An Open Letter to James Edward Raggi IV

 

James,

    Recently, you posted a video to the official Lamentations of the Flame Princess YouTube channel, entitled “All Hail Satan! … ?”. Based on prior videos, I assumed it was a sales event for the Satan-themed products in the catalog. Its actual contents, a critique of Satan as a biblical and literary figure, as well as its use in modern occult and religious traditions, was perplexing and “problematic”. The understanding you displayed of the importance and validity of Satan as a symbol was shockingly obtuse. As a fan of heavy metal, a fan and customer of LotFP, and a member of the Satanic Temple, I felt the need to respond.

    Firstly, I understand that you approach this topic from the perspective of an atheist and one who does not shy away or take personal affront from Satanic and occult imagery. Furthermore, you have taken time to read and do some amount of analysis on the Satanic Tenets and acknowledge the work done by the Satanic Temple in support of ideological equality and religious pluralism, and that is more than most do when addressing any topic relating to the Satanic Temple. Still, your video is ignorant of the value of symbols and validity of Satanic faith.

    Satan (any/all pronouns) is not a real figure; on this we agree. She is a combination of figures from different eras, from biblical to modern, with evolutions along the way. He is based primarily on the horned gods of pagan faiths, Pan and Cernunnos in particular, as a way of vilifying existing religious beliefs in favor of Catholic supremacy. They are not intrinsically villainous or deceptive; the Serpent wasn’t Satan. The Accuser (from the book of Job) was not, strictly speaking, Satan. Baal and Moloch, and any other human-sacrificing religions of the ancient Abrahamic lore… are not Satan. (YHWH himself, however, has demanded human sacrifice, and has a much larger body count than Satan). Even Baphomet, the preferred symbol of the Satanic Temple, is not Satan per se, because it is a misunderstood amalgamation of the tortured confessions of Templars murdered by the Catholic Church during their seizure of Templar treasures under the pretext of fighting an evil society of devil worshipers. To say that taking a symbol as complex as Satan, which has no inherent or immutable nature, and apply it to a new context is neither illogical nor out of keeping with tradition. In fact, she is being repurposed to a nobler purpose of intellectual and corporeal freedom and doing a great job to boot.

    As you note, the Satan of the Satanic Temple (TST) is a facade on secular humanist ideals, laid out in the Seven Tenets. He is derived primarily from the Romantic Satan of Milton and others of that era who examined and critiqued her portrayal and largely concluded that Satan is, if judged by Christian lore, more a symbol of liberation and knowledge than evil and deception. Does this contradict the prevailing vision of the evil horned god in the lake of fire? Certainly, and again, they are equally valid as human-created symbols. The utility of using Satan and Baphomet to advance materialist secular humanist ideals is that they draw attention and illustrate hypocrisy. Yes, they trigger the Christofascist snowflakes, but they are not the audience in need of convincing; by and large one cannot logic someone out of a position they did not logic themselves into. The target of TST’s political theater are the moderate public, those who are open to ideas, entertained by novel concepts, and in need of representation in regard to their freedoms which are being attacked on a constant basis- and more than this, TST provides defense and service, such as representation for LGBTQIA2S+ youth, access to reproductive autonomy, and fighting religious encroachment in public schools and physical child abuse. In the 10 short years of TST’s existence, the symbol of Satan has served greater utility to humanity than the nearly 2,000 years as a symbol of The Enemy and The Other within Abrahamic belief.

    You liken the choice of Satan as a symbol of good to choosing a Swastika as a symbol of universal healthcare. I was shocked at how facile this was- for one, don’t you remember punks using the Swastika as an image for shock and rebellion? For another, it exists today in its original form as a symbol of good fortune and well-being. In this case, it would be a particularly appropriate choice for “universal health care” if it could be widely adopted and defended. It’s not wise for an individual to embark on this endeavor and just wear a swastika around, but that’s also not what TST is doing.

    Why would one choose to be a Satanist? By your reckoning, it is either as a Wolf or a Poser. I appreciate that you shared your personal anecdotes with the Satanic and Occult because it clarifies somewhat why you view the idea of a post-modern, symbolic Satan with fear and disgust. Let me assure you, I’m not one of those human bone-collecting Satanists you’ve dated. I’ve never met one, either. I’ve never even heard of one, in fact, that did any harm. Stories of Satanic Panic, blaming innocents or those with whom the Christofascist WASPs disagree or fear are much more common; you’re well aware of this. LaVeyan Satanists are, as you say, similar to Objectivists with edgy trappings, certainly Poser-adjacent. Wolves? Where are they? I’m neither Wolf nor Poser, and I don’t trouble myself overly with others. If you can’t understand why one would rationally identify with Satanism, my reasoning is simple: I identify with the imagery (as do you, in many ways), I strongly believe in equity and intellectual idealism, and I like to use whatever soapbox I have access to to speak for change. I’m by no means dangerous and trying to hide it (I’m a pacifist) nor weak and trying to appear strong. I just like it and I’m glad it has given me and like-minded (though not identical-minded) individuals a way to connect socially and promote the values we hold. Again, Satan as our symbol is arbitrary, but in line with thought, freedom, and the spirit of rebellion.

    Perhaps this has been illuminative. If so, I am glad, if not, c'est la vie- but there is more to Satan than human bone-collecting, edgy objectivism, and even politically engaged postmodern secular humanism. But let’s move past the idea that the symbol of Satan is such an awful, tainted thing that it belies evil, disingenuity, or any other sort of inherent negative qualities in a person.

Satanically yours,
Red Flanagan

P.S.- Why not an adventure about cuddly, queer intellectual Satanists?