I don't want to be that guy but why Satanism? By nature, Satanism is intolerant and obviously an offensive parody. It is named after the tempter and the most evil being of creation. In the article you posted, it mentions that it is somewhat founded based on principles of Ayn Rand. Have you ever read any of her philosophy? She is absolutely nuts. Not only does she contradict herself multiple times, but she also quotes characters from her stories as if they were authorities on the matter. Try reading the first chapter of The Virtue of Selfishness called "Objectivist Ethics" and you will see her philosophy crumble. It starts to make points, but fails when she questions them especially when she starts talking about the goodwill of mankind. The article also mentions Friedrich Nietzsche who was driven mad by his ridiculously prideful philosophy. Never before had such a frail and fragile man believed he had so much power.
Edit: I just want to say that I do have a lot of respect for Catboy's intelligence and I often look to him as an authority on any thread where he comments about games and computer things which are way past my knowledge.
Before going on to what I have to say (if felt that this is out of line, then just remove this part only, not the block about my beliefs after it), I kinda want to casually throw out the idea that you can't say something like "
Have you ever read any of her philosophy? She is absolutely nuts. Not only does she contradict herself multiple times, but she also quotes characters from her stories as if they were authorities on the matter. Try reading the first chapter of The Virtue of Selfishness called "Objectivist Ethics" and you will see her philosophy crumble. It starts to make points, but fails when[...]" without applying that to most, if not all religious texts and the beliefs that some of them are formed on and around, if you're looking at them from an outsiders point of view like I do.
ANYWAY, that said.
Now that I am back home on my desktop (where it is much easier to type at length) a few things about my upbringing and past/current beliefs since we seem to be going that way. I was raised (and I use the term loosely as I don't live in a religious household) Roman Catholic, baptized and confirmed; not living in a religious household, I was never devoted to the religion, seldom went to church, don't read the bible, don't really pray, etc. I did once ride my bike to my church though (roughly a 45 minute ride, mostly up hill, which sucked on a crap bike) to pray when I was going through some major rough spot with my at-the-time girlfriend, because, you know, teenage angst and thinking that was the end of my world if we broke up (turned out to be one of the best things to happen to me).
I'm open minded to religion but I do have what I believe, which is in a god as some higher power, not a specific deity; no belief nor disbelief in heaven, hell, purgatory, afterlife, etc, I could be swayed either way on that and from time to time do waver exactly where my belief sits on that, but usually that we all just go to the same place when we die, wherever that may be (maybe a hell reserved for the absolute worst of the worst); that a god, if it exists, does not need to be appeased by prayer and devotion, that if we're all created in its image than we're all going to be loved one and the same by it.
But my biggest thing is respect. For yourself, others, and their beliefs.
I don't care if you're a guy or a girl.
Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Atheist.
Black, white, Asian, Hispanic.
Gay, straight, bi.
Rich, poor, homeless.
I don't care what you are. If you're going to represent something in one way or another, simply by being alive and having a personality, respect yourself. Be proud to show it, and be proud that other people show theirs. But don't try to out do them and don't let them out do you, just be open minded about it all and try to just get along. That's what's important to me. I don't give a fuck what anyone is or isn't, I just want everyone to show a little respect. It goes a long way.
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Also, as I mentioned my religion topic from a little while ago, me and Catboy had talked for a little bit back and forth, he explained to me a bit his reasoning for his beliefs and gave me a small bit of literature on it. It's not Satanism as most people expect it, just because it has the word "Satan" in it. It's, from what I interpreted of it, a very realist belief. I like it. There's also a lot of things that I personally can take from it and find that they apply to me perfectly as well, but I don't think I am ready to, nor do I know if I even want to, apply a definitive label to my beliefs, which is why I said what I did earlier - I believe in the idea of individual beliefs. And that's it, as far as I am concerned.
Unless someone tries shoving it in my face, what they believe has absolutely zero gravity on how I personally live my day to day life, which is how I feel it ought to be.
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Psionic Roshambo:
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NinStar:
