When Anton Szandor LaVey shaved his head and created the Church of Satan on April 30, 1966, he knew that soon he would be
the focal point of attention for people throughout the globe. Now that the thirtieth anniversary of that fateful night has passed, has
the world begun to understand the real meaning behind the only organized religion in history to take as its symbol the ultimate figure
of pride and rebellion, and to many, of Evil?

And are there truly some grounds for people to feel fear at the ever growing phenomenon of contemporary Satanism? As a priest
in the Church of Satan and media representative, I can candidly say, Yes! However, what the general populace has decided to
fear is a ludicrous portrait that has been painted in lurid technicolor by media hypesters intent on titillation, evangelists struggling to
fill their coffers and keep their mistresses in jewelry, and most distressingly, by a segment of the therapeutic community who have
found a gold-mine in the treatment of so-called ritual abuse survivors who provide no evidence of their tales of terror (remarkably
similar to stories told by women labelled by Freud as hysterics), save for their fervent belief that they were victimised. I shall not
waste time in refuting the absurd claim that there is an international conspiracy of generational Satanists bent on enslaving the
world through drug use and sacrifice of babies bred for that purpose by emotionally unstable women. That mythology has been
thoroughly exploded by other sources (The FBI's National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime: "Investigator's Guide to
Allegations of Ritual Child Abuse," January 1992; the Committee for Scientific Examination of Religion's report "Satanism in
America," October 1989; the British Government's Department of Health report: "The Extent and Nature of Organised and Ritual
Abuse," HMSO, 1994 ). Let us instead look at contemporary Satanism for what it really is: a brutal religion of elitism and social
Darwinism that seeks to re-establish the reign of the able over the idiotic, of swift justice over injustice, and for a wholesale
rejection of egalitarianism as a myth that has crippled the advancement of the human species for the last two thousand years. Is
that something to fear? If you're one of the majority of human mediocrities merely existing as a media-besotted drone, you bet it is!

The philosophy of Satanism is delineated in the writings of Anton Szandor LaVey. His books include _The Satanic Bible_, _The
Satanic Rituals_, _The Satanic Witch_, and _The Devil's Notebook_. All are currently in print and should be consulted by anyone
interested in a complete picture of the views held by the Church of Satan. One can obtain further information by reading two books
by Blanche Barton, personal secretary to Mr. LaVey and an administrator of the Church, _The Secret Life of a Satanist, the
authorized biography of Anton LaVey_ (Feral House) and _The Church of Satan_ (Hell's Kitchen Productions). These works
have a great deal of material regarding the history and contemporary practices of the Church of Satan.

For those who have yet to study this literature, there are three sets of brief guidelines* issued over the years by the Church and
authored by LaVey, which can give the uninitiated a capsulized version of Satanic philosophy. The first are the "Nine Satanic
Statements" (copyright 1969) which open _The Satanic Bible_ and give a firm foundation for the Satanist. They are:

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 to the responsible instead of concern for psychic vampires.

7. Satan represents man as just another animalsometimes better, more often worse than those that walk on all-fours--who, because
of his divine spiritual and intellectual development, has become the most vicious animal of all.

8. Satan represents all of the so-called sins, as they all lead to physical, mental, or emotional gratification.

9. Satan has been the best friend the Church has ever had, as He kas kept it in business all these years.

The next statements, "The Eleven Satanic Rules of the Earth" (copyright 1967), were written at about the same time, but were
then considered too frank and brutal for general release and issued only to the membership. Here is the "Lex Satanicus," a law of
the jungle for social interaction:

1. Do not give opinions or advice unless you are asked.

2. Do not tell your troubles to others unless you are sure they want to hear them.

3. When in another's lair, show him respect or else do not go there.

4. If a guest in your lair annoys you, treat him cruelly and without mercy.

5. Do not make sexual advances unless you are given the mating signal.

6. Do not take that which does not belong to you unless it is a burden to the other person and he cries out to be relieved.

7. Acknowledge the power of magic if you have employed it successfully to obtain your desires. If you deny the power of magic
after having called upon it with success, you will lose all you have obtained.

