When I first began to explore Satanism, I was drawn to the Church of Satan because I had (well, I should say have, heh) friends who are members of varying ranks of that… denomination? Church? However you accurately word that. Knowing that it was the first true religion devoted to Satanism founded and that I did have several friends that were members initially drew me to it, although the initial cost to join — even if it would only have to be paid once and it was good for life — put me off. However, engaging with various… dissidents of Jake Eakin’s on his Facebook wall, and also having friends who were members of The Satanic Temple, also introduced me to them, and I began to do some research on The Satanic Temple after their documentary, Hail Satan? was referenced (which, I’m not even going to lie, intrigued me in an extremely good way… because not only do I now have a copy of that, I’ve been watching it in piecemeal after the boys are in bed during the evenings, and I am making progress getting through it given our sometimes downright busy daily schedules). I realized that I appreciated The Satanic Temple’s more left-leaning politic stances and the fact that they were not afraid to get political or litigate in court over matters that were important to them as a whole, and I found their members more personable and easier to talk to (at least those I’ve spoken to).

I also have a copy of the book that was written about them that I was given as a late Mother’s Day present.

I’m not one of these who is going to go “my denomination is better than your denomination,” even though some people… do that, I guess. The Satanic Temple is just the… branch, or denomination, of Satanism that best meets my personal needs. Personally, I feel that Satanists have more common ground than they have things that drive them apart. And Baphomet is adorable, especially when he’s drawn and colored in pastel. As I’ve mentioned before, some people see joining “the proper faction” as a prize to be won — I see that reminiscent of Final Fantasy X-2, and I’m more content to find that someone actually is a Satanist and that person to be one less person that I have to worry about aggressively trying to evangelize me into theism, especially Christianity, who has denominations that are particularly notable for their apologetics. If that makes me a bit of an eccentric Satanist, well then so be it. Being a Satanist is eccentric enough. I don’t mind.