Which Devil are you talking about? I am a polytheistic Devil worshiper, meaning that I believe there are many Powers of Darkness, not just one.

2. Okay, so which Devil do you worship?

I worship the Old Serpent, who is Prince of the Powers of Darkness (or just "Prince of Darkness" for short). I also revere Lilith, the Succubus and Queen of this age.

3. "The Old Serpent"? Don't you mean Satan?

Well that's what He is called in the New Testament (Revelation 12:9), yes. But He isn't the only "satan" out there. He was also called Apep in ancient Egypt. I can never really commit myself to any one single name for Him, so I'll just call Him the Old Serpent here.

4. Why do you worship Devils?!

I believe that some of the gods that intervene in human affairs enjoy putting us humans into bondage and in making us dependant upon them. And, admittedly, many humans enjoy being treated this way by their gods. Gods such as these are like shepherds, and their followers are like sheep. They are comfortable being part of a flock and grazing in a proverbial field all day. They would prefer to accept a pre-packaged belief system that is given to them, rather than have to go through the trouble of reasoning out their beliefs for themselves. They would rather look at the world through the light of another than through any light of their own making.

But some other gods enjoy breaking our bonds, turning our worlds upside down, and forcing us to re-think every single thing that we have ever been taught to believe. Most humans don't enjoy being treated in this way (as helpful to our general progress as it might be), and deities such as these have a habit of becoming cultural scapegoat figures. They obscure the light of the more popular gods, and thereby put human beings into situations where they are forced to shed their own light upon the dark mysteries of the world. And in return for their services, these deities are generally slandered by the masses.

It is easier for most humans to just blame all the troubles of the world upon these spirits - called Devils - than it is for them to actually think about the nature of existence. This is inevitably the way of things. But there are a few people in the world who sympathize with these poor Devils, and who accept what they offer to us. People such as these would much rather learn to make sense of the world by and for themselves than simply accept whatever belief system is handed down to them. I am one of these people.

5. You must be using a different definition for the word "Devil" than I am, because it sounds like you're saying your Devils are good guys.

The word "Devil" comes from the Greek diabolos. Diabolos comes from the words dia + ballein, which together mean "One who throws across." The term is generally used to describe a god or spiritual entity who represents opposition against whatever is considered "good" by a conventional religion. But that which a particular religion defines as "good" may not be seen as "good" by secular standards.

For instance, traditional Christianity teaches that it is the only true religion, while all others are evil and false. It therefore teaches that it is "bad" for people to believe in other religions. But from a secular standpoint, it is good that people do not all practice the same religion. If we all believed the exact same things, we would be like robots, and there would be no room for any creativity or innovation in human cognitive experience.

In this case, that which is defined as the "good" by the conventional religion -- i.e., an ethnocentric adherence to "the one true way" -- is actually detrimental to human progress in the long run. And the obstruction of that "good" is actually beneficial.

6. But don't you worship Evil?

Is a Devil really "evil" just because it is a Devil? Cannot a spiritual entity who is maligned as "evil" by some be celebrated as "good" by others? A Devil worshiper does not view the Powers of Darkness as being "evil." "Good" and "evil" are nothing more than terms of subjective value judgment that we humans impose upon the amoral reality which surrounds us. Nothing that exists is purely "good" or "evil" in and of itself, except insofar as we characterize them as such.

7. Why do you hate God?

It depends on what you mean by "God." When a person uses the name "God" (with a capital "G") to describe their deity, then more often than not they believe that their deity is "the one true god." Therefore the term "God" is, to me, a personification of what I call "one-true-wayism."

I would not say that I feel uncompromising hatred for any specific god or goddess -- not even for the god(s) of the Bible. However, I am opposed to the idea that there is only "one true god," and therefore I am also opposed to "one-true-wayism" in all of its forms. I believe that:

Devils are primarily considered "evil" because, as tempters, they seduce people to turn away from "God," i.e. one-true-wayism. This means that they really encourage humans to reject close-mindedness and to think independantly, to what is often considered a heretical (if not downright godless) degree.

