Hello, I'm new here and I just wanted to know what the difference between atheism and LeVeyan Satanism is? I brought it up to one of my friends and they said they were practically the same thing. Any insight into this?

Thanks in advance.

Satanists don't eat babies.

I would insult you, so I will leave it to another.

(April 15, 2015 at 3:18 am)Kitan Wrote: I  would insult you, so I will leave it to another.

Why? I really would like to know what the difference between an atheist and LeVeyan Satanist is. As far as I can tell they're essentially the same thing.

(April 15, 2015 at 3:21 am)CuriousInquirer Wrote: Why? I really would like to know what the difference between an atheist and LeVeyan Satanist is. As far as I can tell they're essentially the same thing.

A satanist believes in a deity, of satanic origin, while the atheist is devoid of belief in such entities.  

(April 15, 2015 at 3:24 am)Kitan Wrote:

(April 15, 2015 at 3:21 am)CuriousInquirer Wrote: Why? I really would like to know what the difference between an atheist and LeVeyan Satanist is. As far as I can tell they're essentially the same thing.

A satanist believes in a deity, of satanic origin, while the atheist is devoid of belief in such entities.  

LeVeyan Satanists do not believe in God, Satan, or the afterlife. They are in essense atheists.

(April 15, 2015 at 3:21 am)CuriousInquirer Wrote:

(April 15, 2015 at 3:18 am)Kitan Wrote: I  would insult you, so I will leave it to another.

Why? I really would like to know what the difference between an atheist and LeVeyan Satanist is. As far as I can tell they're essentially the same thing.

  I don't understand what you don't understand. Atheists are just people who don't believe in gods. LeVeyan Satanist is a religion that uses Satanic symbology. I'm guessing your friend met LeVeyan Satanists don't believe in a literal devil as where theistic Satanists do. 

Edit- ARRGGH, ninja'd!

Hello CI, welcome

Atheism is simply the rejection of the claim that one or more gods exist. That's it, nothing more. Anything else you try to say about a particular atheist is entirely unfounded.

http://robvalue.wix.com/atheism#!what-is-atheism/c57k

LeVeyan Satanism is a whole religion, which happens to not involve god worship so its members are likely to be atheist:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LaVeyan_Satanism


So these Satanists are (almost certainly) atheists, but atheists are not in general Satanists. It's like all members of a particular woman's group are women, but not all women are members of that group nor share its ideas.

(April 15, 2015 at 3:29 am)Pizza Wrote:

(April 15, 2015 at 3:21 am)CuriousInquirer Wrote: Why? I really would like to know what the difference between an atheist and LeVeyan Satanist is. As far as I can tell they're essentially the same thing.

  I don't understand what you don't understand. Atheists are just people who don't believe in gods. LeVeyan Satanist is a religion that uses Satanic symbology. I'm guessing your friend met LeVeyan Satanists don't believe in a literal devil as where theistic Satanists do. 

I meant more from a philosophical standpoint. What sets them apart? Besides the obvious surface elements, I mean.

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http://churchofsatan.com/faq-selling-souls.php

Satanists don't believe in anything, just like atheists.

Everything in Satanism, except the atheist part, sets them apart.

Atheism is not a philosophy, so it has no tenants or ideas. It's a nothing.

There is no general statement you can say about atheists, other than they are atheists. Not so for Satanists, they are making clear their philosophy.