So you think you know better, given your obviously superior intellect, and actually investigating the philosophy would be a waste of your time, since you know it all already.
Riiiiight.
I have never seen any justification for you to be trying to take the intellectual high ground with me…laff.
Hello F(r)iends,
It is very amusing to see a Satanist defend his “religion” much the way some Christians do theirs:
As an aside, the Church of Satan site had the following:
I am uncertain that “Think different.” was grammatically incorrect. Cna’t it be received as an order like: like ‘Think Alcatraz’ as an answer to “Are you thinking Hawaii?” or some such thing…
-Thirst2ThinkDifferent(ly)
vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/
glory-of-zion.org/gozkidz/im … id_boy.jpg
im.rediff.com/freedom/03mus2.jpg
umysl.pl/astrolog/ikony_5_pod/dnk_17.jpg
Hard to point the finger at people wearing animal masks.
Dr.,
I have never seen any justification for you to be trying to take the intellectual high ground with me…laff.
Yo dude. Give me an Elephant Head and sword and I’ll show you. 
Dunamis
Adl,
Hard to point the finger at people wearing animal masks.
Its not that they are animal masks. Its that the whole photo and its ridiculous caption are beyond humorous. It’s like a bad album cover of a really bad band. The guy in the fox/coyote head cracks me up. I can’t help it. The question arises, do these guys take this stuff seriously? If they do, why call it “mostly fun”? If they don’t what the hell are they doing?
Dunamis
Dunamis
I hear you, but I must say that when I see the pope garb I chuckle and I thought that the Jew was from a punk rock album. I’m not kidding. These people are from “serious” religions mind you.
Meanwhile, it could be argued that Satanists have quite a sense of irony regarding religious nonsense. I have seen a number of documentaries with the creator and he had a very sardonic look and way or speaking.
Adl.,
I hear you, but I must say that when I see the pope garb I chuckle and I thought that the Jew was from a punk rock album.
You honestly see no difference at all between the Pope in his garb and these clowns in a garage with the lights low?
Dunamis
I’m not joking when I say that the pope or a Jew has less of an excuse. Satanism, if you read it is clearly, is a response to Judeo/Christian ethics, and as both of us have said before an amalgam of classical thought. So, these folks are rebels with a slightly comic edge. However, if you follow most of the ideas seriously you would be living the harmless life of an Epicurean. Anyway, these guys aren’t too established, but the Christians and the Jews are well established and that’s why I’m amazed the they need figureheads dressed in wacky costumes to still inspire. At this point, I would think that the pope should be able to show up in a tank top and shorts and get respect. However, the followers must still need that wacky shiny outfit. That’s weird.
Freud wrote a book called Totem and Taboo about primitive culture and its need for power figures and whatnot. It’s not my kind of psychology but it was a good book.
Adl.,
However, if you follow most of the ideas seriously you would be living the harmless life of an Epicurean.
Why not study Epicurus? I guarantee he won’t have you dressing in animal heads and posing like fools. I suspect that what motivates this movement is not Epicurus.
Dunamis
That is basically what I would say and have brought up the same thing to Dr. S in the past. I think that it was Voltaire that said, “Every man must find his way to heaven in his own way.” He was getting at the meaningless nature of religious conflict. So, I respect the choice of the Satanist to do as they like.
Normally, I am as anti-religious as they come, but if the Satanist follows the philosophy they should never force their views on anyone and that’s a first. So, I get a kick out of it.
Meanwhile, psychology has a version of Epicuris in Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy that promotes enlightened self-interest.
Adl,
Normally, I am as anti-religious as they come, but if the Satanist follows the philosophy they should never force their views on anyone and that’s a first.
What makes you accept this “religion” with a “church” and “ceremony” as a philosophy, and others as not?
Dunamis
What I said about the harmless ironic aspect of it.
Adl,
What I said about the harmless ironic aspect of it.
So if a Satanist actually took himself seriously, and started converting others at a high rate, you would be by principle opposed?
Dunamis
It would depend on whether or not they changed the ideas. Also, I am one for social responsibility and kindness put before one’s own needs, so I would argue there.
Currently, I can’t see much wrong with the whole concept, but I’m not sure how it would play out across a mass of people. I will have to think on it, however, because I view it as a non-religion it might result in the destruction of religion and that I would enjoy.
Adl.
It would depend on whether or not they changed the ideas.
We know very well that the behavior of the religious, and we must count Satanists as religious, are not necessarily guided by their “ideas”, or at least the “ideas” within the founding philosophy. It seems that you support Satanism as long as it remains both ineffectual in terms of membership and ironic, not much of a compliment really.
Dunamis
My behavior is the result of enjoying the classical ideas behind it. A rose by any other name and all that.
Adl.,
My behavior is the result of enjoying the classical ideas behind it.
One could treat traditional religion in the same way.
Dunamis
Ah, but how will traditional religion treat me?
What makes you think to be ‘effectual’ Satanism must apeal to the masses?
You really are clueless…
Dr. Sat.
What makes you think to be ‘effectual’ Satanism must apeal to the masses?
Oh, I forgot, you are cultivating an elite - something easy to forget when I see you in your Halloween get up. All I know that as long as you are harmless and take yourself as a joke, Adlerian is in support of you, and I second him/her. Long live the harmless joke.
Dunamis