Satanic angels?

You might be surprised to know there’s no devil-worshipping in the TST – nor are there any human sacrifices, rivers of blood or curses. There’s not even a devil; satanists are largely non-spiritual atheists.

To take Satanism back to its 16th century roots, the term “Satan” actually just means “adversary”. Although that’s not to say Satanists are actively anti-Christian. Sadie (the vegan, goat-pardoner from earlier) is quick to dispel this common misconception, stating that Satanists are more often than not “pluralists, accepting of all religions”.

So why keep the name “Satanism”? “We have a fundamental set of beliefs that would not fit atheism or any religion than Satanism,” TST Council Member Kym LaRoux tells me. “We call ourselves Satanists because that is what we are.”

The new Satanic verses

Contemporary Satanism started in the 1960s, when author and musician Anton LaVey founded the Church of Satan. Then came the Satanic Panic of the 80s and 90s, the mass hysteria which saw thousands of people wrongfully accused of “satanic ritual abuse”. Suddenly, everything from rock music to an innocent game called Dungeons & Dragons was being labelled as dangerous, occult recruiting tools.

It was during this time that some of TST’s members first discovered Satanism. Sadie grew up in the 80s and says those who prompted the Panic, “only succeeded in making Satanism look attractive by condemning everything we appreciated: D&D, heavy metal and fantasy books.” At 14, she bought and read LaVey’s Satanic Bible, although she admits “it never really jived with me”.

“There was a lot I didn’t connect with. I’m now what I call a recovered occultist,” she tells me.