective friends, family, and community”
15:15 – “oH iT’s jUSt seLfiSHneSs hurr durr”
27:47 – Letter from a teenage Satanist: “Am I a fake?”
40:08 – Satanecdote (reflections on a teenage friend)

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Satansplain #067 – Church of Satan: Cosmic Joy Buzzer (1975, 1976)

Satansplain explores writings from Anton LaVey from 1975 and 1976, debunking some of the internet myths from deceased devil worshiper Michael Aquino.



00:00 – Intro
01:48 – Internet stories about the 1975 “schism” and the “theistic Satanists” who parrot them
06:12 – “Hoisted By His Own Patois” (introduction)
11:25 – “Hoisted By His Own Patois” (letter by Anton LaVey, 1975)
20:32 – Satanecdote (“Devil’s advocate” / “Match made in heaven”)
22:30 – About “Cosmic Joy Buzzer”: introduction
23:50 – “Church of Satan: Cosmic Joy Buzzer” (Anton LaVey, 1976)
32:12 – About the phrase “Phase One Satanism”
33:38 – Essay, continued

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Satansplain #066 – 1966, The Black Flame, Get a Life!

The number 66 may not be 666, but it does prompt us to take a look at the year 1966, with the book “We Are Satanists” offering much insight into the foundation of the Church of Satan. We’ll also hear Anton LaVey’s later message to the scavengers and detractors of what he established (“Get a life!”), and the meaning of “the black flame”.

00:00 – Intro
03:20 – On (not) joining the COS: valid reasons and invalid reasons
09:41 – More lame reasons we hear
12:28 – Anton LaVey: “Get a Life” essay
16:13 – Santecdote
20:48 – Will AI replace comedians?
23:11 – The Black Flame
27:47 – Excerpts from “We Are Satanists” (and misuse of “Anton”)
30:15 – “Anton LaVey invented Satanism”
32:40 – All religion founders had their influences
34:21 – More from “We Are Satanists”