What is the name of Satan's bible. "The Satanic Bible" by Anton Szandor Lavey, Church of Satan and biography of the founder

The Satanic Bible by Anton Szandor LaVey is interesting, even though the book was written about forty years ago. The biography of the founder of the Church of Satan and a world-famous Satanist is shrouded in speculation.

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"The Satanic Bible" by Anton Szandor LaVey - the best-selling literature on Satanism

"The Satanic Bible".

The Satanic Bible by LaVey was written in 1967. Among adherents of Satanism, this is the most popular spiritual source. The books of Anton Szandor LaVey remain popular today: in the last century, The Satanic Bible was a bestseller among similar literature.

The introduction to the book was made by other authors, in particular, a journalist who wrote articles about the Church of Satan, the author of The Satanic Bible. The publication consists of four sections devoted to Satan, Lucifer, Belial and Leviathan- the four crowned princes of hell. The principles proposed by LaVey are considered authorial Satanism: there are no common features with the main postulates of devil worship, which have come down from ancient times.

The reason for this book is that, with a few exceptions, all treatises and books, all "secret" grimoires, all great writings on the subject of magic, are nothing more than sanctimonious fraud, sinful mumbling and esoteric gibberish of chroniclers of magical knowledge, unable or unwilling to provide an objective point of view on this issue.

Writer after writer, trying to signify the principles of "black and white magic", succeeded only in such a clouding of the object of consideration that a person who studies magic on his own conducts classes by stupidly standing in a pentagram, waiting for the appearance of a demon, shuffling a deck of cards for prediction, losing in cards any sense, and attendance at seminars that guarantee only the flattening of his Ego (and along with his wallet); and, in the end, exposes himself as a complete idiot in the eyes of those who know the truth!

The Satanic Bible encourages the reader not to believe in the existence of Paradise and the afterlife. Instead of trying to win a ticket to Heaven, a person should enjoy earthly pleasures. The author connects Satanism and the cult of hedonism and condescension to the desire to satisfy carnal desires.

Anton LaVey exposes Satan as a symbol of the proposed worldview. The author promotes freedom, individualism, healthy egoism, the desire for self-development, rejection of injustice and interest in the study of the occult.

Culturologist E. V. Belousova noted that Anton LaVey’s book allows us to understand the image of a modern Satanist. The Bible is able to dispel the stereotypes associated with the representation of Satanists by society. The culturologist called LaVey's Satanism an expression of the materialism and hedonism inherent in the modern West. Belousova is sure that it is worth reading The Satanic Bible to get an idea of ​​the religion popular among young people. LaVey's Satanism has millions of followers.

The Satanic Bible is not LaVey's only book. Two more are widely known - "The Perfect Witch", which changed its name to "Satanic Witch" and "Satanic Rituals". LaVey distinguishes three satanic holidays - Walpurgis Night, Halloween and the Day of initiation into the mysteries of the cult of Satan with five stages.

Anton LaVey - what is known about the author of The Satanic Bible

Anton Szandor LaVey is the pseudonym of the founder of a modern version of Satanism and the first officially recognized Church of Satanists. In the documents of the man it was written Howard Stanton Levy. Born in Chicago, in the family of a booze seller, in 1930.

The last partner of the Satanist's widow was Blanche Barton, the chief priestess of the Church. The marriage produced a child named Satan Xerxes by Karnaki LaVey. The woman has written several books, including The Secret Life of a Satanist, dedicated to the biography of Anton Szandor LaVey, modern Satanism and the role of the church in the life of their family.

Satan Xerxes Karnaki is not Anton's only child. The Satanist has two more daughters, from his first and second marriages. One of the daughters, Zina, openly feuded with her father, and after the death of her father, she repeatedly gave interviews that were recognized by the society of Satanists as a lie and fiction. Much of the evidence from Zeena and her husband Nicholas Schreck was exposed as a forgery by Blanche Barton.

The Shrek couple claimed that the girl's father was repeatedly reported for sexual perversion and domestic violence (no evidence). Blanche and other followers of LaVey note the intensity and irrelevance of Zeena's and Nicholas's efforts to undermine the authority of the creator of The Satanic Bible.

Anton LaVey spent most of his life in San Francisco. The man appreciated classical music, had a perfect ear for music and was fond of playing keyboard instruments (he attracted the organ). Since childhood, the boy was fond of dark literature (horror and mysticism), German impressionism. Historical Figures LaVey Admired From Childhood: Rasputin Covered in Legends.

Anton LaVey dropped out of school during his high school years and left town with a circus troupe. He toured first as a laborer, then as a musician. He worked as an organist in cafes and disco clubs. According to the Satanist, at that time there was a brief affair with Marilyn Monroe, but this moment of the Black Pope's biography is in great doubt. Zina LaVey also refuted her father's acquaintance with the popular actress, who claimed that her mother forged proof of the connection (Marilyn's autograph and signature).

After a while, Anton LaVey returned home and became a photographer for the police department, while also doing paranormal research. According to some sources, LaVey was a member of banned Zionist groups.

In 1952, Anton LaVey married Carol Lansing, who became the mother of their first daughter, Carla Maritza LaVey. In 1960, the man became interested in another woman - Diana Hegarty, mother of Zina Galatea LaVey, baptized in the Church of Satan at the age of three. Perhaps a bad relationship with her daughter was the result of a family breakup due to the appearance of Blanche Barton in LaVey's life.

Even before the opening of the Church of Satan, Anton gained fame in the area as a researcher of the paranormal and a popular organist. On Fridays, LaVey arranged lectures for people who were interested in Satanism and the occult sciences. The meetings were called the Magic Circle and prompted the man to create the Church of Satan.

Anton Szandor LaVey died on October 29, 1997 from pulmonary edema in a Catholic hospital. The followers of the founder of a separate branch of Satanism gave birth to the myth that the Black Pope died on Halloween night. The funeral was held in secret in the small town of Colma, California. The body is cremated and the ashes are preserved by the followers.

Anton Szandor LaVey and the Church of Satan

The idea of ​​creating the Church of Satan came about unexpectedly: after one of Friday's Magic Circle lectures, one of the members told Anton that there was enough room to develop a new religion. Anton LaVey ritually shaved his head and declared 1966 the beginning of the era of Satan and the founding of the church dedicated to the Devil.

The Church of Satan offered baptisms, weddings, and funerals according to Satanic rites. The media ignored the temple for a long time, but after the high-profile wedding of a scandalous journalist and socialite, the Church of Satan became the topic of American newspapers, and then mentions of the parish appeared in world-class publications. In printed publications, the founder was called Black Pope. Anton was the high priest of the Church of Satan until his death.

As his following grew, Anton LaVey began to publish books, three of which gained popularity. The man wrote pictures and music (he released several records). Many celebrities are associated with the Church of Satan: Marilyn Manson was an honorary member of the cult, King Diamond, Chris Cooper and many others were members of the Church of Satan.

The Church of Satan is associated with a high-profile event - the death of actress Jayne Mansfield, who, according to LaVey, was for some time his mistress and priestess of the cult. The press announced the death of a sex symbol as a side effect sent by a satanist to the wife of a film star.

Today, the Church of Satan exists as an officially recognized religious institution. Thanks to the activities of the parish, Satanism in the United States has become an officially recognized religion. The church does not provide information about the number of followers. The position of high priest is held by Peter Gilmour, and the priestess is Peggy Nadramia, who replaced Blanche Barton. The official symbol of the Church of Satan is the Seal of Baphomet.

The "Satanic Bible" by Anton Szandor LaVey can be considered an excellent source for a person who has decided to take the path of worshiping the dark forces. The Church of Satan has a lot of developments on this topic, and the biography of the founder of the parish is fraught with many mysteries.

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Anton Szandor LaVey is the man the press called the "Black Pope". LaVey brought Satanism out of the underground and was the first to officially use the term "church" for the organization he created. He is the author of a number of books, among which the most popular are three: The Satanic Rituals, The Complete Witch, and his most famous work, The Satanic Bible. For many Christians, LaVey and his famous book The Satanic Bible are symbols of Satanism. Many people in different countries of the world consider him their idol, many curse him. For a long time, the spiritual legacy of this man, thanks to the Iron Curtain, did not reach Russia, now the situation is different, for many of our compatriots the issue of spiritual self-determination is acute, and LaVey, as an alternative to Christianity, is considered quite seriously. This article is intended primarily for them, as well as for all those who are interested in this topic. Who was LaVey? Why does he have so many followers? Is it possible to trust his works and build your spiritual life on them? We will try to answer these and other questions in this work. The main object of analysis will be the "Satanic Bible", about which we will say a few words before moving on to LaVey's biography.

The Satanic Bible was written in 1969 in the United States, published by Avon Books the same year, and has been reprinted several times since. The main text remained the same, changes were made to the thanks section, the introduction was changed several times. The introduction for an early edition of The Satanic Bible was written by Barton Wolfe, which was dropped in subsequent editions and replaced by an introduction written by Peter Gilmour. When writing the article, a version with a preface by Barton Wolfe was used. Unfortunately, the author could not find a printed copy of The Satanic Bible, so I had to turn to the Internet. Comparing a number of versions of The Satanic Bible posted on different sites, the author came to the conclusion that the main differences are in the presence or absence of Wolfe's preface, as well as in the quality of the translation. Apparently, several translations were made, differing in details, while the semantic meaning of the book does not actually change. The titles of the chapters, depending on the translation, may sound a little different, but are still recognizable. The Satanic Bible is divided into four sections: The Book of Satan, The Book of Lucifer, The Book of Belial, and The Book of Leviathan. The author decided not to mention these titles in the footnotes, since, in his opinion, the title of the chapter is enough to search for a quote in the book. Considering that finding the "Satanic Bible" in Russian on the Internet is no problem (in the author's opinion, there are even too many of them!), The author did not indicate any specific resources on which it is posted. Anyone can find this book without difficulty, of course, if he still has the desire to read it after reading this article.

