Years ago, when I first started exploring the paranormal, I promised myself I’d never have anything to do with negative magic; I believe very firmly that those of us who know how to use the power of the mind have a responsibility to use it in a positive way, never for harming or manipulating anyone. So I never wanted to know about, hear about, or read about any philosophy that favored negative magic.
But a funny thing happened to me recently; I found myself wanting to learn more about Satanism. Not because I wanted to do what Satanists do—but because I wanted to help clear up a common misconception: the idea that Satanism and Wicca are the same. The only thing I knew about Satanism was the negative magic part—and I realized that, to do a good job of comparing, I needed to know more. So I did a little research.
I discovered, first of all, that Satanism isn’t populated only by psychopaths and angry teenagers; there are some intelligent, serious adults who are Satanists. It's a philosophy that embraces stern justice and "an-eye-for-an-eye", also emphasizing self-responsibility, knowledge, and self-reliance—for some, an appealing combination.
Satanism also appears to have a moral compass regarding the treatment of children and animals; the tales of ritual murder don’t seem to be true. And Satanism does have at least a few things in common with Wicca. Both are alternative religions, outside the mainstream; both involve the use of magic; and neither have a single, central authority to establish doctrine or “make the rules”. There are different “denominations”, so to speak, in both Wicca and Satanism, and many lone practitioners as well—meaning that beliefs and practices in each philosophy can vary. Still, when I looked at the most basic characteristics of each, I discovered that, in most ways, Satanism and Wicca really are virtually opposite philosophies.
Satanism seems to have evolved as a rebellion against what was perceived as the dogma, hypocrisy, and false values of Christianity; Satanism’s focus, readily admitted to, is on personal gain, ego, and the pursuit of lust and other “sinful” pleasures. Wicca, on the other hand, is a recreation of ancient ways of aligning with deity and the rhythms of nature; the Wiccan focus is on alignment, balance, and reverence for nature. One system seems to have originated as an opposition to something, the other as a return to something nature-centered and metaphysical. Very different.
Another difference: Satanism’s concept of deity ranges from atheism to a belief in a dark force, or a dark lord such as Christianity’s Satan, the Egyptian God Set, or others. Wiccans believe in a God and Goddess that are part of a larger Power that unites all things, and also resides within us. As for the use of magic: Satanists use it to help themselves and their friends, but also to harm their enemies—something I still disagree with entirely. Wiccans use magic for problem-solving and healing, and their magical work is carefully crafted to bring about change that harms or manipulates no one. To me, that’s one of the truly beautiful things about Wicca.
What we have here, quite obviously, is one religion that focuses primarily on the dark, and one that embraces the opposite. I believe that Satanists, and everyone else, have the right to worship as they choose—as long as they don’t try to impose their beliefs on me, and their practices don’t bring me any harm. But Wicca is still the philosophy I really resonate with. To me, our world has such a need for healers, and for people who are working on alignment and balance, which benefits us all. This isn’t to deny the darker side of our nature or the dark side of our world—it’s about choosing to focus our energy on the positive, for our individual good and for the good of all. That’s the thing I want to be working on and striving for.
Thanks to http://www.spiralnature.com/, http://www.religioustolerance.org/, www.detoxorcist.com, and www.angelfire.com/alt2/darkmatter/ for the information about Satanism.
