The Church of Satan

1290 Pages·2013·12.75 MB·English

by  Michael A. Aquino

The Church of Satan
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Seventh Edition
© Michael A. Aquino 2013 CE
P.O. Box 470307; San Francisco, CA 94147
http://www.xeper.org/maquino
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Table of Contents
Chapters Page
Preface8
1 - Antecedents 13
2 - The Abominable Dr. LaVey 18
3 - The Age of Satan Begins 33
4 - Knowledge of Good and Evil 54
5 - The Satanic Bible 69
6 - Across the Abyss 90
7 - Through a Glass, Darkly - Part I 105
8 - Cogito, Ergo Est 110
9 - The Compleat Witch 121
10 - The Church of Satan, United States 133
11 - The Northglenn Incident 151
12 - Christianity 163
13 - The Lilith Grotto 176
14 - The Downfall of Babylon 185
15 - The “Red Goat” Cloven Hoof 199
16 - The Realm of the Masters 221
17 - The Stygian Crisis 247
18 - Toward the City of Satan 265
19 - Return to the West 283
20 - Through a Glass, Darkly - Part II 303
21 - New York, New York - A Hell of a Town 308
22 - The Satanic Rituals 323
23 - Interlude in the Public Eye 339
24 - “A Black, Jewish, Satanic Warlock” 359
25 - Meetings, Magic, and Murder 376
26 - The Return of John DeHaven 406
27 - The Circus of Dr. LaVey 418
28 - Through a Glass, Darkly - Part III 454
29 - Exorcisteria 457
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30 - One Nation Under Whom? 463
31 - Year of the Grottos 476
32 - Satan and Swastika 508
33 - History, Mystery, and Magic 526
34 - Dr. LaVey Rises Again 541
35 - “The Year of the Pendulum Swing” 559
36 - “A Fearful Thing” 581
37 - “Despair, Depletion, and Destruction” 586
Postface 2013: Flight of the Gump 611
Appendices
1 - “Satanism” Monograph 618
2 - L’Air Epais (Ceremony of the Stifling Air) 630
3 - The Ceremony of the Avoosal 634
4 - Der Wahnsinn von Andelsprutz 637
5 - Die Elektrischen Vorspiele 640
6 - The Tierdrama 643
7 - Missa Solemnis (The Black Mass) 645
8 - Requirements for the Satanic Clergy 661
9 - The Satanic Ultimatum 663
10 - Satanic Bible Introduction 673
11 - The Hidden Source of the Satanic Philosophy 677
12 - The “Book of Satan” (Might is Right) 681
13 - Satanic Bible Dedications 688
14 - II° Examination Curse 692
15 - The Diabolicon 694
16 - III° Examination Essay: Astrology 717
17 - III° Examination Essay: Neopaganism 720
18 - God in Sports Clothes 722
19 - The Command to Look 725
20 - Ceremony of Satanic Baptism 729
21 - Revelation of the Beast: Aleister Crowley 734
22 - Beyond the Abyss 737
23 - Flier for The Compleat Witch 743
24 - Bibliography from The Compleat Witch 745
25 - The Æsthetic Adversary 752
26 - “Speaking of the Devil” 754
27 - Regional Agent Program Letter 755
28 - “An Encounter with the Church of Satan” 758
29 - Excommunication of Wayne West 769
30 - “Satan Rift Centers in Detroit” 777
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31 - “For the Dead Travel Fast: All Hallows VI” 779
32 - “About that Goat” 781
33 - “The Jesus People are Still Revolting” 784
34 - “Hell on Reels” 787
35 - “Legacy of the Four-Sided Triangle” 789
36 - “Season’s Greetings” 793
37 - “Psychology of the Blood-Vampire” 795
38 - “The First Philosopher” 800
39 - “Official Degrees of the Church of Satan” 802
40 - “In Quest of the Unholy Grail” 805
41 - Church of Satan Membership Form Statement 809
42 - “Evil, Anyone?” 811
43 - Letter to Fate Magazine 814
44 - “That Other Black Order” 816
45 - “Purpose and Precognition” 820
46 - “Darwin and the Devil” 824
47 - Satanic Wedding Ceremony 827
