Comparison of Witchcraft and Statanism

There are a lot of myths and misconceptions about Wicca or Witchcraft and Satanism which can be typically held by individuals of different religion based mostly perception programs. If you happen to go by some of the Evangelical Christians definition of a Satanist you’re left with a really giant proportion of the inhabitants being Satanist as solely about 10% of the world’s inhabitants is Christian. They typically suppose any faith that’s not theirs needs to be due to this fact a Satanist; therefore Wicca or The Craft is thereby Satanic in nature. Wicca is a Nature based mostly Neopagan faith. It’s a giving and loving faith.

Satanism is also an Earth based mostly Neopagan faith. It alternatively may be very self centered and idiosyncratic. They’ve many similarities and variations from theology, ideas and philosophy, ritual practices, magic/okay use, and of course the use of magical instruments in ritual. When wanting on the variations within the two faiths they’re so reverse it’s uncanny how so many individuals see them as one and the identical.

When theology is introduced into gentle between the 2 faiths one should see the numerous similitudes and differentiations in theologies alone.

Based on the Church of Devil, and its founder Anton LaVey, the faith of Satanism is an agnostic or atheistic faith. “Devil is an emblem, nothing extra,” LaVey says. “Devil signifies our love of the worldly and our rejection of the pallid, ineffectual picture of Christ on the cross. ” Flip round and check out Wicca and The Craft and you will notice it has so many traditions that it isn’t merely a monotheistic faith however as a result of many sects and traditions it’s also seen as a duotheistic, polytheistic, and henotheistic tradition.

Some sects are as Satanists consider, and are an atheistic faith. So in some sects Wicca and The Craft are so comparable in nature to Satanism that many are duped into pondering they’re one and the identical. The most typical sect in Wicca is of that of a duotheistic faith. The idea in Goddess/God as deity is frequent however many henotheistic chapters exist. Henotheistic beliefs are that the Goddess/God is a component of “The One”. As seen in Earlier than Time Was, by Scott Cunningham, “Earlier than time was, there was The One; The One was all, and all was The One.

And the huge expanse generally known as the universe was The One, all clever, all pervading, all highly effective, eternally altering. And area moved. The One molded power into twin kinds, equal however reverse, fashioning the Goddess and God from The One and of The One. ” Thus, whereas Satanists consider extra within the symbolism of what Devil represents, most Wiccans consider in a religion based mostly deity of some type. Rules of Wicca and Satanism are about as totally different as apples and oranges. Wiccans consider in a set of ideas that had been set by the American Council of Witches again in 1974.

The 13 ideas all witches observe are removed from the Satanists 9 Satanic Statements. Witches consider within the attunement with nature and its seasons, putting nice significance on the environment and group, that the divine energy is inside all individuals as we’re however vessels of their energy, that energy is for use for the profit of others, not for use for the development of the self, and that witches have to dwell not simply on this airplane but additionally on the non secular airplane as a way to obtain steadiness.

The acceptance that every one religions maintain benefit to their believers and that true energy lies within the perception that tolerance of all faiths and a agency grasp that Wicca could be the witches technique to what they really feel is true however that John Doe has his perception system and who’re they to evaluate one other. When taking a look on the 9 Satanic Statements one can see the massive discrepancies between the 2 faiths.

With LaVey’s statements of what Satanism represents we’re advised to indulge the self, very important existence over goals and hopes, undefiled knowledge over self deceit, kindness solely to those that deserve it and to not be shared with these deemed unworthy, and that revenge is healthier than turning the opposite cheek. The one philosophy I discovered that was comparable is the Hurt none that may be a regulation of magic energy and its utilization. Satanists, nevertheless don’t apply it to all, in response to the 11 Satanic Guidelines For Earth, the one 2 beings secure are babies and beasts that aren’t a supply of meals or killed because of self protection.

Within the apply of spiritual ritual many of the identical traits have been used within the development of base rituals utilized by each religions. The pre burning instances Catholic Church is the place Church of Devil has based mostly its most well-known of all rituals the famed “Black Mass”. Wiccans don’t nevertheless have any lots held in any respect. They do each observe the pagan wheel of time calling the Sabbats and Esbats by differing names. For individuals who are laymen, a Sabbat is a non secular vacation marking a major level within the 12 months.

