Anton LaVey

Full name: Anton Szandor LaVey
Birth name: Howard Stanton Levey
Birth date: April 30, 1930
Birth place: Chicago, Illinois
Ancestry: French (father's side), Russian (mother's side)
Spouse/Life partners: Carole Lansing; Diane Hegarty, Blanche Barton
Children: Karla (b. 1952), Zeena (b. 1963), Satan Xerxes Carnacki (b. 1993)
Books: The Satanic Bible (1969), The Satanic Witch (1989), TheSatanic Rituals (1972), The Devil's Notebook (1992), Satan Speaks!(1998)
Death date: October 29, 1997
Death place: San Francisco, California 

Anton LeVay's father, Michael Joseph, was a native Nebraskan, whose parents emigrated to the U.S. from France. His mother, Gertrude Augusta Coultron, was a native Ohioan, whose parents emigrated to the U.S. from Russia. While Anton was young, his parents moved the family to the San Francisco Bay Area. In his teen years, LaVey dropped out of high school to join the circus and had responsibilities with animals and music, both of which he enjoyed. LaVey met Carole Lansing when he was 20 years old and married her a year later. Lansing gave birth to their daughter Karla in 1952. The pair divorced in 1960.

LeVay soon entered into a relationship with Diane Hegarty who gave birth to their daughter Zeena in 1963. Also in the early 1960's, LaVey was the weekly speaker at a group called "The Magic Circle." At the encouragement of his students, on April 30, 1966, LaVey announced the establishment of The Church of Satan, inaugurating what he called, "The Age of Satan."

The media was infatuated with LaVey. His satanic weddings and baptisms received significant public attention. He was even a guest on television talk shows such as Phil Donahue and Johnny Carson. California newspapers called LaVey "The Black Pope."

In the 1990's, LaVey had a relationship with Blanche Barton, who gave birth to their son, Satan Xerxes Carnacki, in November 1993.

LaVey died from pulmonary adema on October 29, 1997 in San Francisco, California. A satanic funeral was held in Colona, a town in San Mateo County just outside San Francisco. His body was cremated and the remains were divided among family members.

Aleister Crowley (1875-1947)

Aleister Crowley was an English occultist who founded a religious philosophy called Thelema, which espoused the teaching "do what thou wilt." He was an extensive writer, publishing fiction and poetry, yet he's most well-known for his books on the occult, which includes the sacred text of Thelema, The Book of the Law, and various works on magic.

His Youth

Aleister Crowley was born Edward Alexander Aleister on October 12, 1875 in Warwickshire, England. His father Edward had a brewery business, but spent a substantial amount of time as a traveling evangelist on behalf of the Exclusive Brethren, an offshoot of the Plymouth Brethren Christian denomination.

Edward Sr. died of tongue cancer in 1887. Crowley and his mother had a contentious relationship, so when Aleister's father died, he was sent to a boarding school in Cambridge. He later attended Malvern College and Tonbridge School, both of which he left after only a few terms.

Trinity College

In 1895 Crowley enrolled in Trinity College in Cambridge where he majored in English literature. While he'd already been questioning the Christian faith in which he was raised, during his time at Trinity, he grew to despise thedenomination of his father. He also formed the opinion that the Church of England was full of hypocrisy and thus he refused to attend chapel services.

Also while attending Trinity, Edward Jr. changed his name to "Aleister." He reasoned that the Gaelic spelling of his middle name, Alexander, was more memorable than "Edward."

It was known that while at Malvern and Tonbridge, Aleister frequented male and female prostitutes. While he continued to see female prostitutes in his time at Trinity, he also had homosexual relationships. In 1896 Aleister had a homosexual experience that he described as a spiritual awakening, which served to grow his interest in the occult. After an illness caused him to question his career path, Aleister decided to devote himself to the occult. He left Cambridge in 1897 without a degree.

Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn

In 1898 Aleister met Julian L. Baker, a chemist, who was also interested in the occult. The two met together with Englishman George Cecil James, who was a member of the occult society, Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. Aleister joined the order and was given the name Father Perdurabo. While in the group, he was advised in the use of magic and drugs for the purpose of enhancing his spiritual experiences.

When the Golden Dawn experienced internal conflict, Aleister sided with leader S.L. MacGregor Mathers, opposite a group of angry members (which included the poet W.B. Yeats) who were disturbed by the order's politics. Aleister soon left the Golden Dawn, but his interest in the occult was still strong.

More Occult Activity

1904 was the year Aleister said he first heard the voice of Aiwass, an entity that claimed to be a messenger from the god, Hoor-Paar-Kratt. He wrote down everything the voice said to him, a work he later titled, The Book of the Law. Aleister also said he was assigned to be a prophet of a new age characterized by the motto "do what thou wilt."

He was also introduced to the Ordo Temple Orientis in 1912 by its leader Theodor Reuss.

Death

Aleister died on December 1, 1947 at the age of 72. Drug use is thought to have contributed to his death.

Satanism

What is Satanism? What is the Satanic Bible? What is the truth behind Satanic rituals and Satan worship? Is the focal point of Satanism "Satan" of the Hebrew and Christian Bible or someone different? These are examples of questions people have when they hear about Satanism.

It is helpful to know that terms like “Satanism,” "satanic," and even the name "Satan," encompasses a wide variety of ideological, philosophical, and theological beliefs. "Satanic" groups can be quitedifferent from one another, but still use the same terminology.

Satanism: Differences

There are different ways to classify satanic groups to help people understand how each group believes and behaves. Not every group performs satanic rituals, participates in satanic worship, reads theThe Satanic Bible, uses traditional satanic symbols, or attends "the Church of Satan."

First, not every form of Satanism professes a belief in gods or spirits. While some forms of Satanism believe in spiritual entities, others have a materialistic worldview and in relation to faith and religion they are atheists or agnostics. Satanic spiritualists, on the other hand, contend that Satan is a god or a chief evil spirit and they pursue interaction with him and other evil spirits. In contrast, those Satanists who are professed atheists and agnostics seeSatanism as a philosophical worldview manifesting in a particular lifestyle often characterized by questioning authority. The spiritualitsts are more likely to perform satanic rituals, while the non-spiritualists don't.

Second, satanic groups include a wide range of adherents. Some Satanists are teenagers who are dabbling in self-proclaimed diabolical groups and covens These young people practice Satanism recreationally and their activities often include fantasy role-playing games, heavy metal music with satanic lyrics, and drug use.

Other Satanists belong to groups whose purpose is less recreational. This type of satanic order is often esoteric and regularly practices occult rituals. It's also populated by adults, not teenagers.

Third, satanic organizations have different purposes. Some are public, while others are private. Public groups are sometimes incorporated as non-profit religious organizations and have tax-exempt status in the United States. This subset of Satanism produces the most literature and is even recognized by the United States military. There are, however, private groups as well that largely operate in secret.

Satanism: Groups

The following chart provides a starting point for understanding different satanic groups.