8. Why don't you worship the true Creator?

Prove to me that there is a single person who has a personal relationship with the Creator and I just might worship It. But until such evidence be shown, I will continue to believe that each and every god that has ever been worshiped by humanity is really nothing more than a personal spirit. I believe the gods that we humans experience are really only smaller-than-cosmic spirits who happen to form personal relationships with specific people or groups of people. Even the various gods of the Bible are really something closer to personal genius spirits than the almighty Creator, as far as I am concerned.

The reason I reject any belief in a personal Creator god is because I see nothing personal about the vastness of Nature and of this universe. In a Post-Copernican world of Lex Talonis and natural selection, it simply does not make sense to characterize the Creator (if such exists) as being moral, compassionate or just in any humanly meaningful sense of these terms. For more information on this rather deistic viewpoint, please look into Post-Copernican natural theology.

9. What is your perspective on sin and Man's fallen nature? Are you proud of your sins?

Once again, it depends on what you mean by "sin." People who use the term "sin" most usually define it as any sort of transgression or opposition against "God." Considering my definition of "God," it should be easy to understand my subsequent definition of sin as a good thing.

As for humanity's "fallen" nature, I do not believe that there is anything "fallen" about it. Man is exactly what he is meant to be: an animal. To be true, we can walk on two legs, we can solve complex mathematical equations, and we can master technology for the domination of our world; but when it all comes down to the biological level, we are all animals and nothing more. In my opinion, the belief among some religions that humankind's natural state is somehow "wrong" or "fallen" is evidence of a deep-set self-hatred for what we naturally are. As a Devil worshiper, I believe that human beings should embrace themselves for the animals they really are, and that they should accept their nature for what it was created to be. There is nothing "sinful" about human nature - unless you are using the term "sinful" according to my definition above, in which case it is perfectly natural, and also good, for human beings to violate their self-imposed one-true-wayisms.

10. Do you kill animals?

No I do not. Most Devil worshipers simply do not see any reason to practice animal sacrifice. There are some who believe in the value of such, but these Devil worshipers will practice it within the confines of American law. Meaning that the animal will be killed in a humane way that does not violate any animal cruelty laws or sanitary laws. Also, the animal will typically be cooked and eaten afterwards. This type of practice is considered unnecessary by the majority of Devil worshipers today, but it is still practiced by some rural folks who are accustomed to killing their own food (such as those who live on farms).

Most Satanists, including myself, consider animal sacrifice to be an ugly and disrespectful thing. Although I disagree with him on most everything else, I happen to agree with Anton Szandor LaVey on this matter. In his Satanic Bible, he wrote:

There are sound and logical reasons why the Satanist could not perform such sacrifices. Man, the animal, is the godhead to the Satanist. The purest form of carnal existence reposes in the bodies of animals and human children who have not grown old enough to deny themselves their natural desires. They can perceive things that the average adult human can never hope to. Therefore, the Satanist holds these beings in a sacred regard, knowing that he can learn much from these natural magicians of the world.

11. Do you ritually abuse children?

No I do not. No Satanic church has ever condoned the practice of "Satanic Ritual Abuse." As a matter of fact, "Satanic Ritual Abuse" is largely an urban myth that was perpetuated by a handful of psychiatric patients and their respective psychiatrists. Under hypnosis, the patients recounted imaginary stories of child abuse by Devil worshipers that were suggested to them by their psychiatrists. This in turn caused the stories to be believed and propagated by many law enforcement officials. Individuals such as the evangelist Mike Warnke and the television personality Geraldo Rivera helped the "SRA" scare to escalate by further propagating the myths on national television. During the witchhunt, which mostly took place during the 1980's, many innocent people were accused of having practiced "Satanic Ritual Abuse" and were subsequently jailed and separated from their children.

In 1989 Special Agent Kenneth Lanning of the FBI conducted an investigation of the multiple claims of "Satanic Ritual Abuse." He proved that it was largely a myth perpetuated by cultural paranoia and a lack of critical thinking, most especially on the part of many law enforcement officials. Of course, there are some people in the world who sexually abuse children, and some of these people will use Satanism as a "guise" with which to manipulate their victims; but as Agent Lanning points out in his famous Investigator's Guide to Allegations of Ritual Child Abuse, this is really no different from a child molester who uses Christianity in much the same way. In his report, Lanning states the following:

The criminal behavior of one person claiming belief in a religion does not necessarily imply guilt or blame to others sharing that belief. In addition, simply claiming membership in a religion does not necessarily make you a member.