To begin with, let's get acquainted with the biography of LaVey, in the version as it is presented by his followers. This biography is set out in the book of his disciple and priest of the "Church of Satan" Barton Wolfe "The Devil's Avenger" (Burton H. Wolfe. The Devil's Avenger, 1974), and in the book of LaVey's personal secretary and mistress Blanche Barton "The Secret Life of a Satanist" (Blanche Barton Secret Life of a Satanist, 1990). So, Anton Shandor LaVey was born on April 11, 1930 in Chicago, Illinois, in the family of a liquor dealer. Among his ancestors were Georgians, Romanians, Alsatians. Grandmother LaVey was of gypsy blood and from childhood told LaVey stories about vampires and sorcerers. From a young age, LaVey became interested in mystical literature. In 1942, when LaVey was 12 years old, he became interested in military affairs, and he became interested in literature with a military theme. While at school, LaVey spent a lot of time studying the occult. At the age of 10 he learned to play the piano on his own, at 15 he became the second oboist in the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra. In his senior year, LaVey leaves school, allegedly because he is bored with the school curriculum. He leaves the house and joins Clyde Beatty's circus as a cage worker. At the circus, LaVey feeds the tigers and lions. Beatty's trainer, noticing that LaVey has no fear of predators, makes him his assistant. One day, a circus staff member gets drunk before a performance and LaVey fills in for him. The management of the circus after this incident leaves him the place of a musician and fires his predecessor. At 18, LaVey leaves the circus and joins the carnival, where he becomes a magician's assistant and masters hypnosis. In 1951, at the age of twenty-one, LaVey marries. After marrying, LaVey leaves the carnival and enters the Department of Criminology at the City College of San Francisco. It is interesting to note that LaVey's followers claim that at this time he becomes Marilyn Monroe's lover for a short period of time. He then takes a position as a photographer with the San Francisco Police Department. According to his biographers, there he encounters manifestations of violence and asks himself: how can God allow the existence of evil? In search of an answer to this question, LaVey plunges headlong into the occult, and on the last April night of 1966 (Walpurgis Night), he, in accordance with magical tradition, shaves his head and announces the creation of the "church of Satan." In order to identify himself as a minister of this "church", he begins to wear a pastor's collar and a black suit. In the early years of the "church" LaVey divided his time between performing satanic rites (created by him) and studying the occult. After his "church" got stronger, he wrote his famous books. His biographers state that LaVey was a consultant for a number of horror films, and even acted as an actor. All his life, LaVey was accompanied by scandals, he was invariably one of the favorite characters of the secular press. On October 31, 1997, during Halloween, Lavey dies. Now let's get acquainted with the teaching that LaVey bequeathed to his students.

Let's start with a list of the nine Satanic commandments with which LaVey begins his book. The author will quote these commandments without any comments.

1. Satan represents indulgence, not abstinence!

2. Satan personifies the essence of life instead of pipe spiritual dreams.

3. Satan represents undefiled wisdom instead of hypocritical self-deception!

4. Satan represents mercy to those who deserve it, instead of love spent on flatterers!

5. Satan personifies revenge, and does not turn the other cheek after being hit!

6. Satan represents responsibility for those responsible instead of involvement with spiritual vampires.

7. Satan represents man as just another animal, sometimes better, more often worse than those who walk on all fours; an animal that, due to its “divine, spiritual and intellectual development”, has become the most dangerous of all animals!

8. Satan represents all so-called sins as they lead to physical, mental and emotional fulfillment!

9. Satan has been the Church's best friend of all time, supporting her business all these years!

LaVey was a Satanist. Who or what was Satan to him? As Lavey wrote: “Most Satanists do not accept Satan as an anthropomorphic being with cloven hooves, a tassel tail and horns. He simply personifies the forces of nature - the Forces of Darkness, so named only because no religion has bothered to take these forces from darkness. Science has also failed to apply technical terminology to these forces. They are like a vessel without a tap, which very few people have used, because not everyone has the ability to use the tool without first taking it apart and giving names to all the parts that make it work. As we can see, for LaVey, Satan is a natural force, impersonal in its essence. LaVey believed that Satan was given the role of an evil character only because he personified the carnal, bodily aspects of human life. Satan, as a personal force, the angel of darkness, was invented by the leaders of Christians in order to rule over them, intimidating them with his existence. It is interesting to note that LaVey denied the idea of ​​his followers "selling their souls" to Satan, in his opinion, this statement is also a myth that Christian leaders invented in order to control their flock by telling "tales" about Satanism.

What is LaVey's idea of ​​God? Lavey wrote: “A very popular misconception is the notion that a Satanist does not believe in God. The concepts of "God" as interpreted by man have changed so much over the centuries that the Satanist simply accepts the one that suits him best. According to LaVey, people invent gods. Therefore, for “Satanist…, “God”, whatever name he may be called, or even not named at all, is seen as a kind of balancing factor of nature, and has nothing to do with suffering. It is a powerful force that permeates and balances the entire universe, too impersonal to care about the happiness or misfortune of the flesh and blood creatures that live on a ball of mud that is our home. The doctrine of God in the "Satanic Bible" is very vague, but apparently, it is close to the theosophists' views on this issue: God, as some kind of impersonal energy, poured into the Cosmos. For everything that happens in the world, only people and the forces of "action and reaction of the Universe" are responsible.

In LaVey's teaching there is neither hell nor heaven; everything that a person has, he has “here and now”. LaVey denied the law of reincarnation. In particular, he wrote: “If there is nothing in this life in which a person could express his dignity, he delights in the thought of “lives ahead.” It never occurs to a believer in reincarnation that if his father, grandfather, great-grandfather, etc. created "good karma" by their adherence to the same beliefs and ethics as his own - why then does he live in deprivation and not as a maharajah? Belief in reincarnation provides a wonderful fantasy world in which one can find a suitable way to express one's ego while claiming to dissolve it." Belief in reincarnation, according to LaVey, is simply self-deception. However, it cannot be argued that LaVey's teaching completely denies life after death. LaVey believes that it is possible to live after death, although he does not develop this part of his teaching, only slightly touching on this issue. In particular, he wrote: “Satanism…encourages its worshipers to develop a good, strong egos that give them the self-respect they need for a vital existence in this life. If a person has been satisfied with life during his existence and fought to the end for his earthly existence, nothing but his ego will refuse to die, even after the extinction of the flesh that contained it ... ". LaVey denied death as a spiritual awakening into new life. Expanding on his teaching on the subject, he wrote: “Death in many religions is presented as a great spiritual awakening (of course, for those who have prepared for the afterlife). This concept is very attractive to those whose lives do not satisfy them, but to those who have known all the joys that life has to offer, death is seen as some great and terrible cataclysm, fear of the highest authority. That's the way it should be. And it is the thirst for life that allows a carnal person to continue life after the inevitable death of his bodily shell.

What is Satanism in LaVey's view? As he wrote: “Satanism is an overtly selfish, merciless philosophy. It is based on the belief that human beings are naturally selfish and cruel, that life is Darwinian natural selection, a struggle for survival in which the fittest win, that the Earth will go to those who fight to win in the relentless competition that exists in any jungle, including an urbanized society". Satanism is a kind of "controlled selfishness" and is based on "natural human instincts". His main goal is to satisfy these "natural instincts" of a Satanist. Satanism, in essence, is a form of hedonism addicted to nihilism. Lavey wrote: “Satanism approves of the actions of its followers when they give vent to their natural desires. Only in this way can you become a completely satisfied person without disappointments that can harm you and others. This phrase contains the most simplistic description of the meaning of the Satanic faith." One of the main goals of Satanism is material success. In the "church" of LaVey, there are even special rituals that contribute to material well-being.

Should a Satanist do only evil? It should be noted that LaVey rejects the Christian concept of good and evil. In his doctrine there are only "natural instincts", and good and evil are the fantasies of "weak" people, whom he calls "masochists". Therefore, a Satanist does not have to do evil or good without fail, he simply does what he wants without worrying too much about the degree of morality or immorality of his actions. As Lavey wrote: “Satanism is not a white light religion; this religion is carnal, worldly, bodily - everything that Satan rules is the personification of the Left Path. ... Satanism is the only religion known to the world that accepts a person as he really is, and offers a rationale for turning bad into good, instead of contriving to destroy the bad. The logical consequence of this philosophy is the acceptance of the norm of what is considered sin in Christianity. Lavey wrote: “Christian faith defines seven deadly sins: greed, pride, envy, anger, gluttony, lust and laziness. Satanism, on the other hand, advocates indulging each of them if it leads to physical, spiritual and emotional satisfaction. Sin is natural for LaVey, he wrote: "Satan never needed a set of rules, since the natural life forces kept man "in sin", with the aim of self-preservation of man and his feelings" .

How should we treat our neighbors according to The Satanic Bible? LaVey wrote about rewarding others: “Satanism adheres to an altered form of the Golden Rule. Our interpretation of it is: "Repay others what they have repaid you", because if "You repay everyone as they would repay you" and they, in return, treat you badly, it is disgusting to human nature to continue to treat them with respect. You could repay others as if they repaid you, but if your courtesy has not been returned, they should be treated with the fury they deserve.

Lavey rejected the Christian idea of ​​repentance. In particular, he wrote: “When a Satanist does something wrong, he realizes that it is only natural to make mistakes - and if he is truly sorry for what he did, he will learn from it and not do the same again. If, however, he sincerely does not repent of what he has done, and knows that he will continue to do the same again and again, he has no need to confess and pray for forgiveness. According to LaVey, there is no point in repentance if a person knows that he will continue to sin. The maximum that a Satanist can repent of is committing a mistake, and then, on condition that he wants it.

