Gender cult and Satanism share a commonality: ‘Hail Satan! Hail Thyself’.

Affirming Pride: Exploring the Connection Between Satanism and LGBTQ+ Culture

A ⁣self-described transgender‍ graphic designer‌ made ⁣national headlines this June when a number of⁢ her ‌designs were used in Target’s controversial pride collection. One design found on the‍ London-based designer’s own online apparel shop ⁤has the message: “Satan respects pronouns,” encircling a goat head.

The designer, whose shirts‍ feature phrases like “astrology made⁢ me queer” and ⁢whose UFO-shaped pin says ‍“no gender no problem,” doesn’t claim on ‍her site to be a Satanist per se. ⁣Instead, “Erik” says, “There’s something ⁢magical about the​ unknown, the frightening, and ‌the mystical which is why I so frequently feature these themes in my art.”

Erik’s work isn’t the only ‌pride-adjacent satanically‍ inspired activity to feature in pop culture recently. The brand Nair, which supports pride ⁣as⁤ evidenced by ⁣its Instagram posts, ‌ran an audacious “worship ‍yourself” ad campaign that harks back‍ to ‌the “father ‍of modern Satanism’s” motto,⁣ “Hail Satan! ‌Hail thyself.”

At the 2023 Grammy​ award show, self-proclaimed “nonbinary” singer Sam Smith ⁤and transgender Kim⁤ Petras’ performance of ⁢their hit single “Unholy” included blatant satanic imagery.

Smith⁤ and Petras don’t ⁣publicly identify as Satanists, but many LGBT members and “pride” ‍proponents do.‌ A simple‍ search⁣ of “Satanist” among Twitter accounts brings up countless results that include rainbow flags and gender tags such as⁢ “nonbinary” and “she-they.”

Lucien Greaves, cofounder of the Satanic Temple, ​says ​most members of the Temple are LGBT folks who consider themselves rejected by orthodox churches and ​other ⁤such religious establishments. Greaves told Out.com, “We will always fight them, we ​will fight them to the‌ death to ensure that there⁣ are ‌equal rights for the gay community.”

History shows, too, that ⁤Satanism⁢ has been a fitting spiritual home⁢ for the ⁣pride ⁤“community.” Aleister Crowley,⁢ the early 19th-century occultist credited with being the “grandfather” ​of modern theistic Satanism, was⁢ keenly interested⁤ in⁣ ancient‍ pagan ⁤deities, many of⁣ whom are seen ‌today as “gender-bending.”⁤ Androgyny or hermaphroditism was seen by Crowley and other forebearers of the modern occult ‍as mystical,⁢ powerful, and closer to the divine. Crowley’s ⁤“Gnostic ⁢Mass”​ includes the phrases:

Male-female, quintessential,⁣ one

Man-being‌ veiled ⁣in woman-form.

The infamous icon of Satanism, the goat-headed ⁢“Baphomet,”​ represents a fusion of the male and female, ⁢with the two halves of the body representing each sex. The “divine⁤ androgyne” is “the hieroglyph of arcane perfection,” according to ‌Crowley.‌ While Baphomet has a complicated history of iterations ‌and interpretation, it’s not ⁢unreasonable to imagine that gender-confused young people might welcome this binary-breaking‌ symbol of “balance and harmony” and see a satanic sect as a spiritual home ⁣for⁣ them.

The two most famous philosophical statements⁢ of the 20th century’s most iconic⁣ Satanists, Crowley‍ and Anton ⁤LaVey, ‍serve to‍ illustrate‍ the strong ties between modern “pride” and their belief systems. The life of Crowley especially finds continuity in the ⁣gender-expansive, free-love universe of pride.

‘Hail ⁤Satan! ​Hail Thyself’

In the 1960’s, LaVey, known​ as the “Black​ Pope,” created⁤ a Satanism ​that differed ⁣from other, older satanic traditions ⁣in⁢ that it claimed to be atheistic, considering ⁢Satan to be a literary figure. LaVey’s most famous⁣ chant is “Hail Satan! Hail Thyself.” His Satanism prescribes self-worship and gratification: staples ⁤of ⁣LGBT⁤ pride ⁤culture.

