The Satanic Bible

The Satanic Bible claims the heritage of a horde of evil deities--Bile', Dagon, Moloch, and Yao Tzin to name a few--but these ancient gods have no coherent connection between each other or to Satanism, except that all have been categorized by Christianity as "evil." Calling on these ancient names like a magician shouting, "Abracadabra," LaVey attempts to shatter the classical depiction of Satanism as a cult of black mass and child sacrifice. As the smoke clears, he leads us through a surprisingly logical argument in favor of a life focused on self-indulgence. The Satanic Bible is less bible and more philosophy (with a few rituals thrown in to keep us entertained), but this philosophy is the backbone of a religion that, until LaVey entered the scene, was merely a myth of the Christian church. It took LaVey, and The Satanic Bible, to turn this myth into a legitimate public religion. --Brian Patterson

Product Description

Called "The Black Pope" by many of his followers, Anton La Vey began the road to High Priesthood of the (lurch of Satan when he was only 16 years old and an organ player in a carnival:

"On Saturday night I would see men lusting after halfnaked girls dancing at the carnival, and on Sunday morning when I was playing the organ for tent-show evangelists at the other end of the carnival lot, I would see these same men sitting in the pews with their wives and children, asking God to forgive them and purge them of carnal desires. And the next Saturday night they'd be back at The carnival or some other place of indulgence.

"I knew then that the Christian Church thrives on hypocrisy, and that man's carnal nature will out!"

From that time early in his life his path was clear. Finally, on the last night of April, 1966 -- Walpurgisnacht, the most important festival of the believers in witchcraft -- LaVey shaved his head in the tradition of Ancient executioners and announced the formation of The Church Of Satan. He had seen the need for a church that would recapture man's body and his carnal desires as objects of celebration. "Since worship of fleshly things produces pleasure," he said, "there would then be a temple of glorious indulgence . . ."

So, here's what you will find: essays about social darwinism, indulging in the happiness of love, self-improvement, independance. Doesn't sound very Satanic to me, you say?

It is.

As far as I can see, this is one of the most misunderstood books ever written, maybe even more misunderstood than the "Holy Bible" itself (and that's saying a lot).

Today, LaVey's Satanic philosophy of hedanism and self-discipline (admittedly a curious combination) is more prevelant than ever before, which is good for Satanists, bad for Christians.

Contrary to popular (i.e. false) belief, the Satanic religion, or, philosophy, is not about worshipping some idiot with horns and cloven feet....

What is"Satan" to a Satanist? For most, he's simply a symbol ofpower, lust, and genteel romanticism. The reason their philosophy iscalled Satanism, when they don't even recognise any supernaturaldeities, such as god or the devil, is because Satan is a representation of the powerful concept of stratification and elitism- hence, the "productive outcast".

Just read this book if you have not. Whether you are Satanist or not, it is enlightening and always interesting.

PS: keep an eye out for LaVey's outrageously comical humor- this guy could have done standup!...


it's not what you think...   November 17, 2006
Joseph Cain
30 out of 35 found this review helpful

I have owned this book for quite some time and have read it several times through. When i first purchased it i wasn't looking for a religious experience, nor did i find one. I have always been an Atheist and i like reading about the world;'s many religions so i can offer a non-biased view of this book.
Most christians would have you believe that the Satanic Bible is a 'set of rules' one would follow on the pathway to Hell, yet it is not. On the contrarty, a 'true' Satanist' does not indulge in the many wicked practices church-goers would have you believe. Of course, that is because they are only repeating what they have been told by the preacher of their said church.
Satanists hold the ohysical body of man and woman on high as a temple, much like christianity, and do NOT perform rituals of bloody sacrafices at night in the nude. Just as christians are bound by the 7 virtues, Satanists hold the so called 'seven deadly sins' high up to keep their way of life a good one. Here is a part from this very book for reference about this:

"The seven deadly sins of the christian church are: greed, pride, envy, anger, gluttony, lust, and sloth. Satanism advocates indulging in each of these 'sins' as they all lead to physical, mental, or emotional gratification.
A Satanist knows there is nothing wrong with being greedy, as it only means that he wants more than he already has. Envy means to look with favor upon the possession of others, and to be desirous of obtaining similar things for oneself. Envy and greed are the motivating forces of ambition--and without ambition, very little of any importance would be accomplished.
Gluttony is simply eating more than you need to keep yourself alive. When you have overeaten to the point of obesity, another 'sin'--pride--will motivate you to regain an appearance that will renew your self-respect.
Anyone who buys an article of clothing for a purpose other than covering his body and protecting it from the elements is guilty of pride. Satanists often encounter scoffers who maintain that labels are not necessary. It must be pointed out to these destroyers of labels that one or many articles they themselves are wearing are not necessary to keep them warm. There is not a person on this earth who is completely devoid of ornamentation. The Satanist points out that any ornamentation of the scoffer's body shows that he, too, is guilty of pride. Regardless of how verbose the cynic may be in his intellectual description of how free he is, he is still wearing the elements of pride.
Being reluctant to get up in the morning is to be guilty of sloth, and if you lie in bed long enough you may find yourself commiting yet another sin--lust. To have the faintest stirring of sexual desire is to be guilty of lust. In order to insure the propagation of humanity, nature made lust the second most powerful instinct, the first being self-preservation. Realizing this, the Christian Church made fornication the 'Original Sin.' In this way they made sure no one would escape sin. Your very state of being is as a result of sin--the Original Sin!
The strongest instinct in every living thing is self-preservation, which brings uo to the last of the seven deadly sins--anger. Is it not our instinct for self-preservation that is aroused when someone harms us, when we become angry enough to protect ourselves from further attack? A Satanist practices the motto 'If a man smite thee on one cheek, smash him on the other!' Let no wrong go unredressed. Be as a lion in the path-be dangerous even in defeat!"
This is taken directly from the Satanic Bible, chapter 3 page 46. Anton Szandor LaVey is the original founder of the first Church of Satan and these are but some of his words. As i read the book thoroughly, i found quite a bit of it interesting as much of it contradicts what the Christian Church would have you believe a Satanist really is. But what ruined the book for me personally was the last few chapters on rituals of/and magic. Now, i am a man of science so i don't believe in such things but for those who do, you may very well be delighted with what you read. The funny thing is that the book tells you more than once that it does not condone, nor do Satanists practice habitually, rituals of human sacrafice.
The rituals contained within are akin to 'voodoo' and the like in that you do certain things in front of an alter such as chime a bell and whatnot, and then you 'pray' for certain things such as better fortune or karma if you will on one that has wronged you or a loved one.
The whole premise of the book is that man is not much different than the animals we dominate. Our basic instincts and drives are what helped us to populate the earth and we should not try to now separate ourselves from those instincts.
Of course, you may be thinking that this is barbaric, but if you do infact read this book you will note, as per further reading of the 'sins', that if all of man kept himself to the seven sins, much of the wrong that plagues the woprld would be very much avoided.
Pride seems to be praised alot as it seems to be the sin that keeps the others in check. Your pride won't let you get fat, be lazy, sleep around, hurt others unnecessarily out of anger, or envy others too much because if you do then it will motivate you to work harder to achieve the things you do envy.
I gave this book 5 stars because it contains ALOT that has been hidden, twisted and made to be misinformed to those unaware. And though i would have given it four stars because of its parts on ritual magic, i realize that my personal beliefs do not matter when offering this review to others.
Pretty much, it is the same as Christianity, with Lucifer/Satan (he has many names in the book) taking the place of Jesus as the angel of knowledge. And where Christianity focuses more on submissive compassion, Satanism focuses more on confident and real expectations in our every day world.
It doesn't harp on the notion that if everyone becomes a Satanist then this world would be at last with peace for it says that world peace is quite impossible simply because of our primal instincts. And that, as it presents itself, is the way it should be; just as in all of nature.
Nor does it tell you to go around forcing your way to get what you want. The 'if a man smite you one one cheek, smash him on the other' mantra is only a metaphor not to be taken literally. It is meant to represent the confidence one is supposed to have in themselves to achieve what they desire and not let others impose upon them as they do the same.
I can sum up most of the teachings of this book with this:

"The harder you work for the things you wish to achieve, the more likely you will achieve them."