8. Do not complain about anything to which you need not subject yourself.

9. Do not harm little children.

10. Do not kill non-human animals unless you are attacked or for your food.

11. When walking in open territory, bother no one. If someone bothers you, ask him to stop. If he does not stop, destroy him.

Since we have been issuing statements of what we are seeking, it was considered time to make a list of behaviors that we wish to
see avoided in the Satanic community. Satanists acknowledge that we are human and work towards perfection, but can sometimes
fall into negative patterns of action. Thus was born the list of The "Nine Satanic Sins"(copyright 1987), guidelines for what
Satanists consider to be non-productive behavior to be recognized and eliminated from one's daily existence.

1. Stupidity

--The top of the list for Satanic Sins. The Cardinal Sin of Satanism. It's too bad that stupidity isn't painful. Ignorance is one thing,
but our society thrives increasingly on stupidity. It depends on people going along with whatever they are told. The media promotes
a cultivated stupidity as a posture that is not only acceptable but laudable. Satanists must learn to see through the tricks and cannot
afford to be stupid.

2. Pretentiousness

--Empty posturing can be most irritating and isn't applying the cardinal rules of Lesser Magic. On equal footing with stupidity for
what keeps the money in circulation these days. Everyone's made to feel like a big shot, whether they can come up with the goods
or not.

3. Solipsism

--Can be very dangerous for Satanists. Projecting your reactions, responses and sensibilities onto someone who is probably far less
attuned than you are. It is the mistake of expecting people to give you the same consideration, courtesy and respect that you
naturally give them. They won't. Instead, Satanists must strive to apply the dictum of "Do unto others as they do unto you." It's
work for most of us and requires constant vigilance lest you slip into a comfortable illusion of everyone being like you. As has been
said, certain utopias would be ideal in a nation of philosophers, but unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately, from a Machiavellian
standpoint) we are far from that point.

4. Self-deceit

--It's in the "Nine Satanic Statements" but deserves to be repeated here. Another cardinal sin. We must not pay homage to any of
the sacred cows presented to us, including the roles we are expected to play ourselves. The only time self-deceit should be entered
into is when it's fun, and with awareness. But then, it's not self-deceit!

5. Herd Conformity

--That's obvious from a Satanic stance. It's all right to conform to a person's wishes, if it ultimately benefits you. But only fools
follow along with the herd, letting an impersonal entity dictate to you. The key is to choose a master wisely instead of being
enslaved by the whims of the many.

6. Lack of Perspective

--Again, this one can lead to a lot of pain for a Satanist. You must never lose sight of who and what you are, and what a threat you
can be, by your very existence. We are making history right now, every day. Always keep the wider historical and social picture in
mind. That is an important key to both Lesser and Greater Magic. See the patterns and fit things together as you want the pieces
to fall into place. Do not be swayed by herd constraints--know that you are working on another level entirely from the rest of the
world.

7. Forgetfulness of Past Orthodoxies

--Be aware that this is one of the keys to brainwashing people into accepting something new and different, when in reality it's
something that was once widely accepted but is now presented in a new package. We are expected to rave about the genius of the
creator and forget the original. This makes for a disposable society.

8. Counterproductive Pride

--That first word is important. Pride is great up to the point you begin to throw out the baby with the bathwater. The rule of
Satanism is: if it works for you, great. When it stops working for you, when you've painted yourself into a corner and the only way
out is to say, I'm sorry, I made a mistake, I wish we could compromise somehow, then do it.

9. Lack of Aesthetics

--This is the physical application of the Balance Factor. Aesthetics is important in Lesser Magic and should be cultivated. It is
obvious that no one can collect any money off classical standards of beauty and form most of the time so they are discouraged in a
consumer society, but an eye for for beauty, for balance, is an essential Satanic tool and must be applied for greatest magical
effectiveness. It's not what's supposed to be pleasing--it's what is. Aesthetics is a personal thing, reflective of one's own nature,
but there are universally pleasing and harmonious configurations that should not be denied.