48 - Grotto Administration Manual (Extracts) 828
49 - The Celebration of Death 840
50 - Asylum of Satan Draft Script Extract - Studio One 845
51 - Asylum of Satan Final Script Extract - M. Aquino 846
52 - Dissolution of the Stygian Grotto 847
53 - Anton LaVey Interview by Martello 849
54 - “The Occult: A Substitute Faith” Extracts (Time) 855
55 - “Time is on Our Side, Sort Of” 857
56 - “Witchcraft” - Louisville Courier-Journal 860
57 - “Expedition to R’lyeh” 866
58 - “III° Elevations Announced” 871
59 - “The Question of Secrecy” 874
60 - Ritual of Necromancy 876
61 - “Genesis II” 877
62 - “Satanism in Perspective” 882
63 - “Illuminism, the ‘Black Lodge of Masonry’” 887
64 - “Murder Probe Sheds Light on Witchcraft Cult” 889
65 - Priesthood of Mendes Ordination Ceremony 891
66 - “Is Satan Replacing Halloween Goblin?” 893
67 - “The Source” 895
68 - Black Mass from La-Bas 901
69 - al-Jalwa li Arbab Ahl al-Khalwah 904
70 - Ilmi Ahat Haqiqt al-Ashia’i 908
71 - “The Metaphysics of Lovecraft” 912
72 - “The Ceremony of the Nine Angles” 915
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73 - “The Call to Cthulhu” 922
74 - “Lovecraftian Ritual” 925
75 - “The Secrets of Life and Death” 936
76 - “The Witch Wagon” 942
77 - “’Sympathy for the Devil’ Avowed by Karla LaVey” 943
78 - “Those Who Seek Shall Find” 945
79 - “The Frankenstein Legacy” 952
80 - Letter to an Army Chaplain 955
81 - KQED “Newsroom” Broadcast 958
82 - “We’re Put Here to Enjoy Life,” This Church Believes 960
83 - “Satanic Cult Protests” 962
84 - “The ‘Yellow Peril’: Satanism in China” 963
85 - Letter, Anton LaVey-Charles Steenbarger 968
86 - Rite of the Undead 972
87 - “Satanists Seek ‘Elite’ Only” 975
88 - “Satanism” (New Jersey) 980
89 - Letter of III° Nomination 984
90 - “Santa Barbaran’s Home Devil of a Place for Church” 989
91 - Anton LaVey: The Occult Explosion 993
92 - “Satanism” (John Ferro) 996
93 - Central Grotto Exorcist Bulletin 999
94 - Priesthood/Regional Agents Exorcism Fact Sheet 1001
95 - “Honest, The Devil Really Did Make Me Do It” 1005
96 - “To Satanists, Exorcism Silly” 1007
97 - “Warlock Says Church Cashing in on Exorcist” 1009
98 - “Satanist Calls Film Boon for Christians & Satanists” 1010
99 - “The Root of All” 1012
100 - “The Abstaining Indulgers” 1015
101 - “Satan is Back” Extract (Plain Truth Magazine) 1017
102 - “NeoSatanists Devil’s Disciples?” (Occult Magazine) 1019
103 - “Psi in the Sky” 1024
104 - “A Black Mass for the Mass?” 1027
105 - Walpurgisnacht Feast of Life 1029
106 - “A Different Approach to Talk Shows” 1033
107 - “The Ægis Kick-Off Dinner” 1035
108 - “Suicide: Indulgence or Compulsion?” 1036
109 - “Aradia’s Cauldron” 1040
110 - “Quo Vadis?” 1043
111 - The Ninth Solstice Message 1046
112 - Report on the Sixth Eastern Conclave 1049
113 - First National Conclave Itinerary 1052
114 - “Following Satan the Natural Thing to Do” 1053
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115 - “The Devil You Say” (306th PSYOP Battalion) 1055
116 - Phase IV Message 1056
117 - “Church of Satan Seeks Members” (UCSB) 1061
118 - “Black Pope Simmers Down” 1063
119 - “The Satanist who Wants to Rule the World” 1066
120 - “Anton LaVey Collects Books Toys Cursed Objects” 1076
121 - Devil’s Rain Main Ceremony - Maud Willis 1078
122 - Devil’s Rain Main Ceremony - Anton LaVey 1080
123 - Devil’s Rain - Famous Monsters Magazine 1081
124 - The Devil’s Avenger Promotional Sheet 1086
125 - Chronicles of Mendes #II-1 1087
126 - “Sic Itur Ad Astra” 1093
