Traditional or Cult Satanists

Traditional Satanists worship Satan as the Evil One described in the New Testament. They are involved in underground ritualistic activity, some of which involves the repeated performance of abusive Satanic rituals primarily on young children. Such Satanists are involved in deviant as well as criminal acts associated with the practice of their religion, most notably drinking blood, eating feces, witnessing animal and human sacrifice and eating the flesh of sacrificed humans, particularly infants. Because by their very definition, cult Satanists are involved in criminal activity directly related to their belief system, they are discussed in more detail in Chapter 2 which deals specifically with occult crime.

Reasons for Involvement in Occult Activity

The above clearly demonstrates that the occult is many different things to many different people. Indeed, people of every cultural, religious, ethnic and socio-economic background are involved in a wide variety of contemporary occult activities. Many reasons for involvement have been posited:

1. Traditional religions fail to meet the personal needs of many contemporary Americans. For those who have lost traditional ties to religion, belief in occult phenomenon can provide a new feeling of importance and power as well as an attractive alternative belief system to Christianity; instead of all the "don'ts" in the Christian Bible, alternative beliefs in some occult philosophies give people permission to do whatever they want - to explore limitless pleasures and live by whatever rules they please.

2. Some families have ties to occult belief systems which they pass down from generation to generation.

Some children are either born into and/or raised in certain occult belief systems.

3. Occult belief systems often provide feelings of power and control. Many occult belief systems emphasize that followers may experience power over oneself, others and the external environment. Such power can, according to some occult belief systems, provide a license to be involved in actions usually condemned by mainstream society. In other words, it provides a perfect avenue for rebelliousness as well as criminality.

A Participant-Observer's Look at The Church of Satan in the late 1960s, Edward J. Moody joined The Church of Satan, becoming "an active member of the group, a participant-observer in the anthropological sense of the term, taking part in all aspects of the religion." Following is his account of why some people turn to The Church of Satan and to other occult activity. 'The various individuals who are members of the Satanic cult exhibit behaviors which are at variance with cultural norms. They suffer aversive consequences as a result of this behavior: rejection, social failure, punishment, etc., and learn to perceive themselves as inadequate and powerless, unable to accomplish what they desire... They are people troubled by a lack of self-esteem, by failure and doubt... As such, the would-be Satanist expresses his problem in terms of lack of power. His anxiety must be lowered, his maladaptive responses extinguished, and appropriate responses conditioned. This is all accomplished primarily through the ritual of the Satanic Church...The would-be Satanist asks, 'Is there a secret to success?' Anton LaVey, High Priest and sorcerer, responds, 'Of course, magic.' The pre-Satanist asks, 'Will you teach me?' LaVey replies, 'If you are worthy.' When after a series of tests and interviews the pre-Satanist is asked to become a member of the elite inner Circle, his low opinion of himself is already slightly altered and, with social support of his new friends, his anxiety begins to diminish. In addition to teaching the novice Satanist magic, his fellow magicians teach him that he is 'evil,' but the definition of evil is changed. In some cases the new Satanist has harbored a nagging belief that he is evil - his deviant behavior is usually at odds with some aspect of the Judeo-Christian tradition in which most of us were raised - but his fears are at last out in the open. He is actively encouraged to speak of his evil (deviant) thoughts and deeds and lauded instead of reviled for them... The Satanists persuade their adherents that the Judeo-Christian[sic] value system was a trick perpetrated on our forefathers. It is the position of the Satanic Church that the 'white light magicians' (Christians) made sins of natural human impulses in order to be sure that people would transgress. They then, by making salvation dependent on belief in Christianity, 'hooked' the population and made them dependent on the Christian church for freedom from fear. The Satanists, by contrast, persuade their new members to revel in their own humanity, to give free reign to their natural impulses and indulge their appetites without fear or guilt. Members are constantly reminded that man is a human animal and members are encouraged to throw off the shackles of Christianity and rediscover the joy of living. 'Evil' is redefined as human, free, unafraid, and joyful..." (Edward J. Moody, "Magical Therapy: An Anthropological Investigation of Contemporary Satanism." In Irving I. Zaretsky and Mark P. Leone (eds.), Religious Movements in Contemporary America. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1974.)