Satan rising
Only destruction ensues from the rejection objective morality
One of the artifices of Satan is, to induce men to believe that he does not exist: another, perhaps equally fatal, is to make them fancy that he is obliged to stand quietly by, and not to meddle with them, if they get into true silence. - John Wilkinson, Quakerism Examined
From the infamous Salem witch trials in the 1690s to the ritual abuse scares of the 1980s, Americans always feared, to some degree or another, Satan. Classical literature is littered with not only references to Old Scratch, but with (mistaken) devilish depictions of a demon with beard, horns, and a tail, garbed in red and wielding a pitchfork. Most, like The Devil and Tom Watson, by Washington Irving, offered grave warnings against aligning oneself with that serpent of old. Those who would contravene such wisdom would not admit so publicly. Instead, anyone who would bow a knee to the devil did so only privately or with others of the same ethos. The idea of Satan-worship was strictly taboo. Some might go so far as to argue that, akin to J.K. Rowling’s Voldemort, Satan was the original “He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named.”
Along those lines, many have heard the quote from Charles Baudelaire that states, “the greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn’t exist.” This is a somewhat inexact translation of a line from his tale, “Le Joueur Généraux” (“The Generous Gambler”) published in 1864 in French in a Paris newspaper. The concept does not, however, appear to have originated with Baudelaire. John Wilkinson in an 1836 book titled Quakerism Examined: In a Reply to the Letter of Samuel Tuke wrote, “one of the artifices of Satan is, to induce men to believe that he does not exist…” This idea has often been lauded as true among Christians, but there is a small problem: this is not Satan’s modus operandi. Satan has never hidden his existence. Instead, as the Bible warns, “be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Pet. 5:8). He may disguise himself, make himself and his agenda more appealing to the eye, even present himself as an angel of light (2 Cor. 11:14), but he doesn’t bother trying to erase himself - he is far too proud for such a tactic. Instead, he finds those who will follow, even if while using his name, they deny his existence.
Take for example Aleister Crowley who, in the early twentieth century, founded Thelema (which in Greek refers to the will). Thelema was somewhat of a trial run for the transition of Satanism into the mainstream. Followers of Thelema were taught that they possessed a “True Will”, apart from the ordinary wants or desires, that embodied their true purpose in life. Thus, one was to pursue their own will and discard accepted morality because, according to Crowley, “Ordinary morality is only for ordinary people.” Some claim Crowley did not believe in a personal Satan, however, Crowley is quoted as saying, “I was not content to believe in a personal devil and serve him, in the ordinary sense of the word. I wanted to get hold of him personally and become his chief of staff.” Still, Thelema did not explicitly endorse worship of a specific being named Satan nor is such found in Crowley’s writings. Instead, Crowley fused occult practices from several sources into his magick (Crowley used this alternate spelling of “magic” to allegedly differentiate between that which he practiced and “stage magic”), which he asserted could be used to help a person realize his or her True Will. Despite the lack of manifest mention of Satan in his writings, Thelema set the stage for less subtle satanic successors.
In 1966, Anton LaVey took the torch from Crowley and founded the Church of Satan. LaVey, who was raised in California (would this really surprise anyone), began his “church” in San Francisco (at the risk of being redundant, ummm, surprise?). This group sees man as little more than an animal, and subjugates Satan to a symbol of “pride, liberty, and individualism.” They aver adherence to atheism, that any external god is just something created by man; therefore, from their perspective, worshipping such a god is to worship the one who created it. They also embrace the principle that every man is his own god, placing man “at the center of his own subjective universe as his own highest value,” ironically overlooking that, in light of their statement about the creation of external gods, they worship at the altar of self (which they admit). In accordance with this doctrine, the eighth of LaVey’s “Nine Satanic Statements,” the foundational tenets of LaVey’s satanism, states that “Satan represents all of the so-called sins, as they all lead to physical, mental, or emotional gratification!“ Though denying the existence of a personal being called Satan, and contending that the supernatural does not exist, the Church of Satan endorses the use of ritual magic in order to obtain your goals and desires, to influence the atmosphere around you. He included symbolism, including the “Sigil of Baphomet,” which was not at the time yet associated with satanism. The sigil is what most people know as a pentagram, one that is usually, or had at one time, been associated with black magic - an image of a goat head in an upside-down star. According to their own documents, the Testament of Solomon states that Solomon had a ring bearing the pentagram which allowed him to summon demons to do his bidding. They go further stating that the pentagram has different meanings depending upon which direction the point of the star is oriented. They cite the writings of occultist Stanislas de Guaita that, in its downward-facing position, as the CoS uses it, it is “a symbol of iniquity, perdition, and blasphemy: its two points in the air become the horns of the foul Goat threatening Heaven…” Their description continues that, as LaVey delved into the “Black Arts,” he came across the symbol, and that “the goat’s or ram’s head within it refers to the Goat of Mendes, a symbol of the Egyptian Neter Amon, who was called ‘the hidden one, he who abides in all things, the soul of all phenomena’ and is thus the closest Neter to the Dark Force which is seen to permeate and motivate all nature.” For a group that claims atheism and disbelief in greater powers, they embrace quite a lot that implies a belief in other-worldly beings and authorities.