Love for LaVey is just an emotion. Much in his book, he paid attention to sexual freedom. In particular, he wrote: “Satanism promotes sexual freedom, but only in the true sense of these words. Free love, in the Satanic sense, can mean the freedom to do just that - whether to be faithful to one person or to give free rein to your sexual passions with as many people as you think is necessary to satisfy your individual needs. In his teaching, there is no hard line for everyone to indulge in orgies, rather, he encourages his students in the sexual field to do what they like. Lavey continues: “Satanism does not condone the orgiastic activities or extramarital affairs of those for whom it is not a natural inclination. For too many it would be unnatural and detrimental to be unfaithful to one's chosen ones. For others, sexual attachment to one person would be a disappointment. Everyone must decide for himself what form of sexual activity best suits his individual needs. … Satanism tolerates any form of sexual activity that properly satisfies your needs, be it heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual or even asexual, as you choose. Satanism also favors any fetish or deviance that enhances or enriches your sexual performance…” . The only restriction in sex, according to LaVey: sex should not harm others. You can engage in any sexual perversion, if your partner agrees to it. At the same time, according to LaVey, a real Satanist is no more concerned with sex than with any other of his desires.

How did LaVey feel about sacrifices? It should be noted here that the author of the article, before writing it, spent a lot of time getting acquainted with various satanic forums and sites, from which he learned that satanism is not a single, integral movement, rather it is a set of different groups that often have different views on one and the same questions. Undoubtedly, there are Satanists who resort to bloody sacrifices (at least on the forums they discuss this practice), most often animals, although, apparently, there are also killings of people, at least, there are special prohibitions on this in their ideology Have not found. But as for LaVey, he was ambivalent about the practice of sacrifice. On the one hand, he denied it: "Under no circumstances will a Satanist sacrifice an animal or a child!" On the other hand, he argued that “symbolically, the victim is destroyed through a hex or curse, which in turn results in the physical, spiritual, or emotional destruction of the “victim” in ways that cannot then be attributed to the wizard. The Satanist makes a human sacrifice only when it can serve two purposes at once: to free the wizard from evil in the form of a curse, and, more importantly, to get rid of a very disgusting and deserving individual ... you have every right to (symbolically ) destroy them, and if your curse leads to real destruction, take comfort in the thought that you served as an instrument in ridding the world of the pest (who is the pest, the Satanist decides at will. - V.P.)! If someone interferes with your success or happiness, you do not owe him anything! He deserves the fate of being crushed under the heel! . The purpose of the sacrificial ritual (for those who perform it), according to LaVey, is to release the energy stored in the blood of the murdered victim. At the same time, the main thing in this rite is not so much in the shedding of blood, but in the torment of the victim before death. Perhaps LaVey did not practice animal sacrifice, and even more so people, but he did not deny the possibility of killing by magical methods any person whom the Satanist considers his enemy.

How did LaVey feel about the black mass? He believed that it was a literary fiction. Since it was necessary to use candles made from the fat of unbaptized children in the black mass, the priests, in his opinion, used this "myth" in order to frighten "poor" mothers and push them to baptize their children, and thus enriched the Church. Lavey wrote: “There is an opinion that the Satanic ceremony or service is always called the Black Mass. The Black Mass is NOT a ceremony practiced by Satanists, the only use a Satanist would have for it is as a psychodrama. Going further, it should be noted that the Black Mass does not necessarily imply that all participants are Satanists. At its core, the Black Mass is a parody of the religious service of the Roman Catholic Church, but can also be loosely translated into a satire of any other religious ceremony.

The main satanic holidays are Walpurgis Night (the night of the first of May) and Halloween (the eve of All Saints' Day, October 31), as well as the Satanist's birthday. Lavey wrote: “The Satanist thinks: “Why not be honest with yourself, and if God is created in my image and likeness, why not consider yourself this god?” Every person is a god if he considers himself to be one. So the Satanist celebrates his birthday as the most important holiday of the year."

Magic occupies a special place in LaVey's teachings. He defines magic as: "Changing Situations and Events According to Man's Will, Impossible with Conventional Methods". Lavey does not divide magic into white and black, believing that the purpose of magic is to achieve power and satisfy personal desires. In particular, he writes: “He who pretends to be interested in magic or the occult for reasons other than the pursuit of personal power is the worst example of bigotry and hypocrisy…. It is generally believed that white magic is used only for good and unselfish purposes, and black magic, we are told, is used only for self-centered or "evil" deeds. Satanism draws no dividing line. Magic is magic, whether used to help or hinder. The Satanist, being a magician, should be able to decide for himself what is right, and then apply the powers of magic to achieve his goal. At the same time, LaVey rated most of the works on magic that are common in modern society very low. He wrote: “… with a few exceptions, all treatises and books, all “secret” grimoires, all “great works” on the subject of magic are nothing more than sanctimonious fraud, sinful mumbling and esoteric gibberish of chroniclers of magical knowledge, unable or unwilling to provide an objective point perspective on this issue. Writer after writer, trying to signify the principles of "white and black magic", succeeded only in such a clouding of the object of consideration that a person who independently studies magic spends his studies stupidly standing in a pentagram waiting for the appearance of a demon, shuffling a deck of cards to predict the future, losing cards have their own meaning, and attending seminars that guarantee only the flattening of his ego (and along with his wallet); and, as a result, exposes himself as a complete idiot in the eyes of those who have known the truth! .

Which of the leaders of Satanism that preceded him did LaVey sympathize with? He believed that the rituals created by the famous Satanist Aleister Crowley were closest to him in spirit. But Lavey also found a number of shortcomings in him: “In addition to charming poetry, mountaineering and a smattering of some magical knick-knacks, Crowley's life was an example of posturing and trying to appear worse than he really was. Like his contemporary, the Reverend (?) Montague Summers, Crowley no doubt spent his life with his tongue pressed to his cheek, but today's followers of Crowley manage to read the esoteric meaning in his every word. In fact, Lavey considered himself the pinnacle of Satanism, which, however, is not surprising given the egocentrism that underlies all his teachings.

As noted above, Satanism is made up of many groups that may have significant differences in their teachings and practices. LaVey is by no means a generally recognized authority among Satanists, many of them are critical of him. Therefore, it would be appropriate to say a few words about the criticism that they subjected to LaVey, although this criticism does not have the character of a “theological” polemic.

At the very beginning of the article, outlining the biography of LaVey, we mentioned that it does not quite correspond to historical facts. Let's turn to her critics. Studies of his biography were carried out, which resulted in the writing of the following works: Alfred Knopf "Saints and Sinners" (Knopf, A. " Saints and sinners», New York, 1993) and Michael Aquino "Church of Satan"Aquino, M. « The church of Satan», San Francisco: Temple of set, 1983). The author wants to acquaint readers with some conclusions of these studies.

First of all, according to Lavey's relatives, his grandmother was not a gypsy, but a Ukrainian. At the age of fifteen, LaVey did not play in the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra, since in 1945 such an orchestra simply did not exist. In 1947, LaVey did not run away from home and join the circus, his relatives and the ledgers of Clyde Beatty's circus testified to this. Marilyn Monroe was also never LaVey's mistress. Moreover, she never worked as a stripper at the club where LaVey allegedly met her. Paul Valentine, the owner of the Mayan Burlesque Theatre, testified to this. LaVey never worked as a photographer for the San Francisco Police Department. At least the archives of this institution do not have any information about him. It is a myth, and the story that on Walpurgis Night in 1966, Lavey announced the creation of the "church of Satan." In reality, during this time, LaVey was moonlighting by lecturing on the occult, which brought a very small income, and the future publisher of his books, Edward Weber, recommended that he create his own "church" in order to attract the attention of journalists. So in the summer of 1966, in announcements of his lectures, LaVey first began to call himself a "priest of the church of Satan." It is also a myth that LaVey was the technical consultant on Roman Polanski's "Rosemary's Baby" and also played the devil in it. In reality, according to the producers of this film, William Castle and Gene Gutowski, there were no "technical consultants" in the film. Moreover, Polanski and Lavey never knew each other. And the role of the devil in the film was played by an unknown young dancer. What did LaVey have to do with Rosemary's Baby anyway? In 1968, at the premiere of this film in San Francisco, the administration of the theater in which it was to be shown turned to LaVey with a request to advertise it, which LaVey did. Now about LaVey's famous book, The Satanic Bible. In the late sixties of the twentieth century in America there was a great interest in Satanism, and the publishing house Avon Books suggested that LaVey write a book on this topic. An agreement was signed, but LaVey did not have time to write a book by the deadlines stipulated in the agreement, and then he resorted to plagiarism. His The Satanic Bible contains borrowings from the following books: Ragnar Redbeard, Might is Right, Port Townsend: Loompanics (reprint), 1896, Aleister Crowley Equinox, Ein Rand, Atlas Shrugged. LaVey died not on October 31, 1997 on Halloween, as his followers claim, but on October 29, this is stated in death certificate No. 380278667, signed by Dr. Giles Miller.

Now let's look at how LaVey felt about religions. First of all, he believed that “Religions must be questioned. No moral dogma should be taken for granted, no rule of judgment should be deified. There is no primordial holiness in moral codes." And this position is not surprising, given that he believed that "man has always created gods, not they him"; “All religions of a spiritual nature are invented by man. With nothing more than his carnal brain, he created a whole system of gods. Man has an ego, his hidden "I" and, only because he is unable to come to terms with it, he is forced to isolate it outside himself in some great spiritual creature called "God". In fact, LaVey denied all world religions, considering only his own to be true. In particular, he wrote: “Eastern mystical beliefs have taught people to touch their navels with their heads, stand on their heads, stare at empty walls, avoid labels in everyday life, and limit themselves in every desire for material pleasures. However, I'm sure you've seen many so-called yogis with the same inability to quit smoking as everyone else, or "elevated" Buddhists, who become just as aroused as a "less distracted" person when they meet with a person of the opposite, and in some situations, of the same sex. However, when asked to explain the reason for their hypocrisy, these people retreat into the ambiguity that characterizes their faith - no one can condemn them without receiving direct answers. A simple fact in its essence - this type of people, turning to a faith that professes abstinence, comes to indulgence. Their forced masochism is the reason for choosing a religion that not only advocates self-denial, but encourages it and, moreover, gives them a consecrated way to express their masochistic needs. The more abuse they can tolerate, the "holier" they become. All religious people, with the exception of Satanists, are masochists for LaVey. Moreover, martyrdom for the faith, when people accept death in the name of devotion to God and unwillingness to betray Him, is also declared by LaVey to be a form of masochism. He wrote: "... to give one's own life for something not personal, such as a political or religious belief, is nothing but the highest manifestation of masochism." Whether LaVey classified his beliefs as "personal" or not is open to question. Would he be able to die for his faith, or would he cast it aside if necessary? However, if religion is perceived as a business project, then it is really stupid to die for such a religion.

