LaVeyan Satanism - History

History

On Walpurgisnacht of 1966, Anton LaVey began the Church of Satan. Beforehand, he had given lectures from his home, the infamous Black House, charging two dollars for admittance. He formed a "Magic Circle" with his closest associates. It was soon suggested to LaVey that he had enough material to start an organized religion.

The Church of Satan attracted a great deal of publicity. Its use of nude women as altars, and performances of a Satanic wedding and funeral service, brought it much attention. Anton LaVey shaved his head and wore a white clerical collar, sometimes even wearing horns to complete the image of the Devil incarnate. His flamboyant personality attracted many followers and admirers.

In 1969, LaVey published The Satanic Bible, which, even to this day, remains the most authoritative literature on the subject of Satanism, outlining the basic concepts, philosophy and rituals of the religion. A companion book, The Satanic Rituals, published in 1972, presents an array of rituals associated with Satanism throughout the ages, but not necessarily central to the Church's belief system. LaVey also released other literature to further expand on the ideology, namely The Satanic Witch (previously published as The Compleat Witch), and 2 essay anthologies: The Devil's Notebook and Satan Speaks!

Since its inception, many individuals sought to recreate LaVey's success by founding comparable organizations claiming the throne of "true" Satanism, but most were short-lived and ceased within a few years. Some, however, have sustained themselves. Those departing gave reasons for their break including differences in ideology, or a rejection of a perceived commercialization of the institution as led by LaVey. One example is the Temple of Set, which, in 1975, was led by former Church of Satan member Michael Aquino, citing, among other things, disagreement with LaVey's worldly atheism. Aquino believed in a living deity, whom he called Set.

The other major organization affiliated with LaVeyan ideology is the First Satanic Church, founded in 1999 by Anton LaVey's daughter, Karla LaVey. She argues that, after her father's death, the church moved away from his original modus operandi, and shifted towards a commercial money making machine. Thus, the First Satanic Church can be considered a re-founding of the original, although the leaders of the LaVeyan Church have often distanced themselves from Karla LaVey since.

Today, the Church of Satan promotes itself as the only representation of LaVeyan Satanism, and it routinely publishes materials underscoring this contention.