Two⁤ of ‌his Nine ⁢Satanic ⁣Statements are: “Satan⁢ represents all of the so-called sins, as they all lead ⁣to physical, mental, or emotional gratification!” and,⁤ “Satan⁤ represents indulgence instead of ‍abstinence!”

While most who‌ wave the rainbow flag no doubt would agree that, ‌for instance,⁢ murder is wrong (a ‌“so-called sin” Satan represents), pride nevertheless allies itself with the pro-abortion agenda. The right to murder a preborn baby leads to “mental and emotional gratification” ⁣for ⁤the abortive mother (and ⁤often her sexual partners). And ridding oneself of progeny​ to care for promotes further indulgence Satan is​ said to⁢ represent.⁣ Proponents of sexual‌ libertinism and gender fluidity don’t usually describe themselves as ⁢Satanists, but ‍LaVey’s philosophy⁣ of carnal hedonism is the⁣ bedrock of ​today’s⁣ pride ⁤culture.

Writing for the Encyclopedia of Religion,‌ professor⁢ of religious studies Eugene V. Gallagher describes LaVey’s Satanic Bible as promoting “ritual ​and pageantry” ‌and displaying “a flair for⁣ mockery.” On a ritualistic ⁣and philosophical level, drag queen, queer, and homosexual subcultures would mesh⁣ well⁢ with LaVeyan Satanism. What is​ drag but‌ pageantry mocking femininity? And what‍ would foment the mockery of Judeo-Christian sexual norms and ​family structure better than hailing Satan, the enemy of the ⁢God who made ​humankind into ⁣the ⁤“restrictive” physiological‌ categories of “male and ‌female”?

‘Do What⁢ Thou Wilt’

One familiar ​repeated sentiment in ‍Crowley’s 1909 The Book of‌ the Law‌ has ​echoed through ‍culture for over a ​century now: “Do ‌what thou wilt shall ⁤be the whole​ of ​the law. … ‍Love is the law, ​love‌ under will.” We may not know ​it verbatim, but we recognize ⁢its other ‌iterations such ​as “follow ‍your heart” or “do what you want” or “all ‍you need⁣ is love.” These popular cultural expressions guide the pride⁢ movement; they encourage the​ unshackling of human expression from heterosexual mores.

Unlike LaVey who ​came ⁣after,​ Crowley was an unabashed theistic Satanist. He wrote‌ in his autobiography of his desire to “get ⁣hold of [Satan] personally and become his chief of‍ staff” and ‌“get into personal communication with the Devil.” His pride ⁤and​ egotism, modeled in today’s pride movement,‌ would seem prerequisites even to aspire⁢ to such a ​position.

Activities‌ the Bible labels sexual depravity, the kind celebrated in ⁤pride parades,​ were rampant in Crowley’s life. Early on,⁢ he rejected Christian​ morality and ‌saw taboos ⁢as things to be deliberately shattered. The occultist ⁢was keen on “sex magic” and was bisexual, ⁢as ⁣evidenced by his more recently discovered homoerotic poetry. The Book of the Law reflects his ⁢belief in “free love,” a⁤ lifestyle most accepted within pride: “Also, take your ⁢fill​ and will of love as‌ ye will, when, where and with ⁣whom ye will!”

Today, we can see ⁣the blending with LaVey’s and Crowley’s philosophies under the rainbow flag:‌ While so-called love is esteemed,⁢ the only true ‍reverence is for the self, and the only ‍allegiance ⁢is⁣ to‌ its will. The highest virtue is the expression of one’s ​true self: to live⁤ authentically, ⁣or live your truth. “Hail thyself” and “do what thou wilt” are guiding principles of the pride‍ movement.

In Christian theology, pride is the original sin that prompted God to cast Satan down from heaven. He now leads a rebellion against God’s‍ will.⁢ What a ​wonder⁢ is it that pride is the name taken on by the LGBT alliance, which⁢ is‍ also ⁣leading‌ a rebellion against biblical‌ morality?⁣ Those who don’t support pride are routinely shocked by the rhetoric,⁢ imagery, and stated ⁣desires of ‍the pride movement, such as offering graphic sexual material to young children‍ in⁤ school libraries.

But it should come as no ⁣surprise that rebellion against God’s design for humanity is‌ satanically inspired. That is, after all, his mission.