Given that in Russia, the main opponent of Satanism is Christianity, it would be appropriate to pay special attention to the issue of LaVey's attitude to Christianity. Reading the "Satanic Bible", the author of the article was amazed at how you can distort and slander him. However, it is quite possible that this is due not only to LaVey's desire to belittle Christianity, but also to the elementary ignorance of the author of The Satanic Bible in this matter. In any case, the author will not only try to describe the main accusations made by LaVey against Christians, but also dare to give them his own assessment, and also to find out how well these accusations are valid. So how did LaVey feel about Christianity?

It is not difficult to guess that LaVey did not like Christianity. In his book The Satanic Bible, when talking about Christianity, he uses a technique that was actively used by militant atheists in the former Soviet Union, the essence of which is to profane Christianity, to present it in a grotesque form that has little in common with reality. Considering that the majority of LaVey's followers in our country have a vague idea of ​​Christianity (mostly young people), this technique works well. However, the war with "windmills" has always been a popular pastime for those who criticized Christianity. At least the author of the article, studying sectarian literature, is constantly faced with the situation of active struggle of various sectarian ideologists with their own invented “Christianity”. As for LaVey, he, first of all, considered Christians to be hypocrites. In particular, when he “worked” (did he work?) as a musician, then, according to his testimony: “... I saw men devouring the eyes of half-naked dancers at the carnival, and on Sunday morning, when I played the organ at the tent evangelists at the other end of the carnival, I saw the same men on the benches with their wives and children, and these men asked God to forgive them and cleanse from carnal desires. And the next Saturday evening, they were again at the carnival or elsewhere (I wonder if LaVey was at the carnival and at the “other place” at the same time? - V.P.), indulging their desires. Even then I knew that the Christian church flourished on hypocrisy, and human nature found a way out, despite all the tricks with which white-light religions burned and cleaned it out. It should be noted that hypocrisy is condemned, first of all, by Christians themselves. Many examples of his condemnation can be found in Holy Scripture (see: Matt. 6:2; 6:16; 15:7-9; Mark 12:15, etc.) . The apostle Paul wrote about human weakness: “For I do not understand what I am doing: because I do not what I want, but what I hate, I do” (Rom. 7:15). So LaVey did not discover anything new, and the fact that a person is weak is well known to Christians. If a person is weak, wouldn't it be wise to offer him a path in which he will become stronger? The path of struggle with passions is very difficult, and not everyone reaches its heights. But there are people who are at least trying to do it, and these are Christians. And there are people who “go with the flow” of their passions, considering themselves to be some kind of chosen ones. In fact, LaVey's philosophy is the philosophy of weak people. Any more or less significant achievement in this life requires work. Knowledge is given through work, achievements in sports also require work. Working on yourself is also work. LaVey, in fact, invites his followers to "go with the flow" of their passions. The path of LaVey is the path of a slave of passions. The path that turns a person into an animal, into a biological machine. However, this is not surprising, because for LaVey a person is just an “animal”. But where is freedom here? What is the strength and pride of Satanists here? That they satisfy animal instincts? Well, cows also live by “natural needs”, instincts, that's why they are cows. Therefore, the path of Satanism is the path of weak people who do not have enough strength to curb their own instincts, and who try to justify their weakness through the ideology set forth in books like LaVey's Satanic Bible.

The Satanic Bible states that: “… the churches based their teaching on the worship of the spirit and the denial of the flesh and the intellect. He (LaVey. - V.P.) realized the need for a church that would again raise the human mind and its carnal desires to the rank of objects of worship. I want to note that this statement is a lie. If LaVey had studied the Bible more carefully, he would have learned that it teaches otherwise, in particular it says: “When wisdom enters into your heart, and knowledge is pleasing to your soul, then discretion will protect you, understanding will guard you, in order to save you from the evil way, from the man who speaks lies” (Prov. 2: 10-12). Moreover, Christianity denies blind faith, the apostle Paul called on everyone to test and hold on to what is good (1 Thess. 5:21). And the denial of the flesh is not characteristic of Christians, but of the Manichaeans, with whom Christianity fought. The Manicheans considered matter to be an evil principle, which they fought, in particular, through the mortification of the flesh. Christians, on the contrary, rejected such ideas as the assertion that matter can be evil. What kind of matter is evil, if God has clothed himself in it? Matter was created by God, but God did not create anything evil (Gen. 1:31). The goal of ascetic practice in Christianity is not to fight the flesh for the sake of its destruction, that would be suicide, an unforgivable sin, but to curb passions, to control the flesh, which is far from the same thing.

LaVey claimed that “... Catholics believe that Protestants are doomed to perish in hell just because they do not belong to the Catholic Church. In the same way, many schismatic groups of the Christian faith, such as the evangelical… churches, believe that Catholics are pagans who worship idols.” Do Roman Catholics believe that Protestants will "perish in hell"? Satanists will have to be disappointed. The Roman Catholic Church considers Martin Luther (the founder of Protestantism) a heretic who was excommunicated, but does not believe that the fault of the fathers lies with the children. A person brought up in Protestantism is not responsible for Luther's personal guilt, and therefore will not burn in hell just because he was not born among Roman Catholics! So that the author’s statement does not sound unfounded, let the Roman Catholics themselves express their attitude towards the Protestants: “... those who believe in Christ and have received actual baptism are in some, albeit incomplete, communion with the Catholic Church ... justified by faith in baptism, they are united with Christ and, therefore, rightfully bear the name of Christians, and the sons of the Catholic Church correctly recognize their brothers in the Lord. ... Also, many of our brethren who are separated from us perform sacred rites of the Christian religion, which, in various ways, according to the various provisions of each Church or Community, without any doubt, can really give rise to a grace-filled life and it must be recognized that they are capable of opening access to communion in salvation". Now, regarding Protestants, do they consider Roman Catholics to be pagans? Considering that Protestantism is a very vague trend, we will talk about classical Protestants, Lutherans. Martin Luther was a very emotional person and allowed himself to speak very harshly about the Pope. Undoubtedly, this does not do him credit. In his letters, he even called him "antichrist". Although, as an excuse, it can be noted that at that time any controversy rarely did without swearing (such were the morals). In addition, as already mentioned above, Martin Luther was a very impulsive person, which could not but be reflected in the books and letters he wrote. As for the attitude of the Lutherans to the Roman Catholic Church, I want to upset the Satanists again, they do not consider Her pagan. However, let us give the floor to the Lutherans themselves: “Luther, who threw thunder and lightning into the Catholic Church of his day, the “Roman harlot,” never even thought that the baptism performed on him in this very church was not valid and required repetition. And subsequently, the Lutherans never, under any circumstances, allowed a second baptism. which would be impossible in principle if they considered Roman Catholics to be pagans.

LaVey did not like the Christian Sacrament of Repentance either. In particular, he wrote: “... even if a person has lived his life without following the laws of his faith, he can send for a priest in his last hour and perform his last repentance on his deathbed. A priest or a preacher will immediately come running and “settle” with God the issue of a pass to the Kingdom of Heaven ... ". Indeed, Christianity bears witness to a God of Love, a God who is merciful. God is not a judge who is subject to formal legislation and has no power over it, He is the Legislator! At the same time, He puts mercy above the law of formal justice. This is evident from the parable of the vinedressers (Matthew 20:1-15). God does not look at what kind of recompense should be given to a person for his deed, but at what a person is. He judges not by form, but by human essence. As for the Sacrament of Repentance, it is again presented in LaVey's work in a perverted form. Repentance is not a magical rite, as a result of which sins are automatically removed from a person, and he goes to heaven. The teachers are distorting the Christian doctrine in this way. At least, the Orthodox Church does not perceive this Sacrament in this way. The Sacrament of Repentance is much deeper than just a magical act, to which LaVey is accustomed. A Christian does not repent before a priest, but first of all before God, the priest is only a witness. It should also be noted that it is not the priest who forgives sins, but God. The priest only asks God for their forgiveness, but if God sees that there is no sincere repentance (and repentance is, first of all, a change of mind, an inner readiness to completely eliminate sin from one’s life), that a person has not changed internally, then there is no automatic removal of sins happens, and a person will not go to any paradise, no matter how many rites of confession he formally goes through.

LaVey also understood “original sin” in a very peculiar way. In particular, he wrote: “In order to insure the process of reproduction of mankind, nature has made lust the second most powerful instinct after self-preservation. Realizing this, the Christian church nevertheless made fornication an "original sin." Thus, it turns out that no one can escape sin. After all, the very fact of our existence is the result of sin - Original Sin. It should be noted that LaVey's statement is sheer nonsense. Unfortunately, there are no footnotes in his work and it is not clear whether he himself invented what he wrote about Christians, or picked up some sectarian literature, which is in abundance in America. In any case, as far as the author knows, neither Orthodox, nor Roman Catholics, nor Protestants (at least Lutherans) equate "original sin" with sex. Sex itself is not a sin, moreover, God blesses it in marriage (Gen. 1:28). Fornication is the betrayal of a loved one. A fornicator deprives himself of the fullness of spiritual unity (Matt. 19:6) with a loved one, and thereby cuts off the possibility of his spiritual growth, embarks on the path of degradation. In Christianity, the family is considered a small church, just as Jesus Christ is one with His Church, so the husband and wife should be one with each other. This unity spiritually replenishes the spouses, transfers them to a new spiritual quality, which is lost through fornication. But again, fornication and "original sin" are not the same thing, rather, fornication is a consequence of "original sin", but by no means an identical concept. As for the “original sin” itself, it consists in renunciation of God, in the desire to become “gods” without God by illegal magical means, in the desire to achieve this without spending any effort, and, above all, moral labor. The “original sin” manifests itself in people as a tendency to do sinful deeds. A vivid manifestation of "original sin" is the ideology of LaVey, in which, as he himself admitted, the main thing is not sex, but service to one's ego. So the problem of “original sin is not in sex, but in the relationship of man with God.

