Atheistic Versus Theistic ? Is Satanism really split two ways ? | Forum

The real issue is this: Is someone living their life as they want to or are they living it as they are told they should by someone else. 

It doesn't matter in the second case whether that person is their mommy or a mythical tri-dimensional being whose gospel is in .mobi format or the boogieman named 'society'.

I don't even care about the 'scientific validity' argument. Not only does it miss the point entirely, it does so by requiring another boogieman 'science' to inform the arguer what his point of view should be.  

Isn't all of this important only when it applies to oneself?

Does it matter to you how i determine, or who i put in charge of, my Satanism? If i want a mythical tri-dimensional being from .mobi-gospel, or society (polling?) to be in charge of my Satanism, isn't that my prerogative?

At what point will i be told that i am insufficiently in charge of my Satanism?

Do i need a minder to tell me how i should be handling my Satanism now, according to the New Improved Authorized Satanic Standard (Revised?) to guarantee that, yes, by and begora, i am really truly doing as i want to? 

This free will crap is a farce. Make everybody responsible for what they are doing and presume that they are incapacitated so as to remain civil.

I don't understand what this has to do with theism versus atheism, though. Are we presuming that atheists always do what they want to and theists are sometimes compromised?

@Troll: I didn't say anything about anyone being in charge of anyone's Satanism, whatever that's supposed to mean.

My point is that a person accepts responsibility for their life or let someone else do it -- and that's the the real distinction. What is 'putting it in God's hands' but handing over personal responsibility to the person who claims to speak for or represent that God? I'm sure you've heard that bit about self-deification, "We are our own Gods." really is about accepting and excercising responsibility for oneself and the freedom that goes along with it.

"Isn't all of this important only when it applies to oneself?"

Yes, and it's also how I decide whether someone is worth my time. I don't care for puppets, unless they are fully aware and consenting of being a puppet. I like to twang the strings of those who are unaware, so that they can see the strings for theselves. What they do once their aware of them is up to them.

Completely agreed. I tend to like Satanists particularly who aren't devotedly following after their Satan god. It is one of the reasons that i have enjoyed a personal relationship with Satan as a demon ally. That alliance isn't based upon needing some kind of direction or a take-over of my bearings. While i can appreciate that in other spiritualities or religions, in Satanism it seems quite odd and out of place whenever i encounter it.

What i perceive as our focus on individualism, autonomy, and self-direction, which i like to think of as a type of enlightened egotism, correlates well to the thaumaturgy of 'being the magician' as compared to theurgy where one 'turns the magic over to a superordinary agent' to effect the result. Thanks for emphasizing that.