This basically sums up the rudiments of Satanic philosophy. It certainly has nothing to do with the prevailing Judeo-Christian
outlook of altruism and self-sacrifice, and can thus seem quite alien and frightening to one brought up in that world view.
Realistically, the Satanic code of behavior is based on human nature as it is and thus comes naturally to most people who have not
been deeply indoctrinated in anti-life and anti-rational belief systems. It is a fact that many people today call themselves Christians
but really have no clear concept as to what that philosophy fully entails, so they generally behave in a Satanic fashion. We think
that it is high time that this is recognized and that people call themselves what they truly are, not what is socially convenient for
them. As you can see, there are no elements of Devil worship in the Church of Satan. Such practices are looked upon as being
Christian heresies; believing in the Christian world view of God vs. the Devil and choosing to side with the Prince of Darkness.
Satanists do not believe in the supernatural, in neither God nor the Devil. To the Satanist, he is his own God. Satan is a symbol of
Man living as his prideful, carnal nature dictates. The reality behind Satan is simply the dark evolutionary force of entropy that
permeates all of nature and provides the drive for survival and propagation inherent in all living things. Satan is not a conscious
entity to be worshipped, rather a reservoir of power inside each human to be tapped at will. Thus any concept of sacrifice is
rejected as a Christian aberration--in Satanism there's no diety to which one can sacrifice.

Satanists do have experience of the super-normal in their practice of ritual or Greater Magic. This is a technique for influencing the
outcome of human events to desired ends via reaching an extreme emotional state in the context of a ritual, sending forth a vision
of what you want to occur (the Is To Be), which, if your levels of adrenaline are high enough, will permeate the unconscious minds
of those you wish to influence, causing them to behave as you Will when the time is right. This does not mean that anything is
possible, for it takes a great deal of energy to make a strong sending, and it is often difficult to influence events from the inertia of
their present directions. Awareness of your abilities and what is possible to achieve is the hallmark of a successful Satanic
magician. Satanists also practice Lesser Magic which is basically the day to day manipulation of your fellows to obtain your ends.
Detailed techniques are given in _The Satanic Witch_.

Recently we have seen certain evangelists and even academics calling Satanism a neo-Nazi movement. This is an innacurate label.
The Nazi movement drew much of its power from a racist doctrine of Aryan superiority. Satanism is far more discerning than that.
While there are provable biological differences between the races and statistically demonstrable performance levels in various
activities, it is quite irrational to think that someone can be elite or not simply because of the color of their skin. Even if one comes
from promising genetic stock, and by that we mean from ancestors who have proven their abilities to be superior in performance,
this does not guarantee an individual's advancement. No, we Satanists only recognize an individual as elite if they prove it by
cultivating their natually endowed abilities to the highest extent possible. This is something that requires the Satanic virtue of
discipline, a quality we try to instill in our own iron youth. There are elite individuals from all ethnic backgrounds, and they are
embraced by Satanism for the superior beings that they are--creating a uniquely Satanic ethnic.

Satanists treasure individualism, hardly something to be gained goose-stepping down the "strasse." Yet we do not embrace an
"anything goes" atmosphere wherein all values are relative and nothing rises above a sludge of commonality. Satanism encourages
a return to more traditional values in art and literature such as mastery of technique and emotional communication, of form and
function, design and execution. Satanists find a wealth of material in Western culture to be treasured for the pinnacle of human
achievements that they are, and not to be buried under the swill of multiculturalist attempts to displace them with dubious
achievements simply because they are non-Western as has become rampant in some academic circles of late. We call to each
individual to seek human greatness wherever it can be found, from the vaults of history and from the talented producers of the
present, and to deride the trendy sham for the shallow facade that it is. Since Satanism stands for acceptance of Man as an animal,
there have often been creators in many past cultures who embraced this insight and explored it in the context of their society, thus
we seek out these artisitic and philosophical expressions and see them to be the roots of our current awareness. Satanists see the
social structure of humanity as being stratified, thus each person reaches a level commensurate with the development (or lack
thereof) of their natural talents. The principle of the survival of the strong is advocated on all levels of society, from allowing an
individual to stand or fall, to even letting those nations that cannot handle themselves take the consequences of this inability. Any
assistance on all levels will be on a "quid pro quo" basis. There would be a concommitant reduction in the world's population as the
weak are allowed to experience the consequences of social Darwinism. Thus has nature always acted to cleanse and strengthen
her children. This is harsh, but that is the way of the world. We embrace reality and do not try to transform it into some utopia that
is contrary to the very fabric of existence. Practical application of this doctrine would see the complete cessation of the welfare
system, an end to no-strings attached foreign aid and new programs to award and encourage gifted individuals in all fields to pursue
personal excellence. A meritocracy will replace the practice of such injustices as affirmative action and other programs designed
to punish the able and reward the undeserving.

