Satanism

What is Satanism?

Satanism is not one single religion with one fixed set of beliefs. It is a broad term that has been used for several very different approaches. Some of those approaches treat Satan as a real being. Others treat Satan only as a symbol. What they generally share is a rejection of Christian morality and a willingness to stand outside what mainstream religion calls acceptable.

What are the main branches of Satanism?

The biggest divisions are:

• Atheistic or LaVeyan Satanism Founded by Anton LaVey in 1966 with the Church of Satan. Satan is a symbol of human nature, pride, carnal desire, and rebellion. There is no belief in a literal Devil. Ritual is used as psychodrama  a way to focus emotion and will.
• Theistic Satanism Practitioners believe Satan (or related beings) actually exist. This can involve worship, devotion, or working relationships with those forces. These groups are smaller and less public than the LaVeyan current.
• Temple of Set — Split from the Church of Satan in 1975. Centres on the Egyptian god Set as a principle of isolate intelligence and self-deification. More metaphysical and initiatory than LaVeyan Satanism.

Who is a Satanist?

Anyone who deliberately identifies with one of these currents and shapes their worldview or practice around it.

The label is not automatic just because someone uses dark imagery, works with demons, or rejects Christianity. Plenty of occultists do those things without ever calling themselves Satanists. The identity only applies when the person actually claims it and means it.

LaVeyan Satanism and Theistic Satanism Are Not the Same Thing

This is one of the most important distinctions to understand, and it is where a lot of confusion begins.

LaVeyan Satanism (the form founded by Anton LaVey and the Church of Satan) is atheistic. It does not believe that Satan, demons, or any gods actually exist. Satan is treated as a symbol of human nature being pride, carnal desire, self-interest, rebellion, and the rejection of guilt. The rituals use demonic names and dark imagery as psychological tools. They are designed to focus emotion and will, not to contact real spirits.

This is why LaVey called the rituals “psychodrama.”

Theistic Satanism takes the opposite position. Practitioners believe that Satan (or related beings) are real spiritual entities. They may worship these beings, form working relationships with them, or call on them in ritual as actual forces that can respond. For theistic Satanists, the names are not just symbols. They point to living intelligences.

The two currents share some symbols, some aesthetic language, and a general rejection of Christian morality. Beyond that, they disagree on the most basic question: whether Satan is real or only a useful idea. That single difference makes them fundamentally different paths.

At Black Witch Coven we keep this distinction clear so people do not mix the two up or assume that every use of Satanic imagery means the same thing.

Black Witch Coven’s Position

At Black Witch Coven we are clear about where we stand.

We are not LaVeyan Satanists. We do not treat Satan as a symbol or a psychological metaphor. We regard Satan as a real and distinct entity who can be called and connected with in ritual. We also regard the demons as real spiritual beings, each with their own nature, presence, and current.

The magick practiced by the Satanists here, whether black magick or ritual magick ,  is done with the clear understanding that we are evoking true demonic presence and honouring Satan as a powerful and ever-present being. This is not theatrical. It is not symbolic. It is relational and real.

We do not approach this work through the lens of Christian mythology. We are not anti-establishment for the sake of rebellion, and we do not define ourselves by opposition to the Church or by reacting against what the Bible says about Satan. We simply do not regard the Bible as truthful or authoritative. Because of that, we have no need to frame our practice as a protest against it. We work directly with the forces we know to be real, on their own terms.

Psychodrama has its uses. Focused emotion and intensity can raise power. But we do not reduce spirit contact to something that only happens inside the operator’s head. When we call, we expect presence. When we work, we treat the relationship as real.

This position comes from practice. We have done the long work of strengthening the vessel, clearing internal interference, and developing the ability to tell the difference between our own mind and something external. We use ritual as a precise tool for meeting forces we already know to be present. We honour, respect, and work with these spirits as distinct intelligences. That is the foundation of how advanced black magick is approached here.

A NOTE ON RESPECT: LaVeyan Satanism

We want to be clear that none of the above is meant as disrespect toward LaVeyan Satanism or the Satanic Bible.

We actually hold the Satanic Bible in high regard. It remains one of the clearest and most usable on-ramps into this territory. The ritual structures it provides are straightforward, practical, and effective at focusing will and emotion.

For those who, like us, regard Satan and the demons as real spiritual beings, it can still serve as a solid and accessible starting point for entering satanic and black magick practice.

The clarity of its method is valuable whether you approach the work symbolically or as genuine spirit contact.