If you still think that Satanism is nothing but a religion where you are allowed to willingly hate others for your own expense then i urge you to buy and read this book. It will prove to you otherwise. It even says that a Satanist does not waste their precious time hating others as this is only a waste of your own time.
Weird how much Christianity and Satanism actually have in common. The thing i find most fascination is that one could not exist without the other, as you will see in reading this book.


A dangerously clever book by a dangerously clever man   November 4, 1999
15 out of 16 found this review helpful

The Satanic Bible doesn't read like religious text. It might as well be called The Satanic Brainstorm. Although I don't agree with everything in it, this book makes more sense than anything I've ever read. By the end of it, the reader is left wanting to read everything LaVey's ever written. The one and only criticism I have is the constant restatement and emphasis on the hypocracy of Judeo-Christian ethics. To even understand this book, one most likely is already aware of these contradictions. Make that two criticisms; LaVey has his own occasional hypocracy, although it's very hard to pinpoint or even realize. Because so much of this book is shrouded with sarcasm, these seemingly hypocritical ideas may be intentional. All in all, this is the finest philosophical work I could have ever imagined. It puts all of your own ideas, that you were too blind or scared to realize, down on paper in a clear and frighteningly clever way. This book is the bible for the thinking man. Young impressionable teenagers shouldn't read it. I know a 16 year old who read it and got the totally wrong idea. One needs to already have a mature idea of what one believes before reading this. The sarcasm needs to be recognized for what it is.


The Satanic Bible   February 11, 2001
Lady Leviathan (Colorado)
29 out of 34 found this review helpful

My study of Satanism (I started when I was about 13, I'm 17 now)has influenced and improved my life over the past few years. Of course, I was the one who had to put forth thought and effort, and I was the one who had to strive and mature. But, the SB gave me initial food for thought, and I learned and developed independently from there, both as a Satanist and as a general human being.

I was initially impressed with how I much I agreed with the opinions expressed in the SB, as well as other Satanic texts I found on the Internet. Here was a book that examined society and human nature with honesty and intelligence. Here, human nature is seen as natural, rather than "evil" or "depraved." Instead of being told to repress desires and put on a stiff mask, Satanists are encouraged to explore, learn about, and experience life, and to respect themselves as important individuals and worthy creatures. This is a very liberated mindset that has the potential to promote high self esteem and good mental health. Of course, with liberty comes responsibility, so Satanists are advised to use logic, intelligence, and discretion before diving in to certain things.

Satan is seen as an archetype, rather than an actual being. Rather, Satan is seen as a force in nature that represents values like intelligence, creativity, self-reliance, self-respect, and individuality. Instead of cowtowing to a dull, rigid Jehovah archetype, people can indulge (wisely) in the pleasures of life, seek to mature and grow as people, and revel in their alive-ness and their humanity.

I suspect many people gave such bitter reviews of the SB because they were expecting a grotesque, bloody tale of devil-worship. Rather than enjoying the SB for what it was and what it had to offer, they lamented about what it wasn't.

And yes, LaVey did take parts from the philosophies and writings of people like Nietzsche, Rand, Redbeard, and Crowley. Yet, rather than act bitter about this, I choose to be intruiged by it. The SB has sparked my interest in these writers and their ideas, and I can now increase my learning.

And of course, LaVey was not a flawless person. His ideas and writings aren't flawless. I don't agree with every last thing he has to say but then, I realize that I am my own Satanist, and I must fulfill my own Satanic potential and seize my own Satanic destiny. The SB was not intended to be a Holy Bible to be followed to the letter, nor is it supposed to be a crutch for around-the-clock support. Ideally, it was intended to act as a springboard for new thought and new development.

And, to those of you who agree with it, yet claim not to be Satanists, I daresay you are incorrect. If you agree with the core messages of the Satanic Bible, you are a budding Satanist. Instead of fretting over or fearing this label, examine it and enjoy it. If it fulfills you and describes you, embrace it and revel in it. Celebrate yourself and sing yourself.

In conclusion, I highly recommend the Satanic Bible, and I recommend other writings like it, such as Leaves of Grass (Whitman), Self-Reliance (Emerson), or any number of things written by Rand or Nietzsche, such as the Fountainhead or Beyond Good and Evil.