127 - Draft Lead Articles - Cloven Hoof 1097
128 - Letter, Diane LaVey to M.A. Aquino 1101
129 - Letter, M.A. Aquino to Anton & Diane LaVey 1106
130 - M.A. Aquino Packet Cover Letter 1111
131 - M.A. Aquino Letter to Church Membership 1112
132 - Resignation Letter - Lilith Sinclair 1113
133 - Resignation Letter - Ronald Barrett 1115
134 - Resignation Letter - Margaret Wendall 1117
135 - Resignation Letter - L. Dale Seago 1120
136 - Resignation Letter - Robert Ethel 1122
137 - Resignation Letter - Jinni Bast 1124
138 - Resignation Letter - Robert Brink 1125
139 - Resignation Letter - Lynn Norton 1126
140 - Resignation Letter - Ricco Zappitelli 1127
141 - Resignation Letter - T. & C. Huddleston 1128
142 - “Hoisted by His Own Patois” 1129
143 - Reply to “Hoisted by His Own Patois” 1131
144 - “Satanism’s Gone Underground” 1136
145 - “The Devil in Anton LaVey” 1140
146 - Review - Satan Wants You 1150
147 - Review - Cults That Kill 1158
148 - Review - Secret Life of a Satanist 1163
149 - Letter to Geraldo Rivera 1167
150 - Letter, Zeena (LaVey) to M.A. Aquino 1170
151 - “Sympathy for the Devil” (Rolling Stone) 1173
152 - Diane Hegarty/Anton LaVey Property Agreement 1191
153 - Hegarty First Amended Complaint 1201
154 - LaVey Answer to First Amended Complaint 1213
155 - Superior Court Order (Hegarty v LaVey) 1217
156 - Church of Satan Articles of Incorporation 1223
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157 - LaVey Bankruptcy Creditors’ Meeting Transcript 1227
158 - Order for 6114 California Street Bankruptcy Sale 1233
159 - Anton LaVey Bankruptcy Closure Stipulation 1235
160 - Anton LaVey Bankruptcy Supplemental Stipulation 1238
161 - Review - The Devil’s Notebook 1241
Plates 1248
About the Author 1289
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June 19, 1968: It was a balmy afternoon in San Francisco. Having received
my B.A. from the University of California, Santa Barbara the previous week, I
had returned to my native city for a short vacation before reporting to the 82nd
Airborne Division as a newly-commissioned Second Lieutenant. Leafing through
the newspapers in search of an evening’s entertainment, I saw that the highly-
publicized film Rosemary’s Baby was premiering at a theater in the Marina
District, and I decided to catch the early screening in order to avoid the crowds
arriving for the later show.
The film proved to be unexpectedly disturbing - even more so than the novel
which had appeared two years earlier. Unlike the formula Hollywood monster
movie, it emphasized the unremarkable and ordinary personalities of Rosemary’s
neighbors - and then revealed them to be just as routinely engaged in bizarre
practices of Devil-worship and Black Magic. “This is no dream,” gasped a
terrified Mia Farrow as she was ravished by Satan. “This is really happening!”
As the lights came on, I paused to wonder - as, I am sure, did many others in
the theater - whether it could indeed really happen. Was it possible that Satanism
could still be a living force in the world, and not merely a historical aberration of
medieval paganism and primitive anti-Catholic sentiment? No, of course not.
But as I strolled towards the front of the theater, there was a sudden
commotion out under the marquee. A late-model black hearse had drawn up to
the curb, and from it there emerged four or five men clad completely in black
robes. The crowd parted before them, and the manager ushered them through
the lobby and into the darkened interior of the building.
It all happened so quickly that I had only a momentary look at this singular
delegation, but there was no mistaking its central figure - a tall, shaven-headed,
goateed man with piercing eyes that seemed almost reptilian in their gaze. As the
crowd thinned, I walked over to the manager and asked him for an explanation of
the incident.
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“That was Anton LaVey,” he said after a moment’s hesitation, “and those
were people from the Church of Satan. LaVey was technical advisor to this film
and played the part of the Devil in it.” He produced a bright red calling-card,
which solemnly announced:
Not only could it happen, said the card, but it was indeed happening. I shook
my head in fascination. An actual church devoted to the Devil - and right here in
San Francisco! Moreover both the card and the announced address implied that
this institution had managed to sustain a public existence and exposure. Outré it
might be, but criminal it was evidently not.
Driving directly home to Russian Hill was of course quite out of the question;
I detoured half-a-city out of my way to see what sort of structure it was that
could house such a bizarre activity. The address proved to be far out in the
Richmond District, where California Street ceases to be a four-lane, commercial
artery and becomes merely one more fog-shrouded residential lane. Nestled
tightly between two buildings, 6114 revealed itself to be a two-story, peaked-roof
house of a type common in post-fire San Francisco. But it was painted completely
black, and the three main windows were tightly shuttered.
The only indication of occupancy was the soft glow of an orange-red light
through the front-door transom. I listened for some sound from the interior, but
the house remained silent and uninviting. A plate by the door said DO NOT
DISTURB UNLESS YOU HAVE AN APPOINTMENT, which of course I did not,
so I drove away … and for a year almost entirely forgot about Anton Szandor
LaVey and his strange Church of Satan.
I did not know it then, but I had just received my first glimpse of both a man
and an institution who would alter my life to an extraordinary degree. More than
that, they would alter the lives and philosophies of many other persons
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throughout the country and the world, and ultimately they would be responsible
for a most remarkable contribution to the options for human social evolution.
For the Church of Satan was not just one more shade of color in San
Francisco’s rainbow of the eccentric and the avant-garde, nor did it have much in
common with what most people generally consider “the occult”. Rather it was an
exercise in intellect, spirit, and activity which, accidentally or intentionally,
managed to focus on the greatest mystery of mankind: why it is different from all
other forms of life, and what this difference implies for its potential.
Such an odyssey was not to be comfortable or tranquil. During the decade of
its existence, the Church of Satan strained and in some cases almost shattered the
lives of many individuals who came into contact with it. Like some great
Frankenstein monster, it fascinated and obsessed its creators and its adherents,
rewarding success in its fields of interest with stronger and darker challenges.
As the institution grew larger and more sophisticated, the personalities and
philosophies that governed it came to have less and less in common with their
counterparts in conventional society, and ultimately the Church came to display
two distinct faces.
The first face was that through which it struggled to communicate with the
public and indeed the outer circles of its own membership. This was the Church
of Satan of the tabloid newspapers and magazines, the publicity-provoking
pranks, and the Hollywood flirtations; from 1966 to 1975 it would be described,
denounced, praised, and caricatured by a veritable parade of reporters,
academics, theologians, and historians.
From all these accounts there gradually emerged a confusing and
inconclusive image of the Church as a spectacular fraud. For all of its regalia,
rituals, and aphorisms, it seemed too commercial, too media-oriented, too
transparent, and indeed too “nice” to be authentic. Even some of its more
enthusiastic members eventually disengaged themselves with the feeling that
they had exhausted the Church; they had wallowed in its notorious indulgences
and found them to provide only temporary relief in the restless search for
stimulation, excitement, and recognition.
The other face of the Church of Satan was not seen by the public, nor indeed
by most of its membership. It was sensed by a very few - perhaps not even by
Anton LaVey himself - when the Church was founded. Ten years later it was still
obscure and ethereal: a face that was glimpsed peripherally rather than directly.
It was the face of deep, ultimate authenticity - a signal that behind all the
pageantry and the pyrotechnics lay an unsuspected substance - and a
manifestation of intelligence that responded, however unpredictably, to efforts
at conscious communication.
It was just this authenticity which animated the Church and its High Priest so
vibrantly for so long, enabling both to endure so much social suspicion,
ostracism, and outright antagonism without suffering loss of dignity, much less of