Stupidity is the Cardinal Sin of Satanism

By Vexen Crabtree 2002 Jan 20

1. Quotations and Links
2. The Cardinal Sin
3. Satan Embodies Wisdom
4. Satanists Don't Consider Themselves Above Stupidity
5. The Worship of Truth

1. Quotations and Links

“It's too bad that stupidity isn't painful.”

Anton LaVey "The 9 Satanic Sins"

“There is no sin except stupidity.”

Oscar Wilde

“There are problems in today's world that cannot be solved by the level of thinking that created them.”

Albert Einstein

“Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former.”

Albert Einstein
In Penguin Dictionary of Modern Humorous Quotations

“Idiot, n. A member of a large and powerful tribe whose influence in human affairs has always been dominant.”

"The Devil's Dictionary" by Bierce, Ambrose (1967)

“It is better to keep your mouth shut and appear stupid than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.”

Sammuel Clemmens (Mark Twain)

“The only good is knowledge, the only evil is ignorance.”

Diogenes Laertius (3rd century CE)

2. The Cardinal Sin

“1. Stupidity
...The Cardinal Sin of Satanism. It's too bad that stupidity isn't painful. Ignorance is one thing, but our society thrives increasingly on stupidity. It depends on people going along with whatever they are told. The media promotes a cultivated stupidity as a posture that is not only acceptable but laudable. Satanists must learn to see through the tricks and cannot afford to be stupid.”

Anton LaVey "The 9 Satanic Sins"

As the cardinal sin, Stupidity is seen as the cause of other sins in Satanism:

• Failure of empathy or understanding
• Self-deceit
• Herd conformity for the sake of it
• Failure to learn from the past
• Counterproductive pride

Other failures emerge such as lack of self criticism, failure to look after yourself, self destruction. In the Satanic Statements, more can be learnt of the long-term strategist that is the Satanist.

Stupidity causes stupidity and is self-promoting. The more stupidity there exists in a society, or person, the harder it is to remove. It costs society as a whole and is associated with crime, violence, injury, social problems, intolerance and religious fervour. Ignorance looks pale in comparison! Ignorance can be countered easily with education and rationality, but the ultimate stumbling block of personal well-being remains stupidity. The causes and possible cures of stupidity are far from obvious.

Friends of stupidity and therefore enemies of Satanism, are:

• Thoughtless herd conformity
• Unquestioned dogma
• Counterproductive pride
• Lack of doubt
• White light religions

3. Satan Embodies Wisdom

Satan is an enemy of stupidity: Satan is our intellectual muse and holds high a banner of intelligence and success. Utmost important is placed on critical thinking, inner thought, reflection and deliberation. Although not all successful people or Satanists are highly intelligent, so such people should always know this, and work around it -- see the page on Satanic Power which concerns the adaptability and success that is achievable as long as you know your own shortcomings.

Satan represents freethought, thought without dogma, absolutes or herd conformity. That is why stupidity is the cardinal sin in Satanism; it is simply a show-stopper. No-one embarks on the Satanic path with a weak mind full of gullibility and daft ideas. There are popular, legalistic, and very feel-good religions to suit those types of people. Satanism is not for the stupid.

The promotion of rational free thought is something close to my heart, and my entire site (www.Vexen.co.uk) is geared towards stimulating thought.

4. Satanists Don't Consider Themselves Above Stupidity

Satanists are not self deceitful. "The biggest weakness of all is not knowing your weaknesses" (Satanic Life Power). Simply because Satanists hold stupidity up as the cardinal sin certainly does not mean that Satanists consider themselves free of stupidity! To think this would be self deceitful, immature and stupid. Everyone is stupid sometimes in all areas of life; most people are consistently stupid in particular areas. Don't delude yourself that because you espouse intelligence you are therefore free from daftness. Human psychology makes us continually prone to error. Learn it here: "Errors in Thinking: Cognitive Errors, Wishful Thinking and Sacred Truths" by Vexen Crabtree (2008) and don't forget it!

A lack of doubt and critical thinking, can appear in people who become confident they're on the right track. It breeds stupidity and complacency, leading to what amounts to counterproductive pride, where they end up defending an erroneous stance. Stupidity can return. This is why Satan represents doubt. A strong emphasis on continual doubt and personal development will hopefully reduce residual stupidity.

5. The Worship of Truth

“I worship truth. I worship reality. The best symbol of reality is Satan. In order to be true to my beliefs, I must seek out the truth, to know. In Satanism, the self is God. Out of the self comes one's own experience of life. This experience of life is sacred. A Satanist does not pollute this life with skewed perceptions of reality. To have a skewed perspective on reality is, for a Satanist, to worship a falsehood. Satanism is the worshipping of truth and reality, and the abolishing of falsehood, deceit and lies. There is no 'good and evil', just subjective Human judgements. The Third Satanic Statement does not lack clarity:

3. Satan represents undefiled wisdom, instead of hypocritical self-deceit!

”

"Satanism: The Worship of Truth: 1. Undefiled Wisdom" by Vexen Crabtree (2005)

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By Vexen Crabtree 2002 Jan 20
Last Updated: 2010 Oct 21
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