Satanism, Evil or Misunderstood? “You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created, till iniquity was found in you. 16 By the abundance of your trading you became filled with violence within, and you sinned; Therefore I cast you as a profane thing out of the mountain of God; And I destroyed you… 17 Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty; You corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor; I cast you to the ground, I laid you before kings… 18 You defiled your sanctuaries by the multitude of your iniquities… Therefore I brought fire from your midst; It devoured you, and I turned you to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all who saw you. 19 All who knew you among the peoples are astonished at you; You have become a …show more content…
Although many view it as a the practice of dark magic, rituals and sacrifices with malicious intent, and people calling upon demonic creatures; many of the followers are godless and call themselves Atheistic Satanists. They do not worship Satan as a god, but celebrate him symbolically. He represents individualism, an eternal rebel, defiance, and even more a symbol of self-empowerment. Jex Blackmore the leader of the Detroit chapter during their ceremony at the state capitol, goes on to say “If you stand here today and embrace your nature, freethinking, self-governed and godless you too are a Satanist…” (Blackmore) The state capitol ceremony was recently held on December 19, 2015; some news stations have even gone as far as saying it was one the largest gatherings in history for Satanist followers. The ceremony covered political issues, Blackmore addressed those who attended by stating, “We have more to do when women are denied access to reproductive healthcare and vilified as murderers by those selected to represent them in government. The word of God has been evoked time and time again to justify opposition to the civil rights movement, to squash women’s liberation, and stand in the way of same-sex marriage.” (Blackmore) The Detroit chapter has been very active in the community with political issues and a black cat rescue, and have recently had unveiling of a Satanic statue. This statue was made to contrast the Ten commandments, placed at the capitol in Oklahoma City. The growth of the religion is allowing them to be more active, but results are still difficult with a country based off judeo-christian