The Warlock's Library #1

On Walpurgisnacht 1966, Anton LaVey who was to become known as "The Black Pope", ritualistically shaved his head and formally announced the creation of The Church Of Satan. Two years later he wrote this book as a collection of his observations of the human race in his early years, and also his own adaptation of Ragnar Redbeard's MIGHT IS RIGHT philosophy with his own Satanic Spin. A book of Humanism with a dose of devilish psychodrama and ritual, this has come to be the tome that most modern day Satanists use as a rule-book to achieve carnal pleasure and success while removing all unnecessary spiritual hogwash from their lives and philosophies.

The Satanic Bible is split into Four parts that are represented by the Four Lords of Hell and their elements:

1. The Book of Satan - The Infernal Diatribe - Fire
2. The Book of Lucifer - The Enlightenment - Air
3. The Book of Belial - The Mastery of the Earth - Earth
4. The Book of Leviation - The Raging Sea - Water

To LaVey, Satan wasn't a fallen angel trapped in the confines of Brimstone and Fire eager to steal your soul, with pitchfork and a contract ready for you to sign at the crossroads. He represents a Force of Nature, a metaphor for the carnal side of man, a man who uses his intellect and natural gifts to ascend above the dim-witted God-Fearing populace of Earth. A Satanist knows that his body was given to him to experience the pleasures of life (sin), and spits venom at those who tell him to deny that which is only natural to him such as sex, food and revelry (the seven sins).

Before part one, The Book of Satan, LaVey listed the Nine Satanic Statements, where through the metaphor of Satanic thought he explains the rules by which a Satanist should live his life: to aspire to greatness where he can become the best he can be. He must realise that man is just an animal not some spiritual being, and he needs to revel in the so-called sins of man if he wishes to live life to the fullest.

Some examples of these Satanic Statments are:

1. Satan represents indulgence, instead of abstinence: This statement explains that our bodies have been geared to respond positively and orgasmically to pleasure, so why deny yourself these experiences? Abstinence to a Satanist, let alone to common man seems like a strange concept. A bird has wings, why shouldn't it enjoy flying?

5. Satan represents vengeance, instead of turning the other cheek: Some people are prone to become a walking door-mat, letting others use and abuse them, and when abused just let it slide and/or think it is necessary to cater to the other person's whim. The Satanist says Hogwash!  to that and claims if one man strikes you on your cheek, smash him on the other! Make your enemies fear you; if someone pesters you tell them to stop. If they persist; destroy them utterly. In picking a fight with a Satanist they are signing their own doom, and they have no-one to blame but themselves if they cross you. A Satanist feels no guilt destroying his enemies when they have been duly warned.

6. Satan represents responsibility to the responsible, instead of concern for psychic vampires!: This one is my favourites at the moment. We all know someone in our lives that is so full of self-pity and needs constant assurance and attention that it drains us emotionally and physically.

We all have someone in our life that drains us with their constant lack of moving forward and improving. I recently ended a friendship because the 35-year old man who still lives with his parents, has no car and refuses to diet and exercise yet goes for girls that could guest-star on Gossip Girl kept complaining to me why he couldn't get a girlfriend. Furthermore he was still complaining about getting picked on in high-school which was 18 years ago!

After constant sound advice of getting his own place, exercising, having realistic standards in women, and purchasing a car, he is still drowning in the same shallow pool of self-pity, and still of course has no girlfriend! The Satanist abhors these leeches, and casts them back into the pitiful place from whence they came! LaVey describes himself people that only have you as a friend because of their high standards, constantly give you physical/monetary gifts and ask for nothing in return except for 'favours'. When you ask for things in return they are always 'indisposed'. Remove these people from your life as quick as possible.

The Book of Satan is LaVey's rewording in verse of Redbeard's 1890 book 'Might Is Right', giving the Satanist through verse a guide to his life, whereby he can become monetarily and physically powerful, exalting the physical and carnal whilst disparaging the spiritual and weak.  The keyword for Satanists is not TRUTH but DOUBT. The Satanists constantly tests and investigates things before he accepts their validity.

The Book of Lucifer explains the intellectual viewpoint of a Satanist, presents a Satanic view on Satanism and not the twisted explanations from bible-thumpers that have been the only (wrong) source of explanation for the religion for quite some time.

LaVey explains that the seven deadly sins lead to emotional and physical gratification, and should be practised and celebrated. Since man has been hard-wired to enjoy these sins, it was only natural for the Christian Church to point them out to tear man away from his own nature, while at the same time he explains that in the end the carnal will always win out over the spiritual. Some examples of this are wearing any clothes other than just to keep you warm makes you guilty of pride. Someone that enjoys a large block of chocolate or a 3-course meal even though the body does not require that much sustenance is guilty of gluttony and so forth.

LaVey continues with the metaphor of selling one's soul and how the Gods of past religions become the demons of the current ones. Satan means adversary and this term means that a Satanist must be adversarial, not be part of the flock, and to be true to yourself and your own nature. LaVey lists the Four Crown Princes of Hell that constructed the book's chapters, along with the names of devils and demons from different cultures around the world that stood in a similar light to Satan. Also explained is the Satanic viewpoint of sex, how love and hate relates to a Satanist, the difference between indulgence and compulsion, and the explanation and use of The Black Mass in a Satanist's life, its real meaning, psychic vampires, Religious holidays and the misunderstood topic of Human sacrifice.

The Book of Belial explains the use of ritual and magic in a Satanist's arsenal, how to construct and employ the tools for this, and the Thirteen steps for Satanic Ritual. Beforehand LaVey scoffs at 'white-light' magicians that invoke protective circles and pentagrams to safeguard themselves against the very forces they demand assistance from. A Satanist is not one to insult those who seeks aid from, and boldly steps forward and respectfully asks for assistance. Belial means "without a master."

The Book of Leviathan lists three different rituals that respond to a Satanist's modus operandi - Love, Destruction and Compassion. This mirrors the previous explanation of the Satanist's weapons of Sex, Sentiment or Wonder*. LaVey stresses that a Satanist discovers which weapon the Witch or Warlock wields to the best capacity, and uses that weapon to attain all their desires.

These rituals use emotional response and energy along with a choice of Nineteen Enochian Keys (adapted from John Dee's own work), that when assembled and chosen properly the Satanist will obtain the desired affect. In doing so that Satanist must be 100% certain that this is the outcome she desires for said person/event. The Satanist has no-one to blame but herself if they chose the wrong ritual or reason, and the result causes them guilt or grief. Two examples of this are:

1. LUST: Causing someone to lust after you but you don't really desire them or find their resulting advances to offend and disturb you.

2. DESTRUCTION: Seeking the total end of a person in one form or another, only to experience guilt over their demise. You must utterly and succinctly desire their end, with no regrets. To the point they must deserve beyond a doubt what is coming to them.

Thus ends THE SATANIC BIBLE. An interesting read on the true nature of man, and how following your desires and being true to yourself will lead you to live a gratifying existence that you were meant to live. LaVey had his tongue firmly in his cheek when he named his group a Church and his book a Bible. A smart man for his time, this book is recommended, not only for the aspiring Satanist, but also for those who wish to know more about this philosophy and desire to hear Satan's side of the story, pitchfork and all.

*An example of Sex, Sentiment and Wonder is where the Witch/Warlock is extremely attractive and can use that as a weapon then they chose SEX as their power. SENTIMENT explains the old lady next door who cooks endless amounts of cookies that children gobble up and are enchanted by her lifestyle, or the wizened old man that people go to for advice. WONDER is where the person isn't the personifiction of sex but is strange, menacing or quirky enough to hold people's attention and the person will do things for the witch/warlock out of fear.