Satanists also seek to enhance the laws of nature by concentrating on fostering the practice of eugenics. This is not some exotic
doctrine hatched in the brains of Third Reich medical madmen. It is the practice of encouraging people of talent and ability to
reproduce, to enrich the gene pool from which our species can grow. This was commonly practiced throughout the world, as even
a text on eugenics endorsed by the Women's Christian Temperence Union can prove, until it was given a bad name by Nazi
excesses. Until the genetic code is cracked and we can choose the character of our offspring at will, Satanists seek to mate the
best with the best. Satanists who know that they are defective refrain from reproducing.

Satanists are particulary disgusted by the extraordinary level of criminal activity which abounds today and thus advocate a return to
the Roman "Lex Talionis"; let the punishment fit in kind and degree the crime. To achieve this, we would be pleased to see the
institution of an elite police force, of men and women in peak physical and mental condition, trained in advanced techniques of
crime fighting who would be truly equipped to handle the vermin that make so many of our cities into little more than concrete
jungles. Man is by nature a social creature and makes his social contract with his fellows, thus rules of conduct are established to
allow maximum freedom for individuals to interact. Disobey those rules and punishment must be swift and sure, and most probably
public as well. This does not mean the incarceration of individuals in institutions at the expense of the victims for so called
rehabilitation. No, these criminals must be put to some use, perhaps as forced labor to even clean up the environment that has so
carelessly been soiled under the dominance of Christian spiritual philosophy that sees man as superior to other living creatures with
a God-given right to abuse them at will. Man is an animal, and must go back to acting like one--not soiling his own lair as only
twisted humans do. The Church of Satan pursues a five point plan to move society in directions that are considered to be beneficial
to Satanists. The first point is the advocation of general recognition and acceptance of stratification, which is no less than the
elimination of egalitarianism wherever it has taken root. Mediocrity shall be identified and despised. The stupid should suffer for
their behavior. The truly beautiful and magnificent are to be cherished. Each individual must choose for himself his own aesthetic
standards, but we think that there are certain elements of achievement that are undeniable, even if they are not satisfying to
everyone. For example, one cannot deny the superior accomplishment inherent in a Beethoven symphony, a Michelangelo
sculpture, a DaVinci painting, or a Shakespeare play. Many Satanists are working to create their own citadels of excellence
outside of the cultural mainstream and have preserved the worthy from the past and continue to create new works of power to be
unleashed to those who will be appreciative. The second point is the enforcement of strict taxation of all churches. This would
remove the government sanction of religion and force these parasites to live off of their own members alone, and if they can't, then
they will perish as they should. The Church of Satan has never pursued tax-exempt status and challenges all the rest of the world's
churches to stand on their own feet. Let us expose the vampiric nature of the organized religions and see if they can withstand the
light of day. Third, we call for the re-establishment of Lex Talionis throughout human society. The Judeo-Christian tradition which
exists secularly under the guise of liberal humanism has exalted the criminal over the victim, taking responsibility away from the
wrong-doer with their doctrine of forgiveness. Such thinking is a disgrace towards the ideal of justice. This must stop! Individuals
must be held accountable for the consequences of their actions, and not be allowed to scapegoat society, history, or other supposed
"outside" influences. It should come as no surprise that many Satanists are part of law enforcement agencies, and a large number
of people throughout this and other criminal justice systems who fully agree with Satanic philosophy on this point. If the law is not
being enforced, Satanists advocate the practice of seeking personal justice, but you are warned to be fully aware of the
consequences of such actions in today's corrupt society. With the present state of affairs, the outcry may yet come to welcome
justice back to stay. Fourth, Satanists advocate a new industry, the development and promotion of artificial human companions.
These humanoids will be constructed to be as realistic as possible, and available to anyone who can afford one. Recognizing that
