Amber Herbert reviewed The Satanic Bible by Anton Szandor LaVey
Required Reading for Any Modern Satanist
4 stars
Being truly acquainted with modern Satanism by way of The Satanic Temple's seven tenets and writings as well as Speak of the Devil by Joseph P. Laycock, I hadn't given The Satanic Bible a fair go until now. Based on what I've heard about LaVey's work, (and what I previously found on the Church of Satan website), I expected the text to be full of narcissism, nods to witchcraft, and anger.
I was surprised to find it was written with finesse and the intent to educate rather than to preach for selfishness and retribution. Yes, the bible encourages the Satanist to worship thyself, but that can be interpreted in a number of ways and doesn't require narcissistic tendencies so much as self-respect and a drive for excellence. Similarly, revenge is encouraged but does not inherently mean one should enact violence on another. LaVey argues the Golden Rule should be …
Being truly acquainted with modern Satanism by way of The Satanic Temple's seven tenets and writings as well as Speak of the Devil by Joseph P. Laycock, I hadn't given The Satanic Bible a fair go until now. Based on what I've heard about LaVey's work, (and what I previously found on the Church of Satan website), I expected the text to be full of narcissism, nods to witchcraft, and anger.
I was surprised to find it was written with finesse and the intent to educate rather than to preach for selfishness and retribution. Yes, the bible encourages the Satanist to worship thyself, but that can be interpreted in a number of ways and doesn't require narcissistic tendencies so much as self-respect and a drive for excellence. Similarly, revenge is encouraged but does not inherently mean one should enact violence on another. LaVey argues the Golden Rule should be amended to convey that you should also treat others how they treat you; you shouldn't love your aggressive neighbor or allow your adversary to belittle you because being nice to them asserts you're the bigger person. The Satanist should treat others how they deserve to be treated. I couldn't easily argue against the sentiment.
I found the sections on greater and lesser magic interesting. For a religion that denies all deities, I could more readily accept lesser magic (which includes using your inherent talents and attraction to encourage a desired outcome). I couldn't get behind the greater magic rituals. LaVey, while believing that a greater power cannot make your desires reality, suggests that cursing others and performing dramatic rituals can. I firmly believe that rituals play a large role in our lives and that performing a spell can ground the practitioner in a mindful and more positive state. But I call bullshit on strong intentions/rituals (like manipulating someone to fulfill your desires, cursing those you despise, and crafting love potions) having any grounding in reality.
Overall, I was pleasantly surprised to find I agreed with most of LaVey's points.