Next arose the Satanic Temple. Founded in 2013 by Lucien Greaves in (of all places) Salem, Massachusettes, the Satanic Temple likewise asserts itself to be rationalistic and non-theistic. According to the FAQ on their website:
Do you worship Satan?
No, nor do we believe in the existence of Satan or the supernatural. The Satanic Temple believes that religion can, and should, be divorced from superstition. As such, we do not promote a belief in a personal Satan. To embrace the name Satan is to embrace rational inquiry removed from supernaturalism and archaic tradition-based superstitions. Satanists should actively work to hone critical thinking and exercise reasonable agnosticism in all things. Our beliefs must be malleable to the best current scientific understandings of the material world — never the reverse.
Unlike the Church of Satan, the Satanic Temple is a truly organized “religion,” sporting its very own federal 501(c)(3) status. Like many leftist organizations, and the satanic “religions” that preceded it, much of the beliefs of the Satanic Temple, when boiled down, has to do with sex and sexuality. In an essay written by Greaves to contrast the CoS with the ST, he states, “The voice of God which tells us to subdue our baser, primal, carnal instincts — Satanic temptations — for a transcendent purity which grants a blissful (though possibly still sexless) eternal afterlife.” Notice the false dichotomy; for Greaves, “transcendent purity” necessarily implies a “sexless” existence. Therefore, in Greaves’ mind, the morality of sexual purity (which is not what Greaves here characterizes) is not moral at all. It robs one of liberty. Thus, the ST fights for freedom of sexuality, and against “reproductive rights restrictions” (i.e. laws preventing infanticide, or as it is more colloquially called, abortion). The ST also goes further than the CoS with their symbolism. Rather than the Sigil of Baphomet on the cover of a book or being used in “ritual magic,” in fighting against “superstitious” religion or any semblance of the state potentially favoring one religion over another, the ST, in response to a monument of the Ten Commandments set up at the State Capitol in Little Rock, AR., provided a 7 1/2 foot statue of Baphomet him(?)self. The figure includes an inverted cross, about which Greaves states, “this inversion is Satan's perception. It asks people to reconsider their cultural grounding, look at the evidence and reconsider their values,” according to a BBC article . In this same report, as with Crowley and LaVey, Greaves decries traditional or objective morality:
“You have this one-sided vision with institutionalised religion as the arbiters of moral correctness.
"It prevents them considering whether they could be incorrect today on issues such as gay marriage and reproductive rights.
"It's true you don't have to identify with Satan to take on those causes. But the image of Satan resonates for us."
Notice, despite denying the existence of Satan, Greaves describes the statue as “the image of Satan.” There are bits of the image that are clearly symbolic to him, but the characterization offered here by Greaves implies an underlying, even if subconscious, assent to an actual being by that name. And just as happened in the garden, Greaves is lured by the temptation to which Eve fell: "The torch of knowledge is the middle horn - it glorifies the pursuit of knowledge. We put a high value on that - it's really central to our beliefs in general.” Not that anyone would begrudge someone for pursuing understanding; we must learn and grow. It is the substitution of “knowledge” for God that is problematic. Lastly about this image which was erected, an inscription to be added, a quote from Lord Byron’s “Cain,” aptly summarizes what the Satanic Temple believes and why: “Then who was the Demon? He who would not let ye live, or he who would have made ye live forever, in the joy and power of knowledge?” This again hearkens back to the garden: was the serpent the demon, offering knowledge and denying the death that would follow, or was God the demon, forbidding that knowledge and threatening death if it was obtained?
