Exposing the Intellectual Bankruptcy of Atheists Criticizing Religion

[JBrentonK]

Beccs,

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but you are one of those very sad atheist people in the world.... One who doesn't even understand satan worship. Can you please include a definition of Satan worship along with your reply? That would be very helpful. I have waited 2 days to respond to you, you see, and so I am very anxious about what you're going to say in response to me. But please, please tell me, what is it going to be? I mean, if you believe that Satan worship is NOT paganism, you are probably, as I said above, one of those very sad atheist people in the world.... I can't think of another class of people. Nope. Maybe, just maybe, you'll fit in with those atheists that believe in Gaud. You should read about them on wikipedia. They're real informative. I believe t hat sums up the long awaited response. I hope you have a LOVELY day.

GTFOH with that crazy shit, man.

Satan worship, by definition, cannot be paganism because it involves an element of Christian mythology - Satan Himself is from the Christian mythos. You might as well call Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormons, and Christian Science "paganism", by your stretch.

Pagan traditions come from religions that are not Christian, typically ones that are older than Christianity (even when they've been re-packaged into modern religions, like Wicca). People I've known who are Pagan tend to revere what they call the "old gods" of their ancestors, usually those of Celtic or Germanic or Norse origin, though I've known a few who look to the Greek and/or Egyptian pantheons. None of them worship Satan, and would find the idea laughable. 

What you're likely confusing is the Pagan imagery of a goat-god, Baphomet, with Satan. In fact, historically the image is used because the Knights Templar, when they were being wiped out by the church, were accused of worshiping Baphomet, which scholars have suggested is a corruption of "Muhammad"... it was an accusation that the Templars were incorporating Islamic ideas into their worship. In reality, it was an excuse for the Inquisitors to destroy them. The imagery associated with the accusations against the Templars shaped the general Christian idea of what the Devil supposedly "looks like", resulting in the goat-hoofed, fork-tailed, pitchfork-wielding red guy we think of today... but none of it was reality.

Atheists cannot, by definition, believe in any gods. That's literally what the word atheist means (a = no/without, theos = god/gods), so your accusation of "sad atheists who really believe" is hollow and fatuous.

Try to educate yourself before you go spouting accusations.

Edit to Add: In fairness, I should include the fact that Aleister Crowley did famously made Baphomet a symbol of life and the universe, using the name as his own "magical title", and was accused of Satanism... but Satanism is not Satan Worship, and Crowley vehemently denied being a Satanist or Satan Worshiper. Even if he had been, Satanism is, at its root (as far as I can tell anyway) almost entirely symbolic, deliberately using Christian imagery to "poke Christian ideologies in the eye" as a counterpoint to Christian influences on society. In short, despite the use of "devil-imagery" for shock-value, your accusations against both Pagans and Satanists are false. I've known dozens of both, and have never actually met someone who worships Satan.

WOAH buddy! Woah! I was starting to have some respect for you and your posts, but now I see what they boil down to. A load of ****. You, as is beccs, are incorrect. Paganism is devil worship, and there are no elements of paganism that are NOT devil worship. You can look all you want pal, but you won't find any of paganism relating directly to God. That is why it's called Satanism, you dipshit. When we use the word paganism, we mean Satanism. And every atheist that disbelieves in God can find proof for the devil all he wants--- you see?