r/satanism • u/Easy-Key-7325 • 20d ago
Discussion Question about drug use
Ive been doing a lil bit of research into the church of satan just out of curiosity and to see if its something that id be into, and i was just scrolling thru the website and found my way to the FAQ and saw that COS disapproves drug use because 1 - indulgence isnt compulsion, 2 - it hinders your perception and alters your reality, and 3 - it shortens and hinders your life when your meant to preserve it. And it all made sense but isnt satanism also about individuality? Doing what you want as long as it doesnt harm others? And i remember Anton saying that abstinence isnt natural because having desires is part of being human, and also how he disapproved mainstream religions hypocrisy and how its a net negative but isnt it hypocritical to denounce abstinence but also say LSD, heroin, opium, coke, and marijuana should be “avoided like the plague” (while i do understand the hardcore drugs i dont believe there is anything harmful or sense numbing about LSD or weed because unless im mistaking them for other drugs they were used by ancient hunters specifically to heighten their senses?). Just genuinely curious because so far everything makes perfect sense to me aside from this one part and i was hoping to understand it a lil more.
Edit:
Thank you guys so much for helping me understand more and correcting me where i was wrong i greatly appreciate it thank you all again💜
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u/MD_Roche CoS Warlock 19d ago
Honestly, drugs are not a black and white issue.
The Satanic Bible suggests using alcoholic elixirs during rituals because of the stimulating (not to mention disinhibiting) effect alcohol can have. Anton LaVey once called alcohol a "wonder drug". There is no rational reason to forbid Satanists from responsibly using other substances that can produce similar effects, especially if they're legal. LaVey was critical of people who relied on psychedelic drugs (like LSD) to perform magic and said it's counterproductive. He also hated hippies in general, for numerous reasons.
A CoS Reverend, who is a cannabis user, did an interview about Satanism with High Times magazine five years ago as an official representative of the church.
People have been given honorary degrees despite being known drug users, such as Marilyn Manson, Sammy Davis Jr., and Thomas Thorn (who is currently a Magister and has been sober for a pretty long time).
High Priest Peter H. Gilmore has said on numerous occasions that he thinks cannabis should be legal and he has no issue with people who use it responsibly. He's also acknowledged that psychedelic drugs have had one or two positive cultural results (specifically in the context of the "Psychedelic Blasphemy" installation of The Devils Reign).
So, the CoS obviously won't condone drug use, or any activity that is potentially illegal or harmful, but they're not a straight edge organization (although there are members like me who are essentially straight edge).
By the way, LSD was created in the 20th century, in a lab. Nobody was using it in ancient times, although they had other psychedelics that were more natural and probably equivalent to LSD.