Interestingly understands Lavey and the Christian doctrine of an afterlife existence. He wrote: “Since the natural instincts of man lead him into sin, all people are sinners; and sinners go to hell. If we all go to hell, we will meet our friends there. Paradise, on the other hand, must be inhabited by very strange creatures, if all for which they led a righteous life on earth was to get to a place where they could spend all eternity strum the harps(highlighted by us. - V.P.) ". It should be noted that the "natural instincts" of a person cannot lead to either heaven or hell. The presence or absence of sinful aspirations leads there, i.e. "unnatural instincts". Sin is a renunciation of God, this is just an unnatural desire, and now it will really have a strong impact on the posthumous fate of all people. But Christians do not plan to “strum on harps”, and they don’t even imagine devils with frying pans in hell. Paradise is a state of being with God, but this is not a kind of sleep or a state of complete inactivity, or even more so “strumming harps”, no, on the contrary, it is an endless growth in the spirit through the knowledge of God, through personal communication with Him. As for hell, hell is a place devoid of light, a place where there is no God (although such a place is even possible!). In any case, hell is a place where God, by His grace, allows those who want to live without Him to live, to make this dream come true. Hell is a place where a person does not know peace, where he is tormented by unsatisfied passions, which LaVey so recommends to indulge. Passion can be satisfied as long as there is a body, there is no body - there is no satisfaction, and passion does not disappear with the death of the physical body. The hell that LaVey's disciples will fall into lies within themselves, although they don't realize it. In general, Christianity does not set itself the goal of drawing a map of heaven or hell, it pays more attention to issues of moral perfection. And how it will be, we will find out when we get there.

satanic bible

Cover of the English edition " satanic bible»

Satanism LaVey
Associated organizations
Church of Satan
First Satanic Church
Notable figures
Anton LaVey · Peter H. Gilmour
Diana Hegarty Karla LaVey
Concepts
Left hand path
Pentagonal revisionism
Suitheism Power is right
Lex talionis Theistic Satanism
Publications
satanic bible Satanic rituals
Satanic Witch · Devil's Notebook
Satan speaks! · Black flame
Church of Satan
The Secret Life of a Satanist
Satanic Scriptures

Story

The Satanic Bible was first published in 1969 by Avon Books and has been reprinted many times since. The main text has always remained the same, but the acknowledgments section has been changed from the very first edition (the first edition contained the famous extended acknowledgments section, later shortened), and the introduction has been replaced and supplemented several times. Burton Wolf ( Burton Wolfe), a journalist and member of the Church of Satan from its early days, is the author of the introduction that has been published in the book for many years. Peter Gilmour, now High Priest of the Church of Satan, wrote a new introduction that replaced Burton Wolfe's text and is now included in The Satanic Bible, beginning with . University Press published The Satanic Bible and The Satanic Rituals in hardcover, but these editions have been out of print for a long time and have become second-hand books (some copies on eBay sell for over $1,000).

Sections of The Satanic Bible

The Satanic Bible, in addition to an introduction written by other authors, is divided into four sections under the following titles:

Book of Satan

In this section, LaVey also coined for the first time the term psychic or spiritual vampire, which refers to people who "drain the life force from other people." Now this term, which can be considered a synonym for the phrase "energy vampire" (probably more commonly used in Russian), is included in the active vocabulary of many people. The author suggests avoiding any kind of relationship with psychic vampires who are trying to play on human guilt. At the conclusion of The Book of Lucifer, LaVey warns of "pseudo-Satanists."

Book of Belial

Table of Contents of The Satanic Bible

Chapter Chapter
Foreword
Prologue
The Nine Foundations of Satanism
(THE FIRE)
THE BOOK OF SATAN
- Infernal diatribe -
I
II
III
IV
V
(AIR)
THE BOOK OF LUCIFER
- Enlightenment -
I. Wanted!: God - dead or alive
II. The god you worship can be you
III. Some Signs of a New Satanic Age
IV. Hell, the Devil and how to sell your soul
V. Love and hate
VI. satanic sex
VII. Not all vampires suck blood
VIII. Indulgence...but not coercion
IX. On the issue of human sacrifice
X. Life after death through ego satisfaction
XI. Religious holidays
XII. Black mass
(EARTH)
THE BOOK OF BELIAL
- Power over the earth -
I. Theory and Practice of Satanic Magic
II. Three Types of Satanic Ritual
III. Ritual room, or room of intellectual emancipation
IV. Ingredients of Practicing Satanic Magic
1. Desire
2. Timing
3. Image
4. Direction
5. Balancing factor
V. Satanic Ritual
1. Some notes to consider before starting the ritual
2. Thirteen steps
3. Devices used in satanic rituals
(WATER)
THE BOOK OF LEVIATHAN
- Raging Sea -
I. Appeal to Satan
II. devilish names
III. Appeal aimed at challenging lust
IV. An Appeal for Destruction
V. An Appeal for Compassion
VI. Enochian Keys and the Enochian Language
First key
Second Key
Third key
Fourth Key
Fifth key
sixth key
seventh key
Eighth Key
ninth key
tenth key
Eleventh Key
Twelfth Key
Thirteenth key
Fourteenth Key
Fifteenth Key
sixteenth key
seventeenth key
eighteenth key
nineteenth key

see also

  • devilish names

Other books by A. S. LaVey

  • "Satanic Witch"
  • "Satanic Rituals"
  • "Devil's Notebook"
  • "Bible of the Damned"

Links

  • Church of Satan (English) - official site
  • The Satanic Bible, as well as the Eleven Earth Rules and the Nine Satanic Sins.
  • (M., 1996)
  • A. S. LaVey, "The Satanic Witch"
  • A. S. LaVey, "Satanism" () - a monograph, the material of which was included in the "Satanic Bible"
  • Interview with Peter Gilmour - author of the introduction to the latest edition of The Satanic Bible

Bibliography

  • LaVey, Anton Szandor. The Satanic Bible(Avon, 1969, ISBN 0-380-01539-0).
  • LaVey A. Sh. Satanic bible. Moscow: Unholy Words, Inc. (RCS), .

Satan has undoubtedly been the church's best friend in all of its history, keeping it in business all these years. The false doctrines of Hell and the Devil have been allowed to flourish too long by the Protestant and Catholic churches. Without a Devil to poke a finger at, the pious of the right path would have nothing to do but threaten their followers. "Satan leads us into temptation", "Satan is the Prince of Evil", "Satan is evil, cunning, cruel," they warn, "If you succumb to the temptation of the Devil, you will experience the torments of eternal damnation and will be roasted in hell."
The semantic meaning of the word Satan is "adversary", "enemy" or "accuser". The very word "Devil" comes from the Indian word "devi", which means "God". Satan represents the opposition to all religions that serve to destroy and suppress man for his natural instincts. Satan was given the role of an evil character simply because he personified all the carnal, earthly and bodily aspects of human life.
Satan, the supreme devil of the Western world, was originally an angel whose duty it was to report to God about human wrongdoings. Only from the XIV century, he began to be portrayed as an evil creature, half-man - half-animal with goat-like horns and hooves. Before Christianity gave him the names Satan, Lucifer, etc., the carnal side of human nature was dominated by a god called Dionysus or Pan and depicted as a satyr or faun by the ancient Greeks. Pan was originally a "good fellow" and symbolized fertility and fertility.
When a nation moves to a new form of government, the heroes of the past become the robbers of the present. The same with religion. The early Christians believed that the pagan gods were devils and to deal with them was to engage in "black magic". Miraculous celestial events they called "white magic" and this was the only difference between the two "kinds" of magic. The old gods did not die, they fell into Hell and became devils. Brownies, goblins and beeches (English - bogey, bugaboo), which frightened children, came from the words: Slavic "God" and Indian "Bhaga".
Many pleasures revered before the advent of Christianity were forbidden by the new religion. It took only slight modifications to turn Pan with his horns and cloven hooves into the most convincing devil! His attributes were also easily turned into punishable sins and the metamorphosis became complete.
The association of the goat with the Devil can be found in the Christian Bible. The holiest day of the year, the Day of Atonement, was celebrated by the sacrifice of two goats "without flaw", one of which was intended for the Lord, the other for Azazel. The last goat, which contained human sins, was served for dessert and was a "scapegoat". This is the origin of the goat used in today's ceremonies, just as in Egypt once a year it was offered as a sacrifice to God.
There are plenty of devils in humanity and, of course, they differ in their origin. The performance of the satanic ritual does not pursue the evocation of demons, this practice is followed by those who are afraid of the dark forces awakened by them.
Presumably, demons are evil spirits that have the ability to favor the corruption of people and events that they touch. The Greek word "demon" means "guardian spirit" or "source of inspiration" and, of course, theologians, legion after legion, invented these harbingers of inspiration - and all, to everything else, malevolent.
Evidence of the cowardice of the "wizards" of the right path is their practice of summoning the appropriate demon (which, presumably, is a smaller copy of the devil) to carry out their instructions. At the same time, they proceed from the fact that the demon, being the lackey of the devil, is more easily controlled. Occult folklore tells that only a very "protected" or insanely stupid sorcerer is able to think of calling the Devil himself.
The Satanist does not furtively summon these "unfinished" devils, but fearlessly awakens those who make up the infernal army of experienced rapists - THE DEVILS THEMSELF!
Theologians have cataloged some of the names of the devils in their lists of demons, but below is a list of the names most effectively used in satanic rituals. These are the names and brief references to the summoned gods and goddesses that make up most of the creatures that inhabit the Royal Infernal Palace:

THE FOUR CROWN PRINCES OF HELL

SATAN - (Hebrew) adversary, enemy, accuser, Lord of fire, Hell, South.

LUCIFER - (Latin) the bearer of light, enlightenment, the morning star, the Lord of the air and the East.

BELIAL - (Hebrew) without a master, the basis of the earth, independence, the Lord of the North.

LEVIATHAN - (Hebrew) serpent from the depths, Lord of the sea and the West.

DEVIL NAMES

(to avoid confusion, they are given in alphabetical order in the transcription of the original)

Abbadon (Abaddon, Abaddon) - (Hebrew) destroyer

Adramelech (Adramelech) - Sumerian devil

Ahpuch (Apuh) - the Mayan devil

Ahriman (Ahriman) - the Mazdaki devil

Amon (Amon) - Egyptian god of life and reproduction with a ram's head

Apollyon (Apollyon) - Greek synonym for Satan, archdevil

Asmodeus (Asmodeus) - the Jewish god of sensuality and luxury, originally - "judging being"

Astaroth (Astarte) - the Phoenician goddess of voluptuousness and lust, the equivalent of the Babylonian Ishtar

Azazel (Azazel) - (Hebrew) gunsmith, inventor of cosmetics

Baalberith (Baalberit) - Kanaan Lord of consent, later turned into a devil

Balaam (Valaam) - the Jewish devil of greed and greed

Baphomet (Baphomet) - the Templars worshiped him as the incarnation of Satan

Bast (Bast) - Egyptian goddess of pleasure, represented in the form of a cat

Beelzebub (Beelzebub) - (Hebrew) Lord of the Flies, taken from the symbolism of the scarab

Behemoth (Behemoth) - the Jewish personification of Satan in the form of an elephant

Beherith (Begerit) - Syriac name of Satan

Bile (Vil) - Celtic God of Hell

Chemosh (Chemosh) - the national god of the Moabites, later - the devil

Cimeries (Kimmeris) - sits on a black horse and rules over Africa

Coyote (Coyote) - Devil of the American Indians

Dagon (Dagon) - Philistine vengeful god of the sea

Damballa (Damballa) - the snake god of voodooism

Demogorgon (Demogorgon) - the Greek name for the devil, should not be known to mortals

Diabulus (Devil) - (Greek) "flowing down"

Dracula (Dracula) - Romanian name for the devil

Emma-O (Emma-O) - Japanese ruler of Hell

Euronimus (Euronymus) - Greek prince of death

Fenriz (Fenritz) - the son of Loki, depicted as a wolf

Gorgo (Gorgon) - decrease. from Demogorgon, the Greek name for the devil

Haborym (Haborim) - Hebrew synonym for Satan

Hecate (Hecate) - Greek goddess of the underworld and witchcraft

Ishtar (Ishtar) - Babylonian goddess of fertility

Kali (Kali) - (Hindi) daughter of Shiva, high priestess of the Tuggians

Lilith (Lilith) - Jewish devil, the first wife of Adam

Loki (Loki) - Teutonic devil

Mammon (Mammon) - Aramaic god of wealth and profit

Mania (Mania) - the goddess of Hell among the Etruscans

Mantus (Mantu) - the god of Hell among the Etruscans

Marduk (Marduk) - God of the City of Babylon

Mastema (Mastema) - a Jewish synonym for Satan

Melek Taus (Melek Taus) - Yizid devil

Mephistopheles (Mephistopheles) - (Greek) one who avoids light, see also Goethe's Faust

Metztli (Metztli) - Aztec goddess of the night

Mictian (Miktian) - Aztec god of death

Midgard (Midgard) - the son of Loki, depicted as a snake

Milcom (Milcom) - ammonite devil

Moloch (Moloch) - Phoenician and Canaanite devil

Mormo (Mormo) - (Greek) King of the Vampires, husband of Hecate

Naamah (Naama) - Jewish she-devil of seduction

Nergal (Nergal) - Babylonian god of Hades

Nihasa (Nihaza) - Devil of the American Indians

Nija (Nidza) - Polish god of the underworld

O-Yama (O-Yama) - the Japanese name for Satan

Pan (Pan) - the Greek god of lust, later placed in the devil's retinue

Pluto (Pluto) - Greek god of the underworld

Proserpine (Proserpine) - Greek queen of the underworld

Pwcca (Pakka) - Welsh name for Satan

Rimmon (Rimmon) - Syrian devil worshiped in Damascus

Sabazios (Shavasius) - Phrygian origin, identified with Dionysus, snake worship

Saitan (Saitan) - Enochian equivalent of Satan

Sammael (Sammael) - (Hebrew) "God's malice"

Samnu (Samnu) - the devil of the peoples of Central Asia

Sedit (Sedit) - the devil of the American Indians

Sekhmet (Sekhmet) - Egyptian goddess of revenge

Set (Set) - Egyptian devil

Shaitan (Shaitan) - Arabic name of Satan

Shiva (Shiva) - (Hindi) destroyer

Supay (Supai) - Indian god of the underworld

T "an-mo (Tian-mo) - the Chinese counterpart of the devil, the god of greed and passion

Tchort (Damn) - Russian name for Satan, "black god"

Tezcatlipoca (Tezcatlipoca) - Aztec God of Hell

Thamuz (Tamuz) - Sumerian god, later attributed to the retinue of the Devil

Thoth (Thoth) - Egyptian god of magic

Tunrida (Tunrida) - Scandinavian devil

Typhon (Typhoon) - Greek personification of Satan

Yaotzin (Yaotsin) - Aztec God of Hell

Yen-lo-Wang (Yen-lo-Wang) - Chinese ruler of Hell

The devils of the religions of the past always have, at least in part, animal qualities - proof of man's constant need to deny that he is such an animal, for the recognition of this would do great damage to his emaciated ego.

The pig was despised by the Jews and Egyptians. She symbolized such gods as Frey, Osiris, Adonis, Persephone, Attis and Demeter, and was sacrificed to Osiris and the Moon. However, over time, she was turned into a trait. The Phoenicians worshiped the fly god Baal, from whom another devil comes - Beelzebub. Both Baal and Beelzebub were identified with the dung beetle or scarab, as the Egyptians called it, which was credited with the ability to self-resurrection, as well as the mythical Phoenix bird, which rose from its own ashes. The ancient Jews, thanks to their contacts with the Persians, believed that the two most important driving forces in the world are Ahura Mazda - the god of goodness, fire and light; and Ahriman the serpent god of darkness, destruction, death and evil. These and countless other examples not only show us the devils invented by man in animal form, but also show the need to make sacrifices to please the new religions of the original gods-beasts and turn them into devils.
During the Reformation, in the 16th century, the doctor and alchemist Johann Faust discovered a way to summon the demon Mephistopheles from hell and made a pact with him. He signed a document with blood, in which he undertook to transfer his soul to Mephistopheles in exchange for a feeling of youth, and at that very hour he became young. When it came time to pay the bill, Faust was torn to pieces in his room, as if by an explosion in a laboratory. This story is a protest of the times (XVI century) against science, chemistry and magic.
In order to become a Satanist, it is not at all necessary to sell your soul to the Devil or enter into an agreement with Satan. This terrible tale was invented by Christianity so that people would not fight back from the flock. With pointing fingers and trembling voices, the priests taught their parishioners that if they succumbed to the temptations of Satan and lived their lives in accordance with their natural inclinations, they would have to pay for their sinful pleasures with the transfer of souls to Satan and eternal torment in Hell. People were forced to believe that a spotless soul was a ticket to eternal life.
The hypocritical prophets taught people to be afraid of Satan. But what about such terms as "God-fearing"? If God is so merciful, then why should people be afraid of him? Is it really possible to believe that there is simply nowhere to go from fear? If it is necessary to fear God, then why not stop being "Satan-fearing" and, at least, enjoy at least the denial of your God-fear? Without this all-encompassing fear, the pious would have nothing to maintain their influence over the parishioners.
The Teutonic goddess of death and daughter of Loki was named Hela, the pagan god of torture and punishment. Another letter "l" was added to her name during the writing of the books of the Old Testament. The Evangelists did not know the word "Hell" (Hell (English) - hell) and used the Hebrew word "Sheol", the Greek "Hades" (grave) and "Tartaros" (the lower world, the underground dwelling of the fallen angels), as well as the Hebrew word " Gehenna" (the name of a valley near Jerusalem where Moloch ruled and garbage was burned - that's where the Christian church developed the idea of ​​"fire and brimstone" in Hell).
Hell, in the view of Protestants and Catholics, is a place of eternal punishment; however, Catholics believe that there is a "Purgatory", where after death all souls go for a while, and "Limbo" (the threshold of Hell), where all unbaptized souls find themselves. Buddhist Hell is divided into eight parts, the first seven of which can be avoided through atonement. The ecclesiastical description of Hell presents it as a terrible place of fire and torment; Dante sees the Inferno and the Hell of the northern peoples as a cold, icy area, a giant refrigerator. (With their threats of eternal damnation and roasting the soul in Hell, Christian missionaries faced a complete misunderstanding of some peoples who did not want to assimilate their nonsense. Pleasure and pain, like beauty, are in the eye of the beholder. For example, when the missionaries who arrived in Alaska , began to frighten the Eskimos with the fiery horrors of Hell and the flaming lakes awaiting sinners, they impatiently asked: "How can we get there as soon as possible?")
Most Satanists do not accept Satan as an anthropomorphic creature with cloven hooves, a tufted tail and horns. He simply personifies the forces of nature - the Forces of Darkness, so named only because no religion has bothered to take these forces from darkness. Science has also failed to apply technical terminology to these forces. They are like a vessel without a tap, which very few people have used, because not everyone has the ability to use the tool without first taking it apart and not naming all the parts that make it work. It is this constant desire to analyze everything that prevents many people from taking advantage of this multifaceted key to the unknown - which the Satanists have given the name - "Satan".
Satan as a god, demigod, personal savior, or in whatever role you would not like to see him, was invented by all the founders of all religions with one single purpose - to rule over human sins, the so-called unclean deeds and places on earth. Everything expressed in physical or spiritual satisfaction was defined as "evil", thus providing everyone for life with the sin of illicitness!
But since they called us "evil", we are evil - and so what? The age of Satan is upon us! Why not take advantage of its benefits and LIVE? (In the original footnote: LIVE (to live) means EVIL (evil) on the contrary.)