Also, the practice of "Satanic Ritual Abuse" is not only extremely rare, but it is also in violation of the belief of most Satanists, as represented in the above quote from LaVey's Satanic Bible. The vast majority of Satanists, like normal people, believe that children ought to be allowed to be children, and that their innocence should not be violated for any reason whatsoever. Many Satanists even believe that child molestors should be given the death penalty. To read more about this, please read my article about The Satanism Scare.

12. Do you hate people who believe in God?

I do not hate anybody just because they believe in "God." I only hate people who don't respect my right to worship the Powers of Darkness. Not all such people are firm believers in "God."

I respect the right of all people to believe and practice as they will, so long as such belief and practice does not infringe upon my right to believe and practice as I will. I am only opposed to people who think and behave as one-true-wayers, and who try to make me conform to their "one true way" -- no matter whether they call themselves Christians, Muslims, Pagans, or even Satanists.

13. Why do you want to go to Hell?

Hell is most often defined as eternal separation from the presence of "God." Considering that I am opposed to the idea of one-true-wayism as a matter of principle, I have no qualms with being "eternally separated" from the idea of "the one true god." And in accordance with my role as a servant of the Adversaries of one-true-wayism, I am very much interested in "eternally separating" as many people from "the one true god" mentality as possible.

You might say that I believe in Hell but not heaven. The word "Hell" comes from the Indo-European root "kel-," which means "to conceal." Therefore, Hell is really "the Concealed Place" - that dimension of reality that is undetectable to the physical senses. I believe that, in reality, all of the gods and spirits really exist in Hell, including deities that claim to be in some faraway heaven (such as the Christian god). Since Hell is simply another aspect of this world and not some distinct world of its own, then I view Hell as also being a synonym for the physical world in which we live.

I believe that everyone goes to Hell when they die, regardless of their actions in this life. Therefore, it doesn't matter if you want to go to Hell or not; you're going there either way. This is not exactly a bad thing in my view, because Hell is not a place of eternal damnation and torment; it's simply the Hidden World, the Netherworld, the Realm of the Dead and the Yet-to-be-Born. My beliefs about Hell are not that different from pre-Christian Celtic beliefs about the "Otherworld" in this respect.

14. Do you believe that heavy metal music is really a conspiracy by Satan to take over the minds of our youth?

Heavy metal music is a more extreme form of rock and roll music, which itself is derived from the blues. And of course, the term "rock and roll" itself is an old African American term for lovemaking, which is a very Devilish thing indeed.

Rock music has always had a Satanic element to it, in the sense that it naturally obstructs traditional Christian values. When rock and roll first came into existence, Christian whites denounced it not only for exerting a demonic influence upon its listeners (i.e., it made you want to have sex), but also because it was "Negro music." Long before there was ever an Ozzy Obsourne or a Marilyn Manson, Christians were accusing Elvis Prestley and the Beatles of having made "deals with the Devil" for their popular success.

In the early days of rock and roll, there were performers such as Screamin' Jay Hawkins, who delighted in making references to demons and witchcraft in their lyrics (some classic examples would be the Hawkins favorites, "Lil' Demon" and "I Put a Spell On You"). During the 1960's, bands like Black Widow from England would actually conduct Satanic black masses and ceremonial magic during their stage performances.

But Devil worship would not become an extremely popular element in rock music until the 1969 release of the first Black Sabbath album. Although not a Satanist band by any means, Sabbath's lyrics obsessed over Devil worship and the occult, and ended up birthing the new subgenre of rock music that has become known today as heavy metal. Other heavy metal acts would follow soon after Sabbath, such as AC/DC (who made plenty of sympathetic references to Satan in their lyrics), Kiss (who enjoyed dressing up in demonic-looking make-up), and Mercyful Fate (whose frontman, King Diamond, was actually a real Satanist).

There are other genres of music that I enjoy listening to, such as classical and new wave, but I have to admit that I do believe there is something mighty Devilish and empowering about heavy metal music. Since heavy metal/rock music has always had connections to Satanism (and some of these connections are actually genuine), then I actually agree with fundamentalist Christians that it is "the Devil's music." (I just have a different value judgment of it, of course.)