	Founding	Spiritualists or Materialists	Known for	Public or Private	Literature
Beasts of Satan	Mid-1990's in Italy	spiritualists	committing ritual murders from 1998-2004 in Italy	private	none
Church of Satan	1966 by Anton Szandor LaVey in San Francisco, California	materialists	The Satanic Bible	public	The Satanic Bible(1969, Avon Books)
Dragon Rouge	1989 in Sweden	spiritualists	practicing occult arts and black magic	private	none
First Satanic Church	1999 by Karla LaVey in San Francisco, California	materialists	started by the daughter of Anton LeVay	public	none
Luciferianism	13th century	spiritualists	conflicted with Pope Gregory IX	private	none surviving
The Ophites	circa 100 A.D.	spiritualists	worshipped the serpent of Genesis	private	made esoteric diagrams
Order of Nine Angles	1960's in England	spiritualists	affirmation of human sacrifice	private	Hysteron Proteronby Anton Long
Our Lady of Endor	1948 by Herbert Arthur Sloane in Toledo, Ohio	spiritualists	Sloane believed Satan appeared to him as a horned-god when he was a child	private	Heavily influenced by The Gnostic Religionby Hans Jonas
Palladists	1737 In Paris, France	spiritualists	called a "Masonic Diabolical Order" in Lewis Spence'sEncyclopedia of the Occult	private	none surviving
Temple of Set	1975 by Michael A. Aquino after a disagreement with the Church of Satan	spiritualists	Aquino was a Lt. Colonel in the U.S. Army	public	Jewelled Tablets of Set, The Crystal Tablet of Set
Typhonian Order	late 19th century in the U.K.	spiritualists	Aleister Crowleyled the group for a time	public	The Typhonian Trilogies by Kenneth Grant
The Yezidi	antiquity, Central Asia	spiritualists	bird worship	private	unknown

 

Ásatrúarfélagið Íslandi

Upplýsingar

Ásatrúarfélagið var formlega stofnað sumardaginn fyrsta árið 1972 og fékk viðurkenningu sem löggilt trúfélag ári síðar, þann 16. maí 1973.

Tilgangur félagsins er að starfa að eflingu ásatrúar og annast þá trúarlegu þjónustu sem því er samfara. Þessu markmiði hyggst félagið ná með fræðslu- og félagsstarfi en ekki trúboði.

Ásatrúarfélagið vill hefja til vegs og virðingar fornan sið og forn menningarverðmæti. Það er einnig vilji félagsins að auka skilning og áhuga á þjóðtrú og gömlum hefðum. Þetta viljum við gera án þess að gera lítið úr öðrum trúarsiðum, gömlum eða nýjum, eða menningu annarra þjóða. Ofstæki eða hatur í garð annarra getur aldrei samrýmst stefnu félagsins.

Ásatrúarfélagið er nú sjötta stærsta trúfélagið á Íslandi og það stærsta sem byggir ekki á kristnum grunni. Nú eru skráðir á annað þúsund einstaklingar í félagið.

Samkvæmt lögum um trúfélög ber Ásatrúarfélaginu að inna af hendi athafnir, svo sem hjónavígslur og útfarir. Athafnir þessar eru framkvæmdar af allsherjargoða og þeim goðum sem hafa vígsluréttindi.

Ásatrúarmenn sameinast um heitið: „Hefjum til vegs fornan sið og forn menningarverðmæti.“

Athafnir

Allsherjargoði eða staðgengill hans og þeir goðar sem hafa hjónavígsluréttndi sinna þeim athöfnum sem Ásatrúarfélaginu ber að inna af hendi, skv. lögum um trúfélög, svo sem hjónavígslum og útförum og eru þessar athafnir fullkomlega lögmætar samkvæmt landslögum. Þar að auki geta allir goðar sinnt nafngjafar- og siðfestuathöfnum.

Tilgangur Ásatrúarfélagsins er að starfa að eflingu ásatrúar og annast þá trúarlegu þjónustu sem því er samfara. Þessu markmiði hyggst félagið ná með fræðslu- og félagsstarfi en ekki trúboði, enda segir í reglum félagsins að trúboð sé óþurftaverk.

Samkvæmt lögum um trúfélög ber Ásatrúarfélaginu að inna að hendi athafnir, svo sem hjónavígslur og útfarir, athafnir þessar eru framkvæmdar af allsherjargoða eða staðgengli hans, auk þeirra goða sem hafa hjónavígsluréttindi.

Goðar félagsins, hver í sínu héraði halda þar uppi starfsemi með fræðslu og blóthaldi og sjá einnig um athafnir á vegum félagsins.

Goðar og fleiri félagsmenn sinna ýmsum fræðslustörfum og hafa oft haldið kynningar um heiðinn sið og ásatrú þar sem þess er óskað.