LOVE AND HATE

Satan represents mercy to those who deserve it, instead of love wasted on flatterers!

You can't love everyone; it would be ridiculous to think that this is possible. If you love everyone and everything, then you lose your natural ability to choose and turn into a bad judge of characters and qualities. If something is used too freely, it simply loses its true meaning. Therefore, the Satanist believes in loving deeply and fully those who deserve your love, but never turning the other cheek to your enemy!
Love is one of the strongest emotions experienced by a person; in second place after it is hatred. Forcing yourself to feel love indiscriminately is highly unnatural. By trying to love everyone, you only diminish your feelings for those who need it. Suppressed hatred can lead to many physical and emotional disorders. By learning to release your hatred towards those who deserve it, you will cleanse yourself of malignant emotions and the need to unleash your pent-up hatred on your loved ones.
It should be noted that in the history of the world there have not yet been great "love" movements that did not end with the murder of innumerable people just to prove to them how loved they are! All the hypocrites of this earth always have their pockets full of love!
Every Pharisaic pious who affirms that one must love one's enemy, even when offended by him, consoles himself with the thought that God's punishment will befall his enemy. Instead of admitting to themselves that they themselves are capable of hating their opponents and treating them appropriately, they say: "So it's God's will" and "pray" for them. Why humiliate yourself by pursuing such an inaccurate policy?
Satanism has always been attached to ruthlessness and cruelty, but only because people were afraid to face the truth, and the truth is that human beings are not at all so kind and not so loving. Just because a Satanist recognizes himself as capable of both love and hate, he is considered malevolent. However, on the contrary, precisely because he is able to release his rage through ritual expression, he is much more capable of love - a deeper love. Sincerely recognizing and acknowledging the love and hate that he is able to feel, he cannot confuse one for the other. Those who cannot experience one of these feelings cannot FULLY experience the other.

SATANIC SEX

A lot of controversy has been raised around satanic views on "free love". It is often assumed that sexual activity is the most important factor in the satanic religion and that a predisposition to engage in sex orgies is a prerequisite to becoming a Satanist. In fact, nothing is further from the truth! In reality, opponents of our religion, who do not have an interest in it deeper than sexual aspects, are very discouraged.
Satanism promotes sexual freedom, but only in the true sense of the word. Free love, in the satanic sense, can mean the freedom to be faithful to one person or to give free rein to your sexual passions with as many people as you think is necessary to satisfy your individual needs.
Satanism does NOT condone origastic activity or extramarital affairs for those for whom it is not a natural inclination. For too many it would be unnatural and detrimental to be unfaithful to one's chosen ones. For others, sexual attachment to one person would be a disappointment. Everyone must decide for himself what form of sexual activity best suits his individual needs. It is self-deceptive to incline oneself to adultery, or to sleep with others before marriage only in order to prove to others (and even worse, to oneself) one's liberation from sexual obligations. It is just as wrong by satanic standards as it is to leave any of your sexual needs unsatisfied due to lingering guilt complexes.
Many of those who are constantly preoccupied with demonstrating their liberation from the guilt complex are actually more sexually bound than those who simply accept their activity as a natural part of life and do not make much noise about their sexual liberation. Thus, for example, it is a long established fact that a nymphomaniac woman (the dream of every man and the heroine of all smutty novels) is not actually sexually free, but frigid and wandering from man to man, too preoccupied to ever find liberation. in sex.
Another misconception is the idea that the ability to participate in a gangbang indicates sexual freedom. All modern free-sex groups have one thing in common - they shut themselves off from fetishistic and deviant activities.
But, the most striking examples of non-fetishistic activity, slightly disguised as "freedom", have one thing in common. All participants in the orgy take off their clothes, following the example of the leader, and enter into a relationship, also following his example. None of them realize that their "liberated" form of sex may seem limited and infantile to those who cannot equate monotony with freedom.
The Satanist realizes that if he wants to be a connoisseur of sex (and truly free from a guilt complex), he can be held back by the so-called sex revolutionaries, as well as the feigned shame of a society afflicted with a guilt complex. Free sex clubs lack real sexual freedom. Only if sexual freedom cannot be expressed individually (which includes personal fetishes) does the need to participate in sexual orgies arise.
Satanism tolerates any form of sexual activity that properly satisfies your needs - be it heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual or even asexual - as you choose. Satanism also favors any fetish or deviance that enhances or enriches your sexual performance, as long as it doesn't involve anyone unwilling to take part.
The prevalence of deviant or fetishistic behaviors in our society might shock the imagination of the sexually naive. There are many more options for sexual activity than an unenlightened person can think of: transvestism, sadism, masochism, urolagnia, exhibitionism - these are just a few of the most common. Everyone has a fetish in some form, but because many people are unaware of the prevalence of fetish activities in our society, they feel corrupted by their "unnatural" desires.

Footnote: Fetishism is practiced not only by humans, but also by animals.

Fetish is an integral part of the sexual life of animals. Sexual scent, for example, is necessary for one animal to be sexually aroused by another. Laboratory experiments have shown that an artificially odorless animal loses its sexual appeal to other animals. The stimulation achieved by a sexual fragrance brings pleasure to a person despite the fact that he often denies it.