Satan seldom steers from his schtick, and as usual, he still employs his standard tactic: offer temptation and lie about the consequences. This has been his way from the beginning in the garden. He wasn’t hiding. He approached Eve with tantalizing, titillating, seduction. He slithered up beside her and enticed her with godlike status: “For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil” (Gen. 3:5). This was truly temptation, and God affirms it to not be a lie when, after eating the fruit, God says of the man and woman He had created, “Behold, the man has become like one of Us, knowing good and evil” (Gen. 3:22). The temptation, however, is always paired with a lie about the consequences. In the case of his conversation with Eve, “You surely will not die!” (Gen. 3:4).
Just as the serpent seduced Eve, these three groups all offer to elevate the individual above God in some way or other. They all hold the idea of God in disdain for placing restrictions upon their behavior, and believe the lie that “thou shalt not die.” The fact is, even in their zeal to reject the idea of a “personal” Devil (as well as God), all three of these satanic groups affirm his existence (as well as God’s), and their service to him (and their fight against God). The three aforementioned religions all ascribe to Satan’s temptation as enshrined in Crowley’s summary of his written record, Satan’s siren song: “Do what thou wilt,” which Crowley claimed “shall be the whole of the law.” Each of these organizations may have differing guiding principles in which this primary tenet is couched, but they all focus on autonomy devoid of responsibility, and they promise man he can be his own god, just as the serpent promised Eve.
As these insidious institutions have progressed, the landscape of our culture has changed drastically, moving away from God. Little by little, then a bit more, ever growing faster, like the slippery slope, God has been pushed from “polite” American society. Now the country is approaching a cliff, with not only attempts to erase God from all areas of American life, but an apparently overt obeisance to Satan himself. Such is what we are witnessing now in mainstream America. Recording artists parade on stage at awards shows clad in the couture of that cultish caricature of yore; dancers writhe alongside others dressed as demons.
So many sick and immoral temptations are or are becoming part of the culture, fought for, and even legitimized by refusal to enforce laws (or by changing law), consequences be damned! The snowball or domino effect for indulging these iniquities goes entirely ignored:
If you lack something, take it from someone else. Besides, you probably need it or want it more than they do. Right? If it’s a store, they deserve it for charging more than they should for products. If it’s an individual, well, it’s just a matter of wealth redistribution. Material objects are more valuable than human life, so don’t concern yourself with any harm that might come to yourself or the victim in the process. If it’s a business, well, don’t worry about being prosecuted. After all, isn’t petty theft a “victimless” crime? The stores have plenty of stock and are likely insured. Of course, they pay for that insurance, and their rates may go up, and, well, they may not be able to stay in business or choose to shutter rather than tolerate unfettered shoplifting (San Francisco anyone?).
What about sex? Sex is great! Why should we be hindered by traditional mores and values? It is freeing! Go do it! What? You might get pregnant? That’s ok, we have abortions to eliminate that little life growing inside. Just think of it as a tumor. It’s your body! Even if you carry to term and the child is born, why not kill it before it grows? It is still dependent upon you, so really, it’s like a parasite. It’s ok - you won’t suffer any physical or emotional effects. Didn’t Sheryl Crow tell you that “if it makes you happy, it can’t be that bad?” So, like she also asks, “if it makes you happy, why the hell are you so sad?” Live it up!
If you’re not into the opposite sex, sex can still be fun. Just find someone of your own gender. No, the whole “AIDS is a homosexual disease” mantra of the 1980s was a lie. Just ask Anthony Fauci. Monkey pox? Isn’t that for lower primates? Well, ok, it spread to humans, but it spreads kinda like Covid - just wear a mask; it’s not spread through homosexual activity. Really, reproduction doesn’t matter either. There are plenty of others who will reproduce to carry on society, and if they don’t want their kids, you can adopt them and raise them in your lifestyle too!
You don’t feel like yourself? You believe you should have been born differently? Be brave! Be bold! Go lop off body parts! If you’re a woman trapped in a man’s body, you don’t need that penis. Don’t worry; transition surgery is “safe and effective.” There won’t be any lingering side-effect or doubts. It will solve all your problems. You can finally be the woman you were born to be! Think you were born too well off? You don’t need that arm! Surgery and pharmaceuticals hold the key. Of course these will eliminate your depression and suicidal thoughts. Just ask anyone who has gone down this path.
