Monday, April 11, 2022

Satanist Anton LaVey on this Day in History

 

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This Day in History: Anton LaVey (Howard Stanton Levey) was born on this day (April 11) in 1930. Anton LaVey was the founder of the Church of Satan and the religion of Satanism. He also authored The Satanic Bible.

Historian of Satanism Gareth J. Medway described LaVey as a "born showman", with anthropologist Jean La Fontaine describing him as a "colourful figure of considerable personal magnetism". The academic scholars of Satanism Per Faxneld and Jesper Aagaard Petersen described LaVey as "the most iconic figure in the Satanic milieu". LaVey was labeled many things by journalists, religious detractors, and Satanists alike, including "The Father of Satanism", the "St. Paul of Satanism" and "The Black Pope".

I'm going to go with "showman" and "provocateur." 

Adherents to the Church of Satan don't actually believe in Satan. LaVey was an atheist, and a libertarian who admired Ayn Rand. Like Rand, he was also Jewish. Sammy Davis Jr., who was also Jewish (by choice) also joined the Church of Satan for a while. American pianist Liberace was also a member of the Church of Satan, as was Jayne Mansfield.

Ironically, Anton Lavey died in 1997, at St. Mary's Medical Center in San Francisco...a Catholic hospital.

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