the human animal often raises himself up throught the denegration of another, this would provide a safe outlet for such behavior.
Have the lover of your dreams, regardless of your own prowess; every man a king who can purchase his own subject; or
contrarywise, buy the master you wish to serve. Freedom of choice to satisfy your most secret desires with no-one to be bothered
is now at hand. What could be better for blowing-off the tension that exists throughout our society, and promoting healthier
interaction among true humans? Finally we advocate the construction of total environments, technologically up-to-date but
theatrically convincing, to be literal pleasure domes and places of amusement and delight. We have seen the beginnings in some of
the major theme parks, but let us take them on to the heights depicted in films like _Westworld_. Here you will be able to indulge in
whatever environment you can imagine. Re-creation of past history would not only be ripe for these constructions, but science
fiction and fantasy will provide fertile sources for many of these playgounds. Even now such projects are gearing up. Would the
average person be able to spot a member of the Church of Satan? Since Satanists cover the total spectrum of economic and
professional achievement, unless someone is sporting a sigil of Baphomet medallion, or wearing the Baphomet lapel pin signifying
an official representative, you really can not pin down a Satanist by appearance and behavior alone. In their daily practices,
Satanists are individuals who are enjoying their lives in the here and now. They eat what they please, dress as they please, and
generally follow whatever life style suits them best, so long as it is within the laws of their country of residence. There is no
requirement for participation in ritual activity. The techniques presented in our literature are for members to make use of as they so
desire. Some Satanists enjoy the social atmosphere of group ritual and seek out others for this purpose. Many Satanists find their
ritual activity to be very personal and prefer to remain solitary. Either path is acceptible to the Church of Satan. Indeed, there are
no rules for frequency of ritual activity. Some celebrate the equinoxes and solstices as holidays, but of course one's own birthday is
the highest Satanic holiday of the year. The ritual process is often used as a cathartic, to cleanse the individual of desires that could
turn into compulsions if they remained unfulfilled, thus such practices take the place of therapy. Satanists cherish their individuality
and do not try to conform to others' standards of normality. Also, Satanists do not proselytize so you will not find yourself
approached by someone in a black cloak waving tracts in your face. We have our literature readily available, and should someone
find the philosophy to be to their liking, they may approach us to investigate the possibility of affiliation (Church of Satan, P.O. Box
210666, San Francisco, CA 94121). The general public would probably be surprised to find that they have been interacting with
Satanists for many years, and that these Satanists will be some of the most interesting, fair, trustworthy, and enjoyable people that
they know. The world, when fully permeated by Satanism, will provide a challenging environment wherein you can achieve much,
or little, based on the level of input you can muster and the extent of your natural abilities. Yes, this is frightening to the masses
who wish to sit back and be herded from one media-hyped product to the next. Our world challenges you to think, and do
something with those thoughts! As ulimate realists, we do not expect a large percentage of the human population to have the
energy and discipline needed to excell, nor would a Satanic society attempt to force people to do that which is beyond their
capabilities-- but we will not refrain from judging these people by our standards. Those who wish to lead a drugged existence,
whether the addictive element is chemical or media, shall be recognized for the slaves that they are and held in contempt. They can
continue their self-destructive paths if so desired, but they shall not be allowed to hold back those who want to achieve greatness.
Don't worry, you who have been fooled into believing the paper tiger displayed by today's media; we Satanists aren't after your
children, for they are probably as hopelessly mediocre as their parents. But we are moving the world towards a state wherein the
freeloaders will either work or starve, and the parasites will be removed to wither and die. So, you need only fear real Satanism if
you are a criminal, a parasite, or a wastrel. Are _you_ afraid? * The "Nine Satanic Statements," "The Eleven Satanic Rules of the
Earth," and "The Nine Satanic Sins" are copyrighted by Anton Szandor LaVey and may not be reproduced without pemission.