Attracted to children? That’s perfectly normal! No, we won’t call you “pedophile” any longer; your new moniker is “minor-attracted.” It’s absolutely reasonable to defile the innocence of a child. What do they need it for anyway? You know they will eventually find out what sex is all about. Why not now and with you? Oh, and may as well prepare them for sex with either gender by exposing them to porn in their schools and libraries, and to transvestitism at “family friendly drag shows” and “drag queen story hour.” That will help them understand what it’s all about. They can still grow to be well-adjusted pillars of society. Just wait and see!
We must kill people to save the environment. Well, don’t actually go out and kill people. Just make energy far more expensive. Those icky, dirty sources of energy might supposedly cause my beach house to flood, so you need to use solar and wind. Yeah, we’ll still use “fossil fuels” in order to produce the devices that generate energy from solar and wind. Of course the environment will be raped for the minerals needed. That’s ok. We’re going green! People don’t have heat for their homes during winter? They can do without - the environment is more important. People don’t have electricity to cool their homes in the summer? Go to the pool or the beach. Gaia must have her worship!
The list could go on and on. There have always been some aspects of these things plaguing society, some more public than others, and some more obvious during one period or another; they have never, however, been considered “normal.” Every one of these also involves temptation upon temptation, and lies about the consequences. Theft is wrong - period. Whether by an individual, a gang, or the government, theft of any sort has always been considered immoral (though it was somewhat romanticized through Hollywood’s depictions of Robin Hood). Sex, until the 1960s, was generally considered forbidden outside of marriage. Homosexual sex was even more verboten. Transvestitism was considered a shameful fetish. Pedophilia the most heinous of crimes. And tree huggers were just hippie loons.
Now these behaviors are purported to be “normal,” and look at what is happening to our country: we are in a downward spiral much like the fall of the Roman empire. In the meantime, politicians proclaim the piety of pride, and President Biden sits in the White House licking his ice cream cone while waxing eloquent about how the deviant and deluded shape the soul of our nation, all while our foundation crumbles beneath us. Like it or not, life is not about constant and instant gratification. Even if you reject the idea of a Creator, or a “Supreme Judge of the world” (see the Declaration of Independence), you must recognize that restraint, self-control, and at times self-denial, are beneficial and necessary to develop both healthy individuals and a healthy society. Our founding fathers understood this and expected that those who followed would share their belief that morality was crucial to a country based on liberty, and that if liberty was ever replaced by license, America would become a miserable habitation. We are now experiencing the outcome of rejecting the convictions of our founders. We are enduring the consequences of surrendering to Satan’s temptations.
Our representatives have sold their souls, much like Irving’s Tom Watson. Relativism, which should be rejected, rules the day. If we ever wish to right the ship, we must revert to the reality of objective morality. We cannot rely on feelings or rationalism to determine right and wrong. These distinctions do not come from within - they come from without. As long as God is eschewed from the public square, while light is continually swept from every corner and replaced with darkness, while we tolerate the Satanic Temple hosting the largest gathering of Satanists in history, corruption will continue to consume America.
I’d like to believe we can recover our foundation and become again a more moral state, but I have little hope of that actually happening. I am not trying to push a pessimistic perspective; I’m simply being a biblical realist. As I’ve written before, the Bible indicates the the approach of Jesus’ return will be preceded by ever greater numbers turning from God, and the condition of humanity will continue its decline. As that day approaches, Satan will grow ever more bold and brash, more angry and arrogant, more devious and destructive. What is happening all around us is a vivid display of what the Bible warns regarding end times. Those who hold to traditional Christian values will be persecuted by those doing the Devil’s deeds (Tennessee anyone?). Eventually that day will come when those who refuse to submit to Satan will be unable to buy and sell (CBDCs?). Such is what I believe we are seeing. We must prepare ourselves for what is to come as Satan rises. The government cannot save us, nor would they, as they too pledge their fealty to the fallen one. Only Jesus has the power to save. He is our only hope.
I, too, weep for my country and culture. I remember when leftists declared God is Dead. I thought it was a passing phase, not realizing how it would lead to the near total ruination of Western Civilization.
Amen, Chad, amen. The troubling thing is that people have thought we were near the end times since Christ's crucifixion, so how can we know if it is true now? But I know that He will make it clear in His perfect timing to those of us who know Him. Praise God!