15. What do you think is the most Satanic heavy metal band ever?

In terms of genuine connections to Satanism, I think the most Satanic band ever is Danzig. But in terms of unintended evocative power, I think early 1980's Ozzy Osbourne is pretty damn Satanic. I also suggest listening to Mercyful Fate and Venom.

16. Do you have magical powers?

No. As surprising as this may sound, this Devil worshiper does not believe in practicing magic. I believe in worshiping the Powers of Darkness and communing with them in prayer, pure and simple. I don't make any claims to being able to "control natural events by supernatural means." I'm not a witch, a warlock, a magician or a sorcerer. I don't cast curses or spells. I just worship Devils.

17. But my pastor says that the Devil is supposed to give you magical powers to help you butcher the Gospel of Christ!

Fuck off, Bozo, I ain't no Dungeons and Dragons geek.

18. Why do you prefer the term "Devil worshiper" over "Satanist?" Aren't they the same thing?

Some Satanists are Devil worshipers, and some Devil worshipers are Satanists. But not all Satanists are Devil worshipers, and not all Devil worshipers are Satanists. Confused yet?

Many Satanists believe in worshiping themselves instead of the Powers of Darkness. Which is fine. These can be called Self-worshiping Satanists. But there are also Satanists who believe in worshiping a Satan or satans instead of themselves. These can be called Satan worshipers. Those Devil worshipers who identify their chosen Devil or Devils as a Satan or satans may also call themselves Satan worshipers, and can therefore be recognized as a kind of Satanist. On the other hand, there are other Devil worshipers out there who do not accept the term "Satan" and who therefore do not like being called Satanists. There are also Satan worshipers who do not accept the term "Devil" and who therefore do not like being called Devil worshipers.

I myself am both a Devil worshiper and a Satanist, because I interpret the words "Devil" and "Satan" to be synonymous. I refer to my gods as both Devils and satans. However, I prefer the term Devil worshiper because I wish it to be known that I worship the Powers of Darkness instead of myself. Also, the word "Devil" is much more open to being used for multiple entities, while the word "Satan" is more usually used for one Devil in particular; I wish it to be understood that I believe in and revere multiple Devils. Finally, the term Devil worshiper gets shitloads of disrespect from many people, including Satanists (funny enough), for absolutely no good reason. So calling myself a Devil worshiper is my way of "giving the finger" to such people.

19. What is "the Left Hand Path?"

In the Western occult tradition, spiritual paths are often divided between two primary approaches: the "Right Hand Path" and the "Left Hand Path." These terms originate from Hindu Tantric practices.

"Right Hand Path" is usually used to describe light-oriented spiritualities which place emphasis on (1) following established traditions, (2) seeing yourself as part of a fixed societal or cosmic order, and (3) viewing the universe as somehow reflecting human morality on a cosmic level (as in Karma or some such, and "good vs. evil" dualisms also fit under this). RHP systems usually consider the spirit world to be either separate from or somehow superior to the physical world of the flesh (which is considered "mundane"), although there are exceptions (Gerald Gardner's idea of the "Great Work" being an example).

"Left Hand Path" is usually used to describe dark-oriented spiritualities which place emphasis on (1) breaking established traditions and developing your own individualized systems, (2) rebelliously exploring what is unknown or taboo to a particular society or societies, and (3) viewing the universe as being an amoral battleground in which various independent forces (not just two) compete for survival and propagation. LHP systems usually consider the spirit world to simply be another dimension of the physical world of the flesh (which is itself considered "divine"), although there are exceptions (the Temple of Set being an example).

Helena Blavatsky's Theosophy would be a primary example of a Right Hand Path occult tradition, while Satanism would be a primary example of a Left Hand Path occult tradition. Some people believe that there is a "Middle Path" in which different aspects of the two approaches can be syncretized together. Others will tell you that this terminology is outdated and no longer useful in the post-modern world. Personally I do not use this terminology that often anymore.

20. Do you know who the Antichrist will be?

It depends on what you mean by "Antichrist." If you mean "any person who opposes the authority of Christ," then in a manner of speaking, yes. According to that definition, the world is already full of antichrists, including people like myself and all my friends.

