Dedication

Though it is no longer included in current printings of The Satanic Bible, early printings included
an extensive dedication to various people whom LaVey recognized as influences. LaVey's
primary dedication was to Bernardino Nogara (misprinted as "Logara"), Karl Haushofer, Grigori
Rasputin, Basil Zaharoff, Alessandro Cagliostro, Barnabas, Ragnar Redbeard, William
Mortensen, Hans Brick, Max Reinhardt, Orrin Klapp, Fritz Lang, Friedrich Nietzsche, W. C.
Fields, P. T. Barnum, Hans Poelzig, Reginald Marsh, Wilhelm Reich, and Mark Twain. The
secondary dedication named Howard Hughes, James Moody, Marcello Truzzi, Adrian‐Claude
Frazier, Marilyn Monroe, Wesley Mather, William Lindsay Gresham, Hugo Zacchini, Jayne
Mansfield, Frederick Goerner, C. Huntley, Nathanael West, Horatio Alger Jr., Robert E.
Howard, George Orwell, H. P. Lovecraft, Tuesday Weld, H. G. Wells, Sister Marie Koven,
Harry Houdini, Togare (LaVey's pet lion), and the Nine Unknown Men from The Nine Unknown.
[35]

Introductions

Throughout the various printings of The Satanic Bible, it has included introductions by various
authors. The first edition (in print from 1969 to 1972) included an excerpt from an article by
Burton H. Wolfe, an investigative journalist and biographer of LaVey, entitled "The Church that
Worships Satan". Wolfe provides an extensive biography of LaVey and a history of the Church
of Satan. He mentions Rosemary's Baby as contributing to the popularity of Satanism, though he
does not claim LaVeyan Satanism to have directly influenced its creation.[36] From 1972 until
1976, the introduction to The Satanic Bible was a piece by Michael A. Aquino, who later went
on to found the Temple of Set with a number of members of the Church of Satan. He gives a
detailed analysis of the Satanic philosophies, and dispels myths about LaVeyan Satanism. He
explains that it is not "devil worship", and that LaVeyan Satanists in fact reject the worship of
external gods completely. He too provides a brief background on LaVey, explaining how LaVey
brought some of the knowledge he had acquired while working with the circus to his religion.[37]
Wolfe again wrote the introduction for the 1976 to 2005 editions of The Satanic Bible. It
included some of the same content as the 1969 version, with an expanded biography of LaVey
and more information on the various conflicts between other religions and LaVeyan Satanism.[38]
Since 2005, The Satanic Bible has contained an introduction written by Gilmore, High Priest of
the Church of Satan. In this introduction, he discusses his discovery of LaVeyan Satanism and
his relationship with LaVey. He then goes on to provide a detailed biography of LaVey and
addresses allegations that LaVey falsified much of the story of his own past. The introduction
also provides a history of The Satanic Bible itself, as well as that of two other books by LaVey:
The Satanic Witch and The Satanic Rituals.[39]

Preface

LaVey explains his reasons for writing The Satanic Bible in a short preface. He speaks
skeptically about volumes written by other authors on the subject of magic,[40] dismissing them as
"nothing more than sanctimonious fraud" and "volumes of hoary misinformation and false
prophecy". He complains that other authors do no more than confuse the subject. He mocks those
who spend large amounts of money on attempts to follow rituals and learn about the magic
shared in other occult books. He also notes that many of the existing writings on Satanic magic
and ideology were created by "right-hand path" authors. He tells that The Satanic Bible contains
both truth and fantasy, and declares, "What you see may not always please you, but you will
see!"[41]

Prologue

The prologue to The Satanic Bible begins by discussing the concept of gods, good and evil, and
human nature. It includes the Nine Satanic Statements:

1. Satan represents indulgence, instead of abstinence!

2. Satan represents vital existence, instead of spiritual pipe dreams!
3. Satan represents undefiled wisdom, instead of hypocritical self-deceit!
4. Satan represents kindness to those who deserve it, instead of love wasted on ingrates!
5. Satan represents vengeance, instead of turning the other cheek!
6. Satan represents responsibility to the responsible, instead of concern for psychic vampires!
7. Satan represents man as just another animal, sometimes better, more often worse than those
that walk on all-fours, who, because of his "divine spiritual and intellectual development," has
become the most vicious animal of all!
8. Satan represents all of the so-called sins, as they all lead to physical, mental, or emotional
gratification!
9. Satan has been the best friend the church has ever had, as he has kept it in business all these
years![42]

