"If I am a Satanist, I am also a Middle-Earthist, a Buddhist, a Christian, a Stephen Kingist, a pagan, a Dostoyevskyist, and a Shakespearist. All of these stories provide a tapestry of myth that brings meaning to my life." This is the pluralism to which we should all aspire.
That "adolescent Satanist" spirit is exhausting me. Romantic Satanism is very much a counter-reactionary movement, at this moment, that rarely looks inwards at what we positively believe and what that truly means. Instead we are constantly trusting our values outwards like a spear in an effort to protect ourselves from encroaching hostility. Given the rising tide of anti-liberalism and growing authoritarianism this is understandable, but I want more. This constant outward projection leaves no hearth to come home to as every space turns into a war room.
To me, there is a needs to be a conscientious effort to shape our positive values. We need to mature past needing an other to define us. In doing so we create a home community of shared, nuturing values. It opens up space to have more than on facet of being and opportunities to be part of more than one community. It's not healthy for anyone to have their religion as their one outlet.
I honestly think your great project is about establishing healthy boundaries between religion and the rat of society by asking practitioners of all creeds to look inwards and find what is truly unique and valuable about your beliefs and then share that strength with others.
I was never drawn to Satanism because from the outside I mostly saw the reactionary, subversive side and I did think it polarized us further. While I can respect the iconography and message, without belief in something more, I didn't think it stood up to the power of religion. I, long time athiest who was raised Catholic but started reading Sam Harris at 12, am still very much searching for that deeper sense of the divine too. As much as I hate the "god-shaped hole" argument I think it's true to some degree for many of us, human nature yearns for meaning. I'm just beginning to explore secular Buddhism, so hopefully that's grounding for me. Beautiful writing, Stephen!
Loving this. So much. I took the same path, but it let me to paganism. This is open to many sects and variety. And yet, as a religion, I have to use the “other” checkbox. Well written, friend.
Feb 21·edited Feb 22Liked by Stephen Bradford Long
I am so glad for you and your writing and to know I'm not the only one with many similar thoughts. I am still searching too but I think I have truly found my home in my Substack writing community. I am so grateful for Mr Greaves and voices as strong as yours that also help me orient my thoughts and ideas concerning my own spirituality. Thank you so much friend!
So with you on continuing to find our way down this winding path…middle, left, left center…WHATEVER. I think the point is to KEEP GOING!
Also, much like the mindfulness practice itself, noticing when we get distracted, or fall off our path, and then we gently bring ourselves back, reorient.
I appreciated reading this and empathize with your words. I resonate more with the philosophy of Satanism rather than some of the actions of those in charge. Your perspective is very helpful for me.
I really like this. I know all too well the feeling you get at 3:00 A.M. I know exactly that feeling of panic and existential dread. I've looked to meditation and reading Stoicism as a additional philosophy and sort of secular spiritualism to guide me. However, I do like Satanism iconography and philosophy. I mean, Stoicism and Satanism seems at odds with each, and that points to Bapthoment's opposites, as the author points out.
That being said, I feel like the "adolescence Satanism" bit feels disingenuous. I get it. I don't think anything gets accomplished when someone rubs their balls on a grave, but being hyper-focused on the name Samuel Alito's Mom's Satanic Abortion Clinic ignores the good accomplished in other aspects, such as Grey Faction, ASSC, and even, yes, the SAMAC, which does offer and actual service that people have used.
I don't disagree with the author on most poinits, but the augment seems to me to suffer from a little bit of tunnel vision.
"If I am a Satanist, I am also a Middle-Earthist, a Buddhist, a Christian, a Stephen Kingist, a pagan, a Dostoyevskyist, and a Shakespearist. All of these stories provide a tapestry of myth that brings meaning to my life." This is the pluralism to which we should all aspire.
That "adolescent Satanist" spirit is exhausting me. Romantic Satanism is very much a counter-reactionary movement, at this moment, that rarely looks inwards at what we positively believe and what that truly means. Instead we are constantly trusting our values outwards like a spear in an effort to protect ourselves from encroaching hostility. Given the rising tide of anti-liberalism and growing authoritarianism this is understandable, but I want more. This constant outward projection leaves no hearth to come home to as every space turns into a war room.
To me, there is a needs to be a conscientious effort to shape our positive values. We need to mature past needing an other to define us. In doing so we create a home community of shared, nuturing values. It opens up space to have more than on facet of being and opportunities to be part of more than one community. It's not healthy for anyone to have their religion as their one outlet.
I honestly think your great project is about establishing healthy boundaries between religion and the rat of society by asking practitioners of all creeds to look inwards and find what is truly unique and valuable about your beliefs and then share that strength with others.
I was never drawn to Satanism because from the outside I mostly saw the reactionary, subversive side and I did think it polarized us further. While I can respect the iconography and message, without belief in something more, I didn't think it stood up to the power of religion. I, long time athiest who was raised Catholic but started reading Sam Harris at 12, am still very much searching for that deeper sense of the divine too. As much as I hate the "god-shaped hole" argument I think it's true to some degree for many of us, human nature yearns for meaning. I'm just beginning to explore secular Buddhism, so hopefully that's grounding for me. Beautiful writing, Stephen!
Loving this. So much. I took the same path, but it let me to paganism. This is open to many sects and variety. And yet, as a religion, I have to use the “other” checkbox. Well written, friend.
I am so glad for you and your writing and to know I'm not the only one with many similar thoughts. I am still searching too but I think I have truly found my home in my Substack writing community. I am so grateful for Mr Greaves and voices as strong as yours that also help me orient my thoughts and ideas concerning my own spirituality. Thank you so much friend!
So with you on continuing to find our way down this winding path…middle, left, left center…WHATEVER. I think the point is to KEEP GOING!
Also, much like the mindfulness practice itself, noticing when we get distracted, or fall off our path, and then we gently bring ourselves back, reorient.
I love you, Stephen, KEEP GOING 🙏🏻❤️🔥🤘🏻
I appreciated reading this and empathize with your words. I resonate more with the philosophy of Satanism rather than some of the actions of those in charge. Your perspective is very helpful for me.
I really like this. I know all too well the feeling you get at 3:00 A.M. I know exactly that feeling of panic and existential dread. I've looked to meditation and reading Stoicism as a additional philosophy and sort of secular spiritualism to guide me. However, I do like Satanism iconography and philosophy. I mean, Stoicism and Satanism seems at odds with each, and that points to Bapthoment's opposites, as the author points out.
That being said, I feel like the "adolescence Satanism" bit feels disingenuous. I get it. I don't think anything gets accomplished when someone rubs their balls on a grave, but being hyper-focused on the name Samuel Alito's Mom's Satanic Abortion Clinic ignores the good accomplished in other aspects, such as Grey Faction, ASSC, and even, yes, the SAMAC, which does offer and actual service that people have used.
I don't disagree with the author on most poinits, but the augment seems to me to suffer from a little bit of tunnel vision.
I’m very grateful for your work; you’ve given me a lot to think about over the past few years!