DO SATANISTS WORSHIP THE DEVIL?
No. We do not believe in a literal Satan. We also do not believe in anything supernatural or magical. Instead, we worship ourselves, deciding who we love and spend our time around.
WHY CALL YOURSELVES "SATANISTS" IF YOU DO NOT BELIEVE IN A LITERAL SATAN?
Calling ourselves "Satanists" is not a political stunt. Satan is important to our religion, as many of us came from religious backgrounds, being told we were different and being ousted for not falling in line. This is the same way we interpret Satan from media such as Paradise Lost by John Milton. In nations controlled by religious narratives, Satan is a symbol of defiance against blind faith, superstition, forced servitude, and religious authority.
How can you be a religion if you do not believe in a god?
You do not need a god to be a religion. Buddhism, Confucianism and Jainism are popular religions that do not worship gods. Also, while those religions have spiritual practices, those are not what makes a religion. Religion is based on community, symbolism, how we interpret the world and answer life's biggest questions, etc. Satanism is also officially recognized by the IRS as a tax-exempt religion. Whether or not you interpret Satanism as "edgy atheism" or not a real religion, it is a religion, with a significant number of people who practice Satanism in secrecy for their safety.
DO SATANISTS PERFORM SACRIFICES?
No. We do not do sacrifices. We believe that sacrificing a living being is murder. We also do not believe in any gods, which the point of sacrifices are to provide an offering to a god.
Do Satanists do rituals?
Yes, we do have rituals, but none of them involve harming or sacrificing anyone. Instead, rituals for us are non-spiritual meditations, like lighting candles, reciting affirmations and burning oppresive symbols.
DO SATANISTS HATE OTHER RELIGIOUS GROUPS?
No. We hate nationalists and those who use their religion to justify hatred and the oppression of others. You will see videos of Satanists ripping up Bibles or Qurans, while criticizing religious figures Jesus. But keep in mind, those are destruction rituals, where we destroy symbols that have been used to oppress us. Also, while we criticize Christianity the most, our organization is based in America, where Christian nationalism is the most common threat to our rights.
However, we are more than willing to work with churches and other religious organizations on charity and activist projects.
DO SATANISTS HATE GOD?
We can not hate something we do not believe in. We hate nationalists who use their religion to justify their hatred and attacks on others.
DO SATANISTS WANT TO HURT OR GROOM CHILDREN?
No. We have strict rules against harming children whatsoever. We also have clear policies that you can only engage in sexual acts with legal adults. We also fight against schools that use corporal punishment against children, as we denounce physical abuse, especially towards children. The stereotype that Satanists are child abusers and groomers is projection from groups like the Catholic Church, who continue to be exposed engaging in and covering up child abuse.
Are all Satanists vegan?
No. Veganism is a choice that some Satanists will choose, but most are not. Learn more here.
Do SATANISTS have any commandments they abide by?
We follow the The 8 Orders of Satanism, which are our main commandments. We also follow The 8 Faults, which are behaviors to avoid, not because they offend a god, but because they threaten the health and freedom of yourself and others.
We also have The 8 Satanic Statements, which describe the way we view the character of Satan in our religion.
Is Satanism Man-Made?
Yes, just like every other religion. Modern Satanism was invented by Anton Szandor LaVey from The Church of Satan. However, we are just as important as every other religion.
Are you associated with "The Satanic Temple" or "Church of Satan?"
No. Those are different Satanic organizations that we are not affiliated with.
My place of worship supports this organization's missions. Can we work with you?
Absolutely. We need religious groups of all kinds to support our demands for equality, anti-fascism and religious pluralism. Contact us here.
Are all Satanists just edgy teenagers who just want to piss off your parents?
Barely. We do not believe that it makes anyone "cool" or "trendy" to be a Satanist. We are an advocacy group dedicated to fighting for equality and anti-fascism. Not all Satanists are perfect people (just like any other religion) but we allow those who support our mission and are not pricks to join us!
HAVE YOU HEARD OF GOD AND HIS WORD?
We have and we do not buy it. Many of us were formerly religious, who left because we did not believe the doctrine anymore and resent what the organizations we grew up in actually stood for. Keep your beliefs to yourself and we will keep our beliefs to ourselves.
YOU KNOW YOU WILL ALL SUFFER FOR YOUR SINS, RIGHT?
These threats that are used by your religion's leaders to keep you in the religion, so they do not work on us. We do not believe in a literal afterlife, which is why we focus on living our lives to the fullest.
IS TSC A MEDIA STUNT?
No. We are a genuine advocacy group of Satanists and non-Satanists with sincerely-held beliefs that have come together to fight fascism and religious nationalism.
DO YOU THINK THE SYMBOL OF SATAN WILL TURN PEOPLE OFF, WHILE MAKING IT HARDER TO ACHIEVE YOUR GOALS?
Trust us, we understand that not everyone is comfortable with the symbol of Satan. The truth is Satanism is not for everybody and can lead to consequences like discrimination and harassment. There are more drawbacks than positives, which is why many Satanists practice in secret. However, many of us at The Satanic Circle are willing to reveal ourselves publicly to fight against our oppression and the oppression of those we care about.
Several organizations have fought for the rights of their groups by existing and finding ways to break stereotypes. This is how we operate, by living publicly and engaging in good trouble to demand we are equally represented. The symbols of Satan will turn some off, however as more see our actions and who we really are, the bias and hate will die down.
DID YOU REACH OUT TO ME ONLINE ABOUT MEMBERSHIP?
We will never direct message people about joining memberships. There are scammers for every Satanic group, pretending to offer memberships. Check our SOCIALS page for our official accounts.