Purpose

The following essay will be one of the more difficult tasks I've undertaken on this blog. On the other hand, the problem is simple to understand. Every great religion I know of has a shorter or longer list of certain “ultimate goals”. It may be union with God, enlightenment, an ethical life, be good for all other humans, ending the cycle of birth and death, entering heaven, getting an A on your divine judgment, etcetera. The question is this. Does Satanism have such a goal, and what would that goal or purpose be like? It would be most interesting for a religion not to have that kind of goal. On the other hand, people need something to strive for. It would suprise me most if Satanists would agree with Zen's “goal of goallessness”. And while Satanism is a practical religion for everday life, this doesn't mean there's no need for thinking ahead. Not all problems are small problems. Living day to day can be quite shallow and narrow-minded. You are functioning in a certain way with certain successes and certain problems. Just solving those little daily problems probably is not going to change the way you function. So there's a need for planning. From a greater perspective.

They say there's a lot to learn, to do and to play with in the world. Well that's true. Besides the thousand entertainments, you can get a good job, a nice house, a sportscar, and a second house for the weekends. Say you have all these things. What's so very Satanic about it all? It must be nice to have and enjoy these things, but does it make the black flame burn brighter? Understood in this way, Satanists would be some kind of “improved gatherers” of material belongings. People who perform much better at getting things for themselves. There's of course also something like having meaningful relationships with other people. Suppose for the larger part that works out fine too. For the greater deal you love the people you live with. And then again, what's specifically so Satanic about nice relationships? It's not difficult to give that explanation from the viewpoint of christianity, or from the perspective of buddhism. But to give that explanation from an individualist religion like Satanism is not so easy. Neither is the idea of the Satanist as spending his life to get some goods satisfactory. Where the satanical religious aspect lingers in all these things is hard to grasp.

As with all problems. Once you really solved something things become completely clear. The answer has five letters. Satan. The answer is not so bitter as it may seem at first glance. Satan is understood as the abyss of the human mind. That which is you, and at the same time horrifies you, because it blows the small version of you away. In order to get at a more profound way of experiencing yourself. It is the free mind that knows of no boundaries, and this mind is at the same time unchangeable. It knows its own structure by heart, and perceives through every act of other people their (more or less genuine) expression of Satan. It's the perfect self-fullfilment and the perfect danger. There is no turning back. Perfected self-knowledge means you can't start over in order to go for a different and nicer version of yourself. Chaotic as is its nature it stands far from human functioning in civil society, with the ever present moral rules and expected ways of behaviour. The true meaning of the concept “culture” must be the ways of behaving which are acceptable to individuals within a certain group. Forget the paintings, the music and the visible “religiosity”. The heart of each culture is composed of ways of behaviour. People don't awarely create these ways. It's a matter of action and reaction which over time leads to more or less steady forms.

There's a reason the Satan within the human mind is most often a rebel. The ways of behaving that are acceptable within a certain group are acceptable because they have a pleasant effect on most members of that group. The problem is the difference between the person who acts, and the person who experiences the effect of the action. The natural way of acting for humans is not necessarily pleasant to experience for others. Especially with children who act directly upon their needs: I want this, I want that! The parents would be condemned to a life of slavery if they'd never resist. And yet, they do express Satan to a certain extent.

Humans who act without concern for others can be most irritating. Learning to behave acceptable can be hard for humans, yet when you've gone through this proces it's not all that bad to live in civil society. When you know how to behave acceptable, you live in a state of acceptance. People like it when you are able to act according to their feelings of what's right and wrong. They'll let you know that they like you. Which in turn is most pleasant. On the other hand, and now we're getting to the reason why Satan is a rebel, the way you're acting can differ from your most natural way of acting. Getting acceptance of other humans is pleasant, and at the same time limiting. It's temporarily subjecting yourself to the customs and whishes of another human. We do this continually, we're used to it and it's not that bad. Especially not if you are able to see this whole proces as just “playing a role”. Like you're playing a part in some theatric piece. Play a different role for every different person you meet. Too much seriousness with these matters is going to make your life hard. And then again, escaping the need to to subject yourself to others, to be able to manifest Satan and experience the world in a way which is accustomed to your most intimate wishes, is not something that just happens. And certainly not when your only concern is pleasing others.

Let's go back to the five lettered answer I gave you already. Satan. It doesn't manifest itself just like that. You know by now what I mean with Satan. It's the free mind, exploring a territory in order to find something that is of it's own nature. Satan must be searched through all sorts of things, in order to know and enjoy itself. It really matters a lot what you do, with whom and in what way. It may not always come easy. It can take a lot of time to create, or find something that really resonates within. The search cannot be done from the couch. Discipline is what we need. You do not find the new and special just by waiting till it comes. Examination is the keyword. Look around. Don't go for the first thing you see. If you would like to listen to good classical music, read about it before you buy something. Then you'll have a much better chance of buying something special. In general, be aware of the work that may be needed to get something special.

When you have found something genuine, a small miracle may happen. Not only is there a sense of enjoyment of having found something that's valuable. It also changes yourself. The whole proces of searching and the enjoyment you got from it, made you more alive; More aware of the inner needs and the way to fulfill those needs. The search was necessary in order to strengthen the self and to heighten the perceived value of life. Which, with good reason, can be seen as a truly Satanical religious conviction.