The Nine Satanic Statements outline the basic ideology of LaVeyan Satanism, and have become
some of the guiding principles of LaVeyan Satanism. They also served as a template for later
publications by LaVey, such as his 1987 "Nine Satanic Sins".[24] Ayn Rand's influence on
LaVeyan Satanism is apparent in the Nine Satanic Statements, leading some, namely Nikolas
Schreck, to assert that the Statements are simply unacknowledged paraphrase of Rand's thoughts.
[17]
These accusations have been disproved, however.[43]

The Book of Satan

Much of the first book of The Satanic Bible is taken from parts of Redbeard's Might Is Right,
edited to remove racism, antisemitism, and misogyny.[44][45] It challenges both the Ten
Commandments and the Golden Rule, advocating instead a tooth-for-tooth philosophy. LaVey,
through Redbeard, strongly advocates social Darwinism, saying, "Death to the weakling, wealth
to the strong!"[9] Humans are identified as instinctually predatory, and "lust and carnal desire" are
singled out as part of humans' intrinsic nature.[46] The Book of Satan suggests a hedonistic
outlook, saying, "I break away from all conventions that do not lead to my earthly happiness."
Indulgence is endorsed, and readers are encouraged to make the most of their lives. It criticizes
both law and religious principles, instead suggesting doing only what makes one happy and
successful. LaVey continues to denounce other religions, and he rails against what he considers
to be arbitrary definitions of "good" and "evil".[9] Religion is criticized as a man-made construct,
and the reader is urged to question everything and destroy any lies that he or she uncovers. Long-
standing lies that are believed to be irrefutable truths are identified as the most dangerous.[47] The
last part of The Book of Satan is an adaptation of the Christian Beatitudes, changed to reflect the
principles of LaVeyan Satanism.[48]

The Book of Lucifer

The Book of Lucifer contains the majority of the philosophy of The Satanic Bible. It details how
Christianity has taught that God is good and Satan is evil,[49] and presents an alternate view. It
describes that the concept of Satan, used synonymously with "God", is different for each
LaVeyan Satanist, but that to all it represents a good and steadying force in their life. Believers
have been called "atheistic Satanists" because of this lack of belief in external gods,[4] but others
identify as antitheistic.[50] Satan is seen to LaVeyan Satanists not as "an anthropomorphic being
with cloven hooves, a barbed tail, and horns", but as a force of nature that has only been
described as evil by other religions.[51] Satan is viewed as a metaphor[50] or a symbol, not as a
being to be worshipped.[52]

LaVey rejects the idea of prayer, instead urging Satanists to take action to fix a situation instead
of asking for a solution.[53] The seven deadly sins are advocated, on the basis that they all lead to
personal pleasure. He says that Satanism is a form of "controlled selfishness", in the sense that
doing something to help another will, in turn, make one happy. The Golden Rule is again
mentioned, and LaVey suggests altering it from "Do unto others as you would have them do unto
you" to "Do unto others as they do unto you" so that if someone is treated poorly, he or she can
respond viciously.[54] The Book of Lucifer also contains a list of "The Four Crown Princes of
Hell" (Satan, Lucifer, Belial, and Leviathan)[55] and of seventy-seven "Infernal Names",
representations of Satan from various cultures and religions.[56] They are the names that,
according to LaVey, are most useful in Satanic rituals.[55]

The Book of Lucifer contains a long chapter titled "Satanic Sex", discussing Satanism's view on
sexual activity as well as misconceptions surrounding these views. He denies the belief that sex
is the most important element in LaVeyan Satanism, and that participation in orgies or other
promiscuous behavior is forced. He explains that sexual freedom is encouraged, but only in the
sense that believers should be free to explore their own sexualities as they please, without
harming others.[57] Along with the rumors regarding Satanic views on sex, LaVey also addresses
those about animal and human sacrifice. He explains that the only time a LaVeyan Satanist
would perform a human sacrifice would be to accomplish two goals: to "release the magician's
wrath" as he or she performed a curse, and to kill someone who deserved to die. He considers the
action of hurting another person a request to be destroyed and explains that the Satanist is
morally required to grant this request in the form of a curse. LaVey also says that a Satanist
would never sacrifice a baby or an animal, as they are