However, if by the term "Antichrist," you mean the idea of "the Son of Perdition," then I'm afraid I must disappoint you. I do not believe that there is going to be any man in the future who will be the "son of Satan" and who will rule the world.

21. Do you believe there will be an Armageddon?

I believe that it is very possible that an "apocalyptic" nuclear war might one day take effect. However, I do not believe that this "Apocalypse" will be the end of history, or of the entire universe. It may very well be the end of human life as we know it (emphasis on "as we know it"), but the rest of the universe will go on just as well without us.

I believe it is most likely that this nuclear war -- if it even happens -- will be caused by religious fanatics, and it will most likely be fought over something to do with "the Holy Land." Just looking at the things that Jewish, Christian and Islamic fanatics all do in the names of their "one true god" is enough to convince me in this respect. However, I do not believe for one second that this potential "Armageddon" will occur because of the Powers of Darkness.

22. Do you believe in proselytism?

No, I do not. I believe very strongly that each individual person must make their own spiritual decisions in life. And as a Devil worshiper, I feel that people are best qualified to make such decisions based upon their very own research, rather than upon the research of others.

I personally believe that the Powers of Darkness choose the people to whom they will reveal themselves, and that it is not for their human followers to decide who will believe in them and who will not. To me, they are not gods who demand worship or even respect from vast multitudes of people, but gods who desire to be worshiped only by a few people. I believe that only those who feel personally called to them should worship and follow them; all others must choose their own paths, according to their own wills or callings. Therefore, proselytizing would be going against everything that I believe these spirits stand for. If people are to come to them, they must come to the Powers of Darkness in their own ways.

23. Don't Devil worshipers believe in hatred and violence?

I believe in hatred when it is necessary, and violence when it is necessary. For instance, if feeling hatred for someone is what motivates me to get something done, then in a way it is necessary for me to feel that hatred. If it is necessary for me to resort to violence in order to physically protect myself or a loved one, then you had better believe I'll accept it.

However, I also recognize that hatred and violence are most often not necessary. And when they are not necessary, I find them deplorable.

Devil worshipers are not incapable of or adverse to feeling love and kindness. Rather, Devil worshipers believe in giving their love and kindness to those who deserve it, and in giving their hatred to those who earn it. As with all people, we are capable of both love and hatred; but unlike people in other religions, we accept that hatred is a necessary and sometimes even useful aspect of human nature, to be implemented whenever appropriate. We do not close ourselves off from hatred, or try to feel love for everyone. We find it quite difficult to "love" people like Adolf Hitler and Osama bin Laden, for instance. People such as these deserve our hatred, at least from a Devil worshiper standpoint.

24. Where can I find a Bible for Devil worshipers?

There is not a single book or text that is recognized and accepted by all Devil worshipers everywhere as a "Bible" for our various beliefs. To be true, there are a variety of resources that various individuals will consider to be their own "Bibles," and here is a list of some of them:

The Satanic Bible by Anton Szandor LaVey

The Satanic Rituals by Anton Szandor LaVey

The Diabolicon by Michael A. Aquino

The Book of Coming Forth by Night by Michael A. Aquino

The Mishaf Resh by Sheik Adi

The Powers of Darkness do not need a universally-accepted Bible in order for their children to know them, for they have many ways through which they can reveal themselves to us. Instead of having us rely on a single authoritative resource for our spiritual knowledge, they desire that we investigate as many different resources as possible. They deal with different people in different ways; therefore, each Devil worshiper's personal relationship with the Powers of Darkness will somehow be different.

25. What do you think has to be personally done in order to feel closer to the Powers of Darkness?

In order to feel close to the Powers of Darkness, I believe that you must:

(1) invoke one or more of them regularly,

(2) value skepticism over any notion of "absolute certainty,"

(3) take pride in being the animal that you are,

(4) indulge in the things that bring you pleasure and keep you attached to this world,

(5) embrace the pains of existence and appreciate the darkness, and

(6) make hamburgers out of people's sacred cows (including your own).

It's not about getting things in return. I worship them because I love and respect them; it's as simple as that. I follow the Dark Ones because it is who I am, and it is what makes me happy. And as far as I am concerned, that is the only reason why anyone should worship them.