Answering a Satanist

Dear Marie (aka, “Lady Vamp”)

I was just thinking about a name for our grandchild if it’s a girl. My wife and I have two sons, so we never got to name a girl. I’ve always been partial to Marie, Anna Marie, or Anna Maria. It goes well with my Italian surname DeMario. Anna Maria DeMario would be a lovely name for a girl, don’t you think?

Anyway, thank you for writing. I was intrigued by your email. I noticed how much of what you wrote is borrowed from the Christian religion. For example, the six-hundred and sixty-six (666) in your email address is taken from the Bible (Rev. 13:18). So, in order to be a Satanist, you have to believe the Bible making your comment that “this Bible stuff is just idiocy” is self-refuting. It does not help if you claim that Satan is known outside the Bible. Now you would have to go about proving his existence just like Christians are challenged to prove that God exists. If Satan is a creature, then he had a creator.

I would think that as a Satanist you would join us in taking “advantage of superstitious nitwits.” Isn’t this what Satanism is all about, overturning the moral order of God? I didn’t realize that Satan and his follows had a conscience. Maybe you mean that a superstitious nitwit is someone who believes in God but not in Satan. This takes us back to square one and accounting for the existence of Satan and denying the existence of God. As far as I know, Satan has not given his life for his enemies. God has. Satan does not seem like the self-sacrificing type.

I’m not sure what brand of Satanist you are. Do you believe in God, and in your defiance you have decided to follow Satan? Are you a dualist? Do you believe that God and Satan are involved in eternal conflict as metaphysical equals? If you don’t believe in God, then I would like to know why not? It can’t be because He’s a spiritual being since this would apply to Satan as well. It can’t be because you don’t like the idea that there is a God, a “cosmic boss.” The fact that I don’t like how much I have to pay in taxes does not make the IRS go away. My personal feelings do not create or decreate reality. I’m sure you get the point.

This leads me to question the origin and legitimacy of your moral worldview. Is it derived from Satan himself? Where did he get it? What makes it legitimate? Can it change? Is it objective? You are involved in moral judgments as they relate to your perception of American Vision. It seems to me that you are once again borrowing your morality from Christianity. The very idea that there is a moral universe is a religious precept rooted in the Christian religion. Those who criticize Christians for their moral failings are using Christian morality to make the judgment call.

You mention “evangelical denominations with their bossy ways.” Your email comes across quite “bossy.” You make unsubstantiated accusations based on what you “feel.” This is no way to judge. How does one objectify feelings? I feel that what I’m doing is the best thing for America. I feel that you owe me $50. I feel that it’s OK to ________________. How does anyone refute any of your or my feelings if feelings are the standard? Should we adopt your feelings as the ultimate standard? You can see how this would not take us very far. You might claim that you and I should just follow our own moral path? Where is the foundation for this libertine premise? Who says that my moral path is not better than your moral path?

As a Christian, I feel that the goals of Satanists are just total nonsense and idiocy, to use your words. Have you ever purchased any Satanist literature? I “feel” the person who sold it to you was scamming you. The person who took your money for the tattoo (or is it blood?) on your face, I “feel” he or she not only spoiled your beautiful image but scammed you as well. Of course, you will say that you’ve done these things freely. And you have. So what applies to you as your free choices applies to those who choose to purchase products from American Vision. We don’t guilt-trip them. They can take them or leave them.

You abhor “money-making scams” and those who are “always telling people how to live.” We at American Vision do as well. Again, as a Satanist, why is it wrong to scam people? You are borrowing your moral outrage—“Thou shalt not scam”—from the Bible which you decry as “idiocy.” You are telling me and other Christians how to live; you are being bossy: don’t scam, don’t be an idiot, don’t believe nonsense, don’t be a nitwit, don’t be bossy. Some of those “bossy” laws keep our society together. You should be thankful for them. Without them we would have anarchy. Of course, I don’t like bossy people either. There are a number of social conventions that I found distasteful, inconvenient, and irritating. You probably don’t like bossy people telling you not to tattoo your face or how to style your hair. Some of these people might just have your best interests at heart. Especially when you go to look for a job.

On your last point that “this country was not founded as a ‘Christian’ nation.” To answer this assertion would take more time than I can give at this point. I’ve written extensively on this subject in a number of books and articles. You might want to take a look at America’s Christian History and America’s Christian Heritage. We know for a fact, however, that the Constitution of the United States closes with “Done in the Year of Our Lord . . . one thousand eight-hundred and eighty seven” and not in “the year of our lord Satan.”

Marie, keep in touch. If there is anything we at American Vision can ever do for you, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We will never scam you or be bossy. You have my word on it.