I’m an Atheist. Maybe more important than that, I’m a Satanist. So what I am writing is more than left of center, it seems at first, but as I slowly put this into perspective, it will make a lot more sense.

     Satanism is, at its core, a meta-religion. It’s not really a religion like Christianity, Islam or Judaism, but it is a legally recognized and is a 100% full on religion. It recognizes mans need for theater. It’s referred to as Pyschodrama, and ritual is the aesthetic for such, by those who choose to use it. It need not look like a B-movie and how each individual Satanist express his or her own ritual is up to them. Some may just like to paint with classical music in the background and others might need to perform a full on black mass, with black candles, the virgin flame, sword, chalice and gong!

     Neither is better than the other and whatever helps you resolve your anger, search for answers or expunge your lust is fine, provided it is legal. This all came about in 1966 and has been the same for 52 years. It doesn’t need to evolve, because it recognizes people for the imperfect canal vessels they are.

     All religions kind of recognize this and most are vain attempts at attempting to squash mankind’s carnality. Yet, Religion has always had a fundamental purpose in the lives of human beings, which was community, purpose, hope and an ideal to strive for. Religion is a lot like Superman in that regard, and while not everyone needs a savior, some people need something to aspire to. There is nothing wrong with this in and of itself, except for how the individual chooses to go about his or her business.

     The Atheist movement has be going strong for years and while it has only really gained momentum within the last 15, some people had always been out with it. Within that time though, Atheism has gone from “Satanic” from a religious perspective to acceptable and a point of view that a lot of people are taking up. This is also partially what is making Christianity and the modern right movement “Counter-culture”. Although it isn’t really counter culture so much as it is in the death throes of agony. Also, counter-culture has always stood in opposition to the culture and well, that hasn’t been true of religion since Ancient Rome. Regardless of their current and always evergreen martyr complex, religion still has a lot to offer, it just never evolves with the times and that is part of the reason Christianity is dying and leaving an atom bomb size hole in its wake. It is said that Generation Z is poised to be the most atheistic generation yet, but that remains to be seen and won’t be true of the whole anyways. Regardless, a major void is being created in religion and much like Satanism pointed out in the 1960’s, there will be a need for this to be filled. My personal opinion is that what we are seeing right now in 2018, is religious fervor misdirected at the wrong things. Once you could criticize but now you’re pretty much castrated for even daring to dissent. The left is filling their religion less lives with things like #Metoo and Black Lives Matter. Once it was the Christian right, an annoying, but vocal minority, now being replaced with the religion less left. An insane and ever growing majority. All the same hallmarks are there and the insanity and attacks are the same too. SSDD, or same shit, different decade.

     It is said Millennials, are most at a loss, because they don’t have the same things to turn to that their older counterparts did, in terms of community, so I’m not shocked they’re the ones that are triggering the most about the dumbest shit. At least the Christian right thought they were doing good by their lord and savior, saving the children from the devil that was Marilyn Manson, Black Sabbath or Elvis, depending on your age. What does the left have to say for itself? Witch hunting innocent people who disagree and using the lifeless corpse of a once active internet hub to serve as a piked head against those who would dare oppose them is absurd. This is another level of crazy entirely, because it’s malicious, instead of misguided.

     I don’t see this bullshit alleviating anytime soon, unless religion starts to take a foothold again, even if it is a modern version of an old standby, because the world is desperate for meaning at the moment and without giving the masses something to stand behind, they will continue to destroy one another over discussion and disagreement that is on par with launching World War III over Star Wars or Star Trek.

     Religion may not be perfect, but it doesn’t have to be. In fact, it is about time our current generations had a new religion to replace the aging religions and restore hope to people, give them guidance, allow them to do good in this world. The soul of humanity just may well depend on it!