SATAN Statue

[Dex]

Originally Posted by KarmaContestant

If this were a statue of Shiva or Buddha or Confucious or even Poseidon - I'd think "oh, that's neat" but erecting a status of Satan in opposition to the Ten Commandments is petty.

From what i understand, Satanism exists only as a counterpoint to Christianity, Islam and Judaism and only serves to mock them. It doesn't belong in the same category as other faiths, and has no benefit to humanity or our culture.

I found a very informative website that I used to pore over as a teenager. It seems to have a sufficient "Idiots Guide" to the basics of the religion. http://religioustolerance.org/satanism.htm

It identifies two kinds of Satanism. "Religious Satanism" and "Satanic Dabbling". A notable point from the description of "Religious Satanism":

It is important to realize that the Satan that they recognize has few if any points of similarity with the historical Muslim or Christian concept of Satan. The Satanists' concept of Satan is pre-Christian, and derived from the Pagan image of power, virility, sexuality and sensuality. To almost religious Satanists, Satan is a force of nature, not a living quasi-deity. Their Satan has nothing to do with Hell, demons, pitchforks, sadistic torture, buying people's souls, demonic possession, performing miracles, human sacrifices, cannibalism, and profoundly evil deeds.

I don't deny that there is something decidedly subversive about continuing to use the term "Satanism" for what seems to be basically a fairly standard branch of Neo-Paganism. But hey-ho.

"Satanic Dabbling" is their name for what seems to be the sort of stir-the-pot rebel-rebel anti-establishment stuff that you're thinking of, KarmaContestant. But people who identify as Satanic in this category are usually teenagers.

It's difficult to know which category the people who've put forth this statue belong to. The statue looks pretty characteristically pagan to me, but it sounds less like they want to celebrate their own beliefs and more like they just have a point to make. But I guess their point is a good one, either way.