by Christopher Cranmer

Created on: February 06, 2007   Last Updated: May 11, 2007

When discussing religion, I often hear the statement:

"I'm not any religion; I dont want to be limited into one thing."

The person making this statement is invariably trying to project individuality. By asserting that they dont fit a religious hole, theyre trying to make the point that theyre too varied in thought and action to ever fit one. Naturally, they never seem to provide any details as to exactly what these variations actually are.

Funny, that.

Even funnier, is the usual insinuation that succeeds this stance. Im talking about, of course, the insinuation that you, as a Satanist, are tying yourself down to one religion. You are, therefore, not allowing yourself any chance of moving out into something new. How can one talk about individuality, when one is happy to only be known as a single title? This can seem sensible. In a world where everyone likes to think they are different, it seems immediately logical that any title, regardless of commonality, should be avoided.

Dont be fooled!

Ultimately, there are two main reasons why people do not wish to be titled anything.

1) They are unwilling to take responsibility for what the religious title entails. Because accepting that you are a religious denomination means you are culpable (and, therefore, expected to act) for certain doctrine, you cannot relieve the burden.

2) They simply dont know what they are. In an effort to appear deep, theyre actually showing an inherent insensitivity. Because they are so worried about the connotations a title will bring, theyre not concentrating on living their life to best effect.

As Satanists, we shouldnt be worried about either of these issues; we dont have them. As a Satanist, you are willing to accept that your nature dictates what religion you are, NOT the other way around. You have read the Satanic Bible, resonated with that text and realised what you were all along. You didnt choose the title; it chose you. And the most wonderful thing about Satanism is that theres room for manoeuvre. So long as youre capable of sticking to the base definitions, the world is, quite literally, your Satanic oyster. There are no limits with Satanism, regardless of what people try and tell you.

Look out the window, see what you want and make the world your own. Dont be fooled by small-mindedness disguised as intellect. Its one of the reasons Christianity is still around.

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