Whereas Wiccans rejoice Esbats, full moon celebrations, Satanists don’t appear to observe the pagan 12 months in any respect they solely rejoice spring and fall equinoxes, and summer time and winter solstices. Satanists see the most important holy day of the 12 months as a person Satanists birthday. Wicca celebrates no such factor. “In his e book Satanism, Bob Larson states that an important Satanic day is the person member’s birthday. Walpurgisnacht (April 30) and Halloween (October 31) are additionally vital. However in his Appendix D, he states that Satanists have copied the seasonal calendar of Wicca. Moreover the equinoxes and solstices, the one Sabbats each religions rejoice are Beltane/Wapurgisnacht, Apr 30, (when the Goddess/God procreate and scatter the seeds of life throughout the lands) and Samhain/Halloween Oct. 31 (when the God dies a dying solely to be reborn throughout the Goddess as her unborn youngster). When on the lookout for the explanations Satanists rejoice these holy days I as a researcher may discover no clarification as to why they rejoice some holy days but didn’t even attempt to incorporate different holy days that Wiccans rejoice. Magic/okay known as “The Energy” by most Wiccan sects.

It has a set of legal guidelines that every particular person witch should adhere to diligently. The regulation of energy truly is an inventory of not simply the first regulation identified by most as “An it hurt none do as thou wilt” however as an inventory of 6 guidelines governing its use. Wiccan traditions go by the use of magic/okay as want dictates, and don’t use it in a frivolous method. Most may even not apply it to themselves until doing so harms nobody else. Additionally they consider that cash shouldn’t be exchanged for utilizing magic/okay to help or Help others. They consider that the use of magic/okay and having the Goddess/God energies movement through them is a present that ought to by no means be abused or misused.

In Scott Cunningham’s, Wicca: A Information for the Solitary Practitioner, The Legislation of the Energy states, “1. The Energy shall not be used to convey hurt, to injure or management others, but when want arises, it could be used to guard you and these near you. ” A Satanist’s use of magic/okay energy may be very totally different by their use of angels, arch angels, demons, and daemons. Satanists typically elevate the energies and magic/ks and as an alternative of directing in direction of others is commonly directed towards themselves typically fulfilling the first of the 9 Satanic statements and indulging themselves in its rewards.

On the Church of Devil’s web site there’s a hyperlink to membership, this prices the applicant 200 dollars, which is non refundable. So once more the Satanists observe a distinct set of guidelines. Wiccan sects typically discover that Satanists most of the time completely ignore the Legal guidelines of Magic/okay Energy. One analogy is that witchcraft is divine oriented therefore is for others or group therefore Divine regulation, Satanists alternatively observe Devil’s 9 Statements and observe self indulgence and selfishness therefore Devil’s regulation.

One of the most important areas of similarities and variations is in magical instruments, Witches or Wiccans use many of the identical instruments as Satanists comparable to Athame, (Male symbolism, in Satanism, God symbolism in Wicca), Bolline, (sensible knife, each), Chalice, (female symbolism in Satanism, Goddess symbolism in Wicca) however the subsequent device that’s the most confused in all of Neopaganism we hit the Pentacle with Wiccans. A 5 pointed high pointing star surrounded oft instances by a circle. Joseph Barressi defined it properly when he stated, It’s extra of a non secular symbolism that’s generally defined by reference to the essential understanding that the 5 factors of the pentagram characterize the 4 parts air, earth, fireplace, and water with the addition of Spirit because the uppermost level. ” Subsequently, Divine Spirit guidelines over the weather maintaining steadiness. Most Wiccans consider whether it is consecrated in a magic circle that it has protecting and grounding properties. Satanist’s model of a Pentacle is an Inverse Pentacle referred to as a Pentagram. Satanists see the 5 pointed star as an emblem of Devil himself. Joseph Barressi, states, A reversed pentagram, with two factors projecting upwards, is an emblem of evil and attracts sinister forces as a result of it overturns the right order of issues and demonstrates the triumph of matter over spirit. It’s the goat of lust attacking the heavens with its horns, an indication execrated by initiates. ” Which makes excellent sense, whenever you add in to the egocentric nature of The 9 Satanic Statements and 11 Satanic Guidelines for Earth; The Satanist desires the triumph of matter over spirit. The very signal it makes use of to characterize itself is precisely as their Grasp Devil who in response to Christianity, did precisely that and tried to overturn the heavens.

So when seeing so many similarities, it must be simpler to see why so many make the error of calling a Witch a Satanist. The variations present how the witch desires to Help these in want in her group, tries to dwell inexperienced together with her surroundings, and is a real Altruist. The Satanist by dwelling by Devil’s legal guidelines of 11 Guidelines of Earth and 9 Statements show that the Satanist is a real Narcissist. These two faiths are removed from one another in nearly all methods. So the Witch isn’t a Satanist any greater than the Satanist is a Wiccan.