Fjölmargir athyglisverðir og fræðandi fyrirlestrar og spjallfundir fræðimanna og goða hafa verið haldnir á vegum félagsins sem ávallt hafa verið mjög vel sóttir. Innan vébanda þess er margt fjölhæft listafólk sem leggur oft sitt af mörkum á blótum, skemmtunum og á fræðaslufundum.

Á laugardögum kl 14:00 – 16:00 er opið hús í félagsheimili Ásatrúarfélasins að Síðumúla 15. Fundir þessir eru opnir öllum þeim er vilja fræðast um heiðinn sig og félagið. Allir eru velkomnir.

Allsherjarþing Ásatrúarfélagsins er haldið síðasta laugardag í október ár hvert, þá er kosið í stjórn og nefndir auk venjulegra aðalfundastarfa.

Samkvæmt reglum félagsins skulu fjögur höfuðblót haldin árlega og fylgja þau hinu forna missera- og vikutali.

Einnig gefur Ásatrúarfélagið út fréttabréf sem sent er félagsmönnum. Fréttabréfið, sem heitir Vor siður, er gefið út fyrst og fremst til að koma skilaboðum til félagsmanna og birta ýmsan fróðleik.

Asatru (Germanic Paganism)

Ásatrú (Icelandic, "Æsir faith") is a modern revival of the pre-Christian Nordic religion as described in the Norse epicEddas.

An artist's depiction of the cosmic tree Yggrasill.

Fast Facts

Date founded:

ancient form has no founding date; modern revival founded 1970s

Place founded:

ancient form flourished across northern Europe; modern revival founded in Iceland

Founder:

no founder of ancient form; modern revival founded by Sveinbjörn Beinteinsson.

Adherents:

estimated at a few thousand worldwide

Terminology

Ásatrú is an Old Norse word consisting of Ása, referring to the Norse gods, and trú, "troth" or "faith". Thus, Ásatrú means "religion of the Æsir." The term was coined by Edvard Grieg in his 1870 opera Olaf Trygvason, in the context of 19th century romantic nationalism.

Generally synonymous terms for Asatru include Germanic Neopaganism, Germanic Heathenism, Forn Sed,Odinism, Heithni or Heathenry. The original, ancient form of Norse religion is usually referred to as Germanic paganism, Germanic religion, or Norse mythology.

History

The ancient origins of Germanic religion date from prehistoric times and are thus unknown. Most of what is known about Germanic religion is derived from descriptions by Latin writers such as Julius Caesar (1st cent. BC) and Tacitus (1st cent. AD), descriptions of early Christian missionaries, and archaeological evidence including cult objects, amulets, grave goods, and place names.

Anglo-Saxon England was converted from Norse paganism to Christianity in the 7th century, Scandinavia in the 10th century. The Germanic/Norse religion gradually disappeared after this, although Christianity absorbed some of its external features, such as the name and popular customs of Easter.

Asatru, the modern attempt to revive the old Norse faith, was founded by the Icelandic farmer Sveinbjörn Beinteinsson (1924–1993). Beinteinsson was a sheep farmer and a priest in the religion, who published a book of rímur (Icelandic rhymed epic poetry) in 1945. In 1972 he petitioned the Icelandic government to recognize theÍslenska Ásatrúarfélagið ("Icelandic fellowship of Æsir faith") as a religious body. It did so in 1973, and Denmark and Norway have since followed.

According to one Asatru website, similar communities were formed in the USA and UK at the same time as those in Iceland, each unaware of the existence of the others. This is a sign that "Odin, the wanderer, is once again seeking worshippers." (Irminsul Ættir)

Today, there are small groups of Asatru adherents throughout Scandinavia and North America. According to theWorld Christian Encyclopedia, in the 1990s the approximately 300 Icelandic adherents hoped to dechristianize Iceland by the year 2000, the 1000th anniversary of the island's christianization.

Texts

Neither ancient Norse religion nor modern Asatru is predominantly text-based, but Norse myths are beautifully preserved in two Icelandic epics called the Eddas.

The first Edda dates from the 12th century AD, when Snorri Sturluson (1179-1241), an Icelandic poet, historian and politician, retold many Norse myths with quotations from poems and explanations of mythological imagery. His goal was to provide a handbook for poets so the ancient lore would not be lost. It was called Edda, which means "great-grandmother" but may also be derived from Oddi, Sturluson's hometown. It is now known as Snorri's Edda or theProse Edda.

In 1643, a 13th-cent. manuscript book known as the Codex regius was found in an Icelandic farmhous, containing poems on gods and heroes. This collection, together with a few poems from other manuscripts, is called the Elder Edda, Poetic Edda, or Saemund's Edda (after an 11th-cent. scholar). The poems may date from as early as 800 AD and appear to have been composed in pre-Christian times in Norway. They recount the exploits of the gods Freyr, Loki, Odin, and Thor and include riddle contests between gods and giants, and much about the creation and destruction of the worlds of gods and humans.

Beliefs

Ancient Norse paganism and modern Asatru are polytheistic. In the Viking Age (9th-11th cents.), there were four main deities (see below), with earlier gods remembered as minor deities and other supernatural beings of varying importance. Most of these gods are worshipped by modern followers of Asatru.

The Norse gods are of three different types:

• Aesir - the gods of the tribe or clan, representing kingship, order, craft, etc. (incl. Odin and Thor)
• Vanir - gods of the fertility of the earth and forces of nature (incl. Freyr and Freyja)
• Jotnar - giant-gods who are in a constant state of war with the Aesir, representing chaos and destruction

The four main deities in Germanic religion and Asatru are:

• Odin (Germanic Woden) - god of magic, poetry, riches and the dead; ruler of Valhalla (gave his name to Wednesday)
• Thor - sky god who wields a hammer, controls the weather, and protects the law and the community (gave his name to Thursday)
• Freyr - fertility god represented with a phallic statue and seen as the founder of the Swedish royal dynasty
• Freyja - fertility goddess of love and beauty, sister of Freyr, known by many names (including Frigg, Odin's wife and patron of families, who gave her name to Friday)

Other deities:

• Njord - father of Freyr and Freyja, god of ships, sea and lakes
• Tyr (Germanic Tiu) - god of battle, sacrifice, and justice (gave his name to Tuesday)
• Ullr - god of death, winter, and hunting
• Loki - the trickster

The original Germanic religion did not have a unified conception of the afterlife. Some may have believed that fallen warriors would go to Valhalla to live happily with Odin until the Ragnarök, but it seems unlikely this belief was widespread. Others seemed to believe that there was no afterlife. According to the "Hávamál," any misfortune was better than to be burnt on a funeral pyre, for a corpse was a useless object.

More often people believed that life went on for a time after death but was inseparable from the body. If men had been evil in life, they could persecute the living when dead; they might have to be killed a second time or even a third before they were finished. Some records imply that the dead needed company; a wife, mistress, or servant would be placed in the grave with them. On the whole, beliefs in afterlife seem rather gloomy. The dead pass, perhaps by slow stages, to a dark, misty world called Niflheim (Niflheimr).

Modern Asatru beliefs about the afterlife also vary. One Asatru website states:

We believe that there is an afterlife, and that those who have lived virtuous lives will go on to experience greaterfulfillment, pleasure, and challenge. Those who have led lives characterized more by vice than by virtue will be separated from kin, doomed to an existence of dullness and gloom. The precise nature of the afterlife - what it will look like and feel like - is beyond our understanding and is dealt with symbolically in the myths. There is also a tradition in Asatru of rebirth within the family line. Perhaps the individual is able to choose whether or not he or she is re-manifested in this world, or there may be natural laws which govern this. In a sense, of course, we all live on in our descendants quite apart from an afterlife as such. To be honest, we of Asatru do not overly concern ourselves with the next world. We live here and now, in this existence. If we do this and do it well, the next life will take care of itself.