Even an asexual person has a sexual deviation - his asexuality. Much more abnormal is the lack of sexual desire (except in cases of illness, old age, or other GOOD reason that caused it to decline) than promiscuity. However, if a Satanist prefers sexual sublimation to open expression of passion, that is entirely his business. In many cases of sexual sublimation (or asexuality), a careless attempt at sexual development can be devastating to the asexual.
Asexuals find an outlet for their sexual energy in a wide variety of ways, such as work or hobbies. All the forces and interest directed by a normal person to sexual activity are devoted to other pastimes and activities. If a man prefers other interests to sexual activity, that is his right and no one is allowed to judge him for it. However, a person must at the same time, at least, be aware that this is a sexual sublimation.
Due to the lack of suitable occasions for expression, many sexual desires never go beyond sexual fantasies. The lack of an exit often leads to coercion and, therefore, a very large number of people invent ways invisible to others to get out of their desires. Just because most fetishistic activity is not outwardly visible, a sexually naive person should not be deceived by the thought that such activity does not exist. One need only give examples of some tricks: transvestite men find pleasure in their fetish, putting on women's underwear, going about their daily business; a masochist can wear a rubber belt a few sizes smaller, again to enjoy discomfort throughout the day; and no one suspects any of this. These illustrations are some of the most banal examples that could be given.
Satanism favors any form of sexual expression that you find most acceptable to you, as long as it DOES NOT HARM ANYONE. This provision should be clarified in order to avoid misinterpretation. Non-harm to another does not include inadvertently hurting those who may disagree with your views on sex because of THEIR personal views on sexual morality. Naturally, you must avoid insulting the views of those who are dear to you - for example, too scrupulous friends or relatives.
However, if you sincerely seek to avoid harming them, but despite your efforts, they accidentally learn the truth, you cannot be held responsible and therefore should not feel guilty either for your beliefs or for the pain caused by your beliefs. If you are in constant fear of offending scrupulous people with your views on sex, then there is no point in trying to emancipate yourself from a guilt complex, just as there is no point in flaunting your sexual permissiveness.
Another exception to the rule applies to associations with masochists. The masochist takes pleasure in the pain CAUSED TO HIM; so depriving the masochist of his pleasure through pain causes him as much harm as real physical pain to the non-masochist. The case of a truly violent sadist illustrates this example: A masochist asks a sadist to beat him, to which the ruthless sadist answers "no!" If a person wants to be hurt and enjoys suffering, then there is no reason to refuse him this pleasure.
The term "sadist" broadly describes someone who takes pleasure in indiscriminate cruelty. However, I think a REAL sadist is picky. He carefully selects from a vast supply of suitable victims and takes great delight in fulfilling the desires of those who desire suffering. A good sadist is a real epicurus in choosing those on whom you can properly pour out your emotions! If a person is healthy enough to admit that he is a masochist and enjoy being enslaved and beaten, a real sadist is only too happy to help him with this!
Except for the above exceptions, a Satanist must not intentionally harm others by violating their sexual freedoms. If you are trying to pour out your passion on those who do not welcome your inclinations, you are infringing on THEIR sexual freedoms. Thus, Satanism does not advocate rape, child molestation, the sexual desecration of animals, or any other form of sexual activity that involves the participation of those who are unwilling to participate or whose innocence or naivety allows them to be intimidated and misled into doing anything other than their own. will.
If all those who take part in sexual activity are mature and adult people who consciously take full responsibility for their actions and voluntarily take part in any form of this activity - EVEN IF IT IS A GENERALLY RECOGNIZED TABOO - then there is no reason for them to suppress their inclinations.
If you are aware of all the results, implications, and inconveniences, and are confident that your actions will not harm anyone who does not want or deserve to be offended, then there is no reason to suppress your sexual preferences.
Just as no two people are the same when it comes to choosing the amount of food they eat, sexual appetites differ from person to person. Neither the individual nor society is given the right to set limits on sexual standards or the frequency of sexual activity. Appropriate behavior can only be condemned in the context of each individual situation. Therefore, what is considered right from the sexual and moral points of view of one person may be humiliating for another. The rule also has the reverse effect: a person may be distinguished by great sexual prowess, but he is not allowed to belittle others whose sexual abilities may not correspond to his own and, it would be rash to impose his opinion on others, such as a husband with an insatiable sexual appetite, whose needs wives do not match his own. It would be unfair to expect her to be enthusiastic in response to his claims; but she must show the same degree of concern. In cases where she does not feel great passion, she should either passively but LOVELY accept him sexually, or not complain if he chooses to find an outlet for his desires elsewhere - including autoerotic practice.
Relationships are ideal when people have deep love for each other and are sexually compatible. However, such relationships are relatively rare. It is important to note that spiritual and carnal love can go hand in hand, but this does not always happen. If there is a measure of sexual compatibility, it is often limited and some, though not all, sexual desires will be satisfied.
There is no stronger sexual pleasure than that achieved by interacting with someone you love deeply, especially with a good sexual match. If you are not sexually suited to another, then it should be noted that the lack of sexual compatibility does not indicate the absence of spiritual love. A person can, and this often happens, exist without others. Typically, one of the partners switches to outside activities BECAUSE he feels deep love for his beloved and does not want to harm or belittle him. Strong spiritual love is enriched by sexual love, which is no doubt a necessary ingredient in any satisfying relationship; but because of the difference in sexual tastes, third-party sexual activity or masturbation brings the necessary support and release.
Masturbation, perceived as taboo by many people, creates guilt complexes that are not easy to deal with. This point should be emphasized, as it is a very important part of many successful magical deeds.
Ever since the Judeo-Christian Bible described Onan's sin (Genesis 38:7-10), man has been preoccupied with the seriousness of the consequences of "solitary sin." Even though modern sexologists have explained that Onan's "sin" is nothing more than coitus interruptus, the great damage done over the centuries by theological misinterpretation continues to plague people in our time.
Apart from actual sexual crimes, masturbation is one of the most resentful of any other sexual activity. During the last century, innumerable treatises have described the terrible consequences of onanism. Virtually all physical and mental illnesses have been attributed to masturbation. Pale appearance, difficulty in breathing, sunken chest, nervousness, pimples, and loss of appetite are just some of the characteristics allegedly attributed to masturbation; complete physical and spiritual degradation was promised to those who did not follow the instructions for young people.
The tragic descriptions found in these texts would seem almost humorous were it not for the unfortunate fact that, despite the fact that modern sexologists, doctors and writers have done much to remove the stigmata of masturbation, deeply rooted guilt complexes have been only partially erased. Most people, especially those over forty, cannot emotionally accept the fact that masturbation is natural and healthy, even if they accept it intellectually. Among other things, they, although often subconsciously, pass on this disgust to their children.
Despite numerous denials, it used to be thought, and still is still thought, that a person can go crazy if he constantly practices auto-eroticism. This ridiculous myth grew out of considerations about the widespread masturbation among patients in psychiatric hospitals. It was believed that since terminally ill people masturbated, it was masturbation that drove them to insanity. No one even thought about the fact that the absence of sexual partners of the opposite sex and liberation from prohibitions, which are the characteristics of real madness, become the real reason for such practices for the insane.
Many people would rather have their partners look for sexual contacts on the side than perform auto-erotic acts, but the reason for this is their own complexes. They are afraid that they will have to take part in masturbation or for fear of being disgusted with their partners, despite the fact that in the surprising majority of cases new sensations are achieved from the mere realization that a partner has an affair with strangers, although this is rarely admitted.
If arousal is achieved by the realization that a partner is sexually involved with other people, this should be done in the open so that both parties can benefit from this activity. However, if the ban on masturbation comes from one or both parties only because of a guilt complex, then they should make every effort to erase these complexes - or use them. Many relationships could be saved from destruction if their participants did not suffer from complexes regarding the commission of a natural act of masturbation.
Masturbation is seen as evil because it produces pleasure derived from intentionally caressing "forbidden" parts of the body with one's own hands. The guilt complexes that accompany many sexual acts can be mitigated by religiously acceptable assertions that sensual pleasures are necessary for procreation; these self-consolations work even when you carefully follow the calendar of "safe" days. However, this logical explanation does not bring peace to the practice of masturbation.
No matter what you have heard about the "immaculate conception" - even if your blind faith allows you to swallow this nonsense - you know perfectly well that in order for YOU to have a child, you must have sexual intercourse with a person of the opposite sex! If you experience a guilt complex for committing "original sin", then you will no doubt feel even deeper guilt for performing sexual intercourse ONLY for self-gratification, with no intention of procreating.
The Satanist understands perfectly well why the pious declare masturbation "sinful". Like all natural acts, it will be done by people, no matter how severe the persecution. Inducing guilt is an important part of their sinister scheme to oblige people to atone for their "sins" by offering sacrifices to temperance temples!
Even if a person is no longer weighed down by the burden of the complex caused by religious beliefs (or thinks so), he still feels shame, succumbing to the desire for masturbation. A man may feel deprived of his masculinity by gratifying himself instead of participating in the competition or hunting for a woman. A woman, in turn, may satisfy herself sexually, but languish in the satisfaction of her ego, which comes from such a sport as seduction. Neither the pseudo-Casanova nor the imaginary seductress feel satisfaction, "descending" to masturbation; both would prefer the wrong partner. From a satanic point of view, it is much better to engage in a perfect fantasy than to engage in unsatisfying intercourse with another person. In addition, when masturbating, you are in complete control of the situation.
To illustrate the indisputability of the fact that masturbation is a normal and healthy act, suffice it to say that it is performed by almost all members of the animal kingdom. Children would also follow their INSTINCTIVE masturbatory desires IF NOT scolded by their indignant parents, who were no doubt punished by THEIR parents, and so on down the line.
It is sad but true that the sexual complexes of parents are immutably transmitted to their children. To save our children from the unfortunate fate of our parents, grandparents, and perhaps ourselves. The perverted moral codes of the past must be declared for what they really are - pragmatically composed sets of rules that, if diligently followed, will lead to the complete extinction of mankind. Unless we rise above the ridiculous rules of sexual behavior in our society, including the so-called sexual revolution, the neuroses caused by these suffocating restrictions will continue. Adherence to the prudent and humane new morality of Satanism can and will develop a society in which our children have the opportunity to grow up healthy and free from the destructive moral entanglements of the current diseased society.

edited news Core - 20-03-2011, 11:29

The 624-page manuscript of the Devil's Bible weighs 75 kilograms, its wooden covers measure 92 by 50 centimeters, and 160 donkey skins were used to make the book.

The Bible was created at the turn of the twelfth and thirteenth centuries by a certain monk who was allegedly assisted in writing by the devil (hence the name of the manuscript). According to legend, the monk, in order to atone for his sins, promised to write a book in one night. When the monk realized that this was impossible, he asked the devil for help.

“The manuscript, most likely, was written by a monk from a Benedictine monastery in the city of Podlajice, located 100 km from Prague, somewhere at the beginning of the 13th century,” says Zdeněk Uhlir, a specialist in medieval manuscripts of the National Library of the Czech Republic, quoted by RBC. According to the expert, the monk wrote the manuscript for 10-12 years. Initially, the text consisted of 640 pages; 624 pages have been preserved in good condition.

The book contains the Old and New Testaments, the texts of the "Etymology" of Isidore of Seville, the "Jewish War" of Josephus Flavius, the so-called "Mirror of the Sinner" (a collection of instructive and entertaining example stories for preachers), a list of the Cosmic Chronicle, various forms of conspiracies and a calendar with a synodic (indicating the days of saints).

On page 290 of the book, which contains texts sacred to all Christians, none other than the devil is depicted. It is also noteworthy that several pages before and after this "portrait" have a darker shade, and the style of writing differs from that of the rest of the texts.

According to legend, this work appeared in a Benedictine monastery in the Czech city of Podlajice as a result of a conspiracy of one of the novices with a fallen angel. The monk, who was guilty before the abbots, in order to avoid punishment, volunteered for the glory of the monastery not only to write the best Bible in just one night, but also to decorate it with drawings. Closer to midnight, realizing that he could not cope with his obligations, the novice turned to the evil one with a request for help. In return, he promised to give his soul and depict the devil on one of the pages. What happened later with the zealous novice, the legend is silent. The Inquisition, already active in the first half of the 13th century, was aware of what had happened, but did not take any active steps. Not only was this work not destroyed, like many manuscripts that were much less provocative from the point of view of the medieval Roman Catholic Church, but it was carefully kept for several centuries in various monastic libraries. In 1594 he "settled" in the collection of the Hungarian king Rudolf II. During the Thirty Years' War, which raged across Europe in the first half of the 17th century, the "Devil's Bible" was captured by the Swedes and taken to Stockholm as a war trophy. Since then, she has left Sweden only a few times for exhibitions in Berlin and New York.

If this story is a legend, then the demonic drawing is a fact. One and a half meter Satan is drawn on the 290th page of the notorious Code. A few pages before this drawing are covered in ink, and after the graffiti depicting Satan, the next 8 pages of text have been removed. Who did this is still shrouded in secrecy. The "Damn Bible", contrary to vague legends, has never been banned. Moreover, several generations of young monks studied Holy Scripture on it.

In those days, monasteries were the only storehouses of knowledge. Ancient writings were studied there, and what should be passed on to future generations was written down. Codex Gigas, which in Latin means just a "giant book", is located in one of the monasteries of Czech Bohemia. Its dimensions are really amazing: height 89.5 cm, width 49 cm and thickness 22 cm. The mysterious letters are hidden in a wooden cover. Each letter is written with a pen and ink made from soot, applied in twilight light on a dried animal skin. This, above all, explains the value of a rare book.

Now the "Devil's Bible", hidden under bulletproof glass, is exhibited in the Prague gallery Klementinum. The treasure of the national culture only temporarily visits its historical homeland. During the Thirty Years' War, in 1649, the Swedes took her as a trophy with them to Stockholm. That's where she should go back. Only specialists from the Swedish Royal Library have the opportunity to leaf through the pages of the sensational book - after putting on gloves on their hands.