Is this a religion?

[Milasol]

I been in a long discussion since the so-called black mass at Harvard was cancelled with some who claim they are satanists.

All I did was quote Padre Pio, Theresa of Avial, Catherine of Sienna, etc.

And all of them come back and tell me that their “temple” does not worship the devil.

They tell me things like:

"The first paragraph from the Satanic temple website: "The mission of The Satanic Temple is to encourage benevolence and empathy among all people. In addition, we embrace practical common sense and justice. As Satanists we all should be guided by our conscience to undertake noble pursuits guided by our individual wills. We believe that this is the hope of all mankind and the highest aspiration of humanity.

As an organized religion, we feel it is our function to actively provide outreach, to lead by example, and to participate public affairs wheresoever the issues might benefit from rational, Satanic insights."

I been trying to tell them how deceitful that is but they come back telling me that their rights as a “religion” have been infringed.

I tell them it is not a religion and they continue to defend it as such.

So I want to know what exactly is the event that they were going to do in Harvard, because it seems to me that it is an even solely to mock the Catholic Church.

Here is the youtube link in case you’ll like to join in the conversation youtube.com/watch?v=xLT9V6M8INA

 

[RosslynV]

It’s blasphemy.

 

[Holly3278]

Satanism seems more like a cult than a religion to me. But I could be wrong. Anyway, check out the New Advent Catholic Encyclopedia’s article about religion. It gives a definition of religion which may be helpful:

newadvent.org/cathen/12738a.htm

 

[Netty1]

I think my first question would be: if they do not worship Satan, then why do they call themselves Satanists?

Hard on the heels of that would be: who do they think Satan is?

 

[seagal]

I think my first question would be: if they do not worship Satan, then why do they call themselves Satanists?

Hard on the heels of that would be: who do they think Satan is?

Those were exactly my first thoughts too.

 

[Usagi]

Most of the groups that deliberately call themselves Churches of Satan or whatever are not so much worshippers of the Christian Satan as worshippers of the self. They see Satan as sort of a symbolic role model who refused any master, even God.

That’s not a good thing, certainly, but it’s not the same as literally holding black Masses and giving religious worship to Satan. The people who do that are more likely to be rebelling against and mocking Christianity than constructing a coherent counter-religion of their own. They probably grow out of it eventually.

Usagi

 

[Timothysis]

I think my first question would be: if they do not worship Satan, then why do they call themselves Satanists?

Because people like you (no offense intended) really have no idea what it means when they describe themselves as “Satanists.”

These people are largely atheists or even agnostics who do not believe in God or the devil. They are secular humanists.

The whole church of Satan stuff started with Anton Levay in San Francisco back in the 60s. It isn’t real.

 

[Wildgraywolf]

I think my first question would be: if they do not worship Satan, then why do they call themselves Satanists?

Hard on the heels of that would be: who do they think Satan is?

Yeah. That was the first thought that went blazing through my mind.
[URL="http://forums.catholic-questions.org/member.php?u=80716":

Timothysis

;12041223]Because people like you (no offense intended) really have no idea what it means when they describe themselves as “Satanists.”

These people are largely atheists or even agnostics who do not believe in God or the devil. They are secular humanists. That’s like labeling a can “Tuna” even though it really contains a seafood medley.

 

[Timothysis]

That’s like labeling a can “Tuna” even though it really contains a seafood medley.

And you, apparently, don’t get it, either. They call themselves “Satanists” to get the goat of people like here at CAF. Ask them how they “worship” Satan and you will probably get a big eye roll from them.

 

[Wildgraywolf]

And you, apparently, don’t get it, either. They call themselves “Satanists” to get the goat of people like here at CAF. Ask them how they “worship” Satan and you will probably get a big eye roll from them.

Yeah, I get it. These guys call themselves one thing, but the reality is that they are something else. They might call themselves Satanists, but they’re pushing something other than Satan just for kicks. Or they may label themselves as tuna, but instead they’re a seafood medley.