Rebellion Within

As you may know, I have recently written a list of Core Values for the UAoS, based upon the philosophy presented in Damien’s book, The Satanic Narratives: A Modern Satanic Bible. I intend for my first bunch of “Sunday Devotionals” to take an in-depth look at one of the Core Values and, hopefully, present a different perspective than just what is intended by the plain text.

Today I would like to touch upon the aspect of Satan, and the first Core Value, “Rebellion against arbitrary authority.” First, I would like to say that I am aware that the term “arbitrary authority” has already been used often in the Modern Satanic community, so I am not pretending to coin a phrase by including it in the Core Values. I am simply using the term as a way of showing that Satan is a symbol of rebellion, without prescribing what level of rebellion is right for every Satanist. Each individual must decide for himself or herself how he or she chooses to deal with established authority.

The point I would like to make today is that not all forms of authority are external to the individual. As we grow and develop, we establish an idea of “them,” that invisible caucus made from previous life experiences, that gives shape to our actions by reminding us of past successes and failures. This invisible caucus can be helpful or hurtful, depending upon how we fare from heeding its advice.

Make no mistake about it, the panel of voices in your head is a form of authority that you have created and given power. It can have an even greater effect on your success than external forms of authority, because it is the only thing that can rob you of your motivation and cause you to quit before you have even begun.

When you feel that this type of established authority is no longer of benefit to you, there is only one Satanic solution to the problem:

You fucking rebel against it.

Nobody, not even the invisible caucus that presides over your thoughts and feelings, should ever make you give up on your goals. Tell “them” that if you are going to fail, you will do so spectacularly, but you will act on your own terms. Success is never guaranteed, but you are guaranteed to fail if you quit before you have even begun.

Hail rebellion! Hail Satan!