Practices

Practices of Old Norse/Germanic Religion

In the old Germanic religion, the central practice was animal and human sacrifice, conducted in the open or in groves and forests. Roman authors repeatedly mention the sacrifice of prisoners of war to the gods of victory. One detailed description of a sacrificial feast is given in a saga about a king of Norway, in which cattle were slaughtered, blood was sprinkled inside and out, the meat was consumed and toasts were drunk to Odin, Njörd, and Freyr. Sacrifices of a more private kind might include the sacrifice of an ox to a god or smearing an elf mound with bull's blood.

Women known as Volva had prophetic gifts. They visited homes, practiced divination and foretold children's destinies. They were probably linked with the Vanir (fertility deities).

Temples were rare but wooden temples seem to have been built in later periods. A major religious center was at Upsala, in NE Sweden.

Practices of Asatru (Modern Form)

Communities of Asatru are called Kindreds, Hearths, or Garths. Priests are called Gothi; priestesses Gythia.

A central Asatru ritual is blot, which means sacrifice and may be connected with the word "blood." In place of traditional animal sacrifice, followers of Asatru offer mead (honey-wine), beer or cider to the gods. The liquid is consecrated to a god or goddess, then the worshippers drink a portion of it and pour the rest as a libation.

Another major practice is sumbel, a ritual toast in three rounds. The first round is to the gods, starting with Odin, who won the mead of poetry from the Giant Suttung. A few drops are poured to Loki to ward off his tricks. The second round is to ancestors and other honorable dead, and the third round is open.

Asatru holidays center on the seasons and are similar to other Neopagan holidays. The major celebrations are:

• Summer Finding (spring equinox, March 21) - dedicated to Ostara
• Winter Finding (fall equinox, September 21)
• Midsummer (summer solstice, June 21)
• Yule - the most important holiday; starts on the winter solstice (December 21) and lasts for 12 days

In place of a list of commandments, followers of Asatru try to follow these "Nine Noble Virtues":

1. Courage
2. Truth
3. Honor
4. Fidelity
5. Discipline
6. Hospitality
7. Industriousness
8. Self-Reliance
9. Perseverance

References & Sources

1. "Germanic religion." John R. Hinnels, ed., The Penguin Dictionary of Religions, 2nd ed. (Penguin Books, 1997).
2. "Germanic religion and mythology." Encyclopædia Britannica (Encyclopædia Britannica Premium Service, 2005).
3. "Iceland." The World Christian Encyclopedia: A Comparative Survey of Churches and Religions in the Modern World, Vol. I (Oxford UP, 2001), p. 388.
4. Rev. Patrick "Jordsvin" Buck, "Asatru, An Ancient Religion Reborn."

Links

Asatru Websites

• Ásatrúarfélagið (Iceland, est. 1972)
• Åsatrufellesskapet Bifrost (Norway, est. 1996)
• Sveriges Asatrosamfund (Sweden, est. 1994)
• Asatrofællesskabet (Denmark, since 2003)
• The Troth (USA, est. 1987)
• Asatru Folk Assembly (USA, est. 1974)
• Asatru Alliance (USA, est. 1988)
• Irminsul Ættir (USA)

Books

• Germanic Heathenry The Penguin Book of Norse-Myths: Gods of the Vikings Kevin Crossley-Holland
• The Vikings: The Last Pagans or the First Europeans? Jonathan Clements
• A History of Pagan Europe Prudence Jones
• Myths and Symbols in Pagan Europe H. R. Ellis Davidson
• Viking Gods and Heroes E. M. Wilmot-Buxton
• The Norse Tarot Clive Barrett
• Living Asatru Greg (Dux) Shetler
• New Edda Wayland Skallagrimsson
• Mimir's Well Noil Skeggold

Asatru, Germanic Heathenism

Asatru, what is Asatru? facts on Asatru, Norse myth, Viking gods, Germanic, pagan, heathen, Asatru religion