Church of Azazel > Internet congregation

Church of Azazel
Internet Proto-Congregation

• Basic information about the Internet proto-congregation
• What kind of people we're looking for
• How to join

Basic information about the Internet proto-congregation

We'll soon be re-launching the Internet proto-congregation of the Church of Azazel, for people who don't live near a local Church of Azazel group.

Members of the Internet proto-congregation will participate in coordinated solo rituals (to be discussed in our private Facebook group) and and (2) participate in other ways which, in one way or another, help to increase the public Internet visibility of the more intelligent and articulate forms of theistic Satanism, e.g. by participating in the Theistic Satanism blog network or on relevant message boards.

The purposes of the Internet proto-congregation will be:

• To bring together a cadre of people who will eventually form local congregations of the Church of Azazel in various places around the world.
• To develop new rituals and spiritual practices for the Church of Azazel.
• To address the personal needs, desires, and goals of members by sharing information and practical advice, as well as through coordinated solo rituals.
• To help members acquire knowledge about comparative religion and about those aspects of science, history. religious trends, mythology, occult practices, etc., that are relevant to the Church of Azazel's paradigm.
• To develop strategies to defend our rights and oppose the Christian religious right wing.
• To enhance the public Internet visibility of the more intelligent forms of theistic Satanism (including but not limited to the Church of Azazel itself).

Please note that one of the purposes of the Internet congregation will be to bring together a cadre of people who will eventually form local congregations of the Church of Azazel in cities other than New York. Hence the Internet congregation will be in some ways more demanding than a local congregation will be in its requirements of its members, especially its prospective core members.

In particular, basic (rank-and-file) members of local congregations will not be required to make themselves publicly visible in any way, whereas all members of the Internet congregation of the Church of Azazel are required to participate publicly on the Internet (at least under a pseudonym, if not under their legal identities) as well as in our private Facebook group.

What kind of people we're looking for

The ideal Church of Azazel member is one who agrees with the basic perspective of the Church of Azazel and shares our goals but who is also capable of thinking for oneself and giving us constructive criticism. We're not looking for blind followers.

The online congregation is intended primarly for potential core members of the Church of Azazel, although it welcomes other members too. All members, especially prospective core members, must, among other things, be willing to spend time learning about all of the following:

• The Church of Azazel's own paradigm.
• Various other kinds of Satanism too.
• Various occult/magic(k)al traditions and practices.
• Beliefs about the Devil by those forms of Christianity that promote belief in a Devil. (Note that we do not agree with Christian theology, but our members are expected to be familiar with the history of Devil beliefs.)
• The history of religion, mythology, and occultism in general.
• Today's major religious trends.
• News and history of anti-Satanist panics and other social and poliitical issues relevant to freedom of religion and the separation of church and state.
• News and history of the activities of our main enemy, the Christian religious right wing, and the religious movements behind it.

Members of the Church of Azazel's online congregation are expected to have a strong, sustained interest in learning about all of the above.

In addition, members who are deconverts from fundamentalist, charismatic, or traditionalist forms of Christianity are expected to spend time learning about the evidence and arguments against traditional Christian beliefs, with the eventual aim of engaging in counter-evangelism. Such members are also expected, more so than others, to spend time learning about various non-Christian religions and forms of occultism, to broaden their spiritual horizons.

On the other hand, those members who are not deconverts from the more aggressive and theocratic-minded forms of Christianity are expected, more so than other members, to spend some time learning about (1) those forms of Christianity that promote belief in a Devil, and how their views of the Devil typically differ from the pop-cultural view, and (2) the more intolerant forms of Chirstianit and the dangers they pose to the rest of us. The latter is a matter on which most people who live outside the Bible Belt are blissfully ignorant. And even many people who live inside the Bible Belt are unaware of the ways that Christianity has been mutating over the past few decades.

If you do not have a deep and sustained interest in learning about these matters -- if all you're looking for is a cozy little Satanist coven -- then the Church of Azazel is not for you.

How to join

If you would like to be considered for membership in the Internet proto-congregation of the Church of Azazel, please do all of the following:

1. Join and participate in at least three of Diane Vera's facebook groups and pages, including both (1) the Satanisms group and (2) at least one of the following two groups: Watching Satan's avowed enemies and/or Counter-Evangelism. It is preferred, though not required, that prospective members also "Like" and post on at least one of the following public Facebook pages: Church of Azazel - New York City, Theistic Satanism Blog Network, and/or Diane Vera - polytheistic Satanist in NYC. The more of our groups you join and the more of our pages you "Like," the better.
2. Either in the Satanisms group or in some other appropriate venue such as the public Facebook page of the NYC Church of Azazel proto-congregation, post some specific commentary and/or questions by you about the Church of Azazel paradigm (not vague compliments, please). Participate, especially, in those discussions in which prospective members of the Church of Azazel are specifically asked to participate.
3. After some significant amount of participation (at least ten substantial posts or comments total, of which at least a three should be in Watching Satan's avowed enemies and/or Counter-Evangelism, and at least another three should be in one of the more specifically Satanist-oriented groups or pages), send a private message to Diane Vera as instructed here, indicating your interest in the Church of Azazel. You'll then be invited, not to the private Church of Azazel group yet, but to a high-quality private Facebook group for discussion about the many different kinds of Satanism.
4. After some significant amount of participation (at least ten substantial post or comments) in the private Satanist group, plus at least a few more posts or comments in Watching Satan's avowed enemies and/or Counter-Evangelism, plus some further specific commentary and/or questions by you about the Church of Azazel paradigm (in discussion threads about same, in whichever group or forum is designated for that purpose), please send another private message to Diane Vera to exchange email addresses and/or phone numbers.
5. If you have not done so already, begin fulfilling your public participation requirement, e.g. via the Theistic Satanism blog network (for which we'll happily give you any technical advice you need) or on relevant message boards (such as the Meetup message board of the Church of Azazel proto-congregation, New York City, the Meetup message board of the NYC Satanists discussion group (NYC Satanists, Luciferians, Dark Pagans, and Left Hand Path Occultists), or the Meetup message board of New Yorkers Against Religion-Based Bigotry).
6. Then ask to be invited to the private Facebook group of the Internet congregation of the Church of Azazel. The amount and kind of ongoing public participation we'll expect from you (outside our private Facebook group) will be decided at that point, based on your abilities and inclinations.

To remain a member in good standing, once you've joined the Internet Proto-Congregation of the Church of Azazel, please then: (1) fulfill your agreed-upon public participation quota, or re-negotiate it as needed, (2) participate regularly in our private Facebook group, and (3) perform our agreed-upon rituals and give us feedback on how they went for you.

For more information about our membership structure and requirements, see church of Azazel membership structure.

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