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3. History
The history of LaVeyan Satanism began
in 1966, when LaVey founded the church on the
symbolic date of Walpurgisnacht, April 30. Prior
to the establishment, LaVey gave lectures in his
infamous home in San Francisco called Black
House, which served as the venue of the Order of
Trapezoid meetings that eventually lead to the
foundation of the Church of Satan. From its early
Figure 3. The Nine Satanic Sins
years on, the church gained media attention, as it featured numerous newspaper articles,
books, magazines, and even films, such as the 1970 documentary Satanis. The church
attracted several celebrities. The fact that many of these people are authors of science fiction
or horror pieces is not surprising, as the thought-provoking mysticism surrounding the
church's popular conceptualization is mentally stimulating. Since its foundation, several
schismatic attempts took place. Notable ones include the instance of Michael Aquino, founder
of the Temple of Set, who rejected LaVey's profane atheism, and Karla LaVey, Anton's
daughter, who thought that the church deviated from its original philosophy after her father's
death, and decided to establish the First Satanic Church in 1998 as a reaction. However,
despite revolutionary endeavors, LaVeyan Satanism retained its position as the only notable
representative of Satanism. The headquarters of the church are, somewhat ironically,
presently located in Hell's Kitchen, Manhattan.
How Satanic are you?
If you want to find out to what extent you share Satanic beliefs, circle your response to each
statement. The numbers codify the following: