Nowhere357

Enlightenment is a path, not a destination.

I don't see much enlightenment in satanism.

lugotorix

Yes, I agree. One odd thing I've noticed about the various types of modern satanism I've read about (LaVey's Church of Satan, and the Temple of Set) is that they are not strictly anti-Christian. They are both strong athiest, so they don't teach that there is a literal Satan in opposition to an existing God. They see Satan as a symbol for a strong egocentric self-awareness.

As such, it's not anti-Christian but it is diametrically opposed to the Buddha's teaching. Here's an excerpt from an essay at the Temple of Set's website:
Of course, it's way off the mark on what the Buddha's teaching really was, but I expected that.

As for Harumi's question, I don't know of any serious practitioners of what you might call "traditional Satanism". Most of its modern proponents know that the earliest information about so-called Satanism (from the Inquisition) was extracted under torture and so is pretty much useless for objective information. The few teenagers that do try to be Satanists are probably trying to (as they say in fandom) freak the mundanes.

lugotorix

bagong

prove to me that consciousness survives death, and i'll believe in reincarnation You seem to have the mistaken assumption that Buddhism teaches that reincarnation involves the transmigration of consciousness from one body to another. In fact this is a "wrong view" that the monk Saati was explicitly admonished for.

Buddhism teaches that consciousness arises only when supporting conditions exist (namely the sense organs, in Indian thought including the brain).

"Bhikkhus, Do you see, that it [consciousness] arises supported? Yes, venerable sir. Bhikkhus, Do you see, that if the support ceases, the arising too ceases? Yes, venerable sir. " MN 38

Clearly consciousness does not survive the death of the physical body in Buddhist thought. The same is true for all the other mental and physical consituents of existence: the Buddha explicitly taught that none of them survive death.

So what exactly does reincarnation mean if there is absolutely no physical or mental continuity between one birth and the next? I posted some explanations from the Milindapañhaa in the other thread about reincarnation, but I'll add some more here:

Harumi

Lol.

I'm was former Buddhist and I know less than you guys! It wasn't from lack of trying though. I had desperately wanted to know, but my parents just wouldn't tell me. This seems to me like my parents don't know anything about it either. Sad isn't it?

But back to Satanism. There seems to almost be a type of apathy amongst the followers that a I really dislike. Isn't it all focused on materialism and getting what they want? That's what I got from it at any rate. Satan, as I knew before, is mostly a symbol, not truly believed. But what is the real point of it?

Nowhere357

I agree with Mr. Buddha. Our bodies turn to dust, and our spiritual energy dissipates also like a drop of water in the ocean.

emotional

Great! Naturalistic reincarnation! Something I can believe in without having to discard the whole system of naturalism! If matter combined this time to form a person which I call "me", it can do so for a new "me" once again. There's no proof for this, of course, but at least it provides consolation in the face of fear of death. I believe in life after death without rejecting naturalism.

BigBadShrubbery

Satanism, as it is explained at religioustolerance.org, seems like a very interesting religion, apart from all those rituals. Satanism, as it is explained at churchofsatan.com, seems like just those "wiccans" who are wiccans just because it's cool, except that they try to seem evil.

If it weren't for those rituals and symbols and other occult stuff, I might even consider becominga some sort of satanist.

Harumi

What do you find so negative about rituals?

BigBadShrubbery

I find it hard to believe that they are actually useful. I'd say that 'negative' is a too strong word. I merely dislike the idea of seemingly pointless rituals.

Of course, the possibility exists that these rituals actually work, but that pretty much questions the whole "not believing in a living deity"-part. Or, at least, that's the conclusion I ended up with. I might be wrong.

Are there any actual religious satanists around? I suppose that they would be the persons to ask about this ritual part of satanism.

Nowhere357

My daughter noticed that each morning, as I stir my coffee, I make the same liitle tune or ditty with the spoon on the cup. Sort of a ritual? Do satanists like coffee?